Nintendo has sadly delayed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 into 2023, but not without sharing a little bit of new information about the game. The video in which Nintendo announced the delay included a brief clip of Link examining the damaged Master Sword, suggesting that he's on a journey to repair it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 may be all about the Master Sword, which would be interesting, although it would be far from the first game of its kind. Skyward Sword was famously an origin story for Link's signature weapon, meaning any other story about the Master Sword is bound to pay homage to it.
A Master Sword quest seems to be only one way that Breath of the Wild 2 relates to Skyward Sword, however. The game will feature flying islands that greatly increase the size of Breath of the Wild's map, which was already very impressive. Fans should note that these may not be the only characteristics it shares with Skyward Sword. Because of these aspects and Breath of the Wild's relationship with the goddess Hylia, many Skyward Sword characters might return in the upcoming game. Breath of the Wild 2's dark and mysterious plot seems like it could provide a wealth of opportunities for familiar Zelda faces to make unexpected appearances.
Possible Skyward Sword Characters
Breath of the Wild 2 seems to have very nearly confirmed that the Master Sword spirit Fi will appear somehow. Since Fi is the Master Sword's inhabitant, it would be hard to tell another story about the sword without letting Fi herself speak her piece. As the first Link's guide and the Master Sword's inhabitant, Fi also has a very close connection with Hylia, the Zelda goddess who first appeared in Skyward Sword and didn't play a major role again until Breath of the Wild. Certain cutscenes from Breath of the Wild seem to reference Fi in various ways, too, so her return is perfectly plausible.
Fi isn't the only character with ties to Hylia, though. In Skyward Sword, Link seeks out the guidance of various powerful beings who received important lore from Hylia long ago. One of those beings is the Sky Spirit Levias, who had a warm relationship with the inhabitants of Skyloft and served as an ally to Link. Levias' potential lifespan is unclear, but if he's a spirit, he may be immortal. Therefore, he may have been living in the skies above Hyrule for many thousands of years, becoming even more wizened with time. Breath of the Wild 2's new floating islands and the threat of Malice could give Levias cause to help Link again.
Aside from Levias, Skyward Sword also features three dragons who had ties to Hylia and learned parts of the Song of the Hero to pass down to Link. Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru may yet have more wisdom to share with Link, especially now that their goddess Hylia has regained prominence. The dragons may not be quite so immortal as a spirit, but there are plenty of ways that Breath of the Wild 2 could give Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru new roles in the next game. Whether they travel across time, appear from beyond the grave, or pass down their wisdom through descendants, the dragons of Skyward Sword could definitely play a part in Breath of the Wild 2.
Reviving Skyward Sword Stars
There's no shortage of roles that characters from Skyward Sword could play in the Breath of the Wild sequel. For instance, while Link seems to have a new ability that'll help him teleport upwards into some floating islands, he may need the help of a flying ally to explore the farther reaches of Breath of the Wild 2's islands. He probably isn't getting another Loftwing, but maybe Levias could ferry him to certain locations in the overworld, helping him gain the necessary altitude to reach his destinations.
Aside from navigating the sky, any returning Skyward Sword characters will naturally get involved in the journey to restore the Master Sword. Not only could Fi guide Link as she has before, but Levias and the Skyward Sword dragons might have some wisdom to share, thanks to their close ties to Hylia. The goddess rarely communicates with Link directly, but it would make plenty of sense if she passed on wisdom to Link through challenges and trials that Levias and the three dragons maintain. Even if they don't guide Link to repairing the Master Sword, they could help him rediscover the Triforce instead.
These four characters could be excellent sources of new skills in Breath of the Wild 2 as well. Link has a magical new arm in this game that seems to give him additional powers, and while some of that magic is likely innate, characters like Levias might be able to teach Link special techniques that change up combat and exploration in Breath of the Wild 2. Levias and the dragons are all masters of specific elements, meaning they could pass on a variety of offensive, defensive, and utilitarian abilities that diversify the Breath of the Wild experience.
Returning to the Legend of Zelda's Roots
The Legend of Zelda rarely passes on major characters between installations, save for a few. Breath of the Wild's Beedle has appeared in multiple games before, for instance, even though many spirits and other beings of power vanish between Zelda entries. While this helps each Zelda game stand out from the rest, it also means that a lot of interesting Zelda lore doesn't get used to its full potential. Breath of the Wild 2 really ought to break that pattern by tapping into previous Zelda storylines and making new use of old characters.
It could be a long time before Nintendo confirms whether Skyward Sword characters play a new part in Breath of the Wild 2. The game's major delay means that it may not be an advertising priority in 2022 after all; instead, Nintendo will hang onto core details until the end of the year, letting other major Nintendo games get their day in the sun first. That's disappointing for Zelda fans, but if Nintendo reveals major Skyward Sword connections, it'll be worth it. A Breath of the Wild sequel that ties the game together with the franchise's origin story would be really special, so hopefully that's on the table.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.