Unlock the Ultimate Secret in Zelda's Tear of the Kingdom and Prepare for the Next Adventure!

Upon completing all the Zonai Shrines in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players are rewarded with a new armor piece that holds significant lore value, akin to its Breath of the Wild predecessor. However, instead of merely providing backstory for the current Link, the Aspect of the Hero armor set delves into a previously unexplored aspect of Hyrule's past, offering fans a glimpse into the mysterious world of the Zonai. By introducing the Ancient Hero in Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo has opened up a host of intriguing questions about the ancient past and the fate of the Zonai, potentially paving the way for a new sequel or DLC within the franchise.

Tears of the Kingdom's Aspect of the Hero Introduces a Whole New Wrinkle in Hyrule's Past

The Aspect of the Hero is a distinct armor piece in Tears of the Kingdom that sets itself apart from the usual armor sets by covering all three gear slots and transforming Link's entire appearance. This transformation turns Link into a new character model, which is confirmed to be the same hero who fought against Calamity Ganon ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild. This hero's appearance was previously speculated by fans to be Ganondorf due to his unique features such as red hair, green skin, and a jewel on his forehead. However, the Aspect of the Hero finally gives a face to this legendary hero, but it also raises questions about his design and origins. While some speculate that the Ancient Hero may be a Zonai or one of their descendants, his animalistic features such as a snout, ears, and a tail are different from the two Zonai characters shown in Tears of the Kingdom. Thus, the origins of the Ancient Hero are likely to be more complex than initially assumed.

Exploring Pre-Calamity Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom's DLC

The dropping of the Ancient Hero's model into Tears of the Kingdom by the Aspect of the Hero has sparked speculation that the character will feature more prominently in future installments of the series. While a full Breath of the Wild-style game would be welcomed, it's possible that the character's inclusion in the latest game hints at future DLC. If Nintendo follows the same pattern as the Champions' Ballad DLC in Breath of the Wild, we could see a view of the past where the Ancient Hero wielded the Master Sword against Calamity Ganon.

This presents a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the character of the Ancient Hero without creating an entirely new Legend of Zelda title centered around him instead of Link. By reliving his memories through a similar context as Tears of the Kingdom's Dragon Tears, players could gain a better understanding of the Ancient Hero's identity and his connections to the Zonai and even Ganondorf. Additionally, this period in Hyrule's history is the biggest enigma to date, making it the perfect subject for exploration in future games or DLC.

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