Welcome back! Time for more trailer breakdowns!
Trailer Breakdown, continued
Cape
Link has a cape! So what? So... it's... it's a cape!!
Okay, there is potentially more to it, but it's a bit tenuous. What's the best-known cape in Zelda? The Magic Cape in A Link to the Past that lets you turn invisible! Okay, what's the second-best known cape? Roc's Cape from Oracle of Seasons, Four Swords, and Minish Cap — the cape that lets you fly! And what appears to be the prominent theme of TOTK? Flying. Yeah.
Admittedly, the cape looks a lot like the Hylian Hood from BOTW. It's probably just that.
New Mechanic?
We've covered this before, but it increasingly seems like one of Link's new powers is the ability to rewind time, as seen here with this... rock on a rope? It's sort of like reverse-Stasis. It's very cool to see, but we wonder if it has limited uses... or else we'd be rewinding every rock we come across.
SO MANY ISLANDS (Including One Massive One)
We've only seen a few islands before, but this vista shows loads of them, mostly teeny-tiny. The main question is: How do you get up there? Revali's Gale yeets you up into the air, but not that high. Presumably, the developers have thought of this, and have a solution. No idea what it is yet — we've mostly seen Link jumping down off the islands, although the rock-on-a-rope looked like it was going quite high up.
And yes, there's that one GIGANTIC island in the sky... Could it be Skyloft? How cool would that be!
Red Stuff
It looks to us like that red stuff coming out of the ground is what's sending the islands up into the sky. Hmmmm. We know from Skyward Sword that it was the goddess Hylia who threw Skyloft up to protect it, so we wonder how this ties in with what we can see here.
And exactly why is there red stuff coming out of the ground? Why are there so many tiny islands? Is Ganon looking for something that's been buried? We can also see the gigantic craters left behind... will there be something inside them, or just dirt?
We can't wait to find out.
Big Plane
Step aside, Sailcloth. It's Big Bird Plane's time to shine.
How cool is this, though? So cool.
Not much to say about it, except the obvious bird theming again, and the fact that it's made of the same verdigris-coloured stone that we've seen on one monster/statue thing in an earlier trailer.
The fact that it's bird-shaped may imply that it's a Rito relic, and though we'd normally say it's a bit egotistical to build something shaped like yourself, the Rito do have pretty big egos.
Or... it could be representative of the Loftwings from Skyward Sword in some way.
Oh, also, we figured out where the screenshot was taken. It's probably not important, but still:
What's That Glowy Drawing?
Zoom in. Enhance. What is that?
It almost looks like Zelda, but... what's with the hand?
What's with the face?
Is it Ganon? A bird? Link?
Something else?
No idea. It's coooool though.
Fish? Snake? Ouroboros?
As on the big doors earlier, we see the return of these two chicken-snake-dragon-ouroboros things, as a background to the title, so we know they're important. Absolutely no idea how these fit in... but we have a theory.
You'll have to head down to the SPECULATION ZONE, of course.
The Melty Sword Returns
We love the Curly Wurly sword, even if no one will tell us what it is or what it means yet. Past Zelda titles have had the Master Sword going through the Z of Zelda, so it's not surprising to see that the melty sword makes an appearance this time.
Look closer, though, and you'll see that the green linework looks a lot like the dragon/snake/ouroboros, too — it has the little crests coming off it, and it even looks like it has an eye. What does it mean?!
We've speculated that Fi makes a return before... so, uh, maybe she's a dragon. We are absolutely pulling at straws here.
Who Is Zelda's Friend?
Earlier in the trailer, we saw Zelda holding hands with a mysterious, not-quite-visible figure. In the background of the title — annoyingly, still semi-obscured — is that same figure.
We think we know who it is: The Owl Lad from the very start. Look closely: He's got the same swirling hair/ribbons at the back, and that massive ear, too.
Above them are two more of those magatama-shaped things, which, oooh, very exciting if you ask us. It makes a heart shape! Surely that's important! But also... those two shapes may represent that these two are two of the seven... beings that are somehow important to the plot. They could be sages, or rulers, or... something.
They're also seemingly saying something. Or spitting on their hands. Not sure what that bit means.
That Title
Tears of the Kingdom. As in... crying? Or torn apart? We say both. Something has happened that's made the kingdom cry (more on that later), and also, the kingdom is torn apart literally.
But wait! There's more!
What if the "tears" are those magatama shapes? What if those are, maybe, goddess tears or something? And you have to collect them all as the magical seven macguffins that will defeat Ganon or whatever? Woo! Fun!!!
Comparing "Tears of the Kingdom" to "Breath of the Wild" is interesting. The first game, BOTW, is very much emblematic of the explorationy aspects of the game, not really the plot. But Tears of the Kingdom is much more emotive and plot-related.
Nintendo themselves said that the title was kept secret for a long time because it was a spoiler. And yet... we don't really know what it was a spoiler for. It's still so vague! Except we know that 1) it's something sad, and 2) there's a kingdom, but that doesn't tell us much at all.
(In case you're wondering — the Japanese title uses the word "Tiazu", which is pronounced like crying tears.)
That Box Art
BIRDS.
Just kidding, that's not the most important part. The important part is...
This. What is that? It looks a lot like the weird wreath from Skyward Sword that you used to collect... Tears... of Light... ohhhhhhhh.
Oh no.
That's easily one of the worst bits of Skyward Sword. Please don't make us do the stealth bits again.
However, that does tie nicely into the Skyward Sword theming, doesn't it?
Head to the next page for our personal favourite part... THE SPECULATION ZONE!
Comments 71
Let me guess. Link will stop the evil, be put to rest, and then rise in the sequel. The Legend of Zelda: The Search for More Money.
I hoping those seven relics or pieces of jewelry represent seven legit dungeons.
Meh, the first games story was lackluster. Sure you can argue story is not the point of Zelda "LMAO, who plays Zelda for story?" But, all that buildup, and hints of an epic tale only to have it flung far in the background to where one could forget it's existence was a letdown.
The most interesting part of the BOTW was the story that came before Link lost. Ah well, hopefully the finale battle won't be a bummer like it is in BOTW.
BOTW was incredible, currently on 5th replay and lovving it AGAIN.
Excellent article and love the detective level forensics that no doubt are well off the mark, but fun anyway
I am in awe at how much reasonably solid idea-age you’ve managed to squeeze from a trailer that seemed like a whole bunch of nothing to me on first watch! (wasn’t that disappointed mind, going to play regardless!)
I don't like much rumor weaving myself, I just tend to avoid them. That said, my personal guess after the last direct is the Twili might be involved. Mainly because of half the sword's blade in the logo looking like Twili magic. With that info, looking back at Link's strange arm could be another connection
Um, “Owl Lad” is clearly a Bokoblin God. Those aren’t eyelashes, they’re teeth.
Also check the ears
My most accurate prediction is that it will separate me from 60 dollars
@Magician Space!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Sq1Nr58hM
I hope the time loop speculation is wrong. If it is true Zelda could be dead to me. And if there is a time loop, I hope it will be like Final Fantasy VIII, where the evil is looped.
This reads kind of like the ravings of a mad conspiracy theorist, but that makes it more fun. Also, with the number of Zelda games that have taken place on top of the ruins of some ancient, advanced civilization, it'd be interesting to see an entry where one of those societies is actually at its peak. Only problem is it might be hard to maintain the usual high fantasy vibe if all the magic-punk toys that are generally reserved for Link are just littered all over the place.
My theory is that it will have regular dungeons, but the world will be segmented and exploration will be severely curbed and streamlined
I think the tears is really a double meaning.
As far as speculations go, only one thing is 100% certain. We are not gonna play as Ganondorf who somehow looks just like Link aiming to beat himself.
I knew it! The snakes facing each other prove it! Thulsa Doom as the villain confirmed!
"Crom, where is the wizard who killed my mother?
Still, I can recall his terrible gaze.
Crom, where are the two snakes facing each other?
Crom, if you’re my god then show me the way."
BTW, if you haven't seen "Conan the Barbarian: The Musical," then enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw
@Fangleman32 Nah, that's a completely valid complaint. BotW sacrificed any kind of meaningful narrative or gameplay progression for its openness, and more or less felt like the epilogue to a story that wasn't told. Would have been much better if it had pulled an OoT and shunted you into the post-apocalypse halfway through the game with a "go to the future to save the past" narrative.
@Fangleman32
I actually thought the final battle was pretty fun. But, then again, I had the motorcycle with me.
@CazSonOfCaz The valiant hero wearing the finest armor in all of the land, wielding the blade of legends, charged into battle against his mighty foe, riding his custom built Harley-Davidson.
@Anachronism That would have been great. I agree with both of you. I thought what happened in the past was more interesting than present.
That's not to say the present couldn't have been more interesting, but everything is so scarce you don't feel much impact.
The stakes just don't feel as high as past titles.
Korok seeds also look like tears. So the tear collecting continues.
The Rito evolved into Loftwings? That's a pretty radical use of the word..!
Also, wouldn't that be the wrong way round for the games?
@Magician Nintendo can have all the 60 euro’s they want for every top notch action-adventure game they make in the Zelda franchise.
@Rambler Evolution makes no sense in the Zeldaverse, so I can buy that.
@GoshJosh - True!
__________________
I'm up for all those call backs, would really like it to work out like that!
@Fangleman32
It actually works in the context of the game. The motorcycle is the same tech and design as all the other ancient technology in the game, such as the Guardians and Divine Beasts.
And it's a lot of fun.
@CazSonOfCaz Haha, it's cool. I'm just joking around.
The Hype is real, but I still want Wind Waker and Twilight Princess on switch...
That thing looks like an owl to you? Funny how that works. I look at it and see some sort of wild dog-like creature with a muzzle and long ears.
@Yodalovesu no is that weird cat enemie in Skyward Sword
is Tears of the Kingdom, because Ganondorf problaby killed Zelda and destroyed the Master Sword, removing the two bigest obtacles in his plan to dominate Hyrule.
Great article Kate! I like all this lore and speculation, but I won't attempt to rack my brain one way or another... just happy we're getting closer to actually finally experiencing it!
If I had to add to the speculating though, I’m thinking there might be 3 levels vertically. Hyrule (main), ‘HighRule/Skyrule’ (upper) & Lorule (underground/dark world- where malice and Ganon are prominent). So Upper, Middle, Lower Worlds perhaps. I'm hoping we eventually get a fully operational comprehensive Loftwing experience so we are free to explore the whole world via flight- and not just stone bird statues.
Also, please give us Ganondorf and/or Demise and maybe some sub-villains along the way like Vaati, Zant, Ghirahim and/or some new characters & villains- screw the calamity wisp final boss.
... Wun can only hope.
I think the Zonai are precursors to the Sheikah, and the triangular tears displayed both on Owl Lad and on Link's shield is Zonai.
If that's true, then you collect Zonai gear in TOTK, just like collecting Sheikah gear in BOTW.
What if the two dragons interlocking in the box art depict the two Links interwoven by the time-rift being torn by the beginning events of TOTK?
The closest comparison I can think gameplay-wise would be Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, switching between two protagonists.
What if the game plays out like Majora's Mask combined with Kingdom Hearts: DDD, trying to beat the game while managing the two Link storylines at once?
What if the second trailer showing Zelda falling into an abyss was actually her death?
Since it has so many elements of too many various iterations of the game...maybe this game is going to tie the knot of all those timelines. Or more try to tie them to a united time. The tears could also refer to tears in time and space. Digging through all the parts of their various battles to come/that have happened in order to find a way to end the cycle of Demise for good? We know Demises curse can rip the world in parallel (to the Past/Between Worlds) and between time (Ocarina, Majora ), so a game that did both, let you travel from times and dimensions isn't outside the operation of Zelda games. This would really leave ANYTHING open to make an appearance and/or have an effect. It'd be a lazy but efficient model to pull from all Zelda games without having any good answer for, "Where were all these neat tools in the first game?".
This has been a fun read, but I try to not get too carried away with speculating over lore. There's so many cool ideas we have about what a game's story might be, but it sucks when the final product doesn't even come close to what we thought. I'd love to see things like Demise returning as the villain but I think I'll just hope for the return of proper dungeons more than anything. At least now I finally know that the title refers to crying tears thanks to the Japanese title!
@Ulysses Untimely death? she was 96 years old lmao
If Zelda dies in this game I'm throwing away my switch
I don't think that's Zelda. I think Ganondorf's just lying down horizontally, just like in the first trailer.
Given the Direct it was shown at, probably some farming in it.
@CheekyZelda The sheer coincidence of Queen Elizabeth II dying just a few days off from the September Direct can certainly be regarded as untimely for Nintendo, let alone that their biggest ticket unwittingly references a kingdom in tears.
It is so massive a coincidence that I could not imagine something greater.
@Ulysses That's not coincidence, that's life. She was 96 years old. That's considered a full life. Once you reach 85+, any year beyond that is considered a blessing.
I mean it was literately any day now at the point in her life.
This game is going to be fantastic, I can’t wait!
I'm not asking for much here. Just about 10 proper, unique dungeons and epic bosses. Please. The overworld of BOTW was the best ever by far, but the dungeons were so blaaaaaah
My predictions are that
A: Zelda will die in some way at the end
Or
B: the tears of the kingdom are a key item. Possibly what you go into dungeons for.
Can't wait! I love how this one borrows heavily from Skyward Sword (just finished SS HD on the Switch for the first time and it's amazing!) As a Zelda fan for 35 years, I simply cannot WAIT.
Im just going avoid anything about this game till launch nothing personal just want this game of the year 23 to be completely fresh i hope that dead blokes Beedle
The golden fauna and the big door remind me of elden ring. I hope totk has the enemy variety elden ring had.
And they seriously should bring back Error, it's his time to shine again.
I am a simple gamer and I want to save Zelda again, so please no death of her. If she dies I hope we can undo her death. Maybe like in Shadow of Collosus.
On one hand caling it tears of the kingdom sounds like it will be very sad to see what will happen to the kingdom. On the other hand I think maybe the same kingdom from different times gets ripped apart and enters that one. Pretty smart move calling the game Tears of the kingdom cos it could go any way.
It doesn’t just look like the Hylian Hood, it is the Hylian Hood. The markings, length, etc., are all the same from what we can tell. Check the trailers also. And I highly(an) doubt that this cape would allow you to fly. In my opinion, that would look too weird.
We also cannot claim that the figure holding hands with someone else is Zelda. I have a feeling it’s Goddess Hylia. Because from what it seems, Zelda is also floating on the “left”(?). That wouldn’t really add up. We can only speculate, not claim it is/is not.
Just to inform whomever wrote this, there are also some typos/missed punctation(s) in this article.
The godlike figure depicted on the wall could actually just be a dragon. In Creating a Champion the developers admit they designed the dragons to have mammals-like heads, with long ears. Personally i would like it to be a creation thing, much like the spirit of the forest in Princess Mononoke.
In regards to the "Zelda's not OK" see:
You make it sound so complicated, I think you will have to collect enough tear things in order to get into the castle/realm thingy. Then when you complete that challenge you will then be able to take on the boss.
I don't think it's pre-Skyward Sword, because then we'd have the ancient robots and a sea in the southwest instead of desert and Gerudo. However it looks like an 'oh boy, things are heating up' prep to evacuate to Skyloft once again perhaps?
@teo_o This is a good point. We need to keep thinking about Princess Mononoke, because the references are still apparent since TOTK is an extension of BOTW. The cursed arm is another clear reference. Princess Mononoke will continue to give us clues about TOTK
@Frailbay30 That's exactly the point. She could have died literally any day now, and it just happened to be days away from Nintendo's September Direct. Nintendo waited years to reveal the name of their next big title, and it's a huge coincidence that the queen died right around the Direct's timing. Given that a Direct only happens twice a year, the probability of the two events coinciding are very low, not even accounting for the name itself accidentally referencing the UK's situation, which is another coincidence in itself.
@Ulysses thanks. i love how on a larger scope BOTW is a tribute to ghibli. Don't forget that prince Ashitaka is actually from a remote village. A secluded dying culture, mostly unkown to the rest of japan. The themes are all there.
@Crockin I agree, I think the 7 tears will be housed in more classic dungeons. At least I hope so. The lack of traditional dungeons was my only real sore point with BOTW
@Sequel I would be ok with classic dungeons if the large scale exploration and small bite gameplay loop didn’t suffer in exchange
Hmm, not sure about this one yet.
The earlier underworld (?) footage intrigued me a lot more than this sky stuff.
@Magician Doom Eternal energy.
I like the idea of the Link of this game turning out to be an incarnation of Ganon. Seems like it'll break the heck out of the canon, but it'd be an interesting twist nonetheless.
You also missed out the purple stain coming out of Death Mountain
If there isn’t a loft wing in this game or a way to properly fly then this game will be a disappointment to me xxx
For what it's worth, the Eight Maiden is also a reference to the fact that while in ALttP, OoT, and FSA, Zelda was ONE of the 7 Sages/Maidens, in ALBW, she's an Eighth portrait sage. It seems that somewhere along the way after ALttP, the line of the 7th sage was split between the royal family and the priests & priestess of Hylia (hence why Seres is a priestess in the Shrine/Temple of Hylia north of the Castle and a sage). All the other sages have corresponding lines of decent:
Gully - Sages of Forest / Saria
Rosso - Sages of Fire / Darunia
Oren - Sages of Water / Ruto
Impa - Sages of Shadow / Impa
Irene - Sages of Spirit / Nabooru
Osfalah - Sages of Light / Rauru
Despite medallion color changes that shifted the sage colors to fit the character types. River Zoras are orange, after all, so it made sense to swap the colors of the Spirit and Water medallions; Irene as a result gets to be a full Maple-expy, too.
It's gonna be there when it's gonna be there. Trying to figure out what the game is gonna be like based on one short vid is a daunting task.
Although I do get that some people find it enjoyable, I like them fake theories myself.
I'd love if there is a Light/Dark version of the world like Zelda LttP
I worry it's going to lose a lot of what BotW made special.
@AstraeaV Hope it gains traditional dungeons. My only complaint from BOTW
At the start a cutscene will appear where link is the villain and ganondorf the Hero.
Remember.. in all the zelda games, link storms private houses smashes their stuff and steel their last rupees... Then runds away and screems like a mad man "Seeeet siaaaaaaa"
After grabs some chicken, trows them from a clifff...
Also in majora, he starts digging in graves lol.
Ganondorf tried to stop him for centuries, but failed many times. Poor ganon, and on top of that, even got posessed by demise. 🤣
The Golden Goddesses are not Hylia. They aren’t “more or less the same”. The Golden Goddesses created Hyrule and the triforce and Hylia protects their creations.
That thing with 7 tears. If it is tears. I think it is the Final boss and the final battle is against Ganon. This boss I think it is not Ganondorf. New enemy but Ganondorf is possible. Always welcome Ganondorf and Twinrova.
Tap here to load 71 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...