Her presence in Breath of the Wild 2 doesn’t inspire confidence. In past trailers she explores the underground caverns of Hyrule Castle with Link before coming across the corpse of Ganondorf. It’s cursed or something, so our hero is quickly infected with an ancient curse as Zelda is yeeted into a dark hole of oblivion. I desperately hope she isn’t stuck there for the entire story as a generic damsel in distress, because the first game helped prove that her character is far more than the archetypal mould from which she was born. Nintendo needs to subvert expectations, whether it be through additional playable characters or a narrative that is far from traditional. Pull a Majora’s Mask – we rarely see numbered sequels in the canonical timeline, so it’s time to try something that isn’t afraid to alter the landscape.

Link can’t speak, making Zelda the emotional core of a story in desperate need of one. Our protagonist can only stop and stare, providing the occasional nod or grunt to ensure he is with Zelda regardless of whatever circumstances might greet them. Given that so many of Breath of the Wild’s strongest moments are fragmented flashbacks and snapshots of Link’s own memories, it told a wonderfully coherent story of bittersweet heroism. Sacrifices are required to save the world, and Zelda is fully aware of the need to step forward and face the music even if it means giving herself up. She does this, but Link is able to save her, and Breath of the Wild 2 should explore their new lives and the inevitable threat that has the potential to wipe them out once ag

Chris Redfield may be the closest thing _ Resident Evil _ has to a main character, but he’s hardly the face of the franchise. Beyond conceding that role to Jill Valentine, Chris’ popularity is outshined by that of Leon S. Kennedy. The main character of _ Resident Evil 2 _ and _ 4 _ , it only makes sense to strike while the iron’s

Whether it’s Link, Zelda, or something completely out of left field like Waluigi – I just hope the Princess isn’t left to gather dust as a prisoner beneath Hyrule Castle. As I mentioned earlier, Breath of the Wild’s timeline now exists in the present, offering a level of dramatic agency that simply isn’t possible with flashbacks. Our emotions will react to an ongoing story we’re an integral part of, instead of pondering on flashbacks whose participants have long since met their end. Princess Zelda is the strongest character of the whole lot, and pushing her aside purely so Link has a passive damsel to save is woefully archaic writing this series could do without. Who knows, I still have a feeling she’ll be playable. Or there will be time travel. Screw it – do whatever you want, Ninte

One of our editors has said that Breath of the Wild 2 could be teasing two alternate versions of Link , and given how the airborne and land adjacent versions of our protagonist are so aesthetically distinct, perhaps there is some truth to that. Alternatively, Link’s newfound abilities are something that only work in certain environments, Elden Ring DLC exploration requiring an outfit change and flowing golden hair to make specific feats possi

Ferren Barr is one of the Jedi survivors of Order 66 explored in Marvel Comics. He was a padawan at the time of the attack and managed to escape. He is one of the few people in the galaxy who learn who Darth Vader truly is. After hacking into the Imperial defense network, he finds out the truth about Anakin Skywalker and organizes a small army of followers to lead an attack on Vader and the Empire. Unfortunately, his mission ends in failure and with his death at hands of the powerful Sith L

Female characters parting with their hair has been a deliberate sign of growing maturity in media for decades, a changed appearance highlighting that women are willing to leave behind everything in service of something greater. Mulan is the most popular example, with the titular character cutting her gorgeous hair to join the army and assist her ignorant father. It’s the opposite of Zelda’s situation – instead of pulling herself away from the royal family, Mulan is doing everything she can to preserve it. But the core motivation remains the same: these are two women who realise a sacrifice must be made, even if it means altering their appearance and walking away from a life of security.

That said, why actually bother? Umbrella’s downfall happens in a spin-off game and not even Capcom was all that interested in telling this story. By _ Code Veronica _ , it’s clear the series wanted to move on from Umbrella. Come _ Resident Evil 5 _ , Wesker’s more or less taken over as the face of the antagonists. Keeping in mind how much extra focus antagonists like Birkin and Nikolai were given in their remakes, it’s perhaps safe to assume that _ RE _ wants a face for their villains, not just a societal concept. It’s a bit disappointing considering how critical _ Resident Evil _ is of big pharma and capitalism, otherw