Nearly every entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise reinvents itself by remixing familiar elements. Most have their own take on Hyrule with versions of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf representing the Triforce of Courage, Wisdom, and Power. There are also a handful of side characters who make appearances across the branching Zelda timeline, from Beedle the shopkeeper to Tingle in his iconic green jumpsuit. Impa is one of the series' most important tertiary characters, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has to give the Sheikah matriarch a new role.
The original Legend of Zelda features Impa, though not by name; she's called "Old Woman" on NES, but players who read the 1986 game's manual learn she is a nursemaid for Princess Zelda who seeks a hero to defeat Ganon. Impa's role as a guardian and mentor continues with her appearances in Ocarina of Time, the Oracle duology, and Skyward Sword, among others. Her part in Breath of the Wild is more passive, but the younger version introduced in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity could lead to more as Nintendo crafts Impa a place in the narrative.
Impa's Role in the Breath of the Wild Saga So Far
Age of Calamity, a hack-and-slash spin-off by Omega Force, is set 100 years prior to the events of Breath of the Wild. Its canonicity is questionable given it changes history through time-travel shenanigans, but it presents Impa in her prime. She is a royal advisor to Zelda's family, renown for her knowledge of ancient relics, and the first ally to join Link's quest. Her combat style leans into the ninja motif that Sheikah have embodied since Ocarina of Time, able to create clones of herself that all attack with kunai and bomb barrels.
In Breath of the Wild's timeline, the four Champions of Hyrule are killed while piloting the Divine Beasts, technological marvels built by ancient Sheikah, and Zelda leaves a dying Link in Impa's care before fighting Calamity Ganon with her newly awoken powers. Link rests in the Shrine of Resurrection for 100 years to recover, and after waking up the spirit of King Rhoam directs Link to seek out Impa - now the foremost elder of Kakariko Village.
Her role in Breath of the Wild is expository, filling Link in on the events that transpired 100 years ago before setting markers at each Divine Beast. Breath of the Wild's open structure means players can do whatever they want upon completing the Great Plateau tutorial, but Impa imparts the closest thing to a main quest. Freeing the Divine Beasts lead to closure for the Zora, Goron, Rito, and Gerudo, while making Link's final battle against Calamity Ganon easier. Impa also helps Link regain his memories by seeking out important areas from his past.
Tears of the Kingdom Has a Blank Slate for Impa
Because Impa spends a century waiting for Link to defeat Calamity Ganon and save Zelda, her place in Tears of the Kingdom is unclear. There's a strong possibility that Impa is too old to help battle whatever new force lays siege to Hyrule, causing chunks of land to raise into the sky, so what may have been Impa's role could be passed to her granddaughter Paya. Despite Paya's uncanny resemblance to Age of Calamity-era Impa, the Sheikah girl is nothing like her grandmother; too shy to even admit she has feelings for Link. It's hard to say how this dynamic would play out.
Alternatively, there is room for Impa herself to come out of retirement in Tears of the Kingdom. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword plays with the idea of time travel by having players encounter older and younger versions of Impa, one guarding The Imprisoned while the other guides Zelda, and something similar could happen here. Among Link's new powers is the ability to reverse the movement of objects in time, sending spike balls back uphill and falling rocks into the sky. Age of Calamity's story also relies on Terrako sending the four Champion's descendants back in time, which suggests a younger Impa could just as easily move forward.
Nintendo doesn't have to lean on time travel to give Impa a more substantial role in the story. Plenty of media plays with the idea of elders having unexpected power to unleash, from Master Roshi in Dragon Ball to Lady Butterfly in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Impa could have at least one scene defending Kakariko Village to the surprise of characters like Paya, utilizing techniques that riff off of her Age of Calamity attack list. If she instead has to leave Kakariko because of an overwhelming threat, this could open a new story where she reconnects with her sister Purah in the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab.
Tears of the Kingdom has a lot of returning characters to work with, all of whom will be dealing with a transformed Hyrule. Hopefully Nintendo doesn't drop the ball when it comes to Impa, one of The Legend of Zelda franchise's most recognizable characters who has a blank slate following Breath of the Wild's conclusion.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is scheduled to release for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.