Anna Daniels
The second game in the Ori canon, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, alludes to the phenomenon of Will-o’-the-wisps, a fixture of folklore in many parts of the world. In the game, Ori is led into increasingly dangerous areas to retrieve the wisps (fragments) of the Spirit Willow’s forest-sustaining light. The wisps in Ori aren’t too far removed from how Will-o’-the-wisps function in many real-life mythologies.
Will-o’-the-wisps — or some version of these floating lights — have been seen around the world, ranging from India to Brazil to Australia. Will-o’-the-wisps have been referenced in many pieces of popular media, such as the Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings, Pixar’s Brave, and Paradise Lost.
In some of the more recognizable iterations, Will-o’-the-wisps are balls of fire that hover over the ground or over the water of a bog, marsh, or swamp. These balls of light would often move, frequently enticing wayward travelers to follow them into the dangerous wilderness where many would die in their pursuit. By leading Ori through the most dangerous places in Niwel, the wisps in the game line up well with the established lore around their namesakes.
Written by: Looper
