Legend of Zelda fans are eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. While waiting for Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 to come out, many players are scouring the first game to find potential hints for story elements that may be expanded on in the sequel. Fans have given special attention to some of the images that were released in the Japanese concept art book and believe that these photos may be foreshadowing something that Nintendo may dive deeper into during Breath of the Wild 2. If this is the case, the game may include something that hasn't really been done in the Legend of Zelda franchise since The Wind Waker.
The GameCube game stands apart from many in the series in not just its art style, but in aspects of its storytelling as well. While the open world concept in Wind Waker is similar to that of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the narrative of the high-seas game is very different. Wind Waker is more story driven, and the entire adventure begins on a quest to save Link's sister Aryll. Link's familial connection launches the game's story and creates an impact on the player's experience.
In this game, Link is not a lone adventurer on a quest to defeat the evil Ganondorf. Instead, Link has a family that supports him and that he is fighting to protect. While Link's family would've lived 100 years before the events of the first Breath of the Wild game, it is possible that they may be making an appearance in the sequel.
Legend of Zelda: Link's Family
While Link's family was most influential in his adventure in Wind Waker, there have been small references to the green-clad hero's relatives in a few other Legend of Zelda games. Aside from The Wind Waker, the game with the most familial influence on Link is considered A Link to the Past.
At the very beginning of the third game in the Legend of Zelda series, Link's uncle leaves him alone and goes off to fight some of the soldiers who were brainwashed. After the battle, Link finds his uncle in castle sewers with severe injuries sustained during the fight. Link's uncle gives him the first sword and shield the player uses in the game before passing away. While Link is a silent protagonist and doesn't often speak, fans can still tell that Link cares for his uncle. In the end credits, players can see Link's uncle alive, and fans take this to mean that Link used his Triforce wish to bring his uncle back to life.
Another game that briefly mentions a family member of Link is Ocarina of Time. While Link's mother is never seen in the game, the Deku Tree Sprout tells Link that his mother was the one who brought him to live with the Kokiri in the forest. Link's mother saw the devastation of the Hylian Civil War, so she took him to Kokiri Forest to protect him from the dangers of the war. Because of this, Link grew up believing that he was a Kokiri, unaware that he was actually of Hylian heritage. Even though Link's mother doesn't appear in this game, her decisions impacted the main story and set Link up for one of his more iconic adventures.
There is also a brief familial appearance in The Minish Cap, a Game Boy game that is the first in the Four Swords trilogy. Link lives with his grandfather at the beginning of the game. His grandfather is the town blacksmith, who tells Link to deliver the sword that will be presented to the year's champion. Some Legend of Zelda fans believe that the Hero's Spirit in Twilight Princess may distantly be related. However, there's no evidence in the games that this is the case, so fans can't be certain that they are actually related.
BOTW: Link's Family Photos
Two pages were included in the Japanese concept art book that were replaced with a map of Hyrule in the Creating a Champion version of the book. Those two pages contained some unique images, a few of which showed artwork of pictures of Link together with his father and sister. Why the pages were not included in other editions of the book are not clear, but fans know that Nintendo has been giving thought to Breath of the Wild Link's family. While this doesn't appear in the first game, this could be a hint something fans can expect to see in the next game.
Breath of the Wild starts with Link waking up after a hundred year slumber. Even though he had recovered from the injuries he had sustained, he had lost him memory. Link's past is a mystery to him, and while the player can help him recover some of his memories through exploring the world, there's still a lot that is left up in the air at the end of the game. Players aren't sure how much Link has remembered of his past other than the scenes that are seen after arriving at certain locations.
Princess Zelda's diary also gives players a little more insight into Link and his character, but there is still so much that remains a mystery to the Legend of Zelda fanbase. Nintendo has given players players hints at a broader picture of Link, not just as the savior of Hyrule, but as a person with insecurities that doesn't want to let down the people he loves.
Breath of the Wild 2 may dive more into Link's past by bringing up his family. They could come back to him through new memories that players have yet to see, or they could return as spirits like the King of Hyrule did at the beginning of the first game. With Ganon rising once more, new obstacles will have to be put to rest. Link's father and sister may have lived a hundred years before the first game began, but that doesn't mean that they are gone. With characters like Impa still remaining, there may be a chance that Legend of Zelda fans could see Link's family in a more corporeal form. The first game showed players a conflict between Zelda and her father, and the second game may reveal that Link has some unsettled business with his family as well.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development.
Source: Nintendo Soup
