Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmenthas some fans scratching their heads at the announcement of a game based on a relatively underdeveloped side ofTears of the Kingdom’s story. However, the lack of development in the story of the imprisoning war might be exactly what allowsAge of Imprisonmentto stand out, especially in regard to Queen Sonia, whose importance in Zelda’s story is betrayed by her lack of screentime in the previous title.
TheHyrule Warriorssubseries has been a surprise hit for Nintendo, serving as a crossover between theZeldagames with Omega Force’sDynasty Warriorsseries.Age of Imprisonmentis even confirmed to be canonto theLegend of Zeldafranchise, showing that Nintendo has faith in the game. Set to follow Zelda’s adventures during the events ofTears of the Kingdom, thisWarriorsouting will focus on the imprisoning war and Zelda’s role in helping to seal Ganondorf away. An important part of Zelda’s time in the past was spent growing close to Queen Sonia. It’s clear that Sonia and Zelda developed a mother-daughter-style relationship, but most of that development happens off-screen. But, withAge of Imprisonmentset to focus on Zelda’s story, Queen Sonia seems set to have a much larger role in this game than inTears of the Kingdom.
What Role Will Queen Sonia Play in Age of Imprisonment
Queen Sonia is put in an unusual position going intoAge of Imprisonment. Her bond with Zelda will no doubt be an important character moment for the princess, and so, should be explored to its fullest potential. But, asTears of the Kingdomfans know, Sonia dies at the very beginning of the imprisoning war. Obviously, that means that she’s likely to be absent from most of this game’s story as well. However, it’s been suggested that she might be a playable character, helping to round outAge of Imprisonment’s mysterious roster. If she is playable, it may imply that either the story will start well before the imprisoning war fully breaks out, or that Sonia’s story might not be what it seems.
Tears of the Kingdom’s Mysteries Can Inform Sonia’s Story
Tears of the Kingdomtells two separate stories: one following Link, and the other following Zelda. While Link’s story is a typical one forZeldagames as he searches for the Princess and assists the sages, Zelda’s focuses on Hyrule’s distant past. With players seeing less of Zelda’s story, it led to several plot holes andunsolved mysteries inTears of the Kingdom. At the time of release, fans hoped to see some of these questions addressed through DLC, but now, it appears that they might be addressed inAge of Imprisonment. Fans have been longing to learn more about the hero of the ancient era and the statues at the bottom of the depths, among other plot inconsistencies, and some of these answers may be found in the story of Queen Sonia.
By far the largest plot mystery left inTears of the Kingdomregardsthe identity of Sonia and Rauru’s child. It’s made clear early on that Zelda is a direct descendant of the king and queen of Hyrule, meaning that the two must have a child who can carry on their family lineage. But, inTears of the Kingdom, no such child is seen or made reference to. It might be possible that this mystery child is elsewhere in ancient Hyrule, perhaps serving as the mysterious ancient hero, but a fact like that would probably have been mentioned. One possible answer might be that Sonia’s story doesn’t end the way fans believe it does; perhaps she isn’t actually dead, and still has time to bear a child after Zelda’s dragon transformation.
Tears of the KingdomandAge of Imprisonmentare two sides of the same coin, telling a story in two parts that forms one grand epic. Plot elementsleft out of cutscenes inTears of the Kingdommay find their way intoAge of Imprisonment, furthering the lore and legends of the characters introduced in the first game. In this way, the current version of Queen Sonia’s story might just be scratching the surface.
