It seems Link and Princess Zelda will be separated in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, but even so, Zelda could still be a playable character. Though she’s seen falling into a cavernous abyss in the BOTW 2 reveal trailer, her fate is still a mystery, leaving room for her to show up as a protagonist.
Zelda’s role was much more fleshed out in Breath of the Wild than in previous Zelda games. Uncovered memories found throughout BOTW’s Hyrule offered a real backstory for the princess. Her character growth in these scenes, as well as other changes to the Zelda formula, left many expecting the princess to become an even bigger part of Breath of the Wild 2. However, the apparent separation of the two Hylian heroes in the announcement trailer, combined with the complete lack of Zelda in the subsequent trailer, seems to signal she’s once more just someone Link needs to save.
Still, with her location a mystery, there’s a chance Zelda is free to move about on her own, only trapped in a series of caverns beneath Hyrule. With her wealth of scholarly knowledge, perhaps she’ll be able to work to solve ancient puzzles there to secure her escape in Breath of the Wild 2.
Zelda Could Use Her Knowledge & Wisdom To Solve Puzzles In BOTW 2
In the original Breath of the Wild, Zelda is depicted as an intelligent, logical person. While she spent a lot of her time trying to unlock her sacred sealing power, she would rather have dedicated herself to researching Hyrule’s ancient tech with Purah, Robbie, and Impa. As a result, she holds a vast knowledge of the kingdom. Her keenness to learn and her willingness to seek out answers, whatever the cost, likely make her one of the most informed characters in Breath of the Wild’s world. And, of course, she wields the powers of the Triforce of Wisdom.
Using these attributes, Zelda could very well be a playable in Breath of the Wild 2 in a different capacity from Link. Zelda could explore underground while Link adventures and does battle in the world above, allowing the princess to still have a key role in the sequel’s narrative and gameplay without being a model swap for Link. Though she could fight enemies down there, too, Zelda’s main focus could be on solving dungeon-like puzzles and learning more about Hyrule’s history – perhaps discovering the secret to defeating the apparent Ganondorf mummy buried below Hyrule Castle. While it wouldn’t be the fully character-choosing or co-op Zelda adventure many fans are hoping for, it would at least be something, and another welcome change to the once-traditional Zelda formula.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 sequel will be released in 2022.
