Kokiri/Koroks and the Deku Tree

[LadyNintendo]

After replaying TWW, I'm even more convinced my theory has to be at least partially true, but I prefer to let you guys decide.

We know in OOT that the Kokiri are created by the Deku Tree. Or at least, the race itself is.They could've had a different name and looks before OOT, just like they changed it somewhere between OOT and TWW. And we know they don't grow up.

If they can't grow up and get adult bodies, it's assumable they can't get kids either. Another reason to assume this is that they've appeared in two big games by now, but never have we seen a Kokiri/Korok child.

If they can't reproduce, then just how is the race kept alive? It seems likely that the Deku Tree is responsible for "replacing" deceased Kokiri/Koroks, if he was their creator in the first place.

I think that instead of creating a brand new member of the race, the Deku Tree allows them to reincarnate. The reason I think this is because even though it became unofficial, Fado was OOT's Wind Sage, but is not the same Fado as the one from TWW. However they do seem to be very much alike. Also Makar appears to possibly be a reincarnation of the former Sage. Compare Medli's awakening with Makar's. Laruto appeared next to Medli and taught her the song. Makar BECAME Fado during the whole cutscene, like they are the same. And then we have the scenes in which power is returned to the Master Sword. Again, Laruto appears next to Medli, but Fado appears out of Makar.

Another reason for me to assume Kokiri/Koroks reincarnate, is that Sages aren't randomly chosen. They must be from a certain bloodline. But if Kokiri/Koroks don't reproduce, then what is their link with the former Sage? Reincarnation could be the answer.

A Kokiri once said that they can't leave the forest because then they would die. But in the ending of OOT we clearly see they are capable of leaving the forest. Was it all a lie, or did the quote mean something else? What if it means that if they aren't in the Lost Woods area, the domain of the Deku Tree, they can't be given a new body once they die? It would solve that little mystery. They don't die because of leaving the forest. They die because they can't reincarnate if they'd die outside the forest, causing true death.

Fado in OOT (in case you don't know who that is, it was the blond Kokiri girl that was also part of the Biggoron sword trading sequence) was that game's Wind Sage. Looking at early screenshots, it's obvious she was supposed to have a big role. In fact, her OOT role, looks and quotes suggest that she probably was supposed to still get a big role in the OOT add-on that never was released (it's not the same as Master Quest). OOT still has an Ice Medallion and Wind Medallion in its coding. According to TWW, there must've been an Earth Sage and Wind Sage in OOT too, since the Master Sword would've been useless otherwise. Fado is only seen once in the future, during the Biggoron Sword sidequest. It could very well be that the rest of the time, she's praying for the Master Sword in the Wind Temple. Knowing the Lost Woods have a lot of portals, it is not unlikely one would've led to the Wind Temple and that Fado used that portal. It could also help explain why TWW's Fado could reincarnate even though he was in the Wind Temple at the time of his death: either the Deku Tree's power also covers the portal areas (the Wind Temple being just on the other side of one) or the Wind Temple was located in the Lost Woods, but then a part of it that was not connected to the rest of the Lost Woods by space, but because of a portal.

[Lemmy]

Genius. Well thought out and makes more sense than anything else about the kokiri/korok connection.

[LadyNintendo]

Thanks

I forgot to mention this: Some of OOT's Kokiri had a brother or sister (the twins for sure, Fado and Mido likely, the know-it-all brothers possibly). If the Deku Tree made them all, they should all be brothers and sisters actually. I think that Kokiri/Koroks only treat eachother like that if they are created (get a new body) at the same time or because of something in/during their first creation.

[Hi no Seijin]

Brother and sister could be terms of respect.  It's like how I have the Gerudos use sister in my fanfics (at least the ones that show them pre- and post-OoT (to a certain point post-OoT).  It's the same with Filippino and general Asian culture.

[LadyNintendo]

Yeah, but it's a bit different when talking about twins, like those two Kokiri girls called themselves. Also, Mido and Fado never called eachother brother and sister, but it's easy to tell they are related in some way.

[Evilslayer]

I believe they do reproduce, partly because of the sibling issue. It may seem weird for kids having sex. However, I believe they're only kids in body. Fado said something like that in TWW, as well.

Remember, some (especially Saria, the Know-it-all brothers and possibly Mido and OoT Fado) may have lived for centuries, if not millenniums. I do believe their mental age is pretty high.

If they're immortal, or at least long-lived, that may explain why there aren't any obvious children. It's like with the Elves in TLotR. Because they're immortal it takes centuries between each child is born.

Take Elrond, for example. He was born before the War of Wrath, yet all his children (yes, he have more than one, to all you who's only seen the movies) were born after the days of the Last Alliance. That's more than 3,000 years!

And the Kokiri stops growing much more earlier, though as I'm writing this I start to wonder if they're maybe more than just 8-10 year when they stop growing. I guess maybe 12-13, yet they still look like 8-10 year olds. Imagine a human girl giving birth to a normal-sized baby. Therefore, I believe their newborn babies probably are hobbit-size babies.

One more thing concerning the age, I do not believe the game shows all the Kokiris. Video games normally only shows what's important.

Assasin's Creed is probably the first game ever (with a possible exception of Shadows of the Colossus) to feature ALL the details of the world it's in.

[LadyNintendo]

Interesting. However, what do you think about Makar's awkward awakening? Also (though that may be a translation thing), why are all Koroks in TWW male then?  

[Evilslayer]

Well... why are all the Gorons in OoT male? And 99% of the Zoras? Just because all the Koroks in the game are male doesn't mean there aren't any.

There's only a handful of Koroks in TWW, but in that tribe alone (I'm somewhat against the idea of there being only one tribe/kingdom of any race) there's probably about 100 or so in reality. At least, that's what I like to think.

Heh, I guess the resurrection of Hyrule takes faster than most people think.

[LadyNintendo]

I don't have a reason to assume female Gorons exist. Maybe TP will change that, but until then, I don't think they exist.

It doesn't matter if there's only one female or male. If there's only one, that's enough to prove the race reproduces and that quite likely, more of that gender exist.

I agree on that, but Kokiri/Koroks are different. They as a race appear to be a tribe. They serve t and are created by the Deku Tree (of which only one exist) and there's no reason to assume a group of Kokiri ever left, since they do not seem to be really fond of non-kokiri/koroks.

[Evilslayer]

They might live in other parts of the Lost Woods. And what of the Maku Trees? Sure, none of them seems to be guarding a Kokiri tribe, but there might be other such trees as well.

[LadyNintendo]

There is no other part of the Lost Woods in TWW. Besides, why would they live somewhere else in the Lost Woods, away from the safety of the (original) Kokiri Village. I don't think the Maku Trees are comparable to the Deku Tree like that.

[Evilslayer]

I honestly don't think the Market, the area where the town gate is, the temple grounds and the back alleys are the only places in Hyrule Castle Town, yet those are the only areas of the town in the game.

I view TWW, and all the other games, the same way.

[LadyNintendo]

You're saying there could be an off-map island that also used to be part of the Lost Woods? Could be. You have a point. Still, I stick with my other argument. I don't see how a race that loves their little safety so much would ever get enough courage to explore more. Except Fado, but she's different.

[Evilslayer]

Fado is eccentric, lol. Actually, I was more referring to probably parts of Forest Haven, or maybe multiple islands that don't appear. Or maybe Forest Haven was down-sized, like Hyrule Field?

[LadyNintendo]

 
Well anyway, I think the idea of more Forest/Woods islands is very interesting and even seems likely. Why didn't I think of that?