When it comes to story-driven Nintendo games, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom might take the crown as the most intricate in its lore. As a follow-up to Breath of the Wild, the game expands on the franchise's lore re-established in that game, reinventing old characters from the series' past and introducing new ones for players to become attached to.

Related

Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom - 8 Deepest Pieces of Lore

For a more in-depth understanding of the world and the story of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, here are the game's deepest lore pieces.

Given how dense Tears of the Kingdom is, there are lots of characters to meet throughout Hyrule as players venture through the main story. Some will have familiar origins to previous Zelda games, while others are completely original to the Hyrule established on the Nintendo Switch. These individuals easily have the most depth to their backstories in the 2023 game.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

1 Princess Zelda

Tragedy Follows The Princess Into Hyrule's Past

The titular character of the franchise has had a lot of character development throughout her various incarnations. While previous iterations of Zelda in games like The Wind Waker depict her as petulant and cunning, Breath of the Wild introduced this version of Princess Zelda as inquisitive and hopeful. Players also learn more about her than any other character in either game.

While Breath of the Wild has a diary for players to read through and understand Zelda's backstory, Tears of the Kingdom visits Hyrule's past to examine what happens to Zelda after she goes missing at the beginning of the game. It all builds to a tragic sacrifice Zelda makes that poetically makes her a lingering presence in Hyrule during the game's present day.

2 King Rauru

Even Hyrule's Original Leader Was Flawed

While fans may recognize the name Rauru from one of the sages in Ocarina of Time, the character has been re-imagined in Tears of the Kingdom as one of the last Zonai and the first king of Hyrule. Players first meet Rauru's ghost during the game's tutorial, though they spend the rest of the game learning about his origin and how his first encounter with Ganondorf ended badly.

Related

The Legend Of Zelda: 12 Possibilities For Tears Of The Kingdom DLC

These DLC ideas would make welcome additions to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

With his wife Queen Sonia, Rauru was the benevolent ruler of Hyrule in its earliest years, who stumbles upon Zelda after she's transported into the past. He naively underestimates the evildoing of Ganondorf, which results in Sonia's murder at the hands of the Gerudo king. Rauru later led the original sages into the Imprisoning War, sealing Ganon underneath Hyrule Castle.

3 Impa

This Sheikah Elder Still Fights For Zelda

Impa has been a recurring character throughout the Zelda franchise, and Breath of the Wild doesn't stray from the character's past portrayals. As the elder chief of Kakariko Village, Impa awaited Link's awakening for a century, helping him on his quest to assemble the Divine Beasts and rescue Zelda from Calamity Ganon, though in Tears of the Kingdom, she has another mission.

Players can run into Impa throughout Hyrule on the questline "Impa and the Geoglyphs," investigating mysterious markings in the ground that reveal secrets about Hyrule's history. However, as seen in the spin-off title Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, a younger Impa was an ally to Link, Zelda, and the Champions during the emergence of Calamity Ganon.

4 Purah

She's Lived A Long Life For A Child

Purah is one of the few characters from Breath of the Wildwho looks remarkably different in Tears of the Kingdom. That's because, as learned in the previous game, she caused herself to de-age as a result of rune experimentation, and is actually 124 years old. In Tears of the Kingdom, Purah is slightly older now and heading research on the Upheaval, seemingly more mature.

However, a lot is revealed about Purah's 124-year history in Tears of the Kingdom. For instance, she has a rivalry with fellow researcher Robbie and was also the person who originally brought Link to the Shrine of Resurrection 100 years before the events of the first game. In Age of Calamity, Purah also appears, showing she had a knack for researching ancient relics at her original age.

5 Ganondorf

The Most Evil Version Of Nintendo's Most Evil Character

There's little to know about Calamity Ganon as it appears in Breath of the Wild, but luckily Tears of the Kingdom goes deep into the being's human form, Ganondorf. As revealed through the Dragon's Tear memories, this iteration of Ganondorf bears a resemblance to his Ocarina of Time variant, having been born a rare male to the Gerudo people and named their king.

Related

Tears Of The Kingdom: 8 Best Pieces Of Character Lore You Need To Know

The characters in Tears of the Kingdom are deeper than players might see. This lore shows the thought that went into this Legend of Zelda story.

After a failed attack on the kingdom, Ganondorf swears fealty to King Rauru, though it was a ruse to steal Queen Sonia's Secret Stone and kill her. Transforming into the Demon King, Ganondorf, he fights Rauru and the Seven Sages, eventually defeated thanks to Rauru's sacrifice. This Ganondorf later waited a millennium to reawaken and confront Link once and for all.

6 Mineru

With Her Death Also Goes The Zonai Legacy

Mineru is one of the most interesting Zelda characters in recent years, though it'll take a while before players learn about her in Tears of the Kingdom. As the sister to King Rauru, he and Mineru are the last living Zonai, with Mineru particularly responsible for maintaining the tribe's memory. However, as the Sages failed to defeat Ganondorf, she was smart enough to have a backup plan.

By uploading her spirit to the Purah Pad, Mineru is able to return to the present in the form of a Construct that Link assembles in the Spirit Temple. After successfully defeating Ganondorf, a living Mineru attributes Zelda's rescue to help from Rauru and Sonia in the afterlife. In one of the most emotional scenes of the game, Mineru bids farewell to Zelda and co. and finally embraces death.

7 Riju

A Child King With Relatable Teen Angst

Of all the new Champions from Breath of the Wild who return in Tears of the Kingdom, Riju probably has the most compelling backstory (sorry, Sidon). As revealed in the previous game, Riju inherited the Gerudo throne from her mother after she passed away, though the rest of Gerudo Town questioned her leadership skills. Many players will likely relate to the self-doubt Riju feels.

In Tears of the Kingdom, Riju seems to have come into her own as leader of the Gerudo in between the two games. However, as the Gerudo people are plagued by Queen Gibdo, Riju once again confronts her own inability to protect them. Thankfully, she once again has Link to help her overcome her fears and save the Gerudo people, filling the role of the Sage of Lightning.

8 Cece

A Real Celebrity In Hyrule Moves Into Politics

One of the deepest side quests in Tears of the Kingdom concerns a mayoral election in Hateno Village between incumbent Reede and fashion designer Cece, who both have different visions for the village's future. The support for Cece in the town is rampant, as many people throughout Hyrule will wear her signature mushroom hats, establishing her as a big name in the land.

However, they're both hiding secrets, though it's Cece's that's most compelling in terms of establishing her as a deep supporting character in Hyrule. As players discover after following Cece at night, she's been enjoying Reede's vegetables the old-fashioned way, which she had allegedly argued against. The two characters later agree to run Hateno Village together.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

May 12, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

Adventure