For as important as the Twilight Realm was to Twilight Princess’ narrative and the history of Hyrule during that particular branch of the timeline, we sure didn’t get to see a lot of it in the video game. Aside from an occasional glimpse through a flashback cutscene, it wasn’t until nearly the end of the story that Link stepped foot in the mysterious world, and his exploits were limited to a dungeon-crawling excursion through the Palace of Twilight.
The first eight volumes of the Twilight Princess manga also kept the Twilight Realm largely shrouded in mystery, but with Volume 9, Midna’s homeworld finally takes center stage in a fascinating, and at times chilling, entry to Akira Himekawa’s ambitious adaptation.
Spoiler Warning: This review contains information about important story details from Volume Nine of the Twilight Princess manga. Read at your own discretion.
Volume 9 is laser-focused on where it wants its events to play out and what characters are in the spotlight. Once Link and Midna pass through the Mirror of Twilight, they leave Hyrule behind for a good long while. Nearly all of Volume 9 takes place in the Twilight Realm, and the perspective is solely on Link’s and Midna’s exploits through it. There is no interlude that takes the reader back to any of the supporting cast like the folks at Kakariko or the Resistance in Hyrule Castle Town. This entry is dedicated to the arc that’s played out between Link, Midna, and Zant, and all three experience powerful character moments.
It’s especially great to see this out of Midna, who had mostly been on the sidelines for the last couple of volumes. (She even at one point disappeared for almost an entire book.) Returning home forces her to confront several fears. She had expressed some of these earlier in the series, but there are others she only now opens up about. There is, of course, the inevitable battle against Zant, the crazed man who cursed her and nearly doomed her homeworld, but there is something else that she’s reluctant to face — her own people. The Twilight Princess manga delves deeper into Midna’s fears by addressing her guilt over falling to Zant in the first place.
But no matter how ashamed Midna feels over her previous defeat, it’s her own people who help to restore her confidence. Whether it’s learning that several Twili have secretly protected the Sol during Zant’s rule or hearing the Twili affirm their belief in her, even while she remains trapped in her impish form, Midna is inspired more than ever to stop Zant and Ganondorf. Her desire has been fueled by being around the people she’s been separated from for so long. That means saving more than just the Twilight Realm though. Midna initially started her journey out of revenge and only sought to restore her world, but she has come to see Hyrule as her responsibility, as well.
That the Twili eventually come to support her decision is a great touch and one of several instances where they have been quietly contributing to the cause, even while living under Zant’s tyrannical rule. After only appearing as nameless NPCs who amounted to little more than statues in the video game, the Twili are much more integral to the Twilight Realm in the manga. They may not be given their own names, but their unique appearances and distinct titles (the elders, the head librarian, the palace gardener, etc.) are enough for them to come away with more of an identity this time around.
Volume 9 even introduces an original area in the Twilight Realm thanks to the brief appearance of a forest near the palace. There’s a very good reason for this addition to the scenery: This is where the people of Link’s hometown now reside after the incident with the Gaurof Sword drew them all into the Twilight Realm prior to the story. Link and Midna were bound to make this discovery sooner or later once it was revealed in Volume 8, so while it’s not a shocking twist by any means, it’s another example of how the Twilight Princess manga can always be counted on to circle back and make good on what it teased in earlier volumes.
Link reuniting with all of his old friends is also the perfect way to continue showing the vulnerable, human side of the hero that the manga has excelled at throughout its run. Finding all of the townsfolk who he once lived alongside is a joyous occasion, for sure, but it’s not without some friction. Darpa calling out Link and questioning his sincerity is a rare instance in any Legend of Zelda story where a heroic character expresses doubt in Link’s virtues. More importantly, it gives Link a chance to verbalize the intense emotional stress that he’s been under since taking up the duty to save Hyrule and the Twilight Realm.
It’s not even the first time it occurs in Volume 9 (it’s first seen during Link’s confrontation with Zant in the Palace of Twilight), but regardless of when it happens or who provokes Link, the matter of how he withstands the challenges of being a chosen hero is always a compelling subject. Unfortunately, the video games have yet to address that theme as they continue to keep Link a silent protagonist without internal dialogue.
How would a young man’s mental health and emotional stability hold up when he goes from living a normal life to being in mortal danger nearly every single day, and while bearing the responsibility of all life in his world? Most likely, it is with a lot of struggle, and he wouldn’t want others to make light of it. That’s precisely what the Twilight Princess manga is giving us with this interpretation of Link.
For all the memorable moments involving Link and Midna in Volume 9 though, Zant is the one who ends up stealing the show. Making a last stand inside the Palace of Twilight, the Usurper King is as deranged as fans will remember him, but Himekawa also adds a much more sinister edge to him in their adaptation. Joining his familiar inferiority complex and paranoia is the disturbing secret that he’s lusted after Midna ever since she was fairly young. It immediately twists the perception of Zant: Once a wacky psychopath, now a detestable wretch.
Another part of what makes Zant so fearsome is that his shrill shrieks and yelps from the video game are lost in the translation from the video game to the pages of the manga. He still comes across as unhinged, just without the loony sound effects. Himekawa has a very different take on the fan-favorite battle, forgoing the many phases where Zant alters the environment and uses a bevy of different attacks. The encounter is a long one, but it’s not a back-and-forth brawl where Link and Zant pummel each other. It’s more of a clash of wills and supernal powers as Link combines the magic of the Sol with his teachings from the Hero’s Shade to combat Zant’s corruption.
That means that there isn’t a terrible amount of action in this entry, which may feel like an odd creative decision as the manga enters the final stretch, but anyone looking for a wild fight or two will surely get it before the series is over. Like with previous volumes, Himekawa leaves the reader with an author’s note to conclude Volume 9. They reaffirm that creating nine books over the course of five years has been a grueling task, but they are determined to give their best effort for an ending that the Twilight Princess manga deserves.
After all that they’ve accomplished, there shouldn’t be a doubt in the world that they’ll do exactly that.
SCORE:
9/10
Volume 9 of the Twilight Princess manga is eerie and uplifting in equal measures, making for one of the most memorable entries in the series.
Jeffrey Pawlak
Jeffrey Pawlak is the Features Director for Zelda Universe, and has been a member of the website's community for more than 20 years. He is also a high fantasy author and an aspiring comic book artist.
by Jeffrey Pawlak on September 23, 2021
