Symbols in the Arbiter's Grounds

I just finished my second run through the Arbitor's Grounds in TP. This time I spent some time looking at all the little details in the temple. On the walls in certain places there are two pictographs that always apear side-by-side. One is man-like and apears to be holding a shield. The other is more beast like and looks to be chained up. The beast also has two lines sticking up from its back. Based on the placement of the lines they kinda look like sword handles. I know this is a long shot but I was thinking that the figures depicted could be Link and Ganon(he had 2 blades in OoT). Go look at them and tell me what you think. They are located behind the first small key chest (from the room with the 4 big torches. Head down the stairs opened by the pull chain. It's behind the revolving wall).

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A chained up beast? That made me think of the first playable moment of wolf Link, but I haven't seen it yet. I'll look for it next time I'm in there.

That's the picture you're referring to. I found a screenshot of it for the Wii, and flipped it around to get a look at the canon version of it. There's plenty of evidence to suggest it is the Hero of Time facing off against Ganon; the Hero of Time is the only Link with a Kokiri connection, and he has the Kokiri symbol on his shield (despite the fact he wouldn't be using that shield...). Ganon's form from Ocarina of Time has his mane tied into three ponytails. He has three twisted symbols above his head. He also appears to either have massive claws or tridents...

I want to take a look ast this myself. What room is it in?

Twilight Princess takes place in the child timeline, therefore, the two-sworded Ganon and the Hero of Time never fought each other. Unless you are perhaps suggesting that we use this to place TP in the adult timeline as well...

I would like to propose that the beast creature is stallord. The two long arms with fiercely sharp claws are evident in both. It has two immense horns and the body appears to be a narrow bone structure which is all we see of its body in the boss battle. It was most likely imprisoned in that chamber and was used to bring fear into the hearts of the criminals. The man next to it can either be a criminal or a guard.

Originally Posted by Cloaked Mystery

Twilight Princess takes place in the child timeline, therefore, the two-sworded Ganon and the Hero of Time never fought each other. Unless you are perhaps suggesting that we use this to place TP in the adult timeline as well...

I don't. However, I would ask you to recall the various arguments surrounding the Sages' stained windows in The Wind Waker from linear timelines before the split was confirmed. Only Zelda knew the truth of the adult timeline, and made such a tribute. It could certainly account for the inaccuracy of the shield. The story is told to Zelda by Link. Zelda tells the Sages. Nabooru, her well-known hate for Ganondorf now validated by Link's story, tells the Gerudo (which may account for Ganondorf never ruling his people in later games, only his minions), and the story ends up on the wall.

I think it must be the Hero of Time, because he's the only Hylian character in the Zelda canon that has such a strong tie to the Kokiri. The little points on the man's head could represent his long ears.

Originally Posted by Eralk Fang

I think it must be the Hero of Time, because he's the only Hylian character in the Zelda canon that has such a strong tie to the Kokiri. The little points on the man's head could represent his long ears.

I don't see any similarities between the symbol on the shield and the Kokiri symbol. I can't imagine the points would represent long ears without the trademark hat.

In the context of the game, the beast is most likely Stallord, and the figure most likely depicting a knight that surrounds him in the battle. There is no other explanation that doesn't contradict the placement of the game.

I don't think there is a contradiction if it is the Hero of Time. There's a plausible route for the story to get from Link to Zelda and on until it reaches whomever etched this drawing. After all, Twilight Princess does refer to a previous Hero occasionally, and on the child timeline, the only prior Hero is the Hero of Time.

The detail of the hat may have gotten lost along the way the story traveled from Link to this artist. What's more important to show, he's got a pointy hat or he's Hylian?

As for the symbol, I think it definitely resembles the Kokiri Emerald, but you are right in that without a round shape in the "setting" of the symbol, there's only a minimal similarity (the y-shape of the design).

The guy is a lefty on the GCN version, for the record.

Originally Posted by Mythos

They are located behind the first small key chest (from the room with the 4 big torches. Head down the stairs opened by the pull chain. It's behind the revolving wall).

Originally Posted by CPW

A chained up beast? That made me think of the first playable moment of wolf Link, but I haven't seen it yet. I'll look for it next time I'm in there.

Originally Posted by DS64

I want to take a look ast this myself. What room is it in?

Did you read my first post?

There's a picture similar to this in Kakariko village in TP. I'll have to go there again and take another look but as soon as i saw this that other picture came to mind.

You can find it in the building you must go through to meet Talo at his lookout area.

Originally Posted by Cloaked Mystery

Twilight Princess takes place in the child timeline, therefore, the two-sworded Ganon and the Hero of Time never fought each other. Unless you are perhaps suggesting that we use this to place TP in the adult timeline as well...

You mean that it is your assumption that TP takes place in the child timeline. Not everyone believes this to be the case.

Originally Posted by Cloaked Mystery

I would like to propose that the beast creature is stallord. The two long arms with fiercely sharp claws are evident in both. It has two immense horns and the body appears to be a narrow bone structure which is all we see of its body in the boss battle. It was most likely imprisoned in that chamber and was used to bring fear into the hearts of the criminals. The man next to it can either be a criminal or a guard.

Except Stallord was just a pile of bones in Twilight Princess, and in life probably had a body that was much more substantial. Oh, and why is that "guard" depicted as being left-handed?

Originally Posted by Raian

I don't see any similarities between the symbol on the shield and the Kokiri symbol. I can't imagine the points would represent long ears without the trademark hat.

In the context of the game, the beast is most likely Stallord, and the figure most likely depicting a knight that surrounds him in the battle. There is no other explanation that doesn't contradict the placement of the game.

Apparently, others (me included) do see the resemblence. The image is highly stylized and minimalistic, so the excluded hat (which you can't see from the front much anyway) doesn't make much difference. The fact that the depicted figure is left-handed lends credence to the idea that is indeed the Hero of Time. This explaination contraticts certain placements of TP, but so what?

Originally Posted by Anslyn Siles

This explaination contraticts certain placements of TP, but so what?

There's no contradiction. There are some things "wrong" with the etching; Link has no hat, he has a Kokiri shield instead of a Hylian shield, which can be accounted for if the etcher never saw Link herself, but only heard the story, as passed from Link to Zelda to Nabooru to the Gerudo. It's basically a game of telephone. I honestly don't think this etching forces anyone who places Twilight Princess in the child timeline to switch Twilight Princess to the adult timeline.

Mabey it was an ancient prophecy, which due to the hero of time, never got to be fulfilled?
Also, the three prongs, looks alot like Ganons swords

Just in case nobody's said this yet, there are multiple appearances of this image throughout the Arbiter's Grounds, and they don't all face the same way. Some have the man holding the shield in his right hand, others have him holding it in his left hand.

Originally Posted by Anslyn Siles

You mean that it is your assumption that TP takes place in the child timeline. Not everyone believes this to be the case.

Yes.... sure.... feigning ignorance won't earn you my pity. Twilight Princess coming in the child timeline is supported by in-game evidence and two developer statements. Proceed as you will.

Originally Posted by Anslyn Siles

Except Stallord was just a pile of bones in Twilight Princess, and in life probably had a body that was much more substantial. Oh, and why is that "guard" depicted as being left-handed?

That picture seems rather bony and bodiless. And that is your assumption of course which unlike me before doesn't have 2 developer statements and in-game evidence. So only Link was a left-handed swordsman? No other sword wielding rogue in all of Hyrule could carry their sword in the left hand?