Lost Woods

The is a maze-like area of a confusing forest that has made several appearances throughout . Its layout is usually designed to make anyone who enters to become irreversibly lost, and the only way to exit the forest is by navigating it in specific directions. In certain games, it is said that if people wander in the forest for too long, they can turn into a monster such as a Skull Kid, a Stalfos, or a Deku Scrub.
==Features and Overview==
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Its first appearance, in , is as a simple-looking cross-section of dead Trees. However, once Link enters it, he finds that exiting the forest in any direction (except east) will cause him to simply appear back at the same spot. The only way to clear the forest is to follow a specific pattern through it. This special pattern is revealed when Link pays an Old Woman for information. She tells him that the proper directions to escape the forest are north, then west, then south, then west again. Successfully navigating through the Lost Woods leads Link to the Graveyard.
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In , the Lost Woods are more like a maze than a puzzle. Many notable things can be found here. Most importantly, it is the location of the legendary Master Sword, which is held in the Sacred Grove located in the northwestern portion of the woods filled with . Several can also be found, resulting in a humorous line if Link picks one up. When Link first enters the Lost Woods, it is covered in a thick fog that makes it hard to navigate; however, once the young hero retrieves the Master Sword after acquiring the three , the mist will disappear.
A secret hideout for a gang of is located in the eastern portion of the woods, with a Piece of Heart found in a secret entrance under a bush. Other run amok in the forest, bumping into Link in an attempt to steal his , , and . The can also be found here scattered throughout the woods. If picked up and given to Syrup the witch, Link can receive the Magic Powder.
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In , the Lost Woods are laid out like a map, with each screen having something unique about it. Also, the goal in these Lost Woods is to stay inside, rather than to escape; if Link takes the wrong doorway, he will be warped back to the Kokiri Forest. By following the music of "Saria's Song", Link can navigate through the hollow trees and get to the Sacred Forest Meadow, which is located in the northernmost portion of the Lost Woods and Saria's "secret place". The is located here. 
Alternative methods can also be used to determine if a path leads to another part of the woods or back to the Kokiri Forest. The main method is to simply analyze the holes in the trunks. If there is gradually increasing light in the center of the tree trunk (as if it were a tunnel out), it will lead back to the Kokiri Forest, but if it is a flat wall of blackness, it will continue through the woods. The Lost Woods is home to the only Moblins in , as well as many Business Scrubs, Mad Scrubs and the only collection of average Deku Scrubs in the game, the Deku Community.
Hidden within the Lost Woods is the Forest Stage, where Link can be rewarded with item upgrades by showing off specific Masks in front of Deku Scrubs. Moreover, scattered throughout the woods are two portals that lead to Goron City and the upper part of near the Sleepless Waterfall. 
It is said that those who become lost in the woods will become Stalfos. The Skull Kids that inhabit the forest are implied to be children who were lost as well.
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The is a place that can only be explored in the beginning of . The is where must chase down the to retrieve his , , back. travels into the in search of his lost friend, . While searching, he was knocked off his by the , giving him the opportunity to steal the and before woke up.
The are also where the encountered the , whom he stole from.
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The are situated in northwestern Holodrum in , connecting to the Tarm Ruins. Near the Lost Woods, there is a Deku Scrub in a cave. If Link has obtained Guru-Guru's Phonograph, the Deku Scrub will say that he likes the song and tell him to go in some specific directions in the Lost Woods. If he does this he will find the Noble Sword (or, if he already has the Noble Sword in a linked game, the Master Sword) in a pedestal. This is the final part of the .
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In , the Lost Woods appears as the first stage in The Dark World level. It was originally known as the Forest of Light, and under the White Maiden's control, until a thick cloud of darkness covered northwestern Hyrule and corrupted it into its present state. The cursed woodland is covered in bones and skulls, giving it a look closely resembling the Skeleton Forest from . It is populated primarily by Deku Scrubs, who all swear allegiance to Ganon. The Links arrive to the forest to search for the Dark Mirror, which is believed to be hidden away in a temple in the heart of the woods. They eventually make their way through the wood, and find themselves at Kakariko Village where they continue their search.
According to the Deku Scrubs, those who wander and become lost in the forest turn into Deku Scrubs, mirroring the myth how the Lost Woods in turns people into Stalfos. They also mention that Ganon's darkness will cause the Lost Woods to spread all over Hyrule's forests, turning them into Lost Woods as well.
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In , Link must navigate the Lost Woods to reach the Forest Sanctuary to open a path to the by performing a song with Gage using the Spirit Flute. When he first enters the woods, Link is sent back to the entrance, and must speak with the residents of the nearby Whittleton to find out how to navigate them. He learns that by following the directions that certain trees point (save the last one, which has "no sense of direction"), he will make it to the Forest Sanctuary. Once the Lost Woods are solved for the first time, they disappear.
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In , the Lost Woods houses the Master Sword, much like in . To obtain the Master Sword, Link must retrieve all three Pendants of Virtue. When Link enters the northwest area of the Lost Woods, he is met with nine Poes. One Poe offers to bring him deeper into the Lost Woods if he can follow the correct one. If Link goes in the proper direction, he will be met again by the Poes. Two of them test him by attempting to mislead the hero and instruct him to go in the direction that they did not. Afterwards, three Poes will attempt to mislead Link in the same manner. After this, Link will be lead to the Sacred Grove housing the Master Sword. Once Link obtains the Master Sword, Sahasrahla will telepathically speak to Link, telling him to use the newly-obtained Sword to destroy the Barrier at Hyrule Castle. This will also cause the Poes to disappear.
The Lost Woods also houses several Maiamais and a Piece of Heart.
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The is a fog-infested forest in . It serves as the only means of entry to the in the , connecting to the via an isthmus surrounded by the impassable . Travelers who enter the may find themselves lost in the dense fog that covers the landscape, which will return them to the entrance of the . To successfully navigate the , must carry a lit through the fog. One can be obtained at the ' entrance, where a pair of stationary can be found, along with one that can be picked up. Following the trail of embers that come from the will lead to the entrance to the . Despite this, it is possible to navigate the without the assistance of a if one knows the path. Due to its nature, the protects the from intruders.
The are filled with a unique type of known as . Near the entrance, can find a stone in one of the 's mouths containing a . Another stone holds an . During the "" , which is exclusive to DLC Pack, must read the . It claims that the can be found in the hollow of a in a forest that makes people lose their way. South of the pair of at the ' entrance, will find the in an EX in the mouth of an .
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====Creatures====
File:BotW Blue Sparrow Model.png|
File:BotW Bushy-Tailed Squirrel Model.png|
File:BotW Fairy Model.png|
File:BotW Golden Sparrow Model.png|
File:BotW Grassland Fox Model.png|
File:BotW Hightail Lizard Model.png|
File:BotW Hot-Footed Frog Model.png|
File:BotW Maraudo Wolf Model.png|
File:BotW Mountain Buck Model.png|
File:BotW Mountain Crow Model.png|
File:BotW Mountain Doe Model.png|
File:BotW Mountain Goat Model.png|
File:BotW Pink Heron Model.png|
File:BotW Restless Cricket Model.png|
File:BotW Summerwing Butterfly Model.png|
File:BotW Warm Darner Model.png|
File:BotW Wood Pigeon Model.png|
====Minor Enemies====
File:BotW Stalmoblin Model.png|Stalmoblin
File:BotW Yiga Footsoldier Model.png|Yiga Footsoldier
====Materials====
File:BotW Blue Nightshade Model.png|Blue Nightshade
File:BotW Courser Bee Honey Model.png|Courser Bee Honey
==Other Appearances==
=== (Ishinomori)===
The are also featured in the . After obtaining all three , enters the and, while speaking telepathically with , the young hero begins to have his doubts about whether or not the will select him as its bearer. then finds the and seizes it from its , readying himself to have his final battle with and rescue . Afterward, is ambushed by several , although he easily defeats them with a single from the .
 decides to lie down and rest in the , only to be awoken by via telepathy. Although the young hero tells that he must rest, reminds him that only a single night remains until casts his final incantation on her and causes the entrance to the to open and overwhelm with its evil. With this in mind, leaves the and heads to to prepare himself.
=== (Himekawa)===
Although not appearing in the main story, the Lost Woods do appear in the bonus chapters. The Lost Woods is a dangerous place where people will get lost if they lose sight of the exit. Nobody is allowed in there but Link and Saria; they enter it in an attempt to retrieve a Mask.
The Forest is dangerous and, according to Skull Kid, those that get lost will eventually lose all hope and become faceless Skull Kids. It is also home to the Baga Tree, an evil opponent of the Deku Tree that is possessed by a bug (most likely Gohma) and is eager to kill Saria and Link as an act of vengeance on the Deku Tree for "Ignoring the rules of the Forest" and allowing Link into the Kokiri.
Strangely the forest appears to be home to only Skull Kids, Wolfos, and Moblins (under complete command of the Bagu Tree) that wish to reclaim the forest for their own with no Deku Tree at all. The forest is accessible also from Hyrule Field (as seen in Skull Kid's memory).
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In , the is an area that is placed within a randomly-generated location within the biome in . Upon entering , , and will be sent back to the initial screen if they take the incorrect exit. In order to reach its center, the , the heroes must take the exit closest to the initial position of the enemy on the screen that is different from the rest, or follow the vibrations generated from , which rumbles the most when the hero is next to the correct exit. The center of the maze is the , which contains a dungeon where the player fights , one of the four monsters that the heroes must defeat in order to break 's seal on .
The is also the location of , where gives the heroes the , which can help guide them through the by causing the Nintendo Switch to rumble when the heroes are close to treasure or near the correct path to the , giving light rumbles when the heroes are near the incorrect exit but strong rumbles when they are next to the correct exit.
It is also the location where the heroes can meet , a friendly , who resides in the same tree hut as and joins the heroes on their quest to stop after they give 20 .
On the initial screen of the maze is a cave where can be found inside with a special item, with the item varying depending on how many times the heroes' have encountered her outside of seeing her at . If it's the first time the hero has found her in a cave, she gives them the , allowing them to travel to previously activated .
The "" plays in the whenever combat is initiated.
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The is the setting of the "" in . After the , , defeats the monster outposts surrounding , , , , and the four go through the . However, they think they might have gotten lost. then appears and guides them, only to figure out that the entrance to has been blocked by . After defeating the of the four inside the , the entrance to is made clear.
==Trivia==
*In volume 103 of Nintendo Power, the Lost Woods were called the "Maze Woods."
*In the German version of , those who become lost in the Lost Woods are said to become plants.
*The Japanese name for the Lost Woods was utilized for the in , and to a lesser extent Maze Wood in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (which had Holly White calling it "The Lost Woods" once). Coincidentally, all three are maze-like forests that require a sequence of events to fully navigate.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:ALttP Master Sword Artwork 3.png|Artwork of the resting in its pedestal from 
File:ALttP Lost Woods Spieleberater Artwork.png|Artwork of in the from the German guide
File:Lost Woods Winter.png|The in Winter from 
File:OoS Lost Woods Spring.png|The in Spring from 
File:Lost Woods Summer.png|The in Summer from 
File:OOS NobleSword Pedestal.png|The in the from 
File:OOS MasterSword Pedestal.png|The in a of 
File:ALBW Poes in Lost Woods.jpg|The seen in the from 
File:HWAoC Lost Woods.png|The from 
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