Dungeon #2: The Desert Palace

The Desert Tablet

Deep in the Desert of Mystery (which actually isn't too mysterious, there aren't too many secrets to be held here) there is a large foyer leading up to a large stone structure.  Seems like it's in the middle of nowhere, doesn't it?  Seems like a lot of things in Hyrule are in the middle of nowhere and make no logical sense as to why, or how, they were built.  I guess that is part of the reasoning: good defense of the triforce!

The Book of Mudora Proves Essential

After holding up the Book of Mudora to the large stone tablet situated center of this structure, we uncover the translation to the ancient Hylian text: Link must make a wish and the way forward will be revealed.  That's kind of corny, isn't it?  Corny, yes, but it is a neat way to ensure that Link is holding the Book of Mudora, which he will need several times from here on out on his quest.

Link Makes A Wish

Link looks to the skies and makes a wish.  What he wishes for is uncertain.  Those who are goody-goody, I presume, will think that Link is wishing for peace and harmony in the land of Hyrule.  But perhaps his wish is more from the Id...perhaps it is for sexual pleasure, perhaps it is for riches.  Either way, the character and designs of Link is left entirely up to us as he is a silent protagonist and it is our imagination that crafts his every word.  Most presume Link to be an orderly hero who is guided by the well-being of society and the concept and defense of that which is good.  Personally, I believe Link is chaotic and driven by his own sense of what is right and decent, but is still driven by goodness and harmony.  Since Link is kept silent and not much is ever revealed about him as a character (a big contrast to other RPGs which explore character development), I suppose that hypothesis is all we will ever really have when it comes to this protagonist.  In reality, I like him as a mystery...it makes for some interesting conversation pieces.

Sashasrahla Speaks Again

Within the confines of the dungeon you find another of these plaques that allows you to communicate with Sahasrahla.  At least Link knows that he is not alone on his quest to battle evil.  While here, like anywhere else the old wise man doesn't say much that a seasoned player (or a player with an ounce of common sense) wouldn't know, this ounce of realism still makes things comforting.

Power Glove

The prize of the desert palace is the Power Glove.  This item is odd because it actually does you nothing for the dungeon you are in: it simply improves your ability to travel in the over-world by allowing you to lift stones that often block your path forward.  So all this does is open new areas for Link to explore: it does not aid his combat ability, nor does it help him in the boss fight ahead.  This is a good way to block off these areas before Link is ready to explore them though, I guess.

Landmola

The Landmola is slightly more irritating than the Armos Knights.  These are essentially sand worms that pop out of the ground, shoot rocks as they do (which I don't get...sand is supposed to be crushed rock to the point that there is nothing solid to walk on, making travel difficult, not so hard as to be damaging.  But go figure Zelda physics).  Either way, these annoying green monsters leap from the sand at random, trying to damage Link but don't aggressively attack him (go figure).  Link simply needs to damage them a certain number of times with his sword and they go down, one by one and he will get...

Pendant of Power

Finally, the Pendant of Power!  One Pendant to go and we can retrieve the Master Sword!  It seems like it's not possible since we just started this adventure, but we're so close already that we can taste it!  So on we go to Death Mountain to quest for the final pendant!  Let's not delay!