Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 Time-Travel Theory Explained

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Little is known about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s sequel besides what Nintendo showed in a brief teaser trailer, but one fan theory suggests its story could take Link and Zelda back in time to a period before the first game. The announcement trailer’s glimpse at the Hyrule in the so-called “Breath of the Wild 2” shows a world different from Breath of the Wild’s in a few key ways, which could mean it’s happening in another part of the kingdom’s history.

In Nintendo’s E3 2019 Breath of the Wild 2 reveal trailer, Link and Zelda explore what appears to be a cave system beneath Hyrule Castle, aided by pack animal not seen in the first game. The two discover a mummified body – most likely Ganondorf – held down by a glowing green hand. The ground collapses, the hand appears to save Link and Zelda from falling, the body wakes up, and the trailer closes with a wide shot of Hyrule Castle slowly rising out of the ground.

Related: Breath Of The Wild 2: 5 Things The Sequel Needs (& 5 It Doesn’t)

The Majora’s Mask-like teaser took many fans by surprise. Clearly Nintendo has big plans for the sequel’s story, shifting the tone from Breath of the Wild’s subtle melancholy to something more overtly dark. The creepy hand and undead Ganondorf led to many Breath of the Wild 2 theories, but popular Zelda theory channel NintendoBlackCrisis shared one of the most compelling yet, relying on much less obvious aspects of the teaser.

Shortly after the trailer’s reveal last year, NintendoBlackCrisis posted the theory below, sent to him by YouTube user Cuccolover. Rather than focusing on the Breath of the Wild 2 teaser’s central characters, Cuccolover pointed out the lack of Sheikah landmarks (Shrines, Towers, Divine Beasts, and the columns surrounding Hyrule Castle) in the trailer’s final shot. As NintendoBlackCrisis argued, it’s possible these returned below ground, just as they rose out of the earth in Breath of the Wild, but other trailer details suggest they actually haven’t been raised in the first place.

Unlike in Breath of the Wild, the trailer’s Hyrule Castle is completely undamaged, suggesting Calamity Ganon and his Guardian minions haven’t yet destroyed it at the time of Breath of the Wild 2. But while the castle could have simply been repaired after Breath of the Wild’s story, the mysterious pack animal is harder to explain away. Sure, maybe it’s a newly discovered creature, but, as Cuccolover and NintendoBlackCrisis argued, the other evidence points to a more likely explanation: It was a work animal in Hyrule that went extinct before Breath of the Wild.

When and why did Link and Zelda go back in time, then? After Nintendo first aired the trailer, many assumed Link and Zelda were embarking below Hyrule Castle to root out the true source of Calamity Ganon following the first game’s ending, but this theory suggests they might instead have gone back in time to do so before he ever took over. The green hand appears to function as a seal keeping Ganon’s Malice in, so it must have broken to cause the Calamity 1,000 years before Breath of the Wild. To stop this from happening, Link and Zelda go back in time to see if there’s a way to keep the seal from breaking.

Related: Breath Of The Wild 2 Rumors: Playable Zelda & Classic Dungeons Return

This theory also explains Link and Zelda’s changed appearances. While her new, shorter haircut could mean a playable Zelda in Breath of the Wild 2, NintendoBlackCrisis argued it could simply be a disguise – hence the hoods both she and Link are wearing. Perhaps Zelda is recognizable enough as a member of the royal family that she’d need to hide her identity, even 1,000 years in the past. Regardless, Cuccolover and NintendoBlackCrisis’ theory is one of the most plausible setups for Breath of the Wild 2′s story. It’s been more than a year since fans last heard about the sequel, so Nintendo might soon confirm or deny the theory, too.

Next: Why The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Is Getting A Sequel

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s sequel does not yet have a set release date.

Source: NintendoBlackCrisis

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