The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been a runaway success from day one for so many reasons. It isn’t just that it throws players into a post-apocalyptic Hyrule (we’ve seen that with Wind Waker), but it’s the way the story is told — through hints and environments rather than text. The fact that secrets are still discovered regularly years after launch speaks to the care that Nintendo put into the game. With the as-yet-untitled ‘Breath of the Wild 2‘ just around the corner and a new trailer at our fingertips, speculation is rampant — but multiple careful viewings of the trailer tell us a lot about what to expect from the sequel to Nintendo’s latest hottest game.
The Breath of the Wild 2 trailer is only 1:39 seconds long, but is a masterclass in direction. Almost every single frame of the trailer suggests a different mechanic or aspect of the game that has yet to be fully revealed. Here are the biggest clues we’ve discovered so far.
An Expanded (But Perhaps Not New) World
24 seconds into the trailer, the music hits a crescendo as we see Link plummeting out of the skies towards the ground below. Immediately there are several things to note.
First, his tunic is different than any tunic seen before in a Zelda series, and his hair is dramatically longer. Link’s right arm looks almost mechanical, with a style similar to that of the Guardians. What does all this mean? While no one is sure, there are two prevailing theories at the moment.
The first idea is that there is a time travel aspect to Breath of the Wild 2. This wouldn’t be the first appearance of a time travel mechanic in the Legend of Zelda franchise; in fact, it wouldn’t even be the fifth. Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Oracle of Ages, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword all have a time travel mechanic of sorts. Might Link be returning to a time before Calamity Ganon struck?
In the Zonai
The second idea is that this tunic is that of the Zonai, an enigmatic clan that disappeared from Hyrule ages before Breath of the Wild. Little is known about this people, but their ruins are scattered all across the land. Theorists have speculated for years what role the Zonai might have played, and perhaps this sequel will provide an answer.
My thoughts diverge a bit from this. While the Zonai might play a role in Breath of the Wild 2, the floating islands in the sky seen at 0:33 in the trailer look like the ruins of Skyloft, the world above the clouds from Skyward Sword. Might players once more return to the first world (chronologically) in the Legend of Zelda timeline? It’s possible that the Zonai are just residents of Skyloft that descended to the surface much later.
One way or the other, it’s clear the Cloud Barrier plays a role in Breath of the Wild 2.
The Triforce Returns
The iconic golden triangle has played a huge role in almost every single title in the series, but was curiously absent from Breath of the Wild outside of a bit of stonework here and there. Link has always borne the Triforce of Courage, just as Zelda bears the Triforce of Wisdom and Ganon the Triforce of Power.
At 0:44 in the trailer, Link can be seen using what looks like a Sheikah Rune without a Sheikah Slate. Instead, the back of his right hand glows with a familiar golden light. It suggests in no uncertain terms that the Triforce of Courage has awakened and once more lent the Hero its power.
It also looks like there are more powers than before, too – like time reversal. Starting at 0:50, we see Link vanish into a puddle, which turns into a drop, which then rockets up to one of the islands in the sky and spits him out on top of it. It’s clear this is some form of terrain traversal, but where that power originates isn’t clear.
Hyrule Castle and Ganon
Ganon’s malice is back and bigger than ever before. Dark Beast Ganon might have been the final boss in Breath of the Wild, but it seems the King of the Gerudos has something more planned in the sequel with the way his evil energy rockets up from around Hyrule Castle and propels the iconic structure into the sky.
Starting at 1:07, Hyrule Castle can be seen silhouetted against the setting sun as what sounds like a few melancholy notes play of “Zelda’s Lullaby.” Fans of the franchise know that doesn’t bode well for Hyrule in any shape, form, or fashion.
We still know little about what the sequel to Breath of the Wild holds. In fact, if there is a subtitle to the game (and of course there is), Nintendo hasn’t revealed it yet. All we can do is wait for more information as the release creeps ever closer.
If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to replay Breath of the Wild again, now’s your chance. Look for clues and hints hidden inside the original, bearing in mind the images shown in the trailer. You might discover your own theories about what the story of Breath of the Wild 2 might hold.