10 Subtle Connections Between BOTW-TOTK and Other Zelda Timelines
Famous Landmarks
Following the release of Breath of the Wild, many began to take notice of the familiar names on its map. Wherever you look, youll spot ruins, mountains, bodies of water, and other landmarks named after either characters or locations in previous games. The references range in fame. Mercay Island and Linebeck Island in the Lanayru Wetlands share names with a location and a character respectively from Phantom Hourglass. Several lakes around Zoras Domain are named for the Indigo-Gos, the Zora band in Majoras Mask. One of the more obvious ones is Tingel Island, named for one of the franchises more infamous characters, and the surrounding Davdi, Knuckel, and Ankel islands, named for Tingles lackeys in Wind Waker.
Legendary Homage
The Divine Beasts play important roles in Breath of the Wild, serving as the games dungeons and, once theyre cleansed of Calamity Ganons influence, emitting beams that weaken the villain. Theyre also historically significant when it comes to Hyrules past. In a cutscene, the Gerudo champion, Urbosa, states that Divine Beast Vah Nabooris was named after a Gerudo Sage, referencing Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit from Ocarina of Time. Similarly, Miphas Divine Beast, Vah Ruta, was named for the Sage of Water, Ruto, and Daruks Divine Beast, Vah Rudania, was named for the Sage of Fire, Darunia, both from the same game. However, instead of being another reference to the game that caused the timeline to split, Revalis Divine Beast, Vah Medoh, is named for Medli, the Sage of Earth in Wind Waker.
Bottom of the Sea
When players discovered the remains of three massive, whale-like entities in Breath of the Wild, dubbed Leviathans, they immediately began to theorize. These seemed to be references to Oshus in Phantom Hourglass, the Wind Fish in Links Awakening, and Levias in Skyward Sword. However, when Tears of the Kingdom was released, we found out that there were more Leviathan bones in the Depths, and not enough giant marine creatures in the series to account for all of them. With the games new voice memories, Zelda offers an alternate solution. She states of legends claiming that Hyrule once sat at the bottom of a vast ocean, immediately bringing Wind Waker to mind. These remains would then not be of those specific characters, but just large inhabitants of the sea seen in the Adult Timeline.
Arbiters Grounds
Not far from the Leviathan bones in the Gerudo Desert, you can find some ruins named Arbiters Grounds. However, unlike other references to past games, its extremely fitting that these ruins should be found here. They share a name with a dungeon in Twilight Princess, located in the Gerudo Mesa. In the history of that game, the Arbiters Grounds once served as a prison where Hyrules most dangerous criminals were kept, but is now overrun with undead enemies. This location is in Tears of the Kingdom as well, but shows no signs of having once been a prison. Even in the Depths below it, youll just find a colosseum and a cemetery. However, there still is a prison in the area, near Gerudo Town at the Palu Wasteland. And naturally, its full of undead enemies, this time a group of Gibdos.
The Spirit in the Sword
Introduced in Skyward Sword, Fi is a spirit created by the Goddess Hylia and resides in the Master Sword. As it was the last console game to release before Breath of the Wild, Nintendo made a few small references to her in that game and its sequel. In one flashback, Zelda mentions legends claiming that a voice resonates inside it, and asks Link if hes heard it. In another, she seems to hear that voice, represented by the same chime Fi would make when she entered or exited the blade. This sound could be heard again in the DLC, after Link finished powering the sword up to its fullest potential. In Tears of the Kingdom, we heard the same sound when Link transferred the broken Master Sword back through time to Zelda. And in each scene where this sound effect was used, Nintendo included notes from Fis musical theme in Skyward Sword.
Zeldas Lullaby
Zeldas Lullaby is one of the most important pieces of music to the series. First used in A Link to the Past, it was given more story significance in Ocarina of Time, where Impa explained that its passed down by members of the Royal Family. Fast forward an ungodly amount of time, and that seems to still be true in the Era of the Wilds. Inside the sanctum of Hyrule Castle, both in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, you can find a large carving of the Triforce. Surrounding it are what look to be three musical scales, each with six dots that correspond to the notes Link plays for the song in Ocarina of Time.
Islands in the Sky
In Breath of the Wild, at the Woodland Stable in Eldin Canyon, Link can meet a young girl named Shamae. She speaks of a dream she had, about people living on islands in the sky, which begins a side quest in which Link must attach an octo balloon to a nearby barrel in order to make it float. At the time, many thought this to be a reference to Skyward Sword, set during a time where Hylians lived on floating islands. However, then Tears of the Kingdom was revealed, and Shamaes dialogue took on a different meaning, one hinting at the future of the sequel. Whats interesting is that Shamae is far from the first Hylian to showcase the ability of prophetic dreams. This happens in Ocarina of Time, when Link dreams of his first encounter with Ganondorf, and Zelda dreams of the downfall of her kingdom at the hands of the same man.
The Goddess Springs
There are three Goddess Springs in Breath of the Wild. And through flashbacks, we learn Zelda visited them in an attempt to pray and awaken a divine power that would be needed when Calamity Ganon returned. While she had no such luck, she isnt the first version of the Princess to pray at Goddess Springs. Her journey mirrors that of Zelda in Skyward Sword, who just goes to two springs instead of three. However, looking at the layout of both the Skyview Spring and the Earth Spring, theyre very similar to those found in Breath of the Wild, implying that they are the same locations, just centuries apart.
The Imprisoning War
The history of Tears of the Kingdom concerns an event called the Imprisoning War, in which King Rauru and the Sages fought together to imprison the Demon King, as he was too powerful for them to outright defeat. This is quite similar to, and even shares a name with an Imprisoning War within the lore of A Link to the Past, set in the Hero is Defeated timeline. Obviously, these events are not the same, but they do share certain details. Namely, both wars featured Seven Sages, who eventually sealed Ganon away. And in both games, the descendants of those Sages play important roles in defeating him once he returns. More than anything, this speaks to the cyclical nature of Demises curse, placed on Link and Zelda in Skyward Sword, which sees their reincarnated forms plagued by a manifestation of his hatred across time.
The Boar Statues
The Zonai Ruins in the Faron Woods are one of the more enigmatic locations in this version of Hyrule. Countless theories emerged on the Zonai before they were revealed in Tears of the Kingdom, which then disproved most of them. Still, these ruins are quite interesting. The civilization that once lived there worshipped the Triforce and linked each piece to a certain animal. Dragons represent courage, owls represent wisdom, and boars represent power. That last one is rather fitting; the Triforce of Power has often been used by the series villain, who has taken on the form of a massive boar across timelines. However, in these ruins, the boar statues are, in most cases, knocked over or damaged. A voice memory from Zelda in the updated Breath of the Wild sheds more light, stating the tribe felt shame upon worshipping the Triforce of Power, as well as boars, because Ganon consistently returned in that form.
What are some of your favorite subtle connections between Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and the rest of the Zelda timeline? Share your thoughts in the comments!
