Summary
By this point, many players have spent hours journeying throughTears of the Kingdom. Using various new abilities and travel methods,Breath of the Wild’s Link returns to explore every inch of not only Hyrule’s surface but its skies and subterranean Depths as well.Tears of the Kingdommay be the most direct mechanical and narrative sequel inThe Legend of Zelda, but it still made new takes on both its existing map and game engine. With so much to do and see, disappointment with the game’s recycled content is often quickly put aside.
One disappointment thatTears of the Kingdommay never truly shake, however, comes from before its launch. Fans only had the initial teaser trailer to work with for a long time, producingvarious theories forTears of the Kingdomlike having a dark story likeMajora’s Mask, or that there would be co-op between Link and Princess Zelda. Neither of these turned out to be true, but the second hit especially hard due to a growing desire for Zelda to be playable.The Legend of Zeldahas focused exclusively on Link for too long, andTears of the Kingdomhas only strengthened the case that Princess Zelda needs a game of her own.
The Legend of Zelda Spends Little Time With Zelda Herself
Princess Zelda has a poor record of being playable inThe Legend of Zelda, even with her name in every title. The earliest instances of a playable Zelda lie within two of the threeinfamousLegend of ZeldaCD-i games, and her next controlled outing wasSuper Smash Bros. Melee. Zelda finally gained a mainline playable role as a spirit inThe Wind WakerandPhantom Hourglass’ sequelSpirit Tracks, but after that, it was back toSmashgames and spin-offs likeHyrule Warriors.
Tears of the Kingdom Felt Primed For A Playable Zelda
Discussion of a playable Zelda had a noticeable uptick in the lead-up toBreath of the Wildand returned when it seemed possible forTears of the Kingdom, but Zelda spent both games out of commission. This is in spite of her major role inBotWandTotK’s collectible memories, and her assistance in the final battles with Calamity Ganon and Demon Dragon Ganondorf. It’s clear at this point that Zelda could hold her own in an adventure, reinforced by her traveling clothes paralleling Link’s Champion set, but she needs to be given that chance.
Tears of the Kingdom Proves That Princess Zelda Could Carry Her Own Game
ALegend of Zeldatitle focused on Zelda herself could play out like any otherTLoZgame, but with a few key differences. Instead of the typical dungeon items, Zelda could learn functionally similar magic spells, befitting her typical association withThe Legend of Zelda’s Triforce of Wisdom.Tears of the Kingdomsupports this by introducing a Zelda whose heritage includes the Sages of Light and Time, granting her both powers. Link gets downgraded versions of the same through Rauru’s arm and Zelda’s Recall power, so having Zelda herself use such abilities is a logical next step.
Playable Zelda Could Have A Greater Narrative Impact
Having Zelda become playable would also circumvent how she’s often treated in the series’ story. Except for herSpirit Tracksincarnation, Zelda spends most games acting only when the story demands it or during the final boss fight.TotK’s Light Dragon did technically give Zelda more screen time, but it was still a purely supportive role.
Zelda’s presence inTears of the Kingdom’s openingdemonstrates that she could offer more story opportunities in Link’s place, either by paying attention to the series' abundant lore or by just having visible dialogue in conversations. With the nextLegend of Zeldatitle moving away fromTears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule, hopefully Princess Zelda will get another shot at leading a journey of her own.
