Zelda: All BOTW Characters Confirmed For Tears Of The Kingdom

In "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," players step back into the shoes of Link as he navigates a more extensive version of the same Hyrule seen in "Breath of the Wild." This time around, the map includes land masses suspended in the sky, along with a warped take on the more familiar surface world. Hyrule's hero will call upon a host of fresh abilities seemingly tied to his new magical arm to navigate these environments. But that's not all Nintendo has in store for players.

While much of the sequel's story remains shrouded in mystery, its promotional material has confirmed that several elements from "Breath of the Wild" will return, albeit with an updated twist. These elements extend beyond the protagonist and key landmarks, with at least four supporting characters slated to play a role in the follow-up. Which "Breath of the Wild" personas can players expect to see again and how will they likely factor into the narrative and gameplay of "Tears of the Kingdom"?

For "Breath of the Wild," Princess Zelda serves as Link's occasional telepathic guide as he sets out to reclaim his lost memories. While she remains sealed away in Hyrule Castle alongside Calamity Ganon for much of the game, players get to see her on-screen during flashbacks from the time leading up to the Great Calamity. She also appears in the final encounter with Ganon and an unlockable post-credits scene. During the latter, she reveals that she has lost some of her power. After sealing Ganon away, the princess joins forces with her knight to repair the damage done to the land of Hyrule.

In the First Look Trailer for "Tears of the Kingdom," viewers see Link and a Zelda with shorter hair exploring tunnels and ruins seemingly beneath Hyrule Castle. There, the pair discovers the desiccated corpse of Ganondorf contained by a ritual. For some reason, the ritual fails, setting the villain free in the process.

Based on all of the available footage, it appears that Zelda will also spend much of the "BOTW" sequel separated from her knight as he seeks to reunite with her. In the direct aftermath of Ganondorf's release, the princess falls to an unknown fate after the ground beneath her collapses. While still uncertain, moments from the final trailer hint that she may somehow travel back in time. In the present, viewers see the Master Sword damaged by Malice; however, the segment shows Zelda holding an intact version of the weapon. The sequence concludes with her stating "Link, you must find me," while an earlier bit of dialogue points to the fate of Hyrule resting on the knight and the artifact.

Prince Sidon, the heir to the Zora throne, takes on a supporting role in "Breath of the Wild." He helps Link through words, resources, and actions and ultimately plays a key part in purging Divine Beast Vah Ruta of Calamity Ganon's influence. This frees the spirit of his older sister, Mipha, and saves Zora's Domain in the process.

Sidon turns up to help Link once more in "Tears of the Kingdom." As shown in the final trailer, the "tears" mentioned in the title take the form of physical objects. While it's unclear how Link will collect the tears (and to what purpose), Sidon will end up with a blue tear in his possession. He also fights alongside Link and dispatches enemies, possibly as an AI-controlled companion.

In at least one scene, Sidon looks to be wearing his father's crown, which has led fans to theorize that he takes over as king of the Zora. Whether this happens in the wake of his father's death or capture remains up in the air, but Ganondorf doesn't seem big on the concept of mercy.

In "Breath of the Wild," Lady Riju serves as the child ruler of the Gerudo, a position she inherited following the death of her mother. She doubts her capabilities due to her age, but she gains more confidence after Link recovers the tribe's stolen heirloom and she helps him soothe Divine Beast Vah Naboris. Despite her inexperience, Riju does her best to support her people. She also demonstrates quite the aptitude for riding Sand Seals, with her favorite mount, Patricia, aiding in the encounter with the Divine Beast.

Much like Sidon, Riju steps forward to help Link again in "Tears of the Kingdom." A bit older this time around, the leader has adopted a new hairstyle and gained the ability to manipulate lightning like Champion Urbosa. Though a bit harder to make out in the footage, it seems like she'll also get her own magical tear and will presumably have the ability to join Link in combat. Beyond her skill with lightning, she also now dual-wields scimitars, making her look like quite a formidable opponent.

Compared to Sidon and Riju, Tulin has a much smaller role in "Breath of the Wild." The son of the Rito Warrior Teba, Link encounters Tulin as a fledgling in Rito Village. Similar to the other two scenarios, Tulin's father helps Link gain access to Divine Beast Vah Medoh, though he suffers an injury during the encounter. The knight can later meet Tulin at the Flight Range, where the young Rito rewards him with a Silver Rupee for completing a timed archery challenge. This is essentially the extent of his involvement in the story.

By the events of "Tears of the Kingdom," Tulin looks to have entered adolescence. He has clearly gained some mastery with a bow and seems to take the place of his father as Link's battle companion. Much like responses to Sidon's situation, fans have expressed concerns that something bad will happen to Teba, prompting Tulin to step in as the new Rito Warrior. It's also possible that Teba has simply retired — his old wound could be acting up, forcing him to play a more passive part in the sequel. Either way, Tulin joins Link for at least one mission and comes to bear a green tear.