Early previews have been released and eager players have finally received their first look at the world inside The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. After the reveals, many original Breath of the Wild fans are eager to see if any of their favorite characters from the first game are returning, and what new ones will show up.
On that front, the news is great: it looks like Tears of the Kingdom is going to be an epic adventure filled with a variety of characters both new and old.
All characters confirmed for Zelda: TotK
There will be many characters you can expect to return when TotK launches on May 12, but also some figures you wouldn’t have seen in BotW.
Link
While it may be hard to believe, you’ll be playing as the knight of legend and protector of Zelda, Link, throughout your time in TotK. The hero will likely have an updated version of the Shiekah Slate, and it seems he may have a serious arm injury in the beginning. Regardless, Link is likely to work tirelessly to collect allies across Hyrule to defeat Ganon.
Zelda
It wouldn’t be a Zelda game without the titular princess herself, imbued with special powers from her royal lineage. This iteration of the princess has had a hard time understanding her powers and the destiny she has inherited, leading her to search for answers. In TotK, she has been trapped underground and Link will need to find a way to save her.
Ganondorf
While players fought a variant version of Ganondorf’s evil energy in BotW called Calamity Ganon, it seems like the man himself will be the main antagonist of this sequel. He’s arguably been the most viral character so far, with many fans reacting to the muscly image Nintendo shared of him not long after the third gameplay trailer dropped. We’ll likely know more about his motivations when we get closer to release.
Sidon
In the third trailer for TotK, players got a look at a number of returning characters from the first game, although they seem older. Prince Sidon looks a little bit taller and is equipped with a trident. He can be seen in several scenes fighting alongside Link and others.
Tulin
Tulin wasn’t a mandatory character the player had to meet in BotW. Instead, he offered a unique archery minigame while players interacted with his father, Teba. Unfortunately, Teba was hurt during the assault on the Divine Beast Vah Medoh, and that seems to have carried over into TotK, unfortunately. This leaves the ever-eager Tulin to take his place, and we can see the new hero in multiple scenes in trailer three.
Riju
Those who played BotW will likely remember Riju as the young Chief of the Gerudo who inherited the position from her mother. It seems she will come to Link’s aid, with her crown likely meaning she still holds a significant position of power over her people. In the third TotK trailer, she can be seen dancing across electricity with her dual-wielded scimitars.
Beedle
In one of the trailers, players can see Beedle the traveling merchant leaning against what looks like some kind of outpost or stable from the first game. He’ll likely sell the player all kinds of ingredients and other resources to make a quick buck before he’s on his way.
Koroks
As confirmed in the TotK previews leading up to the release, there will be unique opportunities to solve challenges and meet different Koroks. Like the first game, you will also collect them, encouraging players to search every inch of Hyrule.
An elf woman
It’s unclear who this woman is, but players get a pretty clear shot of her in the third trailer, which also showcased a bunch of other memorable characters. While we don’t know her name yet, it seems likely she is integral to the plot, with her wearing one of the “tears” Zelda is holding around her neck.
Zonai
In BotW, the Zonai are a tribe of ancient barbarians that can’t be found, but Link is able to find an armor set and some ruins. However, it’s rumored this tribe will be showing up in full force in BotW, which means Hyrule may have a new ally or threat on the horizon.
Related: Nintendo targets Tears of the Kingdom leaker in latest legal pursuit
There are some other characters players would like to see return in TotK we’ve yet to hear about, including Yunobo the Goron.
Many Zelda fans have speculated Yunobo has a rightful place amongst the other young heroes, but Nintendo may be keeping him hidden for some reason.
