Spoiler The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Pre-Release Spoiler Discussion Thread (Tag Story Spoilers)

[ZeldaPY]

I was looking at this picture and thinking to myself it looks familiar

Then it struck me, it looks like the platform Ganndorf is sealed on from this image in the last trailer

Almost as if we are going to return to the scene of the crime in the past and before Gannondorf is sealed. The stone bridge could be the one that collapses that Zelda is standing on.

 

[HockeyBird]

I was looking at this picture and thinking to myself it looks familiar

Then it struck me, it looks like the platform Ganndorf is sealed on from this image in the last trailer

Almost as if we are going to return to the scene of the crime in the past and before Gannondorf is sealed. The stone bridge could be the one that collapses that Zelda is standing on.

It may just be concept art of the very beginning scene of the game and not something we return to later, although I think we will probably see it again in cutscenes. It's hard tell if Ganondorf is in the concept art but even if he isn't, the main point is to conceptualize the environment/area. Human character are often just inserted in just to give a sense of scale.

 

[Ced Naru]

All this time I thought that Link's arm was darkened after being messed up by malice. But now that I see Rauru's design and Link's actual damaged arm in the trailer, it seems that his new magic arm is not simply his original one with the corruption "contained" by those bracelets, but that he literally inherited the arm of whatever race Rauru belongs too.

In the trailer, Link is damaged way past the shoulder, but the dark skin of his new arm barely go past the elbow aside of the tattoos. Even the color and the length of the nails seem to match, unlike the hands holding Ganondorf which has wayyyyy longer nails.

 

[Selarmor]

Rauru's probably a rabbit. There's a statue of them in the artbook with rabbit paws. That'd also explain the long, floppy ears. (Note that Google claims it says "first chamber room" in the corner of this page, so maybe this is from a dungeon.)

Since you mentioned the long white mane, I'll bring up my own (probably off the mark) theory again: that long white hair is also common across the Lord of the Mountain and the new frog variant of that... species? Class of being? It could be a general way the art team signifies ancient, divine spirits, but as Rauru was originally the Sage of Light and the Lord of the Mountain a kind of being of light, there may be a relationship there. In fact...



...I originally thought the door Serif is talking about here might hint at another Lord creature as it has multiple eyes and some kind of antlers. Either way, I like this idea that we might encounter or at least learn about a series of ancient creatures that served as the basis for the Divine Beasts.

I think it's a much bigger leap to claim he's a rabbit creature because the hands on a statue that may be depicting him look like rabbit paws (I'm not seeing it) vs. all the features on his actual physical body that resemble the dragons from BotW, especially him having scales, but anything is possible.

All this time I thought that Link's arm was darkened after being messed up by malice. But now that I see Rauru's design and Link's actual damaged arm in the trailer, it seems that his new magic arm is not simply his original one with the corruption "contained" by those bracelets, but that he literally inherited the arm of whatever race Rauru belongs too.

In the trailer, Link is damaged way past the shoulder, but the dark skin of his new arm barely go past the elbow aside of the tattoos. Even the color and the length of the nails seem to match, unlike the hands holding Ganondorf which has wayyyyy longer nails.

Yeah, the armor with the red headpiece having the exact same bracelets on the other arm makes me think the bracelets on his right arm are purely decorative. The magic is the arm itself.

 

[ze_]

I think she is the girl next to rauru in the wall mural because she has the same jewel on his forehead. She has to be someone important

You know she's someone significant because her face doesn't look like a Mii.

No, but more seriously, she's definitely the woman in the mural. Long flowing hair, elongated ears, wearing a dress with a some sort of sash down the middle and several tags along the bottom, markings under her eyes and the appearance of a third one over her forward due to an adornment.

Note that she also shares some of these details in common with Rauru: the third eye, long ears (like the other Sky inhabitants), the eye markings, and general clothing. Some of this may just be because they're both representatives of the same group, but a particularly interesting detail is that Rauru and the woman each have a brown anklet, but on opposing legs. In the mural, they're forming a circle with their hands.

 

[Skittzo]

Referring to the OG.

That's Gaepora, isn't the owl/Rauru 's name Kaepora Gaebora? B instead of p?

I know it's an extremely minor difference haha

 

[Serif]

Both Rauru's and Link's arms, aside from the gauntlet, share an 'inert' gray skin color, that is activated with magic.

I think Rauru's entire body is meant to glow in that spectral green, like the Lord of the Mountain:

I'm assuming their design has changed since 2019, or Rauru can shapeshift the length of their fingers lol

Edit: Same wavelength as Ced Naru above

 

[HockeyBird]

We'll know if this Rauru is the same as the OoT Rauru if he sudden interrupts us like exploring and flips the yes/no responses when asking if he should repeat what he just said.

 

[Serif]

We'll know if this Rauru is the same as the OoT Rauru if he sudden interrupts us like exploring and flips the yes/no responses when asking if he should repeat what he just said.

 

[Skittzo]

We'll know if this Rauru is the same as the OoT Rauru if he sudden interrupts us like exploring and flips the yes/no responses when asking if he should repeat what he just said.

The twilight realm/spirit realm/sacred realm /dark world tends to turn people into other things, so maybe after sealing ganondorf at the end of OoT he got something transformed into this dragon rabbit (drabbit for short) that we see now.

What exactly was the lore behind the ganon sealing in the downfall timeline? Or was that fuzzy.

 

[ze_]

I think it's a much bigger leap to claim he's a rabbit creature because the hands on a statue that may be depicting him look like rabbit paws (I'm not seeing it) vs. all the features on his actual physical body that resemble the dragons from BotW, especially him having scales, but anything is possible.

These are distinctive rabbit paws imo:

That's Gaepora, isn't the owl/Rauru 's name Kaepora Gaebora? B instead of p?

I know it's an extremely minor difference haha

I don't think there's any doubting whether Gaepora is meant to be allude to both Rauru and Gaebora given his name, design, and well, his everything lol he's definitely part of the Rauru family of references across the series

 

[Serif]

This is presumably a training schedule, just based on the context of the other billboard art looking like instructional drawings.

Pie in the sky thought - what if they implemented a 4-day/7-day system in the game lol, and you can actually follow the training schedule exactly. Show up late afternoon Hyliasday to do some bow and arrow practice, rest up and then some sword sparring with the other knights on evening Nayrusday.

 

[Ced Naru]

This is presumably a training schedule, just based on the context of the other billboard art looking like instructional drawings.

Pie in the sky thought - what if they implemented a 4-day/7-day system in the game lol, and you can actually follow the training schedule exactly. Show up late afternoon Hyliasday to do some bow and arrow practice, rest up and then some sword sparring with the other knights on evening Nayrusday.

It's simply a page from the Bomber's notebook to keep track of the schedule of one NPC. Timeloop coming back confirmed .

 

[TreIII]

What exactly was the lore behind the ganon sealing in the downfall timeline? Or was that fuzzy.

Basically, even though Link failed to stop him from acquiring the full Triforce, Zelda and the Sages were still able to stop Ganon's total victory by sealing him in the Sacred Realm.

Then some time later, he nearly gets out again with a whole host of demons at his command, and the bloody conflict known as the Imprisoning War occurs, with no Hero to wield the Master Sword. Somehow, though, Hyrule's forces still put out a W and Ganon was re-sealed by that generation of Sages.

 

[Skittzo]

Basically, even though Link failed to stop him from acquiring the full Triforce, Zelda and the Sages were still able to stop Ganon's total victory by sealing him in the Sacred Realm.

Then some time later, he nearly gets out again with a whole host of demons at his command, and the bloody conflict known as the Imprisoning War occurs, with no Hero to wield the Master Sword. Somehow, though, Hyrule's forces still put out a W and Ganon was re-sealed by that generation of Sages.

So it's probably safe to say we're not going back all the way there. It's looking like there definitely is time travel though.

 

[Mr_No_U]

 

[ZeldaPY]

It may just be concept art of the very beginning scene of the game and not something we return to later, although I think we will probably see it again in cutscenes. It's hard tell if Ganondorf is in the concept art but even if he isn't, the main point is to conceptualize the environment/area. Human character are often just inserted in just to give a sense of scale.

I think we will see it again too. What would be cool af is if we actually get see the ritual of his sealing, which would make sense as more of an end game cutscene. If there truly is time travel, then perhaps a decision that needs to be made in game is rather or not to seal Ganondorf in the first place to prevent all the ensuing Calamities that occur afterwards.

 

[Selarmor]

These are distinctive rabbit paws imo:

That text translates to "side view of foot". I'm still not seeing it. It so abstract it could be the foot of a ton of animals.

 

[Skittzo]

I was looking at this picture and thinking to myself it looks familiar

Then it struck me, it looks like the platform Ganndorf is sealed on from this image in the last trailer

Almost as if we are going to return to the scene of the crime in the past and before Gannondorf is sealed. The stone bridge could be the one that collapses that Zelda is standing on.

Fwiw the text on the left translates to "omitted" so it seems likely that they've just left out the ganondorf stuff for the sake of the concept art.

 

[manfromthedam]

PSA that Goat Mom, Basket Lady and Ganondorf all have a distinct third eye.

 

[RagnarokX]

That only makes things even more interesting to consider with how Ganon plays into BOTW's lore this time around.

For example, what if the Zonai were less another defined race/tribe of people, and more along the lines of a "sect", "school" or just another "group" that welcomed the exceptional and taught them their ways, with a focus on attuning your power to a beast? That would help fit why the Barbarian Set was said to help "unleash your inner animal" to give you greater power. Perhaps that's what the "Boar" side of the school focused on, and that was what incited this incarnation of Ganondorf to join (before his turn)?

We’ve seen Ganondorf wearing Zonai-style clothes, too. Right shoulder bare toga style.

We have this mural of Basket falling into a pit of Malice.

We can confirm based on clothes that the person to the right of her is Ganondorf:

It appears over the 10k years ago Ganondorf threw Basket underground and then Basket and Rauru came together and used the tears to banish Ganondorf. Now history is repeating with Link and Zelda in their roles.

So Rauru was an owl in OoT, a town was named after him in Zelda 2, and now he's a Rabbit/Dragon Zonai deity/sage/person?

BotWs artist confirmed the dragons are based on goats.

 

[RagnarokX]

The twilight realm/spirit realm/sacred realm /dark world tends to turn people into other things, so maybe after sealing ganondorf at the end of OoT he got something transformed into this dragon rabbit (drabbit for short) that we see now.

What exactly was the lore behind the ganon sealing in the downfall timeline? Or was that fuzzy.

Basically, even though Link failed to stop him from acquiring the full Triforce, Zelda and the Sages were still able to stop Ganon's total victory by sealing him in the Sacred Realm.

Then some time later, he nearly gets out again with a whole host of demons at his command, and the bloody conflict known as the Imprisoning War occurs, with no Hero to wield the Master Sword. Somehow, though, Hyrule's forces still put out a W and Ganon was re-sealed by that generation of Sages.

To add to this, during the Imprisoning War Ganon’s Malice got out, which was described in the ALttP manual as a dark cloud encroaching on the castle and was called The Great Cataclysm (same word could have been translated as calamity). This was clearly the basis for Malice and Calamity Ganon in BotW. His Malice was seeping out.

 

[Serif]

Leaked art of Link turning into Rauru

 

[SirShorse]

Below Gerudo Desert:

Below Forgotten Temple:

Below Zora's Domain:

Below Great Deku Tree:

Below Death Mountain:

If this means we're getting themed dungeons again I'm actually going to fully shit

 

[Skittzo]

We’ve seen Ganondorf wearing Zonai-style clothes, too. Left shoulder bare toga style.


We have this mural of Basket falling into a pit of Malice.


We can confirm based on clothes that the person to the right of her is Ganondorf:

It appears over the 10k years ago Ganondorf threw Basket underground and then Basket and Rauru came together and used the tears to banish Ganondorf. Now history is repeating with Link and Zelda in their roles.


BotWs artist confirmed the dragons are based on goats.

Tangentially related, what do you all think is the significance of all of the Zonai warriors in the bottom row not wielding any weapons? Yet sorta shaking their fists? Maybe they're battle mages using their arms for magic?

And there's one closer to Ganon who isn't dead yet but also doesn't have a shield, unlike all the others. The differences there seem significant.

 

[RagnarokX]

Tangentially related, what do you all think is the significance of all of the Zonai warriors in the bottom row not wielding any weapons? Yet sorta shaking their fists? Maybe they're battle mages using their arms for magic?

And there's one closer to Ganon who isn't dead yet but also doesn't have a shield, unlike all the others. The differences there seem significant.

Their shield style makes me think they might be Hyruleans.

That one closer to Ganon might be a follower or betrayer.

 

[Serif]

This water themed area and these underground ruins seem related, based off the blue patterning and the diamond designs. The water place seems like it's in the sky, it has a walkway broken off and there seems to be a waterfall on the bottom right of it. Both these places give me Zora vibes, and on the bottom image there is clearly a Zonai structure.

Tangentially related, what do you all think is the significance of all of the Zonai warriors in the bottom row not wielding any weapons? Yet sorta shaking their fists? Maybe they're battle mages using their arms for magic?

And there's one closer to Ganon who isn't dead yet but also doesn't have a shield, unlike all the others. The differences there seem significant.

I assumed the Malice was melting weaponry.

 

[doop]

This water themed area and these underground ruins seem related, based off the blue patterning and the diamond designs. The water place seems like it's in the sky, it has a walkway broken off and there seems to be a waterfall on the bottom right of it. Both these places give me Zora vibes, and on the bottom image there is clearly a Zonai structure.

I assumed the Malice was melting weaponry.

Really seems like each tribe or region is getting its own Zonai themed dungeon

 

[Skittzo]

Their shield style makes me think they might be Hyruleans.

That one closer to Ganon might be a follower or betrayer.

The one close to Ganon still looks like it's facing him and holding up its arm like the others in the bottom row.

I assumed the Malice was melting weaponry.

That was my thought too, but the ones in the back on the row are the farthest away from the malice on the picture, so I'm not sure if that's what they're going for.

 

[Serif]

That was my thought too, but the ones in the back on the row are the farthest away from the malice on the picture, so I'm not sure if that's what they're going for.

Yeah I see, and the shield on their left arm. Mages would make sense to me.

This water themed area and these underground ruins seem related, based off the blue patterning and the diamond designs. The water place seems like it's in the sky, it has a walkway broken off and there seems to be a waterfall on the bottom right of it. Both these places give me Zora vibes, and on the bottom image there is clearly a Zonai structure.

To add on, just noticed this large structure shares the same architecture. Had to squint.

 

[NewPueblo]

This looks like a dungeon entrance to me.

 

[Mango]

I don't think it really matters what type of animal Rauru is/isn't. If he's a member of a new species than they could easily be a mismatch of multiple animal elements, and if he isn't well I mean the same thing still applies. The more important element is his name. "Rauru" is not a name the Zelda series reuses, and it was likely chosen for a very specific reason.

Also, theory time, but is it possible the Zonai didn't have a conflict with Ganondorf? We're assuming they did but what if they just didn't? The mural could be a prophecy with the basket lady subbing for Zelda and Rauru subbing for Link. Obviously something had to have happened for Ganondorf to end up down below with the hand attached to him, but the full on war were seeing in the mural may not have actually happened in the past.

 

[Klax0nKlax0ff]

Rauru being a dragon makes a lot of sense. I hesitate if he is the dragon seen in the tutorial area though. My impression is that he sacrificed himself to maintain the seal on Ganondorf as that green arm. And will again be contained to Link’s arm to save him. So how could he exist concurrently? I guess maybe there’s a separation of his powers vs his intellect/personality and maybe he is confined to the sky realm. It just seems like he must have some limitation on his influence, thereby necessitating Link’s intervention/quest.

 

[maidhhc]

Rauru being a dragon makes a lot of sense. I hesitate if he is the dragon seen in the tutorial area though. My impression is that he sacrificed himself to maintain the seal on Ganondorf as that green arm. And will again be contained to Link’s arm to save him. So how could he exist concurrently? I guess maybe there’s a separation of his powers vs his intellect/personality and maybe he is confined to the sky realm. It just seems like he must have some limitation on his influence, thereby necessitating Link’s intervention/quest.

Yeah I agree that the spirit of Rauru lives in Link’s arm, the real question now is if he’s gonna be sassy

 

[RagnarokX]

Hateno cheese dungeon

 

[maidhhc]

Hateno cheese dungeon

Dungeon Boss Leaked

 

[Skittzo]

Hateno cheese dungeon

Clearly inspired by the Witcher 3.

 

[Mr_No_U]

watch cheese being absolutely integral to the game

 

[Serif]

Huh, it really is the Forgotten Temple. Sorry for doubting

 

[DecoReturns]

I just started noticing that link is in a lot of this photos but in tiny silhouette from lol

 

[maidhhc]

Real Talk:

As some of you may have suspected, Minish Cap (was my first and) is my favourite Zelda game. If they can include a true homage to the Minish/Picori in 3D it would make my year. I hope that if they are included that they are somewhat reminiscent of the original race even if the name is changed. I remember someone mentioned that there might be some issue with Capcom and licensing. A clover arch and lil red caps would go a long way.

 

[NewPueblo]

I don't know if this has already been discussed, but I think I found pretty big evidence that we are most definitely getting themed dungeons back (as in full-on dungeons and not just explorable interiors).




Most agree that this page (154) depicts a boss room of some sort. It goes further than that, however, as on the door to that room there are 5 engravings of a creature that seems to hold a chain suspending the door in its mouth.




Another picture shows the same creature existing in two states, one is inactive with its mouth closed, and another with its eyes glowing and mouth opened.




When an engraving is activated it opens its mouth, releasing the chain within. When all five are active, the door to the 'boss room' will be opened.

Notice that this is extremely similar to how BoTW does its dungeons, with you needing to activate 5 terminals in each Divine Beast to access the boss fight of said dungeon.

I didn't love the Divine Beasts. I'm sure most people agree that having 4 very "samey" feeling dungeons made them feel repetitive, but if there's one thing I'd hope they keep it's being able to complete a dungeon in the order you want. The terminals in my mind are what helped BoTW to accomplish that.

Hopefully with the possibility of new themed dungeons in ToTK, we get the best of both worlds.

 

[Jbone916]

I don't know if this has already been discussed, but I think I found pretty big evidence that we are most definitely getting themed dungeons back (as in full-on dungeons and not just explorable interiors).




Most agree that this page (154) depicts a boss room of some sort. It goes further than that, however, as on the door to that room there are 5 engravings of a creature that seems to hold a chain suspending the door in its mouth.




Another picture shows the same creature existing in two states, one is inactive with its mouth closed, and another with its eyes glowing and mouth opened.




When an engraving is activated it opens its mouth, releasing the chain within. When all five are active, the door to the 'boss room' will be opened.

Notice that this is extremely similar to how BOTW does its dungeons, with you needing to activate 5 terminals in each Divine Beast to access the boss fight of said dungeon.

I didn't love the Divine Beasts. I'm sure most people agree that having 4 very "samey" feeling dungeons made them feel repetitive, but if there's one thing I'd hope they keep it's being able to complete a dungeon in the order you want. The terminals in my mind are what helped BoTW to accomplish that.

Hopefully with the possibility of new themed dungeons in ToTK, we get the best of both worlds.

Excellent observations! This really does look like a non-linear dungeon, possibly similar to the Divine Beasts but uniquely themed.

It’s been really fun watching the Zelda community come together the past week to analyze the art book. It seems like their’s multiple big new discoveries every day!

 

[Jencks]

Nonlinear dungeons is slightly worrisome...it really depends. Puzzle complexity needs to have a curve to its difficulty otherwise it will feel like the Divine Beasts where everything is just kind of flat.

 

[hannibunny2411]

So if Rauru is the Hand in the first trailer which seems quite likely (and the story hasn’t actually changed from this pretty early concept we have seen in 2019) - then is he still around in the present? Did he loose his arm when he struck Ganondorf and it functioned as a seal or did he spend all this time locked up with him slowly consuming his body and essence as the seal is slowly weakening with nothing but an arm left of him when Zelda and Link find this prison. If it‘s the first why does he have two arms in the concept art? Or do we see him only in flashbacks.
Is the cloud barrier that up until now hid the sky islands actually also a time barrier somehow breaking with Ganondorf returning that allows us to see and visit a civilisation from long ago when we travel up? And the information we find up there in form of the big Nazcalines helps us discover ancient ruins in present hyrule that were lost and buried over time, just like the divine beasts?
Also what’s up with the Deku tree. It‘s not visible in any trailer or any concept art.
There‘s so many cool possibilities.

 

[Serif]

I wouldn't take multiple locks as indicative of some flat non-linearity, previous dungeons like Arbiter's Grounds / Forest Temple had 'multiple locks' visible in a central room via obtaining poe souls, and there was an increasing difficulty in obtaining subsequent ones even if you could do them in any order.

 

[Jbone916]

Nonlinear dungeons is slightly worrisome...it really depends. Puzzle complexity needs to have a curve to its difficulty otherwise it will feel like the Divine Beasts where everything is just kind of flat.

Eh, some of the best dungeons in the series are largely non-linear imo. GMT’s Boss Key video series does a pretty good job of showing this off.

I like more linear dungeons too of course - Twilight Princess is probably my favorite Zelda game after all lol. It’s all in the execution, which is what you probably meant be “it really depends.”

 

[TreIII]

We’ve seen Ganondorf wearing Zonai-style clothes, too. Left shoulder bare toga style.

And that's exactly why I think there has to be more there. Perhaps by being the ruler of the Gerudo, and already gifted with strong magical potential, it made him an easy candidate for training with the Zonai.

What happened to make him go bad this go around is something that we'd have to remain to be seen. Hopefully, it's something more beyond "Demise made him do it".

Also, theory time, but is it possible the Zonai didn't have a conflict with Ganondorf? We're assuming they did but what if they just didn't? The mural could be a prophecy with the basket lady subbing for Zelda and Rauru subbing for Link. Obviously something had to have happened for Ganondorf to end up down below with the hand attached to him, but the full on war were seeing in the mural may not have actually happened in the past.

I guess it all depends on how much of the murals we've seen are things that actually did go down in the past (like what glimpses we've seen that looked like Ganondorf about to be "grabbed" by Rauru's hand?), and what part of it is is still prophecy.

Either way, I can't imagine that if Ganondorf really was someone who abused Zonai-styled secrets to suit his own agenda, that Rauru and "Basket Girl" would take that all lying down.

 

[Serif]

Didn't see it at first, but it's a throne room. Question is where. Trees outside seem like they're green so maybe this is on the surface.

These cute little Zonai lotus lamps are everywhere, I want one.

(This artbook has caused my productivity to absolutely plummet)

 

[doop]

Didn't see it at first, but it's a throne room. Question is where. Trees outside seem like they're green so maybe this is on the surface.

These cute little Zonai lotus lamps are everywhere, I want one.

(This artbook has caused my productivity to absolutely plummet)

could this be the interior of the big pyramid castle on the map?