The wait for moreLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdominformation has begun. The game only has three trailers so far, and fans hardly know anything.Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule seems largely intact judging by footage comparisons, but there are plenty of new elements dotting the landscape as developments take place above and below Hyrule’s surface.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomshould get plenty more coverage in the next six months, but until then, fans are left guessing what this new open-worldZeldawill entail.
One of the many questions left unanswered is the status of various characters beyond Link, Zelda, and presumably Ganondorf. An unknown amount oftime has passed sinceBreath of the Wild, and the inhabitants of Hyrule have no doubt noticed that another supernatural catastrophe has struck. Link will probably interact with the four new Champions again, and either reminisce or talk with the spirits of the older Champions. Whatever the case, the now-established hero won’t be fighting alone, andThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas the chance to bring back an oldZeldacompanion staple in full force.
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Traveling Companions Have Accompanied Link Throughout The Franchise
Companions have been present in theZeldaseries for a long time.A Link to the Pastarguably held the earliest example with various characters that Link had to escort, including Zelda herself. The series’ first constant companion appeared inOcarina of Timeas the fairy Navi. Gifted by the Great Deku Tree to mark Link’s coming of age, Navi is a permanent fixture of the story and gameplay mechanics. She acts as both a lock-on marker and an indicator for points of interest. Link can also consult her on foes and what to do next. While Navi’s voice clips begging for attention can be grating, it’s hard to deny that she’s a real help on Link’s journey through time.
After that, companions have taken different forms. Some, like Midna, Ezlo, and Fi, acted as similar gameplay guides while serving some distinct mechanical purpose. Others, like Linebeck and the King of Red Lions, were more focused on transportation. A few other fairies like Tatl fromMajora’s Maskand theplayer’s avatar inPhantom Hourglassalso appeared, clearly inspired by Navi. Princess Zelda herself even became a playable character inSpirit Tracks.
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Breath of the Wild Largely Did Away With Companions
Breath of the Wildchanged this up. Link no longer had a constant companion, with Zelda only speaking to him a few times. Otherwise, Link and the player are left to their own devices, meant to reinforce theunrestricted freedom thatBreath of the Wildadvertises. However, this also means the overall characterization of the game takes a hit. All four of the Champions’ descendants will assist Link as he first infiltrates each Divine Beast, but that’s the extent of their screen time.
The lonely atmosphere ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildcan be broken up if the player chooses, but only through animal companions. The player can tame, name, and journey with a horse, but horses can die and be replaced. Alternatively, if the player has a Wolf Link amiibo, Wolf Link himself can be summoned as a more permanent companion. This system is interesting, and it would be nice to seeTears of the Kingdomintroduce NPC traveling buddies. However, Wolf Link is not very strong and must receive upgrades throughThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. Because of these awkward conditions, players mostly found themselves traveling alone.
Tears of the Kingdom Could Employ Old and New Allies
Even though Zelda is walking around again,Tears of the Kingdom’s trailers make it look like she and Link won’t spend much time together. There are still other potential sources for companions. The Champions’ descendants will probably have some quests, and more pertinently, Link has theMaster Sword from the beginning ofTears of the Kingdom, whichBreath of the Wildteased Fi is inside. Fi would not speak as often as she did in herSkyward Sworddebut, especially given that the Master Sword is damaged, but she may still be able to give some directions to Link, and the Master Sword’s gradual reforging may allow her to manifest more often.
However, the Blade of Evil’s Bane is not the only legendary artifact Link is carrying around. Whatever arm-shaped force was keeping Ganondorf sealed appears to have inhabited Link’s arm. With it, Link can use powers similar to those fromBreath of the Wild’s Sheikah Slate. However, there’s also unique storytelling opportunities with this arm. Fan investigation has pegged it as a Zonai artifact, and the latest trailer made it seem like some extra lore revelations involving the Zonai are going to take center stage.
Link’s arm could be inhabited by some ancient Zonai hero, and they would be able to help explain some things Link sees in the new ruins. In fact, this character could be the recipient of a new memory side quest,showing ancestors of the Championsfrom thousands of years in the past. Whatever the case,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas the chance to represent different parts of Hyrule’s history, and could add to Link’s traveling entourage while doing so.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis set to release on July 07, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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