How Old is Zelda in ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’?
Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda has always played around with time travel, flashbacks, and thousands of years between story events. However, this makes it challenging to know the ages of some characters. Breath of the Wild centers around Link’s absence from Hyrule for 100 years. With shattered flashbacks, fans wonder how old Princess Zelda is in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
A major Captured Memory took place on the princess’s birthday
The best indication of what age Zelda turns in Breath of the Wild comes from the 14th Recovered Memory “To Mount Lanayru.”
In the memory, Zelda tells Link about how Mount Lanayru takes its name from the Golden Goddess Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. Due to this, younger people cannot ascend to the Spring of Wisdom at its peak since they lack maturity and wisdom. She even mentions directly that her birthday takes place tomorrow.
With a prophecy threatening the return of the beastly Calamity Ganon, she needs to awaken her power at the spring. However, players only see her returning from the spring without her power awakened.
We can assume the 15th Recovered Memory “Return of Calamity Ganon” takes place on her birthday, as in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Zelda, Link, and Impa set out for the spring once she comes of age. However, fans disputed the canonicity of AoC. Some debates seem like fans would sooner count Super Smash Bros. as canon.
How old was Princess Zelda in ‘Breath of the Wild’ before and after the Great Calamity?
According to the Recovered Memory, those under 17 cannot ascend Mount Lanayru. In the Breath of the Wild prequel, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Calamity Ganon attacks Hyrule on her birthday.
For Recovered Memories taking place before “To Mount Lanayru,” Princess Zelda is 16, turning 17 just as the Great Calamity begins on her birthday.
However, most of the game’s story takes place 100 years later. When Link finally woke up from the Shrine of Resurrection, Zelda would have turned 117 when he could save her.
With the much-anticipated Breath of the Wild 2, it seems even more time has passed. Zelda has short hair in the trailer, and Link’s hair has grown out.
How old will Princess Zelda be in ‘Breath of the Wild 2’?
A fan on Reddit asked other fans how much time they think could pass between BOTW and its sequel. Several fans suspect it to occur less than a year after the climactic battle between Link and Calamity Ganon.
If these rumors turn out correct, then The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel starts Zelda’s age between 117 and 118.
Both Link and Zelda look to have changed very little from the looks of the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer Nintendo revealed. However, they also barely look any different over 100 years.
Maybe Hylians just have a great skin care regiment.
