Taking a close look at the latest teaser for the Breath of the Wild sequel

And here we are again.

Two years ago, Nintendo blew us away with a short trailer and an announcement that the sequel to Breath of the Wild was in development. Within a couple of hours, the collective fandom tore that one-minute and 26-second trailer apart. They developed theories, predictions, and wish lists regarding what could be in store for us. I myself published my thoughts regarding this unexpected and exciting new adventure that lay somewhere in the mysterious future.

Now here we stand (or sit) having just concluded E3 2021 and seeing another short teaser that gave us just a glimpse of what is to come sometime in 2022. Surprisingly, while this trailer is technically longer (at one minute and 38 seconds) it feels like there is less new material to work with. But there’s still enough between both trailers to speculate and get excited about what is to come.

Link’s arm

The first noticeable detail in this new trailer is how the Malice quickly overtakes Link’s arm. You can see Link grasping his arm with his other hand, his teeth gritting with obvious pain as he tries to resist whatever is happening to him. It’s very reminiscent of the wave of Malice that overtook the rat in the first trailer.

I will also note that there are two distinct “forms” of the Malice that we see in the two trailers. The first is slow, inert, and almost completely black and grey. The second form moves rapidly, covering everything like a swarm, with bright red highlights prevalent throughout. It’s this second form that is overtaking Link’s arm and is most likely activated as Ganondorf (presumably) is truly awakened.

Cut forward about 35 seconds and we see Link’s arm again, now lying on a slab or table of some kind. Perhaps this table is an altar, as there are symbols engraved on the outside edge. Link’s arm is no longer covered in Malice but is instead almost a carbon copy of the shining hand we saw attached to the mummified Ganondorf’s body in the first teaser. We briefly saw Link’s hand shining with this color in the first trailer, and it looks like the theory of that hand will merge with Link’s is confirmed. Although now, it seems like the hand was doing more than giving Link powers. It was also saving him from the Malice that threatened to consume him.

We can also be certain that the arm is indeed our stand-in for the Sheikah Slate. The quick demonstrations of abilities in the second trailer show Link using an upgraded version of Stasis and also a couple of new abilities, such as merging through solid rock to reach a platform. And all of this is performed with no sign of the Sheikah Slate. It would make sense that Zelda would take control of it again after being freed at the end of Breath of the Wild, leaving Link in need of a different source of power now that she has apparently fallen into the abyss.

Journey to the skies

I am unapologetic in my love for Skyward Sword, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw Link falling through the clouds in the same fashion. The multiple shots in daytime, dusk, and night indicate that these landmasses scattered through the atmosphere aren’t isolated dungeons. Instead, they are every bit an overworld as Hyrule is. Concerned players who wondered how we would get our thirst for exploration satisfied in a sequel can feel better knowing that there is still plenty to discover.

But what I find most interesting about this new sky world is the split in attire. Every segment that appears to take place in the sky has Link in a rather unique outfit: sandals with leather wrappings up his calves, a nearly bare chest, and what looks like the remains of a dark green tunic draped like a toga. That, plus a hairstyle bereft of his hair ties (or any stylings for that matter) gives Link a very raw, even ancient look.

There are several clips of Link in action on the surface and in his Champion’s Tunic, so we know we’ll still see action on Hyrule’s surface. Then there’s a glimpse of Hyrule below the floating islands, so we know the skies aren’t completely cut off from the surface like they were in Skyward Sword. Link is also seen using his new powers on the surface. All of these details make it seems unlikely that we are looking at truly separated scenarios (such as two different Links).

What seems most likely is that we will be seeing an aspect of Hyrule that has been lost to time for millennia and is only just now reemerging due to the threat of Ganon. Two options seem best. First is that we are truly revisiting Skyloft and the era in which the people of Hylia were initially descending from their world in the clouds and onto the land that would become Hyrule. That would strengthen the ties already referenced in the first game with the statues of Hylia that dot the land and the springs that reference the temples from Skyward Sword.

The second is that of the Zonai people referenced during Breath of the Wild, but especially in the Faron Region. The ruins in the clouds are obviously ancient, and the Armos/Beamos-like enemy briefly seen in the trailer certainly looks like a reference to something old and forgotten. The green in Link’s new outfit also matches the tropical climes of the Faron Region, and the fire-breathing shield we see in the trailer looks strikingly like one of the ancient statues one can find in those ancient ruins near the Spring of Courage.

The quest

Ultimately, our quest remains the same as we theorized after the first trailer. Despite our attempts, Zelda appears to have fallen into darkness. We know better than to assume she’s dead, but there’s no telling what comes of her after. We also briefly see the mummified Ganondorf rising, as if he’s preparing to command some powerful magic. It’s unlikely that he will remain in such a state and will instead attempt to regain his former glory — possibly using the Malice that he commands to become an even more terrifying force.

And now we see, with even more detail and horror, the rising Hyrule Castle, held aloft by tendrils of red and black Malice. Ganondorf is sure to be inside, amassing his power and preparing to unleash his evil plan. But what is it? The obvious answer is that he’s preparing for a takeover of Hyrule. Can’t go wrong with the tried-and-true formula, right?

But perhaps the revolutionary designers of the Zelda series are going to try something new once again. If Ganondorf was just trying to take over Hyrule, it would make more sense for the Malice to spread over the entire land like a literal flood of evil. Instead, it’s pushing the castle up and is holding it there. Maybe the Malice is struggling against its weight as it tries to lift it up even higher. Maybe Ganondorf is trying to head into the clouds himself. Maybe he hopes to create a better position for himself, or maybe he’s searching for something that will make him even more powerful.

The questions remain: What is he after? How can Link stop him this time? And where is Zelda during all of this?

The only thing I know for certain is that 2022 can’t come soon enough!