Edit 26-Nov-2011: You're getting sleepy... very sleepy
Edit 10-3-2013 A Two-Faced Triforce?
Edit 01-05-2015
The F*ck is Sheik?
Or, theories while I wait to pick up Skyward Sword tomorrow
In all honesty I'd rather stay out of this, but... Well, I'm not sure why I'm not.
(Lots of brackets)
Zelda's alter ego, the mysterious Sheik! Where would the Hero of Time be without him (or her)? Dunno, but I'm sure someone's written on that.
I remember when I first played Ocarina of Time and Link met Sheik who revealed themself to be none other than Zelda, the missing princess, who had the foresight to disguise herself for seven bloody (and bloody) years but not apparently to reveal herself somewhere that wasn't directly under her enemy's admittedly large nose.
I, like many others, felt cheated.
Never mind how they look, (incidentally, original Sheik seems to have a male polygon base while 3D Sheik has a figure) how could dainty princess Zelda be Sheik, the dark, mysterious dude with a poetic soul who moves swift and stealthy through remote and hostile lands?
Good grief, she screams and freezes as soon as anything starts to happen – she needs Link to hold her hand all the way down the tower. Whenever I play now I can't help but wonder at how she can't navigate around small rocks. Or, you know, step over them?
Sheik jumped a thirty-plus foot tree and scaled monoliths. C'mon.
Short version: I have always wanted her alter ego back and given the discrepancy between the calm and competent Sheikah persona and the meek Princess, I have to wonder what's up.
So here are some explanations, starting with canon, and then a couple theories. Frankly I think they can all be used, and won't throw my vote to any one of them. If you know another review and I'll tack it on with credit to you.
Zelda In Disguise
Zelda, after escaping from the castle with her Sheikah guardian, takes on a new identity, that of a young Sheikah.
(A variant on this that has recently been pointed out to me - it's also possible the princess is gender-fluid, but the pros-cons don't really change.)
Pros:
This is the canon explanation, and can be worked with. She can physically disguise herself, binding her chest, dying her hair, and she's growing so her height and proportions will change during puberty – harder to recognize. Training will give her muscle mass and change her silhouette again. There may be magic to further hide her. She can also learn to act, or to emulate someone.
Cons:
Major personality and skill set shift. The personality isn't so much of a problem, since she might be a good actor, but it is very hard to fake competence - and not possible a this level. Sheik was very skilled and composed, but as I mentioned above Zelda falls to pieces very quickly and isn't very helpful what with the gasping and screaming and the supposed to have been trained as a Sheikah warrior. Also, where do her guns go after the change? She goes from fit to feeble.
The Old Switcharoo
This is popular, especially with romance writers, especially slash. Sheik puts all this work into helping the Hero and has their glory stolen by Zelda. Or just gives her the credit – loyal servant of the crown and all.
Pros:
Explains personality and skill set shift, as well as the change in stature – different person, different body, different life and personality.
Cons:
Where is Zelda during this? Shadowing the shadow? Under house arrest by her followers? What is hiding her, given how quickly Ganondorf finds her after she comes into the open? It's a scale of minutes after years of looking. And how does the switch occur, considering the above? Where does the double go after the switch has occurred – one would think he/she would stick around to help.
A la Midna
In the Twilight Princess Zelda's essence/magic/whatever flows into Midna. (Zelda's body vanishes – presumably going with her power, except she turns up in Ganondorf's possession later. Not sure what that's about.) It may be that something similar might occur – a kind of possession.
Pros:
The possessed person's talents could remain while being guided by the possessor's knowledge and goals. Again, this accounts for the skill sets. It also removes the need for disguise or a dash hole for the princess. And should her body remain somewhere - probably in a similar state to that of Link's over the years he was in the Temple of Time - it's possible that since she's not 'home' Ganondorf either can't find her or doesn't care.
Cons:
How does the reveal occur? (How does the possession even begin?) Does Zelda leave her host and appear while the other leaves? Is this something like Quirrelmort in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – the possessee is ultimately sacrificed to the possessor? Does the possessor keep their host's abilities afterwards (or vice versa) or is that even relevant if their own character has gone unchanged?
Seeing Dead People
What is the flash that hides Zelda's unveiling reminiscent to? Majora's Mask's mask transformation sequence, of course. And is it not feasible that a young Sheikah died with regrets, allowing a mask to be made, which the princess could then wear, making her appear as a young Sheikah?
Pros:
The MM masks all come with the skills of the deceased (once used to the new body) and since the mask is made to allow the dying to ease their regrets, something of them however much or however little must remain – explaining the character of Sheik versus Zelda.
Cons:
Who would have done the needed magic to make the mask (as I can't see the Happy Mask Salesman hanging around very long – more of the saves-own-hide-while-others-toil type) and how does Zelda know how to use it? Where (and when) did the deceased come from? Does Zelda not acquire some fortitude whilst wearing the mask, seeing as despite appearances she's still the one doing all the work?
Me Myself and I
Zelda has a form of Dissociative Identity Disorder. (This may be the wrong term.)
Pros:
Personality shift without a secondary person. DI may also allow one of her personalities to be that tragic Sheikah so creatively named Sheik and keep his(her) memories (and skills) separate from "Princess Zelda's." A different personality can also translate into a different way of carrying oneself – and comportment can have a very strong influence on how a person is seen. It is possible to mistake the same person for another.
Cons:
"Sheik's" different mannerisms don't explain the body changes (I mentioned muscle mass earlier). Can Hylian DI be magical – different personality different look? (Red eyes, dirty vs platinum blond...) Or does she consciously change her looks when she changes personalities? And if any of this (or the above) is the case, why the hell do her clothes change?
You're getting sleepy... very sleepy... (Suggested by msfcatlover)
In the manga a magical mind-and-body altering sequence takes place: Impa casts a spell, sealing away Zelda's memories and replacing them with a new set, and in the same swoop changes her body to that of a Sheikah boy. Presumably this also masked whatever Ganondorf was looking for in his search for her.
Pros:
Covers all most the bases, really. Her looks change, her mindset changes, even her memories are different. Timing-wise, manga-verse also gives enough time for Zelda's appearance to be reported and reacted to, as opposed to Ganon's insta-find in the game. In either version he's still a drama king (Shattering heart-warming scenes! Dramatic lights! Taunting jibes! Monologue-capped-with-an-evil-laugh! Straight from the Evil Villain's Handbook for Capturing Princesses and Irking Heroes.)
Cons:
I'm still inclined to think that some of the Sheikah skills would remain, as while her appearance changes Zelda's still the one going through the motions (feel free to ignore my opinion though) although it's worth noting that manga-Zelda was somewhat less hopeless. (She does retrieve Link's sword for him instead of standing and pointing. And while she does need protecting she doesn't freeze up. But there's the limit.) And oddly enough, in both canon and manga, she transforms into her dress: vanity, maybe? But where does she keep it?
A Two-faced Triforce? (Suggested by phantomdemon2)
Could the Triforce have done it? In Ocarina and elsewhere Ganondorf uses the Triforce, which flashes, to become Ganon, the boar-thing. The Tetra-Zelda change may also be Triforce related, as it also gives a little light show, but it could also be a royal bloodline thing. Regardless, this is one of the stronger possibilities I've seen.
Pros:
If you compare the Zelda-Sheik change to the Ganondorf-Ganon one, their bodies change, and their tactics and skills and modus operandi all change too. Zelda goes from physically weak but magical princess who can't plan (re: her insta-capture) or handle herself in a bad situation (utterly helpless while escaping) to strong, stealthy Sheikah guy with arguable magic ability who has back doors and windows everywhere (the disappearing acts) and by the look of him can take care of himself pretty well. Ganon(dorf)'s change is similar: from human to boar-monster, magic to a two-handed sword style, evasive manoeuvres and plotting to mindless brute force.
Even their outfits change, but I suppose we'll just call magic on that one? Changed to fit the role/form the Triforce/Gods have ordained maybe?
Cons:
Cloths is also a con: Ganon's little clothing is arguably just the remains of Ganondorf's threads, which once more begs the question of Zelda's dress to skin-tight suit (and pirate outfit to dress): why?
The Triforce has also arguably changed the Hero, TP!Link, into a wolf: we learn while eavesdropping in Kakariko that the shop owner was turned into a Shadow Beast when attacked, but Link's Triforce flashes and he turns into a wolf instead, as he does whenever he enters Twilight, protected unlike everyone else who turn into spirits. This would be a protective act of the relic on Link, and not a willed change like for Zelda and Ganondorf, so maybe it's different, but should she turn into an animal of some kind instead?
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