Nintendo has sadly delayedThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2into 2023, but not without sharing a little bit of new information about the game. The video in which Nintendo announced the delay included a brief clip of Link examining the damaged Master Sword, suggesting that he’s on a journey to repair it.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2may be all about the Master Sword, which would be interesting, although it would be far from the first game of its kind.Skyward Swordwas famously an origin story for Link’s signature weapon, meaning any other story about the Master Sword is bound to pay homage to it.
A Master Sword quest seems to be only one way thatBreath of the Wild 2relates toSkyward Sword, however. The game will feature flying islands that greatly increase the size ofBreath of the Wild’s map, which was already very impressive. Fans should note that these may not be the onlycharacteristics it shares withSkyward Sword.Because of these aspects andBreath of the Wild’s relationship with the goddess Hylia, manySkyward Swordcharacters might return in the upcoming game.Breath of the Wild 2’s dark and mysterious plot seems like it could provide a wealth of opportunities for familiarZeldafaces to make unexpected appearances.
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Possible Skyward Sword Characters
Breath of the Wild 2seems to have very nearly confirmed that the Master Sword spirit Fi will appear somehow. SinceFi is the Master Sword’s inhabitant, it would be hard to tell another story about the sword without letting Fi herself speak her piece. As the first Link’s guide and the Master Sword’s inhabitant, Fi also has a very close connection with Hylia, theZeldagoddess who first appeared inSkyward Swordand didn’t play a major role again untilBreath of the Wild.Certain cutscenes fromBreath of the Wildseem to reference Fi in various ways, too, so her return is perfectly plausible.
Fi isn’t the only character with ties to Hylia, though. InSkyward Sword,Link seeks out the guidance of various powerful beings whoreceived important lore from Hylialong ago. One of those beings is the Sky Spirit Levias, who had a warm relationship with the inhabitants of Skyloft and served as an ally to Link. Levias' potential lifespan is unclear, but if he’s a spirit, he may be immortal. Therefore, he may have been living in the skies above Hyrule for many thousands of years, becoming even more wizened with time.Breath of the Wild 2’s new floating islands and the threat of Malice could give Levias cause to help Link again.
Aside from Levias,Skyward Swordalso features three dragons who had ties to Hylia and learned parts of the Song of the Hero to pass down to Link. Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru may yet have more wisdom to share with Link, especially now thattheir goddess Hylia has regained prominence. The dragons may not be quite so immortal as a spirit, but there are plenty of ways thatBreath of the Wild 2could give Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru new roles in the next game. Whether they travel across time, appear from beyond the grave, or pass down their wisdom through descendants, the dragons ofSkyward Swordcould definitely play a part in Breath of the Wild 2.
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Reviving Skyward Sword Stars
There’s no shortage of roles that characters fromSkyward Swordcould play in theBreath of the Wildsequel. For instance, while Link seems to have a new ability that’ll help him teleport upwards into some floating islands, he may need the help of a flying ally to explore the farther reaches ofBreath of the Wild 2’s islands. He probably isn’t getting another Loftwing, but maybe Levias could ferry him to certain locations in the overworld, helping him gain the necessary altitude to reach his destinations.
Aside from navigating the sky, any returningSkyward Swordcharacters will naturally get involved in the journey to restore the Master Sword. Not only could Fi guide Link as she has before, but Levias and theSkyward Sworddragons might have some wisdom to share, thanks to their close ties to Hylia. The goddess rarely communicates with Link directly, but it would make plenty of sense if she passed on wisdom to Link through challenges and trials that Levias and the three dragons maintain. Even if they don’t guide Link to repairing the Master Sword, they couldhelp him rediscover the Triforceinstead.
These four characters could be excellent sources of new skills inBreath of the Wild 2as well.Link has a magical new armin this game that seems to give him additional powers, and while some of that magic is likely innate, characters like Levias might be able to teach Link special techniques that change up combat and exploration inBreath of the Wild 2. Levias and the dragons are all masters of specific elements, meaning they could pass on a variety of offensive, defensive, and utilitarian abilities that diversify theBreath of the Wildexperience.
Returning to the Legend of Zelda’s Roots
The Legend of Zeldararely passes on major characters between installations, save for a few.Breath of the Wild’s Beedlehas appeared in multiple games before, for instance, even though many spirits and other beings of power vanish betweenZeldaentries. While this helps eachZeldagame stand out from the rest, it also means that a lot of interestingZeldalore doesn’t get used to its full potential.Breath of the Wild 2really ought to break that pattern by tapping into previousZeldastorylines and making new use of old characters.
It could be a long time before Nintendo confirms whetherSkyward Swordcharacters play a new part inBreath of the Wild 2. The game’s major delay means that it may not be an advertising priority in 2022 after all; instead, Nintendo will hang onto core details until the end of the year, letting other major Nintendo games get their day in the sun first. That’s disappointing forZeldafans, butif Nintendo reveals majorSkyward Swordconnections, it’ll be worth it. ABreath of the Wildsequel that ties the game together with the franchise’s origin story would be really special, so hopefully that’s on the table.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2releases in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
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