Theory: Tears of the Kingdom will introduce a fourth dragon

As a fantasy series, The Legend of Zelda has often plucked inspiration from creatures of myth and legend. Dragons, in particular, have appeared in a number of Zelda games, though the roles they play have shifted between enemies, chatty companions, and ethereal beings. There are intricate, yet robust connections that draw the draconic (and sometimes otherwise spiritual) beings together across the timeline, whether they be references to one another or even direct descendants.

Last year, I wrote the feature A brief history of the Legend of Zelda’s dragons, wherein I explored and identified in detail the involvement of dragons in Zelda games. I also illustrated the connections between each of them and considered their future. In this feature, we will expand upon the theory I formed a year ago — that a fourth dragon will be introduced in Tears of the Kingdom.

Recapping the Relationships

First, a reminder of the core links between the spirits and dragons is needed. These points primarily tie to Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild. However, the Golden Goddesses and the Triforce’s creation also play a vital part. Each Golden Goddess is directly tied to one of the core dragons, bestowing upon them a Triforce piece and a province of Hyrule to represent and watch over:

Farore: The Goddess of Courage, Farore’s associated dragons watch over the Faron regions in their respective games. In Skyward Sword, this is the duty of the dragon Faron; in Breath of the Wild, the responsibility falls to Farosh. In addition, Faron serves the goddess in Twilight Princess as one of the Spirits of Light at their woodland Spring.

Din: Din is responsible for the Eldin region and acts as the Goddess of Power. Her dragons are Eldin (Skyward Sword) and Dinraal (Breath of the Wild), alongside Eldin the Spirit of Light (Twilight Princess).

Nayru: The final Goddess is that of Wisdom, tied to the Lanayru region of Hyrule. In Skyward Sword, its protector manifests as the dragon Lanayru; in Breath of the Wild, is it Naydra. Much like the previous spirits, Twilight Princess also sees Lanayru as a Spirit of Light.

Why a Fourth Dragon?

Across the timelines, the Zelda games have always had a strong fondness for a rule of three: the Triforce, three corresponding Golden Goddesses, three wielders, and three springs. The key elements of the series’ lore have always come as trios. There have, however, been exceptions.

In Twilight Princess, while the Spirits of Light are each connected to their own network of related Dragons and one Golden Goddess, they are also joined by a fourth Spirit: Ordona. Ordona is the guardian of its namesake province, which includes Ordon Village — Link’s home. The Ordona Province only appears in Twilight Princess, and as such, its Spirit of Light is also absent from all other games. Nonetheless, they hold equal power and precedence as the other Spirits.

Similarly, Skyward Sword introduced a fourth key spirit alongside the three dragons (Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru). Levias, the Sky Spirit, resides within the Thunderhead, which, much like the Ordona Province in Twilight Princess, is a location that only appears in one game. While the three dragons protect their respective regions on the Surface, Levias is the protector of the skies — a responsibility he has carried for centuries.

The similarity shared here is that both games introduced a fourth dragon or spirit who guarded an area unique to their game’s map. Details of Tears of the Kingdom remain few and far between, but players have been teased with new areas and a vastly different Hyrule to the one they left in the first game. Link and Zelda are set to have plenty of new earth and sky to explore — terrain that will need to be filled with something.

Something Borrowed or Something New?

Zelda games have never shied away from referencing their own predecessors in the timeline, and none do quite as widely as Breath of the Wild. As the biggest game in the series yet, it seems only natural that the easter eggs included span from a great many other Zelda titles. From the ruins of Lon Lon Ranch in Hyrule Field to Fi’s chime upon completing the Master Sword Trials, keen-eyed (and eared) fans had plenty to uncover.

There is, then, a very real possibility that a fourth spirit could be connected to a being we’ve already met, whether it be a subtle reference or full appearance (though the latter seems less likely, as, despite its self-referencing, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are very much carving a new path of Zelda games).

With an extensive back catalog, there are many spirits to choose from, dragon and non-dragon alike. We can say with confidence that we won’t see Levias (Skyward Sword), the Wind Fish (Link’s Awakening), or the Ocean King (Phantom Hourglass), as it’s strongly believed that these whale-like spirits each match one of the three sets of leviathan bones found in Breath of the Wild‘s overworld. A descendent of one of them, however, is not off the table.

There is also a choice of dragons to reintroduce to the series outside of the three present in Breath of the Wild. Valoo, for example, appeared in The Wind Waker, watching over the Rito as the Spirit of the Skies. Though his age is unknown, he speaks only the ancient Hylian language, indicating he has been around for centuries — and could well be for many more, not to mention any descendants that could rear their heads. Valoo himself is thought to be descended from Volvagia, the Fire Temple boss in Ocarina of Time; Volvagia, however, did not serve Link or the goddess. Instead, it served Ganondorf, who revived the dragon to defend the Fire Temple and feast on Gorons. Regardless, the main point here is that there are a number of ancient beings that could strike inspiration for a fourth dragon or spirit in Tears of the Kingdom.

Alternatively, Nintendo might create something brand new. While each piece of the Triforce and Golden Goddess is spoken for, there are plenty of tribes, provinces, and elements that a new dragon could preside over, not to mention any new areas and tribes players will be introduced to in the sequel. Moreover, we’ve already seen Naydra corrupted by Malice — it is entirely possible that another spirit has succumbed to such a fate, and now lurks in the caverns beneath Hyrule Castle under Ganon’s command.

Naturally, it must be stated again that this is a theory, and not in any way official news. Though I conceptualized and expanded on this myself, I have no doubt that similar predictions and lines of thought are also weaving their way through discussions among fans all over the place. With such an adoring, dedicated, and expansive player base, one of the biggest strengths of the Zelda series is the creativity of those who play the games, taking stories and building them to be even more wondrous.

I’ve always hugely enjoyed falling down a rabbit hole of Zelda theorizing and could spend hours creating a cartoonish detective’s board of red string and polaroids. Until we reach Tears of the Kingdom’s release on May 5, 2023, I am more than content to bundle my excitement into hopes and theories, whether they be my own or other peoples’. I hope they resonate with you, too!