The Bargainer Statues are mysterious entities in Tears of the Kingdom. What exactly are they?
The Legend of Zelda is a suitably vague series. Legends are always subject to changes based on the person telling the tale, and whether intentional or not, The Legend of Zelda does it aplenty. Each story bears the bones of the same tale but is told in different ways.
As such, it can be hard to say anything directly definitive about Zelda either. Take the Bargainer Statues in Tears of the Kingdom. Like the Depths in which they are housed, there is little that can be said firmly on them. But when looking at various other aspects of the series, we can discern a little bit more.
Why Are The Bargainer Statues In The Depths?
Let's start by talking about the Depths themselves. Hidden from all promotional material, the Depths came as a shock to all players, a massive layer underneath the very surface of Hyrule, and a result of the Upheaval caused by Ganondorf's revival. Entered through Gloom-ridden chasms scattered across Hyrule, the Depths are a place of utter darkness and mystery.
Though the majority of the Bargainer Statues are hidden in the Depths, you first you'll likely encounter is the one located at Lookout Landing, in Josha's study.
This miniature Bargainer says little, simply telling you to seek out its brethren throughout the Depths. We can assume from their prevalence down below — and their proximity to their beloved Poes — that they are natural to the Depths, or at the very least excel there.
Perhaps more important though is their size. Players may often mistake the Bargainer Statues as gigantic heads carved into rock, but from the right distance and perspective, you will begin to notice that the head is but a small part of a massive body. They are titanic in scale, towering over the wispy clouds of the Depths, overseeing the Poes trapped within.
Another theory to posit is that the Bargainer Statues are themselves banished to the Depths. This grand area below Hyrule was unbeknownst to all until its reappearance with the Upheaval, many of the mysteries of Hyrule's history are contained within. Ancient cities of the Goron, plentiful Zonai technology, and the Gloom of Ganondorf himself.
The Bargainer Statues of the surface are minuscule in comparison to their subterranean brethren. It is very possible that they serve only as vessels to guide people towards the Depths, especially given their prevalence following the opening of the chasms across Hyrule.
This can be seen clearly with the small Baraginer Statue sunk beneath the lake of the Great Plateau that grows silent after the eyes are returned to its significantly larger counterpart in the Depths.
The Bargainer Statues' Connection With Poes
Fans of the series may be familiar with Poes. They have taken various appearances across the games, but more commonly appear as an ethereal ghost enemy, roaming the world at night.
Most typically, they can be captured in a bottle and given to some individual for a reward. As spirits, they are closely linked with curses and death, a theme carried over in Tears of the Kingdom. Poes are found exclusively in the Depths, being small wisps of glowing colours. The Bargainer Statues have a stated goal towards Poes — to usher them into the next life.
By their description, Poes are pitiful things that could not pass on by themselves, and the Bargainer Statues perform this task for them. That they offer Link rewards for bringing them could be seen as purely altruistic, though at times can give off a more malicious intent.
In a functional sense, they act like the Poe Collector from Ocarina of Time. In exchange for Poes, you are given rewards. From a thematic standpoint, they give a more definite reasoning behind their goals, whether you believe it or not.
Yet, with the Depths so infested with souls of the dead and aeons of legacy, you could just as easily surmise that Poes are offerings to the Bargainer Statues that increase their own strength.
Another interesting aspect of this relationship is the rewards Link is offered. Much of these are materials from the Depths, or the Dark Tunic and Tunic of the Depths, articles of clothing closely linked with the Depths and darkness.
More notable are the various legacy items. If lost, Link can exchange Poes at the Bargainer Statues for duplicates of these items.
Considering that Poes are spirits of the dead, and with the loose storytelling within the series as a whole, it could be theorised that these duplicates are instead items from Link's own historical adventures, from heroes that have long since passed into an eternal afterlife as a Poe themselves.
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