The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is finally out, and plenty of players are diving into the wide-open kingdom of Hyrule as they work to push back the evil that Ganon has spread throughout its land. The open nature of the exploration, the challenging combat, and the head-scratching puzzles all lend themselves quite well to the overall experience. Under the gameplay and mechanics, however, is a gripping story that will uncover the events that lead to Ganon’s rise, and Link’s place within this world.
The story has a lot going on, and since you can play however you want, even skipping ahead to the final boss right after the first, tutorial area, it can be easy to miss parts that make the bigger picture much clearer. To help those who maybe didn’t have the time to journey to each part of the game’s map and uncover every bit of the plot, we’re going to break down the important aspects of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s story.
There will definitely be some heavy spoilers ahead, so if you’d rather experience the finer details first hand during your own playthrough, we advise that you turn back now. If you have been playing, but are finding the story a bit complicated or just can’t find certain memories and other exposition in the game, continue on to see the great story that Nintendo has created.
SPOILERS AHEAD! FINAL WARNING!
The Kingdom of Hyrule and Ganon
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
For those new to the series, Hyrule is the recurring kingdom where the games’ lead protagonists, Zelda and Link, are from. Depending on the game you’re playing, it exists in different forms. In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it had become the pinnacle of technology and civilization, ushering in an era of power and peace. Yet, as always, there was a curse that would bring Ganon, the very entity of evil and malice, to the kingdom. Likewise, the prophecy also ensured that two heroes would be present each and every time, incarnations of both Zelda and Link.
Thanks to the technological advancements made by the kingdom, though, the kingdom was able to to create four Divine Beasts, which are mechanical behemoths forged for the sole purpose of stopping evil. The Hylians also created thousands of Guardians, the tentacled automatons you can see in trailers and throughout the game’s world. 10,000 years prior to the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, these machines were used to quickly defeat Ganon, sending the malicious spirit back to where it came until the next time it was due to invade the kingdom.
The kingdom was so astonished by how effective their technology was that they changed nothing for the next encounter. It worked perfectly the first time, so they figured why fix what ain’t broke. Their contentment would be their downfall. Ganon remembered the embarrassing defeat and devised a plan to counter the Guardians along with the Divine Beasts. As soon as the spirit manifested itself in the world, overtaking Hyrule Castle, it fired off its corruption into every machine, killing hundreds and trapping the souls of deceased champions within the beasts they controlled. Ganon used Hyrule’s own power against it, bringing about the ending of the kingdom and kicking off the events of Breath of the Wild’s story.
Link and the Shrine of Resurrection
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
When players finally start the game, they take control of Link as he awakens in a place called the Shrine of Resurrection. He was in a deep slumber here for 100 years, yet when he awakes, he has no memory of what came before or what has happened to the kingdom. However, you can find out how and why Link ends up there later on.
In this timeline, Link is one of the greatest warriors in Hyrule, and is recognized as the Hero of Time who has come before (Zelda clearly references Skyward Sword, A Link to the Past, and Twilight Princess) after the Master Sword chooses him. He is appointed captain of Zelda’s guard, and is always by her side, even during the battle against Ganon at Hyrule Castle.
It turns out that during the fateful battle 100 years ago, Link was mortally wounded by Ganon’s army after the machines fell under his control. Zelda, knowing that Link would be needed to ultimately defeat Ganon, uses her power to distract the evil while Impa, the leader of the Sheikah, takes Link’s body away as life slowly seeps out of him. He is then placed into the bath that he finds himself in when he awakes. Nearby are a few tools and the Sheikah Tablet he’ll need to truly embark on his journey.
Upon exiting the shrine, he meets an old man who seems to be a lot more than what he appears.
The Old Man and Link’s Purpose
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
That old man you soon run in to seems to be a bit of a jerk at first. He asks link for a favor, and in return he’ll give him that fancy Paraglider so he can get off of the Plateau (the game’s starting area). The thing is, after Link does exactly what he asks, he doesn’t keep his end of the bargain and makes Link do quite a bit more. But don’t worry, although he seems like he’s just jerking your chain, he’s actually just testing you to make sure you’re ready for both his true identity as well as the challenge ahead of you.
The old man is actually King Rhoam, the last king of Hyrule, and Zelda’s father. More accurately, it’s the spirit of King Rhoam. He perished during the fight with Ganon while trying to support Zelda and Link as well as keep his kingdom safe. He knows firsthand how grave the current situation surrounding the land is, and he wanted to make sure you had the tools you needed to set out, which is why he forced you to complete the Shrines, which are actually Hero training tests.
Even though evil is in control, the Goddess still shows favor for the heroes of Hyrule, so with the Orbs he earns as tokens of Shrine completion, he’s able to build his strength to face off against Ganon once again, hopefully with a much better outcome this time around. Link’s mission is to travel to each kingdom and regain both allies and the Divine Beasts that were entrusted to each of them:
- Vah Rudania of the Gorons
- Vah Medoh of the Rito
- Vah Ruta of the Zora
- Vah Naboris of the Gerudo
You can of course go straight to Ganon, but since that led to an ending where everyone died, it’s best to get the weapons developed to destroy the evil first.
The Divine Beast Champions and Their Fate
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
The four Divine Beasts were split up between the four kingdoms that surround Hyrule. Not only did this help cement a balance of power, it kept Hyrule, Ganon’s main target every time it returns. To power the large machines, a champion from each area is chosen, and they use their respective beast to support the chosen one who wields the Master Sword, which is always some version of Link.
When it is shown that Ganon takes over the machines, there isn’t much detail given other than the fact that they became evil and started killing. This simple truth applies fairly to the Guardians, but it’s a much more grim turn of events for the Divine Beasts. The forces of all the kingdoms were already mounting an attack against Ganon when it started to spread the corruption. The champions were all aboard their respective beasts and as a result had to fight for their lives as their weapons were turned against them.
Unfortunately they didn’t survive the fight, and perished at the hands of Ganon’s evil. Daruk, Urbosa, Mipha, and Revali all had their spirits sealed within the ancient technology as a mutated being, powered by Ganon’s malice, took their place. Link must defeat these manifestations of Ganon in order to free those spirits, which in turn will regain their support like they offered 100 years ago, along with the Divine Beast they were given to pilot.
Zelda’s Worries
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
Leading up to all these events – the return of Ganon, her role as one of the heroes, the death of those she loves – Zelda isn’t the uplifted spirit she can be seen as in several other series entries. The Zelda in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a mind heavy with the troubles of the future. The threat of Ganon is real, as it was prophesized and has always come to pass. This puts the weight of the world on her shoulders, along with those of Link. But she doesn’t feel she’s ready, she doesn’t feel anyone is ready for the darkness on the horizon.
It’s odd to see a character as iconic as the princess be so down. She starts to question fate, wondering if she was never told that she must be this savior, this hero, would she ever even be one. Maybe destiny chose wrong. The king doesn’t help out at all either. He tries to lock her into a singular role, crushing her spirit.
But, this is The Legend of Zelda, and if there’s one character that lives up to their potential i this game, it’s Zelda.
Zelda’s Resolve
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
Not content with sitting idly by, locked into a role decreed by a destiny prophesized thousands of years before her birth, Princess Zelda helps to set up the tools that will lead Link through The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. She doesn’t care about what people think of her, only the task at hand. She doesn’t feel the power that is supposed to be hers, the power to seal Ganon, but that isn’t going to stop her just yet.
She recognizes that everyone will need support, makes sure everyone knows that Link is the hero who must survive if they are ever to defeat the evil that’s spreading. She resolves herself to step food on the battlefield, even despite not have the combat skills that everyone else has. Naturally this puts her in danger, but she’s made up her mind.
Her selflessness causes the Tri-Force to manifest and her powers to finally make an appearance. There, on the battlefield, when Link has been wounded, she begins to fight the battle herself, while everyone else falls around her.
She sets up everything for Link, including placing the Master Sword in the forest near the Great Deku Tree. It’s he that allows her to record her voice and place it within the Master Sword. After this she heads to face Ganon in Hyrule Castle, where she becomes trapped, similarly to how all the others were with the Divine Beasts.
The Battle With Ganon and Zelda’s Fate
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
After collecting his memories, which he had lost in the Shrine of Resurrection, it is not time for Link to face Ganon himself. He was told countless times about how Zelda, full of courage, went to face the evil on her own, and how she was locked in battle with him for 100 years. It’s interesting, because The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sort of implies that she died in battle, much like her allies. But unlike the others, there is no confirmation. You’re just told that you need to save her from the battle she’s been locked in for a century, and it’s easy to assume that it’s the same as with the others, that the princess’ spirit is trapped while some evil form holds Hyrule Castle in its grasp.
It turns out that she wasn’t dead, but she was indeed trapped. Her power allowed her to survive within Ganon, surrounded by all that hatred and anger. she was even able to keep the evil locked to the castle, where you approach it and face off against its power.
With Zelda’s power, Link is granted the Bow of Light, which is used to release the seal, freeing Zelda from Ganon’s clutches. From the outside, she is finally able to fulfill her Destiny, sealing the evil away until its next return.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Ending
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Story and Ending Explained
After the ultimate battle between good and evil, all of the spirits of the champions and the king can be seen standing above Hyrule Castle. They look upon Link and Zelda, finally reunited after 100 years of torment. Their work is done, and now that the evil is vanquished, they are free to pass on to the next life. As for our heroes, the princess no longer hears the power that she used for all those years. It seems that it only manifests itself when needed, and since Ganon is officially gone from this realm, the power, too, has fallen into a slumber. But her’s and Link’s work is far from over.
Link joins Zelda on her new quest, to restore Hyrule Kingdom and make it even better than it was before. She sets off to start work on maintaining the Divine Beasts and Guardians so that future generations are ready for the cursed threat that will rise again. The ancient weapons stand at the four corners of the world, awaiting the next time they’ll be needed, and good has triumphed over evil.
It’s not entirely clear yet which timeline The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild falls under, but we do have an idea or two. For more on this extraordinary game, make sure to check out our wiki.
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