10 MISSING Quests in Zelda Tears Of The Kingdom

Script written by Johnny Reynolds

Welcome to MojoPlays, and is it just me, or are there a lot of missing quests in “Tears of the Kingdom?” Throughout Link’s latest adventure, you’ll come across NPCs that either cannot be helped or can, but don’t offer a traditional side quest or reward. We’ve covered the Worst; we’ve covered the Best. But for this list, we’ll be looking at places where it feels like something’s missing.

A Lonesome Father

When you make it into the underground Gerudo shelter, you’ll likely notice a jail cell with a single occupant. This man is Wabbin, who was tossed behind bars for trying to sneak into the town. However, he only did so in order to see his wife, Perda, and their daughter, Aaqlet. The whole purpose of Wabbin is to point you in the direction of the Gerudo Secret Shop, where Perda works, and where Link can purchase some new armor. Many players have wondered why we can’t somehow free Wabbin from his cell. The crime obviously isn’t malicious, and he could’ve set up camp somewhere beyond the walls, like at the Kara Kara Bazaar. But even after completing the region’s dungeon, Wabbin is doomed to be held captive.

Family Recipes

Dorian was one of the more tragic NPCs in “Breath of the Wild.” Once a member of the Yiga, his wife was murdered for him turning good, leaving him to raise two daughters alone. All three of them got side quests in the first game, yet none of them do here. It isn’t just that there are no quests tied to them; there very easily could’ve been. Underneath the Kakariko Village well, you can find a secret garden kept by Dorian’s late wife and her journal explaining each family member’s favorite recipes. For most of us, that signified that we should make and deliver those meals. But trying to do so causes absolutely nothing to happen.

The Missing Cook

This one you can find fairly early in the game. After giving the cook Burmano an apple for the ‘Today’s Menu’ quest at Lookout Landing and returning later, you’ll find the NPC, Deon. He tells Link that Burmano went to Hyrule Castle, but has yet to return. Finding a missing NPC, and perhaps defending them against monsters, is classic “Zelda.” But that’s not what happens here. You can find Burmano in the dining hall, next to a cooking pot, trying to remember the ingredients for a recipe. The recipe in question is actually plastered on a nearby wall…and that’s it. You don’t tell Burmano his friend is looking for him, or even give him the meal. It seems he’s only there to teach Link a new recipe.

The Hidden Cucco

Kaifa works at the South Akkala Stable and is a bit down over her missing Cucco. She says it’s too shy to lay eggs on its own, and she thinks she hears it crying for help at night. Most of us completely ignored that first fact, jumped straight into the nearby well, and tried to get the poor bird out with either an updraft or some Zonai contraption. But if you do, Kaifa won’t take notice or even say anything different. You’re meant to throw another Cucco down there so that the missing one isn’t shy and will start laying you eggs. But it feels like Kaifa is the one we’re meant to help, and it’s weird Nintendo didn’t even write a reaction for something many of us were bound to try.

A Devoted Admirer

In between games, Zelda moved into Link’s house in Hateno Village and had quite the impact on the townspeople, even opening a school. One of the children who attends the school is Karin. And when she’s not in class or at home, she runs over to Zelda’s house to see if the Princess has returned. Every single day. It feels like we should be able to do something here; at the very least, help her better understand what happened to her idol. Karin is also the daughter of Mayor Reede, who gets a handful of his own quests. That should make her the most “important” child NPC in the town. But outside of helping Symin teach all the kids, you can’t help her.

Matchmaker

Within the sewers of Gerudo Town, you’ll find bottles floating down the stream with letters from Calyban, a lonely Gerudo looking for her true love. You’ll find her in the shelter above, and if you get one of the bottles back to her, she’ll think you’re the man she’s been longing for. She’ll then make you meals each time you return to her; although, prior to beating the Lightning Temple, they’ll be spoiled meals due to the supply shortage. While that is a reward, it doesn’t exactly feel like we’re helping her. In fact, Link’s just taking advantage to get some free food. A regular quest would have you help her find actual love, so it feels like there’s a second half missing here.

Unlucky in Love

Speaking of Gerudo ladies looking for love, Ashai’s ‘Voe and You’ class returns from “Breath of the Wild.” This time, Link can help out in the adult class, acting as a partner in scenarios for each of the three students. One is too shy to talk to him without his face covered, one needs a Noble Pursuit drink from the canteen, and the other needs to see a ring flower garland from Kakariko Village. While you can help them, this isn’t a quest and you get no reward for doing so, which does feel a bit odd. You can see changes in demeanor if you talk to the characters later, but fulfilling these requirements only leads to a tiny bit of worldbuilding.

The Colossal Fossils

One of the biggest lingering questions from “Breath of the Wild” concerned the history of the Leviathans, three gigantic, whale-like skeletons. So when we found the NPC Loone, who mentioned she’d be tracking them down, we thought we’d finally learn. Unfortunately, Loone’s side quest gives us nothing in terms of answers. And so, we expected a follow-up quest to explain them after she showed us their locations, but no such quest was ever given. Many players retain these three are deities from past games and are only Easter Eggs. That still doesn’t explain them in-game, nor does it explain other giant remains. There are massive bones all over Hyrule; gigantic rib cages sticking out of the ground, spinal columns buried in caves, and the like. Other historic secrets, like the Gerudo's eighth heroine, are explored, but this remains a mystery.

Mattison’s New Home

Another follow-up quest we expected to see was for Mattison in her new home. You first meet the Gerudo girl in Tarrey Town, where you help her parents say goodbye as she goes off to her new life. It’s a very touching quest and honestly one of the best in the game. But it made us think, “Oh, we helped her say goodbye to one life and now we’ll help her get used to another one.” Not the case. While you can find Mattison in Gerudo Town afterwards, she’s doing fine on her own. The hot air balloon she arrived in, which you helped her father make, made her instantly popular with the other kids. Guess she doesn’t need us anymore…

A Flailing Partner

‘Potential Princess Sightings!’ consists of 12 connected side-quests for the Lucky Clover Gazette, which means you see a whole lot of the Rito reporter, Penn, while completing it. Afterwards, Traysi will tell you that Penn, feeling a bit dejected since you did most of the work, has gone to Washa’s Bluff in search of a way to improve himself. When you find him there, he speaks of a Bard, an obvious nod to Kass from the first game, and how he hopes to find similar inspiration here for his reporting. We expected something here in order to actually help him or, at the mention of Kass, a way to understand his mysterious absence. Not only do we get no explanation as to the whereabouts of one of “Breath of the Wild’s” best characters, but we also can’t help one of this game’s best characters. Sorry, Penn.

Have you come across any other similar instances? Share them with us in the comments, and don’t forget to check out these other great videos!