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The Great Conspiracy of Hylia's Ancient Magic Wielders Who Ascended Into The Sky

1) Humans under the protection of the goddess Hylia advanced their civilization using powerful magic.

2) Because of the invasion of the demon king, the surviving humans were saved by the goddess by being sent skyward above the clouds.

3) Thousands of years later, and following the defeat of the demon king, the mortal incarnation of Hylia and her chosen hero return to the surface to protect the Triforce. Many others follow suit.

4) Humanity begins to progress once more, spreading across the world. Many groups begin to develop in their own way. One such group arises around the descendants of Hylia, calling themselves the “Hylians”.

5) Another group, proficient in magic, use their connection with the winds to lift their civilization into the sky. They maintain contact with their earthbound kin for many years thereafter. These sky folk go by the name “The Tribe of Winds”.

6) Eventually, a rivalry ensues over control of the sacred land of Hylia itself, and the golden prize kept there. Many lives are lost as the fires of war rage on. Among the combatants are some of the sorcerers, who use their powers to subjugate the sacred land.

7) The gods themselves intervene, dispatching the spirits of light to seal away the magic power those individuals had mastered; chase them out of the land of Hyrule; and banish them into the shadow world of infinite Twilight. These poor souls transform under the endless golden half-light into the Twili race.

8) The remaining sky dwellers lose contact with the surface world over the intervening years, essentially disappearing from the historical record. The remnants of their ancient civilization—sophisticated and numerous—become a mystery to the people of Hyrule.

Z-Theory: The Unanimous People of the Wind & Sky

Points of Reference

There are four locations with shared themes / possible origins I wish to discuss:

1. 風のいせき (Kaze no Iseki), Ruins of Wind or “Wind Ruins”

2. 風の宮殿 (Kaze no Kyūden), Palace of Wind or “Palace of the Winds”

3. 天空都市 (Tenkū Toshi), Sky City or “City in the Sky”

4. 風の神殿 (Kaze no Shinden), Temple of Wind or “Wind Temple”

Let’s start from the top!

The Wind Ruins, introduced in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, was the former site of the Palace of the Winds upon the surface before it was lifted up into the sky using the magic of its inhabitants: the Wind Tribe! These gifted beings maintained a close kinship with the Hylian royal family, but lived in the sky beyond a sea of clouds… The boss of this dungeon is a mating pair of sky-dwelling monsters called Gyorg (we’ll come back to that).

The City in the Sky, introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was the home to the sky beings known as the Oocca; the ancestors of the Hylians. They’re alleged to have constructed the kingdom of Hyrule and, when the Hylians came to be, simultaneously lifted their city into the sky. They once maintained contact with the Hylian royal family through a messenger relay system involving the “rod of the heavens,” AKA the Dominion Rod. The city appears to be floating due to technology fueled by magic, and many propeller blades are seen.

In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, the Palace of the Winds has become occupied by the evil wind demon Vaati, and serves as his base of operations. Sadly, no trace of its former inhabitants remain… but it is still located far above Hyrule, beyond the clouds.

During the events of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, there is a temple dedicated to the winds. Accessed from the sea by a cave on Gale Island, the Wind Temple is a site of prayer for the sage of Wind to infuse the Master Sword with its signature power to repel evil. However, this site has been tainted by evil, and in its depths lurks a terrifying monster! Known as the “Guardian of the Seal,” Molgera is a sand-dwelling beast capable of flight. It’s overall appearance and fighting style is eerily reminiscent of the Gyorg pair from the Palace of the Winds… And this temple utilizes an incredible amount of fans and propellers, holding true to its name as a “Wind” temple.

Theory: The Unanimous People of the Wind & Sky

It’s my belief that the ancient Wind Tribe are the precursors of the sky beings known as the Oocca; the ancestors of the Hylians. Therefore, the Palace of the Winds is most likely another name for the sky city of the Oocca! The Wind Temple, meanwhile, is likely a related site—and probably built by the same ancient people, but used for prayer rather than to house the wind element (or any of the tribe, for that matter).

Evidence in Favour

First, both the Oocca and the Wind Tribe share a lot in common. They both: A) lifted their capitals into the sky using magic. B) maintained kinship and / or contact with the Hylian royal family who inherited the kingdom of Hyrule. C) are associated with curious technology and ancient temples on the surface. D) predate the “birth” of Hylians as we know them, i.e. they’re a much older race.

Second, all of these sites—the Wind Ruins, Palace of Winds, City in the Sky, and Wind Temple—utilize the element of wind. I know, that should be obvious, but it’s a very solid point to make regardless. Throughout the series, recurrent themes, elements, races, symbols, etc. typically connect in certain ways.

For example, the Sheikah tribe exhibit recurrent themes. Members of this tribe are the elusive servants of the Hylian royal family, whose clan symbol is that of an open eye with a single teardrop below and three lashes above. These folk are associated with darkness and shadows (they’re the “shadows” of the Hylians, and protectors of the Temple of Darkness AKA the Shadow Temple), often depicted as ninjutsu warriors that make their home in Kakariko Village. These are recurrent points and connections, and this lore adds to the immersive feeling of these games when present.

Much of this same formula can apply to both the Tribe of Winds and the Oocca, as well as all of these sites as a whole. Just look at point one again, and you’ll see what I mean.

Lastly, this supposition would help consolidate lore that’s otherwise the same; redundant. It doesn’t make sense that two completely separate tribes predate the Hylians, are associated with the wind and sky, and used their magicks to make their homes airborne. Regardless of their depictions between games, or their seemingly disparate names (honestly, the lack of any proper noun in any original Japanese text for either), it only benefits our understanding of their role in the series to consider them as one and the same.