The Legend of Zelda: Comparative Anatomy

In my last post I discussed some of the major, overarching ideas that help to support my idea of the grand Zelda timeline. for this post, I'll be looking at one of the minor details, and one that I find fascinating in the Zelda series. One of the first enemies you run across in any of the 3D Zelda titles is the Deku Baba (or Boku Baba if we are in Wind Waker). This creature also clues us in to the order of the games in the way it evolves. And if one wishes, one can find rationale why one DB strain was pushed through evolution, and other strains died out.  Let's start with Skyward Sword.

A thick, thorny vine and pointed leaves are the accessories to the true star of this show.  The Deku Baba is the most ferocious Venus Flytrap short of Audrey II. It can move on its own, though it stays rooted, and lunge at close-wandering prey. This Skyward Sword Deku Baba has what looks like small hexagonal panels that help to protect its head.  Indeed, striking at this hard exterior with a sword only results in a pissed off monster. Only by cutting through its mouth or chopping down the vine can it be defeated. the SS DB has two such mouths, one horizontal, one vertical. Thus, inside the plant itself, it requires extra muscles, extra tooth development, and a split head to allow for multidirectional opening. And the teeth are few in number, probably resulting in a less-than-desirable ability to make killing strokes. These features would require even more energy to maintain, and thus the Deku Baba probably needs a lot of food to maintain its strength. It would make sense that a more efficient use of energy would be for growth or reproduction. So let's look at the Twilight Princess Baba:

Many similarities exist. But of most interest are the differences.  the Deku Baba can no longer open his mouth vertically. He's horizontal only, teeth now lining the ring of plant flesh that form its lips and in large numbers. With only one mouth, these new teeth have developed to make it a more efficient killer of prey.  also notice the upturned lip on the top half of the head. A remnant of the SS Baba that could split vertically, as the Baba evolves, it has sealed the vertical opening, but it is not quite finished completing that transformation. We can also see the loss of the paneling, a sign that it was not essential to the growth of the species. After all, I don't imagine that many creature attempt to destroy this plant at its head.  Rather, I think it's far more likely that a majority of Deku Babas die of starvation due to their inability to be a motile predator. This lack of predators for the Baba result in losing the armor. And losing the mouth provides a less complex system of muscles, which means it requires less energy to move the mouth. The leaves look a bit withered, losing the lush pointed shape and looking a bit tattered. This could be a natural adaptation to camouflage itself. The darker colors lends themselves to the shadowy forest floor, as does the muted blue of the head. The outline of the Baba is also interrupted by the shape of the leaves, helping it to remain undetected amongst other growth. Now let's visit Ocarina of Time's Deku Baba:

Confession: this Baba is actually from Majora's Mask. But that game is a direct sequel to OoT, and features many of the same enemies, including Ol' Mr. Baba here. So let's have a looksy.  Looking almost as if it is smiling, the opening of the Baba's mouth has become curved. This would be to more effectively trap prey in its jaws.  After all, it is easier to remove oneself from a straight passage than a curved one.  The same rules apply here. As the Baba evolves, it gains more tools to help it catch prey. What is difficult about this is that any N64 games go without the same....  graphical fidelity we are treated to now.  The game is fifteen years old. So we ask the question: Does this Deku have teeth? The short answer is yes.  Though not rendered, it is safe to assume that this Baba should have teeth. This is due to the fact that every other Deku Baba has teeth across the series, and it makes no sense for teeth to disappear and reappear. And because WW comes after OoT, and those Baba's have teeth, it is a reasonable assumption to make that these should also have teeth. Note also that the same odd-shaped leaves adorn this Baba that were seen in the TP Baba. One more feature worth mentioning before moving on: The top half is beginning to look smaller than the bottom. It can be a bit tricky to see because of the curved edge of the hemisphere, but the bottom does appear to be bulkier than the top, whereas in the previous two titles each half was even. This subtle change will become much more pronounced as we look as the Wind Waker version:

A robust flowered base, protruding teeth, a flap-like top, and the bright coloors make this a far cry from what we saw back in Skyward Sword. But then again, this is not a Deku Baba. By Wind Waker, the plant has shed that name in favor of the Boku Baba. the Boku Baba exists in a world where rapid evolution is harbored (no pun intended) by geographic separation and a harsh environment. In a world where real estate is at a premium, these plants cannot afford to be weak. Thus, the teeth probably extended out to favor stabbing the prey instead of directly grasping them. Again, the gap between hemispheres is curved, allowing for additional hold while grasping prey, but given the nature of the teeth, they do not kill in the manner of their ancestors. The orientation of the teeth would allow for easier escape of prey, because exiting the jaw also means removal of the teeth from the flesh. In the past, the more vertical orientation of teeth meant that the victim would have to drag those teeth through its flesh in order to escape. Bright colors adorn the plant, probably as a way to attract food. While before, the Baba may have wanted to remain unnoticed, this new Baba needs to lure in whatever prey it can.  The colorful display may attract victims of all sorts, from pollenating insects looking the the Baba's flower to curious animals, and even children. The large flower at the base could be used for reproduction(as most are), but given the nature of the plant and its location on the plant structure, I believe it to be a dense flower that allows for high amounts of nutrient storage. This would help it survive the harsh environs of the island world.

Hope this post was thought-invoking, and I can't wait to do more comparative anatomy pieces. We'll be looking at many creatures, as well as other things.  Keep checking back as we move forward in the exploration.  And feel free to leave feedback!