After years of waiting, fans finally have a name to the sequel of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The title for this upcoming game will be “Tears of the Kingdom.” It’s an evocative title that seems to signify a somber nature. While the “tears” may reference the game’s verticality, the series has many gut-wrenching moments.
Emotional moments can be found even in Zelda‘s third entry, A Link To The Past. The sense of adventure the series gives off is complimented well by emotional beats. While Link himself rarely has a tragic backstory, these moments stick with fans just as much as the cheery atmosphere.
The Dying Soldier (Ocarina of Time)
There are many details that can be easily missed in Zelda games. These can range from items to huge emotional moments. One of these moments was hidden in the series’ most well-remembered game, Ocarina of Time. Right after Link gets the Ocarina, he can find a Hyrulean soldier in the back of castle town.
This soldier is dying after fighting with Ganondorf. He entreats Link to protect Zelda with his life and tells him where to go. After the exchange, he sadly dies, which is a shocking moment in a game primarily made for and marketed to children. However, perhaps the craziest thing of all is that this emotional scene can be completely missed.
Grandma Bedridden (The Wind Waker)
Wind Waker begins with Link leaving his grandmother to look for his kidnaped sister. There’s a heart-wrenching scene where he waves goodbye to her as she watches him sail off. That would already be sad, but when Link returns to his island he finds Grandma has become unwell.
She stews in her bed, moaning for Link and his sister to not leave. It’s crushing to see a nice old lady sick like this. However, as emotional as the scene is, plays can deliver a happy ending by bringing her a fairy. This will cure her and allow her to create soup for him, which is one of the most useful healing items in the Zelda series.
Flute Boy (Link to the Past)
Some might say Zelda never had great story before Ocarina, but the Flute Boy from A Link To The Past proves them wrong. In Kakariko Village, Link hears about a boy who went missing searching for the Triforce and his father who misses him dearly. Link can find an apparition of the boy in the Haunted Grove, but he vanishes if he gets too close.
In the Dark World, Link can meet the boy, who’s been transformed into a creature. He can no longer play his flute and asks Link to do it for him. Link plays him off, and he sadly transforms into a tree and passes on. Link can then tell his father of his fate, who somberly accepts it in a surprisingly sad, gut-punching moment for a SNES game.
Navi Leaves (Ocarina of Time)
Unlike the soldier, this sad Ocarina moment is unavodiable, as it comes in the ending. While Navi, Link’s fairy companion, is considered to be annoying by some, she’s still important. She’s Link’s main companion on the journey. She even serves a purpose in gameplay by being the explanation for the targeting mechanic.
She is given a mission by the Deku Tree to watch over Link until his destiny is fulfilled. At the end of the game, she has done this, and flitters away. It’s a sad scene, as she lingers just long enough as she floats away to give some hope she’ll return. It definitely has an effect on Link, who spends the sequel looking for her.
Anju and Kafei (Majora’s Mask)
An overwhelming sense of dread hangs over all of Majora’s Mask. This makes it hard to say if one event is more traumatic than any other. Kafei and Anju’s side quest stands out, though, as it takes place over all three days of the game’s time limit. Anju and Kafei are an engaged couple who are split due to Skull Kid’s mischief.
Kafei has been transformed into a child and lost his wedding mask, so he hides. Anju becomes convinced he abandoned her and becomes depressed. Link can fix their problems over the three-day loop, but they reconcile just before the Moon falls. Only in the game’s ending do they get a resolution, but that comes alongside another gut punch.
Zelda Seals Herself (Skyward Sword)
Throughout Skyward Sword, Link is chasing after Zelda. He follows her from dungeon to dungeon, always hot on her trail. When he finally does catch her, it’s revealed in a sad scene that he can’t be with her.
This Zelda is a powerful character, and takes her duties as reincarnation of the goddess seriously. She must be sealed up to prevent the return of the demon king. She waves a heartfelt goodbye to Link in a gut-punching moment, leaving him alone. Eventually, Zelda is freed from this fate, but it takes a lot of effort, and the sad departure of the spirit Fi as well.
Midna Says Goodbye (Twilight Princess)
For many, Midna is the best sidekick Link’s ever had. When Link first meets her in Twilight Princess, she’s a mischievous imp-like creature. She regularly taunts Link, but she quickly warms up to him. She even decides to stick with him and his quest, even saving his life a few times.
She makes a few sacrifices for Link and Zelda, who actually repay the favor. One heartbreaking scene has Zelda give up her own power to save Midna, and Midna pays her back later. It’s the end, though, when Midna returns to her home world in her human form, when the tears start coming. It’s sad to see a friend leave, and even sadder knowing she made no canon reappearances after this.
Deku Butler (Majora’s Mask)
The scene with the Deku Butler’s son is a pretty big gut punch to the player. It might go under the notice of most players, but if one pays close attention they’ll notice the sad scene play out. Early in the game, Link, while transformed into a Deku scrub, will find a tree similar in appearance to him. This will be remarked upon and then forgotten about.
Later in the game, the players will meet the Deku Butler, who’s looking for his lost son. Nothing ever comes of this, so players will likely forget once again. During the generally happy credits, a scene of the butler finding the tree and collapsing onto his knees is shown. The implication is that this tree is his deceased son, and is a smack in the face in an otherwise lively sequence.
Zelda Cries (Breath of the Wild)
Due to being the first Zelda game to have voice acting, Breath of the Wild featured some great character arcs. Zelda’s stood out among these, as a Stoic but caring girl trying to live up to her destiny. She was having a lot of trouble with the various trials and rituals she had to perform. It had been greatly weighing on her and causing a divide between her and her father.
Things get really dark when Ganon’s war breaks loose. Her failure to perform her duties begins costing the good guys the deaths of allies and friends. Unable to take the weight of it all, she throws herself into Link’s arms in one of the game’s most emotional scenes.
The Ending (Link’s Awakening)
There are many bleak Zelda games, but one of the bleakest moments can be found in one of the cutest titles. This Game Boy title (and its remakes) is a charming adventure on a tropical island. Link must awake the “Wind Fish,” a godlike being sleeping in an egg. When Link finally awakes the deity, the horrifying truth is revealed.
The entire island the game took place on was actually dreamt up by the Wind Fish. By waking him up, Link has caused the island to cease to exist. This means all the friends Link met along the way were all fake the entire time. Link awakes drifting on a plank of wood, his survival uncertain. It’s a pretty sad way to end a cute Zelda adventure, especially early on.
