Although the sequel toThe Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wildhas presumably been in development since roughly the launch of the original game with the Switch in March 2017, Nintendo still hasn’t divulged much information on the game with the latest update being the game’s reveal trailer during Nintendo's E3 2019 presentation. Still, that 86-second trailer packed in enough content to put a big spin on the story of the originalBreath of the Wild.
In the 2017 game, main characters frequently discuss elements of the past, specifically during the centuries leading up to the destruction of Hyrule, preceding Link’s 100-year slumber. It is said that during that time, a foretold prophecy led Zelda's Father King Rhoam to initiate the excavation of the Divine Beasts, mechanical structures built by the ancient Sheikah 10,000 years ago to aid the ancient hero and princess, Link and Zelda, in defeating Ganon in Breath of the Wild.
After the trailer forBotW 2was revealed, the combination of witnessing the revival of Ganondorf (possibly) in that trailer, along with the ending to the originalBotW,has created some interesting implications regarding Calamity Ganon and the prophecy, which could lead to some wild narrative twists in the upcoming sequel.
Ganon Wasn't Actually Ganon in Breath of the Wild
One theory that has been posited among theLegend of Zeldacommunity is that the Ganon that Link fights at the end ofBreath of the Wildwasn’t actually the main entity of Ganon but merely a puppet figure. There are a few facts that actually back up that idea. First, the aforementioned prophecy stating that the power to defeat Ganon can be found underground implies that the Divine Beasts are required in order to defeat it.
While recovering the Divine Beasts from the clutches of Calamity Ganon is actively encouraged throughout the game (it is a main quest after all), players can skip all of that and just head over to the Ganon-infested Hyrule Castle in order to start the end of the game, whenever they’re ready. This means that the beasts weren’t required after all (they take away portions of Ganon’s health), or that Calamity Ganon wasn’t even the main Ganon to begin with.
This notion is also supported by the fact that Link doesn’t even need the Master Sword to defeat Calamity Ganon, a dynamic that has been a staple of the series since the beginning of it. The trailer forBotW 2apparently shows the corpse of Ganondorf, so the idea that Calamity Ganon was merely a puppet or alternate form of Ganon does make sense within this argument.
A Spy in Hyrule Kingdom
Before Link went into his 100-year long sleep, and before the destruction of Hyrule at the hands of Calamity Ganon, King Rhoam decided to commission an excavation to dig up the ancient Sheikah technology that eventually caused Hyrule’s doom. He did so because of the prophecy foretold to him by a fortune teller who worked for Hyrule’s court, which predicted that Calamity Ganon would be resurrected and that the power needed to defeat it “lies dormant beneath the ground.” This prophecy has led to another conspiracy theory, one that suggests that the fortune teller responsible for the prophecy was actually a mole planted by Ganon.
This theory posits that Ganon managed to infiltrate the ranks of Hyrule’s royal family via the fortune teller in order to feed King Rhoam misinformation that would allow for Ganon to become more powerful. They could’ve tricked King Rhoam by suggesting to dig up the Divine Beasts (and guardians), only for Ganon to take them over when the time was right. This theory could fit alongside the previous theory that the real Ganon will show up inBotW 2.This wouldn’t be the first time Ganon has infiltrated the royal family of Hyrule either, a similar thing happened inA Link to the Past,with Agahnim as Ganon’s conduit.
Nintendo is surely going to show off some more of the sequel toBotW at some point. As for when that is, a rumored Nintendo Direct would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Until then, these wild but promising theories will remain just that.
The sequel toThe Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wildis currently in development for the Nintendo Switch, with no confirmed release date.
