The Death Mountain Problem

[Aralith]

I was playing WW last night, and came upon a rather interesting island. It's a pretty small place, where, as far as I know, the only thing you can do on it is some ridiculously easy cannon and barrel game. However, that's not what's interesting. What is interesting is its name: Spectacle Island.

Now, it would seem to me that that's a pretty clear reference to Spectacle Rock, which is a rather regular feature of Death Mountain. Here's the problem. If Dragon Roost Island is Death Mountain (as it is hinted at), then one would assume that this Spectacle Island would be pretty close to it. Only, it's not. The two islands are separated by two whole squares of sea. Since the chart says that each square is 1000, and the Japanese use the metric system, I'd say its a fair assumption that each square is a kilometer. This being the case, how did Spectacle Rock get three kilometers away from its home?

Now, assuming Dragon Roost Island is Death Mountain (which I'm beginning to doubt more and more), it's possible that Spectacle Rock could have been erupted out of Death Mountain. I doubt that for two reasons though. One, if Death Mountain could spew things halfway across the map, then OoT Hyrule would have been pretty thoroughly screwed (plus we see in OoT that the eruptions usually barely even make it to the base of the mountain). And two, even if Spectacle Rock was spat out three kilometers away, did it just coincidentally land on another mountain? I mean, how else would a rock that's relatively small end up having part of it stick above the Great Sea?

So, the real problem is this. Either we call the area that Spectacle Rock is on Death Mountain, or we call Dragon Roost Island Death Mountain. Since there are hints on both sides of the coin, it is rather hard to tell. So I ask you ZU theorists, is there any way we can conclusively prove which is Death Mountain, or can we even prove that either of them is Death Mountain?

[Adam_148]

well, death mountain could be part of a whole range of mountains, so dragon roost could be a different mountain, and spectacle island could be where it was in OoT as spectacle rock

[Hombre de Mundo]

Hmm... Is spectacle Island Spectacle? Like, are there awesome formations or cool plants or something? Just wondering, since there are many things that can make an island spectacle.

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Hombre de Mundo

Hmm... Is spectacle Island Spectacle? Like, are there awesome formations or cool plants or something? Just wondering, since there are many things that can make an island spectacle.

Like say in OP if you pay tention. Nothing but whats I has described. Only canon and barel games are presently.

[Sage_of_Stars]

Everything's more spread out in WW than in OoT. Maybe Spectacle rock moved during an earthquake. It is likely that Death Mountain is on a fault line which is why it's a volcano. Maybe the reason that Spectacle rock moved is the same reason why geography is never quite the same.

[langford]

Spectacle Island seems like as good connection to Death Mountain as anything. Unfortunately, if shape is used, there are many places that can be considered homages to Spectacle Rock, even the shape of Outset Island. I've never really seen any reason to imagine Dragon Roost to be connected. Yeah, Dragon Roost is a fire temple, but it's volcanism seems to be connected to Valoo, and it lacks Spectacle Rock.

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Sage_of_Stars

Everything's more spread out in WW than in OoT. Maybe Spectacle rock moved during an earthquake. It is likely that Death Mountain is on a fault line which is why it's a volcano. Maybe the reason that Spectacle rock moved is the same reason why geography is never quite the same.

But it just happened to move to a mountain high enough to allow Spectacle Rock to stick up out of the sea, but not show any of the rest of said mountain? Highly unlikely.

[Sage_of_Stars]

When Link is in the sunken Hyrule, he is able to travel between the Tower of the Gods and the Forsaken Fortress. There are many islands inbetween those two places but Link doesn't encounter any of them when in Hyrule. Therefore, it is quite likely that many of the islands of the great sea are floating.

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Sage_of_Stars

When Link is in the sunken Hyrule, he is able to travel between the Tower of the Gods and the Forsaken Fortress. There are many islands inbetween those two places but Link doesn't encounter any of them when in Hyrule. Therefore, it is quite likely that many of the islands of the great sea are floating.

Giant rocks tend not to float though.

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

Giant rocks tend not to float though.

most of the continents on this earth tend to, are they not rocks?

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Adam_148

most of the continents on this earth tend to, are they not rocks?

Um, continents are not floating, at least not on water. There is a completely stable land mass that builds up to a peak (though with continents, usually a plateau) that sticks above the water. Now, the tectonic plates are floating on magma, but because magma has a different density than water, denser things can float on it.

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

Um, continents are not floating, at least not on water. There is a completely stable land mass that builds up to a peak (though with continents, usually a plateau) that sticks above the water. Now, the tectonic plates are floating on magma, but because magma has a different density than water, denser things can float on it.

they still float, do they not? that was the point i was making. I wasn't insinuating they floated on water.

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Adam_148

they still float, do they not? that was the point i was making. I wasn't insinuating they floated on water.

Okay, I was hoping not, but that's what it sounded like for a second. Anyways, Sage of Stars was saying that it could be floating on the water, as you don't see any islands between Hyrule and Forsaken Fortress under the water. So, I thought that might have been the point you were making. It's impossible for a rock to float on the water, though, so that doesn't really hold much weight. I'd imagine that the reason you don't see the islands beneath the waves is that many of them would have to go through Hyrule, which the goddesses obviously left the very bottom part of it unflooded, else it would be impossible to access. So, I think that just when you're down there does the land that the islands are on disappear.

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

Okay, I was hoping not, but that's what it sounded like for a second. Anyways, Sage of Stars was saying that it could be floating on the water, as you don't see any islands between Hyrule and Forsaken Fortress under the water. So, I thought that might have been the point you were making. It's impossible for a rock to float on the water, though, so that doesn't really hold much weight. I'd imagine that the reason you don't see the islands beneath the waves is that many of them would have to go through Hyrule, which the goddesses obviously left the very bottom part of it unflooded, else it would be impossible to access. So, I think that just when you're down there does the land that the islands are on disappear.

maybe the islands were stuck to the top of the bubble that hyrule is under?

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Adam_148

maybe the islands were stuck to the top of the bubble that hyrule is under?

Or just got moved out of the way when someone had to access old Hyrule. Anyways, back on topic, none of this solves the problem of where we place Death Mountain. Oh, and I just remember, Lex has another theory that the Goron Island in PH is Death Mountain, though I highly doubt this, as Death Mountain would have to be somewhere in the vicinity of Hyrule Castle, which is not in PH's sea. But, thought I'd mention it as it is another theory. It too has its problems though, as do Spectacle Island and DRI.

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

Or just got moved out of the way when someone had to access old Hyrule. Anyways, back on topic, none of this solves the problem of where we place Death Mountain. Oh, and I just remember, Lex has another theory that the Goron Island in PH is Death Mountain, though I highly doubt this, as Death Mountain would have to be somewhere in the vicinity of Hyrule Castle, which is not in PH's sea. But, thought I'd mention it as it is another theory. It too has its problems though, as do Spectacle Island and DRI.

maybe dragon roost island isn't death mountain, but a different mountain in the same mountain range

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Adam_148

maybe dragon roost island isn't death mountain, but a different mountain in the same mountain range

Well, here's the thing. Everything points to DRI being Death Mountain (such as it being located to the NW of Hyrule Castle, just as it was in OoT), except for Spectacle Rock. How did it magically get all the way over there and just happen to land on a mountain high enough for it to still be above the water?

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

Well, here's the thing. Everything points to DRI being Death Mountain (such as it being located to the NW of Hyrule Castle, just as it was in OoT), except for Spectacle Rock. How did it magically get all the way over there and just happen to land on a mountain high enough for it to still be above the water?

it may have split off death mountain with a large chunk of rock attached, and got lodged somewhere and stayed where it now is

[Aralith]

Originally Posted by Adam_148

it may have split off death mountain with a large chunk of rock attached, and got lodged somewhere and stayed where it now is

But then how did it magically get back together for the other games?

[Adam_148]

Originally Posted by Aralith

But then how did it magically get back together for the other games?

may be a different spectacle rock on a different mountain?