The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is sort of right here, and from the appears of it, the enigmatic faction referred to as the Zonai could play an enormous position within the sequel after principally present within the background of Breath of the Wild. When you’re feeling such as you’re strolling in on one thing or such as you missed an enormous plot beat within the final recreation, don’t fear. Regardless of quite a lot of concept crafting through the years, even the most important Zelda followers don’t have quite a lot of concrete particulars as to who or what the Zonai have been. However let’s break down what we do know and why followers suppose the Zonai are being primed as a key participant in Tears of the Kingdom.
What will we already know in regards to the Zonai?
In Breath of the Wild, the Zonai are described as a tribe that not exists inside Hyrule, however their nature is seemingly up for debate inside the recreation’s world. They’re described each as a savage tribe of barbarians, in addition to highly effective magic customers who worship animals, particularly Farosh, a water dragon that may be present in locations just like the Gerudo Highlands. Traces of their existence are seen in locations just like the Zonai Ruins within the southern space of the map, with long-abandoned structure hinting at their reverence for Hyrule’s wildlife. Within the lore and artwork ebook The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Making a Champion, it’s revealed the animals prominently featured in what’s left of the Zonai’s dwelling reference the three items of the Triforce: a dragon for Braveness, an owl for Knowledge, and a boar for Energy. Past the animals, the Zonai even have their very own crest resembling a spiral, which is seen on structure related to the tribe.
Past that, Hyperlink can purchase a Barbarian armor set in Breath of the Wild believed to be worn by members of the Zonai way back after navigating particular labyrinths implied to have been constructed by the tribe. Whereas all of it suits collectively, a lot of what we all know in regards to the tribe is theory fostered by the sport’s ambient storytelling. It’s a really minimalistic, FromSoftware-style method to world-building and largely rewards those that wish to discover the sport’s huge world. Nonetheless, it may be paying off for all of us in Tears of the Kingdom.
Why do followers suppose Tears of the Kingdom will contain the Zonai?
Theories that the Zonai could be a significant participant in Tears of the Kingdom have been prevalent for the reason that recreation’s reveal in 2019 due to the deal with the spiral motif central to Zonai structure. Nonetheless, the connection is rather more concrete now due to the most up-to-date gameplay showcase. Throughout this stream, Nintendo revealed the Zonai are tied to the occasions of Tears of the Kingdom by way of a bit of loot. Within the 10-minute gameplay trailer, Hyperlink defeats an enemy within the floating sky islands, and it drops an merchandise referred to as a Zonai Cost. The video doesn’t linger on the merchandise, but it surely clearly has the identical inexperienced power seen to energy the machine-like enemies Hyperlink is preventing, the (damaged) seal round Ganondorf seen within the unique trailer, and Hyperlink’s corrupted, glowing arm.
G/O Media could get a fee
Will we meet the Zonai in Tears of the Kingdom?
Given how quiet Nintendo has been relating to Tears of the Kingdom’s story, it’s onerous to say whether or not or not Hyperlink will truly come throughout a member of the Zonai tribe. Given the group appears to have been totally gone from Hyrule in Breath of the Wild, with the one data we now have on them coming from theories and their remaining structure, it appears most reasonable that the Zonai have been worn out or have gone into hiding. Besides, their know-how and magic are nonetheless current and inflicting bother for our hero in Tears of the Kingdom. All that being mentioned, it’s not totally out of the query that some could have survived and have been ready for the occasions of this recreation to disclose themselves. The sequence can also be no stranger to time journey, with it being a key pillar to video games like Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages. So there’s an opportunity Hyperlink may come face-to-face with the Zonai throughout their prime, however that’s not confirmed.
Wait, how does Twilight Princess play into all this?
Like a lot of the potentialities mentioned right here, the connection between The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Tears of the Kingdom continues to be hypothesis, however followers consider they’ve discovered connections between the Zonai and the Twili, who have been launched in Twilight Princess. Breath of the Wild incorporates a number of tribes and species from the sequence’ lifetime from the Sheikah to the Zora. The Twili, nevertheless, are notably absent, however given the similarities to structure and magic seen in Tears of the Kingdom and that of the Twili, followers speculate that the Zonai might be the unique race that was was monsters by Zant in Twilight Princess. There are even some breakdowns of iconography and sigils all through Breath of the Wild that do intently resemble imagery in Twilight Princess. It’s all concept crafting at this level, and Breath of the Wild itself doesn’t do a lot by itself to straight make this attainable tie-in obvious. So don’t really feel such as you utterly missed out on a possible connection. That is all fan interpretation, for now.
Regardless of the Zonai are, it does seem to be they are going to be no less than a part of Tears of the Kingdom’s bigger setup. Whether or not we truly meet one stays to be seen, however we’ll discover out when the sport involves Change on Could 12.
