While waiting for the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, some Zelda fans may find that the story presented so far in Breath of the Wild is not as fresh as it could be; something that is only natural when considering that the award-winning game is now five years old. What's more, the tale of the latest era in Hyrule’s history is already remarkably long, spanning a hundred years and many hours of in-game adventuring. As such, with TOTK just over a month away, now is the perfect time to recap the events of BOTW.

Breath of the Wild offers many hours of story content alone, with side quests and pure exploration leading many players to easily spend countless hours exploring Hyrule. As a result, BOTW is not the easiest game to quickly replay should players want to refresh their memory ahead of Tears of the Kingdom; and the required commitment of both time and effort can be discouraging. Fortunately, the actual narrative of Breath of the Wild is relatively straightforward and lends itself well to a written plot synopsis for those who want an easily-digested summary of the game.

Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 Cliche Opening Link Waking Up Change Playable Zelda

Breath of the Wild begins with an amnesiac Link awakening to the sound of a feminine voice, rousing him from a strange pod-like device. Directed by the voice to claim the Shiekah Slate resting on a nearby pedestal, he emerges from an underground chamber to find himself on a plateau overlooking a beautiful but desolate Hyrule. He soon encounters a strange old man who offers to trade his paraglider for the spirit orbs held within four nearby Sheikah Shrines, which also unlock various features of the Sheikah Slate. Link completes the shrine’s tests, only for the old man to disappear while inviting him to the nearby ruined Temple of Time.

Atop the Temple of Time, the old man reveals the truth; he is the ghost of King Rhoam, the former king of Hyrule. 100 years previously, the malevolent Calamity Ganon emerged from below Hyrule Castle. Seeing the signs of the Great Calamity’s coming, as described in a prophecy, large-scale excavations had revealed the existence of an army of mechanical Guardians created in ancient times, alongside four gigantic machines called Divine Beasts. Four champions were then selected from the various races of Hyrule to pilot them alongside the Kingdom’s princess and her knight in battle.

However, Ganon proved to be impossible to defeat. He corrupted the Guardians and Divine Beasts, turning them against Hyrule when he finally emerged, and the four Champions perished. At the same time, the Princess' knight was mortally wounded, leaving Calamity Ganon Free to destroy Hyrule. Just when all hope seemed lost, Princess Zelda awoke her divine powers and trapped Ganon inside Hyrule Castle. Link is, of course, her knight, finally healed after 100 years by the aptly-named Shrine of Resurrection. Zelda, meanwhile, is trapped alongside Ganon inside the castle, holding him back; it is her voice that has been calling out to Link.

Of course, this stalemate cannot last forever. Already, Zelda’s power is waning, so Rhoam tasks Link with rescuing the princess and defeating Calamity Ganon before her strength is fully exhausted. As part of this quest, Link is also instructed to free the Divine Beasts, which would be invaluable in the final battle. Finally, with his own strength reaching his limits, the King gives Link his paraglider and instructs the young hero to seek out Impa of Kakariko Village, who will guide him further. The King’s spirit then disappears once more.

Impa sitting on her tall cushion in her house in Legend of Zelda BOTW.

In Kakariko Village, an elderly incarnation of Impa provides Link with a blue Champion's Tunic and tells him he may be able to recover his memories by tracking down significant locations, hinted at by photographs stored on the Sheikah Slate (which once belonged to Zelda). Through these memories, it is revealed that Zelda struggled to awaken her powers and was initially resentful of Link for easily drawing the Master Sword and his obvious skills. However, the pair slowly grew closer, thanks in large part to Link protecting her from assassination attempts by the Yiga clan; a disaffected Sheikah who felt betrayed by the royal family and decided to follow Ganon instead.

Link journeys across Hyrule in his efforts to complete his quest. Completing Sheikah Shrines grants him Spirit Orbs, which improve his health and stamina. Finishing every shrine earns him a version of the classic green Hero’s Clothes. Deep within the Lost Woods, he discovers the Master Sword in its ancient pedestal. Once he is strong enough, the spirit of the sword allows him to draw it once more. Link also meets the Sheikah technology experts Robbie and Purah, discovering forest spirits called Koroks hiding across Hyrule, who offer Korok Seeds when found. Elsewhere in Hyrule, Link even helps to build a new settlement, named Tarrey Town.

The Divine Beasts Prove Crucial In Defeating Calamity Ganon

The four mechanized Divine Beasts from Breath of the Wild - the lizard Vah Rudania, the camel Vah Naboris, the elephant Vah Ruta, and the bird Vah Medoh - superimposed on a screenshot of the game's Hyrule.

Meanwhile, Link faces the difficult task of freeing the Divine Beasts, aided in entering each by an invaluable ally and guided within by the spirit of the fallen Champion. Each Divine Beast is plagued by a Blight, a manifestation of Calamity Ganon specialized in tactics that allowed them to defeat their opposing Champion. By defeating these Blights, the spirits of the Champions are able to reassert control of their Divine Beasts, subsequently readying them to fire upon Calamity Ganon in the upcoming battle. They also grant Link a unique power that they wielded in life to aid him on his quest.

The Zora Prince Sidon helps Link to free the elephantine Vah Ruta, piloted by his older sister Mipha. A young Goron named Yunobo is similarly instrumental in Link entering the lizard-like Vah Rudania, piloted by Goron Daruk. The young Gerdo Chieftain Riju aids Link with Vah Naboris, piloted by her ancestor Urbosa. Finally, Rito warrior Teba joins Link in reclaiming Vah Medoh, piloted by master archer Revali. Link completes a task for each ally to secure their aid. This notably includes the retrieval of the Thunder Helm, an heirloom of the Gerudo tribe, from the Yiga clan; in the process, he defeats the clan’s leader, Master Kohga.

Recovered memories also reveal details surrounding the various champions. Mipha is revealed to have had an unrequited crush on Link. On the other hand, Revali was aloof and arrogant, seeing himself as far better suited for the role of Hero. Daruk was loud, boisterous, and a true friend to the young hero, while Urbosa was a strong chief and a mother figure for Zelda. But regardless of these different personalities, however, the four Champions ultimately came together in defense of Hyrule. Even if they ultimately failed, it is clear that they were all heroes in their own right.

Calamity Ganon from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Once his preparations are complete, Link storms the inner sanctum of Hyrule Castle. As he does so, Zelda’s strength finally fails her, allowing Calamity Ganon to break free as a twisted combination of corrupted Sheikah technology and Breath of the Wild’s sludge-like Malice, a substance that seems to be pure hatred in corrosive, physical form. The Divine Beasts fire their enormous energy weapons, severely weakening Ganon and helping Link defeat him. However, Ganon quickly reforms as the boar-like Dark Beast Ganon, and a still-incorporeal Zelda warns Link that Ganon has abandoned any hope of reincarnation in order to focus all of his strength.

In order to defeat Ganon for good, Zelda provides Link with the Bow of Light. The fated enemies battle each other on Hyrule Field, with Link prevailing. As he does, Zelda finally manifests herself physically. The princess uses the last of her divine strength, possibly provided by the Triforce itself, to seal Ganon away once more. She greets Link as the Hero of Hyrule, and asks if he remembers her. Later, on a hill overlooking the remnants of her kingdom, Zelda notes that her divine power seems exhausted, but she can accept this. Breath of the Wild ends with Zelda expounding on her plans to rebuild Hyrule.

Of course, there are many more side quests to complete and colorful characters to encounter in Hyrule. However, this synopsis nevertheless covers the broad strokes of Link’s journey in Breath of the Wild, from the tragedies of the past to the triumphs of the present. With this in mind, fans of the game should be well-prepared for the release of Tears of the Kingdom, which will soon continue the story of Link and Zelda in the wake of Calamity Ganon’s defeat.