Bongo Bongo

Bongo Bongo, the Phantom Shadow Beast, is a boss in OoT and resides in the Shadow Temple behind the Kakariko Graveyard. It was previously sealed away in the well, but broke out following the events leading to Ganondorf seizing power over Hyrule. As an Adult, Link arrives to witness this as Sheik attempts to stop it, but despite their efforts it breaks free. Bongo Bongo being a spirit is only fully visible via use of the Lens of Truth. And the boss battle takes place upon a large drum.

Bongo Bongo is shrouded in mystery, which has lead to a lot of theories revolving around its origins. Perhaps the most common one is that Bongo Bongo is the Man Who Could See the Truth as talked about by Shikashi. Whether the eye refers to the actual eye of the beast or the Lens of Truth is up for debate. Furthermore, it is said the man's house was located where the well now stands.

Spinning of this are a couple of other ideas. One is that Bongo Bongo was a Sheikah, as prior to Impa reopening the town it was originally inhabited by a bunch of Sheikah. Furthermore, the idea of "shadow" is often how people refer to the Sheikah, and it could explain the eye motif as well as Impa being the Sage of Shadow. It's also said Bongo Bongo could've been executed by the Royal Family (hence the hands and head). This idea is backed up by pointing out the torture devices found within the Bottom of the Well.

Moving away from the idea of a man, there's another theory stating Bongo Bongo could be the creation of Ganondorf himself. It's never said when Impa sealed him away, so it's possible he was created very recently given that the well is only sealed while Link is an adult and Bongo Bongo is never seen nor heard while in the Bottom of the Well.

Perhaps the strangest theory of the lot though involves the Twilight Realm, which wasn't featured in a game until Twilight Princess. However, the Hyrulean Civil War occurred just before OoT, and the Interlopers were a part of this according to TP. It's suggested Impa could've sealed the Interloper in the well, and that Bongo Bongo is a form it can take.

So what do we think of the character of Bongo Bongo? What about the bizarre appearance? Or how about the boss battle? What do they really mean by the eye; the lens or an actual eye? What is the origin of Bongo Bongo?

As a boss he was easy. I liked how the battle took place on a drum to sort of make it more tense. As for theories, I never really put much thought into the game to come up with one.

Well considering the mention of the Hyrulean Civil War, if we assume that he existed at that time then I'd say it's a good bet that the reason he was executed by the Royal Family could be something to do with that war.

And the talk of drums keeps putting a drummer boy into my head now thanks to my previous paragraph.

He hates me. I always seem to have the most terrible luck against him. The battle itself is interesting though.

He even sings when he is getting hit by the sword. He does "DO-Do-DO-Do-DO-Do-DO-Do-DO-Do!!"