Who is the mysterious woman in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

The latest trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has left players excited for what's to come. Delighted fans were treated to many exciting details not seen before. From the core premise to returning faces from past entries, it is indeed a reunion of sorts.

There have also been many unprecedented reveals, like brand-new enemies and dungeons. The biggest mystery, however, is the identity of a seemingly new NPC. She is a blonde woman with pointy ears, similar attire to Zelda, as well as a Tear that looks to be the same. But is she Zelda herself or someone else?

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Fan theories wildly speculate on true identity of the mysterious woman in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The NPC first appeared in the latest official trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. She can be seen in a brief shot, with light pouring out of her forward-facing palm. The Tear on her necklace glows brightly, likely contributing to her power.

Fans have been debating over her identity since the trailer dropped recently. The general consensus seems to be that she is Zelda but channeling the spirit of goddess Hylia through herself.

For those unaware, Hylia is a key figure in the Legend of Zelda mythos, as she is a guardian responsible for protecting the powerful artifact known as the Triforce from evil.

Without delving into the complicated backstory, the gist is that Princess Zelda is a mortal reincarnation of the goddess. She, alongside the chosen hero (who is always reborn as Link) is trapped in an ever-looping cycle of war against the evil force known as Demise, who manifests in the form of the boar-headed monster Ganon and his other forms.

Coming back to the matter at hand, there are a few legitimate reasons for fans to believe she is Zelda/Hylia:

• Her outfit is almost the same, down to the earrings. Pointy ears are also another trademark of Hylia and her descendants.
• Since all other Tears are distinctly colored, it does not make sense for two Tears to have the same colors. Therefore she and Zelda are likely the same person.

However, there is some evidence that she is a new NPC entirely. As revealed via the Download Card background for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the mystery woman seems unrelated to the kingdom of Hyrule.

For one, a screenshot depicts her standing beside a character from the Zonai tribe. If that is not enough, her hair is seemingly white, a stark contrast to the honey-gold hues seen in the trailer.

This complicates things further by throwing a wrench into previous assumptions and speculation. At the very least, it is safe to assume that both Zelda and her bearing similar outfits is not a coincidence. Whatever the case, fans will find out more as they inch closer to the release date for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

After a long hiatus, the game is set to arrive worldwide on May 12, 2023. It will be released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch platform.