Unlike most Zelda titles that reboot the characters with each entry, Tears of the Kingdom continues directly from Breath of the Wild. Both games sit at the end of the unified timeline, after the events of Ocarina of Time. This makes Tears of the Kingdom one of the only true sequels in the series because, this time, Link is not a reincarnation. He is the same individual who fell defending Zelda from Calamity Ganon, who slept for a hundred years in the Shrine of Resurrection, and who awakened to reclaim the Master Sword and restore peace.
Since this version of Link does not reset between games, he ages and carries his history forward. This continuity makes Link’s personal timeline an important part of how the world of Hyrule progresses and how past calamities connect to present threats. Tears of the Kingdom never directly states his age, but players have used in-game clues to trace the passage of time and work out how old he is.
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How Much Time Passed Between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom?
The exact number of years between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is never confirmed, but certain characters and world changes strongly indicate a time jump of about 7-8 years. The most striking clue is Tulin. In Breath of the Wild, he was a young fledgling who looked up to his father, Teba. In the sequel, he has grown into a warrior capable of joining Link in combat as the Sage of Wind. Another clear sign is Mattison. She didn’t exist during the events of Breath of the Wild, but in the sequel, she’s already fluent in two languages. Based on cognitive and language development timelines, this puts her age around 6-7. Factoring in the gestation period, this further supports a gap of roughly 7-8 years.
Other characters also show signs of aging. In Tears of the Kingdom, Sidon has replaced his father as the king. Riju and the Rito sisters have also matured noticeably. Beyond the characters, Hyrule itself shows signs of major growth. The Skyview Towers are a good example; such large-scale infrastructure would take years to design and construct. Given Hyrule’s relatively small post-Calamity population, it’s plausible that two to three towers could be completed at a time. With 15 total Skyview Towers across the map, the logistics support the idea of a 7-8-year gap between the two games.
Link Is Around 125 Years Old in Tears of the Kingdom
At the beginning of Breath of the Wild, Link wakes from a 100-year slumber inside the Shrine of Resurrection. Before he entered this state, Link was approximately 17 years old, meaning his chronological age in Breath of the Wild was 117 years. If Tears of the Kingdom is assumed to take place around 8 years after the events of the previous game, then Link would be about 125 years old. However, it’s important to note that he’s only been actively aging since his awakening, so his biological age is closer to 25.
Ramifications of Link’s Age in Tears of the Kingdom
Unlike earlier Zelda titles, where players begin as inexperienced heroes learning swordplay or magic from scratch, Tears of the Kingdom starts with Link already at the peak of his abilities. He starts the game with maxed-out Hearts and Stamina achievable in Breath of the Wild. However, he soon loses his powers and the Master Sword in a battle with Ganondorf, which justifies the game resetting his powers without breaking story logic.
His age also shapes how other characters treat him throughout the game. Riju, Tulin, and Sidon were younger and less experienced in Breath of the Wild, but now they act as sages and leaders. Still, they defer to Link in battle and decision-making because they know of his heroics from the previous game. In Lookout Landing, NPCs know of him. The Rito speak of his previous heroics. These interactions show that Link’s presence connects the aftermath of Calamity Ganon to the new threat emerging from beneath Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
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May 12, 2023
- ESRB
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Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Engine
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Havok
