Over the past decade, my occupation has afforded me the opportunity to travel the world. I have stood in awe at the splendor of Dubai’s Miracle Garden, reflected upon the power of Greece’s Colosseum, and marveled at the architecture of the ancient city of Petra. I have bathed in the Dead Sea, skied in the Swiss Alps, and hiked the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. While the Earth’s natural and man-made structures are breathtaking, the diversity in culture and language are equally enthralling. Just as it is virtually impossible for two snowflakes to share the same design, each civilization boasts its own unique identity, personality, and language. Although some languages share similar elements, one common thread transcends vernacular dialect: the tone of one’s voice.
In a fraction of a second, we can normally surmise the intentions of another just by listening to the tone of their voice. Though I rarely understood the local conversation during my travels, the emotion portrayed by tonal fluctuation was more than adequate to relay a message. Feelings such as gratitude, anger, and sorrow are universally understood by changes in pitch and tone and do not necessarily require an understanding of the individual words. Ironically, this same concept perfectly summarizes one of the most popular sidekicks in the Zelda series: Midna.
Midna’s popularity among fans is undeniable; however, the player’s first encounter with the imp-like Twili is rather vexing. Trapped in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle in his wolf-like form, Link begrudgingly relies on Midna to escape the prison cell. While the deed of guiding the hero to freedom is noble, what makes this introduction so exasperating is the sarcastic tone in Midna’s voice. Her voice-over is incoherent pseudo-speech, and players immediately question whether Midna is a friend or foe.
Thanks to a stellar performance by Akiko Koumoto, the fluctuations in Midna’s speech relay feelings of manipulation and ulterior motive without the need for subtitles. As Link gradually earns her trust throughout the journey, Midna slowly evolves from a shrewd figure into a beloved companion, and the emotion in Midna’s disjointed speech begins to change. No longer sarcastic or taunting, Midna demonstrates empathy and love, and players share a mournful goodbye at the end of the game.
Although Midna eventually redeems herself for the mocking behavior, I always felt as though her pseudo-speech hid a darker secret. Evidently, fans across the internet had the same inkling and uncovered the mystery behind Midna’s strange voice-over. As it turns out, Akiko Koumoto’s work was originally recorded in English and scrambled to give Midna a mysterious personality. Yes, you read that correctly. Midna actually speaks English, and you can listen for yourself in Inumarou’s video below.
While Midna’s subtitles have no problem relaying her satirical temperament, her original English speech is more cutting than expected. Not only does Midna press Link to make hasty decisions, but she also questions his intellect. Perhaps the most creepy line is when Midna promises that she will be watching in the shadows as Link continues his quest.
Many of us enjoy a good redemption story, and Midna epitomizes this trope by eventually making amends for her dubious behavior. By the end of the game, Midna’s departure is heartbreaking, but our first encounter in the Hyrule Castle prison is forever etched in my mind. Though I welcome a potential return of Midna in the Breath of the Wild sequel, I would like an apology from the onset. Even a simple acknowledgment of her spiteful conduct would suffice.
While the vindictive player inside of me would like to extract a metaphorical “pound of flesh,” I have a feeling that my animosity would evaporate upon seeing the Twilight Realm princess once more. I, too, am a sucker for redemption stories. Few companions in the Zelda series have as positive a character arc as Midna, even if she did initially refer to us as “stupid” in her scrambled dialogue. Regardless of how I feel, the Princess of Twilight deserves another appearance, and I will be the first one to welcome her on another adventure.
