| Aracha | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Minighad (German) Skorpyotto (Italian) Minimoldarg (Latin American Spanish) Arthropode Millénaire Moldgath (Millennium Arthropod Moldgath — French) Dunkler Äonenskorpion, Moldoghad (Dark Aeon Scorpion, Moldoghad — German) Crostaceo millenario: Skorpyo (One thousand years old Crustacea: Skorpyo — Italian) 천년갑곡충 몰드가트, Cheon-nyeon Gap-Gok Chung Moldeugateu (Millennium Crustacean Insect: Moldgatt — Korean) Escorpión Milenario, Morgrad (Millennium Scorpion, Morgrad — European Spanish) Escorpión Milenario, Moldarg (Millennium Scorpion, Moldarg — Latin American Spanish) | ||
| Original | Aracha: プチガット Moldarach: 千年甲殻蟲モルドガット | ||
| Romanization | Aracha: Puchigatto (Petigat) Moldarach: Sen-nen Koukaku Chū Morudogatto | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Scorpid | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sapience | Non-sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | Very high | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Hyrule | ||
| Habitat | Lanayru Desert | ||
| Locomotion | Octopedal | ||
| Related species | Aruroda | ||
| Status | Critically endangered or extinct | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Legend of Zelda | ||
Arachas are a species of giant, scorpion-like arthropods indigenous to the Lanayru Desert; they have not been seen since the days before the establishment of the nation of Hyrule during the Era of the Sky, but with their vast numbers during this period and the great expanse of the desert in all its forms, it is assumed that they have not gone extinct but are simply not encountered by the heroes of courage themselves. It is also possible that they evolved over time into the Aruroda, the only other known scorpion-like creature in all of Hyrule.
Similar to the various Gohma types, Aracha are notable for their singular eye in the middle of their face, and possessing only four legs during at least one stage of their lives; however, Aracha are distinguishable by their scorpion-like stinging tail, and that they eventually grow another pair of eyes, located within their claws.
Life Cycle[]
The life cycle of the Aracha species is very extensive and while they are birthed in vast numbers, over the thousand years it will take to finally reach maturity, very few will still be alive. To counteract this, adult Aracha will lay a great number of eggs; considering the time it takes to reach maturity and the few adults known to exist, these numbers most likely are in the millions to keep their kind alive.
Aracha[]
An immature Aracha.
Larval Aracha are far smaller than the adult members of the species, but are still quite large when compared to other scorpion-like entities. Weak in physical strength, they remain in swarms for the sake of protection, but over time these swarms thin out, likely both through death over the course of a millennium as well as distancing themselves from one another to better compete for sustenance.
The exoskeleton of the Aracha appears to not be fully hardened as they are pure white, similar to other arthropods that have recently emerged from an old exoskeletal shell.
Moldarach[]
An earlier model of a Moldarach during Skyward Sword's developmental stage.
Moldarachs are the fully matured forms of Arachas, and are very rare to encounter. Only two were recorded in history, both during the Era of the Sky, with one inhabiting the Lanayru Mining Facility and another in the Lanayru Shipyard within the Lanayru Sand Sea.
To reach this state, Aracha must survive an extremely long larval stage, taking a full millennium before reaching sexual maturity in order to breed. Unlike their earlier forms, they grow an extra pair of legs and their armor fuses to become nigh-impenetrable. They also grow new eyes inside of their claws, though what purpose this serves on an evolutionary basis is unknown. Whereas immature Arachas will cluster together for protection, Moldarachs will remain solitary, burrowing beneath sand to ambush their prey and likely to regulate their body temperature in the desert heat.
Appearances[]
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (First appearance)
Notes[]
- Moldarach's name seems to be a portmanteau of 'mold', which in the Zelda series tends to denote an enemy with a long or noteworthy tail (e.g. Moldorm, Twinmold) and often an affinity for sand and 'arachnid'.
- Unlike real scorpions that have eight legs, Arachas have four and a Moldarach has six.
- Moldarach is an arthropod, like all the variations of the recurring boss Gohma in the Zelda series. Like Gohmas, its oversized, unnaturally-placed eyes are its weak points, and it is armed with large crab-like claws.
- Moldarach is quite similar to the Helmasaur King, a similar heavily armored enemy from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Both have spiked tail tips and similar tail whip attacks. Furthermore, both are larger varieties of otherwise weaker enemies introduced in the dungeon.
- Moldarach's death scene is similar to that of numerous bosses in A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening and certain bosses in the 3D games such as Volvagia, Twinmold, Molgera, and Bilocyte in that it explodes from the tail to the head.