The 20 Biggest Mysteries In Zelda Games
Timeline Placement
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“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017) & “Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) Although not everyone was pleased with it, Nintendo’s official timeline had a place for every mainline game in the series…until “Breath of the Wild” came out. It’s true we’ve been told it’s at the end of the timeline, but that’s canonically split in three. Where exactly it sits is up to your imagination, according to director Hidemaro Fujibayashi. Well, with nothing official, it’s been left up to fans to theorize which timeline it falls under, or how it merges all three. “Tears of the Kingdom” only made things more confusing with the memories of Zelda in the past. Nintendo seems to want to leave the timeline behind for now, so their concrete connection to the other games remains foggy.
The Song of Storms
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“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) Time travel brings all sorts of paradoxes. One of the catchiest songs in “Ocarina of Time” also holds one of its greatest mysteries. When Link visits the Kakariko Village windmill as an adult, the man inside complains of a boy who played the Song of Storms seven years ago, causing the windmill to spin wildly out of control. Traveling back in time to play the song for him gets you into the Bottom of the Well mini-dungeon. So, who wrote the Song of Storms? Because it sure wasn’t Link and it sure wasn’t the man inside the windmill. “Majora’s Mask” also features the song and its composers. But as Termina is a parallel world never seen again, that’s hardly an explanation.
The Interlopers
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“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006) There are many pieces of “Zelda” lore and history that are kept vague. In “Twilight Princess,” we learn through a unanimously creepy scene about the Interlopers. They were a group of sorcerers that waged war in Hyrule in an attempt to take control of the Sacred Realm, and therefore the Triforce. They were banished to the Twilight Realm and are ancestors of Midna’s people, the Twili. But everything else about them is a mystery, including where they came from and what the source of their powerful magic was. They’re said to have been people of Hyrule, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were Hylian. And whatever their ultimate goal was in seeking the Triforce is lost to the game’s history.
The Ghost Ship
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“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003) Nothing like a good old fashioned haunting. In “The Wind Waker,” a mysterious Ghost Ship sales the Great Sea of Hyrule, appearing at different islands during different phases of the moon. Only after finding the proper chart will Link be able to enter it and find either a Triforce Chart or a Shard depending on the version. After which, it will disappear forever. So, what’s up with this ghost ship? How does an entire spectral vessel come into existence and what’s its connection to the Triforce, if any? We see another ghost ship in “Phantom Hourglass,” but that’s a different ship and a creation of the villain Bellum.
Family History
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Various For most of the games in the series, Link is a lone boy out to save the kingdom. And it always makes us wonder what happened to his family. Of course, there are exceptions. The occasional game will include a family member, like the Uncle in “A Link to the Past,” or his sister and grandmother in “Wind Waker.” “Ocarina of Time” mentions the death of his mother, and “Breath of the Wild” acknowledges his father, but there’s nothing deeper there. The hero’s family is missing from games like “Twilight Princess” and “Skyward Sword,” where Link is part of a tight-knit community. For the most part, Nintendo wants to keep him lonely with any semblance of familial history being brief at best.
The Forest Temple
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“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) Adult Link’s first dungeon in “Ocarina of Time” is one of the most mystifying places in the series. The Fire, Water, Shadow, and Spirit Temples are all closely linked to the Goron, Zora, Sheikah, and Gerudo, respectively. However, there’s nothing to suggest any connection between this Temple and the Kokiri, the forever-children of the forest. The Sacred Forest Meadow that serves as its entrance is said to be Saria’s secret place, implying the others don’t know about it. So where did this eerie manor come from? Who built it, and to what purpose? The fact that it’s found in the depths of the Lost Woods, which turn lost travelers into Stalfos, only adds to the mystery.
The Mysterious Hands
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Various One of the most bizarre NPCs in the series is a hand Link finds sticking out of a toilet. In both “Majora’s Mask” and “Oracle of Ages,” you can help this unfortunate soul by giving them paper. Things get even weirder in “Skyward Sword.” In this entry, Link can meet a ghost hand inside the Skyloft Academy’s bathroom. Only this time, the character is given a name: Phoeni. Through a sidequest, Phoeni ends up falling in love with Cawlin, one of Link’s classmates. These characters are based on Japanese ghost stories where a toilet hand grabs the person sitting on it. And while they bear no impact on the overall story or lore of the series, we can’t help but want to know more about them.
The Barbarian Armor
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“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017) & “Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) It may only be a single armor set from an admittedly gigantic game world, but the Barbarian Armor holds the key to a big mystery within the new “Zelda” era. First appearing in “Breath of the Wild,” the description for the attack-boosting set linked it to “an ancient warlike tribe from the Faron region.” The only other ancient race to be referenced were the Zonai, and so most assumed they were one and the same. But then “Tears of the Kingdom” was released and we found out the Zonai were actually god-like beings from the sky who favored diplomacy over warfare. There are several viable theories floating around about the makers of this armor, but it remains unresolved in-game.
The Aliens
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“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000) Not every mystery requires an answer. Which is great seeing as how we probably won’t get answers for most of them. In “Majora’s Mask,” Link can help Romani defend her ranch from what she only refers to as “Them.” Every year as the carnival draws near, these alien-like beings invade the ranch to steal its prized cows. Almost nothing is known about them, why they appear only once a year, where they come from, or why they choose to go after the cows. Romani Ranch is famed for its Chateau Romani milk, heavily implied to be alcoholic. So maybe these aliens are just looking for a way to celebrate the Carnival of Time in their own way.
The Rito/Zora Problem
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Various Within the lore of “The Wind Waker,” the Goddesses that created Hyrule flooded it rather than have Ganon return to power. When that happened, many members of different races fled to the mountaintops, which then became islands. Over time, the Kokiri eventually evolved into the Koroks, while the Zora, who couldn’t live in the magical water, became the Rito. Forest children to treefolk, we get. But fish people to bird people is a bigger stretch. Regardless, both the Zora and Rito appear in “Breath of the Wild.” The Koroks also appear, but the Kokiri don’t. So, what gives? Was there some branch of Rito that somehow devolved or is this a retcon? Or, if “Breath of the Wild” isn’t in the “Wind Waker” timeline, how did the Rito come to be?
Skeletons of Giants
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017) & “Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) A sidequest in “Breath of the Wild” takes Link to three distinct locations, each of which has a massive, whale-like skeleton. Fans have speculated that these bones belonged to several deities seen in other games: Levias from “Skyward Sword,” Oshus in “Phantom Hourglass,” and the Wind Fish in “Link’s Awakening.” However, there’s no in-game explanation for them. If these are the remains of those deities, it’s likely just an Easter Egg. Besides, they aren’t the only oversized bones Link can find. In multiple places across Hyrule, you’ll see gigantic rib cages, spines, and skulls of long-past behemoths. “Tears of the Kingdom” didn’t give us any answers; in fact, Nintendo just added more giant skeletons.
Navi’s Whereabouts
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) More than two decades later and Navi’s iconicism remains unmatched by most side characters in video games. The sometimes overly helpful fairy builds a strong bond with Link over their adventure in “Ocarina of Time.” And yet, at the end of the game, she simply floats off without another word to the hero. Maybe it’s more thematically appropriate to not have dialogue between them. But Link begins “Majora’s Mask” by looking for his friend before being sidetracked by the Skull Kid. We’ve never been given a definitive explanation as to why she left or where she went. This version of Link is also never seen again, save for his appearance as the Hero’s Shade in “Twilight Princess,” so it remains a mystery.
The Goddess of Time
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“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000) “Majora’s Mask” is a peculiar game almost designed to be theorized on. One its most enigmatic characters and pieces of lore is the Goddess of Time, who’s never actually seen. She’s mentioned a couple of times in the game, namely by Zelda during a flashback and Tatl during the confrontation with Skull Kid atop the Clock Tower. But her identity and where she fits within the “Zelda” pantheon has never been explained. Some have theorized that she’s Hylia given that goddess’ connection to the Gates of Time. Others believe she’s Nayru, one of the three Golden Goddesses. But as far as an official answer goes, we’re only left to piece things together ourselves.
Across the Canyon
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“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017) & “Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) This one is so simple, it almost needs no explanation. And yet, it’s one of the biggest questions we have about the latest generation of “Zelda.” Just North of the already massive game world is a large canyon with a truly massive chunk of land on the other side. And we’ve been wondering just what exactly lay there since 2017. Some NPCs in “Tears of the Kingdom” give slight hints about different lands; Yona, for example, is from a different Zora’s Domain. But no information has ever been definitively given on it, presumably because everyone in Hyrule has their hands full with everything else.
The History of the Sheikah
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Various Most races in the series get their fair share of history, but the ninja-like Sheikah are fittingly mysterious. They were first mentioned in “Ocarina of Time,” where Impa, one of the last remaining members, served as Zelda’s protector and the Sage of Shadow. They’re seen again on the brink of collapse in “Twilight Princess,” while Impa is the only one to appear again in “Skyward Sword” at the beginning of the timeline. Jump to “Breath of the Wild,” though, and the clan is thriving. Not only that, but they also had the technological wizardry to create the Divine Beasts AND the Guardians to aid in the Great Calamity 10,000 years prior. Simply put: how in the world did that happen?
Snowpeak Ruins
“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006) One of the most mysterious places in any “Zelda” game is also one of “Twilight Princess’” best dungeons. The Snowpeak Ruins are used as a home for a lovely Yeti couple, though it becomes clear very quickly that they didn’t build them. Part mansion, part military stronghold, the dungeon has been perplexing players for years. Suits of armor don’t appear to fit humans or the Yetis while a prominent coat of arms doesn’t appear anywhere else in the game. Why was it built in such a desolate place? Who were its inhabitants and why did they abandon such a useful structure? And what were they defending against? We’ll likely never know any of these answers, and that makes the dungeon one of the series’ most enrapturing locations.
To Be Reborn
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Various In an effort to tie the games more closely together, Nintendo revealed a major point of connection in “Skyward Sword.” At the end, the Demon King Demise cursed Link and Zelda, so that those with their blood would forever be haunted across time by his hatred. While that explains them, and why Ganon keeps coming back, it doesn’t explain everyone else. They’re far from the only recurring or reincarnated characters in “Zelda.” Impa, Tingle, Beedle, Dampé the gravekeeper, and many other minor characters appear in multiple games that aren’t connected. And I doubt any of them have beef with an ancient demon. We’ll admit this is a bit of a silly mystery. But if you’re going to explain some reincarnated characters, it’s going to make us question the others.
Majora’s Origins
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000) Just like the Goddess of Time, the malevolent deity at the heart of this game is shrouded in mystery. The Mask Salesman tells us that Majora’s Mask was once used by an ancient tribe in hexing rituals, though they hid it away out of fear. The tribe no longer exists in-game, so that’s really all the information we get. Where did this villainous entity come from? How and why was it sealed inside a mask? Furthermore, the relationship between the Mask Salesman and Majora brings up more questions. Inside the moon, Link comes across five masked children. By extracting certain files in the 3D remake, fans figured out that these children look just like the creepy salesman. So, what is his relationship with the mask, other than simply seeking it out?
The Last of the Zonai
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“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) The Zonai were an enigma heading into “Tears of the Kingdom.” After playing it…we still have a lot of questions. Just how they’re connected to the Hylian pantheon we know of, since they’re said to be close to Gods themselves, is a big question. More than that, we’d like to know just what happened to all of them. We know what happened to the last two at least; Rauru sacrificed himself to seal Ganondorf away while Mineru’s spirit that resided in the construct moved on. But why were they the last two? Was there some event that led to the deaths of the others? Were there only a small number to begin with? Whatever the reason, we hope it’s explored further in the future.
The Picori Legend
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“The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap” (2005) The prelude for “Minish Cap” gives us very little information on the events that set up the game. Once, Hyrule was under threat of being “swallowed by shadow” before the Picori appeared from the sky, giving a Hero of Men a powerful sword. Every 100 years after, Hylians celebrated the Picori with a festival. Was the “shadow” mentioned another instance of Ganon, or something else? Where did the Picori come from exactly? “The Minish Cap” is also the only game with the Picori in it. Did they remain in Hyrule or did something tragic befall them? And why did Hylians stop holding the festival? The existence of a miniature world within “Zelda” is fascinating, but we don’t expect we’ll get any more Picori lore anytime soon.
