After missing out on the dragons' potential in Breath of the Wild, the upcoming sequel The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will have the opportunity to let these impressive creatures in Zelda lore to give them a greater role to play beyond just set dressing. As with many elements of any Zelda game, the inclusion of the three dragons Naydra, Farosh, and Dinraal were reflective of not just the series' history of the creatures but also Breath of the Wild's lore of the Golden Goddesses. But despite the significance that surrounds their existence within Breath of the Wild, little was done to capitalize on this.
As a direct sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has not just the motive for correcting this but the perfect means to do so. From a gameplay standpoint, Tears of the Kingdom provides a wealth of potential for the dragons thanks to the increased open-world verticality and enhanced traversal mechanics for in-air flight and combat. But beyond this, since these dragons had been relegated to providing players with rare resources for gear upgrades or recipes, they could help build Tears of the Kingdom's story from their connections to Zelda's mythos or to the Hyrule players saw in Breath of the Wild.
Breath of the Wild's Dragons Need Deeper Stories
Since much of Breath of the Wild's allure for players was built upon foundations of freedom and exploration, it was equally engaging when they encountered any of the game's dragons for the first time. Announced by their distinct musical theme in Breath of the Wild that blends recurring piano with a Chinese erhu alongside their often sudden, short-lived appearance, these dragons carried the ethos Breath of the Wild espoused of mystery and mysticism. But beyond an encounter with a Malice-infected Naydra at Mount Lanayru, and despite their immediate intrigue among fans, they received little else in terms of story.
A way in which Tears of the Kingdom could rectify this is to either give the dragons some involvement with the game's overall plot or at the very least include side quests for players to explore of their own volition. As mentioned, Naydra was the only one out of the three to have been given some focus, which still leaves the possibility that Farosh or Dinraal could pick up this slack. Their connections to Zelda's mythos and Hyrule's religious elements with the Golden Goddesses would be an easy entry point that either could tie Tears of the Kingdom's deeper to Zelda lore or enhance Breath of the Wild's own canon.
Because of this, it's possible that Tears of the Kingdom could build on Breath of the Wild's position as the endpoint of Zelda's timelines with its dragons being just one part of the greater whole, but it's just as likely the sequel could focus on new lore altogether. While the dragons have few connections across Breath of the Wild, certain ties stand out, such as Breath of the Wild's Barbarian armor set requiring a shard of each dragons' horn to upgrade fully. Since this armor set originates from an ancient war-like tribe, a side quest exploring the dragons could uncover this forgotten lore as just one possible example.
How Tears of the Kingdom Could Expand The Dragons' Potential
Whether Tears of the Kingdom expands the dragons' mythos or not will remain to be seen, especially since it could have little to do with the game's overall plot, but the least that fans are hoping for is a greater application of the dragons. Trying to interact with the dragons in Breath of the Wild was challenging, and despite the generated updraft letting players gain height paragliding alongside them, the dragons' speed and hazards made it difficult to keep pace, particularly for players farming resources for upgrades or elixirs. But with Tears of the Kingdom improving traversal mechanics and introducing sky islands, this could change significantly.
Specifically, players are anticipating how these expanded mechanics might influence in-game interactions with the dragons reflective of the game's verticality. For instance, the potential for climatic battles with dragons waged between islands and through the open air is undeniable, and this could be something facilitated through an equally expanded role within the game's story. Considering Breath of the Wild's flaws in enemy variety and mini-bosses, these dragons could be used similarly to Malice Naydra and set the stage for dramatic dogfights between Link and the creatures across the skies of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on May 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
