One Race's Role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a Head-Scratcher

One Race's Role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a Head-Scratcher

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a brand-new entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise, finally featuring Princess Zelda in her first mainline adventure. Announced at this month’s Nintendo Direct, the Echoes of Wisdom announcement trailer gave fans their first glimpse at the title’s returning elements. The trailer featured a wide variety of series races, including Hylians, Sheikah, Gerudo, Deku, and Zora. However, the Zora race stands out as the trailer's most significant, featuring two classic variations of the Zora present in multiple scenes. While the Echoes of Wisdom is not the first time the two have appeared in a single adventure, the title’s trailer alludes to a surprising series first. Should this be true, the Zora’s overall role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a head-scratcher.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will see Princess Zelda set off to find and eliminate the origin of mysterious rifts which have enveloped the land and stolen its inhabitants. With Link among those missing, Zelda teams up with a strange fairy, Tri, who can create imitations of things from her environment. These imitations, called echoes, are manifested through the use of the Tri Rod, which Zelda can use to create imitations of anything from furniture to enemies. While Echoes of Wisdom's Tri Rod opens the door for a variety of solutions to every challenge, one scene in the title’s trailer introduces a challenge that may require quite a bit more.

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Echoes of Wisdom Sees The River Zora and Sea Zora Meet for the First Time

The trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom features many memorable moments, including a brief scene in which figures from both varieties of Zora join Zelda at the same time. While River Zora and Sea Zora have each played major roles in past Zelda entries, none have seen the two meet face-to-face, marking this as a monumental series first. Within the scene, Zelda is joined by a duo from both the River Zora and Sea Zora, with two figures clearly depicted as the rulers of their respective races. Given the layout of the scene, it appears that Zelda may be mediating a disagreement or first contact between the two leaders.

The fish-like River Zora debuted in 1986's The Legend of Zelda, where they served as recurring enemies. These Zora have appeared throughout the series, plaguing Link with their surprise attacks from the water. 1998’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduced the friendly Sea Zora, later becoming the primary depiction of the race through 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom. While the two races have never met face-to-face, they have appeared in the same title, technically, twice before. In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, Link encounters both River and Sea Zora in separate areas of the game, marking their only official shared appearance. Iif players start a Linked Game of Oracle of Seasons after completing Ages, a single Sea Zora is added to the title, which can be found in Hero’s Cave.

The Zoras Role in Echoes of Wisdom Remains a Mystery

With Echoes of Wisdom bringing the River Zora and Sea Zora together for the first time, the two likely play a major role in the title’s narrative. Should the two be in conflict, Zelda’s mediation could seek to end a feud, allowing them to amicably part ways. However, if the two Zora leaders seek peace from the outset, Zelda’s efforts could see the two vastly opposed factions united once and for all. Regardless, Echoes of Wisdom may mark a significant turning point for the Zora’s depiction moving forward.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom's announcement trailer already introduces several series firsts. However, much is still unknown about Princess Zelda’s first solo adventure. The role that the Zora will play in the overall narrative is one of the many mysteries that fans look forward to solving, once they get their hands on the game. Luckily, they do not have long to wait before these answers and more are revealed, as The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is set to launch on September 26, 2024.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Franchise The Legend of ZeldaPlatform(s) SwitchReleased September 26, 2024Developer(s) NintendoPublisher(s) NintendoGenre(s) AdventureESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+