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The world is so much bigger and brighter than you imagined, with a constant barrage of discoveries. With discovery comes doubt - there’s an excitement to not knowing where your next step will take you, but there’s a gnawing fear, too. You wander until you find a fellow traveler who hands you something and says, “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”
If you can name a more iconic quote from The Legend of Zelda series, let alone from the first game, you probably deserve an award. If you've come across this line in the wilds of the internet, but were unsure about its origin, don't worry — we've got you covered. After all, it is dangerous to go alone... so take this guide with you.
What Game Is It’s Dangerous To Go Alone, Take This From?
Everyone has heard of The Legend of Zelda series — it’s ubiquitous, as iconic to video games as a controller. Its first entry, simply titled The Legend of Zelda, was released on the NES in 1986, and it was unlike anything anyone had ever played before. A game about exploration, the original Zelda doesn’t offer much instruction as to where to go or what to do — you’re just a little guy in a big, hostile world.
Story-wise, The Legend of Zelda is about rescuing the eponymous Princess Zelda and fighting the dark king Ganon. For this first entry, there’s not much else going on. There are dungeons to crawl, octoroks to fight, and a Triforce of Wisdom to reassemble. There’s a lot of freedom in this entry of the Zelda series, and it’s cited as the chief inspiration for Breath of the Wild’s open-ended playstyle and massive overworld — you don’t have to follow any particular path to your end goal.
When you enter the land of Hyrule in the original Zelda game, you are greeted with an empty space with a single cave and paths leading in every direction. Instinct will bring you to the cave, where you will meet an old man who utters the iconic line before disappearing into the ether. After that, you’re out into the world. The man offers no advice, no direction — he just gives you your first sword and sends you on your way.
Examples Of It’s Dangerous To Go Alone, Take This
Whether it’s a picture of a cat or a link (ha), most uses of this meme rely on the item hypothetically handed off as being mundane at best and ineffectual at worst. Here are a few examples:
There’s no phrase in the gaming lexicon more iconic or versatile than “It’s dangerous to go alone” — and no phrase with quite the same reach. You can use it anywhere, for anything. It can be a warm message between friends, a little prank, or the handing off of legitimately useful information. Regardless, it, like Zelda, is timeless.