Nintendo recently announced a delayed release date for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's sequel much to the disappointment of fans. Originally promised to hit screens by the end of 2022, the hotly anticipated sequel will now release in Spring 2023, giving the developers extra time to polish Link's next adventure. Producer Eiji Aonuma broke the news to gamers in a video update posted to the official Nintendo Twitter account. His apology and explanation were accompanied by a few brief clips from the unreleased game, the majority of which had already been seen previously in promotional teasers.
However, Nintendo sweetened the sting of ill tidings by including a brand-new snippet of footage showing something very interesting indeed: Link holding a Master Sword that appears to be heavily damaged and decayed. Short as the clip is, its contents were enough to ignite the fandom's interest, giving rise to a number of theories about what the iconic weapon's condition might mean for the sequel to Breath of the Wild's plot and gameplay.
It's not surprising that Nintendo has had to get creative with the sword's status in the upcoming sequel. After all, the Link starring in the upcoming game is the same Link from Breath of the Wild, with all the power-ups and buffs he earned in his first adventure. As such, the developers must find a way to reset the hero's progress so that the new game is a fulfilling adventure in its own right, while still maintaining plot continuity from its predecessor. Subjecting the Master Sword to damage and then having players restore it to its true glory is as good a solution as any.
That's why many fans now believe that repairing the Master Sword will be a central component of Link's quest in Breath of the Wild's sequel. It's not an unfamiliar concept for the Zelda series; a significant chunk of Skyward Sword's main storyline revolves around Link transforming his initial weapon, the Goddess Sword, into the Master Sword by seeking out holy fires with which to temper the blade. Wind Waker featured a similar quest in its back half, with Link traveling across the seas to awaken the Sages of Earth and Water so that their prayers can restore the Master Sword's full evil-busting power.
The clip contains other tantalizing details that have sent theorists into a tizzy as well. The blue glow surrounding the blade has led some to wonder if Fi, introduced in Skyward Sword as the spirit of the Master Sword, may return as a companion in this game. Fi is canonically present in the first Breath of the Wild. For instance, when Link fully awakens the Master Sword by completing the Master Trials DLC mission, "Trial of the Sword," it glows blue and Fi's signature sound effect plays, confirming her continued existence within the blade. Fi even speaks to Zelda during one pivotal cutscene, though players don't actually get to hear her voice. Taking this into account along with the release of Skyward Sword HD on the Switch, makes it seem possible that Fi might return in Breath of the Wild's sequel.
There's also the golden ball of light that appears at Link's side before apparently entering his corrupted arm. Some theorize that this may be the spirit of Princess Zelda herself. She's been shown with a similar aura around her in the previous game, and earlier teasers implied that something causes Zelda to fall into darkness near the beginning of the game. As such, it's not hard to imagine that a physically trapped Zelda might accompany Link as a partner on his quest, but in the disembodied form of a glowing ball of light.
However, it's more likely that this light is some kind of restorative magic that will help fix the Master Sword, similar to the holy flames in Skyward Sword. If that's the case, players will no doubt find themselves combing the map for sacred locations where these balls of light can be found. This also raises the ongoing question of whether traditional Zelda dungeons will return in Breath of the Wild 2, something many fans missed in the first game. If the main quest centers on repairing the sword at various temples, that could mean that Nintendo has taken this opportunity to respond to that particular complaint.