Original artwork, not a still
Old man
Pay me for the door repair charge.
— The Legend of Zelda · 1986
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the series' running joke about breaking into places: the game rewards curiosity, then charges for the breakage. The line stuck because it flips the 'find a secret, get a prize' habit players learned in the same game. Later Zelda games revived the idea, and Oracle of Ages has an old man who charges Link to repair his door.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Legend of ZeldaShow the scene
The demand comes from one of the original Legend of Zelda's hidden-cave encounters. Link finds a concealed entrance, damages it to get in, and meets an old man inside. Where the cave seemed to promise a reward, the old man bills him for the damage to the entrance and Link loses rupees. These rooms sit alongside the friendlier caves where a Moblin hands Link rupees and says it is a secret to everybody. The player only learns whether a cave rewards or taxes them after walking in.
Sources (2)
- Zelda Wiki (Fandom): RupeeDescription of rupee useReference checked
- Zelda Wiki (Fandom): MoblinThe Legend of Zelda sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
