Why give Link two reasons to leave in TP?

In every game, Link is given some reason to leave where he is, and go adventuring. In TP, his friend Ilia gets kidnapped, and the other children later on. This is rememniscent of TWW.

However, if King Bulbin and his flunkies hadn't barged in and taken Ilia, then Link still would have gone through the same thing.

So let's pretend King Bulbin didn't show up. What would happen? The next day comes, everyone says goodbye, and Ilia gives Link the horse call she had been working on. Link sets off on Epona, and crossed the bridge to see a wall of Twilight. He dismounts Epona, walks towards it, and gets grabbed by a shadow beast.

This scenario leads me to wonder why King Bulbin was there at all. It's true he opened a portal what a shadow beast came out ove over the spring. Still, leaving the episode out where they kidnapped the kids would have left out one of the most confusing things about the storyline, besides when Zan't neck cracked at the end.

The Bulbins kidnap the kids, only to let them go afterwards. They do something to Ilia to cause her to lose her memory that's never explained. None of this is ever explained, and you actually save the kids indirectly in an attempt to save Eldin Province. Ilia is the only of of the kidnapping victims that you have a personal quest to save.

What I'm trying to say is, that if King Bulbin can come with his horn to open a prtal, and left without kidnapping anyone at that point, it wouldn't have changed much. There still could have been the scene where KB rides into the village and grabs Colin, or maybe they could have changed it where he grabbed Ilia, and actually got away with her. Then you still could have done the save Ilia's memory quest.

The kid's kidnapping and release is one of the two biggest storyline mysteries that baffles me.

this begs the a rather important question..... at what point does something in the story become... well.. important. Theres a chance that there is significance to the kidnapping, but what if they wanted to add story time, or more likely, wanted to show of the on-horse combat

I can see an option...Maybe the Bublins had somehow heard of the legends of "the boy from the forest" and wanted to prevent a repeat. By taking the kids...they get rid of that possibility. Frankly,that does strike me as above their intelligence level though.
And in that case, why leave Link, the only Hylian, lying there?

Originally Posted by gliderpilotgirl

I can see an option...Maybe the Bublins had somehow heard of the legends of "the boy from the forest" and wanted to prevent a repeat. By taking the kids...they get rid of that possibility. Frankly,that does strike me as above their intelligence level though.
And in that case, why leave Link, the only Hylian, lying there?

That in itsself disproves the idea that they were pulling the same thing that the Helmarok King was doing. Besides, King Bulbin was working for Ganondorf, who showed no sign of even recognising the Master Sword.

First off, I don't think King Bulbin summoned that twilight portal thing. I see it as he blows the horn as a sign of either victory or "we're moving out". Then the portal appears, and I can clearly see fear withing his eyes. Notice how he takes off as if he was in a rush. Scared, in other words. I don't think it was until later he joined Ganondorf. He wasn't part of Ganondorf's army to begin with. He seems to be the kind of guy who just rides around being a jerk. Kidnapping, looting... you name it.

Second, the initial quest (going to Hyrule with the sword) does seem unneccesary. But at the same time, if you were to know you'd be going to Hyrule, you wouldn't expect a kidnapping. You'd expect going paecefully to Hyrule before anything happens.

I don't remember any kind of fear in that guy's eyes. Maybe it was just a coincidence afterall.

Also, the music implies the precense of fear. Violins going "nah! nah! nah!" hehehe, that looks so silly when written.

Originally Posted by Hombre de Mundo

I don't think it was until later he joined Ganondorf. He wasn't part of Ganondorf's army to begin with. He seems to be the kind of guy who just rides around being a jerk. Kidnapping, looting... you name it.

On the topic of the King Bulbin, he says;

I follow the strongest side! ...That is all I have ever known.

Meaning he had sided with Ganondorf/Zant, but it is unclear if he is acting for them at the start of the game (I assume he is though). We know he is acting as guard near the end of the game, though.

I think King Bulbin and his men were like mercs for Ganondorf/Zant. They go in, find the spring, mark it (the horn) and leave. Since Link, Ilia, and Colin were there, they just got them out of the way for good measure, and I guess because they were hungry or just wanted to mess around, they took hostages. I always thought that Barnes and Renado saved the kids from the Bulbins, or that some of the people of Kakariko did before they died. Either way, it sets the plot into motion better and gives Link a strong motive right off the bat.

The concept may be baffling, but it makes for a good opening. I think my favorite part of Zelda games (aside from the gameplay) is the story. I love all kinds of mideivel stories. And Having it be in a game lets me be a part of it, instead of just watching like in a movie or a book. Twilight Princess has had the storyline tied to the gameplay the closest so far. I hope The Big-N keeps strengthening that bond, and writing better stories. In TP you stop doing things just because your guide (whatever form it may take) tells you to, you start doing it because you want to, because you're immersed in the story.

The Bulbins kidnap the kids, only to let them go afterwards

The Kids escaped somehow, teh Bulbins did not let them go, if they had they wouldn't need to return to Kakariko.

Why Illia's emmory loss isn't explained bothers me as well.
It could have been due to shock, thats my guess.
Or she was concussed.

Somebody brought up a point once regarding King Bulbin's "I have come to play!" line. I think they said that King Bulbin's way of "playing" is to mess around with people and bully around some helpless hostages. I guess they didn't want Link because he was too old, able-bodied, and, sorry women, a man. They don't want to pick on someone who can fight back, and if the person can, they resort to tricks to beat them (AG camp), or serve them (Hyrule Castle).

Originally Posted by Average Gamer

Somebody brought up a point once regarding King Bulbin's "I have come to play!" line. I think they said that King Bulbin's way of "playing" is to mess around with people and bully around some helpless hostages. I guess they didn't want Link because he was too old, able-bodied, and, sorry women, a man. They don't want to pick on someone who can fight back, and if the person can, they resort to tricks to beat them (AG camp), or serve them (Hyrule Castle).

That makes sense.

I really don't know how the kids could escape from archers and boar riders, but maybe Talo pulled out that wooden sword at just the right time to the rescue. If the Bulbins saw the sword immediately, you wouldn't find it so close to Kakariko. They'd have broken it (or he'd have broken it over someone's head) close to Ordon.

Originally Posted by Daphnes

In every game, Link is given some reason to leave where he is, and go adventuring. In TP, his friend Ilia gets kidnapped, and the other children later on. This is rememniscent of TWW.

However, if King Bulbin and his flunkies hadn't barged in and taken Ilia, then Link still would have gone through the same thing.

So let's pretend King Bulbin didn't show up. What would happen? The next day comes, everyone says goodbye, and Ilia gives Link the horse call she had been working on. Link sets off on Epona, and crossed the bridge to see a wall of Twilight. He dismounts Epona, walks towards it, and gets grabbed by a shadow beast.

This scenario leads me to wonder why King Bulbin was there at all. It's true he opened a portal what a shadow beast came out ove over the spring. Still, leaving the episode out where they kidnapped the kids would have left out one of the most confusing things about the storyline, besides when Zan't neck cracked at the end.

The Bulbins kidnap the kids, only to let them go afterwards. They do something to Ilia to cause her to lose her memory that's never explained. None of this is ever explained, and you actually save the kids indirectly in an attempt to save Eldin Province. Ilia is the only of of the kidnapping victims that you have a personal quest to save.

What I'm trying to say is, that if King Bulbin can come with his horn to open a prtal, and left without kidnapping anyone at that point, it wouldn't have changed much. There still could have been the scene where KB rides into the village and grabs Colin, or maybe they could have changed it where he grabbed Ilia, and actually got away with her. Then you still could have done the save Ilia's memory quest.

The kid's kidnapping and release is one of the two biggest storyline mysteries that baffles me.

Hmm, good questions....The kids, I would have to say, were an afterthought for King Bulbin. If I was to guess, I would say (given the obvious history the Bulbins have) that the regularly attack things like caravans and convoys. However, when they were ordered into the spring to summon the portal, they figured they may as well get some work on the side when the kidnapped the kids. Sort of a...cultural thing, if you will. I.e. They were there, and they kidnapp/kill/steal anyways.

As to Zant's neck cracking at the end, it siginfies the fact that Ganondorf's power has been withdrawn...at least that was the impression I got. If I remember correctly, this happens when Ganondorf has been defeated. So, his power could not be sent to Zant anymore, causing the Traitor King's death.

If I am not remembering correctly, then his neck snapped BEFORE the fight with Ganondorf, which would make sense. Ganondorf has shown that he can be very cruel. Why bother keeping his power with someone who failed him? *snap* no more Zant. That was my take anyways. I dunno if you agree, and I AM sure that only Nintendo and the Dev's know for sure

Zant's neck snaps a second before Ganondorf dies. Link stabs Ganondorf in the gut, he struggles while saying "Hyrule's history will be written in blood!", and the triforce fades. Then we see a vision of Zant, his neck snaps, and Ganondorf's body jerks while his eyes roll back into his head.

As I read my original post, I noticed multiple typos. Sorry about that. Also sorry that I'm too lazy right now to fix them.

Originally Posted by Daphnes

Zant's neck snaps a second before Ganondorf dies. Link stabs Ganondorf in the gut, he struggles while saying "Hyrule's history will be written in blood!", and the triforce fades. Then we see a vision of Zant, his neck snaps, and Ganondorf's body jerks while his eyes roll back into his head.

As I read my original post, I noticed multiple typos. Sorry about that. Also sorry that I'm too lazy right now to fix them.

Yeah, that's what I thought. So, Zant's neck snapping signified the end of Ganondorf's power feeding him.

edit: So....given that the Triforce fades...Is the Ganondorf in TP timeline (assuming the split again) dead for good? Like...is this the end of timeline here like WW was for that side of the split? hmm, odd no?