Nintendo's E3 2019 Direct surprised Zelda fans with a particularly spooky The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 reveal trailer, prompting plenty of theories and speculation. While some Breath of the Wild 2 fan theories are too outlandish to be likely, many of them actually have quite a bit of merit.
Despite being only a little more than a minute long, the Breath of the Wild sequel reveal trailer provided lots of material for those eager to theorize. In the trailer, it's made immediately clear that Breath of the Wild 2 will be darker than its predecessor, with green-glowing runes floating in blackness, set to the tune of ghostly, synthetic vocal notes. Underground, Link and Zelda are seen investigating a mummified corpse, held down by a glowing hand and spewing Calamity Ganon's "Malice" energy along the floor. The trailer then quickly flashes a variety of shots - the mummy waking up, Link and Zelda falling through a crumbling floor, etc. - after which Hyrule Castle is raised into the sky above the original Breath of the Wild's map.
Using information in the trailer and the history Breath of the Wild's version of Hyrule, fans were able to come up with many theories about Breath of the Wild 2's story and characters. Here are a few of the most plausible possibilities.
Breath of the Wild 2 Theory: Ganondorf Returns
It's obvious from the mummy's red hair, Gerudo jewelry, and Malice energy that Ganondorf, the human version of Ganon, will make a return in Breath of the Wild 2. The fact that the mummy is Ganondorf is accepted by almost everyone, but fans disagree on his role in Calamity Ganon's domination of Hyrule and his potential role in the sequel. Some fans, like Reddit user SoDamnGeneric, think Ganondorf was once a Link-like legendary hero who used the Master Sword to battle Calamity Ganon. The historical tapestry referenced throughout the first game shows a hero with a large nose and red hair - both distinct features of the Gerudo, the race of Hyrule's people which Lady Urbosa confirmed once mothered Ganon's human form.
The Reddit theory posits Ganondorf was somehow able to reject the evil imbued in him by the reincarnated power of previous versions of Ganon. This evil was then extracted into its purest form as Calamity Ganon, allowing Ganondorf and the rest of Hyrule to fight it. They were unsuccessful, so Ganondorf sacrificed himself to absorb Calamity Ganon and be sealed away, buying Hyrule time to come up with a better plan. The other, less interesting possibility is that Ganondorf was simply the evil sorcerer he has been in previous games. In either case, the green hand kept Ganondorf and Calamity Ganon trapped under Hyrule castle, but the hatred could not be contained. It was able to slowly seep out until Calamity Ganon could materialize once again.
The eyes of the waking mummy look exactly like those dotting the Malice's sludge around Hyrule, so even if he was once good, Ganondorf is almost certainly still corrupted at the time of the trailer. The question, then, is what will happen after his inner evil is defeated by Link and Zelda, as well as whether it's possible for him to escape the corruption and join the heroes' side.
Breath of the Wild 2 Theory: The Glowing Hand
The glowing green hand seems to be sealing Ganon and Ganondorf away, but it's unclear who placed the seal there. The hand's gold jewelry resembles the Gerudo's, but its shape is more reminiscent of the Zonai people's ruins that dot Hyrule's landscape. Zonai architecture can also be seen at certain points in the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer's dungeon-like setting, suggesting a relationship between the hand and the Zonai. Additionally, the Zonai are associated with the Triforce of Courage, as the Spring of Courage is found in their ruins. The Triforce of Courage is typically embodied by Link and represented by the color green, which further connects the hand's green magic to the Zonai. Still, eagle-eyed fans combing through Breath of the Wild 2 trailer details discovered the green runes actually spell out "Seal Ganon" in Gerudo text, lending more credence to the hand being Gerudo magic, after all.
Rather than being Gerudo or Zonai, the hand could also have some relation to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess' Twilight Realm. The Twilight Realm's inhabitants used green magic like the hand, and some fans on Reddit believe the sequel trailer's music resembles the Twlilight Realm's when played in reverse. It wouldn't be out of the question for elements of Twilight Princess to show up in Breath of the Wild 2, either: Link's knighting ceremony in Breath of the Wild references the "glowing embers of twilight," and a Shrine quest references that game's Mirror of Twilight.
Breath of the Wild 2 Theory: Link's New Powers
At one point in the trailer, the green energy appears to corrupt Link's hand, but there are so many tiny details in the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer - all seemingly out of order - that it's hard to tell exactly what's happening. Is the hand's magic implanting itself within Link? Is he being absorbed? Dissolved? And why is it shown saving him from a fall at one point in the trailer, when it should be keeping Ganon sealed? Here's one possible scenario: Link and Zelda somehow cause the floor to cave in and begin to fall to their deaths. Knowing it failed to keep Calamity Ganon completely sealed away and sensing a chance at success through Link, the hand decides to forego its duty and save him. Ganondorf, unsealed, awakens and somehow causes Hyrule Castle to rise. Then, alone with Link and Zelda in the rubble beneath, the hand imbues its magic into Link's arm, giving him the added power he'll need to seal Ganon once and for all.
At a GDC 2017 panel, Nintendo revealed an early concept for Link included an ability-granting, Guardian-technology arm, and another concept design in the Creating a Champion book shows Link riding a motorcycle. It's entirely possible that, like the Champion's Ballad DLC's motorcycle, Nintendo turned the Guardian arm concept into a DLC idea. Since Breath of the Wild 2 devs revealed the game is based on ideas they originally had for Breath of the Wild DLC, perhaps this idea was the seed for a magical arm to replace the first game's Sheikah Runes.
All of these theories point to a game that is drastically different from the first Breath of the Wild. The sequel will likely have a much darker tone, a new antagonist, new abilities, and a mysterious new ally. The original Breath of the Wild is an amazing game, but not a perfect one, so hopefully fans will like the Breath of the Wild 2 changes enabled by these potential features.