Yesterday’s Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 teaser already has fans drawing a new theory about Link’s usual-looking hand. Ever since footage of the upcoming follow-up to 2017’s critically-acclaimed Breath of the Wild was shown off at last year’s Nintendo Direct E3 2021 livestream, fans have been taking note of how Link’s left arm looks different in BOTW 2, appearing grey and stonelike. At times, it even glows with energy, making it seem that the hero of Hyrule is channeling some kind of magical force - or perhaps is being overtaken by it.
This strange new limb has spawned plenty of fanart among Legend of Zelda fans, as well as interesting theories about where it came from and what it means for the plot of Breath of the Wild 2. Some fans have even gone as far as to suggest that the arm is a sign that the character players will control in BOTW 2 isn’t Link at all, but rather a young Ganondorf from before he became the scourge of Hyrule that he in the timeline of the main Legend Of Zelda games. This theory would ultimately be disproven by the recent BOTW 2 teaser that was shown off yesterday, which seemingly confirms that the main hero of the game is indeed Link.
This hasn’t stopped fans from crafting new theories surrounding Link’s bizarre new hand in Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, as reported by The Gamer. One of these theories comes from Reddit user MarcsterS, who thinks that the arm could belong to Ganondorf. To support this idea, MarcsterS posted an image comparing the shot of the arm seen in the BOTW 2 teaser to an earlier scene depicting a shadow of Ganondorf’s hand to r/zelda. The two hands seem to be similar from the pictures featured, causing other fans in the comment section to begin speculating that Ganondorf’s spirit could be possessing Link somehow in BOTW 2 after Link’s encounter with the dark one at the end of the first game.
While this theory regarding Link’s arm in BOTW 2 is new, there have been a few clues to support it before yesterday's teaser trailer. The first Breath of the Wild 2 trailer from 2019 featured Link and Zelda approaching what appears to be Ganondorf’s mummified remains among the ruins of Hyrule Castle. Swirling green energy then emerges from the body and wraps itself around Link’s arm, causing it to lose control. Some fans have theorized that this magic could be Malice, a dark substance from the first BOTW that is created from Ganondorf’s power and causes damage to Link when players touch it.
Having Link be corrupted by Ganondorf in some way would make for some pretty interesting story and gameplay ideas for BOTW 2. Perhaps the dark warlock’s spirit is trapped within Link’s arm, and he requires the hero’s help to break whatever curse he’s currently placed under. Another, more sinister possibility is that Ganondorf is trying to take over Link’s body somehow, leading the player to make some morally questionable decisions while playing BOTW 2. Fans will likely have to wait a while for some answers to the mystery of Link’s new appendage though, as the tentatively-titled Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been delayed until 2023.
Source: MarcsterS/Reddit (via The Gamer)
