Tears of the Kingdom fan theories are in full force after Nintendo debuted the open-world game’s final trailer, and a few make some big claims. One that gained some traction following the trailer is the idea that Ganondorf will become Demise or is somehow connected to him.
Is it just me, or is this supposed to be DEMISE!?!? pic.twitter.com/vazxAextrO
— Luke (@ZeldaMasterLuke) April 13, 2023
Is Ganondorf TRANSFORMING into Demise? Notice how both shots have these pillars on the side, and Ganondorf is wearing a similar robe. Some sort of transformation using his powers? pic.twitter.com/umhWQeTw6v
— NintendoBlackCrisis (@NintendoBlackC) April 13, 2023
Demise is the main villain in Skyward Sword, the Wii game that Nintendo remastered for the Switch. Skyward Sword is a prequel tale for the series, and Demise promises at the end that he’ll be reborn in each era to hound Link and Zelda throughout the generations. Most fans think Ganondorf is that reborn form, and the Tears of the Kingdom version of Ganondorf certainly bears some resemblance to the baddy at 1:18 in the latest trailer.
Another popular theory is that the strange woman shown at 3:09 in the trailer is actually the goddess Hylia. There’s not much evidence to go on for that one, admittedly. The Zelda universe alternates between Hylia and three other goddesses for Hyrule’s mythology.
I personally think Zelda and Ganondorf will undergo the same process throughout the game from what it seems: Zelda may reach the “Hylia” form, and Ganondorf will reach his “Demise-like” form. pic.twitter.com/mKnwajEQml
— W ü K o n G Jr. 悟空 (@MursellJ_art) April 13, 2023
While Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild are both firmly rooted in the Hylia mythos, we never actually see her. However, the markedly pointed ears and the beam of pure light emitting from her hand suggest, if nothing else, a strong connection with Zelda and her mother’s family. Zelda even wears the same earrings as this mystery character at one point. And who does Skyward Sword say Zelda is related to? Hylia, by virtue of Zelda being her mortal incarnation.
Fans are less sure about another character who shows up at 1:42 in the trailer. She resembles the maybe-Hylia character, but has a decidedly more sinister air about her. Some think she could be a Zonai sage, a remnant of the civilization that predated Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule, based on her appearance and the fact that the Zonai seem to play a larger role in Tears of the Kingdom. The first trailer shows their distinct architectural and mural designs in the cave with Ganondorf’s mummy, and the gameplay trailer shows Link collecting a Zonai item from a defeated enemy.
Whoever she is – even if she’s Twinrova, as one Twitter user suggested – it seems pretty evident Tears of the Kingdom is placing a much heavier emphasis on lore and very specific series callouts.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
