Part of what has made the Legend of Zelda series so enduring is its many strong characters. Link has always remained the series’ star, and while he’s proven to be a consistently strong protagonist, it’s high time that another beloved character had the spotlight. There are plenty of other Case Closed Characters whose combination of interesting storyline potential and intriguing combat styles would shake things up in innovative ways. As players replay Zelda games before Tears of the Kingdom releases, they will likely even come across more strong candidates for other main characters not listed here. While these **Legend of Zelda ** characters may never get their time in the sun, their potential is a testament to the series’ well-crafted charact
Ocarina of Time is often considered to be the definitive Zelda game as it introduced much of the series’ most important lore while simultaneously splitting its timeline. Ocarina ’s use of time travel via the Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword, and the Door of Time opened the path to the Sacred Realm, allowing Ganondorf to enter and claim the Triforce. Depending on the outcome of Link’s final battle against Demon King Ganon, the timeline splits into three distinct branches, any of which could be relevant again in TO
The eponymous Twilight Princess from the game of the same name would make an excellent star of a title all her own. Whether she would be in her true form or the much tinier appearance she has in most of Twilight Princess , Midna is both a powerful and entertaining character that would make for an incredibly enjoyable game experience. Midna is one of Link’s best companions in Legend of Zelda ‘s long-running history, and has a combination of unique magic and interesting backstory that make her a perfect potential protagonist. Her fighting prowess was really showcased in Hyrule Warriors, with her control of Shadows making for engaging combat, and she could give more insight into Twili l
Lady Riju is the Chief of the Gerudo who had a lot of doubts about being able to lead at such a young age, until Link showed up. Link calming the Diving Beast Vah Naboris helped her overcome her doubts, as she felt his arrival was a sign that Lady Urbosa was looking out for her. Despite his being a man, the Gerudo are true friends to Link. It is left to be seen whether the fact that Ganondorf is always Gerudo in Zelda will bring this group, with Riju at its lead, to the forefront in Tears of the King
Purah was certainly wise beyond her perceived years in BOTW . This is, of course, because she was not actually a child but rather 124 years old. However, Purah and Impa could change BOTW 2 through Purah’s researched anti-aging abilities. Despite her being a child in BOTW , she is actually Impa’s older sister and a scientist – director of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab where she studies Sheikah technology. Her aging experiments did not become a major focus in BOTW , but should Nintendo choose to, her research could yet be an important plot point in Tears of the Kingd
Sheik always seems to appear out of thin air when finding Link throughout Ocarina of Time , showing off a sly nature that would fit perfectly in a more stealth-focused title than the average Zelda game. A Sheik game could fall during the period of time Link is asleep in the Temple of Time and show more about what Sheik was actually doing in Ocarina of Time . Little is known about what happens during the seven years Link is asleep, and a Sheik game would be a great way to learn more about that period of time as well as explore Sheik’s combative capabilities as they hold their own in Link’s absence and wage war against Ganond
Despite the minimal information given in the trailer for Tears of the Kingdom from the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, the imagery from the hieroglyphs suggests that the Zonai will play an important role. It also seems that Hyrule’s history will be further explored, particularly the darker portions and possibly their role in the Great Calamities. This isn’t the first time that Hyrule’s history has been referenced as being dark, but the events of that history are not always expanded upon in-g
Time and time travel are prominent aspects in Zelda games, even putting aside The Legend of Zelda series’ split timelines , so it’s far from outside the realm of possibility for it to show up in Tears of the Kingdom . Age of Calamity especially brings the possibility of time travel that much closer with its story of an alternate Great Calamity and a time-traveling robot. However, it’s not certain that Link will travel to the past and stay there. There are other possibilities, such as short quests where Link is temporarily transported to the past, or ones where he experiences it as a flashback similar to the memories in BO
Ganondorf is hands-down the most iconic Legend of Zelda villain in the entire series, returning again and again to face up with Link throughout the series’ timeline. Zelda games are better when Ganondorf, not Ganon alone, are there, and although the series has done a good job over the years fleshing out the antagonist’s backstory, he could still absolutely shine in his own game. The story could perhaps show the powerful King of Gerudo during his ruling era, struggling to provide for his people in the Gerudo Desert before taking a deeply evil turn. In addition to telling a fresh take on his story, Ganondorf’s magical powers could provide interesting new combat mechanics that switch up gamep