Poor Link. Being the Hero of Hyrule is a bit of a lonely life. Sure, during each adventure he makes a variety of friends across his travels, but much of his time is spent in lonely travel. Whether it’s the steady gallop of Epona across the fields or the slapping of waves against the sides of the King of Red Lions, Link finds himself with a lot of time to think. During those times, I wonder if his thoughts wander to his friends and to a lesser extent his family. The Wind Waker is one of the few games where our boy in green has a meaningful family relationship. Grandma and her life-restoring soup are amazing, but it’s the relationship between Link and his sister that drives him.
Throughout the game, Aryll is absolutely amazing. She smiles and waves at her brother and lets him borrow her telescope. She’s an absolute ray of sunshine to Link. In their art titled “Link and Aryll”, Sii-SEN creates a beautiful, heartwarming scene of brother and sister together that likely kept Link’s heart strong as he pursued the Helmaroc King for taking that sunshine away.
Starting with the background of this piece, I love the blurred colored pencil or watercolor look to the beach and palm trees. The softness of nature here adds to the cozy feeling of the moment. Simultaneously, it calls to mind the feeling of a memory. It’s not the location Link remembers. He could have been anywhere on Outset Island. That’s not important. The important thing is the person next to him.
As the pair relax and chomp into some Hyoi Pears, Aryll is absolutely beaming with a huge smile. This isn’t just a normal smile. It’s one of those smiles that goes all the way from your mouth to your eyes, and Aryll’s are closed in absolute bliss. It’s a perfect day for her and her brother. At the same time, Link’s joy is in his sister’s joy. His eyes are on her. Her happiness is everything to him.
The mixture of mediums by Sii-Sen is really interesting here. While everything else in the art has a watercolor look to it, Link and Aryll are crisp. Outlined by black lines, they pop against the log, bushes, and palms surrounding them. This makes me think of memories. The specific details can sometimes get blurred around the edges. Where we were and what we were eating may not matter, but the people, they matter. On those days and nights at sea when his talking boat’s company wasn’t enough (no offense King of Red Lions), Link could think back to this clear, crisp moment with his sister and find his sails and his heart filled.
