I really admire Zelda's characterization in BotW and TotK. This woman is FIERCELY badass. Imagine loving your people and your kingdom so very much that you devote your entire life to learning the sacred power to seal away Calamity Ganon, then holding him down ALONE in the ruins of your home for 100 YEARS while everyone you knew either died in the Calamity or escaped it only to die of old age. Imagine coming out of that 100 year stasis to a kingdom and people you don't recognize, then doing your best to assimilate and serve the children and grandchildren of the people you gave up everything for, founding a school and finally being at peace enough to start over and start living again. Imagine your kingdom and your new friends/subjects then being threatened by the mysterious Gloom diseases plaguing the kingdom, witnessing Ganondorf's awakening, the destruction of the legendary Master Sword, realizing the Calamity was just a taste of what's coming and then being shunted back millions of years to another era entirely, AGAIN to a kingdom and people you dont even know. Imagine loving that kingdom and it's founders and your ancestors STILL and choosing to stand and fight with them and then losing those comrades again. Imagine the strength of heart and spirit when not even that crushed your faith or your love for your kingdom and all its people so that when the ultimate sacrifice of everything you are is the only way forward to have the slimmest hope, you don't even hesitate to lose yourself to the dragon for millennia in stasis to keep the legendary blade safe, to travel back to your own era and pray that Link will save all the souls in peril and bring the Demon King to his knees. I admire her so much. She's so courageous and clever in this story.
You said everything. I applaud Nintendo, they managed to create a human Zelda, identifiable, courageous, kind, intelligent, in short. One of (if not the best) best Zeldas in the entire franchise.
(Game ending spoiler!!) She also had no clue she’d return to being a human. She thought she was essentially killing herself here. That’s what really gets me about her. She’s SO brave.
@@queeninnocent365Well, it makes sense! She has the full triforce as seen back in botw when sealing away dark beast ganon! She’s smart, brave, and very powerful!
It was an extremely risky move, but at the same time was the smartest move on Zelda's part. Literally killing 3 birds with one stone. Giving the Master Sword plenty of time to heal, charge it with power within that time, AND being able to live long enough to make it back to her era without aging out. All at the cost of not being conscious through it all
Yeah, Zelda kinda had some bare minimun recolection of events, she was mostly sleep, to the dragon form, Zelda's memories might have been read as dreams
Basically returning the master sword to its peak back to what it was in skyward sword which it has never been to this level before since skyward sword.
Kinda reminds me of Omi from Xiaolin Showdown who after being sent eaons in the past managed to figure out the position of the enemy's base and freeze himself just to be able to be awake as soon as said enemy base emerged from the depths. Things could've gone real bad!
Well actually I’m pretty sure they represent both Link and Zelda The Silent part is Link, the Princess part is Zelda In BOTW, they were extinct until Link woke up to rescue Zelda, at least that’s what is implied
@@goldybays they definitely didn’t know that Zelda was going to become a dragon when making BOTW, since TOTK started as DLC ideas before becoming its own game
Another cool easter egg is if you watch the intro sequence at the start of the game again, when the logo shows up, Zelda as a dragon is flying right by it. Genius foreshadowing!
I found some other pieces of foreshadowing: 1. In one of the trailers, when we see hyrule castle floating, we hear Zelda’s theme but with the dragons instruments. 2. When doing one of the side quests with Kilton and his brother (where you have to get a babbul gem), Kilton’s brother eats it, making a remark about turning into a Satori. Sound familiar? 3. The game devs did not reveal the game title for a while because it’s apparently kinda spoilery. It’s Tears of the Kingdom. The Light Dragon cries tears of Z’s memories, and Zelda is a part of Hyrule kingdom. Get it? I’m going to go cry now
Her clinging so closely to the master sword with so much fear and uncertainty of both losing herself and being alone for 10,000 years all can be seen in her eyes and it HURT me 😭
@@djrsbright i copied this from another person on a video but here Around 30,000 years+ to be exact. She had to wait for 3 Calamity Ganon events and each take place 10,000 years apart. 1st Calamity Ganon incident was when it was first appears and Hyrule was not fully prepared 2nd Calamity Ganon incident was when the Sheikh created the Guardians, Towers and Divine Beasts 3rd Calamity Ganon incident were the events of BotW
I mean listen, I love Zelda. But she’s never the main playable character of her own stories. Always either needing to be saved, or a plot device due to her bloodline and powers. While Link is out there doing the dirty work, growing, learning and accomplishing things. Him having the triforce of courage doesn’t mean much. He’s still got to work for his accomplishments. Which is fine, I suppose - it’s just how their roles are. Reminds me of Sora and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts. Kairi has magical status and powers, much like Zelda, but that’s about it. Sora is the one out there hero-ing about, fighting, saving, growing. Personally, I would like to play a game as Zelda, just for a change. Let her be the fighter, proactively making change with her own hands. All the other Champions got to be badass fighters like Link, why couldn’t she?
@@zachanikwano YES, theoretically, in totk, Zelda is part of the foundation of Hyrule, lived with the first monarchs for a long time (getting to the point that both treat her like a daughter), saw the first champions, got to know the old Hyrule, and Nintendo just let us know it shows crumbs of all this. the difference between Zelda and Kairi is that Kairi does not change, Zelda does, she learns, strives, grows, but OUT OF CAMERA. it happened to ALL the zeldas (except the one from spirit tracks, which accompanies the link), they live their own plots far from the player and this is very frustrating because it takes away a lot of development potential for the character. I hope Nintendo changes the way they treat Zelda, her name is in the title of the game, give the girl some love.
@@zachanikwano I actually like that she’s not a fighter. It’s a powerful message that someone with her heart and mind can contribute so much without being a combat expert.
@@mirzasilva737 Because it was never her story the original name was The Hyrule Fantasy: Zeruda no Densetsu. The legend of Zelda part was a subtitle but since it rolled off the tongue better they made it the name of the series going forward the series has never been about Zelda she's just a major godlike figure who's actions are important to the adventure. Nobody would be bitching about Zelda not being playable if the kept the original name of The Hyrulian Fantasy hell she's not even in some of the games like Link's Awakening, Majora's Mask and the unlinked Oracle games, then she's a minor character in Twilight Princess with Midna takeing her useal role and her just being the ruler practically a Queen in all but name she's not that important to that plot. The story has always been about the lands link visits and the worlds he explores only Zeldas who have had major barrings on the plot are OoT(its all her fault because she played into Ganondorf's hands), Skyward Sword (Childhood friend and reincarnation of the godess chosen to protect the triforce), Spirit Tracks(trying to get her body back after the villians stole it) and this one from BoTW and TotK. Zelda isn't playable as she serves a role similar to a Kami/God she isn't supposed to be playable she's supposed to be this holy being right below the triforce not someone who gets down in the trenches. She is capable of fighting but it's supposed to be beneath her this is why I argue if people realy want a playable female character they should just add Linkle instead of makeing what is ecentaly Hylian Ameterasu playable unless you want Zelda to run into the issue Samus has every game of losing their abilities at the start of every dam game for stupid arbitrary reasons.
@@demi-fiendoftime3825 my question is that I want to know HER STORY, her ADVENTURES, not just Link's, it's okay that she's not playable, that's not the point, the point that makes me angry sometimes is that she's always left out in the plot and when they focus on her a little they make her seem like someone dumb or indifferent (Twilight Princess). She is a being with divine powers, but remains mortal, the only Zelda we really know is the one from BotW/TotK and the one from Spirit Tracks, of the others we know little or nothing. I don't think Nintendo would lose anything if they gave Zelda a little more attention in another medium, if they want Link's adventures to remain the focus of the games, ok. So why not show the Zeldas dramas in mangas or animations, more accessible lore things, instead of just theories and plot holes. And that's it, each of the protagonists would have their way to shine and there would be no need to put a playable Zelda
3:15-3:30 It begins with Zelda's lullaby and then turns into something twisted and awful and horrible. I dont mean the music is horrible, I mean the music tells us something horrible has happened. Its extremely well done.
As a person who was obsessed with the spirit dragons in botw, the light dragon made my jaw go through the fucking floor when i first saw it, i wanted the dragons to play a role in a story but this is pretty close and good enough for me.
@@MajorRadiance from the description of their botw parts, they seem to be the triforce spirits, what further backs this up are their separate springs, ofc being the springs of power, wisdom, and courage
The thing is that even after completing this quest the "find Zelda" quest isn't completed. So despite knowing Zelda is a dragon now and that process is supposed to be irreversible Link just doesn't accept that.
Technically you still need to FIND the Light Dragon to claim the sword and finish the fight that Raoru had left on Link. This isn’t about refuse to accept, it is a determination to make her sacrifice worths it.
3:48 Sad how you can actually hear reminences of zelda in this roar. Along with the light dragon came the tears which hold the memories of the previous princess. It makes you wonder whether the princess wasn't all lost when the transformation process took place.
Spoilers: Zelda mentions being a dragon was like being asleep, so she definitely didn’t lose herself, she was just stuck in a dreamlike state. I wouldn’t be surprised if 10000 years passed by in the blink of the eye during that “sleep”
I’ve played every Zelda game and this was the most epic ‘get master sword’ moment I’ve ever experienced. Soaring up into the sky to land on dragon-Zelda and pulling the master sword out of her locks of hair, just pure art.
Same it was like a frantic dash for me. I was on a wing and i launched with a rocket as the dragon was coming by and the wing started blinking and so i pulled out a rocket and quickly attached it to the wing for that final push to make it over the dragon. Felt so awesome in the moment.
link to the past, link’s awakening, ocarina of time, majora’s mask, wind waker, twilight princes, and breath of the wild also got me very emotional, but tears of the kingdom is probably the second most emotional game (majora’s mask is just too good)
Each time I watch this I get more emotional. She gave up everything for everyone, for Link and that's one of the most beautiful things to me, I will miss you Zelda. I promise to protect them all.
My jaw was unhinged for most of this cutscene. Idk how Link wasn’t screaming, crying, and throwing up after witnessing that. After all they went through in Breath of the Wild, too. Jeez.
I think this Zelda is my all time favourite incarnation of Zelda. She's just so badass and gave up everything to give Link a fighting chance. I admire her character so damn much!
The japanese version is sadder to me. She doesn't finish her final sentence before transforming into the dragon. She basically says "Please save the worl---" and then transforms.
OoT Zelda: I'm more than just a princess. I'm also an honorary member of the Sheikah Tribe. (Transforms into Sheik) WW Zelda: I'm also more than just a princess. I'm a pirate captain! (Transforms into Tetra) ST Zelda: You call those transformations? You're both still human! (Transforms into a phantom suit of armor) TotK Zelda: Amateurs. All of you. (Transforms into a GIANT FLIPPING DRAGON!) Sheik, Tetra and Phantom Zelda: Okay, you win.
Getting the master sword first and then doing this quest was the best decision. Having that realisation of who the dragon is afterwards was just a crazy feeling
@@aarongarcia5667 This whole game was played in a way nintendo didn't intend it. They gave you so much freedom after the first four shrines, you could literally go anywhere with the only limitation being how determined you are to get somewhere.
Zelda in BotW: Link ive been waiting for you, for 100 years Zelda in TotK: Link, ill be waiting for you for 10,000+ years or so Nintendo doing Zelda dirty lol.
Every second of the last 2 memories and even pulling the Master Sword broke me down. Full on ugly cry because when have they ever given Zelda such a heroic and tragic moment as cool as this? So many things clicked in my head. Why was there a dragon all the way at Great Sky Island? Mineru's quote stayed in the back of my head. Why "Tears of the Kingdom?" And after the reveal...the whole game felt different. And I still haven't beaten it yet. What a moment
The craziest thing about all this is now this Zelda is technically 10,117 YEARS OLD due to becoming a Dragon 10,000 years ago and sealing Calamity Ganon for 100 years which also technically makes her one of the oldest Zelda characters ever maybe even the oldest one ever that isn’t a god.
Even older than that, really. The ancient Shiekah we're 10.000 years ago, and that was already hyrule. The Zonai founded hyrule, and that appears to be much longer ago. So WHO knows how Long she actually waited?
30,117 plus a few years (the time between botw and totk). She had to fly in the sky waiting through 3 calamity ganon events. Each of which happen every 10,000 years
I got the chills. this honestly makes me feel bad for all the times we'd shoot a portion of the dragon just to see if a rare drop come down from it. sorry dragon zelda🙇... wait is she really the dragon from botw?
I prefer to think that the other dragons are more like natural manifestations of the main 3 elements, beings so in sync with the elements their mere presence is enough to summon them.
The three elemental dragons represent the three primordial gods of the Triforce. They are above all other entities. They created the Goddess Hylia, who turned mortal and started the royal family (the first Zelda) and passed down her godly blood to the Zelda we see in this game. Zelda turning into a dragon is almost representative of her rejoining the gods as a deity and leaving her mortal presence in hyrule behind.
It’s never stated that the 3 goddesses - they’re not gods, they’re goddesses - were the ones who created Hylia. In fact, it’s heavily implied Hylia is either the highest deity in the pantheon, or she’s on an equal footing with the other 3, being the goddess of time, and that the 3 goddesses of fire, water, and earth, Din, Nayru, and Farore are creative goddesses. The dragons are representative of them, but not synonymous. The dragons in BotW/TotK are genderless and non communicative, but the past versions of them could not only talk but were not exclusively male or female. They’re not the same beings as the three golden goddesses. Also dragons in human mythology outside of the realm of Zelda lore are not gods with creative power, but more like spirits. The dragons are on a level more akin to the Deku Tree, protective spirits, but not on the level of the goddesses.
And her mortal presence is still there, and has been the entire time, for thousands of years. She is only one of many Zelda’s, so it’s possible for that incarnation of her to exist simultaneously with other Zeldas throughout Hyrule’s history. But she is still physically there, just immortal in dragon form. She does not achieve ascension back to the realm of the goddesses. The dragons fly as high as the sky islands and as low as the depths, but they never break the barrier of the sacred realm where the power of the goddesses reside, or “the heavens” vaguely referenced in OoT’s foundational story about the goddesses creating the land and leaving the triforce in their wake as they physically leave Hyrule. The only areas we see that are similar to the sacred realm are the shrines, that were created by Rauru and Sonia as purifying spaces to seal evil/monsters. And Link is the only one who can enter those.
what are you talking about? Hylia was at the beginning of everything after hyrule was made. The dragons (with their long ears and what we know about the transformation) are probably ancient ancient zonai. They were probably the first to do the transformation and why it is now forbidden. They do represent or imitate the goddesses but aren't at all said to be them. And this game takes place so long into the timeline. I do enjoy the representation however you said at the end, it is very fitting as she's one of the three chosen incarnates of the triforce.
Bro i'm so glad i didn't spoil myself and saw it in game first for once, THIS IS SO METAL!!! The best part is that I started realizing what was happening when i saw the master sword on the dragon's head and the deku tree's mention of sacred power. Then memory 18 hit with Zelda in a light realm but no mention or sight of the dragon and i was like "huh, that's weird." and then i looked at the dragon when the cutscene finished and i had THE THOUGHT. I was like "NO FUCKING WAY" and i legit had fucking whiplash at the sheer POSSIBILITY (bear in mind i hadn't unlocked memory 6 yet i was pretty early in the game still, only did the wind temple). Then memory 6 hit and I was like "HOLY SHIT I WAS RIGHT THAT'S SO FUCKING METAL BUT ALSO DAMN SHE AIN'T GOT NO MIND ANYMORE??? WHAT THE FUCK" and then i got all the geoglyphs and then zeldragon went and dropped the last tear and i was "HOO BOY HERE WE GO, DRACONIFICATION IS A GO!!!" and yet i was STILL NOT PREPARED FOR THAT CUTSCENE HOLY SHIT!!! They eyes specifically freaked me the FUCK out!!! Between this game, Hi-fi Rush and Octopath Traveler 2, this year is a FUCKING BANGER in terms of video games! I still haven't finished it yet and it's eating all my free time help-
You forget that you can only become a dragon when you swallow the 'secret stone', there's also been established lore In the game that the other three dragons are only elemental spirits who guard their respective springs.
I gotta be honest Zelda turning herself into a dragon is 100% metal dude that is so hard core I didn't except her to do that to meet him again in thousand years I thought they were gonna do the time travel robot from age of calamity guess I was wrong
And she stayed in that form for, If i had to do a Guestimation, well over 20000 years since the Cataclism was 10k before and the imprisionet war was right after the founding of hyrule in this Dimension because I now firmly belive that Botw is a completely different reality
@David Samudio so your saying is that the legend of zelda wild timeline is not set in any of the games timelines nor making all the games one whole time but a new one
@@davidsamudio3899hell probably even longer before as we can say for certain the past takes place after skyward sword but before any other games as it has the first king and queen of hyrule. The modern time though is odd I'm split between the fallen timeline or a new 4th timeline that follows the split timeline from skyward sword that nobody talks about which also makes sense as skyward sword is the most recent Zelda before the reinvented formula for Zelda in BoTW
SPOILERS AHEAD!!! This scene here just ate me up like a fine cuisine when I saw it. Zelda sacrificing her humanity in order to restore the Master Sword was a bold yet terrifying move that would ensure Ganondorf's defeat at the cost losing what made her who she was. Not only did she shed that tear in order to share her memories and plan with Link, but it was the last sign of her humanity before going feral. After that scene, what came across my mind was "You didn't have to do this. I appreciate what you did, but now you probably don't even know who you are anymore. I'm sorry." That combined with pulling the Master Sword causing her great pain just hurt to comprehend. Thankfully, the Zonai were able to turn her back after Ganondorf's defeat.
@@aarongarcia5667 This could have been a possible ending, but don't forget that Nintendo usually ends their games with all if not most problems resolved.
In the german version she says „for you“ instead of „you must“, wich i think makes this scene much more impactful. Instead of convincing herself that she must conquer her fear, she thinks of the one man she loves, to gather strength, just like she did when her powers awakened in BotW. I don’t know why they changed it in the english version.
you must is kind of closer to the Japanese translation than for you. she says だから: dakara, which just means "so..." I kinda like this and "you must" because it can also be interpreted as her trying to steel herself to make the ultimate sacrifice showing how scared she was in that moment.
@@ParadiseBirdAngel I’m a little shocked by your confession. Miasma as a word comes from Greek that later became a common latin word for toxic gas. I would have thought that Spanish, a latin language would be more familiar with this word than people who speak Germanic languages. Miasma is a Middle Ages idea of a type of toxic gas that causes disease and sickness, most notably the bubonic plague. Have you ever seen Italian crow doctors with a long beak during the bubonic plague before? People used to believe that burning/ spraying perfume into the air could prevent disease. I’m not sure how it works in other countries but In the United States, you learn about miasma during history class somewhere in the second or third year of middle school/Junior high. This was also the same class where they taught you that Italian doctors used to use leeches to suck your blood to try to cure you of disease.
@@genericname4168 but she normally can't fly, nor have multiple arms, and when she is a Hyrulian she doesn't have antler like horns, animal blue eyes, nor scales not to mention not big as a battleship
Basically the ending of the game involves both Ganondorf and Zelda each taking copious amounts of LSD and fighting in the sky as dragons. Their eyes reflecting the sheer volume of the dosage.
As someone about to fight Ganondorf for the first time, this made me angry because spoiler, and then laugh hysterically because it was too good hahahahaha
They still could've pushed it. To me, he looks like he's just glancing around, it's still hard to grasp what he's really thinking here. With a cutscene like that you would expect more but this doesn't even feel like devastation imo compared to skyward sword Link watching Zelda seal herself away.
I like how link barely has a reaction to him learning that zelda made the ultimate sacrifice and is pretty much gone forever, i mean come on. I know link is supposed to be stoic and courageous but i mean not a single tear for your best friend/girlfriend is wild
Also when you pull the sword, and get the memory of Zelda's wish and prayer for the sword to reach him in the future. That moment after the memory ends, and he brings the sword up close to his face, he just closes his eyes for a couple of seconds, iwth just a faint expression of determination. I'm pretty sure in that moment he's having to come to terms with Zelda's sacrifice. Then he opens his eyes and immediately sheaths the sword with that same expression. You can easily see him thinking "I won't let your efforts be in vain. I will DO this".
Past Me: oh its gonna be a skyward sword situation. She's going to be locked away in a room and we'll find her perfectly preserved Me now: you fucking WISH
When i finally realized who that dragon was, i would alway take any opportunity to travel around hyrule on her head for a good 10 minutes and enjoy the view... Link way to keep her company when ever he can...
It's actually nice to see Zelda actually doing something unlike in ocarina of time were she trains for 7 years to be able to help link fight ganon then during the fight she acts like a Barbie Princess who's scared to get her dress dirty. like what happened to sheik?
@@cyanthehedgehog777 for real ?? Don’t spoil me i’m going to check this out. I’m very happy though cause i *teared* when i saw this cinematic. Thanks lol
Terrako made me cry. And while I haven't reached this par to assumed this would happen after the early tears and mineru confirmed my suspicion. This wouldve made me weep had I not been prepped by mineru.
@@drakofox1362 I was laughing my ass of when that happened XD. I get that it's supposed to be sad, but when you revive a character only to have them die again within a minute, it kind of undermines any emotional impact because it makes the entire sequence seem completely pointless.
I finished Tears of the Dragon before claiming the Master Sword but just AFTER the Deku Tree started the Reclaim the Master Sword quest and knew it was moving around, but not sure why. I can say that is probably the best way to experience this moment, because it got me the most emotionally charged and invested I have been in a Zelda game since Midna 'sacrificing herself' to try and take Ganondorf down with the Fused Shadow in Twilight Princess and seeing the Divine Beasts finally rain their fury on Calamity Ganon in BOTW. My only thought, and goal, after watching the Final Tear and seeing the Light Dragon flying overhead was to get up to her IMMEDIATELY, by whatever means necessary. I managed it before she had even left Akkala, Not to reclaim the Master Sword. Though I did that. But to crown her with an armload of Silent Princesses first. Her last words as herself were to ask me to protect them all. I will. You better believe I will.
This is the best version of the character of Zelda we have seen in any Zelda game and I will not hear argument for the contrary. While there are many versions of the characters that are amazing versions such as Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, just to name a few, none of them are as well developed, explored or can even come close to what this Zelda has endured and given just out of love for her kingdom and for the man she loves. This woman kept Calamity Ganon at bay for a hundred years alone after suffering humiliation of never getting her powers and watching her friends and father die. And then she makes the heartbreaking sacrifice to give up her heart, mind, body and soul to ensure the Master Sword will regain its strength for thousands of years all in the slim hope that the man she loves will find her and save Hyrule once again. I have gotten attached to many forms of Zelda over the years but this is the first time I have actively shed tears over something she’s done. What an absolute legend. So no. I do not accept that there is a better version of Zelda than this one.
I legit didn't expect them to go this route and I really hope it's not undone by the end of the story. Legit a great moment in the story especially when you get the master sword
@@TheLeftistOwl Bruh the tragedy potential…. I love it. Zelda, after everything needs to die to save it all. Link, after finally rescuing his last remaining friend from a century earlier, is all alone in the end.
I absolutely hate when people say zelda was a helpless damsel in distress in this game and botw. She spent 100 years locked away keeping calamity ganon sealed, then she gets transported back in time only to see her beautiful foster parents brutally die due to ganondorf and then makes the ultimate sacrifice by turning into a dragon. People who say zelda is helpless really don't understand her character at all!
After getting so invested in the story and then seeing _this_ happen, I was devastated. Zelda was gone, Link couldn't protect her as he'd sworn to do. Walking around and hearing NPC's determined to find Zelda just twisted the knife. It was a relief to finally give the news to Impa so Link had someone to share the burden with, but it was relief mixed with so much sorrow. What a tearjerker.
Then zelda looked at me and said "i need about tree fiddy" it was about that time that i realized zelda was about 80 feet tall and was a dragon from the zonai period.
Past me seeing zelda fall in the TOKT trailer: Dammit Nintendo! STOP MAKING ZELDA THE DAMSELL IN DISTRESS! Me now after the game: doh I feel like a....I feel like a *donkey bray* ....BIG JERK!
A time when it happened, I figured my way to actually get to her and get the sword without knowing what condition to get the sword. Really a great emotional driven moment.
This absolutely blew my mind. On my way to this memory i even shot the dragon for an item. Felt bad about that after learning it was Zelda 👀 Also this implicates that the other Dragons once were people aswell, doesn‘t it?
Could be, could be not, immortal dragons may be something that just... exists like that, i doubt for them to exist it's necessary for them to eat the secret stone. If i remember they were mentioned last game to be in service of the Goddess so it's debatable.
In Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons (There was supposed to be a third game with Faron), Din and Nayru are 'Oracles' you have to rescue that look like humans. In TOTK Lore, it definitely points to Din, Nayru, and Faron having been real people with Goddess powers who saved the world by becoming Dragons. It made me cry because I loved Din and Nayru growing up lol
If you think about it, Zelda chose a fate even worse than dying to give Link a shot at stopping Ganondorf. We know there's an afterlife in the Zelda universe, and it's explicitly stated in game that lost souls continue on after death, though some need help from the Poe Collectors. Zelda can't. By becoming the light dragon, she knows she'll never die, but really, she also knows she'll never live, as she'll never regain her consciousness. She'll never know for sure if her plan worked and the Master Sword made it to Link, or that he could defeat Ganondorf to begin with. She knows she'll never see home or her friends again, or the children in Hateno village she cares for. She'll never see Link again. No one knows a way to reverse draconification. Zelda knows all this, and still she does it anyway
So if her soul never returns... The power to seal Ganon will never return. They also said Ganon is sealed for good. Ganondorf remains, but the cycle just seems... Over?
That moment you realize the "tears of the kingdom" are literally Zelda's tears... what a game. I don't care what anyone says. I love this game, and this scene makes me cry. Sure, Zelda gets a happy ending, but in this moment, for all she knows, she's giving up EVERYTHING with no clear way back. She's not just giving up her life. She's giving up her very being and identity. All to save her kingdom and because she has unrelenting faith in Link. After everything she's been through, I like to think this poor girl finally gets some peace and space to heal from all the trauma of ToTK and BoTW. Tbh it's also hard not to think about Link's perspective here. He's spent the whole game looking for Zelda after likely beating himself up for failing to save her, only to find out she sacrificed herself 10,000 years ago so he could win. He now knows the truth of her fate, and without knowing of a way to save her, pretty much all he can do is push forward and fight so her sacrifice isn't in vain. It's heartbreaking.
What makes this even worse is that this is an “Immortal Dragon” so she’s stuck like this for all eternity. I would imagine it’s like being held prisoner in your own body. I know it’s just a bunch of pixels, but it’s still scary and sad to think about.
They don't ever really reveal that, if they're even in the same situation that is. My theory is possibly other former Sages or maybe former attendants to the Golden Goddesses.
The three elemental dragons represent the three primordial gods of the Triforce. They are above all other entities. They created the Goddess Hylia, who turned mortal and started the royal family (the first Zelda) and passed down her godly blood to the Zelda we see in this game. Zelda turning into a dragon is almost representative of her rejoining the gods as a deity and leaving her mortal presence in hyrule behind.
@@Treemotan im leaning more towards sages rather than goddesses. The armors you get in game that are representative of each dragon could just be aesthetic, but I believe its what each sage had worn before becoming a dragon. Also peep the charged armor looking exactly like Rauru's outfit which makes me think the Farosh use to be a zonai. This is just all speculation though so take what i say with a grain of salt
Everyone says that Zelda lost everything, but I don't think that's entirely accurate. She may no longer be human and can't stand beside Link in his victory, but her people gained a future. And as we've seen many times Princess Zelda would want nothing more than that. I believe somewhere in the Light Dragon, as it flies tirelessly around the world, that our dear princess sees everything that's happened. And I think she's happy for everyone. Especially Link.
After this Quest, Quest "Find Princess Zelda" Still Present and according to japanese version, purah pad is also link's Journal/Diary. Yep He Didnt Accept that he still trying to "Find" his Princess hylian form. if Nintendo didnt make Link a Blank Slate, He will Definitely devastated and Crying. I completed this quest before the hyrule castle one, So my headcanon was after knowing Zelda Whereabout, Ganon still try to trick and kill him with Fake Zelda and He Pissed and Angry so bad he Wrote "Destroy Ganondorf"
I really admire Zelda's characterization in BotW and TotK. This woman is FIERCELY badass. Imagine loving your people and your kingdom so very much that you devote your entire life to learning the sacred power to seal away Calamity Ganon, then holding him down ALONE in the ruins of your home for 100 YEARS while everyone you knew either died in the Calamity or escaped it only to die of old age. Imagine coming out of that 100 year stasis to a kingdom and people you don't recognize, then doing your best to assimilate and serve the children and grandchildren of the people you gave up everything for, founding a school and finally being at peace enough to start over and start living again. Imagine your kingdom and your new friends/subjects then being threatened by the mysterious Gloom diseases plaguing the kingdom, witnessing Ganondorf's awakening, the destruction of the legendary Master Sword, realizing the Calamity was just a taste of what's coming and then being shunted back millions of years to another era entirely, AGAIN to a kingdom and people you dont even know. Imagine loving that kingdom and it's founders and your ancestors STILL and choosing to stand and fight with them and then losing those comrades again. Imagine the strength of heart and spirit when not even that crushed your faith or your love for your kingdom and all its people so that when the ultimate sacrifice of everything you are is the only way forward to have the slimmest hope, you don't even hesitate to lose yourself to the dragon for millennia in stasis to keep the legendary blade safe, to travel back to your own era and pray that Link will save all the souls in peril and bring the Demon King to his knees. I admire her so much. She's so courageous and clever in this story.
You said everything. I applaud Nintendo, they managed to create a human Zelda, identifiable, courageous, kind, intelligent, in short. One of (if not the best) best Zeldas in the entire franchise.
(Game ending spoiler!!)
She also had no clue she’d return to being a human. She thought she was essentially killing herself here. That’s what really gets me about her. She’s SO brave.
It’s heart breaking
@@queeninnocent365Well, it makes sense! She has the full triforce as seen back in botw when sealing away dark beast ganon! She’s smart, brave, and very powerful!
Best Zelda in the franchise. Thoughtful, kind, fierce, driven... she actually feels like a character.
It was an extremely risky move, but at the same time was the smartest move on Zelda's part. Literally killing 3 birds with one stone. Giving the Master Sword plenty of time to heal, charge it with power within that time, AND being able to live long enough to make it back to her era without aging out. All at the cost of not being conscious through it all
Yeah, Zelda kinda had some bare minimun recolection of events, she was mostly sleep, to the dragon form, Zelda's memories might have been read as dreams
@@davidsamudio3899 you think that means every time the light dragon went to sleep it woke up crying?
AND safekeeping the master sword so link can safely get it back!
Basically returning the master sword to its peak back to what it was in skyward sword which it has never been to this level before since skyward sword.
Kinda reminds me of Omi from Xiaolin Showdown who after being sent eaons in the past managed to figure out the position of the enemy's base and freeze himself just to be able to be awake as soon as said enemy base emerged from the depths. Things could've gone real bad!
All those Silent Princesses is what *teared* me up. Those flowers represent Zelda, and the fact that there are so many shows that she's finally free.
Well actually I’m pretty sure they represent both Link and Zelda
The Silent part is Link, the Princess part is Zelda
In BOTW, they were extinct until Link woke up to rescue Zelda, at least that’s what is implied
@@TheRock3tDoctor I agree with this theory as well.
@@sirsheep8011 And I also believe that in BOTW a few Npcs say that the flower represents love
@@TheRock3tDoctor i see the silent part as foreshadowing to her turning into the dragon.
@@goldybays they definitely didn’t know that Zelda was going to become a dragon when making BOTW, since TOTK started as DLC ideas before becoming its own game
Another cool easter egg is if you watch the intro sequence at the start of the game again, when the logo shows up, Zelda as a dragon is flying right by it. Genius foreshadowing!
The light dragon is also the dragon that breaks the cloud barrier that allows you to leave the Great Sky Island.
at the start of the game when they tell you zelda’s waiting for you in the temple of time the light dragon is flying above it :(
When link is skydiving in the intro if you got confused
I found some other pieces of foreshadowing:
1. In one of the trailers, when we see hyrule castle floating, we hear Zelda’s theme but with the dragons instruments.
2. When doing one of the side quests with Kilton and his brother (where you have to get a babbul gem), Kilton’s brother eats it, making a remark about turning into a Satori. Sound familiar?
3. The game devs did not reveal the game title for a while because it’s apparently kinda spoilery. It’s Tears of the Kingdom. The Light Dragon cries tears of Z’s memories, and Zelda is a part of Hyrule kingdom. Get it?
I’m going to go cry now
Her clinging so closely to the master sword with so much fear and uncertainty of both losing herself and being alone for 10,000 years all can be seen in her eyes and it HURT me 😭
30,000 years 🥹
@@SweetSam12318 30!? Explain please, I wanna know why you made me feel so much worse 😭
@@djrsbright i copied this from another person on a video but here
Around 30,000 years+ to be exact. She had to wait for 3 Calamity Ganon events and each take place 10,000 years apart.
1st Calamity Ganon incident was when it was first appears and Hyrule was not fully prepared
2nd Calamity Ganon incident was when the Sheikh created the Guardians, Towers and Divine Beasts
3rd Calamity Ganon incident were the events of BotW
@@SweetSam12318 OOOOOOOOH I completely forgot. The writing and lore for this specific Legend of Zelda Series is IMMACULATE
@SweetSam my sleep deprived ass cannot understand this.
That “Protect them all” scene was the most incredible show of badassery that Zelda could ever do
I couldn't help think of the other nintendo catch phrase "Gotta catch 'em all!"
It was dramtic :b
And the "Zelda never contributes anything" crowd takes another L
I mean listen, I love Zelda. But she’s never the main playable character of her own stories. Always either needing to be saved, or a plot device due to her bloodline and powers. While Link is out there doing the dirty work, growing, learning and accomplishing things. Him having the triforce of courage doesn’t mean much. He’s still got to work for his accomplishments.
Which is fine, I suppose - it’s just how their roles are.
Reminds me of Sora and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts. Kairi has magical status and powers, much like Zelda, but that’s about it. Sora is the one out there hero-ing about, fighting, saving, growing.
Personally, I would like to play a game as Zelda, just for a change. Let her be the fighter, proactively making change with her own hands. All the other Champions got to be badass fighters like Link, why couldn’t she?
@@zachanikwano YES, theoretically, in totk, Zelda is part of the foundation of Hyrule, lived with the first monarchs for a long time (getting to the point that both treat her like a daughter), saw the first champions, got to know the old Hyrule, and Nintendo just let us know it shows crumbs of all this. the difference between Zelda and Kairi is that Kairi does not change, Zelda does, she learns, strives, grows, but OUT OF CAMERA. it happened to ALL the zeldas (except the one from spirit tracks, which accompanies the link), they live their own plots far from the player and this is very frustrating because it takes away a lot of development potential for the character. I hope Nintendo changes the way they treat Zelda, her name is in the title of the game, give the girl some love.
@@zachanikwano I actually like that she’s not a fighter. It’s a powerful message that someone with her heart and mind can contribute so much without being a combat expert.
@@mirzasilva737 Because it was never her story the original name was The Hyrule Fantasy: Zeruda no Densetsu. The legend of Zelda part was a subtitle but since it rolled off the tongue better they made it the name of the series going forward the series has never been about Zelda she's just a major godlike figure who's actions are important to the adventure. Nobody would be bitching about Zelda not being playable if the kept the original name of The Hyrulian Fantasy hell she's not even in some of the games like Link's Awakening, Majora's Mask and the unlinked Oracle games, then she's a minor character in Twilight Princess with Midna takeing her useal role and her just being the ruler practically a Queen in all but name she's not that important to that plot. The story has always been about the lands link visits and the worlds he explores only Zeldas who have had major barrings on the plot are OoT(its all her fault because she played into Ganondorf's hands), Skyward Sword (Childhood friend and reincarnation of the godess chosen to protect the triforce), Spirit Tracks(trying to get her body back after the villians stole it) and this one from BoTW and TotK. Zelda isn't playable as she serves a role similar to a Kami/God she isn't supposed to be playable she's supposed to be this holy being right below the triforce not someone who gets down in the trenches. She is capable of fighting but it's supposed to be beneath her this is why I argue if people realy want a playable female character they should just add Linkle instead of makeing what is ecentaly Hylian Ameterasu playable unless you want Zelda to run into the issue Samus has every game of losing their abilities at the start of every dam game for stupid arbitrary reasons.
@@demi-fiendoftime3825 my question is that I want to know HER STORY, her ADVENTURES, not just Link's, it's okay that she's not playable, that's not the point, the point that makes me angry sometimes is that she's always left out in the plot and when they focus on her a little they make her seem like someone dumb or indifferent (Twilight Princess). She is a being with divine powers, but remains mortal, the only Zelda we really know is the one from BotW/TotK and the one from Spirit Tracks, of the others we know little or nothing. I don't think Nintendo would lose anything if they gave Zelda a little more attention in another medium, if they want Link's adventures to remain the focus of the games, ok. So why not show the Zeldas dramas in mangas or animations, more accessible lore things, instead of just theories and plot holes. And that's it, each of the protagonists would have their way to shine and there would be no need to put a playable Zelda
3:15-3:30
It begins with Zelda's lullaby and then turns into something twisted and awful and horrible. I dont mean the music is horrible, I mean the music tells us something horrible has happened.
Its extremely well done.
As a person who was obsessed with the spirit dragons in botw, the light dragon made my jaw go through the fucking floor when i first saw it, i wanted the dragons to play a role in a story but this is pretty close and good enough for me.
It makes me wonder who Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh are.
@@MajorRadiance from the description of their botw parts, they seem to be the triforce spirits, what further backs this up are their separate springs, ofc being the springs of power, wisdom, and courage
@@exo-t07I doubt they are the gods but it makes me wonder who they were if they were.
pretty close? this one is pivotal lol
Former zonai sages of fire, ice, and lightning?
What makes it more sad is the last memory is surrounded by silent princesses, her favorite flowers.
The thing is that even after completing this quest the "find Zelda" quest isn't completed. So despite knowing Zelda is a dragon now and that process is supposed to be irreversible Link just doesn't accept that.
Technically you still need to FIND the Light Dragon to claim the sword and finish the fight that Raoru had left on Link. This isn’t about refuse to accept, it is a determination to make her sacrifice worths it.
You can complete that quest after the boss fight.
Zelda heals the master sword. Meanwhile Link is building tanks and aircrafts
He getting ready for war
true brother@@drakofox1362
3:48 Sad how you can actually hear reminences of zelda in this roar.
Along with the light dragon came the tears which hold the memories of the previous princess. It makes you wonder whether the princess wasn't all lost when the transformation process took place.
And there's also the way she shows up in the final showdown in the sky. That right there told me right flat out that she didn't lose ALL of herself.
Spoilers:
Zelda mentions being a dragon was like being asleep, so she definitely didn’t lose herself, she was just stuck in a dreamlike state. I wouldn’t be surprised if 10000 years passed by in the blink of the eye during that “sleep”
I never heard it now I did and almost cried
I’ve played every Zelda game and this was the most epic ‘get master sword’ moment I’ve ever experienced. Soaring up into the sky to land on dragon-Zelda and pulling the master sword out of her locks of hair, just pure art.
It's more her fur then her hair as it is still good and her fur was white on the sword
Same it was like a frantic dash for me. I was on a wing and i launched with a rocket as the dragon was coming by and the wing started blinking and so i pulled out a rocket and quickly attached it to the wing for that final push to make it over the dragon. Felt so awesome in the moment.
The first time a mainline Zelda game made me tear up.
Same bro😭
link to the past, link’s awakening, ocarina of time, majora’s mask, wind waker, twilight princes, and breath of the wild also got me very emotional, but tears of the kingdom is probably the second most emotional game (majora’s mask is just too good)
That's why it's called tears of the kingdom
Fi's farewell speech in SS did that to me.
Amen man... Amen.
Each time I watch this I get more emotional.
She gave up everything for everyone, for Link and that's one of the most beautiful things to me, I will miss you Zelda.
I promise to protect them all.
My jaw was unhinged for most of this cutscene. Idk how Link wasn’t screaming, crying, and throwing up after witnessing that. After all they went through in Breath of the Wild, too. Jeez.
Anyone else cried like a fucker watching this?
I needed to take a break after watching this.
I was emotionally destroyed after that…
@@elusivo3347 big mood I was yelling at my screen like "ZELDA NO DON'T"
No but I wish I could.
I actually needed to stop playing for a second to take it in
It’s sad that at this time she was all alone Rauru was sealing Ganondorf Sonia was dead and Mineru was in the Purah Pad
*Mineru playing acnh on the purah pat while all the sh$t happens*
I haven’t even started the Spirit Temple yet.
I think this Zelda is my all time favourite incarnation of Zelda. She's just so badass and gave up everything to give Link a fighting chance. I admire her character so damn much!
I'd totally do dragon zelda... she's smokin' hot.
The japanese version is sadder to me. She doesn't finish her final sentence before transforming into the dragon. She basically says "Please save the worl---" and then transforms.
OoT Zelda: I'm more than just a princess. I'm also an honorary member of the Sheikah Tribe. (Transforms into Sheik)
WW Zelda: I'm also more than just a princess. I'm a pirate captain! (Transforms into Tetra)
ST Zelda: You call those transformations? You're both still human! (Transforms into a phantom suit of armor)
TotK Zelda: Amateurs. All of you. (Transforms into a GIANT FLIPPING DRAGON!)
Sheik, Tetra and Phantom Zelda: Okay, you win.
Ok now I want a fanfiction of all the Zelda's and Links meeting themselves and this conversation happens
Getting the master sword first and then doing this quest was the best decision. Having that realisation of who the dragon is afterwards was just a crazy feeling
Not the way Nintendo intended it
@@aarongarcia5667 This whole game was played in a way nintendo didn't intend it. They gave you so much freedom after the first four shrines, you could literally go anywhere with the only limitation being how determined you are to get somewhere.
@@aarongarcia5667 I paid €60 for the game lol I will play it the way I want
Zelda in BotW: Link ive been waiting for you, for 100 years
Zelda in TotK: Link, ill be waiting for you for 10,000+ years or so
Nintendo doing Zelda dirty lol.
Better than waiting in a castle as a damsel in distress and ONLY a damsel in distress. She gets to actually do something.
Zelda in the next one
Ffff it I'm a statue
Every second of the last 2 memories and even pulling the Master Sword broke me down. Full on ugly cry because when have they ever given Zelda such a heroic and tragic moment as cool as this? So many things clicked in my head. Why was there a dragon all the way at Great Sky Island? Mineru's quote stayed in the back of my head. Why "Tears of the Kingdom?" And after the reveal...the whole game felt different. And I still haven't beaten it yet.
What a moment
The craziest thing about all this is now this Zelda is technically 10,117 YEARS OLD due to becoming a Dragon 10,000 years ago and sealing Calamity Ganon for 100 years which also technically makes her one of the oldest Zelda characters ever maybe even the oldest one ever that isn’t a god.
Dang 💀 I think she is slightly older as there is a around 6 year timeskip making her 10123
Even older than that, really. The ancient Shiekah we're 10.000 years ago, and that was already hyrule. The Zonai founded hyrule, and that appears to be much longer ago. So WHO knows how Long she actually waited?
there's also a 5 year gap between BotW and Totk, so she's 10,122 years old
@@TheGoldenJay637 Thank god for even numbed
30,117 plus a few years (the time between botw and totk). She had to fly in the sky waiting through 3 calamity ganon events. Each of which happen every 10,000 years
I got the chills. this honestly makes me feel bad for all the times we'd shoot a portion of the dragon just to see if a rare drop come down from it. sorry dragon zelda🙇... wait is she really the dragon from botw?
Well there are 2 other dragons as well in this game
@@CGInferno ah
@CGInferno actually there are three dragons in breath of the wild
I prefer to think that the other dragons are more like natural manifestations of the main 3 elements, beings so in sync with the elements their mere presence is enough to summon them.
The other 3 dragons are the spirits of the triforce, power, courage and wisdom
The three elemental dragons represent the three primordial gods of the Triforce. They are above all other entities. They created the Goddess Hylia, who turned mortal and started the royal family (the first Zelda) and passed down her godly blood to the Zelda we see in this game. Zelda turning into a dragon is almost representative of her rejoining the gods as a deity and leaving her mortal presence in hyrule behind.
Holy fuck
It’s never stated that the 3 goddesses - they’re not gods, they’re goddesses - were the ones who created Hylia. In fact, it’s heavily implied Hylia is either the highest deity in the pantheon, or she’s on an equal footing with the other 3, being the goddess of time, and that the 3 goddesses of fire, water, and earth, Din, Nayru, and Farore are creative goddesses. The dragons are representative of them, but not synonymous. The dragons in BotW/TotK are genderless and non communicative, but the past versions of them could not only talk but were not exclusively male or female. They’re not the same beings as the three golden goddesses. Also dragons in human mythology outside of the realm of Zelda lore are not gods with creative power, but more like spirits. The dragons are on a level more akin to the Deku Tree, protective spirits, but not on the level of the goddesses.
And her mortal presence is still there, and has been the entire time, for thousands of years. She is only one of many Zelda’s, so it’s possible for that incarnation of her to exist simultaneously with other Zeldas throughout Hyrule’s history. But she is still physically there, just immortal in dragon form. She does not achieve ascension back to the realm of the goddesses. The dragons fly as high as the sky islands and as low as the depths, but they never break the barrier of the sacred realm where the power of the goddesses reside, or “the heavens” vaguely referenced in OoT’s foundational story about the goddesses creating the land and leaving the triforce in their wake as they physically leave Hyrule. The only areas we see that are similar to the sacred realm are the shrines, that were created by Rauru and Sonia as purifying spaces to seal evil/monsters. And Link is the only one who can enter those.
what are you talking about? Hylia was at the beginning of everything after hyrule was made. The dragons (with their long ears and what we know about the transformation) are probably ancient ancient zonai. They were probably the first to do the transformation and why it is now forbidden. They do represent or imitate the goddesses but aren't at all said to be them. And this game takes place so long into the timeline. I do enjoy the representation however you said at the end, it is very fitting as she's one of the three chosen incarnates of the triforce.
Bro i'm so glad i didn't spoil myself and saw it in game first for once, THIS IS SO METAL!!! The best part is that I started realizing what was happening when i saw the master sword on the dragon's head and the deku tree's mention of sacred power. Then memory 18 hit with Zelda in a light realm but no mention or sight of the dragon and i was like "huh, that's weird." and then i looked at the dragon when the cutscene finished and i had THE THOUGHT. I was like "NO FUCKING WAY" and i legit had fucking whiplash at the sheer POSSIBILITY (bear in mind i hadn't unlocked memory 6 yet i was pretty early in the game still, only did the wind temple).
Then memory 6 hit and I was like "HOLY SHIT I WAS RIGHT THAT'S SO FUCKING METAL BUT ALSO DAMN SHE AIN'T GOT NO MIND ANYMORE??? WHAT THE FUCK" and then i got all the geoglyphs and then zeldragon went and dropped the last tear and i was "HOO BOY HERE WE GO, DRACONIFICATION IS A GO!!!" and yet i was STILL NOT PREPARED FOR THAT CUTSCENE HOLY SHIT!!! They eyes specifically freaked me the FUCK out!!! Between this game, Hi-fi Rush and Octopath Traveler 2, this year is a FUCKING BANGER in terms of video games! I still haven't finished it yet and it's eating all my free time help-
My theory is that Din Nayru Farore have also do this ritual. All the dragons in botw come from the goddesses.
And now hylia technically joins them.
You forget that you can only become a dragon when you swallow the 'secret stone', there's also been established lore In the game that the other three dragons are only elemental spirits who guard their respective springs.
I gotta be honest Zelda turning herself into a dragon is 100% metal dude that is so hard core I didn't except her to do that to meet him again in thousand years I thought they were gonna do the time travel robot from age of calamity guess I was wrong
And she stayed in that form for, If i had to do a Guestimation, well over 20000 years since the Cataclism was 10k before and the imprisionet war was right after the founding of hyrule in this Dimension because I now firmly belive that Botw is a completely different reality
Robot is terrako and he is egg.
@David Samudio so your saying is that the legend of zelda wild timeline is not set in any of the games timelines nor making all the games one whole time but a new one
@@Superherofan1621 Yeah this backstory basically violates all previously established Lore for Hyrule in the previous games
@@davidsamudio3899hell probably even longer before as we can say for certain the past takes place after skyward sword but before any other games as it has the first king and queen of hyrule. The modern time though is odd I'm split between the fallen timeline or a new 4th timeline that follows the split timeline from skyward sword that nobody talks about which also makes sense as skyward sword is the most recent Zelda before the reinvented formula for Zelda in BoTW
It’s not real it’s just a game don’t cry don’t CRY DAMNIT
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
This scene here just ate me up like a fine cuisine when I saw it. Zelda sacrificing her humanity in order to restore the Master Sword was a bold yet terrifying move that would ensure Ganondorf's defeat at the cost losing what made her who she was. Not only did she shed that tear in order to share her memories and plan with Link, but it was the last sign of her humanity before going feral. After that scene, what came across my mind was "You didn't have to do this. I appreciate what you did, but now you probably don't even know who you are anymore. I'm sorry." That combined with pulling the Master Sword causing her great pain just hurt to comprehend. Thankfully, the Zonai were able to turn her back after Ganondorf's defeat.
I think the story would have hit harder if Zelda wasn’t able to turn back . Very sad but powerful ending . A true story of loss and sacrifice
@@aarongarcia5667 This could have been a possible ending, but don't forget that Nintendo usually ends their games with all if not most problems resolved.
In the german version she says „for you“ instead of „you must“, wich i think makes this scene much more impactful. Instead of convincing herself that she must conquer her fear, she thinks of the one man she loves, to gather strength, just like she did when her powers awakened in BotW. I don’t know why they changed it in the english version.
you must is kind of closer to the Japanese translation than for you. she says だから: dakara, which just means "so..." I kinda like this and "you must" because it can also be interpreted as her trying to steel herself to make the ultimate sacrifice showing how scared she was in that moment.
The English version also changes miasma in the Japanese version to gloom for some reason. Perhaps English speakers are not familiar with miasma?
@@onewayraildex4827 The german version used Miasma, too.
@@onewayraildex4827im sorry, but what does miasma mean? Im hispanic, but im not familiar with the term either
@@ParadiseBirdAngel I’m a little shocked by your confession. Miasma as a word comes from Greek that later became a common latin word for toxic gas. I would have thought that Spanish, a latin language would be more familiar with this word than people who speak Germanic languages.
Miasma is a Middle Ages idea of a type of toxic gas that causes disease and sickness, most notably the bubonic plague. Have you ever seen Italian crow doctors with a long beak during the bubonic plague before? People used to believe that burning/ spraying perfume into the air could prevent disease. I’m not sure how it works in other countries but In the United States, you learn about miasma during history class somewhere in the second or third year of middle school/Junior high. This was also the same class where they taught you that Italian doctors used to use leeches to suck your blood to try to cure you of disease.
What got me was her favorite flower all over the pond....the silent princess....as she is as a dragon
The flower has also represented Zelda and Link's bond
People who cried finding out, that zelda just destroyed herself, by turning herself into a dragon
👇
I got the last tear at night so when it panned back to show all the silent princesses they were glowing and it made it so tragically beautiful.
same omg
I thought the Dragon of Light looked suspiciously familiar and then I got the Master Sword and knew 😢
Poor Zelda. She became trapped in a body that wasn't her own
It’s still her body, just without any of her memories of her mortal form
@@genericname4168 not to mention no longer hyrulian and doesn't look recognizable anymore
@@Superherofan1621 honestly I’m hesitant to call her unrecognizable. She still has the trademark blonde hair and white reflecting her clothes
@@genericname4168 I thought the dragon was Hylia, I guess close enough 😂
@@genericname4168 but she normally can't fly, nor have multiple arms, and when she is a Hyrulian she doesn't have antler like horns, animal blue eyes, nor scales not to mention not big as a battleship
Basically the ending of the game involves both Ganondorf and Zelda each taking copious amounts of LSD and fighting in the sky as dragons. Their eyes reflecting the sheer volume of the dosage.
As someone about to fight Ganondorf for the first time, this made me angry because spoiler, and then laugh hysterically because it was too good hahahahaha
I guess it’s a cool route that the other princesses had never gone before. I mean, this Zelda become a dragon.
Spirit Tracks did have zelda become a ghost and a 'phantom ganon' respectively, but yes.
@@sinteleon Though, not as impressive as becoming a immortal dragon for unknown amounts of years.
@@BergmitetheBlueandPointy0712 (I think its 10k which is crazy bro 💀)
@@oatatus4102 10k would make anyone go mad. That's too long. We sleep, we live, we die, repeat. Not like that though.
Links face from 5:08. For a character that shows little emotion, this shows his devastation after watching that memory.
They still could've pushed it. To me, he looks like he's just glancing around, it's still hard to grasp what he's really thinking here. With a cutscene like that you would expect more but this doesn't even feel like devastation imo compared to skyward sword Link watching Zelda seal herself away.
Barely showed any emotion.
Even though Zelda had the Master Sword with her, the power still depletes and has to be recaheged 🙄
Jokes aside this almost made me tear up.
So the three elemental dragons must be the three goddesses that created all life.
"You can't be a dragon when you grow up"
*Me:*
It would’ve been hilarious if after the cutscene, the ‘find Zelda’ mission was marked complete.
When that dragon teared up so did I bro. It was like those tears where actually her last bit of consciousness just fading away,.
I like how link barely has a reaction to him learning that zelda made the ultimate sacrifice and is pretty much gone forever, i mean come on. I know link is supposed to be stoic and courageous but i mean not a single tear for your best friend/girlfriend is wild
I mean, Link looks kinda heartbroken after the memory ends, he definitely wasn't happy about it
@@racheldistasioliveira3871 exactly, his eyes says everything
@@Mainevrdies Yeah, the scene is short but you can see in his eyes that he is upset
Watch 5:09 again. He is hyperventilating and look at his face.
Also when you pull the sword, and get the memory of Zelda's wish and prayer for the sword to reach him in the future. That moment after the memory ends, and he brings the sword up close to his face, he just closes his eyes for a couple of seconds, iwth just a faint expression of determination. I'm pretty sure in that moment he's having to come to terms with Zelda's sacrifice. Then he opens his eyes and immediately sheaths the sword with that same expression. You can easily see him thinking "I won't let your efforts be in vain. I will DO this".
Past Me: oh its gonna be a skyward sword situation. She's going to be locked away in a room and we'll find her perfectly preserved
Me now: you fucking WISH
They definitely made getting the master sword epic in this one
3:35 WHY IS THIS SO SCARY
When i finally realized who that dragon was, i would alway take any opportunity to travel around hyrule on her head for a good 10 minutes and enjoy the view...
Link way to keep her company when ever he can...
Same.. then i shoot an arrow to her horn I need those.
the title is kinda a spoiler in itself... you wouldn't expect the light dragon to BE someone so reading this could make someone think
i was already sad, but when the cutscene ended and i saw all the flowers i burst into tears
It's actually nice to see Zelda actually doing something unlike in ocarina of time were she trains for 7 years to be able to help link fight ganon then during the fight she acts like a Barbie Princess who's scared to get her dress dirty. like what happened to sheik?
I can’t believe Zelda’s actually gone…😢
beat the game and you'll learn something relieving
@@cyanthehedgehog777 for real ?? Don’t spoil me i’m going to check this out. I’m very happy though cause i *teared* when i saw this cinematic.
Thanks lol
Terrako made me cry. And while I haven't reached this par to assumed this would happen after the early tears and mineru confirmed my suspicion. This wouldve made me weep had I not been prepped by mineru.
What part of Terrako made you emotional? I feel like any emotional impact gets severely undermined by the end of the game
@@liamdalemon1525more than likely the part when it sacrificed itself to stop the newly resurrected Calamity Ganon
@@drakofox1362 I was laughing my ass of when that happened XD. I get that it's supposed to be sad, but when you revive a character only to have them die again within a minute, it kind of undermines any emotional impact because it makes the entire sequence seem completely pointless.
@@liamdalemon1525 true but then again one is a living being the other a egg pot
I finished Tears of the Dragon before claiming the Master Sword but just AFTER the Deku Tree started the Reclaim the Master Sword quest and knew it was moving around, but not sure why. I can say that is probably the best way to experience this moment, because it got me the most emotionally charged and invested I have been in a Zelda game since Midna 'sacrificing herself' to try and take Ganondorf down with the Fused Shadow in Twilight Princess and seeing the Divine Beasts finally rain their fury on Calamity Ganon in BOTW.
My only thought, and goal, after watching the Final Tear and seeing the Light Dragon flying overhead was to get up to her IMMEDIATELY, by whatever means necessary. I managed it before she had even left Akkala,
Not to reclaim the Master Sword. Though I did that. But to crown her with an armload of Silent Princesses first.
Her last words as herself were to ask me to protect them all. I will. You better believe I will.
This is the best version of the character of Zelda we have seen in any Zelda game and I will not hear argument for the contrary.
While there are many versions of the characters that are amazing versions such as Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, just to name a few, none of them are as well developed, explored or can even come close to what this Zelda has endured and given just out of love for her kingdom and for the man she loves. This woman kept Calamity Ganon at bay for a hundred years alone after suffering humiliation of never getting her powers and watching her friends and father die.
And then she makes the heartbreaking sacrifice to give up her heart, mind, body and soul to ensure the Master Sword will regain its strength for thousands of years all in the slim hope that the man she loves will find her and save Hyrule once again. I have gotten attached to many forms of Zelda over the years but this is the first time I have actively shed tears over something she’s done.
What an absolute legend. So no. I do not accept that there is a better version of Zelda than this one.
I legit didn't expect them to go this route and I really hope it's not undone by the end of the story. Legit a great moment in the story especially when you get the master sword
Who’s gonna tell em
@@Cosmo4728 I fully expect her to turn back but it would be way better if she stayed that way
unpopular opinion i’d love her back 😢
@@TheLeftistOwl
Bruh the tragedy potential…. I love it. Zelda, after everything needs to die to save it all.
Link, after finally rescuing his last remaining friend from a century earlier, is all alone in the end.
If she remained a dragon that would probably mess up the inheritance of the goddess powers
I absolutely hate when people say zelda was a helpless damsel in distress in this game and botw. She spent 100 years locked away keeping calamity ganon sealed, then she gets transported back in time only to see her beautiful foster parents brutally die due to ganondorf and then makes the ultimate sacrifice by turning into a dragon.
People who say zelda is helpless really don't understand her character at all!
Wow so this why it’s called the legend of Zelda.
That lifeless Link reaction killed me XDDD
Ah yes, the forbidden cough drop.
After getting so invested in the story and then seeing _this_ happen, I was devastated. Zelda was gone, Link couldn't protect her as he'd sworn to do. Walking around and hearing NPC's determined to find Zelda just twisted the knife. It was a relief to finally give the news to Impa so Link had someone to share the burden with, but it was relief mixed with so much sorrow. What a tearjerker.
Oh so that's why the light dragon has majestic blonde hair
One thing I've noticed that I haven't seen anyone else comment is that when the tears fall from Zeldas eyes they're in the shape of a heart
3:15 is where I teared up, hearing Zelda's lullaby kinda broke me.
I did this part at night so it was even more beautiful when she and the flowers appeared
Then zelda looked at me and said "i need about tree fiddy" it was about that time that i realized zelda was about 80 feet tall and was a dragon from the zonai period.
5:09
That is the face of someone who is at an absolute loss on what to do next.
Link: (looks up at the Light Dragon now knowing its true identity) It all makes sense now.
I'd be more like AAAAAAAAAH
Sure things turned out ok
But Link doesn't know that
4:35 remember this song from the second teaser for totk? (I think it was still botw 2 at that time)
Past me seeing zelda fall in the TOKT trailer: Dammit Nintendo! STOP MAKING ZELDA THE DAMSELL IN DISTRESS!
Me now after the game: doh I feel like a....I feel like a
*donkey bray*
....BIG JERK!
I understood that reference!
A time when it happened, I figured my way to actually get to her and get the sword without knowing what condition to get the sword.
Really a great emotional driven moment.
This absolutely blew my mind. On my way to this memory i even shot the dragon for an item. Felt bad about that after learning it was Zelda 👀
Also this implicates that the other Dragons once were people aswell, doesn‘t it?
Not implies, it basically confirms it.
The real question is... who _were_ those people???
Could be, could be not, immortal dragons may be something that just... exists like that, i doubt for them to exist it's necessary for them to eat the secret stone. If i remember they were mentioned last game to be in service of the Goddess so it's debatable.
In Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons (There was supposed to be a third game with Faron), Din and Nayru are 'Oracles' you have to rescue that look like humans. In TOTK Lore, it definitely points to Din, Nayru, and Faron having been real people with Goddess powers who saved the world by becoming Dragons. It made me cry because I loved Din and Nayru growing up lol
Nah I shot her to..... multiple times I thought if it more like triming my girl
I still get chills and emotional seeing her change, and hearing her roar out into the sky.
If you think about it, Zelda chose a fate even worse than dying to give Link a shot at stopping Ganondorf. We know there's an afterlife in the Zelda universe, and it's explicitly stated in game that lost souls continue on after death, though some need help from the Poe Collectors.
Zelda can't. By becoming the light dragon, she knows she'll never die, but really, she also knows she'll never live, as she'll never regain her consciousness. She'll never know for sure if her plan worked and the Master Sword made it to Link, or that he could defeat Ganondorf to begin with. She knows she'll never see home or her friends again, or the children in Hateno village she cares for.
She'll never see Link again. No one knows a way to reverse draconification. Zelda knows all this, and still she does it anyway
God, these two games are just tragedy after tragedy sometimes, huh?
Also, what is the armor set that Link's wearing here? It looks pretty cool.
You’ll find this armor at rito’s stores
Man, this was a shock! To think Zelda has been alive for centuries! And does that mean the other 3 dragons were once people?
Since I got the Master Sword before finding the memories,this scene really shocked me
Such an awesome origin story for the best mining weapon lol
3:17 Is when I broke.
I don’t think Nintendo will ever be able to top a Zelda game like this ever again, based solely off this scene alone
So if her soul never returns... The power to seal Ganon will never return. They also said Ganon is sealed for good. Ganondorf remains, but the cycle just seems... Over?
This Zelda of this time-line is one of the best and the most tragic
Zelda is the actual hero of time.
Accidently found this out
That moment you realize the "tears of the kingdom" are literally Zelda's tears... what a game.
I don't care what anyone says. I love this game, and this scene makes me cry. Sure, Zelda gets a happy ending, but in this moment, for all she knows, she's giving up EVERYTHING with no clear way back. She's not just giving up her life. She's giving up her very being and identity. All to save her kingdom and because she has unrelenting faith in Link.
After everything she's been through, I like to think this poor girl finally gets some peace and space to heal from all the trauma of ToTK and BoTW.
Tbh it's also hard not to think about Link's perspective here. He's spent the whole game looking for Zelda after likely beating himself up for failing to save her, only to find out she sacrificed herself 10,000 years ago so he could win. He now knows the truth of her fate, and without knowing of a way to save her, pretty much all he can do is push forward and fight so her sacrifice isn't in vain. It's heartbreaking.
What makes this even worse is that this is an “Immortal Dragon” so she’s stuck like this for all eternity. I would imagine it’s like being held prisoner in your own body. I know it’s just a bunch of pixels, but it’s still scary and sad to think about.
who are the other dragons???? 😭 don’t tell me if that’s another reveal, i’m not there yet
They don't ever really reveal that, if they're even in the same situation that is. My theory is possibly other former Sages or maybe former attendants to the Golden Goddesses.
The three elemental dragons represent the three primordial gods of the Triforce. They are above all other entities. They created the Goddess Hylia, who turned mortal and started the royal family (the first Zelda) and passed down her godly blood to the Zelda we see in this game. Zelda turning into a dragon is almost representative of her rejoining the gods as a deity and leaving her mortal presence in hyrule behind.
@@Treemotan im leaning more towards sages rather than goddesses. The armors you get in game that are representative of each dragon could just be aesthetic, but I believe its what each sage had worn before becoming a dragon.
Also peep the charged armor looking exactly like Rauru's outfit which makes me think the Farosh use to be a zonai. This is just all speculation though so take what i say with a grain of salt
Everyone says that Zelda lost everything, but I don't think that's entirely accurate. She may no longer be human and can't stand beside Link in his victory, but her people gained a future.
And as we've seen many times Princess Zelda would want nothing more than that. I believe somewhere in the Light Dragon, as it flies tirelessly around the world, that our dear princess sees everything that's happened. And I think she's happy for everyone. Especially Link.
Link gonna do what donkey did in shrek
Which of the things donkey did???
The preceeding, this and the following when recieving the Master Sword. slightly broke me.
After this Quest, Quest "Find Princess Zelda" Still Present and according to japanese version, purah pad is also link's Journal/Diary. Yep He Didnt Accept that he still trying to "Find" his Princess hylian form. if Nintendo didnt make Link a Blank Slate, He will Definitely devastated and Crying.
I completed this quest before the hyrule castle one, So my headcanon was after knowing Zelda Whereabout, Ganon still try to trick and kill him with Fake Zelda and He Pissed and Angry so bad he Wrote "Destroy Ganondorf"
bro he wasn't pissed, that was his main quest so he could bring peace to hyrule.
@@cyanthehedgehog777 In My game He Pissed, Link still Blank Slate right? so its up to me
Now i see why its called tears of the kingdom
I love how they played the botw main themw
Getting that sword was the coolest thing I’ve done in a video game in a bit
3:40 excuse me mf princess zelda ass and then my fellow brethren in wisdom started speaking dragon roost valoo bro im dead
Yeah yeah dragon thingy and all very funny indeed, BUT when the hell are link and zelda going to marry?
My headcanon is that they already are. :)