The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda : Tears of the Kingdomis a rare lineal sequel in theZeldaseries , and the only one so far to re - use the majority of the former plot ’s world - but the returning characters and story element fromBreath of the Wildalso convey with them some noticeable plotholes .
Other game in theZeldaseries are commonly more like disjoined parts of an anthology than continuous pieces of the same fib , so the series has seldom had to concern itself much with keeping a strict continuity , but this approach may have backfired when it come toTOTK . Although every mainlineZeldagame star a zep named Link ( or , in mostgames beforeBOTW , whatever the musician named him ) , different games in the series will seldom asterisk the same " Link " - and even those that do , likeOcarina of TimeandMajora ’s Mask , tend not to re - use the same game humans .
BOTW’s Link Can Explain One TOTK Plothole
TOTK’s NPC Plothole Has A Few Possible Explanations
In the conversion fromBreath of the WildtoTears of the Kingdom , however , using the same supporter , the same Hyrule , and many of the same returning quality will have some players wondering about one noticeable plothole . Despite most characters fromBOTWreturning in the continuation , many of those Nonproliferation Center do n’t seem to recognize Link inTears of the Kingdom , sometimes in nastiness of being side pursuit givers in the previous game .
An easy , but potentially dissatisfactory account , is simply that Nintendo desire to minimize confusion for players who hop the previous plot , and so only carry forrader Link ’s human relationship with a select few important NPCs - but another way to reconcile the inconsistency is to assume thatTOTKfollows up onBOTW ’s main story without acknowledge its side depicted object .
Most of the NPC that do n’t accredit Link inTOTKare primarily associated with relatively modest side quests inBOTW , so the Assumption of Mary thatLink just canonically did n’t gravel with many of those side questsis one way to makeZelda : TOTK ’s plotholesmake more gumption . or else , it ’s comparatively easy to rationalize that , in the geezerhood that have blow over between the end ofBOTWandTOTK , many of the NPCs that Link interact with may have just forgotten the person that did a relatively pocket-sized undertaking for them once .
A new reveal at Nintendo Live 2024 has vainglorious implications for how Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom fit into the wider Zelda canon .
The forgetfulness of some NPCs is laborious to make up than others , though -Bolson , for example , does n’t recognize Link inTOTKat all , despite having sold him a housethat later becomes known as Zelda ’s firm inTOTK . And since buying the house inBOTWis a prerequisite to help Rhondson ( who does remember Link inTOTK ) build Tarrey Town , the discrepancies between the two games can make even less sense to players who devote attention to the lowly details .
TOTK’s Plotholes Can Detract From The Game’s Appeal
TOTK’s Plotholes Are Relatively Minor, But Can Still Hurt The Experience
Of naturally , the relatively small discrepancies betweenBOTWandTOTKaren’t majorly biz - bankrupt details . But as one of the very few direct continuation in theZeldaseries , it can feel like a missed chance forTOTKto not build more on the story of its predecessor .
Even though many of its plotholes , like NPC not recognizing Link , or the absence seizure of Sheikah structures from the first biz , can be easily rationalized , explained , or even ignored , playingTOTKcan make it sense likemany ofBOTW ’s smaller detail do n’t matter . And it can suffer a player ’s connection to the world .
Though critically clap , and wide agreed - upon as one of the best games of 2023,TOTKsometimes failsto build onBOTWin significant ways . NPC not recognizing Link is relatively prosperous to rationalise or excuse after - the - fact , but in the moment , the seeming want of continuity can be jar for many players , and take off from the feeling thatTOTKis taking place in a globe that continued on from the end of the previous secret plan .
Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic.
AlthoughTOTKis a unmediated protraction ofBOTW , some details from the first game are perceptibly left out . think ofBOTW ’s side content as mostly non - canyon , or rationalizing that NPCs may have just leave about a person they did n’t have much interaction with are easy way to reconcile this plothole . However , making the supererogatory sweat to preserve continuity could have madeThe Legend of Zelda : tear of the Kingdoma more hearty experience .
