Summary
Unlike other games of the series,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its predecessor hold the unique status of being set at the culmination of all threeZeldatimelines, which ultimately now leaves Nintendo with the ideal opportunity for an instrumental prequel. Besides being a fan favorite,Ocarina of Timeis well-known for setting in motionZelda’s three branching timelines that have become integral to its canonical history. ButBreath of the Wildstruck a similar chord when Nintendo confirmed that both it andTears of the Kingdomwere set after all three timelineshad finally reunited.
Now afterTears of the Kingdomfollowed on from the events ofBreath of the Wild, theZeldaseries is at a crossroads when it comes to positioning its next game within the broader timeline. While the next game could be set afterTears of the Kingdomwith Nintendo treating this as a soft reboot forZelda’s increasingly convoluted timelines, there is just as much chance that the next game could also be set before this. More specifically, a prequel toBreath of the Wildcould take advantage of its unique timeline and allow players to experience the moment all three timelines rejoined as one.
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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Time Travel Primes BotW For A Prequel
Beyond Zelda’s long-standing history it has with time travel which ledOcarina of Timeto famously createthe series' split timelines,Tears of the Kingdom’s story heavily revolved around the use of time between Princess Zelda and the Master Sword. Combined withBreath of the Wild’s plot point of Link’s century-long coma and both games taking place when all three timelines reunite, they have broughtZelda’s use of time travel back to the forefront of the series. As such, it seems that Nintendo was carefully considering the direction of the series wherebyTears of the Kingdomhas finished whatOcarina of Timebegan.
But while this gives bothThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its predecessor a special status within theZeldatimeline, it also leaves open another point in time that neither addresses. WithBreath of the Wildand its sequel set so far into Hyrule’s future when the timelines have already converged, that means that somewhere prior to both games is a moment when this convergence actually happened. So just asOcarina of Timebecame integral to splitting the timelines, a prequel toBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomwould be equally important for unifying these split timelines at that point in time.
Zelda’s Era of the Wild Needs A Prequel
ThoughBreath of the Wildreceived a non-canon prequel withHyrule Warriors: Age of CalamityandTears of the Kingdomcould receive the sameHyrule Warriorstreatmentwith The Imprisoning War, a prequel set during the timeline unification wouldn’t need to be directly tied to these games. But a prequel for the Era of the Wilds is still just as significant to theZeldatimeline as the likes ofSkyward SwordandOcarina of Timewere. This particular prequel could provide players with a vital explanation that Nintendo would likely have to eventually give anyway as to how all three timelines rejoined.
Alongside the prospect of time travel thatTears of the Kingdomreintroduced, the prequel could offer Nintendo the opportunity to capitalize on a soft reboot of theZeldatimeline while simultaneously paying tribute to the series' history. With games likeA Link to the Past,Twilight Princess, andWind Wakerall taking place in separate timelines, an Era of the Wilds' prequel could bring these games and more into its story as it lays the groundwork that will lead toBreath of the Wildand its sequel. This prequel could even go further andrebootZeldaas one universe of many, moving beyond time travel and into the multiverse.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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