The Hidden Connection Between Zelda: Skyward Sword and Tears of the Kingdom That Will Leave You Breathless

Fi's absence in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom raises questions about when she will finally get the chance to bring closure to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Despite being a controversial character, Fi holds significance for the series' canon and her connection to the Master Sword, leading to speculation about her potential return in a future game. This speculation, along with other factors, likely fueled fans' expectations of seeing Fi in Tears of the Kingdom.

However, aside from initial speculation, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom provided more hints indicating that Fi would have an important role. References to the decayed state of the Master Sword and the focus on old kingdoms and sky islands further implied Fi's involvement. Despite these indications and nods to Fi, such as her theme being reprised during cutscenes with the Master Sword, she ultimately did not appear in Tears of the Kingdom. Nevertheless, Fi continues to be a source of contention among fans as she is always present within the Master Sword and overdue for closure, distinguishing her from previous Zelda companions.

How Skyward Sword and Fi Influenced Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Leading up to and even after its release, Tears of the Kingdom drew inspiration from Skyward Sword, evident in its ideas and themes. The early trailers highlighted the sky islands in Tears of the Kingdom, reminiscent of Skyward Sword. Additionally, players discovered a time-travel plot in Tears of the Kingdom that seemed to mirror Skyward Sword's tale of Hyrule's creation and islands being lifted into the sky to escape evil. This connection to Skyward Sword was further strengthened by the uncanny resemblances between Breath of the Wild and Skyward Sword, such as locations like the Spring of Power and the Forgotten Temple's Goddess Statue.

However, aside from the general speculation about Tears of the Kingdom diverging from Skyward Sword's cycle and the desire for Fi's return in the story's closing arc, there were more explicit indications suggesting Fi's possible comeback. The theme associated with Fi played during crucial story cutscenes involving the Master Sword, hinting at her presence. Furthermore, the sword itself exhibited signs of sentience through glowing light, and characters referred to it using she/her pronouns, further fueling the belief in Fi's involvement. Despite the perfect opportunity for her return in the narrative, where the Master Sword was recovered from Ganondorf's Gloom, Fi remains canonically relevant but noticeably absent.

Zelda Needs To Acknowledge Fi Eventually

Although not yet appearing in Tears of the Kingdom, future Zelda games must eventually address Fi as her role in the series' narrative has been overlooked. While supporting characters like Navi or Ezlo pose no issue due to their limited significance, Fi's purpose within the Master Sword extends throughout the entire Zelda canon, positioning her as Link's silent yet ever-present companion. The lack of closure and bittersweet goodbye experienced by Fi have only been heightened by her continued absence, considering her character development and exploration of her relationship with Link.

Specifically, the ending of Skyward Sword hinted at Fi's potential return in future Zelda games as she expressed her hope to meet Link again. While this could have been Nintendo's way of concluding Zelda lore, it also implies that she would appear in another game alongside her role with the Master Sword. As Tears of the Kingdom has come the closest to bringing her back, Nintendo should no longer hold back and grant Fi a storyline that completes Skyward Sword's narrative, potentially through future DLC for Tears of the Kingdom or even entirely new Zelda games.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.