Google's 'Zelda' Film Easter Egg: 'Excuse Me, Princess!' and a Whole Lotta 'KYAAA!'
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Google's celebrating the 'Legend of Zelda' film casting with a brilliant Easter egg that nods to Link's famous (or infamous) catchphrases, proving that even search engine giants have a soft spot for Hyrule.
Right, so the hype train for the live-action 'Legend of Zelda' film is officially chugging along, and Google's hopped on board with a cheeky little Easter egg. Eurogamer spotted this gem, and fair dinkum, it's a nice touch. Basically, if you Google the names of the actors cast as Link and Zelda – Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, respectively – you get the usual search results, but *also* a bit of Hyrulian flavor.
Search for Bo Bragason, and up pops a message that reads: "Well excuse me, Princess." Complete with a cute little female elf emoji. Of course, any Zelda aficionado worth their salt knows this is a nod to Link's, shall we say, *unique* catchphrase from the animated series. It's become a bit of a meme over the years, often deployed with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Sound familiar?
Now, searching for Benjamin Evan Ainsworth yields something a bit different. Instead of coherent dialogue, you get: "KYAAAA! HYAAAAA!" accompanied by a male elf emoji. This, naturally, represents the grunts and yells Link emits while hacking and slashing his way through hordes of Bokoblins and solving fiendish puzzles. We all know Link's not exactly the most talkative bloke in Hyrule, especially in the main games, and some titles even give us in-universe reasons for his silence. Breath of the Wild gave us Zelda's diary, she writes about how Link silently bears burdens. That's deep stuff, mate. Echoes of Wisdom suggests his voice was stolen when he was yoinked by a rift.
So, what does this mean for the film? Well, it's a fun little acknowledgement of the source material and a clever way to get fans excited. The real question is: how will the filmmakers handle Link's relative silence? Will they go the stoic, internal-struggle route? Or will they give him a voice and risk upsetting the purists? (Please, no more 'Well excuse me, Princess!' That joke's run its course.) Perhaps he will use his sword as his voice, cutting down enemies to relay his story.
Whatever they decide, this Google Easter egg is a nice reminder that even the biggest tech companies are getting in on the Zelda hype. Makes you wonder what other surprises are in store. Will we get a playable ocarina on Google Maps? A Hyrule Castle tour in Google Earth? Only time will tell. In the meantime, I reckon I'll just keep searching for Zelda actors and giggling at the "KYAAAA! HYAAAAA!"
Tags: Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, Gaming, Easter Egg, Film Adaptation
Original article: Eurogamer