People from all of the world are flocking to a select few cities in the United States in order to get a better view of one of the most amazing, and unsettling, astronomical events of the century: the total eclipse of the sun. Here in Nashville, it’s estimated that well over a hundred thousand people are currently pouring into the city to get a good glimpse of a show that will, ultimately, only last a few minutes.
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While the total eclipse will only last a few minutes, it will leave an impression on every person who sees is that lasts a lifetime. There’s something awe-inspiring and almost terrifying about looking up and realizing that the cosmos, unfathomably enormous and powerful, is moving of its own accord and doing amazing things completely out of our control.
Sometimes we even get to experience this unique fear and wonder in our video games. There are three games specifically wherein the moon plays a significant role, and typically, it’s always really scary.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
If you ask any gamer over the age of 18 what the most significant moon in gaming is, they’ll definitely tell you that it’s the moon in Majora’s Mask. This entry in what is otherwise a typically kid-friendly series is by far the darkest and most frightening, and that’s due in no small part to this behemoth:
Are you kidding me?! I don’t care who you are or how old you are: that’s terrifying. And this thing was legit — in Majora’s Mask you’re always working against a doomsday clock. This lunar nightmare gets bigger and bigger, hurdling toward the planet and, ultimately, destroying it if you don’t work fast enough. No doubt this thing is the source of many grown adults’ nightmares to this day.
Dark Souls III
Minor spoilers ahead.
The entire Dark Souls series, Bloodborne included, is full of breathtaking fantasyscapes like this one. Typically your greatest reward for beating a boss, even better than the gear or experience gained, is the opportunity to move ahead to a new area where you’re (usually) treated to a fantastic view of what’s to come.
Out of all of the unforgettable vistas we’ve glimpsed in our time playing the Souls games, the total, lingering solar eclipse hanging over Lothric Castle has to be one of the best and most terrifying. After slaying a few lords of cinder, this dark astronomical omen hangs over your head and guides your way like some kind of anti-lantern. The sky is on fire, a formidable king awaits your arrival, and winged hollows fill the air like hungry vultures.
It makes us shiver even thinking about it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
We’re back to another Legend of Zelda game, and now I’m starting to see that the developers at Nintendo who work on Zelda games really seem to think that the moon is a sign of danger and darkness. In Breath of the Wild, if you’re unlucky enough to glance up and see this blood moon rising, then you know things are about to get a lot more dangerous.
The blood moon in Breath of the Wild brings back all of your slain enemies in an instant. All of the surrounding enemy encampments, once left in ruin, now spring back to life with hungry and vengeful foes looking to club you to death, and plains that you had left open and welcoming are once again filled with creatures looking to feast on you and your horse! Like the solar eclipse, the blood moon is a rare occurrence, but it always brings with it challenges and evil tidings.
So what’s up with the moon, huh? Why is it always portrayed as something evil and scary in games and movies? Even in a common tarot deck, the moon is a symbol of sneaking and danger. I’ve always looked at it as a gentle and welcoming night-light. How do you see the moon?
