Malon (The Legend of Zelda series)

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Malon
Malon, as depicted in the promotional art for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Game series	Legend of Zelda series
First game	Ocarina of Time (1998)

Malon (マロン, Maron^?) is a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series created by Nintendo. She has appeared in several games in the series, and is almost always found at the Lon Lon Ranch with her father Talon. Like the series' protagonist, Link, and namesake, Princess Zelda, Malon is depicted with many varying incarnations.

1 Appearances
2 Equivalents
- 2.1 Romani and Cremia
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Appearances

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Ocarina of Time

[edit] The First 7 Years

Malon is the daughter of Talon and works at Lon Lon Ranch with her father and Ingo. With the exception of Ingo, Link found in them a warm (though individually different) group. It is suggested by her father that Malon has quite a temper on her. The first encounter between Malon and the player is during Link's childhood, when he accidentally bumps into her in Hyrule Castle Town while she's waiting for her father to drop off milk at the castle. Link meets her again that night near the main interior gate of the castle, where she tells Link that Talon has not come back yet because he probably fell asleep. Asking Link to seek out Talon, she provides him with an egg that she has been caring for. Unbeknownst to the player is that the chicken (hatched from the egg the following morning) is the only thing that can wake up Talon.

It should be noted that the player has to encounter Malon no matter what, in order to obtain the Weird Egg from her (thus acquainting Link to Malon and vice versa) so that Link can get past Talon to the garden's entrance. This seems to allude to the encyclopedia reference on [1], which states "... Her life was destined to become intertwined with Link's heroic adventures."

Later, after meeting Princess Zelda, the player can assume a mini-sidequest in Lon Lon Ranch, Malon's home. In the ranch, Link can find Talon in his house (where the player can play a minigame), Ingo in the barn, and Malon singing the ranch's predominant theme song in a paddock for horses. After a small conversation, Link discovers that Malon has given herself a duty: raising Epona, a mare (most resembling a palomino). Upon introduction, the young dobbin gallops away (Malon explains that Link frightens her). After a vain struggle to catch up with the reluctant horse (if so desired), the player can have another conversation with Malon, where she says she learned the song from her mother(who is assumed deceased or missing). If Link pulls out his Ocarina, she will teach him Epona's song. Initially, playing the song attracts Epona (during Link's childhood and only when in Lon Lon Ranch) to the player, and when played near a cow, the cow "enjoys" the music, allowing the cow to produce more milk. This means that playing Epona's Song near a cow gives Link free Lon Lon Milk (provided he has an empty bottle), which restores Link's health. Epona's Song assumes more importance during Link's adulthood.

[edit] The Later 7 Years

During the extensive, quiet slumber of Link's spirit, Ingo, influenced by Ganondorf, kicked Talon out of Lon Lon Ranch after the takeover of Hyrule Castle. Renaming the place "Ingo Ranch," the new owner believes that it was his efforts alone that kept the ranch alive before Ganondorf's takeover, and that he has a right to the ranch.

Malon, however, stayed on at the ranch because Ingo threatened to mistreat the horses if she left. She is forced to do all the physical labor. The proprietor himself tends to the financial matters, though he runs a small business of selling rides on his horses.

The player, when in Link's adult form, can now take on the new mini-sidequest at Lon Lon Ranch. Coming back to the farm, Link will notice little change of substance at first. However, the essential shift of authority becomes ever more prominent after a deeper look. The player can play Epona's Song near there, which is responded by a full grown Epona. The horse, however, is also one of the ranch's racehorses; thus, she is inside the locked corral with the others even though she heard the tune. Epona seems to be the first of anybody on the ranch to recognize Link.

If the player meets up with Malon in the stable (where she, like Ingo, cannot remember Link, despite stating that he reminds her of somebody), Link soon discovers why Malon does not leave. The ranch seldom receives visitors, so no one knows of her plight. Returning the ranch to Malon requires foiling Ingo's upcoming plans to curry Ganondorf's favor with the gift of a horse (Epona). This can be accomplished by first paying Ingo for two rides in the paddock. Only during the second run (both times using Epona as the chosen horse) can the player interest Ingo in a race with a prize of 50 Rupees. Ingo then bets the horse Link is riding if he races again (not realizing that Link's mount is Epona). After the player wins the race, Ingo, in a fit of rage, attempts to keep Epona by locking the ranch's gate, which she can easily jump.

This grants Link the ability to ride Epona around Hyrule Field for faster travel. Epona's Song calls her to his side anytime on Hyrule Field.

If the player returns to the ranch, he finds Ingo in a great mood. Malon recognizes Link when he calls Epona to him with the Ocarina. Ingo has had a change of heart because he has been released from the evil that Ganondorf placed in his heart.

[edit] Relationship

One of the most prominent indications of Malon's relationship with Link is her pet name for him, "fairy boy." One of the causes for the creation was Malon remembering that the hero wore the clothing of the forest children, the Kokiri. However, being as she started calling Link the nickname later on in Lon Lon Ranch, the name could be more of a sign of friendship. None of Malon's later cameos (with the exception of Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening) demonstrate amity as such.

It could be believed that Malon values her friendship with Link more so than said. Out of all the people she could have encountered, it seems to be that Link was the only other person who knew Epona's Song, and also the person that Epona places her confidence in. No other person has been known to be as trustworthy to have these two abilities. One example is when Link plays Epona's Song to Malon at night, before Lon Lon Ranch was liberated. In that scene, it seems to be that Malon, for an instant, felt an awakened bond from years before, since she placed her faith in Link for knowing Epona's Song (she stated that the song is only taught to people she trusted).

The possibility of romance of Malon with Link has been (and is still) under much debate, from all sides. Miyamoto never released any information regarding an intimate relationship between the two. Possible (but inadequate) hints were placed in the game, however. The two most widely known indications are the Gossip Stone and Talon's offer. Found near the Temple of Time, one of the numerous and widespread Gossip Stones in Ocarina of Time lets the player know that Malon "hopes a knight in shining armor will come and sweep her off her feet someday," which many fans refers possibly to Link. This is backed up by the fact that a scene in the credits (removed from the final game) showed Link and Malon riding into the sunset on Epona. The second is Talon's offer after the player finishes his mini-game the first time. The farmer offers Link his daughter's hand in marriage. Whatever the choice the player makes, Talon decides in the end, however, that Link and Malon are too young to marry, and thus takes the offer back. This proposal, notwithstanding, can be taken lightly, since it's not substantial enough to suggest romance. In addition to these prominent suggestions, Malon also displays signs of a typical crush when around Link. The red-haired girl seems very affectionate and compassionate towards the hero, and frequently giggles.

Other evidences of such a relationship can be pointed to Twilight Princess. Link from that period has taken up a farming approach to life, his horse is Epona (possibly a descendant from the original), and he also can play a melody that is obviously Epona's Song. All of this compiles into the belief of many fans that Link from Twilight Princess could be a likely descendant of Ocarina of Time Malon and Link.

[edit] Manga

In the official manga of Ocarina of Time, Malon has the same role as in the game. During the Young Link Saga, she meets Link in Lon Lon Ranch where she shows him the whole ranch, gives him the bottle of milk, and of course teaches him "Epona's Song.“ Before being interrupted by Kaepora Gaebora, Malon tells Link that she dreams that one day a knight in shining armor will come and take her to his castle. Then in the Adult Saga, during a battle against some Gerudo warriors, Malon believes Link to be her knight in shining armor, but later this illusion disappears when Link calls out Zelda's name to Sheik. Malon questions what type of relationship Link has with the princess, but can immediately tell it is love when she looks into his eyes. This turn of events ends Malon's thoughts of romance with Link. When the confrontation against the Gerudo ends, Malon bids farewell to Link, now calling him "Mr. Hero" instead of "Fairy Boy".

Malon and Talon as seen in Oracle of Seasons

[edit] Oracle of Seasons

Malon also made a cameo in Oracle of Seasons. This incarnation of Malon is a young Holodrum girl. She has a small house where the player could visit her. Talon also appears as her father. This version of her has several chickens and has no idea how to care for them which causes Link to give her a chicken instruction book (called Cuccodex in the game) for an egg. Her father, Talon, was snowed into a cave where the airhorn is needed to awaken him.

[edit] Four Swords Adventures

While in Hyrule, Link stumbles upon another incarnation of Malon who needs help getting home. Link decides to escort her to Lon Lon Ranch, but as they begin to travel, Link finds himself protecting her from Vaati's soldiers. If Malon gets hit too many times, the player has to start over.

[edit] The Minish Cap

In this game, Malon and Talon once again appear. Much like their Ocarina of Time incarnations, they own Lon Lon Ranch (although it is nothing like the ranch in Ocarina of Time) and have a horse named Epona. Like in their previous appearances, the father and daughter both have some trouble that Link can only solve. In The Minish Cap, Malon and Talon were locked out of their house (Malon earlier grumbled her father's tardiness), due to Talon losing the house key. The spare key is inside the house, and the only way in other than the house doors was a hole near the entrance where the player can shrink and enter into (The shrinking process can be done on the stump behind the house).

Upon speaking to Malon, she hums a tune of "Epona's Song" from Ocarina of Time. After fusing a Kinstone with Talon, Malon will be able to go into Hyrule Town and sell Lon Lon Milk.

[edit] Equivalents

In several games in the series, there have been characters that are quite similar to Malon in both appearance and personality; these may or may not be considered other versions of the same character, as there is often reason to believe that these characters are based on or related to Malon.

Cremia (on the left) and Romani (on the right)

[edit] Romani and Cremia

In Majora's Mask, Link visits an alternate world called Termina, which is populated by different versions of Ocarina of Time characters. Malon has two equivalents in this world, Romani (the younger sister) and Cremia (the elder sister), two sisters who own Romani Ranch, which is known to produce a type of highly valuable milk called Chateau Romani.

Romani is based off of Malon as seen in Ocarina of Time before Link removed the Master Sword, while Cremia is based off of Malon's appearance 7 years later. On the night of Link's first day in Termina, Romani requires Link's help in protecting the ranch's cows from "them" (aliens that resembled Poes). The next night, Link escorts Cremia on a milk delivery in order to thwart an attempted robbery of her cart by the Gorman brothers, who reside in a Horse training farm next to the Romani Ranch. If successful, the player will receive Romani's Mask, which allows membership into the Milk Bar Latte.

Cremia is friends with Anju from the Stock Pot Inn in Clock Town, and, taken from people around her, has feelings for Kafei, Anju's fiancee and the son of the town's mayor. When Kafei disappeared, Anju's mother suspected he may have run off with Cremia. This may indicates that by the standards of the in-universe characters, Malon (and thus her cameos) is quite attractive.

It is interesting to note that Marin from Link's Awakening may have been the basis of Malon.

[edit] Trivia

The emblem around Malon's neck is the face of Bowser. This could be their family symbol, as Talon also bears it.
Malon's hairstyle closely resembles Princess Peach's current hairstyle and Daisy's N64 era hairstyle.
Talon and Ingo appear to be bizarre caricatures of Mario and Luigi.
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, two children in Ordon Village are named Malo and Talo, possibly references to Malon and Talon, although this is quite obviously the only relationship the characters have.
In Majora's Mask, if you save the milk jugs Cremia has to deliver after you have already gotten the Romani Mask, then there is a chance that maybe Cremia will reward Link with an affectionate hug rather than a Golden Rupee.
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, while in Hyrule Field at night, notes can be heard in the background music that bear a resemblance to Malon's singing.