Bottom of the Well

For the mini-dungeon in Majora's Mask, see Beneath the Well.

The Bottom of the Well is a mini-dungeon in Ocarina of Time.^[1] It is located in Kakariko Village, more specifically at the bottom of Kakariko Well,^[2] which is also known as the Well of Three Features.^[3] It consists of an underground chamber that guards the Lens of Truth. It is also similar to the Shadow Temple in overall theme. This dungeon is technically optional, having no effect on the main quest if not attempted. However, without the Lens of Truth, places such as the Shadow Temple, Haunted Wasteland, the Spirit Temple, and Ganon's Castle will be more difficult to navigate. Also, Link, the Hero of Time, may miss out on many treasures hidden throughout Hyrule that only the Lens of Truth can uncover.

Entrance to the Well[]

When Link first finds the well, it is filled with water. However, as an adult, the water has been drained and the well is sealed. In order to enter the dungeon, Child Link must play the "Song of Storms" to Phonogram Man to super-charge the Kakariko Windmill and drain the well dry.

According to Professor Shikashi, the house of a man who could see the truth once stood on the location of the Well.^[4] This is a reference to the important item found inside the dungeon, the Lens of Truth.

Themes and Navigation[]

The Well contains many illusory walls and floors which can only be identified as fake using the Lens of Truth, as well as invisible sections of floor that can be made visible with the Lens of Truth. Deep within the Bottom of the Well, Link fights the Dead Hand, which yields the Lens of Truth upon death.

The Bottom of the Well has three floors, all treated as a basement. Only the first and largest floor must be explored in order to find the Lens of Truth. This first floor consists of a maze of tunnels with numerous side passages, as well as depressions in the floor that are filled with water. This water can be drained by playing "Zelda's Lullaby" on the Triforce emblem in one part of the central chamber, giving Link access to the rest of the first floor. The lowest floor is filled with many ReDeads and pools of Toxic Water. This floor can be reached after falling into any invisible holes. The only way to climb up to the first floor again is by collecting Silver Rupees for the first time only. The second floor is the smallest, as it consists entirely of cross-sections of vertical shafts connecting the first and third floors.

Master Quest[]

In the Master Quest version of Ocarina of Time, the Lens of Truth is no longer useful in this dungeon, because all fake floors and walls are now visible to the naked eye. The reward for fighting Dead Hand is the Compass, though a Small Key is found in its room. The Lens of Truth is now found on the bottom floor, which is now full of Boulders, a Wallmaster, and five ReDeads all together. The Green Bubble is now missing, as well as the Like Like and the Beamos. The room with coffins and Gibdos is optional, too, containing only a Gold Skulltula. There are some hidden switches in the walls that unlock doors or drain the Well; playing "Zelda's Lullaby" in front of the statue unlocks some gates now. The new enemy here is a Floormaster, which just so happens to be in the same small room as a Wallmaster.

Trivia[]

Because the well draws water from a reservoir rather than the ground water, it is in fact not a well, but a cistern.
An unusual feature seen in The Legend of Zelda series, or any Nintendo game in general, stained red blood can be seen in some sections of the dungeon, like the Shadow Temple. It is visible even in the later revisions and in Ocarina of Time 3D (where the blood on Ganon was censored to green).

Minor Enemies and Traps[]

Nomenclature[]

Names in other regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	井戸の底 (Ido no Soko) ^(OoT)^[5]	Same as English.
This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

The Kakariko Well
The ladder leading down the Bottom of the Well
Dungeon Map

References

↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 149
↑ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — Official Nintendo Player's Guide, Nintendo of America, pg. 84
↑ "Dark! Narrow! Scary! Well of Three Features" — Sign (Ocarina of Time)
↑ "A long time ago... There was a man in this very village who had an eye they said could see the truth! Now usually, you have to train your mind's eye most strenuously to actually see the truth... But this fella, no, they say he had a different way of doing things... His house stood where the well is now..." — Professor Shikashi (Ocarina of Time)
↑ Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 155