Well, we're running out of time before the game leaks. Let's toss out the last of our thoughts, predictions, and analysis, before our fun is spoiled by leaks. I think the major themes of the game have crystallized with the most recent information and that big trailer so I'll toss together some thoughts I have on the matter.
The original version of
this comment I made comparing BotW's main theme to TotK's almost included some meandering where I tried to link the main theme to the theory many others have shared that the fuse mechanic would hold the greatest thematic/aesthetic relevance. That is, the idea that connections and unions would be seen throughout the game both as a visual pattern and as an overarching narrative theme. There were/are two aspects of the song that pushed me in that direction: first, the more jubilant and triumphant sound, and second, the sequence where different instruments echo short verses one after another, as if they're in conversation. It reminded me of Tarrey Town's theme, where different instruments representing all of the people of Hyrule are layered over an initially minimalist song. Well, that final trailer pushed this idea from an inkling to a near certainty—"you're not alone," Link.
I really hope establishments like this new one in Castle Town feature a diverse mix of BotW's different people, working together to rebuild the kingdom.
"You're not alone, Link": bucket head will die for the cause.
In BotW, the various tribes of Hyrule essentially live in silos due to a mix of fear and inertia. BotW isn't a dour story—in various ways the people, especially the children, of Hyrule show how the calamity is beginning to fade into the background—but there's no denying that land has been fragmented and people have been driven into its far corners. In contrast, it seems TotK will reveal a different future for Hyrule, one that resembles Tarrey Town instead: all of the disparate people of Hyrule coming together to fight for and forge a new, more unified kingdom. In TotK, Link is intended to rescue the kingdom by leaning into his relationships across Hyrule, strengthening individual bonds and rallying together larger groups for battle. I imagine going it alone will result in another fairly sudden and hollow ending, like defeating Calamity Ganon without completing all of Link's memories.
Sidon is wearing his father's crown in this shot.
A lot of people have been puzzled by the decision to feature Tulin over Teba in TotK, and I think there are both narrative and game design reasons for the choice. TotK features a time skip, and the easiest way to relay that passage of time is to focus on younger characters, as their changes will be the most dramatic. In addition, TotK, like Wind Waker before it, seems to be emphasizing a changing of the guard and the obligation of older generations towards the newest. Sidon, the prince, seems to succeed his father at some point in the game (see above), Riju was forced onto the throne as a child, and Tulin replaces Teba as Link's Rito ally. These are younger heroes that represent the kingdom's future and its transitional status.
Lastly, and tying into the above point, there's the question of Zelda and the role of the past in this story. Assuming that the Nazca line-esque glyphs found all over the kingdom host cutscenes showing events in the deep past (in no way confirmed but an idea I'm leaning towards now, though I hope they also come with a unique gameplay idea), this
could give an interesting spin to BotW's memories idea. Rather than stirring Link's own memories, we'd be exploring the memories of the kingdom, etched into the land by its ancient people—or perhaps Zelda? In which case, this is a story in which the people of Hyrule's past set the stage for the new generation to bring about a more decisive end to the kingdom's most torturous relic—a man whose preoccupation with the kingdom's past has been explored well in Wind Waker. Ganondorf says he's going to birth a new world, but I wouldn't be surprised if that "new world" is just the image of 'his' Hyrule frozen in his mind.
