The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the direct sequel to the popular game Breath of the Wild, pushes the series in many new and interesting directions. With the progressions throughout Tears of the Kingdom‘s story, new lore and details have been added. These expand on the Legend of Zelda universe. As many fans of the series know, Zelda games vary greatly in their settings, characters, and worlds. Although understanding the continuity between Zelda games can be difficult, Tears of the Kingdom takes place in the same timeline as Breath of the Wild. This makes it much easier to follow. Without further ado, here are some of the biggest lore reveals in Tears of the Kingdom.
The following contains spoilers for Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild.
1. The Founding of the Kingdom of Hyrule
Many of the major lore reveals that come from Tears of the Kingdom involve the Zonai, a race of ancient beings who were first mentioned briefly in Breath of the Wild. Long before the events of either game, the Zonai had imprisoned Ganondorf in a tear-like stone. During the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom, we see the release of Ganondorf from his prison, where he destroys both the Master Sword and Link’s arm. However, Rauru, one of the ancient Zonai and the first king of Hyrule, rescues Link by replacing his arm. This ancient king holds some major relevance to the lore of the series.
In Tears of the Kingdom lore, after marrying the Hyrulian Sonia, King Rauru and his Queen went on to found the Kingdom of Hyrule. Due to this connection, the Royal Family of Hyrule is related to the ancient Zonai tribes. However, over time, most of the original Zonai disappear, leaving only Rauru and his sister Mineru. Additionally, Queen Sonia herself is an incarnation of Zelda and a descendant of the Zelda from Skyward Sword.
2. The Formation of the Sages
Throughout the lore of Legend of Zelda games, including Tears of the Kingdom, sages often act as the bridge between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm. They promise to help assist in defeating Ganondorf when he awakens. Although the original sages of the Tears of the Kingdom timeline are long gone, throughout the game, Link must help his allies to realize their potential as the new sages. Specifically, the characters from Breath of the Wild, including Yunobo, Sidon, Riju, and Teba’s son Tulin, are revealed to be descendants of the original sages. They function as the Sages of Fire, Water, Lightning, and Wind, respectively. Additionally, Zelda herself acts as the Sage of Time. On top of this, the proceedings reveal a secret 6th sage as well.
In Tears of the Kingdom lore, King Rauru created the sages after Ganondorf assassinated Queen Sonia. Each of these sages was given a Secret Stone that amplifies their natural powers. The stones themselves represent the elements of the sages. For example, the Sage of Fire possesses the Secret Stone of Fire and the Sage of Wind possesses the Secret Stone of Wind. Besides the four natural elements and Zelda’s Stone of Time, King Rauru held the Stone of Light. This leaves one more stone that is given to the 6th sage, who turns out to be Mineru, Rauru’s sister, who holds the Stone of Spirit.
3. Ganondorf Returns in Tears of the Kingdom Lore
As many fans of the Legend of Zelda series already know, Ganondorf is the name given to the human form of the evil entity Ganon. Although the trailer showed these spoilers, Ganondorf makes his return in Tears of the Kingdom‘s lore and story, after being sealed away by King Rauru for 10,000 years. This form of Ganondorf sits as a mummy, acting as a source of the Calamity that threatens Hyrule. When King Rauru sealed Ganondorf away, he put his faith in a hero who would defeat him in the distant future. That hero is Tears of the Kingdom‘s incarnation of Link.
Ganondorf himself uses a Secret Stone to grant himself near limitless power. This includes taking on the form of a massive dragon, allowing him to wield the power of the Calamity itself. However, as per King Rauru’s plan, the wielder of the Master Sword, Link, ultimately defeats him.
