Official BOTW 2 Teaser Video Debunks Popular Link Fan Theory
In addition to showing off more footage of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, yesterday’s BOTW 2 teaser video appears to debunk a surprisingly popular Link fan theory about who the main protagonist will be. Due to the overall lack of new information surrounding the fan-titled Breath of the Wild 2 since it was shown off during Nintendo’s E3 Direct livestream at E3 2021, fans have come up with all kinds of interesting theories about the upcoming title’s story, namely regarding where it sits within the Zelda timeline and whether or not classic villains like Twilight Princess’ Zant could be the main antagonist instead of the expected Ganondorf.
One of these theories would call into question Link’s presence in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. While the tunic-clad, Master Sword-wielding bearer of the Triforce of Courage has traditionally been the silent playable protagonist of the Legend of Zelda series, some fans have noted that previous trailers for BOTW 2 haven’t featured a good look at the hero’s face. This led some to suspect that BOTW 2 will feature a different main character altogether, with one darker theory being that the game will star a younger Ganondorf.
However, yesterday’s Breath of the Wild 2 teaser has seemingly confirmed that this won’t be the case, as pointed out by Reddit user Okapi05 on r/zelda not too long after said video was first revealed. Okapi05 notes that the new clip features a clear look at Link’s face, signifying that he likely will serve as the character players control throughout the next Zelda adventure. Some fans in the comments section have expressed disappointment that the theory of a new protagonist has been debunked, while others never liked this idea anyway and are relieved that Nintendo has seemingly put it to rest.
There will be plenty of time for fans to come up with new theories about Breath of the Wild 2, as the same teaser that confirmed that Link is still playable also revealed that BOTW 2 has been delayed until 2023. This was done to allow the development team more time to polish the ambitious open-world gameplay shown off in previous Breath of the Wild 2 trailers. While plenty of fans are disappointed at the idea of having to wait a while longer to enjoy Breath of the Wild 2, others have latched onto the idea that the recent delay will give Nintendo time to release the much-asked-for Switch versions of The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.
Of course, the alleged confirmation that Link is indeed the playable character shown off in previous Breath of the Wild 2 footage doesn't rule out the possibility that other characters could be controlled in the next Zelda game - such as Princess Zelda herself or even the aforementioned Ganondorf. Still, the notion that the longtime hero of the Legend of Zelda series would be absent from Breath of the Wild 2 has been seemingly disproven once and for all.
Source: Okapi05/Reddit