Warning: Spoilers ahead for Zelda: Tears of the KingdomThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's floating Sky Islands are just one of the major changes the game makes to Hyrule. In the several years of in-game time between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Hyrule has rebuilt, new settlements have sprung up, and one fan-favorite character broke some players' hearts by revealing that he has found love.
The charismatic Zora Prince Sidon, who quickly became one of Breath of the Wild's most popular characters due to his striking appearance and enthusiastic personality, shows up in Tears of the Kingdom with a brand-new fiancée, Yona. Yona is a new Zora character who did not appear in Breath of the Wild, and her relationship with Sidon came as a surprise to many players, especially fans of the handsome shark prince. While some are definitely disappointed that Hyrule's most eligible bachelor is now taken, others are thankful that Sidon is given an expanded role in the game, fighting alongside Link in the Water Temple.
Sidon's Shocking News Surprised Zelda Fans
In Breath of the Wild, Prince Sidon was described as a handsome and popular Zora - to the point that he even had a devoted fan club. Many fans agreed with the club's assessment, finding him charming and charismatic. This led to a large amount of fan-created content centered around Sidon, such as fan art, fan fiction, cosplay, and more. Many fans even created content portraying him as a romantic option for Link, even though the game featured many women who had feelings for the Hero, including Sidon's own older sister Mipha. The character's popularity likely led to his larger role in Tears of the Kingdom, where he serves as an in-battle companion for Link and is able to use his water-controlling powers against enemies.
Although his engagement to Yona came as a surprise, it did allow for deeper character growth for the Zora Prince. In Breath of the Wild, Sidon was still struggling with his grief over Mipha's passing, feeling that he could not measure up to his Champion sister and that his father, King Dorephan, still favored the deceased princess. With Yona's addition to the cast, Sidon is able to open himself up to feeling something other than grief, and learn to love again. Her love and encouragement sparks Sidon into stepping up and revealing himself as a capable leader for the Zora, even earning his father's approval to become the next king.
Yona's Presence in Tears of the Kingdom Has Major Lore Implications
Sidon's fiancee, Lady Yona, is also quite the interesting character. Although she is a childhood friend of Sidon's, she does not live in Zora's Domain and was not present during the events of Breath of the Wild. Yona and her two attendants do not talk in depth about where they come from, but it seems to be a different Zora community, possibly one originating somewhere outside Hyrule. Although the game's version of Hyrule is already quite vast, the potential existence of other lands could be explored in hypothetical DLC for Tears of the Kingdom - or maybe even yet another sequel.
Not every Tears of the Kingdom player was thrilled to hear that the dashing Zora Prince is happily engaged to a partner he obviously cares about greatly. However, most can acknowledge that, although the engagement was shocking, it added depth to Sidon's character and new dimensions to the game's Zora-centric plot. While Yona didn't get much focus due to Sidon still being the central Zora character Link interacts with, many found the character and her especially mysterious origins interesting, hoping to learn more about her in future DLC or other updates. In the meantime, those who enjoy Sidon's charisma and cheer can still spend plenty of time with him exploring the Water Temple and fighting side by side with him as a Sage.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently available for the Nintendo Switch.
