Zelda’s Protagonist Role in Echoes of Wisdom Should Open the Floodgates

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 6, 2024 1 View 7 Min Read
Zelda's Protagonist Role in Echoes of Wisdom Should Open the Floodgates



Key Takeaways

  • Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom showcases a refreshing narrative shift in the Zelda franchise.
  • Future Zelda games should consider featuring non-Link protagonists like Impa and Tetra.
  • Unique characters like Ganondorf and the Skull Kid could offer intriguing perspectives in lead roles.



After Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, largely left their stories overshadowed by a massive open world, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has been a refreshing change of pace for the franchise. Not only has the latest installment offered an engaging narrative that more recent installments have somewhat lacked, but the titular princess herself, having filled the role of lead protagonist, also proves that characters other than Link can head up a noteworthy Legend of Zelda story. As such, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom could be a forerunner of sorts for future installments, opening the door for even more unique characters to take center stage.

While it might seem strange to feature someone other than Link or Zelda in a lead role, it could be a way for The Legend of Zelda to reinvent itself. Nintendo has been fairly consistent about ensuring each Zelda game is different from the last, but it still might be worth taking some even sharper turns sooner rather than later to keep the series on top of its innovative trends and maintain its momentum moving forward.


Zelda Echoes of Wisdom logo over Triforce

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With Zelda now having proven that Link isn’t the only one who can lead the way in a mainline installment, the series could look at putting some of its other major characters at the helm. Impa, for instance, might be considered one of the series’ most notable characters worthy of a lead role, due to her persistent recurrence and the intriguing nature of her character. A challenging action-adventure game similar to Ninja Gaiden might be a solid choice for the battle-hardened and stealthy Sheikah, despite her occasional appearance as a non-fighting character.


The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker‘s Tetra could be the star of her very own pirate adventure prequel, especially considering her backstory and true identity. Prior to the events of The Wind Waker, Tetra spent her life on the open seas, leading a pirate crew in search of treasure. However, as the game’s story unfolds, it is revealed that Tetra is, in fact, the reincarnation of Zelda. In light of that revelation, a prequel featuring Tetra in her life before The Wind Waker could be a compelling story.

More Unconventional Zelda Characters Could Offer Unique Perspectives in a Lead Role

While a Zelda game could feature its “good” characters in a lead role, other unconventional characters like Ganondorf and the Skull Kid might offer unique perspectives in a lead role. Featuring Ganondorf in a lead role would certainly make for a dark story, but it could grant players firsthand experience with certain timelines where the villain actually defeats Link. Additionally, a game featuring the Skull Kid, who is most known for his role in Zelda: Majora’s Mask, could show his life before he was corrupted by Majora’s Mask, as well as his slow descent into madness.


Some Zelda Characters Might Even Offer Intriguing Sim Experiences

Branching away from its normal story-driven format, The Legend of Zelda could even venture into sim territory with a couple of its characters — namely, Beedle and Dampe. Beedle has been a recurring character in the series for some time now, occasionally appearing selling various wares like potions, arrows, and other essential items. As such, perhaps a shopkeeping sim where players are in control of Beedle and can travel throughout Hyrule selling items to Link and other Hylians might be in order. Additionally, Dampe has frequently played the role of gravekeeper, suggesting a sim akin to Lazy Bear Games’ Graveyard Keeper might be a good fit for the world of The Legend of Zelda.


There are clearly plenty of characters in the Zelda universe who would produce unique stories if they were featured in a lead role, like Impa, Tetra, Ganondorf, and the Skull Kid. Furthermore, characters like Beedle and Dampe could see The Legend of Zelda branching out into the sim genre for a fresh departure from the series’ traditional gameplay. Hopefully, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has started something here that Nintendo will continue by putting more non-Link characters in the spotlight.

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