- This article is about the Deku Tree itself. For the eponymous Dungeon in Ocarina of Time, see Inside the Deku Tree.
The Great Deku Tree,(BotW)[6] also simply referred as the Great Deku Tree(OoT | TWW)[7] or Deku Tree,(NL)[8] is the fatherly guardian of the forest who safeguards not only the dense land around him, but the small population of beings that live in his shadow. In Ocarina of Time, the Kokiri praise and worship the massive tree, sharing a home in the Kokiri Forest, while in The Wind Waker, these beings are the Koroks, timid wood creatures who live collaboratively with the talking tree in the Forest Haven.
Biography[]
Ocarina of Time[]
In Ocarina of Time, the Deku Tree is the guardian of the Kokiri and of their forest.[9] He protects the Kokiri's Emerald, one of the three Spiritual Stones.
At the beginning of the game, the Deku Tree sends Navi the Fairy to summon Link to him, explaining to the young boy that he has been cursed by Ganondorf.[10] Link is asked to journey Inside the Deku Tree, the first dungeon of the game, and destroy the root of the curse, the parasite known as Queen Gohma. Afterwards, the Great Deku Tree details Ganondorf's motives, the Golden Goddesses, and the Triforce they created. The Deku Tree withers and dies soon after due to the effects of the curse. Before passing on, he tasks Link with saving all of Hyrule from Ganondorf, directing him to meet Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle outside the forest, and entrusting him with the Kokiri's Emerald.[11]
When Link returns to Kokiri Forest seven years later as an adult, he finds that it has been overrun by monsters due to the Deku Tree's absence. After clearing the Forest Temple and awakening Saria as a Sage, the Deku Tree Sprout takes root in the ground before his predecessor, and the monsters plaguing the forest subsequently vanish.
The Wind Waker[]
The Great Deku Tree acts as the guardian of the Forest Haven, home of the Koroks, in The Wind Waker. To them, the Great Deku Tree is considered a father figure to the children of the forest, for it is him that protects them from evil. One thing that sets the Deku Tree of the Great Sea apart from his predecessor is that each year, he sends off some of the Koroks to plant Forest Trees throughout the islands. This is done in the hope that, as the forests spread and the trees grew, they will consolidate the remaining land above the Great Sea, and allow some of the land lost during the Great Flood to be reclaimed from the depths.[12] It also rejuvenates his power, for if his power were to wane, the life of the Koroks would fade as well.[13]
When Link first meets the Great Deku Tree, hordes of ChuChus are invading his face. After the young hero eliminates all of them, the Great Deku Tree mistakes him for the legendary Hero of Time due to his clothes, and begins to speak the ancient Hylian language.[14] The Great Deku Tree realizes his error, and it is then that he realizes why Link is there: to receive Farore's Pearl from him. Just as the guardian of the forest is about to begin the annual Korok ceremony in order to give the pearl to Link,[15] Linder informs the Great Deku Tree of Makar's accident, and the ceremony is called off. After Link rescues Makar from the depths of the Forbidden Woods with the help of the Deku Leaf given to him by the Great Deku Tree himself, the ceremony begins, and in return, the Great Deku Tree hands over Farore's Pearl, as promised.[16]
Hyrule Historia states that this Deku Tree descended from his Ocarina of Time counterpart[17] and the Encyclopedia explicitly identifies him as the grown-up Deku Tree Sprout.[18]
| Deku Tree (Figurine from The Wind Waker) | |
|---|---|
 Deku Tree | Birthplace: The Forest Haven The Deku Tree is both an earth spirit and the guardian of the forest. He has lived for many long years, so his wisdom is vast. However, since his roots run deep into the earth, he cannot move. As a result, he is often afflicted by parasitic enemies... |
Breath of the Wild[]
In Breath of the Wild, The Great Deku Tree lives deep within the Lost Woods, at the center of the Korok Forest. He watched over the Master Sword in its pedestal for 100 years prior to the events of Breath of the Wild. He informs Link of the dangers of pulling out the Master Sword without being strong enough.[19] If Link fails to pull out the Master Sword, the Great Deku Tree belittles him, stating that Link has grown weak.[20]
Inside the Great Deku Tree's Navel, there are two shops, the General Shoppe and the Spore Store, as well as an Inn built for Link. Many Koroks live around, inside, and on top of him.
Tears of the Kingdom[]
Before the events of Tears of the Kingdom, Link and Zelda return to the Korok Forest to retrieve the Master Sword from its pedestal after Link left it in the Deku Tree's care to restore its power after the events of Breath of the Wild. The Deku Tree greets the couple, and tells them the success of the Master Sword's complete restoration. It beckons Link to pull the sword, and tells them farewell upon their departure.
After the events of the Upheaval, the Great Deku Tree is found sick with gloom pouring from its interior, and claims to have a stomach-ache. Entering the interior, Link finds a chasm that leads to a chamber (the Deku Tree's stomach) where the origin of The Great Deku Tree's sickness is found to be Phantom Ganon corrupting it with gloom. After defeating him, the Great Deku Tree thanks Link for freeing him from his curse and notices that he no longer wields the Master Sword with him. Consulting with the Deku Tree, he senses the Master Sword in the sky, but notes that it is 'moving.' Even he does not understand it, but suggests Link should find a creative way to reach the 'moving' sword.
Other Appearances[]
Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland[]
The story of the Deku Tree in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is somewhat similar to that of the one from Ocarina of Time. Due to pollution, Deku's Heir has grown sickly; while at the same time, the Deku Tree is also nearing his end. When Tingle met them, the Deku Tree asked if he would enter the Deku Temple at his base and retrieve Life Dew, which has the power to heal Deku's Heir. Tingle accepted and entered the Deku Temple. After defeating Bana Bana, Tingle obtained the water and rushed back to cure Deku's Heir. After that, the Deku Tree died happily, but not before paying Tingle for his service.
Ocarina of Time (Himekawa)[]
At the beginning of the Ocarina of Time manga by Akira Himekawa, the Great Deku Tree, guardian of Kokiri Forest, is telling the story of the Golden Goddesses creating Hyrule. When Mido will not let Link listen to the Great Deku Tree's story, the Deku Tree frightens the bully and his companions away. The Great Deku Tree tries to cheer Link up,[21] but the boy asks why he is so different from the others.[22] The Deku Tree tells Link that he will learn the answer when the time is right.[23] Later on that night, a creature enters Kokiri Forest and the Deku Tree refuses to let the menace past.[24] The creature then recedes from the shadows, revealing itself as the monstrous spider Gohma. The monster then begins to feed on the forest guardian, commenting on the Deku Tree's inability to move.[25] Navi notices the Great Deku Tree's dilemma and asks him what to do.[26] The Deku Tree orders her to find Link and bring him there.[27] Navi brings Link with Mido following as well. Mido comments that the Great Deku tree feels cold, worried that he is dead.[28] The other Kokiri soon arrive to see what the problem is. Gohma then reveals itself and enters the Great Deku Tree with Link, Navi and Mido following after it. The trio defeat Gohma,[29] but soon learn that the Deku Tree is unable to be saved.[30] The Deku Tree explains that as Gohma was devouring him, he read the monster's thoughts.[31] By doing so, the Deku Tree learned about Ganondorf, the Gerudo king of thieves, and his plan to conquer Hyrule. The Deku Tree then tells Link the tale of the Triforce and that he can defeat the evil king,[32] despite Link's own doubts.[33][34] The Great Deku Tree gives Link the Kokiri Emerald and instructs him to bring it to Princess Zelda.[35] He then tells Link that he believes in him and asks the boy to make a Shield from his remains.[36][37] He also asks Navi to accompany Link on his journey.[38] The Deku Tree bids farewell to the Kokiri as the children grieve the loss of their guardian.[39]
The Great Deku Tree is mentioned throughout the Ocarina of Time manga. Link tells Princess Zelda that Ganondorf's power killed the Deku Tree.[40] Link also explains to Princess Ruto that she is lucky to have a father, as Link feels that he lost his own when the Deku Tree died.[41] The Deku Tree also makes an appearance when Link dreams of a woman escaping from a burning castle and bringing Link to the Great Deku Tree. The Deku Tree is also seen in a short flashback when Link remembers that the forest guardian believed in him and that he wanted the hero to see the world and grow up.[42][43] After Ganondorf storms Hyrule Castle, Link faces the sky and exclaims that he is unable to defeat the Gerudo king, asking the Great Deku Tree what he must do.[44] The Deku Tree appears in another flashback as Link remembers the past events of his journey.[45] In part two of the manga, the Great Deku Tree appears in an illusion of Link's when he enters the desert.[46] The hero rushes to the mirage, but it disappears when he gets close. The Deku Tree's heir, the Deku Sprout, appears at the end of the manga.[47]
The Skull Kid and the Mask[]
In the Ocarina of Time manga's bonus story, which takes place before the events of Ocarina of Time, the Deku Tree appears alongside his evil counterpart, the Baga Tree, who lives in the Lost Woods. The Kokiri are celebrating the annual Deku Festival, a special holiday celebrated when the Deku Nuts turn red and open.[48] However, the Baga Tree is angry with the Great Deku Tree, who used to rule the Lost Woods.[49] In order to prove his strength and get his revenge, the Baga Tree has the Skull Kid capture Saria.[50][51] When the Skull Kid is wounded, the Deku Tree assures that he will be alright,[52] although he is worried by the parasite that caused the Baga Tree's corruption.[53] Despite this, the Great Deku Tree celebrates with the Kokiri Tribe. Additionally, there is a Gossip Stone in the bonus story that says that the Deku Tree is troubled because he cannot scratch his own back.[54]
Nintendo Land[]
Deku Tree
The Deku Tree appears as an artificial tree in Nintendo Land. The Deku Tree does not speak in this appearance, having no role beyond that of scenery. It is also one of the 200 prizes that can be won using the coins at the game on the top of the Central Tower located in the middle of the plaza.
Lana and the Great Deku Tree
Hyrule Warriors[]
When Lana uses the Spear Weapon, she is capable of summoning the Great Deku Tree to assist her in battle. The Great Deku Tree appears during her standard special attack, as well as her Spear move sets stage completion animation.
The Great Deku Tree also appears as a Keep in the Faron Woods Stage.
Cadence of Hyrule[]
The Great Deku Tree appears within the story of Symphony of the Mask. He is the guardian of Deku Village as well as the Skull Mask, and is called "Grandfather" by some residents of the village. During the course of the story, the Great Deku Tree instructs Skull Kid to retrieve the Skull Mask from Deku Hollow. After obtaining the mask, the Great Deku Tree tells Skull Kid he is meant to defeat Ganon and dies shortly after. At some point prior to his death, he told the Deku King to hold on to Mask Magic for Skull Kid.[55]
Trivia[]
- Within the code of The Minish Cap, three unused panes of Stained Glass exist; one of them depicts the Great Deku Tree.
Nomenclature[]
 Names in other regions  | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | Meaning | |
 | Japanese | デクの樹さま (Deku no Ki-sama) (OoT)[56] | |
 | ChineseTR | 德庫樹長老 (Dékù Shù Zhǎnglǎo) (OoT) | |
 | FrenchEU | Vénérable Arbre Mojo (OoT)[57] Arbre Mojo (OoT)[58] | Venerable Deku Tree Mojo Tree |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | |||
Gallery[]
The dead Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time
An unused pane of Stained Glass depicting the Great Deku Tree in the code of The Minish Cap
The Great Deku Tree from Hyrule Warriors
The Deku Tree-themed Costume for Darunia from Hyrule Warriors Legends
The Great Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time 3D promotional manga by Akira Himekawa
The Great Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time 3D promotional manga by Akira Himekawa
The Great Deku Tree official artwork in Tears of the Kingdom
See also[]
References
- ↑ "Many have referred to me over the ages as the Deku Tree." — The Great Deku Tree (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Great Deku Tree, I ask of you, when he returns, can you please relay this message..." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Deku Tree is both an earth spirit and the guardian of the forest. He has lived for many long years, so his wisdom is vast. However, since his roots run deep into the earth, he cannot move. As a result, he is often afflicted by parasitic enemies..." — Figurine (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Oh! Look at the time! I need to get back before Grandpa yells at me. Shoko... Sorry, I have to go. But I still need Korok seeds, so bring some to Korok Forest if you find any!" — Hestu (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "I couldn't be happier to finally confirm my involvement in Legend of Zelda: #BreathoftheWild as the voices of #Revali, #Teba, and #DekuTree!" — Sean Chiplock, [1], Twitter, published March 3, 2017, retrieved April 14, 2018.
- ↑ "The Great Deku Tree" — N/A (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 239 (OoT), 259 (TWW)
- ↑ "Deku Tree" — Monita (Nintendo Land)
- ↑ "In the vast, deep forest of Hyrule... Long have I served as the guardian spirit... I am known as the Deku Tree..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Now...listen carefully... A wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse upon me..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ "Though your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, I was doomed before you started... Yes, I will pass away soon... But do not grieve for me..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Every year after the Koroks perform this ceremony, they fly off to the distant islands on the sea and plant my seeds in the hopes that new forests will grow." — Great Deku Tree (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "If we are unable to hold our ceremony, we will not be able to raise any new forests. If that comes to pass, then evil days will follow. The Great Deku Tree's power will wane, and our power will wane with it... We might even wither altogether..." — Korok (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "That garb you wear... Could you be the legendary hero? [...] What is the matter? Do you not understand the ancient Hylian tongue? So...you are not the Hero of Time. I must apologize. I was in error. I saw your clothing, and suddenly I felt a longing for an age gone by..." — Great Deku Tree (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "As it happens, you have come just in time for a ceremony that the Koroks hold but once every year. It is about to begin. I shall grant the pearl to you once their ceremony is complete." — Great Deku Tree (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "You received Farore's Pearl! The earth spirit, the Deku Tree, has seen fit to give you this jewel, a treasure of the goddess, Farore." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "Even after the land of Hyrule was sealed away, the guardian spirits of the three pearls of the goddesses remain. They are thought to be descended from Volvagia, the Deku Tree, and Jabu-Jabu, spirits that existed during the Era of the Hero of Time." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 127)
- ↑ "A seedling born from the roots of the withered Deku Tree in the Adult Era of Ocarina of Time. One of its roles is to tell Link about his past. By the time of The Wind Waker, it has grown significantly." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 22)
- ↑ "If you hope to extract the sword, you'll need to summon a hero's strenght" — The Great Deku Tree (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "A hundred years ago, you would have been able to pull out the sword easily. You have grown weak." — The Great Deku Tree (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Cheer up, Link. Don't pay any attention to Mido" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 13)
- ↑ "Great Deku Tree, why am I so different from everyone else?" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 13)
- ↑ "You'll find out when the time is right." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 13)
- ↑ "Who goes there? No evil may enter my forest! You will not pass!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 18)
- ↑ "... How sad for you that trees cannot move." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 19)
- ↑ "Great Deku Tree, what should I do?" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 19)
- ↑ "... The boy without a fairy... bring him to me. Go, Navi!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 20)
- ↑ "He's cold. L-like he's dead..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 25)
- ↑ "Great Deku Tree, we defeated Gohma!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 32)
- ↑ "... But... my life cannot be saved." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 33)
- ↑ "While Gohma was eating me, I could read her thoughts..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 33)
- ↑ "If you have the courage, you can defeat his plans..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 34)
- ↑ "Why me? I can't fight against... something so scary." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 35)
- ↑ "Yes, you can! Learn about the outside world and grow big, Link." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 35)
- ↑ "... There is a princess there who has been chosen by the gods. Give her this stone...The Kokiri's Emerald!!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 35)
- ↑ "I'm counting on you Link. I believe in you." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 36)
- ↑ "You must... make a shield... from my... remains..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 36)
- ↑ "Navi... help Link. I'm counting on you too." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 36)
- ↑ "Goodbye... everyone... goodbye..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 36)
- ↑ "...His evil power killed the Great Deku Tree." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 59)
- ↑ "... The Great Deku, who was like a father to me, was killed... and I can never see him again. You've got a father who's worried and waiting for you..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 95)
- ↑ "Link... I believe in you." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 81)
- ↑ "Learn about the world and grow big..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 84)
- ↑ "It's no use, Great Deku Tree! As small as I am... I'm no match for him at all. What should I do?" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 108)
- ↑ "I did what the Great Deku Tree asked and left the forest for the first time in my life." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 1, VIZ Media, pg. 126)
- ↑ "Great Deku Tree? H-How did you get here?" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 38)
- ↑ "... The Great Deku Tree had a baby!..." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 109)
- ↑ "When the Deku nuts turn red and pop open... everyone in Kokiri Forest prepares for the annual Deku Festival." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 112)
- ↑ "He used to be in charge of these woods long, long ago... and I still hate him!!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 136)
- ↑ "You captured the Kokiri girl? Well done, Skull Kid! Now we can get revenge on the Great Deku Tree." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 136)
- ↑ "I'm going to prove that he's no match for me, that he's a weakling next to the Baga Tree!!" (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 136)
- ↑ "The Skull Kid won't die just from those wounds... I'm sure he's enjoying a nice dream." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 156)
- ↑ "But that bug-like thing that possessed the Baga Tree... leaves me with a dark, worried feeling." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 156)
- ↑ "The Great Deku Tree worries because he can't scratch his own back." (Ocarina of Time manga vol. 2, VIZ Media, pg. 144)
- ↑ "Oh yeah, the Deku Tree gave me this to hold on to. He said to give it to you when the time is right." — Deku King (Cadence of Hyrule)
- ↑ Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 140
- ↑ "Quoi?!? Tu as une fée?! Comment? Le Vénérable Arbre Mojo t'a convoqué?" — Fado (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ Encyclopedia (Les Éditions Soleil) pg. 239
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