The guardians from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild played a key role in the plot of the game, so much so that anybody who plays it will instantly recognize the dissonant set of piano notes that plays each time one of them spots the player, as Link. The multi-legged laser-shooting magically-enhanced mechanical contraptions have several purposes in the game, not least of which is to intimidate anyone who dares step close enough to activate its sensors. Still, the problems that the guardians cause in Breath of the Wild were essentially resolved, so one must wonder what the sequel will hold.

In the original BOTW, it’s revealed that the guardians are contraptions built by the ancient Sheikah tribes of Hyrule for the purpose of defending the domain against the evil Ganon, who resurrects every several hundred years or so. During the era of the Hero of the Winds on the Legend of Zelda timeline, Ganon takes form and ultimately takes control of all of the guardians, causing the demise of Hyrule and setting up the events of BOTW. Seeing as how this problem was dealt with in the game, one must wonder just what Nintendo will do for Breath of the Wild 2.

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More Guardians in Breath of the Wild 2

Not much is known about Breath of the Wild 2. The sequel to the incredibly successful BOTW was revealed at E3 2019 with a trailer that hinted at several different additions. A new animal is shown, helping Link and Zelda with their inventory as they explore some caves. Besides stuff like that, the trailer also showed off a glimpse of the new villain for BOTW 2. A corpse that uncannily looks like Ganondorf is shown being pulled (or resurrected) by a magical blue/green arm that protrudes from the ceiling. These images could support an interesting thought; the guardians could return in BOTW 2.

If Ganondorf is truly returning for the sequel to BOTW, then it stands to reason that the problems that arose during the plot of the original game were never actually resolved. This could mean that the guardians will not only return as well, but they could be even more powerful than before due to the resurrection of Ganondorf (and because video game sequels tend to bring back powerful versions of previous enemies). If true, then fans can expect to see changes to the way they behave and fight, in addition to changes in their placement throughout the shifted map of Breath of the Wild.

Replacing the Guardians in Breath of the Wild 2

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Of course, it’s entirely possible that Nintendo gets rid of the guardians altogether for the sequel to Breath of the Wild. Seeing as how Nintendo likes to experiment with its titles, it’s probable that the company will just add a new enemy to replace the guardians in terrorizing Hyrule and the player. However, due to the new game being a direct sequel to BOTW, one shouldn’t count out seeing the guardians at all, as they could easily come back in a number of different ways. Even if they are replaced, the guardians could provide more stories to tell for Breath of the Wild 2.

For one, the guardians could become relics for Link and Zelda to document as they traverse Hyrule. More interestingly, it would be really cool if Link and Zelda were able to power on these relics in order to control them. Imagine the guardians becoming a new gameplay mechanic in which the player must control or command them in order to solve puzzles and defeat giant enemies (or groups). Much like how the divine beasts could be reintroduced in Breath of the Wild 2, the guardians from the original game have a lot of potential for the sequel.

The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is currently in development for the Nintendo Switch, with no confirmed release date.

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