Though it's still a while away from launch, theories have been swirling about the direction that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will take the beloved franchise. Nothing is safe to assume, but its art style is reminiscent of its predecessor, and it will surely build upon the open world of Breath of the Wild. Story beats have remained largely secret since the game's initial reveal, and trailers have whetted the appetite of fans while providing signs that this game will be a darker affair, but this is a far cry from anything concrete. The roles of Link, Zelda, Hylia, and more remain unknown.
The game's narrative is shrouded in mystery, and Zelda has had enough entries to have generated a long list of characters, locations, and enemies that could return in 2023. However, the Nintendo world of Hyrule has a strong relationship with religion, so it would be a great opportunity to bring the Goddess Hylia closer to the series' main story than ever before. Her role in the IP is important, though her presence always seems to be either fleeting or non-existent. The property is as popular as ever, and giving such a pivotal character screen time in the next outing could elevate the story, atmosphere, presentation, and characters.
Breath of the Wild's Hyrule Feels the Goddess' Influence
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will deploy a very similar open-world to the one brought to players in 2017's Breath of the Wild, and since this is the case, the land is already familiar with the Goddess, albeit in an indirect way. Link visits Goddess Statues after collecting Spirit Orbs from the shrines to improve his stamina or health; it's clear that the Goddess is offering both her assistance and approval of Link's heroic deeds.
Even if it reuses the same open-world, Tears of the Kingdom will surely make revisions to it, ensuring the experience doesn't feel too similar to what came before. Adapting it to accommodate Hylia's presence could be enough to differentiate the upcoming title to Breath of the Wild. For an entity as omnipresent as the Goddess, it's important to install her into a landscape that feels as though it has been influenced by her, instead of trying to wedge a character into a world that they don't belong in. Hyrule has a rich history that spans many Zelda games, and the kingdom presented in 2017 is absolutely the most ripe for Hylia to take a more substantial role.
The Goddess Hylia Can Impact the Story Without Being a Burden
Fi in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was a great character, but the way she was implemented made her very annoying, very quickly. Frequent reminders of obvious things got in the way of the pockets of wonderment that the 2011 game was littered with, and if she was less insistent, then her presence would have been much more enjoyable. Fi, alongside the sword in which she resides, were made by the Goddess Hylia to assist the chosen hero on his quest to stop Demise. In many ways, Skyward Sword is the closest players have been to Hylia yet, so including her in Tears of the Kingdom would be a natural progression.
That's not to say that she would be another Fi, making similar mistakes and getting in the way all the time. Like Atlas in Bioshock, the Goddess Hylia could be a great way to shepherd the player through the main story, offering insightful dialogue and lore tidbits to flesh out the world around Link. It could give plenty of character development to Hylia, a figure whose ambiguity has become one of her more obvious traits.
Also, as Breath of the Wild's extreme non-linearity was a polarizing philosophy, Hylia could give Tears of the Kingdom's story more focus. Hylia's role in Zelda has typically been decorative, making the setting, characters, and backstories feel more rooted in history and faith, but she has the makings of a great personality. Hylia could contribute to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in a more substantial way than ever before.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is scheduled to launch May 12, 2023, for the Nintendo Switch.
