Nintendo continues to hold The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom close to its chest, revealing little of its story in the few trailers that have been released. But that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating what may happen to Link and Zelda and the potential return of certain characters, weapons, and skills from The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
As a direct sequel, Tears of the Kingdom takes place on the same map players have become familiar with. While it has expanded upward (and maybe downward), familiar sights still grace the Kingdom of Hyrule, meaning that many of the side quests and overall lore of Breath of the Wild will likely exist within Tears of the Kingdom. And hopefully, a select few of those will be revisited in the next installment of the franchise.
6 The Towns Of Hyrule
In the second Tears of the Kingdom trailer, Hatenko Village can briefly be seen. It looks slightly different, with a swirling green light where the Myahm Agana shrine used to be, and there seems to be something sparkly floating in the air. The town was already a bustling place, but it could have changed significantly since the events of Calamity Ganon. And thanks to the new malevolent force that Link and Zelda are up against, it could be in danger.
All of the other towns and settlements of Hyrule have yet to be shown in the trailers. Still, it will be fascinating to see how Goron City is doing, as Death Mountain is now spewing malice. This could link back to The Legend of Zelda, as the final boss battle occurs between Link and Ganon within the volcano. In A Link To The Past, Death Mountain is the location of Ganon’s Castle in the Dark World.
5 Allies From The Hyrulean Tribes
As Link makes his way across the vast land of Hyrule to free the Divine Beasts, he meets the descendants/relations of the Champions that piloted them. These include Yunobo of the Goron, Riju of the Gerudo, Teba of the Riot, and Sidon of the Zora. They made a clear impression on the player on each quest relating to the Divine Beasts, and it would be a shame not to see them again in some capacity.
Seeing as they’ll probably be wondering how the Divine Beasts were used and who Zelda is, they would probably jump at the chance to help Link in his quest to rid Hyrule of Ganon’s influence. Particularly now, seeing as the Champion’s spirits are finally at rest following the defeat of Calamity Ganon in Breath of the Wild.
4 Korok Forest Spirits
Collecting the 900 Korok seeds in Breath of the Wild has become a rite of passage. But, as arduous as that task may be – especially if players have left it as the last thing to do – there’s no denying how cute it is to see those little woodland creatures get excited by Link solving their puzzles.
There have been no hints in the trailers so far that the Korok forest spirits will return, but it’s more than likely they will return in some way seeing as Tears of the Kingdom takes place not long after the events of Breath of the Wild.
3 The Divine Beasts
In Breath of the Wild, saving Zelda and defeating Calamity Ganon is the aim of the game. This can be done whenever in the playthrough, with some even succeeding in beating the final boss right after leaving the Shrine of Resurrection. But by playing the game as intended, the four Divine Beasts (Vah Ruta, Vah Naboris, Vah Medoh, and Vah Rudania) spread among the four tribes play a vital role in the lore of Breath of the Wild, including the Champions who were chosen to pilot them.
The Divine Beasts aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, having been made over 100,000 years before the Great Calamity with ancient Sheikah technology. But what happened to these massive machines in Tears of the Kingdom and other old technologies like the shrines and towers is unclear.
2 Impa, Purah & Robbie's Potential Return
Impa, Purah, and Robbie are all from the Sheikah tribe and are of great importance to Link and Zelda. Players were treated to seeing younger versions of the trio in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which takes place 100 years before Breath of the Wild and during the build-up to the Great Calamity.
Assuming they are still alive following the time since Breath of the Wild, Impa, Purah, and Robbie could once again aid Link and Zelda in harnessing Sheikah technology. Nintendo has seemingly hinted at this in artwork for Tears of the Kingdom, tweeting an image of Zelda holding a slimmer-looking Sheikah slate. Whether that has anything to do with them remains to be seen. Still, there’s a chance the trio could utilize Purah’s anti-aging and age-boosting runes to transport them back in time to their ages in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
1 The Yiga Clan
While not a major enemy to Link (rather one of many), the Yiga Clan has an interesting backstory. As exiled members of the Sheikah Clan, they swore allegiance to Calamity Ganon and did their bidding – which included going after Link. Its leader, Master Kohga, is defeated by Link during a quest to retrieve the Gerudo’s Thunder Helm, so players will not likely see him again.
However, there are still members of the Yiga out in Hyrule, and it would be interesting to see if they return in Tears of the Kingdom. They’ll likely be helping the evil force that plagues Hyrule this time, but they could have become more robust with a new leader.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be released on May 12, 2023 on Nintendo Switch.