One of the most magical places in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Satori Mountain, which may have a deeper connection to former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Once every in-game week, a bright green light emanates from somewhere on the mountain and lights up the night sky, making it a location that’s quite hard to miss. For players who can make it to the source of the light before dawn breaks, they will be greeted by the sight of a glowing, magical animal grazing in a small pond, known as the Lord of the Mountain.
In its Hyrule Compendium entry via the Sheikah Slate’s camera, the Lord of the Mountain is said to be the reincarnated spirit of a sage. It’s not clear if this is meant to be the same as the capital-“s” Sages seen in other The Legend of Zelda games, who are spiritual beings that begin their lives as mortals until they are awakened as Hyrule’s protectors, such as Gaebora becoming the Sage of Light. In any case, the Lord of the Mountain was a sage that now protects the mountain and is known as Satori.
A video by Zelda YouTuber Croton explores some of the more nuanced details of Satori mountain. Based on the presence of an old campsite, the thriving vegetation, and presence of diverse life, Croton theorizes that Satori was once someone who lived in solitude and devoted himself to taking care of the mountain’s ecosystem. As a sage, he became the protector of all life that calls the forest their home, and as the Lord of the Mountain, he can make the ecosystem he once cared for into a thriving haven for every Breath of the Wild animal that Link can encounter. In-game, this is why the Lord of the Mountain is also known as Satori, but the real-life reason for this names may be to serve as a tribute.
Why Breath Of The Wild’s Lord Of The Mountain Is Named Satori
Click here to see the above video on YouTube.
In 2002, game developer and head of Nintendo’s Corporate Planning Division, Satoru Iwata, became President of Nintendo after the resignation of former president, Hiroshi Yamauchi. Iwata had played a crucial role in the development of the Pokémon franchise, the creation of the Nintendo DS and Wii, and was a notable figure in Breath of the Wild‘s development, credited as an executive producer. By all accounts, he seemed to have been appreciated by his staff and seemed to have a good working relationship with many personalities at Nintendo.
In 2015, Iwata passed away due to complications with cancer, and Nintendo looked to honor his legacy, like most of the gaming industry at the time. In the case of Breath of the Wild, it appears that they memorialized him by creating a new location and an apparent Sage named after him. While it’s true that “satori” in Japanese can be both a given name and a term meaning understanding or enlightenment, the addition of an NPC named Botrick present near the base of the mountain that bears a striking resemblance to Iwata, with his characteristic parted hair style and glasses, seems to confirm the connection. The mountain grove certainly looks like a fitting dedication to Iwata’s devotion to games and bringing new worlds to life, especially since, despite helping to shape Breath of the Wild, he never got to see it released. Now, at least, it seems he can live on through this tender tribute as one of Hyrule’s devoted protectors.
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