Despite being the eponymous character and a stalwart of the series, much about Princess Zelda’s role in Tears of the Kingdom is unclear. Here, we’re answering whether Zelda is dead in Tears of the Kingdom, or whether she dies as the story progresses.
We’ve got all the answers you could need but, unsurprisingly, there’s some *Major Spoilers Ahead*. Only read on if you’re happy for plot points and the fate of Zelda to be revealed.
Does Zelda Die in Tears of the Kingdom? Answered
Zelda accompanied Link throughout Breath of the Wild, aiding the protagonist as he sought to conquer evil and protect Hyrule. However, in Tears of the Kingdom she actually features surprisingly little throughout the main narrative. Her appearances (or lack thereof) have led players to question whether she is evil or whether she becomes a dragon in TOTK. But is she dead, and does she die?
The good news is that Zelda does not die at the start or end of Tears of the Kingdom. A scene early on, in which the Princess falls into a pit underneath Hyrule Castle has players worried (and worried me when I played through it and thought we’d get a Finding Nemo-esque massacre early on) but she does not die.
Instead, she is sent to the past and forced to try and beat the Demon King Demise from there. In the process, she becomes the Sage of Time, and joins the other Sages of the past to put an end to the one corrupting the land of Hyrule for good.
Nor does she die at the end of the game either. During the final battle she fights Ganondorf who, like Zelda, has become a Dragon. The two dragons clash and, with Link watching on, manage to vanquish the Demon King by destroying the Secret Stone with the Master Sword.
The resulting explosion sends Link and Zelda into a spiritual realm where Rauru and Sonia give Link’s Zonai arm the power to transform Zelda back into her normal Hylian form. This is how she ends the game: alive, well and in love with Link (platonically, we think).
Was Zelda Dead in Breath of the Wild?
It’s definitely some good news if you’re a fan of the latest take on the characters. Both went through some truly trying ordeals over the course of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, namely due to the fact that both were forced to see their homeland destroyed before being incapacitated for 100 years.
Fortunately, neither died during this time due to magic-related shenanigans. As a result, both are healthy and on their way to being happy residents in the latest iteration of Hyrule. Or at least, they will be until the next installment in the series is released.
Hopefully this cleared up whether or not Zelda is dead in Tears of the Kingdom. For some other guides tied to the game, you can scroll down and peruse some of our related articles.
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