Lake Hylia

Lake Hylia
Link standing on a pedestal in Lake Hylia in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
First appearance	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
Latest appearance	The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
Greater location	Hyrule

Lake Hylia is a large lake and a recurring location in The Legend of Zelda games. In most games, Lake Hylia is inhabited by the Zora people, and is fed by a river which flows from a waterfall, which itself flows from a mountain, usually Death Mountain. Lake Hylia first appears in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

History

The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Lake Hylia is in southeast Hyrule and has small caves coming off it. Most of the lake can only be accessed once Link has the Zora's Flippers. In the center of Lake Hylia is an island named the Pond of Happiness, which is inhabited by Venus. At the northeast is the Ice Cave, which is where Link can obtain the Ice Rod and the Golden Bee. The Ice Lake is the Dark World counterpart to Lake Hylia.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Lake Hylia is more prominent than in the previous game. It is located toward the southwest of Hyrule. It is closed off by a gate but Link can enter it by riding Epona, who can jump over the gate, or by scaling a ladder hidden behind a gate pillar. Lake Hylia's water is sourced from Zora's Fountain, which flows through Zora's River and Gerudo Valley before reaching Lake Hylia. There is an underwater tunnel in Zora's Domain that leads to Lake Hylia, and it is possible to float downriver from Gerudo Valley.

There are numerous small islands in the lake, which are linked by bridges. The largest islet, which is marked by a tall, barren tree, has a Triforce Pedestal that is the warp point for the Serenade of Water. Beneath the islet is the Water Temple, which Link can only access if he has the Zora Tunic and Iron Boots equipped. At the shores of Lake Hylia, there is the Lakeside Laboratory and a Fishing Pond. The scarecrows Bonooru and Pierre live near Lake Hylia, the latter being absent during the time period when Link is an adult. Blue Tektites and Guays are enemies found at Lake Hylia.

During the adult timeline, Lake Hylia has lost most of its water because of the Water Temple's boss, Morpha. The tunnel to Zora's Domain is also frozen solid. Once Link defeats the boss, the water returns to Lake Hylia, though the passage to Zora's Domain remains inaccessible.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, Lake Hylia is the first stage in the Whereabouts of the Wind and of the game. A notable difference from previous games is that Lake Hylia consists of many smaller lakes that are connected via rivers. The place also has several trees and caves.

Lake Hylia serves primarily as a tutorial, and introduces basic features such as items and combat styles. Link begins in a large open area surrounded on three sides by forestry. Here he meets Kaepora Gaebora for the first time. Throughout the stage, Link can obtain three items: the Boomerang, the Blue Bracelet, and the Fire Rod. Near the end of the stage, Link must defeat many soldiers and their leader, a Chief Soldier. At the end of the stage, Link must break the four-eyed barrier with his sword so that he may continue to the Cave of No Return.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

A map of Lake Hylia from The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Lake Hylia is located in eastern Hyrule, and borders on Lon Lon Ranch to the west and the Minish Woods to the south. It is where the Temple of Droplets is located, and can only be accessed if Link has the flippers. The water enters Lake Hylia by a river from Veil Falls, which is found to the north. Mayor Hagen's Lakeside Cabin and Waveblade's dojo are both found in the southern part of the area.

David Jr. is found sitting on a stump near Stockwell's House. Fusing Kinstones with a certain nearby Minish causes a beanstalk to grow in a remote area of Lake Hylia. This area can only be accessed from a beanstalk in a cave.

Three Pieces of Heart can be found within and around Lake Hylia:

• Found by diving into a pool of water next to Stockwell's House.
• Located in the southern area and can be accessed only with the flippers.
• On a platform in the middle of the lake. Link can reach it by jumping from platforms using the Roc's Cape.

After Link has defeated Vaati's Wrath, he can visit Librari in a small cave that can be accessed from a Kinstone Fusion. There, Librari rewards a full Heart Container to Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Lake Hylia returns in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and is located in the southern part of Lanayru Province. Like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the water from Zora's River flows into Lake Hylia from the north, and there is a water-themed temple, the Lakebed Temple, at the bottom of Lake Hylia. Lanayru Spring is found to the edge of Lake Hylia. Zoras are found here, along with Fyer. The Great Bridge of Hylia is the only way to cross Lake Hylia from Hyrule Field. Lake Hylia can only be accessed by playing the Flight-by-Fowl game, Iza's Rapids Ride game, or jumping down from outside the South Gate of Castle Town.

When Link first encounters Lake Hylia in the Twilight Realm, nearly all of its water has been drained because Zora's Domain froze, blocking the flow of water to Lake Hylia. Once Link has thawed the water of Zora's Domain, the flow of water into Zora's River is restored.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

In The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Lake Hylia is for the most part the same as in A Link to the Past. However, the Pond of Happiness has been replaced with the House of Gales, which can act as the second or third dungeon. At some point off-screen, Oren the Zora Queen goes swimming there with some of her subordinates, but due to her slimmed figure, ends up outswimming them and is taken by Yuga.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Lake Hylia is on the edge of the Faron region and is a short distance to the south of the Great Plateau. The Great Hylian Bridge, renamed the Bridge of Hylia, still spans its width, though other than a few small islands, the lake itself does not have many features. It is fed through the Hylia River from the Lanayru Wetlands a great distance away, in turn fed by Zora's River. During the flooding of Zora's river, one female Zora is washed all the way to Lake Hylia, worrying her husband still in Zora's Domain. Once she is found after speaking with him, she returns with several fish she caught. The lake is also frequently visited by Faron's resident dragon, Farosh, who dips into the water and flies by the bridge as part of his path.

Hyrule Warriors

In Hyrule Warriors, Lake Hylia appears in its Ocarina of Time appearance as a stage. In Legend Mode, it only appears in the scenario The Water Temple, where its waters must be drained to access said temple. The stage itself includes the shore, the entrance to the fishing hole, some of the crop fields, and the outside of the laboratory. A dimensional rift caused by Cia's tampering with time and space connects it to the frozen Zora's Domain, which is also part of the stage. The Water Temple portion takes up the majority of it, however, housing several keeps.