Gorons
From Lozwiki
Gorons are a humanoid, rock-eating race that dwell in the mountains. Despite their hulking appearance, Gorons are a relatively peaceful species. Gorons are usually considered, perhaps superficially, to be of low intelligence, although there is no particular indication of this in the games. They may also be fooled by appearances due to bad eyesight, similar to Moles, as they are a subterranean species. All Gorons say "goro" at the end of most of their sentences, but that was removed from the english versions of the games.
Contents |
Goron biology
Gorons are physically intimidating as their height and sheer size are almost double that of an average human. The Gorons maintain a strict diet of rocks and, as a result, develop rocky growths on their backs as they age. Due to their enormous weight, they are helpess on water because they will sink to the bottom. It is apparent in the Goron world that some Gorons grow to exaggeratedly huge sizes (though very rare). Another feature of Goron biology is their ability to curl into a fetal position (with their heads tucked between their legs). This is the Goron's position when left unattended, or when they are sleeping. Gorons use this form for transportation as well. Best illustrated in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Gorons roll rapidly at speeds up to 60-70 MPH. Gorons who are endowed with fairy magic grow metal spikes, which can be used as weapons. Gorons are also resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through lava. This is a valuable capability when searching for food inside mountains. Most of them also have tattoos on their arms (and occasionally on other parts of their bodies), which are often tribal-style symbols and the most common symbol is a spiky pawprint shape.
Gender
The Gorons who appear in the games never show any visible cues to indicate their gender, and all Gorons who are referred to in the third person in in-game dialogue are called "he" and "him." Furthermore, in Goron culture it is customary to call other Gorons "brother," as well as those who have earned the title (like Link).
Obviously feminine-looking Gorons have been known to appear in the Legend of Zelda manga, but the manga are considered non-canonical.
The Goron "special crop"
Gorons grow Bomb Flowers, their "special crop" which resemble bombs in both appearance and function. These look like a standard bomb with a flower growing on top, and 3 large leaves growing outwards. Bomb Flowers will only grow in a dark area. Underneath the "bomb" is the stem (with the leaves growing out), but normally this is not visible. Bomb Flowers break easily from their stems but once plucked they soon explode (although not as soon as would a regular bomb). The stem and leaves of the flower are bomb-proof so a bomb-flower can not blow itself up, probably a defense-mechanism. Apparently Gorons use the plant for mining. These plants make an appearance in the Wind Waker on Dragon Roost Island. Bomb Flowers are also grown in the northern region of Labrynna (it is the main export of the Rolling Ridge Goron tribe) and the volcanic world of Subrosia (specifically, in Lava Lake) in the Oracle games.
Goron culture
Apparently Goron culture revolves around brotherhood, honor, and strength. Somewhat oddly it appears that they do not find mining their ancestors' corpses dishonorable or unethical (see below). They are a peaceful, sometimes indolent race with little ability to defend themselves, although they are quite large and strong. Most Goron societies seem to rely on a few (sometimes only one) powerful warriors to protect the entire clan. Due to the toughness of the Goron race and the shortage of deadly predators in their environment, some tribes get along well with no warriors at all. As mentioned above, Gorons are often considered to be dull-witted, though a more accurate description would be "simple." They prefer basic pleasures such as eating and dancing, though some are also skilled craftsmen, blacksmiths, or sculptors.