Treasure ahoy! While The Wind Waker is filled with pirates such as the fearless Tetra, the ingenious Mako, and the witty Gonzo, my favorite pirate of them all is a late addition to the crew: Link’s sister Aryll. After rescuing her from the clutches of the Helmaroc King, Aryll joins the buccaneers, even adopting a whole new dress for the occasion. While we don’t get to see her adventures, I imagine that Aryll relished each and every one. Through their art titled “Treasure Hunting”, Scribblin shows us about one such quest where Aryll borrows the King of Red Lions from her big brother in order to do a little treasure hunting of her own.
Aryll sits squarely in the center of the piece, inviting us in. Her eyes are closed and she has a contented smile on her face. I initially thought that she was just chilling and enjoying the gentle sounds of the wind and waves. Just like a pirate on the lookout for treasure though, I had to look deeper. Aryll has a Hyoi Pear on top of her head which seems a little weird. With no archers in sight, it was clear that she was not enacting a Hyrulian version of the William Tell story. So, why would she have this fruit on her noggin?
In The Wind Waker, Hyoi Pears allow the Hero of Winds to briefly soar as a seagull, using their wings to gain a whole new vantage point as he searches the cliffs and waves for Rupees, Pieces of Heart, and other treasures. Suddenly, Aryll’s closed eyes made sense. She’s controlling one of the gulls flying above her head, and, clearly, she’s been pretty successful.
Sitting on the deck of the scarlet ship are not just one but two bags bulging with treasure. A closer inspection shows that Aryll has found Rupees, Treasure Charts, and Joy Pendants. The sacks are so full that they cannot even fully shut, leaving her riches to peek out of the top. In fact, one Joy Pendant can’t even fit in the sack at all and instead hangs from the rope straining to close the bag.
To the right of Aryll’s head is the King of Red Lion’s majestic visage, but, where Aryll’s face is contented and happy, his face is anything but. His eyebrows are turned downward angrily and his teeth are showing. At first, it seems like the boat may be merely flashing a wooden smile, but I think it’s actually gritting his teeth in annoyance. After all, what’s the bane of many vehicles except the excrement of the very creature Aryll is controlling? With every Hyoi Pear used, she invites another chance for one of those foul fowls to ruin the King of Red Lion’s paint job. It’ll be a good thing she has so much treasure if that were to happen. Paint of such a brilliant scarlet color does not come cheap!
With so little Aryll content, I’m thankful for this piece of art. It reminds me of everything I love about her. Her clever use of the Hyoi Pear in this art and her playful insistence on adventure despite the concerned protests of those around her remind me that without the daring future pirate Aryll’s prodding, The Wind Waker would have been a very different tale.
