Summary
ThoughThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas seemingly wiped the Sheikah Slate clean after it introduced its Zonai alternative, this shouldn’t stop a futureZeldagame from exploring the mystery behind the Sheikah and their ancient technology. As an integral part ofBreath of the Wild, it had been initially unclear how a direct sequel would address the remnants of the Sheikah technology scattered across Hyrule. However, following the focus onTears of the Kingdom’s Zonai history and future, it seemed that Nintendo’s solution to its Sheikah predicament was to reset everything and pretend as if nothing happened.
This hasn’t prevented players from still scratching their heads over it, something which eventually led toTears of the Kingdom’s director commenting that the Sheikahtechnology mysteriously disappeared with Calamity Ganon’s defeat “cleansing” Hyrule. Yet this convenient explanation only raises more questions and draws more intrigue from fans about the Sheikah and its strange technology. Since the Sheikah is already one ofZelda’s various recurring elements alongside the likes of the Gerudo, the Zora, or the Rito, there would be nothing to stop a futureZeldagame from picking things up whereBreath of the Wildleft off.
The Mystery of the Sheikah in Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Teased A Buried Sheikah Legacy
From the first encounter with a Guardian Stalker to defeating each Divine Beast, Sheikah technology was arguably the most memorable part ofBreath of the Wild,which is why fans have taken such close interest in its origins. But while the game offers some information about where the technology was found buried underground, it maintains the mystery of how exactly the Sheikah became so technologically advanced, especially whenZeldagames don’t traditionally fit the sci-fi genre. With additional context fromThe Legend of Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom’s past and present, it seems that there was much more to unearth about the Sheikah fromBreath of the Wild.
Sheikah Technology Shouldn’t be Wasted on One Zelda Game
But there is more to Sheikah technology than the mysteries it brings with it, asBreath of the Wilddemonstrated that this technology has a wide range of uses. If the only limit was Nintendo’s imagination, then the technology could be utilized in new ways, such as new Guardian forms, new Divine Beasts, or even new runes for the Sheikah Slate. From a gameplay standpoint, this could be highly beneficial, as futureZeldagames may try to replicate the same experience thatTears of the Kingdomor its predecessor provided, so arevival ofBreath of the Wild’s Sheikahtechnology would be a straightforward solution.
How Future Zelda Games Could Bring Back Sheikah Technology
Since it’s been suggested that the Sheikah’s ancient technology disappeared afterBreath of the Wild, there are two options aZeldagame could take if it were to make a comeback. The first would be to lean back onZelda’s time travel elements as seen in games likeOcarina of TimeorMajora’s Mask, so that any games set afterTears of the Kingdomcould imply that the Sheikah technology moved forward or backward in time. Alternatively, as bothZeldaSwitch games are meant to be the endpoint of its current branching timelines, aTears of the Kingdomprequelcould explore Hyrule’s history and the Sheikah’s origins instead.
Regardless of which direction Nintendo takes, either could provide greater insight into the Sheikah themselves and their technology, similar toTears of the Kingdom’s in-depth look into the Zonaifrom Princess Zelda’s perspective. Between their ongoing appearances throughout otherZeldagames and nowBreath of the Wild’s additional enigmatic layers to their history, a dedicated exploration into the Sheikah feels long overdue. With the added benefit ofBreath of the Wild’s revamping both the Sheikah Slate and the Guardians, the nextZeldagame that brings back Sheikah technology might even rival the story and scale ofTears of the Kingdomitself.
