“When water fills the lake, shoot for the morning light.” – Ocarina of Time
As the sun rises over the restored shimmering waters of Lake Hylia, the Hero of Time stands upon an island and the riddle that promises something powerful within his reach. Staring directly at the sun, he lines up his shot with his fairy bow and releases an arrow towards the morning light. The small arrow disappears into the great ball of fire and returns, glinting with the fiery gifts of the Goddesses.
Australian artist Brakkenimation recreates the satisfying moment from Ocarina of Time where the player gets to shoot directly at the run and be rewarded with one of the most handy magical arrows in the game. The dawning artwork, “Fire Arrow”, centers itself behind Link seconds after the arrow has been released. The perspective of the piece and fiery light glowing around Link’s silhouette is reminiscent of sunrise and sunset photographs that capture all the light of the sky and darken those standing in the foreground. By choosing this perspective, the memory of this cutscene is replicated with all the magic of our imagination capturing the legendary moment. Living through Link and staring into that light, we as players were only focusing on Link and the light rising in front of him, praying we had guessed that riddle right.
Around the darkened silhouette is a myriad of colours reflected from the large light source. Yellows, oranges, blues, and purples all blend together in the magic of the sunrise. Furthermore, with the water of the lake restored, the rippling surface enhances every light with a reflection that almost lines the path of Link’s arrow. Even though one would not expect to get such a heat coded item in the water themed area of the game, this artwork goes to show there is a synergy in combining fire and water. The same shot over a bubbling volcano would not hold the same mystical magic and the reds and oranges could feel overwhelming. Lake Hylia and its blue waters provide a strong aesthetic for such a cool shot.
Brakkenimation comments that obtaining the fire arrows was one of their favorite moments in Ocarina of Time. Many agree there is an almost epic quality to this small little cutscene within the game. “Fire Arrows” captures all those moments and memories, and highlights how any little moment can feel like a grand adventure worthy of being transformed into a piece of artwork fit to be framed on any wall.
