One of the biggest highlights of E3 2021 was the teaser trailer to as yet unofficially named sequel Breath of The Wild 2shown during Nintendo’s E3 presentation. The original trailer shown by Nintendo at E3 2019 focused on Link and Zelda exploring a creepy cave before discovering a mummified corpse being held in place by a glowing spirit hand. It was different enough from much of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to entice from the start, despite its short length.

[Warning - Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity spoilers below.]

This first teaser trailer has been widely dissected, second by second, in part due to the intense speculation and hype surrounding the plot of Breath of the Wild’s sequel. While most fans have assumed the identity of the mummified corpse to be the physical body of a deceased Ganondorf, it's possible that it could instead be the mysterious villain Astor from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

Related: BOTW 2 Trends on Twitter As Zelda Fans Prepare For E3 Nintendo Direct

While little is known about Astor, known as the prophet of doom, he was born and raised in an unnamed village somewhere in the Kingdom of Hyrule. Astor is a sorcerer and follower of Calamity Ganon who allies with the Yiga Clan to work towards destroying Hyrule using Harbinger Ganon. Based on some of Astor’s characteristics, here’s why he’s a potential candidate for the unnamed Mummy that is likely the principal antagonist of Breath of the Wild 2.

Why Astor Could Be The Mummy In BotW 2

Astor Age of Calamity Ganon Mummy BotW 2

When we were first introduced to the mummy in the original Breath of the Wild 2 trailer, we see that it has long hair of a faded red color, greyish skin, Gerudo-styled jewelry, and is draped in a tattered robe. In the same trailer, we also see a cave painting of a red-haired Ganondorf riding a horse in battle armor while wielding a trident. Details such as these have previously pointed to this corpse being familiar Legend of Zelda villain Ganondorf, the red-headed and green-skinned Gerudo.

However, with the additional brief glimpse we are given of this mummy in the recent BotW 2 trailer, it’s possible that this may not be Ganondorf at all, and is instead the sorcerer Astor. While Astor in his original human form does wear a similar glowing headband, his overall body shape and looks don’t completely align with the appearance of the mummy. Astor has pale white skin and a smaller, thinner frame compared to the darker skin and bulkier body of the possessed corpse.

However, at the end of Age of Calamity, Astor was devoured by Harbinger Ganon who then transforms into Calamity Ganon. This version of Calamity Ganon is a large humanoid with red spiky hair, Gerudo-styled jewelry, pointed teeth, and most notably the same hollowed glowing eyes seen in the mummy in BotW 2's 2021 teaser. Of the theories that have been bandied about thus far, it’s perhaps most likely that Age of Calamity’s version of Calamity Ganon, made up of Astor and Harbinger Ganon, is the identity of the reanimated corpse - not merely Ganon alone or Astor’s sole human form.

Due to the issue of time travel and the multiple timelines introduced in Age of Calamity, it’s possible that when Terrako detonated itself to defeat Calamity Ganon, this version of Ganon was sealed, but not destroyed, sent into a different timeline. A split timeline seems to be confirmed by Age of Calamity's ending, though exactly what that could mean for Breath of the Wild 2 is still uncertain. While we don’t know the identity of the glowing hand keeping the mummy locked in place, perhaps this mummified figure is the shriveled, aged remains of Calamity Ganon, a powerful mix of Harbinger Ganon and Astor. With The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releasing sometime in 2022, the wait to find out the true identity of this mysterious new villain will hopefully be a short one.

Next: Everything We Know About Breath Of The Wild 2