September 2022's Nintendo Direct gave fans an exciting new glimpse of the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game, which fans have been calling Breath of the Wild 2, finally got its official name: Tears of the Kingdom.
While Link and Zelda will obviously be making a return to the main cast, there are many other characters that fans would like to see. Thankfully, it isn't uncommon for characters to make return appearances. With the odd timeline of Legend of Zelda games, it's also possible to reuse old characters with new incarnations, leaving a wide variety of possibilities open.
Groose
Groose is a minor antagonist at the beginning of Skyward Sword who evolves into something of a minor comedic relief character and good friend through his journey with Link.
Any Breath of the Wild fans that haven't played Skyward Sword should do so before Breath of the Wild 2, Tears of the Kingdom, due to the historical significance of the game in the Zelda timeline. Groose has some of the best character development in any Zelda game, and an older and wiser Groose would be a fantastic inclusion in Tears of the Kingdom.
Epona
Link's signature horse has appeared in almost as many timelines as the protagonist of the series. Many fans grew to love Epona in Ocarina of Time, and the horse has followed Link many places since.
Epona is one of the most likely inclusions since the lovable horse appears in most Zelda games, but it's still vital for many fans. The level of importance that Zelda games give Epona also varies. Epona was an optional legendary mount in the original Breath of the Wild and felt like a major part of the game in Ocarina.
Tingle
Arguably the most meme-worthy character in Zelda history, Tingle is a short Hylian man who is most commonly seen in a green jumpsuit riding a balloon. He's appeared in many titles, but his biggest role is in Wind Waker.
Tingle has already made a reputation for appearing anywhere and everywhere, so a fun inclusion in Tears of the Kingdom would be perfect. Tingle's role could just be as a humble merchant like in Majora's Mask or as a pivotal side character like in Wind Waker. Either way, many fans will either laugh or groan over seeing Tingle again.
Paya
Aside from the new age champions, Paya was one of the minor characters from Breath of the Wild that actually made it to the end. The young woman is Impa's grandaughter and many thought of her after the exciting Tears of the Kingdom announcement.
While Paya is incredibly shy around Link for the majority of Breath of the Wild, it would be fun to see her grow as an adventurer in the sequel. Link could always use more people to help him on his journey and a slightly older and more confident Paya would be fun to see. She could even be a fun genuine love interest for Link, given her crush in the original games.
Ganon
The main antagonist of the Zelda series needs no introduction. Fans everywhere have thrown controllers and joycons in frustration over the terrifying threat that is Ganon, from A Link to the Past all the way to Breath of the Wild.
While Calamity Ganon was a fantastic foe, a weakened humanoid Ganondorf would be a fun villain for Link to conquer again. It would also be interesting to see a Zelda game where Ganon exists but isn't the main antagonist. Perhaps Ganondorf appears as the vestiges of Calamity Ganon, but the true antagonist is Demise or a new foe.
Ghirahim
While Ghirahim technically wasn't the biggest adversary in Skyward Sword, he was a more fitting "main antagonist" from a story perspective than Demise and left a bigger impression on many fans.
Having Ghirahim would likely mean having Demise return as well. Ganon and Demise are the two "big bosses" of Zelda lore, and no Demise inclusion would be complete without his trusty sword Ghirahim. However, given the events and ending of Skyward Sword, it is very possible to have a living Ghirahim with no Demise to resurrect.
Mipha
While Ravali, Urbosa, and Daruk are all beloved by the community as well, Mipha seemed to be the champion that resonated with most players. Part of a strange love triangle between Link and Zelda, the Zora princess was one of the kindest Zelda characters of all time.
While Mipha is gone for good in the normal Breath of the Wild timeline, it's proven by Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Ocarina of Time that timelines in the Zelda series are incredibly flexible. If any of the champions could come back in Tears of Calamity, Mipha would be the best choice. After all, she and Link deserve some sort of happy moment together.
Fi
While she's referenced multiple times in Breath of the Wild as the spirit inside the Master Sword, Fi actually has only appeared in Skyward Sword despite being such an influential character.
The spirit of the Master Sword could easily make a return in any Zelda game, but the direct references in Breath of the Wild make it seem only natural that she be in Tears of the Kingdom. Fi and Ghirahim's continued rivalry would also make the prior release of Skyward Sword on the Switch an important move to get more fans up to date.