Is it me, or do the Gerudo's seem silly?

[HobbyJim]

So I've recently been going through Ocarina of time again and I've reached my second least favorite part in the game, the Gerudo fortress. It's not so much that I can't get through it r anything, but it's the whole idea behind the Gerudo tribe and what they are.

So, they are a race of all females, who are on record as disliking men, even capturing them and killing them on occasion (you have to rescue construction workers, remember?). But, every 100 years, a man is born and he is destined to be the leader?

Number one: how can a species survive if a male is born only once every 100 years? The only way that's possible is if these women have a much longer life span than typical humans, but no such evidence has been shown to that point (none that I've seen anyway. If there is, please correct me).

Number two: I have a REALLY hard time believing that a race of all females would simply bow down to a man every 100 years. Even if it was some kind of rigorous religious doctrine, there has to be people in that race that are against this.

Am I reading too much into this? I'm mainly asking because if the day ever comes where we get a LOZ movie or tv show (probably not in this lifetime), would people actually buy that? Not only is it a tricky story element to introduce, but it could also come off as very, VERY chauvinistic in a modern audience.

Thoughts?

 

[Roxas1359]

Number one: how can a species survive if a male is born only once every 100 years? The only way that's possible is if these women have a much longer life span than typical humans, but no such evidence has been shown to that point (none that I've seen anyway. If there is, please correct me).

I think in this case they will steal men to get pregnant, and then kill them. Usually it is only females that are born, but then the 100 year thing comes into play.

Number two: I have a REALLY hard time believing that a race of all females would simply bow down to a man every 100 years. Even if it was some kind of rigorous religious doctrine, there has to be people in that race that are against this.

That's why there is someone you will meet who doesn't follow Ganondorf and doesn't see the point of it. Really it's because it's one, tradition that they follow it. Two, the Gerudo are probably listening to Kome and Kotake seeing as they are both 400 years old, and are also extremely powerful.

 

[HobbyJim]

I had forgotten about Nabooru. The argument of them following Kome and Kotake makes sense, too, since they apparently act as surrogate mothers to Ganondorf. Thanks for that!

 

[Roxas1359]

I had forgotten about Nabooru. The argument of them following Kome and Kotake makes sense, too, since they apparently act as surrogate mothers to Ganondorf. Thanks for that!

No problem. It makes sense that Kome and Kotake would garner respect from the Gerudo since they are probably the most powerful of the Gerudo, except for Ganondorf obviously. Plus they can turn into Twinrova...which apparently means that if two old ladies do the Fusion Dance then they suddenly turn into a late 20-early 30 year old. Was especially jarring when they both said they were 400. XD

 

[Soxafloppin]

I think there supposed to be inspired my the Amazon, They do seem a bit silly but LOZ is a bit silly. However talking about this has put me in the Mood for OOT.

 

[Euryalus]

Yeah, the Gerudo are pretty dumb, but then again you had to save the gorons from starvation... not because they had no food, but because they were too damn uppity to eat normal rocks XD

I get the feeling that people in Hyrule are a might touched in the head.

 

[Fappy]

Zelda lore in general is just weird. Despite their horribly flawed logic, I still love the Gerudo. They have the best theme in the franchise and have a cool motif going for them. Come on, bad ass Arabic thief chicks are hard to beat!

 

[Lieju]

Number one: how can a species survive if a male is born only once every 100 years? The only way that's possible is if these women have a much longer life span than typical humans, but no such evidence has been shown to that point (none that I've seen anyway. If there is, please correct me).

There are real-life female-only species.

For example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_whiptail lizards that reproduce through parthenogenesis and engage other females in mating behaviour. (So they're also lesbians.)

Parthenogenesis also occurs in sharks and birds.
It's also possible Gerudo breed with other humans but usually give birth to just females.
Both possibilities make sense from a biological perspective.
And now that I think about it, it can also be that males are born, but are usually killed unless they're the 'chosen one'.

Also it's not all that weird Gerudo would be hostile towards other men, and then accept one of their own as king.

It's more a case of racism than sexism.

Yeah, the Gerudo are pretty dumb, but then again you had to save the gorons from starvation... not because they had no food, but because they were too damn uppity to eat normal rocks XD.

I thought they needed to eat certain kinds of rocks.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Yeah, the Gerudo are pretty dumb, but then again you had to save the gorons from starvation... not because they had no food, but because they were too damn uppity to eat normal rocks XD

I get the feeling that people in Hyrule are a might touched in the head.

Not only that, but the cave containing all the gourmet rocks was blocked by a rock.

 

[Euryalus]

Yeah, the Gerudo are pretty dumb, but then again you had to save the gorons from starvation... not because they had no food, but because they were too damn uppity to eat normal rocks XD.

I thought they needed to eat certain kinds of rocks.

No, one of the gorons says that they have become such gourmets that they can't stand to eat anything other than the "rock sirloin" in Dodongo's Cavern XD

I missed it when I was younger because I couldn't read very well when I played.

Yeah, the Gerudo are pretty dumb, but then again you had to save the gorons from starvation... not because they had no food, but because they were too damn uppity to eat normal rocks XD

I get the feeling that people in Hyrule are a might touched in the head.

Not only that, but the cave containing all the gourmet rocks was blocked by a rock.

XD

Also true.

 

[Euryalus]

Zelda lore in general is just weird. Despite their horribly flawed logic, I still love the Gerudo. They have the best theme in the franchise and have a cool motif going for them. Come on, bad ass Arabic thief chicks are hard to beat!

Badass Arabic Thief PIRATES!

Checkmate Fappy.

 

[Hero of Lime]

There's also the question of what they do if there is a male child born who is not the one to be made king?

There's also the gossip stone that covers how they keep their race going. It says something along the lines of "sometimes Gerudo Thieves come to Hyrule to find boyfriends." I guess the Gerudo give themselves options, either kidnap men, or go to Hyrule for one night stands. XD

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Zelda lore in general is just weird. Despite their horribly flawed logic, I still love the Gerudo. They have the best theme in the franchise and have a cool motif going for them. Come on, bad ass Arabic thief chicks are hard to beat!

The silliness of the Zelda lore is one of the reasons I never took it (or much of the "plots" of the various Nintendo franchises) as straight canon. Still...I agree. The Gerudo are pretty awesome in their own right.

 

[Roxas1359]

There's also the question of what they do if there is a male child born who is not the one to be made king?

There's also the gossip stone that covers how they keep their race going. It says something along the lines of "sometimes Gerudo Thieves come to Hyrule to find boyfriends." I guess the Gerudo give themselves options, either kidnap men, or go to Hyrule for one night stands. XD

Okay so it's the Gossip Stones that say that? I've been trying to remember where I heard that because I could have sworn that was said at some point. I was thinking the manga, but a Gossip Stone makes sense.

 

[HobbyJim]

Wow, this was an incredible learning experience. Thanks guys!

 

[Ratty]

I'm a bit torn on the Gerudo. On the one hand I'm kind of concerned that they, and by extension Ganandorf the only male Gerudo, may well be a racist caricature against Arabs. On the other hand they aren't all portrayed as evil, most coming off more like Robin Hood than the 40 Thieves. As has been mentioned the Gerudo Valley theme may well be the best song in the franchise, which is saying a lot. Overall I can't help but like them, and their abscence from Twilight Princess was the one thing I disliked about that game. (I probably would have disliked the wii-waggling but I played on the Gamecube. Left handed link Ftw!)

A few points though-
While (aside from Ganondorf) only women are native Gerudo it's possible for men to join their band, Link does this after all and they don't really act like that's a huge deal. Also while they abduct men I don't think it's specified that they outright kill them, the implication has always seemed to be to me that they have a male harem instead.

To answer the title question, yeah they're pretty silly. But I think the list of things in the LoZ franchise that aren't silly would be shorter than the list of things that are. And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Auron225]

You make some good points OP, but this is Zelda we're talking about; a universe where rock people exist and survive by eating rocks. All of it is a little ludirous but it kinda knows that.

Also, you're 2nd least favourite part was the Gerudo fortress? I LOVED that part! Firing arrows at guards to incapacitate them, moving across the rooftops with the hookshot, the music - it was one of my favourite parts!

 

[TheMigrantSoldier]

They either capture men, have male hylians in their thieving bands or go to towns to look for a quick lay. Or a combination of all three. The offspring is most of the time female. Sort of like quasi-asari.

This is the same universe with rock-eating lizard people and fairies. I wouldn't look too much into it.