Every secret detail in the latest Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom received a second trailer as part of the February 23 Nintendo Direct. This trailer was packed full of exciting tidbits including new gameplay elements, a ruinous Hyrule, and plenty of story beats to investigate. We dug through the trailer and pulled out every secret detail we could find.

Every secret detail in the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer

Before we dive into the hidden details, let’s take another look at the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer. This 2-minute trailer is positively brimming with features showing off the realm of Hyrule.

Link’s hand has been altered

One of the first things you’ll notice about Link in the new trailer is that his right hand looks dramatically different to his left. His hand and entire forearm looks to be completely altered, taking on a claw-like appearance while also looking dehydrated.

How did this happen to Link’s hand? Our theory is that whatever was touching Calamity Ganon/Ganondorf’s corpse connected with Link, giving him some untold power. This power is evident throughout the trailer where Link can be seen using Sheikah Slate powers via his right hand. It glows when using a bow and arrow and when manipulating objects.

Two voices can be heard

While Calamity Ganon was the main antagonist of Breath of the Wild, this boar-like entity typically doesn’t speak. In the trailer for Tears of the Kingdom, we here a male voice commanding its servants to rise and “sweep over Hyrule, eliminate this Kingdom and her allies. Leave no survivors.” This voice potentially belongs to Ganondorf, who is the human form of Ganon. It’s quite likely we’re hearing the fabled Prince of Darkness command his troops.

The other voice we here seems to belong to Princess Zelda. She fears that Link may not be able to stop “him”, which is presumably Zelda referring to Ganondorf/Ganon. At the end of the trailer, Zelda begs that someone lend Link their power, which leads us into…

Zelda might be talking to the Goddess Hylia

One of the major characters in the Legend of Zelda series is the Goddess Hylia, who was entrusted by the Golden Goddesses to protect the Triforce. As the story goes, Hylia was reborn as a mortal known as Zelda.

During the trailer, Zelda pleads, “Please, lend him your power,” to some unknown entity. Could Zelda be calling out to the Goddess Hylia – her own being – and requesting Link be granted power? With Zelda having some of Hylia’s power in Breath of the Wild, it stands to reason she would want to aid Link in his journey by offering up some of this strength.

Following on from this thought, this power could come in the form of Link’s altered hand. With the Sheikah Slate MIA, Link would need a new way to conqueror the challenges that await him.

A spectral being has touched Ganondorf/Ganon and Link’s hand

One of the first reveals trailers for Tears of the Kingdom revealed the body of Calamity Ganon/Ganondorf with a spectral hand grasping the Demon Prince’s chest. The hand appeared to be keeping the foe at bay, containing the threat and ensuring he did not reawaken.

However, something went wrong and the spectral hand grabbed Link’s wrist. From this point onward, Link’s hand has been changed. It was burned by the Calamity, touched by the green spectral hand, and now it takes on a wholly different appearance and power.

Master Sword looks partially consumed

This hidden detail has been staring at us the whole time. The legendary Master Sword looks to have been partially consumed by the Calamity, the spectral energy, or both. Link can be seen holding the iconic sword as red energy spews forth from the corpse of Ganon/Ganondorf. While it is glowing and charged up, the Master Sword is covered in presumably Calamity. However, the actual logo for the game shows the Master Sword piercing through the Z with what appears to be rust corroding the metal before it takes on the same green, spectral line work seen in the green arm and Link’s new braclet.

Zelda might not live

Zelda titles are always something special when they go down a darker path. For Tears of the Kingdom, we’re getting strong vibes that Zelda might not make it. This is especially true in the latest trailer. There is a lot of imagery used to show Zelda’s demise, including her falling into the earth below Hyrule Castle. But most importantly, the title of the game indicates a kingdom in mourning after they’ve lost their monarch. Could the death of Zelda be what brings Hyrule to its knees?

We see no Divine Beasts

One of the biggest elements of Breath of the Wild was its Divine Beasts. These things represented a critical challenge for players as they fought to weaken Calamity Ganon. However, in the Tears of the Kingdom trailer, we spotted no evidence of the Divine Beasts, which could indicate another type of system will be used. Perhaps a return to Zelda’s iconic dungeons?

Hyrule Castle and other structures are floating

Speaking of dungeons, there looks to be a lot of floating structures in the sky above Hyrule. It’s certainly too early to say, and there’s nothing confirmed, but these structures could very well be a new form of dungons, challenging players to solve puzzles and interact with the environment using Link’s new arm powers.

Furthermore, many of the trailers show Hyrule Castle floating above a crater, much like it did in Ocarina of Time. All evidence also points to the scenes with Link and Zelda underground taking place below Hyrule Castle. It seems as though whatever awakened down there, be it Ganon, Ganondorf, or even Demise itself, has wrenched out the heart of the kingdom.

New vehicles and modes of transport

Getting around the world in Zelda games has always been a treat. Whether you were riding across the fields on Epona or gliding through the air, Nintendo has ensured adventuring is a joy. In the second Tears of the Kingdom trailer, players get a look at several new ways to traverse the world. Link can be seen grinding on rails and even finding a wheel to presumably build his tractor. There’s also a hovering drone and a hot air balloon!

Blood moon & weather

Whenever the moon is acting weird in a Zelda game, it’s never a good thing. In Majora’s Mask it crashed into the world while in Breath of the Wild in revived all the foes you had defeated. It looks as though the blood moon will be returning in a major narrative way in Tears of the Kingdom. The trailer shows the blood moon rising over Hyrule Castle and spewing out fresh foes for Link to fight.

There looks to be other threats from the sky too, as weather makes a return. The trailer shows a dark and stormy night, with rain whipping across the fields and lightning striking the ground. Players will likely need to think carefully about what they’re carrying when venturing out into a storm. Keep those metal things off of Link!

Death Mountain might have erupted

Another environmental tidbit we noticed was that it looks like Death Mountain may have erupted! The massive mountain that acts as a main landmark in many Zelda titles might be even more dangerous in Tears of the Kingdom. In Ocarina of Time, the clouds around the mountain indicated its state and if that holds true in this game, the clouds around it are chaotic and dark – which is certainly another ill omen. In the event Death Mountain has erupted, you’ll probably want to consider some good clothes for warm weather.

New weapons

It’s not just new and exciting environments and story that caught our eye, but also Link’s new arsenal. The trailer showed off a couple of new weapons, including arrows and a club. At one point, Link shoots an arrow and it changes trajectory mid-flight, nailing a flying threat. As for the club, this thing is some kind of club-cannon hybrid, firing out a giant ball that explodes while the part Link holds slams into the ground with concussive force.

Part of the trailer sounds reversed

Finally, this theme has been throughout a few of the trailers but it is extremely evident at the end of the second trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As the official logo appears, the vocals sound as though they’re being played in reverse. What’s really interesting is that, even when reverse, it sounds like part of speech is reverse. Almost as if two of the same vocals have been overlayed, one played forward and the other played backward. This cyclical theme is represented in the logo as well, with two dragons or snakes consuming the other’s tail. Could Tears of the Kingdom venture into the realm of time travel or predetermination?

Each new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom just gets us more excited for its eventual release on May 12, 2023. What hidden clues and features did you notice about the trailer? Share your theories and things you spotted with us in the thread below!

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler