Summary
The Legend of Zeldahas built up plenty of mysteries across its run. Whether it’s the purpose of the various Temples or why the Twili people were banished, plenty of details are thrown at players for them to puzzle over on their own time.Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave done the same with their version of Hyrule, thrusting Link into a world that isn’t just ancient, but also features a century of unseen time during Link’s artificially prolonged lifespan. Even Link’s time isolated on the Great Sky Island inTears of the Kingdomruns parallel to society-altering events on the ground.
To represent Hyrule’s complex history,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave set aside plenty of space for uncovering its past. There may not be anything asscandalous asOcarina of Time’s Shadow Temple, but there are plenty of mysterious locales and artifacts to uncover. Just about everything inTears of the Kingdom’s Depths is a mystery at first, and the game also builds on several details from its predecessor, like the scattered Leviathan skeletons and ruins. However, inTotK’s efforts to maintainBreath of the Wild’s greatest sources of speculation, it may have accidentally made one riddle even more obtuse.
Breath of the Wild’s Heroine Statue Quests Stand Out
One of the Shrine quests fromBreath of the Wildwas prompted by the Gerudo archaeologist Rotana, sending Link to inspect the Seven Heroine Statues in the East Gerudo Ruins. Rotana explains that these statues depict the seven divine protectors of the Gerudo tribe, which is the extent of theirhistorical details untilTears of the Kingdom. However, a different quest-giver named Bozai is lurking in the desert near Gerudo Town, and he’s willing to part with his useful Sand Boots for a steep price. To get them, Link needs to prove the existence of an Eighth Heroine Statue.
The Eighth Heroine Statue Was A Lightning Rod For Fan Theories
After some investigating, Link can find it partially hewn from a cliffside in the snow-covered Gerudo Highlands. Returning to Bozai, Link gets his reward but also unlocks another side quest forBotW’s similarly useful Snow Boots. Players now needed to photograph a sword that should theoretically accompany the Eighth Heroine Statue. This giant stone sword is found on the Gerudo Summit, somehow higher than the statue itself. Fans’ imaginations were captured by these archaeological discoveries, and plenty of speculation ensued on how and why the Eighth Statue and its sword were separated from the others.
Tears of the Kingdom’s Answers Only Raised More Questions
Six years later,Tears of the Kingdomset out to answer some of the questionsBreath of the Wildposed. Once again working with Rotana, Link is told more about the Seven Heroines’ history. Eventually, he discovers a room devoted to the Statue of the Eighth Heroine. As it turns out, this Heroine was actually a Hylian man who rallied the Seven Heroines to fight back against what may have been a titanic Molduga. Tragically, he was barred fromGerudo Town perZelda’s common Gerudo traditions, and the Gerudo ultimately hid all traces of him out of shame.
The Eighth Heroine’s Full Story Remains Untold
But even after that, it’s still unclear why the Eighth Statue was built where it is, and why it was left unfinished. There’s also a slight implication that the Eighth might be a prior incarnation of Link thanks to text referencing the “link between his people and the Gerudo.” LikeTears of the Kingdom’s otherunsolved mysteries like the Barbarian Set’s tribeand the Zonai race’s whereabouts, players are unlikely to ever hear the full truth about the Heroines, but that just makes them more fun to think about.
