When I started Tears of the Kingdom, I thought I knew the story. Boy, was I wrong! The game rips everything apart in the first five minutes.
Link’s arm is glowing green, the Master Sword is busted, and Zelda is GONE! I spent forever collecting all those secret memories just to piece together this insane, beautiful, heartbreaking backstory.
This is everything I figured out about Link and Zelda’s journey, the true history of Hyrule, written exactly how I discovered it.
1. How Link and Zelda Got Split Up and Messed Up:
If you are anything like me, the opening of this game felt like a punch to the gut. Everything was quiet, creepy, and mysterious, and then, BAM!, suddenly our heroes are in the middle of a disaster that changes everything.
I spent hours thinking about how quickly the whole situation went sideways. This wasn’t some slow-burning mystery; it was an immediate crisis that set the stage for the entire game. I figured out that this whole section is crucial because it answers three huge questions: What is the Upheaval? What happened to Link’s sword arm? And wheredid Zelda actually go?
My Trip to the Gloomiest Basement Ever:
Link and Zelda start out exploring the caverns deep beneath Hyrule Castle, the place everyone calls the Gloom’s Lair. I mean, just the name should have been a warning! They are down there looking into the source of the mysterious Gloom and why the land is suddenly going crazy (the thing the game calls the Upheaval).
When I was watching the scene, I felt that creepy dread right along with them. They find this terrifying, mummified corpse that’s clearly been locked away forever. And Zelda, being the curious researcher she is, goes right up to it.
Then, the scary part: they realize this corpse is actually Ganondorf, the original Demon King, and he is not happy about being woken up from his nap.
The Attack That Broke Link and the Master Sword:
The moment Ganondorf stirs, everything goes into chaos. That disgusting red stuff, the Gloom, rushes out everywhere.
I remember screaming when Link got hit! That wave of Gloom rushes over him and corrupts his right arm instantly. It’s not just a boo-boo; it’s a terrifying, permanent injury that leaves his arm black, withered, and useless. My heart sank for Link, who relies on that arm for everything, especially swinging the Master Sword.
And speaking of the sword: Ganondorf doesn’t just injure Link; he uses his evil power to hit the Master Sword directly. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it! The blade, the legendary sword of legend, is snapped and shattered and completely drained of its power. This moment is so critical because it tells us that Ganondorf is not just some mid-level boss; he is the real deal and has power strong enough to break the literal sword of good.
Link is down, broken, and armless, and the Master Sword is useless. The hero is completely de-powered, that’s the emotional devastation I felt right then.
Zelda’s Fall and the Time Warp Mystery:
The most confusing thing happened next: Zelda falls.
As the cavern collapses, Zelda reaches out and grabs a Secret Stone (those glowing teardrop gems). She doesn’t just fall into a hole; she falls into a stream of glowing light, and everything gets weird.
I kept asking myself: Did she just die? Did she get sent to another dimension?
What I eventually pieced together by watching the memories is that she didn’t just fall down, she fell back in time. That Secret Stone, combined with the power of the ancient Zonai magic and the chaos of Ganondorf’s awakening, sent her thousands of years into the distant past of Hyrule, right to the time of the first King, Rauru.
So, when Link wakes up on the Sky Islands with a brand new, green, glowing arm (which we’ll talk about next!), Zelda is not just lost on some other island, she is literally living in the ancient history of Hyrule. That’s why she can’t just climb or teleport back! She’s time-locked.
This opening disaster is the engine of the entire game: it gives Link the motivation (finding Zelda) and the new tools (the arm) while completely removing his old security blankets (the Master Sword and Zelda’s presence). It’s the moment the old Hyrule story ends, and the new, ancient one begins.
2. Link’s New High-Tech Hand:
After the absolute mess that happened in the basement, I remember being so confused about Link’s new arm. It looked creepy! It was glowing green and covered in ancient spirals. Was it a curse from Ganondorf? Was it another injury? I was convinced Link was slowly going to turn into a Zonai zombie or something!
But as I found the first few memories and started piecing together the story from the Sky Islands, I realized something amazing: that arm was a rescue operation, not a curse. It’s actually the key to the entire ancient history of Hyrule.
The Guy Who Lent Link His Arm:
The hand that saves Link and replaces his corrupted limb belongs to a mysterious figure named Rauru. I think Rauru is just the coolest character design! He’s one of the Zonai people, those ancient, mysterious folk who supposedly came down from the sky. They are the ones who built all those cool ruins and technology you see everywhere, and Rauru is basically the first King of Hyrule.
When Link was hit by the Gloom and was totally powerless, Rauru’s spirit, or maybe just his incredibly powerful hand, was able to grab Link. It not only removed the Gloom infection from Link’s old arm, but it also replaced the damaged limb entirely.
I figured out that Rauru did this for two huge reasons:
- To Save the Hero: Link was dying! Rauru’s arm injected pure Zonai power into Link, stabilizing him and giving him a second chance.
- To Pass the Baton: Rauru knew he was needed in the past, but the fight against Ganondorf was coming back in Link’s future. By giving Link his arm, Rauru was passing on his own strength and knowledge. It’s like Rauru said, “Here, take my superhero tool kit; you’re going to need it!”
My Favorite New Powers (The Zonai Tool Kit):
This new arm is why Link can suddenly do all these crazy things that were impossible in the last game. It’s not Link’s strength; it’s the power of the Zonai channeled through Rauru’s hand. This is the simple way I understood the main powers:
- Ultrahand (The Magnet Hand): This is my favorite power, and it’s the easiest to understand. The arm lets Link connect anything, logs, fans, wheels, rocks, and stick them together. I realized this power isn’t magic; it’s ancient Zonai building technology. Rauru, the King, was a master builder, and Link can now do the same. It turns Link’s hands into giant, powerful magnetic construction hands. Suddenly, I wasn’t just fighting monsters; I was building boats, cars, and ridiculous flying machines!
- Fuse (The Glue Power): This power, which lets Link glue a stick to a rock to make a hammer, or a sword to a mushroom, is the ultimate time-saver. I spent ages experimenting! I realized this is Rauru’s way of teaching Link resourcefulness. The arm takes two simple items and uses Zonai energy to fuse them together into a single, stronger tool. It’s the simplest power, but it’s the one I use the most.
- Ascend (The Ceiling Elevator): This is the weirdest power, but so helpful! It lets Link shoot straight up through a solid ceiling, cave roof, or mountain overhang. I think of it as Rauru giving Link the ability to bypass the rules of reality for a moment. It’s like a secret, personalized Zonai elevator Link that can deploy anywhere, saving hours of climbing.
The arm is the physical link between the ancient world of the Zonai and Link’s future mission. It’s the constant reminder that Link isn’t alone; he has the strength of the first King helping him every step of the way. But where exactly did Zelda go in the meantime? That’s the next part of the mystery I had to solve.
3. Zelda’s Secret History Trip:
When I finally tracked down those Dragon Tears (the collectible memories that show you Zelda’s journey), I felt like a true historian unlocking the deepest secrets of Hyrule. Zelda didn’t just fall back in time by a few years; she went back thousands of years to the very beginning of the kingdom.
This whole part of the story, told through her eyes, is my favorite because it fills in all the gaps about who the Zonai were and how Ganondorf actually got his start as the ultimate bad guy.
Alone in the Ancient World:
Imagine being Zelda. You’re separated from Link, your only friend and protector, and you’ve woken up in a land that looks totally new, but is actually incredibly old. I felt so bad for her! She has no idea if Link is alive, and she has to figure out how to survive in a world where her modern knowledge of Hyrule is completely useless.
Luckily, she lands right in the court of the first rulers of the land: King Rauru and Queen Sonia.
- Rauru is the guy whose arm saved Link! He’s a Zonai, one of those ancient, powerful people who are basically like benevolent gods who came down from the sky. He used his powers (like that glowing hand) to establish a safe place for everyone.
- Queen Sonia is Rauru’s wife. She’s a Hylian, just like Zelda and Link, but she has this unique, amazing power over time. She was the one who could see flashes of the past and future. I realized she’s the original “time hero” of Hyrule!
Zelda, being the clever princess she is, has to pretend to be a wise royal from the future to gain their trust. She becomes Sonia’s close friend and basically lives among the founders of Hyrule, watching history unfold.
The Rise of the True Demon King:
Everything is fine and peaceful for a while. Rauru and Sonia are trying to unite the land, and Zelda is secretly learning all the ancient wisdom that might help her save the future. But in this beautiful, peaceful history, there is always one rotten apple: Ganondorf.
Ganondorf, in the past, was the leader of the Gerudo tribe. And just like in every Zelda game, he was greedy, power-hungry, and jealous. He wasn’t happy with Rauru’s rule; he wanted to be the one in charge of the whole world.
I remember the memory where Ganondorf bows to Rauru, swearing loyalty. I knew it was a lie! You could just see the evil intent bubbling up.
The betrayal finally comes to a head when Ganondorf plots his takeover. I was on the edge of my seat when he finally made his move:
- The Killing: Ganondorf attacks Queen Sonia and kills her, stealing the power of time she had.
- The Stone: He takes Sonia’s Secret Stone. These stones are like natural batteries of pure, incredible energy.
- The Transformation: By combining his already massive evil power with the Secret Stone, Ganondorf transforms into the true Demon King. This is where he gets that hideous, mummified body and the unbelievable power that Link eventually faces.
This is the biggest lore bomb I discovered! Zelda didn’t just witness ancient history; she witnessed the exact moment the biggest villain in the franchise became the creature that would ruin her time.
Zelda knows that with Ganondorf powered up like this, the future is doomed, Link will fail, and the Master Sword will be destroyed (which she already saw happen!). She realizes she has to do something massive and desperate right then and there to save everything. And that leads to the most shocking and saddest part of her whole journey.
4. Why Zelda Turned into That Giant Friendly Dragon:
This is the part of the story that absolutely broke my heart. If you haven’t seen the final memories yet, stop reading right now! But if you have, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
After witnessing the Demon King Ganondorf rise to power in the ancient past, Zelda knew that Link, in the future, wouldn’t stand a chance. The Master Sword was shattered, and its power was drained. She realized that the only way to save Hyrule was to make an ultimate sacrifice, one that meant giving up her identity and spending thousands of years in loneliness.
The Forbidden Act:
Zelda had the Secret Stone, the one she brought back with her from the future. She learned from the ancient texts that consuming a Secret Stone would grant a person infinite life and power, but at a terrifying cost: they would turn into an immortal, mindless dragon. This act is called Draconification, and it was totally forbidden because you lose your mind, your memories, and your human form forever.
I remember thinking, No way she’s going to do it. It’s too much!
But Zelda is the ultimate hero in this story, and her love for Hyrule and Link is just that strong. She looked at that shattered Master Sword and realized it needed something that only pure, ancient energy could provide, and it needed time. A lot of time.
So, in a devastating memory, Zelda consumes the Secret Stone. It’s an incredibly sad, silent scene. Her whole body changes, getting covered in bright, glowing scales and wings. She transforms into the Light Dragon, that massive, beautiful, gentle dragon that we see flying high above the clouds throughout the entire game.
The Dragon’s Duty:
This is the key piece of lore I pieced together that made the entire game click: Zelda didn’t turn into a dragon just to be a landmark. She did it for one single purpose: to be a living forge for the Master Sword.
For thousands of years, as the Light Dragon, Zelda flies high above Hyrule. The shattered pieces of the Master Sword get stuck in her head (literally!). By spending all that time within her pure, powerful Light energy, the sword is slowly, slowly purified and repaired. It’s like the longest, slowest repair job in history!
When Link finally manages to find her high in the sky, he pulls the Master Sword from her head. At that moment, the sword is not just repaired; it is fully awakened and filled with the power of light that Zelda spent millennia building up.
I was honestly teary-eyed. Every time I saw the Light Dragon floating peacefully in the sky, I knew it wasn’t just scenery; it was Zelda waiting for her hero. She was out there doing the hardest, longest job imaginable, completely isolated, just to make sure Link had the weapon he needed for the final fight. It’s the ultimate act of selflessness and commitment. She had to give herself up so that Link could succeed.
This sacrifice is why Link’s quest isn’t just about fighting monsters; it’s about saving Zelda, not from a castle, but from an eternal, lonely destiny she chose for herself.
5. The True Ending:
After all that journey, all those emotional memories, and all that time I spent flying around the skies looking at my beautiful, dragon-princess friend, the only thing that mattered was seeing Link and Zelda finally together and safe.
This last part of the story, the reunion, is the ultimate payoff for all the heartbreak in the middle. It’s when the game finally gives you the huge emotional relief you’ve been waiting for.
The Final Battle:
The final boss fight is spectacular, but for me, the most amazing part wasn’t the fighting, it was the emotion. In the very last phase, Ganondorf transforms into the giant, terrifying Demon Dragon. And what does Link have to do? He has to ride the back of the Light Dragon (Zelda!) and protect her while he fights the biggest monster yet.
I felt like Link was literally riding a wave of his own love and destiny into battle. He wasn’t just fighting for the world; he was fighting to rescue the person who sacrificed her entire self for him. Every swing of the now-repaired Master Sword felt like an emotional plea: “Come back, Zelda!“
I realized that this final stage confirms their unbreakable connection. Link has Rauru’s arm, but his real power is his loyalty and determination to protect Zelda, no matter what form she takes.
The Reunion:
So, how does Zelda turn back into a person? After Link defeats the Demon Dragon, Rauru’s spirit, the same power that saved Link’s arm, appears for one last time. Rauru uses his Zonai light energy to surround the fallen Light Dragon.
This is Rauru’s final, beautiful act. He basically uses his power to undo the forbidden Draconification. It’s like Rauru knew the sacrifice was necessary for the world to be saved, but he also knew that Link and Zelda deserved to be together as themselves. The light envelops Zelda, and she gently floats down, human again, falling right into Link’s arms.
It’s the simplest, beautiful ending. They don’t need a huge celebration; they just need each other.
What This Story Means for Their Relationship:
Now, the game never shows Link and Zelda kissing or says they are officially “boyfriend and girlfriend.” But come on, we all know the truth! After everything they’ve done, sharing a small house in Hateno Village (which you can see in the game!), the diaries she keeps talking about him, and Zelda literally spending thousands of years as a dragon just to save him, their bond is stronger than just “friends.”
The whole journey in Tears of the Kingdom is the ultimate love story. It’s not just about a princess and a hero; it’s about a partnership of destiny where each person is willing to give up everything for the other. Zelda gives up her life for the sword, and Link gives up his safety to hunt for her memories.
When they finally walk away together at the end, back towards the castle and that little house in Hateno, I felt like the story was complete. They are survivors, they are founders of a new Hyrule, and most importantly, they are home. That’s the feeling I was left with: knowing that Link and Zelda’s story is far from over, but for now, they get to rest and enjoy the peace they earned, side-by-side.
The true backstory of Tears of the Kingdom is complex, but the final meaning is simple: They are everything to each other.
Conclusion:
What an incredible story! After collecting all those memories and seeing how Link and Zelda were both broken and then rebuilt, I truly feel like I know the history of Hyrule better than ever before. This wasn’t just a sequel; it was a heartbreaking, beautiful lesson in sacrifice and partnership. Link with his new Zonai arm and Zelda with her memories of the distant past are the perfect team. They taught me that even when things are shattered, love and determination are powerful enough to restore not just a kingdom, but a legendary sword and a destiny that spans millennia. Now go play the game and appreciate that beautiful ending.
FAQs:
1. Wait, did Zelda really turn into the huge Light Dragon?
Yes, she made a terrible, heartbreaking sacrifice by eating a Secret Stone to become the immortal Light Dragon and fix the Master Sword.
2. Why did Link lose his arm right at the beginning of the game?
He lost his arm because the evil Gloom from the awakened Ganondorf infected it, making it useless, and he had to get Rauru’s Zonai replacement.
3. Who exactly is Rauru, the guy with the glowing arm?
He is a powerful Zonai who was the very first King of Hyrule in the ancient past, and he gave his power to Link to save him.
4. What happened to Link’s Master Sword when Ganondorf attacked it?
Ganondorf shattered it, but Zelda took the broken pieces to the past to let her Light Dragon form repair and charge it with light power.
5. Did Link and Zelda ever confirm they are officially dating?
The game never says the words, but after everything they’ve been through and their shared house, it’s definitely implied that they are much more than just friends!
6. Did Link’s new arm give him all his powers, like Ultrahand and Fuse?
Yes, that new Zonai arm is basically a high-tech ancient tool kit that gave Link all his new building and crafting abilities.