We’re a little under a month away from the launch of the hotly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the trailer dropped by Nintendo has given us another glimpse of upcoming abilities, enemies and mysterious new characters. But before we get too carried away theorizing about the new story possibilities, lets take a look back at all the characters named and confirmed to be appearing in Tears of the Kingdom.
Link
Yes, Link is back as the playable protagonist once again. Despite excited murmurings around the time of Breath of the Wild‘s initial trailer that we might be getting a playable Zelda or a female link, Nintendo are sticking to the series’ staples. What is different is that Link will be sporting some kind of magically mechanized arm, possibly of Sheikah or even Zonai origin. How this will play into the story is unknown at the moment, but could well be the source of his new-found powers.
Screenshot via Nintendo of America on Youtube
Zelda
Sporting a new, shorter haircut and what appear to be several new outfits, the Princess of Hyrule will return in Tears of the Kingdom. Though finally free from that castle, it seems it won’t be long until she is once again separated from Link and must wait for him to find her. When she’s not falling into a bottomless pit, the trailers show her interacting with underground ruins and a mysterious and unknown figure, so it is possible she may yet play a more active role in the story.
Image via Nintendo of America on Twitter
Ganondorf
And here is the third member of the trifecta, in all his rehydrated glory. Ganon returns as the antagonist but this time in a more humanoid form. He’s also wearing the distinct clothing and jewellery of the Gerudo, which may hint at the story shedding light on his origin as a member of that tribe. Matthew Mercer will be handling voice duties, as this Ganon appears much more communicative than the one we faced in BotW.
Image via Nintendo of America on Twitter
Sidon
The Prince of the Zora and Links’ most supportive fan will return in Tears of the Kingdom, and it even appears we will be able to fight alongside him. While his design remains fairly similar to his appearance in Breath of the Wild, he does appear adorned with more Zora jewellery, perhaps indicating he has taken on more duties within the realm of the Zora.
Image via Nintendo of America on Twitter
Riju
Zelda is not the only royal with a new haircut, as Riju of the Gerudo also returns. Now wielding a pair of scimitars. She appears in the trailer using Lightning powers similar to Urbosa’s, and if Sidon is really recruitable as some kind of combat ally, Riju is likely to be available as well. No word on the appearance of Patricia the Sand-Seal yet, however.
Image via Nintendo of America on Twitter
Tulin
Though we met him as a tiny fledgling in Breath of the Wild, it appears that Tulin has grown in the time between the two games and is now a respectable marksman in his own right. His appearance does beg the question of his Father’s whereabouts. Teba was the one who assissted players in reaching the divine beast Vah Medoh, so his son appearing instead may leave fans fearing the worst.
So those are the characters named and confirmed to be appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. While the mystery of the new characters is enticing enough, there’s also the question of whether Teba and Yunobo will show up alongside their peers Sidon and Riju. We won’t know untilwe finally get to play.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches on May 12, 2023 on Nintendo Switch.
