First being announced in 2020, Hogwarts Legacy was initially pushed back by developers to many fans' dismay. Luckily, thanks to the recent Hogwarts Legacy State of Play presentation, gamers can get a better picture of the story and what sort of experience they are in for.
As with any new trailer for a new entry to the Wizarding World, fans have been quick to develop their own Harry Potter fan theories. Some have come up with ideas about fast travel for the game, and others think they have a good idea about the backstory for the main character. Since Merlin was mentioned a couple of times in the 15-minute trailer, gamers think he could have a significant impact on the game's overall plot. On top of that, there are secret puzzle challenges inspired by Merlin for players to solve, adding to the idea that he will play a major role in the story.
What The Hogwarts Legacy Merlin Theory is About
One of the prevailing theories posted by a Reddit user named Smokediza is that the protagonist of Hogwarts Legacy is actually a descendant of Merlin. The reasoning behind this is the game's emphasis on "ancient magic." The game also talked about Merlin's history of controlling dragons and how he was once a student of Hogwarts as well. Smokediza theorizes that Merlin's bloodline could be heavily involved in the issues happening in 1890.
There is some evidence from the sources material to back up this possibility and make the theory seem more legitimate. Merlin is constantly referenced through the original Harry Potter books and, of course, has his outside mythology to build a storyline off of. Further, since Merlin was a figure around centuries ago, it would be the perfect amount of time for his family tree to become hazy and have unknown offspring. Not only that, but some think that involving Merlin could be a way to bring in new fans outside the Harry Potter realm.
Reddit users also think that this would be a perfect way to introduce Merlin in a videogame format since it might come off too cheesy if it happened in the Harry Potter movies. Other fans believe this could be an excellent chance to explain what happened between Salazar Slytherin and Merlin. Based on the Wizarding World canon, there are many unanswered questions, such as why Salazar decided to train Merlin and his hatred of Mudbloods. If the game does take this route, other Reddit users are also hoping they talk about Morgan La Fey and Sir Cadogan in Merlin's mythology.
Whether the protagonist is a descendant of Merlin, it seems like Merlin will significantly impact the game. It will be interesting to see what creative liberty the game will take with this extra lore. For now, though, fans will have to wait just a couple more months to see how heavily involved Merlin will be.
Hogwarts Legacy is coming Holiday 2022 to PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
