The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom successfully expands on the groundwork laid by Breath of the Wild. It not only enhances its mechanics, making them more detailed and distinctive, but also presents a more extensive narrative and well-developed characters compared to its predecessor. Among the sages that Link encounters on his quest to defeat Ganondorf, one character particularly shines.
Sages have always been a prominent element in The Legend of Zelda series since the introduction of the concept in Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. Typically, these sages exist to bestow upon Link the power of the Goddess, empowering him to vanquish Ganon. In a similar vein, the sages in Tears of the Kingdom serve a comparable purpose. However, Mineru, the fifth sage, surpasses the abilities of the others by utilizing the game's construction mechanics to transcend the traditional role of a sage.
Tears of the Kingdom's Fifth Sage Mineru Outshines the Others
Throughout the game, players of Tears of the Kingdom will face various crises that impact the residents of Hyrule. To combat these issues, players must collaborate with representatives from each major race in the game. Their goal is to defeat Ganondorf's minions, who are the root cause of these crises, while also unlocking the powers of the sages and collecting their secret stones. As players become sages, they gain access to avatars that provide unique abilities to Link. For example, Tulin can create powerful gusts of wind, and Riju can use lightning bolts with Link's arrows to strike down enemies.
After completing Tears of the Kingdom's Regional Phenomena quest line and recruiting the other sages, players gain access to Mineru, the fifth sage, whose abilities surpass those of the other four. Realizing that the power of the four sages alone is insufficient to defeat Ganondorf, players embark on a quest to find the rumored fifth sage, leading them to the Construct Factory in the Depths below Hyrule.
At the Construct Factory, players construct a body for Mineru, the sage of light, as part of the game's build mechanic. This process culminates in the creation of an automaton, providing players with the ability to control Mineru's movements and equip her with weapons or tools. This grants players a wide range of combat options, making Mineru the most versatile sage in terms of abilities. For instance, players can equip her with a Flame Emitter in one hand and a Spiked Iron Ball in the other, enabling both ranged and melee capabilities.
In addition, utilizing Mineru as a means of transportation can greatly enhance Link's traversal abilities. This allows him to effortlessly navigate through areas of Gloom and even attach items like Rockets or Fans to Mineru's back, providing him with additional movement options. It is unfortunate that Mineru is only accessible late in the game, as her versatility would have been incredibly useful in various situations earlier in Tears of the Kingdom's storyline. However, it comes as no surprise that a character who is the sister of King Rauru would have such a significant role in both the narrative and gameplay mechanics, becoming available only at the climax of the game. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom can be played on the Nintendo Switch.
