The biggest mystery, however, is the true identity of Breath of the Wild ‘s Zonai , an ancient tribe of magic wielders. Structures such as the three labyrinths and the Faron region’s stonework were created by the Zonai, easily identifiable by their Aztec-like designs prominently featuring dragon heads. Crucially, the Tears of the Kingdom logo also features these dragon designs, fueling speculation that more Zonai history will be explored in the game. Perhaps an underground Zonai ruin will form a dungeon, or a sprawling network of tunnels. A fantastic location for a Zonai-inspired dungeon would be beneath Lake Hylia, given its proximity to the Zonai ruins of the Faron reg
If Hyrule is indeed enveloped by Malice in Tears of the Kingdom , it could change the game drastically. Just like it corrupted the Guardians and Divine Beasts in BOTW , Malice may turn regular animals such as boar and deer into hostile monsters, and may do the same to sentient species like Hylians and Rito. It’s established that Malice has the capability to do this since it happened to Naydra in BOTW , and in the very first TOTK trailer , it flows over a rat, which could be another hint that it will corrupt the various inhabitants of Hyrule in BOTW Switch 2 cloud Save Issues and turn them into powerful enemies and bosses . If this possibility proves true, the game may be much harder than BOTW was due to a lack of people to work at shops and inns, though it’s still possible for these services to be pres
As far as what type of culture the Zonai had, it seems that they valued power and enjoyed war. The item description of the Barbarian Helm mentions » an ancient warlike tribe from the Faron Region ,» and this can be assumed to refer to the Zonai as the majority of their ruins are found in Faron. It’s possible that their warlike nature led to the Zonai becoming a lost tribe in Breath of the Wild , but since none of the tribe remain, players have to look at the ruins to find clues about why this tribe vanis
On the topic of towns, Tears of the Kingdom should allow Link to revisit all the villages featured in Breath of the Wild . That primarily includes the different races’ towns, such as Goron City, Zora’s Domain, Rito Village, Kakariko Village, Gerudo Town, and Korok Forest. This provides a great opportunity to observe how the inhabitants have developed and visit familiar faces such as Prince Sidon and Yunobo. Additionally, these locations may be impacted by the Malice seemingly released by Ganondorf. Zelda ‘s iconic Death Mountain has changed , for example, shown spewing out Malice in the trailers — perhaps this has forced the Gorons to abandon their c
One location actually established in Breath of the Wild , yet never seen, is the » land in the sky .» Shamae, a child at Woodland Stable, references this kingdom, and it is implied elsewhere that the dragons Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra are the kingdom’s protectors. Given the heavy emphasis on the sky in Tears of the Kingdom , and the word «kingdom» in the game’s title, it seems likely that Link and Zelda could visit this sacred location. Perhaps the mountains in Breath of the Wild that are named after kings and goddesses (such as Mount Hylia, Mount Rhoam, and Mount Lanayru) will act as launch points to this king
The depictions of animals in the Zonai ruins show that three creatures had more importance to them than others. These creatures would be pigs, birds, and, most prominently, dragons. It’s possible that the Zonai worshiped the lightning dragon Farosh, who appears around the ruins in Faron. Alternatively, these animals are linked to the three pieces of the Triforce. Pigs are associated with Ganon, who holds the Triforce of Power. Owls are birds associated with wisdom. The Spring of Courage is found inside dragon ruins, which links the dragon to courage. Therefore, the Zonai seem to have a connection to the Triforce or a reverence for
Considering the godlike power of the Twili’s ancestors and their Fused Shadow with regard to the rest of the Zelda timeline, it’s likely that the royal family of Hyrule and its allies were pressed to find a way to combat the power of the Demon King after the Interloper War came to an end. Hyrule’s ancient period of technological advance first mentioned in BOTW ’s 10,000-year-old legend may have been a result of the efforts of The Legend of Zelda ‘s Sheikah tribe to protect the land from his evil during this chaotic period. This would place the creation of the Divine Beasts and Guardians much closer to the era of Skyward Sword than previously expected, likely sandwiching BOTW ’s original Calamity between Skyward Sword and every other game on the timel
It may not even be the Hyrule players are familiar with that gets destroyed. Time and time travel are prominent elements in the Zelda series, and BOTW is not an exception. There’s decent evidence to indicate that Link will be sent backwards in time in TOTK , perhaps even as far as the first Great Calamity 10,000 years before the events of BOTW , in which case it could be the event that brings the kingdom to tears. Little is known about this era aside from a story told by Impa, so there’s a lot of potential for TOTK to show Calamity Ganon’s origins and other events from that time such as the battle between him and the fabled hero and princess. What exactly _Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom _ ‘s name means for its story is too early to tell, but there are a great many exciting possibilit