Of the many groups in the lore of The Legend of Zelda, the Zonai are one of the most mysterious yet. But it looks like they could play a big part in the story of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The trailers shown so far are full of hints that this enigmatic tribe could be related to many of the unanswered questions in the game, so fans may naturally wonder who they are – or were.
Unlike groups like the Rito, Sheikah, and Gorons, the Zonai did not occur in Zelda games for Breath of the Wild. But some parts of the game world hint at who they were and the role they played in Hyrule’s history. The long-awaited sequel The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, seems like it could reveal more about the group. It’s an exciting prospect for fans who wanted to learn more about the previous game.
The Zonai in Breath of the Wild
By the time The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild takes place, the Zonai are – apparently – already an extinct tribe. Nevertheless, their past presence is noticeable in Hyrule, through ruins, statues, pillars and other deteriorating structures they left behind. These are especially prominent in the Faron region. Here Link can find the Zonai ruins, the largely collapsed remains of what was probably an important part of a Zonai city. The Zonai ruins and nearby areas have different features such as statues of boars, owls, and dragons. Artifacts from the tribe, both in Faron and elsewhere, are identified by the spiral pattern that serves as the tribe’s coat of arms.
The Zonai ruins are connected to a similar complex, the Spring of Courage, which contains a statue of Hylia, a goddess in the Zelda lore. This means that the Zonai may have shared the same religious beliefs as Hylians. That said, the game’s companion art book – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion – also mentions that they may have worshiped a dragon, after which the entrance to the shrine is modeled. The quest associated with Spring requires Farosh’s shell to unlock an Ancient Shrine. Since Farosh is the dragon of the region, there could be a connection between it and the Zonai religion.
The most prominent role the Zonai play in the actual gameplay of Breath of the Wild is through four of the most memorable Shrine quests in the game – North Lomei Labyrinth, South Lomei Labyrinth, Lomei Labyrinth Island, and the Thyphlo Ruins. The Labyrinth Shrines reward links to each of the three parts of the Barbarian Set, an armor set focused on attack power bonus. The inventory description describes the set as coming from “an ancient warlike tribe of the Faron region” – a reference to the Zonai. Creating a champion confirms this again and says it was rumored to be a wild tribe.
At the same time, the structures they left behind suggest that they were quite an advanced people. In the same book, they are also described as famous for their expertise in magic. Much of this is canonical speculation, as the current people of Hyrule know very little about the Zonai. Creating a champion also suggests that the cause of their disappearance is a mystery, so it probably happened before the Great Calamity that sets the stage for Breath of the wilderness. But that’s not to say their society can’t influence the events of Tears of the Kingdom.
The Zonai in Tears of the Kingdom
There is no explicit mention of the Zonai in any of the trailers The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but their importance has been hinted at, similar to how it used to be Breath of the Wild. The very first trailer in 2019, when the game was still called Breath of the Wild 2 by most fans, Link and Zelda showed a bridge decorated with stone owls. These owls resemble the owls built by Zonai in Faron. The rest of this underground temple also has motifs used by the Zonai.
That first trailer later shows a body (presumably Ganondorf) being held back by green magic, with text yet to be translated by fans. The same magic appears in later trailers, including the most recent trailer shown during Nintendo Direct in September. Here it can also be seen in vials attached to Link’s waist where he had his Sheikah Slate. Since the Slate seems to be absent in Tears of the Kingdom many think that this new magic will replace his abilities, perhaps due to his new arm which has also shown the same green glow. Some have also come to think that this magic is the same that the Zonai were known to master.
In addition, the green magic and Link’s damaged Master Sword resemble the technology of the Twili of Dusk princess. In that game, the Twili found themselves in the Twilight Realm after misusing their magic and being banned from Hyrule. Their identity before that remains unknown. While just a theory, it has led some fans to speculate that the Zonai was the tribe that misused this magic. When they were expelled from Hyrule for that, they became the Twili.
In addition, the September trailer features symbols referencing the Zonai, including their spiral insignia. In addition, the dragons that are on the Tears of the Kingdom‘s logos are identical to those depicted by Zonai statues. So are the ones featured on a massive set of doors Link opened during the trailer. The fact that this door is inscribed with the same language used in the magic of the first trailer is more proof that this is Zonai magic. It’s definitely worth mentioning that while quite convincing, this is still unconfirmed fan theory. What is especially unclear is the status of the tribe. Some think they might return to Hyrule and this is why the Floating Islands appeared, while others think the story will build on the effect they had on the world before they became extinct.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will release on May 12, 2023, exclusive to Nintendo Switch.
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