Pre-Release The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Pre-Release Discussion Thread

[Sunshinemario]

It would be great if there was a full 7-dungeon linear quest and storyline, but that you could leave it to explore a large amount of new open world stuff whenever you want. Like BotW surrounding the core of a traditional Zelda.

That’s likely what it will end up being. Possibly even A Link Between Worlds style, where you can tackle said 7 dungeons in any order

 

[TheMoon]

You are not alone. BotW is the most successful Zelda ever, and praised like OoT.

Anyone who believes Zelda “needs” to go back to past dungeons layouts are ignoring the reality.

One thing is to prefer the old dungeons and another one is to believe it is needed.

Personally, I liked the BotW approach and can’t wait to see what other kind of dungeons they are going to offer to us.

It feels like posts like this miss the point of what people are saying. I don't think the group of people asking for "proper dungeons" is saying we want to play Ocarina of Time-XXIV. The point has been elaborated on countless times since 2017: What people miss is the bespoke theming, the vast maze of a mysterious "building" (in quotes bc it could be lots of things that isn't a house/castle), the "not knowing what awaits you inside" vs the uniformity and predictable brevity of the shrines (which, as I mentioned a few posts earlier, were perfect for BotW).

 

[Golden]

You are not alone. BotW is the most successful Zelda ever, and praised like OoT.

Anyone who believes Zelda “needs” to go back to past dungeons layouts are ignoring the reality.

One thing is to prefer the old dungeons and another one is to believe it is needed.

Personally, I liked the BotW approach and can’t wait to see what other kind of dungeons they are going to offer to us.

Exactly !! I would like something more grand like past Zelda dungeon's themed just visual wise. But i don't necessarily want them to go back to the room by room type of Dungeon. I feel like Botw made the franchise so open i feel like it would kill that sense to have to go through doors for every rooms in a dungeon.

So visually, i like the big temples. But they will def not totally go back to how they were.

 

[TheMoon]

Hyurle Castle didn't feel like a huge dungeon and more like an area that happened to have walls and roof. There was no puzzle. It was still a pretty nice sequence, but that was not a proper dungeon.

There's only no puzzle if you don't engage with the space and just go through to the end. There are so many secrets things hidden in that place. It was such a fresh concept for a dungeon that is open from the get-go and you can return to numerous times throughout the whole game and find new things, with even a sidequest or two bringing you back there to do something. It's been one of the most inspiring things to think about when looking ahead at what they could do in Tears of the Kingdom with "classic" dungeons.

 

[TheMoon]

Pretty cool looking

I was like, "is gamespot stealing the video concept from that botw combat video youtuber from a few years ago?"



but then I realized Rin is involved and is also the guy who made the "18 things you still don't know" video for them (apparently he's now a video producer at gamespot!).

So this is basically the sequel. Nice!

 

[sanstea]

I heavily doubt exploration and non-linearity will play a lesser part in the sequel of BotW. Basically guaranteed that they will try to at the least come close to the original in that regard.

Yeah, lots of wishful assumptions made from a persepective of old-time Zelda players. I don't expect any huge underground network, rather conservative dungeons set-up like ALBW (nevermind getting new items in each one like in past 3D Zelda games) or the removal of the rough idea of the shrine concept.

 

[Golden]

There's only no puzzle if you don't engage with the space and just go through to the end. There are so many secrets things hidden in that place. It was such a fresh concept for a dungeon that is open from the get-go and you can return to numerous times throughout the whole game and find new things, with even a sidequest or two bringing you back there to do something. It's been one of the most inspiring things to think about when looking ahead at what they could do in Tears of the Kingdom with "classic" dungeons.

That's the thing, Nintendo clearly didn't intend this to be a dungeon. Maybe the community perceives it as one, but it isn't. There is literally a shrine in there. I have gone through every secret and i still didn't put this area as a dungeon. The only thing is the map but again, there was no overall mechanic, no new item, there was nothing that a Zelda dungeon gives you. And that's ok, it doesn't make the area less enjoyable.

But i do agree that, taking what they did with Hyrule Castle in Botw and making an actual dungeon like this is the way to go. I doubt they will go back to seperate rooms.

 

[sanstea]

Yeah, Hyrule Castle is explicitly not a dungeon. It's part of the overworld with the same things you do in the overworld only in a huge castle environment. They do not evoke or are even close to a replacement at all to the stricter puzzle environments of past 3D Zelda games.

 

[TheMoon]

Then why is it such a cool dungeon, though

let go of these narrow definitions of what a dungeon is or can be! breathe in the radical idea of open dungeon-spaces!

 

[BY2K]

I consider Hyrule Castle a dungeon, but only in the sense that it's a building we have to traverse to get to a boss at the end.

 

[Serif]

They can explore massive interiors and exteriors with unique themes without adhering to some strict definition of what a dungeon is, whether OoT or Zelda 1 like. Could either be a gauntlet of enemies, a series of puzzle rooms or a bespoke structure you can manipulate.

I still like Snowpeak Ruins from TP as an example of using this non-temple non-traditional looking building and fashioning it into a dungeon, with environmental storytelling (its a weapons armory frozen over with Yetis moving in).

Places like Akkala Citadel, Forgotten Temple, Eventide Island, Thyplo Ruins, Thundra Plateau.. they're closer to what I want, but aside from Eventide, don't go all the way. I would love for them to be expanded.

 

[balgajo]

I really like Hyrule Castle. And I'm really open to a lot of dungeons format. Room by room, open like hyrule castle, with puzzle that involves all the dungeon like lakebed, water temple, divine beasts, different entraces like the alltp forest one, mix some of them... Anyway, just don't repeat one structure for all dungeons and call it a day.
Also I want them to be unique, have a nice atmosphere and architecture.

EDIT: Another thing that I forgot is unique dungeon enemies.

 

[sanstea]

Hyrule Castle is a dungeon in the general sense of the word just like Elden Ring also has dungeons in the form of the Legacy Dungeons.

A Zelda dungeon, though? Not at all and @Golden has the right idea in that it doesn't make the area any less enjoyable because it's just has completely different appeal.

You could change that concept so hard to make it a Zelda dungeon, but then it isn't Hyrule Castle anymore and you lose a lot of things that made it enjoyable which is a huge, free-roam castle environment.

I definitely would love more Hyrule Castle-like environments in the overworld, but they are not a replacement for shrines or divine beast. Both can happily co-exist.

 

[TheMoon]

They can explore massive interiors and exteriors with unique themes without adhering to some strict definition of what a dungeon is, whether OoT or Zelda 1 like. Could either be a gauntlet of enemies, a series of puzzle rooms or a bespoke structure you can manipulate.

I still like Snowpeak Ruins from TP as an example of using this non-temple non-traditional looking building and fashioning it into a dungeon, with environmental storytelling (its a weapons armory frozen over with Yetis moving in).

Places like Akkala Citadel, Forgotten Temple, Eventide Island, Thyplo Ruins, Thundra Plateau.. they're closer to what I want, but aside from Eventide, don't go all the way. I would love for them to be expanded.

Exactly this. This is what I was getting at. The Labyrinths as well! Of course they're fairly simplistic but in a way they're just vertical versions of the NES-style block maze room dungeons.

I don't necessarily need a dungeon to be this hyper-strict "get an item, fight a boss, get a part of the game's macguffin at the end" thing. I just want it to be an elaborate, distinct space to play in that presents me with some sort of challenge that uses the game's mechanics in a cool way. That COULD be a "get item, solve item-specific puzzles" dungeon like ripped right out of OoT or something or it could be Eventide Island or something like that.

 

[Golden]

There is a clear difference between Shrines and Divine beasts that ARE open dungeons without rooms and hyrule castle. Now come on now.
That being said, i'm sure the temples in ToTK will be similar to what Hyrule Castle was but more dungeony. Without being a closed area necessarily, a Zelda dungeon does need some structure to it which Hyrule Castle doesn't. There is no real progression.

 

[Kevin360]

I've done 30 shrines in my new play through, and have not grow weary at all (and didn't at 120 when the game launched). I love them, and their various quests, way more than themed temples.

 

[Mbolibombo]

Thanks for all the responses, I had quoted and responded to everyone was about to enter and suddenly crash
which led to no text left and, I'm just feeling very old tonight and wont re-type it all again Thanks for understanding.

But in short; I dont mind more Dungeons, but I do hope they're more BotW approach than traditional Zelda approach.

 

[TheMoon]

There is a clear difference between Shrines and Divine beasts that ARE open dungeons without rooms and hyrule castle. Now come on now.
That being said, i'm sure the temples in ToTK will be similar to what Hyrule Castle was but more dungeony. Without being a closed area necessarily, a Zelda dungeon does need some structure to it which Hyrule Castle doesn't. There is no real progression.

(preamble: just to avoid any confusion, what I am and have been talking about is all just about broad possibilities. In no way am I trying to say all dungeons should be either this or that or the other thing, the beautiful part about all of this is that we literally could have everything!)

Why does there need to be structure? The cool and uniquely interesting thing about HC was that there wasn't a structure with a clear progression! Go in one way, find some high end gear, leave again. Meet that NPC at the stable who wants the royal recipes, go back in from a different direction, go find Zelda's diary and another hidden room, leave. Come back even later, this time from below, stumble over the jail and find the Hylian Shield, leave, get sidetracked and run into the Shrine on the way out! Come back towards the end, different entrance point, you're set on the big guy, to end things finally but your eye is drawn to that one tower you never went to earlier, step inside, TRAP! LYNEL! You make it out, heart racing from the close quarters fight and you climb the tower to face purple pig cloud.

OR you just do it all in one. You go in that one time and you don't come out until you've crawled through every nook and cranny. It's the BotW experience wrapped into a dungeon space.

I see no point or benefit in discounting HC as "a dungeon" in BotW. We don't need to even define what "a Zelda dungeon" is in such a limiting way. Imo this only helps people who like making top 10 lists on youtube or somesuch. Embrace the fluid nature of the play space! We could have one of these dungeons, one 1998-style dungeon, a set of Shrine-like puzzle/challenge boxes, a survival island, a swamp shrouded in darkness and so on... All in the same game, no problem!

 

[Sunshinemario]

Thanks for all the responses, I had quoted and responded to everyone was about to enter and suddenly crash
which led to no text left and, I'm just feeling very old tonight and wont re-type it all again Thanks for understanding.

But in short; I dont mind more Dungeons, but I do hope they're more BotW approach than traditional Zelda approach.

They’ll be A Link Between Worlds approach.
So traditional dungeons but you can do them in any order.

Pretty sure this is what will happen. Highly doubt Divine Beasts are coming back, it doesn’t even make narrative sense.

 

[UndercoverSheikah]

Why can't there be a mix of traditional and open dungeons so there is something for everyone? The more styles of dungeons, the better imo. What BotW was missing was variety.

 

[LukasManak22]

wrong thread

 

[maidhhc]

i wouldn't mind if there were two tiers of dungeons, like a group of four dungeons that you could complete in any order, the completion of which would unlock 3 more advanced/complex ones

this could allow you to gain items which will all be used in the later dungeons, if dungeon items (abilities) return

 

[Layalseif]

whynotboth.gif

that lair/crypt with ganondorf's body could be your first dungeon or a "return to it later" dungeon

the initial reveal trailer was solely focused on the "awaken the corpse" scenario so it would be weird if it were just a completely different location

He was under the Shrine of Resurrection this whole time

 

[Layalseif]

Fuck Nintendo and fuck myself...XD
Just cancelled my PSVR2 pre-order. I'm still not strong enough to be able to ignore a Zelda launch to play it on a better way later.

Before buying a OLED model I will wait for the next direct just to be 100% sure they will not release a new hardware in a nearby date.

Or wait to buy the Zelda OLED, play TOTK on it, then trade it in, or sell it and buy the new hardware Win win.

 

[TheMoon]

Why can't there be a mix of traditional and open dungeons so there is something for everyone? The more styles of dungeons, the better imo. What BotW was missing was variety.

I mean that's literally my whole point. There's no need to even argue about either/or

 

[Ab]

That's the thing, Nintendo clearly didn't intend this to be a dungeon. Maybe the community perceives it as one, but it isn't. There is literally a shrine in there. I have gone through every secret and i still didn't put this area as a dungeon. The only thing is the map but again, there was no overall mechanic, no new item, there was nothing that a Zelda dungeon gives you. And that's ok, it doesn't make the area less enjoyable.

But i do agree that, taking what they did with Hyrule Castle in Botw and making an actual dungeon like this is the way to go. I doubt they will go back to seperate rooms.

You can access Hyrule castle at anytime. Nintendo wouldn't let you "get a new item/ability" because of that sole reason. Technically it's the games final dungeon. But it can be accessed at any point in the game

 

[Gamecocks625]

I've done 30 shrines in my new play through, and have not grow weary at all (and didn't at 120 when the game launched). I love them, and their various quests, way more than themed temples.

Same. I have 100%’d BOTW and replayed it over and over again because I love the smaller puzzles that are presented in the form of Shrines. It’s like you have this exploring aspect of the over world which is super relaxing and then you can dip into a fun puzzle in a Shrine for about 10-15 minutes and you’re on to your next one. Just hits at what I like about games in general

 

[Awesomegames23]

Shrines were a lot of fun, but the divine beasts didn't cut it for me. Dungeons don't only have themes, but new and memorable enemies. The Divine Beasts didn't have great bosses, and there were no new enemies in any of them. Hopefully we'll see some new enemies in the TotK dungeons.

 

[Rareware]

Shrines were a lot of fun, but the divine beasts didn't cut it for me. Dungeons don't only have themes, but new and memorable enemies. The Divine Beasts didn't have great bosses, and there were no new enemies in any of them. Hopefully we'll see some new enemies in the TotK dungeons.

This. TotK needs a shrine equivalent, but this time with some big ol’ traditional dungeons to go with them. No doubt in my mind this is happening.

 

[Awesomegames23]

Can't wait for all the early morning, May 12th, Wal-Mart electronics section speed runs people will post in less than 4 months.

 

[ZeldaPY]

This. TotK needs a shrine equivalent, but this time with some big ol’ traditional dungeons to go with them. No doubt in my mind this is happening.

I agree 100%. And I think that creates a nice balance. I still think for the players that expect this game to be just like BotW and just mostly enjoyed BotW for its pure openness where if you can see it, you can go there, are going to be let down somewhat. While I don’t think we are going back to strictly a linear format, I would be surprised if there are not more story objectives that will need to be completed before facing Gannonforf, such as fixing the Master sword etc.
We have seen hints of this from the box art with the cyclone and malice coming out of death mountain that will probably limit exploration right away in some areas, as well as just the simple nature of trying to figure out how to get to different sky islands. I see that as potentially just being like one open air dungeon in itself.

 

[ZeldaPY]

Shrines were a lot of fun, but the divine beasts didn't cut it for me. Dungeons don't only have themes, but new and memorable enemies. The Divine Beasts didn't have great bosses, and there were no new enemies in any of them. Hopefully we'll see some new enemies in the TotK dungeons.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat, if they had made the objectives a little different in each one instead of just turning on terminals and gave us some unique bosses that would have gone a long way. I am still amazed at what a low effort the blights and the final boss felt like as far as bosses. The argument I see a lot from people is that the Zelda Team was so focused on breaking the mold of the Zelda format and creating the world in BotW that the copy-paste format was used or they ran out of time. And I know some people enjoyed them or thought they were fine, but for me by the 3rd and 4th one I struggled to get through them because it was been there done that.

 

[Rareware]

I agree 100%. And I think that creates a nice balance. I still think for the players that expect this game to be just like BotW and just mostly enjoyed BotW for its pure openness where if you can see it, you can go there, are going to be let down somewhat. While I don’t think we are going back to strictly a linear format, I would be surprised if there are not more story objectives that will need to be completed before facing Gannonforf, such as fixing the Master sword etc.
We have seen hints of this from the box art with the cyclone and malice coming out of death mountain that will probably limit exploration right away in some areas, as well as just the simple nature of trying to figure out how to get to different sky islands. I see that as potentially just being like one open air dungeon in itself.

I don’t think that open-ness will go away and you’ll still be able to go anywhere, but I do agree in thinking it will be a bit more restricted in a “classic Zelda” type of way, as in you may need to acquire a certain item or power to reach some very specific areas. I could see the dungeons maybe being open to any order, but I don’t think we’ll be able to go to that floating Hyrule Castle until the end game (assuming that’s the real final area and personally I think it’ll happen with mounting a legendary Loftwing).

One of the things that excites me the most about the game is actually its long development cycle. They’re reusing the same world but obviously extended vertically and with a lot of changes, and they haven’t had to spend years developing a brand new engine, so in theory most of the time has been spent just creating content. So think and expect it’s going to be packed to the gills with content. It may make BotW look incredibly barren in comparison.

 

[ZeldaPY]

I don’t think that open-ness will go away and you’ll still be able to go anywhere, but I do agree in thinking it will be a bit more restricted in a “classic Zelda” type of way, as in you may need to acquire a certain item or power to reach some very specific areas. I could see the dungeons maybe being open to any order, but I don’t think we’ll be able to go to that floating Hyrule Castle until the end game (assuming that’s the real final area and personally I think it’ll happen with mounting a legendary Loftwing).

One of the things that excites me the most about the game is actually its long development cycle. They’re reusing the same world but obviously extended vertically and with a lot of changes, and they haven’t had to spend years developing a brand new engine, so in theory most of the time has been spent just creating content. So think and expect it’s going to be packed to the gills with content. It may make BotW look incredibly barren in comparison.

I actually think freely traversing the open sky and making it seemless across such a huge map was a lot more difficult than perhaps they anticipated. Then adding in completely different physics mechanics as we have seen with some of the Patents may have been almost like starting over. But I agree with base map of Hyrule already complete, they would then just be focusing on adding in new enemies, dungeons, story and quests. I just have a lot of faith in the Zelda Tesm and I think what’s really going to be ground breaking and unique is the verticality of the game play style.

 

[Serif]

Crazy to think they've had most of the base map of Hyrule designed since 2014, going off that Game Awards demo.

Imagine in that 7-8 year time period, how many ideas they would have cooked up that didn't make it into the first game.

For completeness' sake here's a comparison of that map and the final one.

 

[Rareware]

I actually think freely traversing the open sky and making it seemless across such a huge map was a lot more difficult than perhaps they anticipated. Then adding in completely different physics mechanics as we have seen with some of the Patents may have been almost like starting over. But I agree with base map of Hyrule already complete, they would then just be focusing on adding in new enemies, dungeons, story and quests. I just have a lot of faith in the Zelda Tesm and I think what’s really going to be ground breaking and unique is the verticality of the game play style.

I agree. The complexity of getting this new vertical stuff implemented has to be challenging. I’ve not doubt the Zelda team has pulled it off though and can’t wait to see what they have it store for us. I think it’s going to be exciting once finally see what the big gameplay loop and mechanics are.

 

[ZeldaPY]

I don’t normally post videos but it’s only 30 seconds and I found this short to be very convincing, I was always leaning towards them being lotus flowers on the green golem.

 

[LukasManak22]

The fact that the brochure with Switch Online logo has not appeared online yet makes it pretty clear that it was probably fake (?). I assume it would be already available online by now, and not sure why would they do brochure with upcoming games by the very end of year when they can just wait for Direct in February with new info and new titles. They always did these brochures in Fall, not after Holidays. So it was fake.

 

[Awesomegames23]

I don’t normally post videos but it’s only 30 seconds and I found this short to be very convincing, I was always leaning towards them being lotus flowers on the green golem.

Not sure about the pine cone idea, I think there’s better evidence that it’s a lotus flower than a pine cone.

 

[TheMoon]

I don’t normally post videos but it’s only 30 seconds and I found this short to be very convincing, I was always leaning towards them being lotus flowers on the green golem.

if anyone else is also allergic to math and needs the fibonacci number thing explained or just wants to learn a cool fact to maybe fill the next awkward silence with in a social situation, this five minute video is glorious:

Not sure about the pine cone idea, I think there’s better evidence that it’s a lotus flower than a pine cone.

I mean

 

[Serif]

I mean

They were referring to a Lotus bud, which is a Buddhist symbol.

 

[Awesomegames23]

White lotus buds look very similar to the symbol. @Serif also pointed out that they used a lotus before and modeled it similarly. Also, a flower bud makes sense considering BOTW referenced the Silent Princess in the title (on the Z).

 

[TheMoon]

They were referring to a Lotus bud, which is a Buddhist symbol.

yea that's much closer than the blooming flower

but also, if you watch that math video, it really doesn't matter since everything comes down to the fibonacci golden rule swirl which is the tear drop symbol anyway

 

[Deleted member 2181]

In the "for" column of it being a pine cone:
The Life in the Ruins trailer for Breath of the Wild opened with a Sheikah Eye shedding a tear which lands on the ground and seeds a forest of trees.

 

[Serif]

Imo the already existing Shinto / Buddhist imagery in the game (Torii gates, Suzu bell, zen gardens) and the use of the Lotus flower / bud in Skyward Sword in both Skyward Sword and the Ancient Cistern just strengthens my belief in this being more lotus imagery.

The lotus is representative of purity, rebirth, and floating above 'muddy water' (I think of Malice).

The Zonai seem to be this fusion of Mesoamerican, Japanese Shinto / Buddhist, and Classical Greco-Roman. They seem like a people focused on the sacred and enlightenment, possibly ascending to the clouds to move closer to the Gods.

Just a guess, though.

 

[Aether]

Crazy to think they've had most of the base map of Hyrule designed since 2014, going off that Game Awards demo.

Imagine in that 7-8 year time period, how many ideas they would have cooked up that didn't make it into the first game.

For completeness' sake here's a comparison of that map and the final one.

this also explains why the lower right portion of the map always fell the most "finished" to me, while the hebra region and gerudo highlands kinda felt... underutilized.

Imo the already existing Shinto / Buddhist imagery in the game (Torii gates, Suzu bell, zen gardens) and the use of the Lotus flower / bud in Skyward Sword in both Skyward Sword and the Ancient Cistern just strengthens my belief in this being more lotus imagery.

The lotus is representative of purity, rebirth, and floating above 'muddy water' (I think of Malice).

The Zonai seem to be this fusion of Mesoamerican, Japanese Shinto / Buddhist, and Classical Greco-Roman. They seem like a people focused on the sacred and enlightenment, possibly ascending to the clouds to move closer to the Gods.

Just a guess, though.

the confusing thing to me is the barbarian armor. doesn't really fit into the whole "zonai are so enlightened", neither by design nor by concept.

 

[Ab]

I do think they had an idea for a sequel right when they made this sequel. That was too much of a tease. And i think that's why they announced the sequel early since it was kind of anticipated they might do a sequel. Usually Zelda game ends with a clear ending and this one was like "uh oh, something happened".

So i think ToTK might start right after Botw. I anticipate a cutscene of short shots of them trying to figure out what is happening and then going into that cave to discover Ganon. Link somewhat being taken to the Sky and starts his adventure there.

Well since ToTK started as DLC i wouldn't be surprised they weren't planning a sequel from the ending. They might of planned to continue the story with an expansion or DLC

 

[Stinky Horse]

Wouldn't be shocked if the intro is told in flashback after Link wakes up. A bit like what Metroid Dread did but perhaps a bit less disorientating than that.
Not saying that it would be the equivalent of collecting memories in BotW! but maybe the equivalent of the scene on top of the plateau tower is like a flashback instead. And Zelda won't be able to talk to you because she's deeeead. until you rewind her corpse obvs.

 

[BY2K]

Crazy to think they've had most of the base map of Hyrule designed since 2014, going off that Game Awards demo.

Imagine in that 7-8 year time period, how many ideas they would have cooked up that didn't make it into the first game.

For completeness' sake here's a comparison of that map and the final one.

Overall the map hasn't changed all that much between 2014 and 2017, but there's some notable differences.

1. Someone must have thought the West side of the map didn't have enough water because quite a bit of it was added in the 2017 map.
2. Either Hyrule Castle wasn't as detailed as it ends up being in the 2017 map or it was wasn't there at all in the 2014 map. The story clearly wasn't set yet in 2014.
3. In fact, this and the fact they Aonuma mentions "we must be near a dungeon" in the 2014 demonstration tells me that the Divine Beasts and the Sheikah tech weren't even thought of in 2014. Link also doesn't have the Sheikah Slate.

(The design philosophy of BOTW was clearly about the freedom first, and the story only came once that was set.)

4. The line of 4 small landmasses in the North-East side of the map wasn't there in the 2014 map.
5. Eventide Island was a lot rounder in the 2014 version.
6. Judging by the colors on the 2014 map, it used to be possible to walk on a lot more water further away from the coastlines. Look at the South-West corner of the map, for instance.

 

[Cevan]

the confusing thing to me is the barbarian armor. doesn't really fit into the whole "zonai are so enlightened", neither by design nor by concept.

the thing is the barbarian zonai inhabited hyrule 10,000+ years ago – considering their connection to the spring of courage, what we know of tears of the kingdom, and the zonai’s distinct and apparent disappearance it’s not a stretch to suggest that they somehow reached enlightenment and left the surface to live in the skies above hyrule