Despite finally having an official release date and title confirmed, many details surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom remain a mystery, but some suspect the latest trailer from September's Nintendo Direct could be hiding clues to the game's story. While fans have begun analyzing Tears of the Kingdom's subtitle, others have turned to the most recent trailer to dissect it for any other hints that could fuel further speculation. In particular, fans have noticed that once more murals depicting the history of Hyrule and the Calamity Ganon have made a return.
As soon as a sequel to Breath of the Wild had been confirmed with a first-look trailer all the way back in 2019, murals have made several fleeting appearances, such as in the background when Link and Zelda explore below Hyrule. But the latest trailer has gone a step further than this, with the lead into the trailer focusing on several murals before cutting to gameplay from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Without context, it's difficult to understand exactly what they might mean for the game's story, but this hasn't stopped fans from trying to decipher their hidden meanings in anticipation of the upcoming sequel.
First Mural: Ganon's Forces Attack
At face value, the first mural audiences saw from the trailer isn't overtly new. Many players will at this point be familiar with the story of how the Calamity Ganon first attacked Hyrule and the ensuing war between the Hylians and Ganon's forces. What's interesting about the mural comes in two parts. First, the Malice is given more emphasis, as its telltale red is the only color the mural ever uses. Previous trailers have shown how the Malice could be more involved with the game's story than just an environmental hazard from Breath of the Wild, especially as it seems to leak from Ganon's mummified remains.
Secondly, the framing of the mural for audiences highlights one lone Hylian soldier in particular who is immersed in the malice. While not stylized to look like Link, fans believe this could be a nod to Link, as he was a Hylian soldier who served alone as Zelda's guard and was then a survivor of the Calamity Ganon's war. As mentioned, other trailers for Breath of the Wild's sequel have emphasized Malice, such as E3's 2021 trailer showing Link's arm being swarmed by malice. The connection here could be that malice has infected Link and could play a role in Link's story throughout Tears of the Kingdom.
Second Mural: Deity-Like Figure Surrounded By Unknown Symbols
Perhaps the strangest out of all those depicted in the recent trailer, the second mural appears to show an unknown figure surrounded by seven equally unknown symbols. The figure seems to be reminiscent of some kind of deity, but it doesn't match other Goddess statues dedicated to Hylia seen throughout Breath of the Wild. Fans are therefore undecided if this unconfirmed figure is a new or old character for the series' lore.
However, the odd symbols surrounding this figure also have fans stumped as their purpose or meaning is likewise unclear. Since there are seven symbols in total, some fans have connected this to Zelda's persisting use of the seven sages, seen in the likes of Ocarina of Time or A Link Between Worlds. Though the sages returning is a popular theory among Zelda fans, others have instead suggested that the seven symbols could indicate how many dungeons Tears of the Kingdom might have, provided that the game diverges away from Breath of the Wild and returns to the series' traditional roots.
Third Possible Mural: Zelda But No Link
The last murals seen before Tears of the Kingdom's gameplay takes over are close-ups of Zelda, who can be recognized by her stylized appearance matching her Breath of the Wild mural depictions. These two close-ups could be from separate murals, but as both focus on Zelda, it's possible the trailer is drawing a connection between them. Both close-ups are also noticeably without Link, leaving his absence to fill with wild speculation alongside other details hidden in Tears of the Kingdom's trailer.
The first close-up shows Zelda suspended in the air, seeming to be falling towards malice. Fans have pointed out that it's just as likely she's being possessed or abducted, owing to small details like Zelda's blank eye and her body posture. In particular, some fans have noted the imagery parallels this draws to other games like Twilight Princess where Ganon possesses Zelda. This suggests the two games may have stronger ties than first thought, after early speculation connected Twilight Princess to Tears of the Kingdom via its green magic or how corpse Ganon looks eerily similar to Twilight Princess Ganon.
Though the second close-up depicts Zelda, it simultaneously cuts off a second person she is holding hands with, only the other hand appears slightly inhuman. This is where Link's absence is most felt, as traditionally the pair have always been presented as a united front against Ganon. Some suspect that Link's absence ties back to theories of his Malice infection and that Tears of the Kingdom could see Link battling his corruption as it prevents him from helping Zelda defeat Ganon. The mural could likely be showing Link's hand albeit from his corrupted arm, but Nintendo might not want to spoil this twist just yet.
Until more details are revealed before Tears of the Kingdom's official launch in early 2023, fans can only wait until the release of the game to find out for themselves what new mysteries await them when they revisit Hyrule. Already the game promises a huge expansion to the world seen in Breath of the Wild, from floating sky islands to new magical abilities, so expectations are high in anticipation of the long-awaited sequel. Fans can therefore only hope that the game's story will be as equally expansive as the first, with more to do and uncover than ever before.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on May 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.