Nintendo has been deliberately coy about what information it reveals about the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. which means that we still know almost nothing about the game’s story, even though it releases in a few short months. The handful of trailers released have provided a few vital hints, however, and it seems overwhelmingly likely that Tears of the Kingdom is set to bring back a few classic Zelda characters. The latest trailer seems to hint at not only Twilight characters like Zant but could hold a clue as to the return of Link’s most stalwart ally: Fi, the spirit that resides within the Master Sword.
Fi was first introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the game that takes place at the very beginning of the series timeline. Fi is a humanoid spirit that inhabits the Goddess Sword which eventually turns into the Master Sword. She functions as Link’s “sidekick” character in Skyward Sword.
Fi would talk to Link throughout the game and provide vital hints and other info. Each time she talked to you, the sword would let off a signature noise, sort of like Navi’s “Hey, Listen!” in Ocarina of Time. Fi hasn’t appeared since Skyward Sword, but in theory, she’s inhabited the Master Sword the entire time. Interestingly, Breath of the Wild itself provided some vital hints in this regard, and while Fi never appeared physically, she seemingly played an indirect role.
In one flashback, Zelda is talking about Link’s skill with the Master Sword, and she eventually recounts that legends say a spirit resides in the sword. If you manage to see every memory in Breath of the Wild, you’ll unlock a scene where Link and Zelda are fighting off Guardians, leading to Link falling in battle (which you can see courtesy of YouTuber Beardbear). As Zelda cradles him in her arms, the Master Sword lights up with Fi’s iconic sound and seemingly talks to Zelda, telling her to take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection.
Flash forward to Tears of the Kingdom, and much of the marketing, including the latest trailer, has shown a broken and decaying version of the Master Sword. The trailer also features a particularly interesting line where Zelda says, “Please, lend him your power.” The Master Sword seems to be playing a vital role in Tears of the Kingdom, and this could be Zelda talking to the spirit of Fi, asking her to, once again, save Link.
Looking at the context of Tears of the Kingdom, it’d make perfect sense that Fi is making a comeback.
The sequel introduces a new realm in the sky of Hyrule, and is the first game since Skyward Sword to feature aerial travel. At the same time, Skyward Sword is the only Zelda game to date that’s received a remaster on Nintendo Switch, which suggests Nintendo wants fans to be familiar with the events of that game.
Then there’s also the matter of the two drastically different looks we’ve seen Link sport in marketing, with his traditional Breath of the Wild look and a shirtless almost “ancient” look with unkempt hair. It could be possible these are actually two separate characters or versions of Link, and part of Tears of the Kingdom will see us flashing back to an ancient time period when Fi was more active.
What’s especially interesting is that Tears of the Kingdom might see multiple major characters return and interact for the first time. Apart from hints about Fi, the latest trailer also seems to suggest heavy involvement from the Twilight Realm, and perhaps even the return of Zant and Midna. At the very least, we know Tears of the Kingdom is drawing heavily on the series’ past to create its future.
