The Captive

The Legend of Zelda I

Although The Legend of Zelda appeared first in the series of Zelda adventures, it actually takes place many years after the third game. In this time, Hyrule had declined, becoming a rustic land with few remaining signs of its earlier glory. The land was overrun, and Ganon was to blame. At the heart of the conflict lay a missing piece of the Triforce and Princess Zelda.

Of how Ganon came by the Triforce of Power no tale is told. When she discovered that Ganon had acquired a piece of the Triforce, though, Princess Zelda broke the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and hid them. She knew a hero was needed to challenge Ganon, so she sent her nurse, Impa, to search throughout the land, even as Zelda herself was captured.

During her quest, Impa long evaded Ganon's reach, but in a forest glade she too fell into his clutches and would have been carried off it not for the heroic of a passing youth named Link.

Once the villans had been driven away, Impa told the young man about Zelda's secret. Then, unable to hold back her tears, she told him how the Princess had been taken captive.

No sooner had the youth heard the tale of Zelda's sorrow than he pledged to defeat Ganon and rescue the Princess. He set off at once, knowing only that he had to colect the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. At every turn in the path he met monsters and other evil soldiers of Ganon who challenged him in battle.