Summary
When it comes to story-driven Nintendo games,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdommight take the crown as the most intricate in its lore. As a follow-up toBreath of the Wild, the game expands on the franchise’s lore re-established in that game, reinventing old characters from the series' past and introducing new ones for players to become attached to.
Given how denseTears of the Kingdomis, there are lots of characters to meet throughout Hyrule as players venture through the main story. Some will have familiar origins to previousZeldagames, while others are completely original to the Hyrule established on the Nintendo Switch. These individuals easily have the most depth to their backstories in the 2023 game.
1Princess Zelda
Tragedy Follows The Princess Into Hyrule’s Past
The titular character of the franchise has had a lot of character development throughout her various incarnations. While previous iterations of Zelda in games likeThe Wind Wakerdepict her as petulant and cunning,Breath of the Wildintroduced this version of Princess Zelda as inquisitive and hopeful. Players also learn more about her than any other character in either game.
WhileBreath of the Wildhas a diary for players to read through and understand Zelda’s backstory,Tears of the Kingdomvisits Hyrule’s past to examine what happens to Zelda after she goes missing at the beginning of the game. It all builds toa tragic sacrifice Zelda makesthat poetically makes her a lingering presence in Hyrule during the game’s present day.
2King Rauru
Even Hyrule’s Original Leader Was Flawed
While fans may recognize the name Rauru from one of the sages inOcarina of Time, the character has been re-imagined inTears of the Kingdomas one of the last Zonai and the first king of Hyrule. Players first meet Rauru’s ghost during the game’s tutorial, though they spend the rest of the game learning about his origin and how his first encounter with Ganondorf ended badly.
With his wife Queen Sonia, Rauru was the benevolent ruler of Hyrule in its earliest years, who stumbles upon Zelda after she’s transported into the past. He naively underestimates the evildoing of Ganondorf, which results in Sonia’s murder at the hands of the Gerudo king. Rauru later led the original sages into the Imprisoning War, sealing Ganon underneath Hyrule Castle.
3Impa
This Sheikah Elder Still Fights For Zelda
Impa has been a recurring character throughout theZeldafranchise, andBreath of the Wilddoesn’t stray from the character’s past portrayals. As the elder chief of Kakariko Village, Impa awaited Link’s awakening for a century, helping him on his quest to assemble the Divine Beasts and rescue Zelda from Calamity Ganon, though inTears of the Kingdom, she has another mission.
Players can run into Impa throughout Hyrule on the questline “Impa and the Geoglyphs,” investigating mysterious markings in the ground that reveal secrets about Hyrule’s history. However, as seen in the spin-off titleHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,a younger Impa was an ally to Link, Zelda, and the Champions during the emergence of Calamity Ganon.
4Purah
She’s Lived A Long Life For A Child
Purah is one of the few characters fromBreath of the Wildwho looks remarkably different inTears of the Kingdom. That’s because, as learned in the previous game, she caused herself to de-age as a result of rune experimentation, and is actually 124 years old. InTears of the Kingdom, Purah is slightly older now and heading research on the Upheaval, seemingly more mature.
However, a lot is revealed about Purah’s 124-year history inTears of the Kingdom. For instance, she has a rivalry with fellow researcher Robbie and was also the person who originally brought Link to the Shrine of Resurrection 100 years before the events of the first game. InAge of Calamity, Purah also appears, showing she had a knack for researching ancient relics at her original age.
5Ganondorf
The Most Evil Version Of Nintendo’s Most Evil Character
There’s little to know about Calamity Ganon as it appears inBreath of the Wild, but luckilyTears of the Kingdomgoes deep intothe being’s human form, Ganondorf. As revealed through the Dragon’s Tear memories, this iteration of Ganondorf bears a resemblance to hisOcarina of Timevariant, having been born a rare male to the Gerudo people and named their king.
After a failed attack on the kingdom, Ganondorf swears fealty to King Rauru, though it was a ruse to steal Queen Sonia’s Secret Stone and kill her. Transforming into the Demon King, Ganondorf, he fights Rauru and the Seven Sages, eventually defeated thanks to Rauru’s sacrifice. This Ganondorf later waited a millennium to reawaken and confront Link once and for all.
6Mineru
With Her Death Also Goes The Zonai Legacy
Mineru isone of the most interestingZeldacharactersin recent years, though it’ll take a while before players learn about her inTears of the Kingdom. As the sister to King Rauru, he and Mineru are the last living Zonai, with Mineru particularly responsible for maintaining the tribe’s memory. However, as the Sages failed to defeat Ganondorf, she was smart enough to have a backup plan.
By uploading her spirit to the Purah Pad, Mineru is able to return to the present in the form of a Construct that Link assembles in the Spirit Temple. After successfully defeating Ganondorf, a living Mineru attributes Zelda’s rescue to help from Rauru and Sonia in the afterlife. In one of the most emotional scenes of the game, Mineru bids farewell to Zelda and co. and finally embraces death.
7Riju
A Child King With Relatable Teen Angst
Of allthe new Champions fromBreath of the Wildwho return inTears of the Kingdom, Riju probably has the most compelling backstory (sorry, Sidon). As revealed in the previous game, Riju inherited the Gerudo throne from her mother after she passed away, though the rest of Gerudo Town questioned her leadership skills. Many players will likely relate to the self-doubt Riju feels.
InTears of the Kingdom, Riju seems to have come into her own as leader of the Gerudo in between the two games. However, as the Gerudo people are plagued by Queen Gibdo, Riju once again confronts her own inability to protect them. Thankfully, she once again has Link to help her overcome her fears and save the Gerudo people, filling the role of the Sage of Lightning.
8Cece
A Real Celebrity In Hyrule Moves Into Politics
One of the deepest side quests inTears of the Kingdomconcerns a mayoral election in Hateno Village between incumbent Reede and fashion designer Cece, who both have different visions for the village’s future. The support for Cece in the town is rampant, as many people throughout Hyrule will wear her signature mushroom hats, establishing her as a big name in the land.
However, they’re both hiding secrets, though it’s Cece’s that’s most compelling in terms of establishing her as a deep supporting character in Hyrule. As players discover after following Cece at night, she’s been enjoying Reede’s vegetables the old-fashioned way, which she had allegedly argued against. The two characters later agree to run Hateno Village together.
