The stage is set forThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomto be one of the biggest titles in the franchise. Apart from the new mechanics like Fuse and Ascend, the world of Hyrule seems to have evolved as well, opening up the potential for new characters, races, and locales to be discovered. With an emphasis on the sky and the exploration of the ruins of the Zonai people inThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it seems like the perfect opportunity to give Link a dragon as a companion.
Companions have played various roles throughoutThe Legend of Zeldaseries, fromNavi’s guidance inOcarina of Timeto Midna’s tragic story inTwilight Princess.AlthoughBreath of the Wilddidn’t really feature a true game-long companion like previous titles in the series,Tears of the Kingdomis in a great position to see this franchise staple return. With the presence of dragons in the previous title, and their significance to the Zonai tribe, it’s very possible Link could gain a draconic partner this time around.
RELATED:Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Crafting Systems Would Benefit From the Return of a GBA Entry’s Staple Mechanic
A Dragon Companion for Link in Tears of the Kingdom Makes a Lot of Sense
There’s a lot of evidence that could point to a new dragon companion inTears of the Kingdom. For starters, the ancientZonai tribe, who will likely play a major role in the game, are said to have worshiped a dragon, having built a settlement along the Dracozu River in the Faron Grasslands. They also are said to have viewed dragons as a symbol of courage, which could tie into Link’s possession of the Triforce of Courage.
Breath of the Wildalready featured three massive dragons that players could encounter across Hyrule. TheseBotWdragons – Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra– can be used to harvest items needed for armor upgrades, with Naydra even having its own side quest dedicated to freeing it from Malice. It’s clear that dragons have an modest presence in the world of Hyrule, and putting them at the forefront ofTears of the Kingdomby giving Link one as a companion would help expand the lore behind their existence and further develop the mysterious Zonai tribe.
It would be a fun twist to have Link discover an egg, carry it with him until it hatches into a dragon, and then have that dragon companion grow alongside him until it becomes large enough to fly. While the game seems to emphasize taking to the sky by crafting flying machines using the Fuse ability, giving this dragon the power of flight late in the game could serve as a reward for making it through the rest of the game having to build machines to get around. In the end, this dragon companion could serve a similar purpose to theKing of Red Lions fromWind Wakerand act as a vehicle for Link aside from being an integral character in the story.
It’s surprising that Link has never had a dragon companion in the past given how manyZeldagames include partners for the hero. With the potential for a bigger role than ever before given todragons inTears of the Kingdom, it’s very possible Link could finally have this type of companion. Although the gameplay that has been show thus far does not include any sign that this will be the case, Nintendo has been keeping the game under wraps for the most part and might be hiding important plot points prior to release. Even if it isn’t for the entire length of the game, having Link team up with a dragon for any length ofTears of the Kingdomwould be massive.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases onMay 12, 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
MORE:Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Repeating a Classic Beat Could be a Game-Changer for the Princess
