Completing the Trilogy - Breath, Tears, and ???

[peter0302]

OOF, that would definitely cause a rift between fans if that did happen.

It's a pointless thing to debate as it has an exactly zero percent chance of happening. So just let us have our fantasies.

 

[OGSniper]

Ye, we all dream and there is nuffin' wrong with that.

 

[Bowsette Plus-Ultra]

It's a pointless thing to debate as it has an exactly zero percent chance of happening. So just let us have our fantasies.

Japanese homophobia aside I think I'd have an easier time pitching a Link/Sidon relationship to Nintendo than I would a game where Zelda isn't a victim.

 

[GZ Zelda]

Title: Wings of the Bard OR Servant of the Goddess

Premise: Kass returns home, bringing a great evil with him.

Opening:

Link wakes up in the Hateno house bed, and goes over to the school where Zelda teaches about the Calamity and the Upheaval. Mid-lesson, Teba bursts through the door and tells Link that Amali's husband returned and is very sick. After a more-or-less mandatory horseback ride to Rito Village with Zelda, Link sees Kass coated in the cyan-green spirit color of the sages of TotK that seems to be killing him. The green "goo" latches onto Link and transports him to the Great Spirit Island, a tutorial area that is the same shape as Lake Hylia but if it were the only island in a vast sea (very similar layout to Spirit Tracks' map). The Spirits of Good, specifically Anjean, first gives him a new inventory/quest gives him four new items at different Poe Shrines:

New Abilities:
the Hookshot (self-explanatory)
the Spirit Tracks (much like Ultrahand turned TotK into Nuts and Bolts, Spirit Tracks turns WotB into Mini Metro)
the Rod of Seasons (Wizzrobe powers basically)
and the Harp of Ages (the Harp of Ages sends Link to the past, when only Koroks and difficult monsters inhabit the world, Timeshift Stones can send other things into this past, there is also a very large evil fairy flying around in the past, so watch out)

First Part:
Anjean tells Link that the goo returning to Hyrule has awakened an ancient foreign evil, and that he must kill its source before it builds and destroys Hyrule.

Link uses the Harp of Ages to return to his body in the present, and decides not to kill Kass (there is an option to just kill Kass which gives a game over), when Zelda has the idea that they should ask the Great Deku Tree what the goo is. Link goes to get his paraglider from Kaneli.

Impa has been living in the Great Deku Tree as she's very near death. The Great Deku Tree and Impa counsel and encourage Link to seek out the Shards of Agony, hidden at the four Goddess Statues. Link tries to pull the Master Sword, but it becomes clear that he needs more spirit.

Link must enter dungeons hidden beneath the Goddess Statues to find the Shards of Agony

First Missions:
Akkala Mining Facility -- Kapson at Tarrey Town, under the Quarry Ruins and Spring of Power, the Gnarled Key found with the Gorons, Item: Double Clawshot (self explanatory), Miniboss: Fraaz and Blaaz, Boss: Spirit Twinrova

Lanayru Peak Ruins -- Robbie at Hateno Village, under Mount Lanayru and Spring of Wisdom, the Mermaid Key found in the ruins of Lanayru Promenade, Item: Zora Flippers (underwater exploration), Miniboss: River Zora, Boss: Spirit Thunderbird

Dragon Rock -- Garini at Lurelin Village, under Popla Foothills and Spring of Courage, the Dragon Key found in the Deya Village Ruins, Item: Timeshift Stones (sends other things into the past), Miniboss: Boss: a Spirit Zonai

Temple of Time -- Muava at Gerudo Town, under the Temple of Time, the Crown Key found at the North Gerudo Ruins renamed the Ancient Temple of Time, Item: Boat upgrade for the Spirit train, Miniboss: Spirit Darknut, Boss: Poe who uses Recall

After Link finds all of the Shards of Agony, he and Zelda return to Kass and expose him to the Shard of Agony: the goo that corrupts him recoils and floats out of him and forms into a female form: Veran. Except her eyes look like those of Majora or Malladus' Zelda





She talks about how, after her master Ganon was so unceremoniously defeated in Labrynna, she sought to serve a new Demon King. She found that in "the Hyrule you abandoned," a Demon King worth worshipping. She thanks Kass for bringing her to Hyrule before floating into the sky above Lookout Landing (now Hyrule City), where she expels a massive explosion of goo, coating Riju, Tulin, Yunobo, Sidon, Impa and Zelda in goo, before floating towards the Zonai Temple of Time and disappearing into the past.

The big fairy in the past becomes coincidentally becomes much more aggressive every time you go into the past now.

Link and Kass go to Zelda and use the Shard of Agony on her. It pulls the goo out of her, but the goo burrows a hole into Zelda's Study in Hyrule Castle.

Link now must save his five friends, with the help of a ridable Kass (who now let's him access the sky islands, albeit with little stamina). Link travels to Goron City, Zora's Domain, Selmie's Spot (Tulin), Gerudo Town and a now monster-infested Korok Forest. There he uses the Shard of Agony on each friend, before the goo burrows into new dungeons, each of which have an entrance that uses the Terminian "falling through a dream" loading screen.

Second Mission:
Dodongo's Cavern - Save Yunobo, burrows in Gotram Cliffs hotsprings, Item: Ting Tong (bombs) Miniboss: Hot Head, Boss: Dodongo
Swamp Palace - Save Sidon, burrows in Mercay Island, Item: Frog's Song of Soul (recall and stasis) Miniboss: Helmethead, Boss: Morphshark
Ice Cavern - Save Tulin, burrows at Lake Kilsie, Item: Wind's Requiem (preserves Kass' stamina), Miniboss: Smog, Boss: Arrghus
Spectacle Rock - Save Riju, burrows in Spectacle Rock, Item: Oath to Order (muddlebud) Miniboss: Twinmold, Boss: Pigman (basically Z1 Ganon)
Great Palace - Save Impa, burrows into Mekar Island, Item: [Reverse] Song of Time (speeds up and slows down time), Miniboss: The Four Sword, Boss: Dark Link

At the end of each dungeon, you get (depending on order, in order): Fierce Deity Shield, Sword, Boots, Tunic, Mask.

Finale:
Now ready for battle, Link, Kass, Zelda, Yunobo, Sidon, Tulin, Riju, and Impa travel to the past, where they face down Veran. Depending on how many people you save and how many bosses you beat, Veran transforms into each of those forms (Dodongo, Morphshark, Arrghus, Pigman, and Dark Link). If you dare to fight Veran before doing any dungeons, she'll be a crazy 22 phase boss (Twinrova, Thunderbird, Zonai, Poe included).

Much like Ganondorf, she will make as many copies as there are opponents. The Master Sword is strongest against this phase. Her second phase, she transforms into a Malladus-piglike form with beetle-ambiance. The Spirit Sword is strongest against this phase. Her third phase, her face transforms into Majora's Mask and she becomes much more erratic, spinning around Link. This fight is very difficult but the Fierce Deity is especially effective against this form.

After Link does enough damage, Majora-Veran starts absorbing all the goo from the world around her into her, but Impa uses the Yiga teleportation technique and absorbs all of the goo, before she collapses in on herself and Spirit Vessel petals go flying everywhere. Veran, in shock, returns to the present, and the gang follows. This is a two-part fight: Veran starts by flying up as a fairy, where you must fly up with her as Kass and you have an on-Kass bow duel, aiming for her wings: once you clip her wings, she falls down. Then, Veran as a person rides a horse and Link rides his horse, Veran will purposefully try to kill your horse and, if she does, the Lord of the Mountain swoops in and you ride him around for a 1v1 sword duel on horseback all around Hyrule, you and her are riding all over the place, Zelda's riding behind you, Kass is flying behind you, slash, slash, slash, stab through chest, Zelda recalls her and traps her in time itselff with her sealing power.

A funeral for Impa if you collected all the memories.

Shrines:
After Link returns from the Great Spirit Island, the world is littered with Poe Shrines. Many shrines need specific souls to help gain access (meaning NPCs must be train-ed to the different locations after completing their quests). They grant Life Droplets, which now can be traded at Poe Havens for hearts, stamina, or spirit (which basically acts as magic for the train, rod, timeshift stones, abilities). The final reward is the Force Gem which Link places on the hilt of his Master Sword to make it the Spirit Sword.

Caves:
All the caves are still present, though now each serves as a Poe Haven, littered with poes. Each Poe Haven found adds more Poes to the caves, until they become gorgeous and full. Also used to unlock the map.

Sky Islands and the Yiga:
The sky initially seems barren, and the Yiga are much fewer on the surface (complaining about low recruitment since they lost last time yadayada). When Link goes to the Zonai Temple of Time for the first time, Master Kohga comes plummeting down in front of Link and immediately they start fighting. Link beats him, and Kass and him talk about hero's and villains and purpose, and Kohga realizes he's done fighting and resigns as the head of the Yiga Clan. The rest of the Sky Islands are populated with different Yiga members fighting over the title of leader and Link, with the disguise, can become leader of the clan and push them towards reform. This is the main thing going on in the Sky Islands, although maybe there can be a train upgrade that brings people up to the sky and they build a city up there, maybe not.

Map:
Still on the Purah Pad, Anjean adds Anjean's Application, which connects the map to Poe Havens.

There are two new maps: Kasuto Ocean off the east coast and Labrynna at the very east of the Kasuto Ocean. Labrynna is a one-for-one recreation of Labrynna but 3D.

Kasuto Ocean has 20 islands, each of which has a Misko treasure in it. The islands also have Stray Fairies, and the Fairy Queen on the central island asks for them. The fairies are used for armor upgrades, the Great Fairies are now used for repairing weapons and they've moved to the peaks (Hebra Peak, Gerudo Summit, Tal Tal Peak, Mount Floria). There are Sea Seals that can be ridden besides boats.

Kilton and Kotlin are visiting their father Dampe in Labrynna, Labrynna is covered in goo. Dampe is looking for masks, Kilton is compiling a compendium of all monsters (and basically acts as Archivist Toadette), Kotlin as a Blupee bounces around Labrynna and drops a golden rupee when you find him. To clear the Labrynnan goo, Link must complete all the local sidequests and get the 20 masks, each acting as an entire armor set stat boost (heat resist, cold resist, ancient proficiency etc.) Give Dampe all the masks and he says that he hopes his friend will visit soon, a secret path in the Lost Woods leads to the Happy Mask Salesman who can be train-ed, then boat-ed to Labrynna. Give the Happy Mask Salesman all the masks, and he will allow Link to enter the Hero's Realm where Link can talk with past incarnations of the hero and gain new weapons abilities (Downward Thrust, Four Sword, Boomerang, Great Sword Spin etc.)

Dragons:
They are way up in the sky, you need Kass to reach them.

Memories:
Impa's memories of all her different lives are marked by riddles she gives you. Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Oracles, ALBW, Z1, that one time her name was Impaz. Very much side content, the reward is the Spirit Bridle and Spirit Saddle which lets you permanently tame the Lord of the Mountain.

New Items:
Spirit Vessel - new flower (like Silent Princess and Sundelion)
Bandoneon - Kass gives you a bandoneon and when you play music, NPCs and monsters alike dance. Also used for the songs.

 

[HeroOfWisdom]

Some may disagree, but I think the Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom continuity demands an epic conclusion. Tears ended on a great note, but Zelda and the Sages' job was clearly unfinished. The castle is still in shambles. Master Kohga is still out there. The Kingdom of Hyrule still needs restoration - and it needs a Queen.

With all that unfinished business (and the two games' unparalleled success), Nintendo would be insane not to complete this trilogy. What might that look like?

Title

Properly completing the trilogy starts with a title that parallels the others. "Breath of the Wild" and "Tears of the Kingdom" - breath and tears are both things that naturally come out of a body. The only other thing I can think of that fits this category (that would be appropriate for a game title at least...) is blood. So, blood of the what?

Many have probably already reached the same conclusion as me by this point -

Blood of the Goddess

This title would refer to none other than Zelda herself (who has never been directly referenced in a game subtitle before), and specifically her relation to Hylia. The term was spoken explicitly by Demise at the end of SS, and a similar term was spoken by Impa in BOTW when explaining the history of Calamity Ganon. Therefore it would be widely recognized and fit in the context of the franchise.

Themes

If Breath depicted the fall of the kingdom, and Tears the founding, then Blood surely should depict the restoration and the full and final awakening of Zelda's power, i.e., the Triforce that lives within her that she until now has only been able to channel in subtle ways. Yes, the Triforce – conspicuously absent from the last two games – should make a grand reappearance.

The kingdom's restoration and the awakening of the Triforce would be linked to one another metaphorically and literally. Major campaigns ("dungeons") in Lanayru, Eldin, and Faron would result in rediscovery/reawakening of the Triforce of Wisdom, Power, and Courage, respectively. An unprecedented - but IMO long overdue - move would be to allow the player to actually use each Triforce piece, once awakened, as an in-game ability. Much like ultrahand, cryonis, etc., unlocking each Triforce could give the player abilities thematically related to power, wisdom, and courage, that would facilitate the restoration of different aspects of the kingdom:

Power - building structures, reshaping land

Wisdom - order, society, government

Courage - life, spirit, kindness

The "shrines" in this game would be, say, 156 tests of power, wisdom, or courage (52 each), that would bit by bit restore power to the Triforce and, in turn, allow it to be used to help restore different aspects of the kingdom from buildings to social structure to injured or sick individuals (along with every 4 shrine rewards opening up an obligatory heart container or stamina vessel).

The Triforce, however, would not be capable of full physical restoration at any point in the game (possessing an omnipotent artifact doesn't make for a very interesting plot), but it will be revealed that something is blocking its full potential.

Zelda must be an integral character in this process. While it is unlikely Aonuma & Co. will ever relent and make her playable, she should exist as an interactive character in the present for the entire game, not as a trapped damsel nor in the past nor through mere memories.

Also associated with blood is sacrifice - thus a beloved character should die at the conclusion of this game as a sacrifice to destroy the ultimate evil (see below).

Villain and Plot

First off, the villain must not be Ganon(dorf). A third appearance of this, frankly, one-dimensional character in a row would add little by way of drama at this point and cheapen the apparent triumph in Tears.

At first, the villain should not be obvious. As you begin the quest to restore the Kingdom, you will gradually learn that a force is at work trying to stop you and is keeping the Kingdom corrupted. Buildings, even after being rebuilt, continue to crumble (anti-power), towns and governments cannot seem to stay stable (anti-wisdom), and the people suffer from despair and illness (anti-courage).

At some point in the first half of the game, you learn that Kohga and the Yiga clan appear to be responsible for the continued blight. Kohga is no longer a joke. He is doing serious damage and responsible for many deaths and much despair, and rumor is he is trying to unlock an ancient power to corrupt or even destroy the Triforce. Eventually the quest becomes one to find him and bring him to justice.

Once the Triforce has been reassembled and Hyrule put right on the path toward restoration (about 2/3 through the game), Kohga is confronted and, in a rage, despite knowing he should take him back alive to face justice, Link slits his throat with the Master Sword, killing him, as though a dark power momentarily possessed him to do so.

At this point the twist is revealed. In a quest to avenge his master, Kohga had learned of the true nature of Ganondorf's power - the demigod Demise - along with that of Zelda's (literally the blood of the goddess) and Link's (the spirit of the hero). He also knew that Demise's remnant lived on within the Master Sword. Through black magic he devised a way to restore Demise and thus end the world - when the Master Sword spills human blood in anger, the evil trapped within will be reempowered and resurrected.

Thus the Hero's commission of the ultimate anti-courageous act using the Sword of the Goddess - murder - has the effect of restoring Devise, who reveals that from within the Master Sword he has watched for eons, in disgust, as those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero squander their gifts to empower the weak and make impotent the strong. His sole desire is to end the bloodline of Hylia permanently, to destroy the Triforce (which he of course cannot use), and to send the world into eternal night.

However, Demise is not the only being in the Master Sword who is revived through this event. Fi awakens from her eternal sleep to whisk Link and the sword away before Demise can destroy them. They return to Zelda, where they determine the steps for the endgame and final confrontation.

The final “real” battle is of course a rematch between the Hero and Demise. For the "cinematic" battle, Zelda uses the Triforce to reawaken her inner power and reemerge as Hylia – in her “glorious” (Demise’s words) divine form, battling Demise in the sky, with Link paragliding alongside providing support (a twist on the prior two cinematic battles in which Zelda supports Link), essentially a rematch of the ancient battle referenced in Skyward Sword between Hylia and Demise with the Hero at her side.

As before, of course, Demise is only defeated but cannot be destroyed through force alone and is once again absorbed into the Master Sword. However, the group realize that mere imprisonment is not an option, as Demise will always just return in some form and/or in the future, manipulating countless "Gannondorf's" along the way to do his bidding. Fi therefore explains that this time, the Master Sword itself must be destroyed - which can only be done – how else? – by casting it back into the fire from which it was forged - Eldin volcano. In a heartbreaking scene, Fi says farewell to the present Link, with the ghosts of all the prior Heroes and wielders of the sword looking on, as he tearfully tosses the sword into the lava.

As Demise's shadow rises from the melting sword and dissipates into the ether, the final curse blocking the Triforce’s efficacy and preventing Hyrule's restoration is lifted. The physical Triforce fully rematerializes high above the caldera, and light spreads over the entire kingdom, restoring the Castle, Castle Town, and the rest of the Kingdom, with the Triforce itself seemingly dissipating throughout the world.

In the final "true" ending (after-credits scene), Zelda is crowned Queen, with Link by her side, both with visible glowing Triforce symbols on their hands, to suggest that the Blood of the Goddess (Triforce of Wisdom) and Spirit of the Hero (Triforce of Courage) live on in them. After a fade, a dimly lit nondescript place is seen, occupied by an equally dimly lit person, whose only visible feature is a hand depicting the Triforce of Power. To whom has Din now chosen to gift her power, and for good or ill?

Why this probably won't happen (even if it should)

Unfortunately, an epic story with this level of drama probably won't happen. While Skyward Sword had arguably the most intricate and dramatic story of any Zelda game, many consider its gameplay to have suffered as a result. Aonuma has since taken an unapologetically opposite "gameplay first, story last" approach with Breath and Tears. Moreover, an explicit acknowledgement of the canon of any game prior to Breath - even Skyward Sword - would be inconsistent with Aounuma's apparent intent to use Tears of the Kingdom to retcon the entire franchise.

For these reasons, I would predict any third installment: 1) would have to be just as open-ended in terms of the quest as Breath and Tears, with only minimal major inflection points that must proceed in a specific order; and 2) would not rely too heavily on canon from games prior to Breath of the Wild.

On the other hand, Tears did demonstrate a willingness to bring in some drama and mandatory-quest-order items (e.g. you cannot unlock the castle “dungeon” and dehydrated Ganondorf’s dramatic reveal before finishing the four regional quests). Skyward Sword also seems like the game that Aonuma is most willing to maintain as canon, with both Breath and Tears clearly referencing an entity living in the Master Sword, and a reference in Breath (by Impa) to an “ancient evil that is reborn time and time again.” Still, acknowleding that any events in SS actually happened literally as depicted in the prior game would be a first for this sub-franchise.

Regardless, I hope reading this sparks some imagination, excitement, and support for a third installment.

As awesome as this would be-heck, as awesome as it already is as a concept, this idea does need a lot more to add to it, and even then, the events that would occur in this games true ending would never truly be able to stop/end/break Demise's curse. This means that in another, later game, Link and his friends would have to reforge the Goddess Sword, and eventually, later on in the timeline, transform it into the Master Sword. But I quite enjoy the idea that they would have to do this.

Another more important point is that I feel that there should be at least two or three(preferably more) main/important villains in this game, and that we should be able to see heroes turning to villains, and villains to heroes, because that's what happens when you try to control the gods/a god/God(as we saw with Astor in the end of Age of Calamity). But if we really want to play more with this idea, I suggest that at the very least, Lorule should be very heavily alluded to in the game. Additionally one that thought, the game(potentially in the dlc if not in the main game) should bring back Dark Link, and allow him to have some redemption and become his own person, maybe even a hero. Remember, he was OoT Links reflection, his shadow, his evil duplicate. This means that mentally Dark Link would have either been like 10 or 17, meaning his character was a child upon his defeat, and didn't get enough love or character development or plot significance.

No matter whether we do or don't take my idea/s into account, I know that this may never actually be a game, but it's a really fun idea! Maybe someday someone will do something with it.

 

[HeroOfWisdom]

Also I may get shade for saying this but I don't care. Ghirahim was a disgusting homophobic trope whom I found personally offensive. I can't believe they didn't tone that crap down for the remaster. I almost abandoned the franchise because of that in addition to SS's awful gameplay.

Yeah, Ghirahim deserved better, and his design reminded me way to much of(I can't remember his name) that one guy from (I think) Hunter×Hunter who is a p3d0 and has like hot pink hair and a crop top. So, on the subject of his character, what would you have changed about him overall? Like, design, lore, character personality, etc.?

 

[HeroOfWisdom]

The Setting: Hyrule, five years after the events of Tears of the Kingdom in a period I would deem reconstruction. After the devastation reaped by the Calamity and the minor inconvenience caused by shirtless Ganon's very brief and isolated return in Tears of the Kingdom, Hyrule has started rebuilding in earnest. Hyrule Castle itself has been reconstructed and restored through the combined efforts of Sheikah engineering and Goron metal work. Around it has sprouted Castle City, the new capitol of Hyrule and current seat of the kingdom's last traceable member of the Hylian royal family: Queen Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule III.

Hyrule itself is expanding, reclaiming territory lost during the Calamity and then some. Even areas of the wilderness dominated by the bokoblin and moblin tribes are being swallowed up as Hyrule looks to ape the greatness it once held before Ganon emerged and tore the kingdom to shreds.

The Protagonist: Link is, as a much more animated king would put it, living the peace that all true warriors strive for. He's been standing by Princess Zelda's side ever since she was restored from her cursed form as one of the great dragons of Hyrule. He, like the incarnation of him that died inside the Chamber of Resurrection, has been serving as Zelda's personal knight. In addition to his official duties as the blade of Queen Zelda, he is courting Prince Sidon of the Zoran kingdom. At the time of the story's beginning, Sidon is away conducting his duties both as a noble within his realm and as the Sage of Water.

This Link is missing his right arm. Although the arm he lost to Ganon in the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom was temporarily replaced by that of Rauru, first king of Hyrule, that too faded once Rauru and his ilk finally drifted into the afterlife after Ganon's last defeat and sealing. In its place is a mechanical prosthetic created by Purah, famed Sheikah inventor.

Link himself is haunted by dreams that seem almost like visions. Some nights he's below Hyrule Castle again, watching as Ganon reaches out and tears his arm off at the elbow. Sometimes the dreams seem more memory than fantasy, perhaps those of that Link whose body he inherited. More and more Link awakes quick and panicking, as if from a nightmare of his past. As a result, he has become more withdrawn, feeling like an imposter walking around in the body of a boy who died fighting Ganon more than a hundred years ago.

Despite his heroics and the great deeds he accomplished during the Calamity War, Link feels detached. His life began in the Chamber of Resurrection and he feels a certain absence without a family. Despite his victories he is a man with no history and no family to his name.

The Monarch: Queen Zelda was forever changed by her time among the dragons. Although her time as one of the great dragons passed by like a dream, she was still dimly aware of every event unfolding around her. She watched from afar as ten thousand years of Hylian history played out, knowing that any interference on her part might erase the very people she sought to save. She watched helplessly as the kingdom was brought to the brink each time by the battle between Ganon and each incarnation of the Link. While she saw Ganon struck down many times, she was also forced to watch as Links were slain in battle.

Who's to say how many times she saw this cycle play out. Dozens? Hundreds? It's a secret she conceals from her advisors: Mineru, whose spirit now occupies a mechanical doppelganger closer in appearance to her original form, and Purah, the self-proclaimed smartest woman alive. It's a secret she especially keeps from Link, whose face she has seen live and die dozens of times. Zelda has unwittingly begun to detach from her best friend, unable to look him in the eyes after seeing so many versions of him die.

The Antagonist(?):

Although not its leader, Vaati is the face of the Crownsmashers. An accomplished wizard with a penchant for conjuring wind and casting bolts of lightning from her hands, Vaati is the sword of the resistance. Her magic, unlike the more sorcerous power of Zelda and the pact-bound magic granted to Ganon by Demise, is the result of years of study and careful planning, the result of careful hand movements, sigils, and words of power.

She is also Link's great niece, a child of a child of one of Link's now forgotten siblings.

Though the gap in their age has been nullified by the coma Link fell into after his death one hundred years ago, she recognizes something about him from their first meeting, Although she's heard of the Link, she's never been near him before, never close enough to recognize that there's something about him that she just knows.

The Plot: It's been five years since the second fall of Ganon and someone is detonating bombs in Castle City. The builds are empty and the damage is property, but someone is trying to send a message.

Known secondhand as the Crownsmashers (or maybe something less dumb, I dunno), an armed resistance within Hyrule has emerged in response to the crowning of Queen Zelda. Despite Zelda's claim to the thrown and status as last legitimate royal heir, Hyrule has been without a monarch for almost 120 years. During that century local governments rose up to replace the hierarchy that collapsed after Ganon's return. Despite public appearances, treaties, and Zelda's status as a hero of the Calamity War, there is distrust of the old system returning. Many of Hyrule's older survivors have vivid memories of the Hylian military's command structure being overrun by their own mechanical Guardians shortly before the military was scattered and the royal family slaughtered.

Among the Crownsmashers is a powerful wizard by the name of Vaati, whose spells thunder with such resonance that they might be confused for true lightning. She is the public face of the resistance, a hooded figure with pale purple skin and a penchant for dramatic crimes. Restless and ill at ease from the dark clouds haunting his dreams, Link begins investigating the Crownsmashers despite Zelda's insistence that her personal guard can handle it. Something about Vaati is familiar, a memory dancing on the tip of his tongue.

Link's critical story path would revolve around reconciling with the life of the body he now occupies. The early events of Age of Calamity, the slaughter of moblins and bokoblins outside Castle Town just before Impa and Tarreko showed up to disrupt the timeline, would prove critical in him reconciling that past version of Link with the one that now lives.

Perhaps even a realization that the Link before him was not a hero, not really.

Outside of Castle City, the moblin and bokoblin tribes have begun to coalesce and organize for the first time in more than a hundred years, and seem to be working alongside the Crownsmashers. An existential threat stands before this new fledgling Hyrule. Meanwhile Zelda sees it necessary to tighten her grip on the kingdom in the wake of these violent attacks on the capitol. She has seen the cycle of chosen three play out over and over again, leaving countless dead in its wake. If she can use that knowledge, even if it means making the people hate her, maybe she can find a way to subvert the eternal battle of the hero's spirit and the Calamity once and for all.

In the wake of increasing resistance from the Crownsmashers, the monster tribes, and even from Link himself, Queen Zelda begins escalating. She watched over Hyrule for 10,000 years. She's seen things that go beyond the generational lifespan. She's seen the cycle play out a thousand times, but no one else has her perspective. In an effort to build a strong foundation and quell the cycle of Demise and the hero's spirit, Zelda constructs a crown capable of uniting the remaining Guardian forces under one singular control: hers.

The Guardians are the greatest fighting force Hyrule has ever known, and she's determined to direct them against Ganon should he rise again. With Purah's assistance she has integrated the control system into her body, ensuring it cannot be hijacked as the Calamity once managed. Even as she feels herself slipping further away from her humanity, she feels assured that Hyrule will be its strongest under her protection.

Even if she must protect it from itself.

It's a direction Zelda desperately wants to avoid, but one she sees as inevitable. Hyrule may come to see her as the villain, but she has committed her life to destroying Ganon and his ilk for good. She will go down in history as the villain if it means she can save the people and the kingdom she cares for.

---

And that's all I've got. I figure whatever resistance is there would include classics like Ashei and Auru.

There will be no shrines in this game and all the towers have been climbed. While I'd have the shrines still be physically present, they are closed off and inert. Some have already begun the slow process of being reclaimed by earth. I'd keep the original map, but include hand drawn modifications to it that have been clearly produced by Link. So you might see the regular TotK map, but where Hyrule Castle once was you'd see a paper version hastily taped over with Link's own attempt at recreating the scale of Hyrule City in map form.

The big thing is that the game can't just be the same plot again. It's no secret that I thought TotK's plot was bad, but one of the worst parts of that bad plot is that it ends almost the exact same way BotW does, right down to Zelda turning to the camera and giving Link a dumb look as she's kidnapped again.

Any plot, especially the final entry in a trilogy, should end with the characters radically changed.

I dunno. Maybe call it Blood of the Crown or something.

"Shirtless Ganon" oh my gosh that's hilarious

 

[Bowsette Plus-Ultra]

"Shirtless Ganon" oh my gosh that's hilarious

It is his one defining trait.