Original artwork, not a still
It's dangerous to go alone! Take this.
— The Legend of Zelda · 1986
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Nintendo's whole design philosophy sits in two sentences: the world is dangerous, and the game hands you the tool to face it before you have even asked. The line works because the Old Man is lonely, unexplained and slightly ominous, and the NES text is so terse it reads like a warning and a gift at once. It has since become the universal meme for handing someone help, and later Zelda games and even a console ad slogan have riffed on it.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Legend of ZeldaShow the scene
The very first screen of the original The Legend of Zelda drops Link into an open field with no instructions and no weapon, beside a single cave entrance. Walk in and an old man stands alone between two flames, with a sword on the floor in front of him. He offers it with this line, and it is the first item Link ever receives; the game never forces you to take it, so a player who ignores the cave simply explores unarmed. Later in the game, other old men in caves hand out the White Sword and the Magical Sword.
Sources (3)
- Zelda Wiki: Sword-Giving Old ManBiography sectionReference checked
- Zelda Wiki: Old ManAdvice and swords sectionsReference checked
- Zelda Wiki: Iconic quotes in The Legend of Zelda seriesSection on this lineReference checked
Context reviewed
