A reader examines the theories surrounding the new Tears Of The Kingdom trailer and argues that Zelda being playable is long overdue.
Trying to get the feel for what people thought of this week’s Nintendo Direct, it seems to me that the reaction has been very positive, with most of the negativity reserved for Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom. Not necessarily because it didn’t look good but because the new trailer was quite short and didn’t show a lot that was new.
I can understand that. Whatever’s going on with the metal vehicles looks interesting but beyond that most of the footage seemed to be taken from ground level, rather than any of the new floating islands. Which seems an odd choice.
It seems clear that Nintendo is hiding something, probably several things, about the game but I don’t see that there are any real clues in the trailer as to what. I do know a number of people think that it was hinting at Zelda being playable but this seems to be mostly based on a misheard line of dialogue. Regardless of that though, I really hope it’s true, because it will be a huge waste if it’s not.
The line of dialogue in question is, ’Please, lend him your power’. Which Zelda says to an unknown person, presumably in reference to Link. A lot of people seem to have heard it as, ‘Please, lend me your power.’ But unfortunately that’s not what she says, or that could have been a good indicator that she will finally be playable.
There is one small hint though, and that’s a piece of artwork that Nintendo has tweeted out, with Zelda holding what looks like a Sheikah slate. It’s not exactly a smoking gun but since it was essential to Link in Breath Of The Wild you’d think that whoever had it would be in the think of the action.
Previous fan theories had suggested that Zelda might be who you control on the ground and Link is actually limited to the floating islands. This isn’t based on much beyond a cut scene of her falling and the idea that Nintendo is purposefully hiding the truth by doctoring ground footage to show Link.
That was based on the first trailer though, when there wasn’t much show at ground level, but there was a lot more in the new one and so Nintendo would have to be really committed to the whole lying thing if that was true, and I just don’t see that.
A less extreme version of that theory could be true though, as there seems to be a lot of caves and undergrounds dungeons in the game, perhaps implying there are actually three levels to explore: underground, ground level, and in the sky. So maybe Zelda takes the first one and Link the other two?
Even to myself, it feels like clutching at straws, but I just feel that for a franchise that is getting on for 40 years old you should, at some point, be able to play as the person it’s named after. And no, Spirit Tracks and Hyrule Warriors and whatever other technicality you mention doesn’t count.
Rescuing princesses was fine in 1986 but we really should’ve moved on from that and yet Zelda was virtually useless in Breath Of The Wild, and always complaining and crying. Not exactly an empowering character, especially with the terrible English voiceover she has.
It could be another five years before we see another mainline Zelda game, so I would consider it a serious failing if Nintendo didn’t use this opportunity to make their most famous non-playable character the star of her own franchise.
By reader Captcha Soup
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