An NPC fromThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timebears an uncanny resemblance to the real-world voice of Ganondorf. Until the release ofBreath of the Wildin 2017,The Legend of Zeldafranchise notably had little to no voice acting. While Link has remained mute in the newestZeldavideo games, other classic characters like Zelda, Impa, and Ganondorf finally gained a voice for the first time inBreath of the Wildand its sequel,Tears of the Kingdom. However, a fan of theZeldafranchise has noticed that a minor NPC in an older version of Hyrule may have foreshadowed one character’s voice actor years in advance.
The X userleafspiritsrecently pointed out that the item shop found in Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko Village inThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timewas runby a nameless NPC that looks similar to Matthew Mercer, the voice actor of Ganondorf.Mercer, perhaps best known as the long-running Dungeon Master of Critical Role, has a distinctive look that includes chin-length hair, blue eyes, a striking chin, and always wearing a vest. The NPC not only shares these traits with Mercer but also has Mercer’s pleasant smile. you’re able to check out the NPC down below:
Matt Mercer’s Connection To The Legend Of Zelda Series
Mercer Played Ganondorf In A Web Series Long Before He Actually Appeared In A Zelda Game
Although Mercer looks remarkably similar to the NPC, it’s purely a coincidence, since he was 14 years old whenOcarina of Timefirst came out. However, Mercer has his own history withThe Legend of Zeldafranchise.The actor played Ganondorf in a live-action web series calledThere Will Be Brawl,which featured dark versions of various Nintendo characters fromSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.Mercer got the chance to actually play Ganondorf inThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand also hosted aZelda-themed Actual Play one-shot on hisCritical Rolechannel.
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Mercer’s voice has appeared in countless games and animated shows over the years, including Chrom in theFire Emblemseries, Yasuke in Persona 5 and its various spinoffs, and Vincent Valentine inFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth. Mercer has also voiced the English dub versions of numerous anime series, includingTaro Sakamotoin the newly releasedSakamoto Dayson Netflix. And while Mercer technically doesn’t cameo inThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,his likeness was included in almost every episode ofThe Legend of Vox Machina,an animated series based on Critical Role.
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Ocarina Of Time’s NPC Is An Amazing, Albeit Unintentional, Coincidence
As a longtimeCritical Rolefan, I nearly did a spit-take when I saw Mercer’s NPC doppelgänger pop up on my feed recently. I honestly had to see whether or not it was real because the likeness was so uncanny.
I’m not saying that the nameless Man in the Medicine Shop inspired Mercer to adopt his iconic looks,but there’s a strange bit of video game inception that one of the few actors linked toThe Legend of Zelda franchise seems to pop up in a game made over 25 years before he appeared in it.
