Impa replacing Sheik, just for the sake of promoting a recently introduced, critically acclaimed game, is absurd. It's basically the "Lucina replacing Marth" argumentation in its most fallacious form - the persuasion of recency and relevance. What would a relatively unknown newcomer replacing the role of a popular, well-known veteran accomplish, anyway? Besides, if Twilight Princess didn't get rid of Sheik, then Skyward Sword certainly won't, either.
Major difference: Sheik was planned for Twilight Princess and Impa wasn't around to effectively replace her.
How the hell can you compare this to Lucina if in all actuality, Impa appeared as much as Marth did in Fire Emblem while Sheik appeared as much as Lucina? You cut yourself with that one. Impa is not only more recent, and more important, she's been around since the beginning of the series.
Skyward Sword might not've been an awesome succes, doesn't mean it flopped either. Don't go around saying Twilight Princess is superiour either, while it had just as many complaints and probably only sold better cause it was overhyped with trailers from content not even in the game, realistic graphics and looking like Ocarina of Time just after Wind Waker. It was an oppertunistic move of Nintendo to make mad cash. While Skyward Sword is Miyamoto's prefered work and mark of a new 'era' for Zelda as said by Miyamoto himself. It's the first game in the 'timeline' to, so definitely far more important than Twilight Princess.
Twilight Princess also offered not too many potential characters who where not one-offs. So why should they get a newcomer from Twilight Princess if Sheik was to appear in it anyway? She
might appear in the next major release of Zelda right? Oops, guess not, that was Impa instead.
1) Yet in a far less important role to the overall plot-structure of the story-line. Yes, Impa is a Sage whose importance lies within the Shadow Temple, yet it is Sheik who is the director to these particular temple locations (as well as the more iconic of characters in Zelda history).
2) There really isn't anything I have to say here.
3) And by that, you mean from extremely unlikely to somewhat-less extremely unlikely.
4) This is a non-sequitur, because you are comparing a character who was cut to a character who wasn't - at any rate, Dr. Mario certainly wouldn't even be considered anything more than an alternate costume at this point. Even then, cuts for characters especially as popular as Sheik will never result in anything more than harsh criticism and negative reception. I guarantee you if Sheik were to be cut from Super Smash Brothers 4, she would become the next Mewtwo/Roy for Super Smash Brothers 5.
1. Whatever, Ocarina of Time isn't the game Impa is gonna be inspired by anyway, unless they give her a Deku Nut projectile. If anything, Impa is still around more than Sheik. She's there since Link is Young Link till the final battle. Again, I won't bother too much discussing OoT Impa. It's just the fact that she's also there, and also has a strong role, while it's Sheik's ONLY appearance. It's like argueing Ghirahim over Impa here, same damn blased thing.
2. Good.
3. According to your opinion? Fact: Sakurai likes to surprise people. Who would've ever guessed these characters ever becoming playable before their reveal: Captain Falcon, Ness, Sheik, Mr.Game & Watch, Ice Climbers, R.O.B., Pokémon Trainer, Wii Fit Trainer? Can't always expect the masses to be right. Especially if there's more logic on this side, and the masses are massively confused about the matter and prefer to 'just not hear it'
4. I honestly doubt it. Sheik was only popular for her moveset anyway.
1. Why is it you ignore the existence Ocarina of Time 3D as favoring Sheik, and yet give full attention to Skyward Sword favoring Impa? Sakurai could just as easily represent Skyward Sword as he did with Twilight Princess - stages, trophies, stickers, and aesthetic changes to Zelda character appearances.
2. Ironic you mentioned Marth, considering you are advocating the removal of a popular character in place of far less popular ones (going back to my Marth/Lucina comparison).
3. Except her roles have never been expansive enough to have Sakurai even consider such a character. I don't see that changing.
1. Design me a SS-inspired Sheik without ripping off from Impa and while making it look believable. It's just a big spit in the face to keep Sheik in and piss on people wanting Impa. It's actually really going out of the way to add Sheik in, in which case I believe she should just be dropped. Ocarina of Time 3D can also be repped by stages, trophies and stickers. Or Ganondorf. Ganondorf is far more important than Sheik anyway.
2. How is this ironic at all? Impa has been around longer than Sheik, appeared more and is more important. And also fixes balance issues with Zelda / Sheik. Argue all you want, with Toon Link confirmed which of these 3 Zelda characters is the least popular you think out of Zelda, Sheik and Ganondorf? Take a good guess.
3. And that's cause Skyward Sword was released after Brawl
Good try though.
Again, you are arguing on the basis of recency and relevance (as well as your perceptive biases). In fact, considering Ocarina of Time 3D's release, if we were to go by your logic, Sheik would have even more of a reason to stay on the roster (recency and relevance) then she did back in Brawl.
Am not argueing relevance at all, am argueing overall roles and that Impa actually can fight herself and not be based on some damn made up moveset. Ocarina of Time remains Ocarina of Time, it's a remake. And it has Impa in it. That's 2 recent appearances for Impa vs 1 for Sheik. It's still making sence, and don't expect a Ocarina of Time remake for every console or handheld either. This might as well be the last we've seen from Sheik in a Zelda game cause you think they seriously gonna remake Ocarina of Time forever? Even if, Impa will continue to appear in recent and newer games. It'll make less and less sence as far as Smash progresses and am sure if Impa is in Zelda Wii U, more people will rise up and voice their opinion about her. Am just moving ahead of time here, and am hoping Sakurai shares this vision.
