The creative process involves considering, developing, and ultimately sidelining many different ideas until settling on the path forward. You may draft something, add to it, move it around, set it aside, or even toss it. The Zelda development team purposely sought out ways to branch out from the standard formula in Breath of the Wild, and in doing so developed several concepts that only saw the light of day after the game’s release as examples of their early creative process. Now, after seeing two trailers for the highly anticipated sequel, we can see that some of the unused concepts appear to have returned as features.
I was struck by many things about the sequel’s 2021 E3 trailer, but one thing that particularly caught my attention was Link’s arm. It appears black from the tips of his fingers all the way up to his shoulder blade. While we don’t know the extent of how this affliction will impact Link, the trailers give reason to believe it will be a central feature. In the first trailer released in 2019, we see a glowing blue arm appearing to hold down a decrepit, vile-looking creature many believe to be Ganondorf (if a little dehydrated), and then Link’s right arm turning an identical blue as if he were acquiring some new power. In the most recent trailer, we get a glimpse of Link’s arm being engulfed in a Malice-like substance and also see it glow blue like in the first trailer when Link permeates a rock surface and appears on the other side, suggesting the arm somehow attributes to this newfound talent.
Link’s mysterious arm is certain to be a primary feature in the sequel, but the idea for it likely came from unused concept art from Breath of the Wild. Introduced during a presentation at the Game Developers Conference in 2017, the art shows the creators considered the idea of making Link a one-armed protagonist. In it, Link dons long, shaggy hair and a (perhaps Malice-infused) mask, and his right arm is missing. Other drawings show Link adapting the appendage into familiar items, such as a bow, bomb launcher, hammer, and what looks like it might be a Skyward Sword Beetle-like projectile. To be sure, Link appears to maintain his right arm in the sequel’s trailer, but it is hard to deny the similarity in concept compared to the artwork, especially when we see Link’s arm appear to give him new abilities. (Also, check out this interesting read on how Link’s arm may be inspired by Irish mythology.)
Another hard-to-miss aspect of the trailer is how the earth has been torn asunder and islands float high above the ground below. While this promises to add a new layer of gameplay, the concept seems to have been considered for Breath of the Wild but not implemented. In one piece of concept art, a mountain (perhaps Mt. Doom) is suspended in the air with tendrils of earth (or perhaps something more sinister) hanging beneath. Side by side with the final scene from the sequel’s trailer, where Hyrule Castle floats above a fountain of Malice, the similarity is striking. I’d be willing to bet the early art influenced the design for the sequel. In the concept of the floating mountain, we can also see Ganondorf in a style similar to his Twilight Princess appearance.
You never know when an idea that has been set aside will suddenly spring back to life and become a perfect fit. Let that be a lesson never to toss an idea in the trash, for it might come in handy in another project down the line. I look forward to seeing how Link’s arm and the floating islands play a role in the sequel and what ideas did (and didn’t) make the cut this time around.
