HPW interviews Mr. Eventide, the Hero’s newest challenger!

The mysterious Kage won on Treasure Island and stood tall in Necluda Swamp. HPW sits down with the Dark Forces’ newest recruit to learn about his origins.

HPW Media sends Irene to interview Kage.

Speaking of the Dark Forces, Cia sits with the #1 contender to the HPW Triforce Championship with a beaming yet prideful smile on her face. Irene notes that Cia won’t leave so she’s now part of this interview, too. Irene asks Kage if “Kage” is his real name or just a stage name. “Yes.” Yes…? Cia says that Kage means it’s both, because it’s short for “Kagemaru.” Irene then asks how he came to join the Dark Forces, and Cia says, “It’s a great story, really.” Then why can’t Kage tell it? Cia is a bit snooty about Irene talking to her like that but just in her facial expressions. Kage says he was recruited. And… that’s it?

Cia speaks up again and says yes, that is it. Cia was talking with the team and suggested getting a replacement since ReDead betrayed them. Then how did they recruit him? Where was Kage when they found him? Cia says Kage was training. Irene was asking Kage, Cia, so let Kage answer. Cia asks Irene why she has such attitude when Cia is just trying to help. Is she? Or is she trying to steal the spotlight? Kage answers, “On the streets.” Kage was on the streets when the Dark Forces found him? Yes. How long was Kage homeless? He was raised by an old man claiming to be a sage. But the sage died seven years ago, Kage couldn’t make payments so he got evicted.

Irene says she’s sorry to hear that but Kage says it’s fine. He got by on what the sage taught him. And what did he teach Kage? “How to fight. How to hate who you fight. How to fight those you hate.” Oh… Okay… Irene feels a bit uncomfortable now. But then, does Kage hate Link? It was pretty clear he only wanted after Link during the trios tag in Necluda. Kage isn’t sure exactly how he feels about Link. He just knows that he wants to fight Link, and now that he’s #1 contender, he will fight Link. And when he fights Link, he will beat Link. Fair enough.

Irene says she’s a bit hesitant to ask this next question, but it has to be asked. “Do you know why you look so much like Link?” Kage stares at Irene but it does look like he’s thinking on that question at the same time. “I don’t see it.” He doesn’t see the resemblance? No, he doesn’t. Well, that seems a bit surprising to Irene. Cia speaks up again, saying that if Kage doesn’t see the resemblance, then he doesn’t see the resemblance. Now, is that all the questions Irene has or can she leave already?

Irene huffs and finally asks Cia a question about herself. What happens if Kage fails to win the Triforce Championship? Cia says he won’t fail. But what if he does? There’s always a chance. Cia starts to answer but Kage interrupts by saying, “I already said, I will beat Link.” Cia agrees with Kage, he will beat Link, simple as that. Irene thanks them for their time and the interview is done. Will Kage back up his words when he goes 1v1 with the Hero of Hyrule?

My Thoughts:

So to explain Kage’s origins in terms of Zelda lore, he’s a mishmash of the various Link doppelgangers. There are apparently distinct differences between “Dark Link,” “Shadow Link” and “Link’s Shadow,” so going with “kage,” meaning “shadow” in Japanese was already hinting at some of that. The sage that raised Kage is a nod to the sage in Zelda II: The Adventures of Link that summons Link’s Shadow. And with questions only partially answered, there’s still a lot to Kage’s back story that I still have to figure out so that it fits in the HPW universe, but more of that will be put together as the story continues.