Zelda franchise strategy guide/Races/Twili

The Twili are a fictional race of people appearing in the video game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Originally they might have been Hylians, which were banished through the Mirror of Twilight for trying to control the Sacred Realm. They might have also descended from the Sheikah, as they are both referred to as lost tribes with dark magic, both having red irises and they both dwell in shadows. The Twili, having long forgotten the bonds with their ancestors, now live their peaceful lives in the Twilight Realm. The Twili are described as "interlopers" who tried to conquer the sacred realm with powerful magic but where banished to the twilight realm by the three light spirits in Hyrule.

Midna is the princess of the Twili. She is overthrown by Zant, when he receives great powers from Ganon. After both Ganon and Zant are defeated, Midna returns to the Twilight Realm as its princess. As she leaves, she shatters the Mirror of Twilight, forever closing the portal between the normal world and the Twilight Realm.

Technology

The Twili appear to possess much more advanced technology than Hyrule, and possibly than those from Termina seen in Majora's Mask. One example would be their use of teleporting across locations using portals that appear rather digital, like a monitor's pixel display.

Additionally, when in the Twilight Realm, one will notice various aspects that seem futuristic to even our eyes, such as the lifts that appear from nowhere and are completely transparent, except for the glowing green shapes seen all around anything that is of Twilight origin (portals, Sols, etc.). Another example are the doors that open by themselves; this is one of the only Zelda games where dungeon doors are actually opened manually and that only the Oocca and Twili have locations that have automatically opening doors, in the City in the sky and Palace of Twilight dungeons respectively. These doors just have one green shape when inactive but when one opens them the green shape extends making more shapes around the door which opens it.

Relationships

There are several similaraties between Twili and other races in the series. Please note that this is all speculation, and no connection has been presented by Nintendo.

Some similarities are with the Shiekahs, as both are described as wielders of Dark magic, have red irises and dwell in the shadows (even being referred to as 'the shadow folk'). Also the symbol of the Sheikah, a stylized eye with a tear drop, is present on Zant's throne.

Another race, though not featured in the series and is only briefly mentioned in 'Majora's Mask', are those that used Majora's Mask in their 'hexing rituals'. There are many similarites between the Twili and Majora's Mask itself, which implies that the Twili could be the same race. The similarities involve some shapes featured on Majora's Mask being present on Midna's helmet, the Fused Shadow (the eye especially). Zant's behaviour is very similar to creatures specific to Majora's Mask and the Mask itself, such as: Zant screeching in a similar fashion to Majora's Mask, he is a sympathetic villian much like the Skull Kid who wore the Mask, he has swords in his sleeves similar to the Garo Robes, his helmet and cloak combination looks like the Garo Masters fashion (and fights in a similar manner, see Garo Robes and Zant articles for comparisons). During the mention of those who used the Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman mentions that the mask was hidden in shadows, which the Twilight Realm is sometimes called (the Land of Shadow), which could explain that the Mask itself was involved with the wielders who attempted to enter the sacred realm and thus could of been the single entity that started the events of the games (although this is also speculation).

Another possibility is that at least a portion of the Gerudo tribe were the ones who gained the mysterious power of the Fused Shadows and were cast into the Twilight Realm. This would be supported by the Midna's story that the Twili race were originally a tribe of thieves and why the entrance to the Twilight Realm is located in the Gerudo Desert. As for appearance, Midna does have the classic red-orange hair of the Gerudo and her true form is tall and slender, just as the Gerudo women once were. Also, there is a Gerudo pattern and converted Gerudo symbol on the front of Zant's robe, which he wore even before his encounter with Ganondorf, whom he worshiped as a god. Perhaps it is most likely that the "interlopers" were a large group of the Gerudo, possibly most of the males, seeing as how time passes and the Gerudo tribe is composed of almost all females during the events of Ocarina of Time. After this banishment, the remaining Gerudo remain as nomads, outlaws, and thieves, finally making a settlement in the desert. Untold years, possibly centuries go by until Twilight Princess, in which the immortal Ganondorf appears to be the sole Gerudo, with the desert unpopulated, meaning an all-female race did not survive.