The 8th Sage - A Tears of the Kingdom Theory

[@MonsterMaze]

Hey folks! My apologies to my Patreons and Members. As I was rushing to get this video out, I ran out of time to update the end Credits and do the usual shoutouts. I will make sure to set this straight in the next video. It's been bit of a rough week for me. I hope you all had a great weekend!

[@Cliffordlonghead]

First

[@Cliffordlonghead]

Awesome video

[@guilhermebarbieri3030]

Where can I find the name Richard's name?

[@luisugalde6956]

Thank you for not spoiling "Richard's name, lol. I have avoided that artbook for a while now hehe. I am also looking forward to see lovely Paya again (in any capacity).

[@trevdoesweirdthings]

ONE OF US

[@FlyingSaucerSafari]

"It's safe to say that the statues are a memorial to Team Richard" is probably one of the best lines you've uttered on this channel.

[@SingingSealRiana]

I love that he just calls him richard

[@How_Many_Monkeys]

I’ll be referring to him as Richard from now on, it’s basically canon lmao 😆

[@simian9200]

The fact that this theory was so close to what actually happened in the game, with only very minor details being off (like the tribe of the 7th sage and who the Zonai of the party was), is frankly astounding. It would not be unfair to say this theory was essentially correct. Very well done!

[@innerecho9468]

Nope

[@purplemc65]

We do have a small side mission regarding the statues. It answers some questions differently while still leaving new ones if I’m not instale.

[@TotallyBritishGamer]

Sadly, he was just unfortunately wrong. He got close with predicting who the sages were, but ultimately got that wrong too. The statues all represent Gerudo Vai (women) who stood up to a local evil that was threatening Gerudo Town, but their strength wasn't quite enough to bring peace. A Hylian Voe (male) showed up and joined in, changing the balance and saving Gerudo Town. Out of shame of their hero being a male, they shunned the 8th from history, hiding their statue and trying to act like he never happened. Over time however the Gerudo felt shame for this behaviour and wished they never acted so coldly to the man who helped save their town. They then build a shrine in what was at the time, a fairly important and sacred Gerudo place, to remember the man their ancestors shamefully forgot on purpose. The sages situation also wasn't particularly close when it comes to the actual theorizing part. He failed to recognize a Zonai, called him a sage and then called his wife a sage along with 6 others and then Zelda is there too. Outside of everything obvious, he sadly got it all wrong. Raaru is not a sage the "Zonai" woman is his wife and is definitely not a sage Zelda was in fact a sage The final sage, who was actually only the 6th sage and not the 8th, because there is no 8th sage, was also a Zonai, Raaru's older sister. Someone who was kept secret from the pre-release footage.

[@lucielm]

@@TotallyBritishGamer No he got it very close about it being about the 7 sages who fought ganon and sealed him, but the 8th is Link. The Hero that will come in the future that's why there was a location full of weapons left for the future.

[@tylerwebb2495]

@@lucielmhe successfully guessed some, but he couldn’t have guessed who the “fifth” sage was, that one of them wouldn’t even make it to the war, nor how ganondorf sourced his “tear”. It ultimately was some more obvious given information mixed with unrelated information making it more or less incorrect. But a fun theory nonetheless

[@takimicha7291]

Can we talk about just how much this man got right without ever touching the game, since this video was made a month before it released? That's incredibly impressive.

[@patmagh]

I played a quest the other day "The Mysterious Eighth" where the statues are explained, and it is heavily implied that Link is a representation of the eighth statue, but he is a 'voe' and therefore it is forbidden history. "The Seven" couldn't stop the enemy from the dessert, but then 'The Eighth' appeared and helped them beat it.

[@Starbeam1979]

Didn't know cake could have enemies.

[@darkjaden-fe]

It is WILD how you just...completely accurately guessed the entire story of Tears of the Kingdom lmaooo good job! Excellent video

[@kenmagoesblep]

I just came back to this video after playing the game and omg yeah he got it so right!!

[@Sango-po5pi]

He saw the art book though and I have a physical copy, the art book reveals many story plots

[@DatBoiAtlasReal]

Yeah only thing he got wrong is that mineru is the 8th I think, and mineru does not look like a Sheka or however you spell it to me

[@kaletheleaf3941]

The parallel to TOTK at 22:50 is actually kind of crazy. It clearly shows the 4 sages you find first (Sidon, Riju, Tulin and Yunobo). But hidden behind them, harder to see, is the 5th sage (mineru).

[@leedlelel2373]

And zelda is missing, who is the 6th sage :)

[@Doctor_Odin]

@@leedlelel2373 Technically Zelda is the anomalous 8th because of her time displacement but fills her ancestors role as the sixth because of How Gannondorf got his stone.

[@victorthevictorian]

I really hope Richard and the mystery lady won't just be characters locked behind cutscenes that depict the ancient past... I hope we, as Link, can interact with at least Richard in the present. He seems like an extremely interesting character.

[@MonsterMaze]

Same here!

[@kacperwoch4368]

I like how everyone plays into this Richard thing despite the fact that we do know his name.

[@ReddTurtl]

I'm pretty sure hes the one talking to Zelda about her knight link, isn't he? So he'd be current time as well

[@aldohernandez8461]

Richard Is the new dragon we see in the present, and the 2 guys we see with him are Farodra And Naydra

[@claydoesstuff]

@@kacperwoch4368 people actually want to play the game, so maybe its best if we do play it up

[@oreothepotato]

The amount of info in this video that he got right is insane

[@bananacat0770]

Thank you for using the name Richard as well!! It's much appreciated that you make new content that is still spoiler-free

[@pineapplewarlord3.050]

agreed this is the main reason I still watch monster maze so close to release.

[@kiki__21]

Ditto! I love this channel and would hate to stop watching out of fear for spoilers.

[@gffg387]

The real name starts with R as well.

[@dmejiasbloise]

@@gffg387 whats his real name, i rlly want to know

[@beeshie7763]

@@dmejiasbloise the capital letters spell their name: ""Ran Away Up Ran Up."" I did it to avoid spoilers for people lol

[@CaptainGreenCoin]

After getting like 51% of Tears of the Kingdom done already I genuinely cannot wait until theory videos start to come out for Zelda lore channels

[@brispi5310]

I've always wanted the 8th Heroine to be the entrance to a dungeon

[@IwrsTheKing007]

well, there is something in there now

[@brispi5310]

@@IwrsTheKing007 after finding it myself, can confirm that was a huge waste of potential and an enormous let down 😭

[@IwrsTheKing007]

@@brispi5310 true doe

[@sageoverheaven]

​@@brispi5310 fr. (spoiler) 300 rupees and decayed weapons at the end of that epic looking underground section made me save the game and turn my switch off for the day.

[@duannekhristopermangampat9608]

Maybe Princess Zelda is considered to be Eighth Sage

[@Reepicheep-1]

_"Like Thanos going after the Stones."_ Oddly enough, it's Link with the Infinity Arm collecting powers and Sages.

[@demantim]

WUK you making sense of the amounts of tears on each character's face is a classic Monster Maze moment. You're able to make a convincing, intriguing and *holistic* point. That's what sets your channel apart. Great work!

[@MonsterMaze]

Thanks Tim! Also grats on your success! Your music videos have been getting stellar views!

[@SevoraLF]

Two goats interacting

[@demantim]

@@MonsterMaze yeah it's kinda crazy, hopefully a sign of things to come!

[@jirtini]

🦆

[@-LocalDreamer-]

Whoa, why am I just now realizing that the fact that only 4 statues remain standing in Tears of the Kingdom reflect Sonia's death, Rauru's sacrifice, and Mineru's body decaying to the extent that she has to perserve her spirit in the Purah Pad!?! Only the Zora, Rito, Goron, and Gerudo Sages survive the events of the ancient past and the battle with Ganondorf in the traditional sense, hence only four statues remaining standing in the present. I imagine that the fallen fifth statue that is laying amongst the other four, but has fallen over is specifically symbolic of Mineru spliting her soul from her body like how the mirrored Heroine is symbolic of a Sage, specifically Zelda, travelling through time and the two missing statutes represent Rauru and Sonia sacrificing/losing their lives. The amount of effort that goes into the environmental storytelling in the Legend of Zelda series is truly astonishing.

[@Vixin24]

I love this theory!! The one issue that always bugged me about other possibilities for the 8th heroine was if it was someone worthy of memorializing, why place it away from the others and if it was a sage who betrayed the others (like Ganondorf) why not destroy it instead of moving it? But this Zelda theory actually makes perfect sense. They wanted to commemorate her efforts but couldn't place her with the others and there are still technically supposed to be only 7 sages. Brilliant! Unless the game states otherwise I'm going to definitely go with this as canon!

[@PumpkinRiku]

When you get the quest to find the 8th heroine, your diary says "she is worshipped to this day by her faithful in the Gerudo Highlands". The only people residing in the highlands are the Yiga, who worship Ganondorf... maybe they moved the statue, to prevent it from getting destroyed?

[@orianefaton1885]

I had heard a theory, before ToK was announced, in which someone suggested it may have been Link, but it felt odd (though fitted more than Ganondorf) to think so, because... Link was never called a sage, and why wasn't he with the statues... there is no need to hide it. (plus, sure, you could argue the sword notbeing with the statue is linked to how most of the time, they put the Master Sword down after they finished their quest, but still, make no sense as to why you hide it) But, Zelda makes sense in a lot of way.

[@gnasherisahealthydog1055]

@@PumpkinRiku Oh yeah good point it does say that.

[@PumpkinRiku]

@@gnasherisahealthydog1055 I guess it's debatable whether "in the highlands" refers to where the followers are, or just where the worship happens. To me it sounds more like it refers to the followers though. It would be kind of an awkward sentence structure if it referred to the worship. But both are possible ^^

[@ALtheSuperior]

​@oriane faton I think it's Link now more than ever. I think that there are still only 7 sages in the past, and that Link is the 8th heroine, separated from his sword because it is in the past.

[@jahdieljulien]

I think Richard's team attempted to defeat Gannon but failed,hence why he told Zelda that Link would be the last line of defense. So, the only option was for Richard to seal Gannon using his body, and we find what remains of his body as the seal used his life-force

[@silverkyre]

It seems like only Link is ever successful when trying to kill Ganondorf. And often when with Link they can only seal him. But sometimes the sages seal Ganondorf without Link. I'm so interested in knowing this story.

[@ZiggyMandarr]

I don't think they failed and sealing was a last resort. I like to believe they "figured out" that Ganon will always revive or reincarnate. So they devised a plan to seal him but keep his body "alive." This stops him from coming back and also keeps his old body, literally pinned down. Nobody foresaw his hatred turning into Malice and creating the Calamity, however.

[@gergomi7289]

This ☝️🧠.

[@CASSIUSATBESTWV]

@@ZiggyMandarr I’m starting to think Ancient Link failed or something. Or maybe sacrificed himself to seal Calamity the first time. We haven’t seen him yet.

[@TylerHolt-hh5cf]

Imagine how metal that is. Just a dude standing there, holding Ganon down with 1 hand, pinning his chest to a pedestal. I don't imagine Ganon gave up easily.

[@guilhermebarbieri3030]

The only thing that makes me sad is that we probably won't have a peaceful section in ToTK before the upheaval... I really would like to see a "day in the life" of Link and Zelda after the great calamity Other than that, great video as always

[@MonsterMaze]

Let's pray for peacefull DLC haha

[@guilhermebarbieri3030]

​@@MonsterMaze Let's hope Nintendo hears you🤞

[@mythicdawn9574]

I kinda want the first trailer to be playable, the one where we explore those ruins with Zelda and the yak before they find Ganondorf's body.

[@Efc124]

@@MonsterMaze where do you think the past link is

[@GerardMenvussa]

Most people would complain that it is boring... soooo... nope.

[@towakun6678]

This theory makes so much sense it actually feels like a spoiler lol

[@sharktenko267]

Except it turned out wrong XD

[@mariomartinez5635]

@@sharktenko267 it did?

[@ThanatosQN]

It basically was a spoiler. He just didn’t know the details

[@leafyguy2039]

​@@sharktenko267 ye papaya didnt get it but its pretty close

[@lukash.8788]

@@sharktenko267 No so many things were correct?? Ofc not everything but shockingly much

[@Silent_Raven1047]

I think that it is likely that ‘Richard’s tear is larger so that it can act as a canister for all of the tears. This would mean that he was responsible for distributing the tears, and harnessing all of their powers when sealing Ganondorf away.

[@MonsterMaze]

It really does! It almost looks like the Recall tear is embedded inside it, since it's yellow. It might also explain why Link can use the recall ability without seemingly being a possession of the tear itself. There is much to unravel about how the bracelet works.

[@Hanakothemizumiko]

That would be a really good reason as to why his tear is white too, since white is the combination of all colors

[@orianefaton1885]

And in this logic, maybe we can "upgrade" our tear by reforming the connection between the tear of "Richard" with all the other ones. (after all, they were lost to time. In BoW we had upgraded versions at some point of the Sheikah slate abilities, so it doesn't seem weird to think there may be something there too. (we had a lower version, thank to the weak remaining connection. Recall was possibly "fixed" first, thank to the Recall tear not having being far, and in Zelda possession before the time travel thing) Or, Recall isn't fully fix yet, and it will be the last to be fixed so we can get Zelda back. Both option works.

[@orianefaton1885]

Also... I may be wrong, but did anybody see if Link had the tear on his bracelet ? (I don't think he does). Maybe Ganondorf managed somehow to steal "Richard's" tear ? Then corrupt it with malice. In which case, the worry we have about Yunobo's tear being stolen because Ganondorf looks like he has a red tear, is actually unfonded. (I remember seeing someone saying there is a shot that doesn't last long where it look like Ganondorf has a grayish tear. And, if we assume the white color of the tear was because of the amount of power in it, then the tear had ran out of power... which after keeping a seal for 1 000 years... yeah, fair enough... Part of the reason why the seal broke as a result) Maybe the tear feel when the hand moved to grab Link and Ganondorf picked it up ?

[@Hanakothemizumiko]

@@orianefaton1885 I think Ganondorf already had the tear when he was sealed, the upgraded underground scene from the 2nd official trailer shows that mummydorf still has his tear

[@Boomblox5896]

Unfortunately, there are actual records somewhere in the game talking about the actual "Heroine" which was actually a hero. It turns out the heroines were literally talking about a group of Gerudo Women, but the 8th was dishonored simply because he was a man who was not welcome in Gerudo Town. I do like the theory estimating the story of the actual game's main story itself. I like to think that this time was referring to this age's version of Link, who was ousted from Gerudo society, despite being a hero who saved them.

[@saphcal]

this was posted before the game came out, so he didnt know that.

[@Boomblox5896]

@@saphcal And this is why I came back here to comment this.

[@ChrisHoulihan]

13:18 Richard’s white tattoo tear is a Sheikah tear coming from his forehead eye. The only place that this was seen prior to TOTK is on Impa is SS, she has one white tear under her left eye, but her entire costume is very reminiscent of the imagery we are now seeing in totk.

[@joesunday199]

Why would his "Tear" be closer to his nose than his forehead? Maybe he is an Honorary Shiekah? I still don't understand how Zonai could have been Shiekah.

[@silverkyre]

​@@joesunday199maybe the sheikah just developed from the Zonai I mean. The white hair is a classic Shiekah look. The forehead eye. If Paya is the present Sage from Richard, we could still have a Korok and maybe Hestu Sage in the present.

[@joesunday199]

@@silverkyre I doubt the Shiekah came from the Zonai. The Zonai appear to be based off Mayan/Aztecs. Plus, we saw the Shiekah in Skyward Sword. Zonai were nowhere to be found.

[@dirtywhitellama]

If he opens his third eye, it will be the sheikah symbol in combination with the teardrop. There are even 3 triangles on it.

[@joesunday199]

@@dirtywhitellama How can it open? It looks like a piece of jewelry. Maybe he isn't an Actual Shiekah but an Honorary Shiekah? Zelda (Ocarina of Time) wasn't Shiekah but she was still treated like an Honorary Shiekah.

[@nicolebeardsley2215]

I thought Richard's tear was a horn on his face 13:17 😂 Amazing theory by the way! I think this fits better than the Ganon theory.

[@Nadiki]

Same I totally thought it was a horn

[@ExodiaX5]

play and you'll know

[@thefoxesmind]

Could it be that the eighth heroine was a Zonai, but was purposely erased for safety? After all, it the only knowledge of Ganondorf was between the Hylian royal family and the Zonai, and the Zonai were the only ones who knew the method of the sealing, they could have been erased from history to prevent anyone from finding and attempting to unseal him.

[@adityarefri6533]

u r 100% right (finished the leak game)

[@Pandalunagirl17]

This was absolutely right im glad someone guessed right but also the female was also one as well so technically 9 that was cut to 8

[@kileysevens9116]

They laid the groundwork for sages in Breath of the Wild... It just makes me happy that sages are returning. They've always been my fave element in Zelda games. ❤ Sidon, Riju, Paya, Hestu, Tulin and Yunobo, I see as the present day sages so far. Ganondorf probably went after Yunobo and Teba and that's why Tulin has the tear. Yunobo might be corrupted and we have to bring him around.

[@Curbotron]

I genuinely still think teba is trapped in the big hebra storm. That’s why tulin, who still looks like a kid, is adventuring with link into such a dangerous place

[@smoogieboogie1694]

I could see Hestu being a sage as well. He's a fan favorite from BotW like Paya and it seems like the Koroks in general will be more than side collectibles this time.

[@realMG420]

I love the idea of Hestu as a Sage of Forest, but I’m doubtful it’ll happen at this point. The Koroks don’t seem to be a major race in this version of Hyrule to begin with since they’ve taken on the role of largely unnoticed forest spirits. And since Richard is almost definitely the Sage of Light and the two Zeldas appear to be the Sages of Time, that only leaves five sages/tears left: Zora, Goron, Rito, Gerudo, and Sheikah

[@kileysevens9116]

@MG ya I was telling my friend that I was probably wrong about Hestu because in the trailer they're looking for a friend lol but maybe that's why they're looking for him, the way Saria took off to the Forest Temple. Perhaps Ganondorf got Yunobo, Teba and Hestu lol

[@highdefinition450]

mummy Ganon already has a tear. I think Yunobo just had a glow up lol

[@DarkLordGanondorf190]

If you are right about this, it would be incredibly poetic. Especially how the dragons still pay their respects to the forgotten sage.

[@theraven3554]

I'm so glad to see these theories popping up. The launch is coming so soon, I can't contain myself because I am so excited. Love your videos!

[@MonsterMaze]

Let's goooo!

[@LMKRMD]

​@Monster Maze what's the new guys name

[@thegreatmajora5089]

Managing to tie the repeated imagery of reflection and duality into your theory was really impressive ! It's a really convincing one, almost making me feel like I spoiled myself on the game !

[@bigpapapage7165]

Why do I always get soooo excited when I see a new monster maze, zeltic, or Nintendo black crisis videos lol

[@juan-pierrerootman3588]

Quality content stands out

[@zkproductions4351]

Yeah Zeltiks theories are just so awesome even if they take a little while to come out they make sense and his analysises are so good

[@fruitxyikes260]

This is an amazing theory, i’ve literally never heard a theory with so much proof behind it, I would be less than surprised if this is all true

[@keyblader6]

I think you absolutely nailed it with this. I had the same thoughts about Zelda’s role, but had not connected the 8 heroines or noticed the tears on the faces of the past sages. Great stuff!

[@Titin-oz6jh]

Excellent video ! It made me think again of my own theory about the sages and their tears : I think there are still 7 sages/tears : Zelda is in the past indeed, but she clearly fills the same spot as the blond lady since they share the same tear ( Recall = Sage of Time), then there is obviously the 4 main races. So that's 5 obvious ones. Richard, the 6th one, is seemingly dead in the present since his arm is with Link and it's not showing any tear while on Link or sealing Ganondorf meanwhile we do see his tear in the past. My theory is that Ganondorf's tear is Richard's tear but corrupted which solves the conundrum of having him among the sages or having more than the usual 7. And it also explains why in the official artworks, his tear is once grey and once red. One or both colors aren't the natural state of the tear. Richard's tear being the one corrupted makes the most sense in that the hand was literally on Ganondorf so he could have taken it there. Plus, thematically, Richard logically being the Sage of Light (Since Zelda = Time, Sheikah = Shadow, and the 4 main races fill the other elements with wind/forest being interchangeable) light being corrupted fits the most (if not his then Shadow maybe). The 7th would still be a Sheikah probably as the Sage of Shadow. This theory is still compatible with Zelda being the 8th statue, since she is a stand in for the blond lady, she is still a sage, she just occupies the same spot and will replace her at some point I guess.

[@HoneyBunny0912]

Ohhh I absolutely agree with you!! It would be cool if the 8th sage was a snow sage or something And their power would be to control super high snow storm speeds and freeze enemies for a short period of time or kill them instantly

[@duannekhristopermangampat9608]

It might be Paya is next to Sage of Shadow after Impa

[@duannekhristopermangampat9608]

​@@HoneyBunny0912Maybe it was Race of Anouki from LoZ Phantom Hourglass and LoZ Spirit Tracks game It Lives on the Snowy Region it might be Considered to be Sage of Ice

[@Arlofan]

Love your stuff and can't wait for the wonderfully thought out and edited TotK content! Not long....

[@ParadisiacalDreams]

This is probably the last piece of theory content I’ll watch before the game comes out; thanks for providing a really interesting, well thought out theory! I am so excited for this game, and I really appreciate watching these spoiler-free but still in-depth videos.

[@shdw787]

I kinda hope the lost Sage did help in defeating Ganon, but believed the cycle must be maintained. They then left a opening for Ganon's return. This created a splinter group bent on preserving or even ushering in calamities. That would lead to their expulsion and subsequent erasure from history. While their followers continue to worship in secret. Can't wait to revisit these theories once the game is out to see how close or far off everyone was.

[@ancientbaltoy8769]

In retrospektiv this is still incredibly close

[@mossie104]

Great theory! This whole video made me think about the green hand holding down Ganondorf. The green hand is all that is left of ‘Richard’ and over time with Ganondorf releasing malice, the green Zonai energy is slowly dwindling also holding him at bay. I love how you make us all think harder👍

[@matthewmusco2581]

Yeah I agree with you. It made me picture Richard originally holding him down with his whole body being there but over time he slowly faded away like the monks do until all that was left was his arm. It could even tie into how they found that cave by having some of the faded energy make it’s way to Zelda or something. Pardon the slight rambling lol I’m just so excited to finally know the story of this game. One week remains.

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Excellent theory Don - the 8th being Zelda does seem very likely, especially with the way you explained it. I wonder if in a way, "Ganondorf" actually won. Something about the mural is that, while it might be Zelda and Richard, the person there has long hair rather than short. Perhaps Ganondorf stole the ancient princess' tear, using it to transform into his demon form (the tear might have been corrupted changing its look) and they were forced to seal him rather than kill/destroy him? Assuming that Zelda finds that present day tear, possibly on his seal if he still has it, and it causes her to go to the past, all of a sudden there'd be 2 tears in existence. It's moreso speculation, however perhaps this is what lets them win. Ganondorf may still have the tear from the original Zelda, but now a second one exists. And I assume we'd need all of them to defeat him. Just a thought, and there are issues with it since the question then is why they didn't just defeat him in the past. Also, if they had all the tears already, they wouldn't have lost. Perhaps there was no hero at the time (again this is way more speculative since it's something I'm only now thinking about). Either way, great video!

[@MonsterMaze]

Hey Will! Fancy seeing you here ^^ Thanks as always for dropping by. You definitely raise some great points. I find Ganondorf's tear fascinating. Especially the fact that it keeps changing color in the footage and artwork. There has to be more behind that! As for the possible "loss" of the sages, I think that could very well be possible. The mural does depict some interesting things, like the hovering, long-haired figure. Im very curious about the nayure of the seal. It feels like it must've been a desperation attempt of some kind. So maybe Ganondorf did kinda of win back then. Or at the very least did some serious damage to the sages. As much as we are starting to get a grasp on the story, there is still soooo much we don't understand! Cheers mate, and congrats on your amazing achievement with your mega-analysis. Im gonna be checking it out now that I finally have some free time, haha.

[@wiremesh2]

My pet theory is that the Recall tear was lost either as a result of or directly after the event depicted in the mural of Ganondorf sacrificing "Zonai Zelda" over the pit of malice. Zelda finding the tear in the present is what starts the whole adventure, leading them to Dry Ganondorf. I also think that tear and Richard's tear are special among them (see the mural image of the new characters linking hands), and that bringing them together triggers the seal breaking, freeing Ganondorf. So while Zelda going back in time might make it so that there are two of them there, the older version has to remain unfound in the past, or Zelda can't find it in the present. Ganondorf's tear color may be a result of malice, or it could be the nature of that tear. It could even be a facsimile of Richard's tear, which has a multicolor thing going on.

[@silverkyre]

I definitely feel like they don't have a Link in the past timeline. Terrible things have happened like when they tried to kill him and he killed a Sage. Or the imprisoning war. Or the flood before wind waker being the most interesting example.

[@devoid6888]

@@silverkyre The Wind Waker flood situation feels like a precedent that time travel can interfere with the reincarnation process of the hero and goddess - I think it's very possible that the past Zelda is sent has not just no Link, but quite possibly even no Zelda at all (with the mysterious Hylia-like figure being someone completely different, or maybe Hylia herself), as a consequence of Zelda's trip back in time somehow screwing it all up.

[@Marukanitel]

A Literal Spoiler, and I love it.

[@dtb4903]

This is the theory that makes the most sense so far, very good job. I could see it happening. Those could be all the sages, and in the present time we have to collect all tears. Maybe when the master sword breaks demise escapes and Ganondorf maybe wants to steal the tears and try to manifest a sort of demise form. We could also have a dungeon per tear (excepting for the Zelda one, since we have recall since the very beginning). There could be a Goron dungeon inside Death Mountain, a Zora dungeon in the sky, a Rito dungeon in the sky inside the storm, a Gerudo dungeon underground and a Sheika themed dungeon for the corresponding tear. And maybe a last dungeon related to Richard. Finally we could go to Hyrule Castle, which now would be Ganon Castle, and fight Ganondorf. Then he could steal one or more tears and gain the ability to transform into a Demise-like form. Could be just the ending of the timeline and not a time loop at all, or maybe none of those and we’re just going crazy.

[@angelmendez-rivera351]

If Ganondorf "transforms into" Demise, this would not lead to the end of the chronology, nor of the "curse breaking." This easily the most widely misunderstood part about the lore in this game series, and I blame Nintendo of America for doing an abysmal job with localization. If Ganondorf is defeated permanently, then other people filled with malice, hatred, and grudges against the gods, influenced by the Demon Tribe, will take up the mantle. There will always exist someone malicious enough to pursue a grudge against the gods, so there will always be someone that one of the many princesses will have to fight, no matter what.

[@matthewmusco2581]

@@angelmendez-rivera351as much as I’d love to say they could just finally destroy demise permanently, I don’t think it’d be possible. Idk if you’ve ever watched avatar legend of Korra but I think it’d be a similar thing to Raava and Vaatu where they could only really be destroyed temporarily and regardless the evil or good would always come back because the universe needs balance. Sorry for the rambles lol

[@angelmendez-rivera351]

@@matthewmusco2581 (The Bringer of) Demise *was* destroyed permanently. This much was stated at the ending cutscene of Skyward Sword. What has not been destroyed is the Demon Tribe's "Curse," which Nintendo of America has incorrectly translated as Demise's Curse. The idea of "breaking the Curse" is misguided, because the English-speaking fandom misunderstands the connotation of how the word "Curse" is being used here. The notion of "breaking the Curse" insinuates that the "Curse" is some type of magical spell that the Bringer of Demise casted onto Link and Zelda in the game, and there is some method by which the spell can be annuled. This is just false. The word "Curse" does not refer to a literal phenomenon, it is a word that the Bringer of Demise is using metaphorically: it is a metaphor for the fact that Demon Tribe has a grudge against the Tribe of the Gods, and this grudge existing means that there will always be people full of hatred, and people with that hatred will naturally persecute their enemies: those who are filled with love, gratitude, and courage, people like the Hylians, and thus, by extension, Link and Zelda. The Curse is nothing more than metaphorical language for saying that "people full of hatred will always exist, so the cycle of bloodshed is born anew and is never ending, and you guys, Link and Zelda, and your descendants, will always have to deal with it." There is no "Curse" to break, because the only thing the Bringer of Demise has actually stated is that bad people will always exist. The existece of bad people is something that can never be changed or eliminated. Not in the real world, and not in the multiverse of the Legend of Zelda. The word "Curse" is being used here the way we English-speakers use it in the modern day, when we say things like "being smart is both a gift and a curse." No one is saying that being is caused by a malicious magic spell. No, the word "curse" here is also used metaphorically: it is used to express the fact that it is an inconvenience, a disadvantage, in some instances. The Demon Tribe's Curse cannot be broken, for the same reason "the curse of being a smart person" cannot be broken. I think your analogy is pretty good. Good and evil can never stop existing in the Avatar universe, and the same is true in the Legend of Zelda multiverse.

[@mrtwig2102]

I have to say, this is the GREATEST Zelda theory I have ever seen. Top notch. I’ll return when the game releases

[@ISUEL-T_HAP]

I thank this is one of the only theories that actually makes sense I really hope this is how it plays out it would be awesome if so. Love all the videos

[@calamityjehn]

You did a fantastic job, and genuinely some very eerily accurate predictions!

[@JulianneNA]

Finally, someone with the same exact theory I’ve had for so long!! Man, I love you, thank you again for another wonderful breakdown. And this connection as the eighth would make that final scene of Zelda holding the sword that much more powerful.

[@Unoriginality.]

And half of the “Forgotten Sword” is underground mimicking the mastersword we see in the Tears of the Kingdom Logo, half of the sword is physical steal and half of the sword seems to be Zonai energy

[@LinksLeftEarring]

Another profound theory! I agree that the theme of duality/mirroring *recalls* (pun intended) to the past and the present, two Zeldas, two timelines-an Yin and Yang of time and purpose. Also, the detail of the eight heroine statue being mirrored/flipped and still being inscribed with legible text further supports your theory. Thank you for bestowing us with your knowledge and wisdom, perhaps Mr.Maze is our Zelda and personal eight heroine 🗡️

[@ixDanime123]

"Helping to fix teh mastersword in some way" *breaks out into tears*

[@Elinthian]

Can I just say, thank you for your incredibly well made videos. You never fail to make seriously the highest quality Zelda theory videos I’ve ever seen, and I just want to tell you how much we appreciate the time and effort you put in. Thank you for making such amazing content, and keep up the great work! It’s been great to watch your channel grow over the years :)

[@ThomasPhillipsOakley]

What if the eighth sage is what we remember as the sage of shadow? I know you mentioned it slightly, but remember how the Sheika had to stop using magic and bury their technology out of fear for the kingdom’s security? It’s totally within the realm of possibility that fearing the darkness the Sheika possessed, the Sheika relinquished their power and the Yiga may believe that the banishment of shadow magic and disbarment of their sage was enough reason to support Gannon. We have every other sage, even if their sage species doesn’t always line up. Shadow is the only one we don’t have from Ocarina and the power of shadow belonged solely to the Sheika throughout history. So basically what I’m saying is that Purah’s fine ass should have been a sage. But from the context the game gives, your Zelda theory holds up EXTREMELY well

[@Iffondrel]

Thank you for bot saying his name! I've been avoiding the leaks like the plague. I've also been OBSESSED with this newly dubbed Richard, and I've already drawn him several times over. Want to know everything about him. But like... through speculation and personal gameplay, not by having someone else tell it to me.

[@netweed09]

He's such a Great addition to the series already. Just what was needed to pick the flat plot of Breath right off the floor and onto a high Pedestal!

[@tenko5614]

"Spirit to the gerudo" To be fair, no one was expecting mineru to be a sage

[@rbyt14]

yeah. but it was cool

[@TheHaddonfieldRegistry]

Also regarding people thinking the 8th statue was 'hidden away', it's not hidden on purpose. It's unfinished. I guess some people don't realize that the statues are carved from stone FIRST and then moved AFTER. It's forgotten because it was never finished

[@donovanfaust3227]

I'm curious where you're getting this information from. I guess that would make sense why the statue is carved out of the mountain but also that just seems very impractical even with magic and/or advanced technology. Without an official source saying this is how the statues were made it still just feels like speculation to me. This also doesn't help matters regarding who it is and only changes the context of whether it's intentionally hidden or not. It also brings up the question of why it was never finished and brought over with the rest. Certainly they got really far on the project before deciding to nix it. Was there a disaster that basically wiped out the people working on it? Did one of those eight people betray the group when the final statue was being built? And how exactly were they moving these huge statues anyways? That last one is more out of curiosity than a rebuttal to disprove your statement by the way. It's LoZ we're talking about here, anything is possible really, including moving a huge statue carved as one piece out of a mountain, as impractical as that sounds. I keep imagining Mt Rushmore having each president fully carved out and moved a few hundred meters away from the mountain and the idea is just really funny to me. Like are they somehow hooking it up to a dozen helicopters or do you think they used trucks so it looks like the statue is skating? I guess there could just be some kind of levitation possibility as well.

[@Phantasia100]

The fact that this video theory is borderline spot on up till who he thought the 8th sage was is honestly impressive. I will speak no spoilers for those who have yet to beat TotK or who are stalling it like I did for months, but yeah the first half of this video is either entirely correct or damn close well theorized

[@TheHaddonfieldRegistry]

Holy shit, the sword being away from it, the model being flipped, the dragons all coming nearby... I'm kinda wondering if the devs actually did intend for the monuments to actually be foreshadowing TotK. I know Nintendo doesn't think that far ahead, but it's fairly common these past 20 or so years, in this Franchise/IP-dominated era, to follow garden storytelling structure, ie plant little seeds that can be harvested into storylines later. I can easily see Nintendo have an underlying story spine in place, that of two fights in distant time periods, with tons of world building being set up to feed into this general story structure. The depths are another story element in TotK that happens to line up a little too well with what BotW established.

[@Joelpyro]

Really well done. Of all the theories out there, this is the BEST one I've seen so far. I like how you keep it simple yet deep at the same time.

[@JoseRodriguez-rv5oz]

If you play totk you will find out that the 8th sage was a male so he was removed from public eyes

[@FlintSH]

This is probably the most coherent theory that makes the most sense I've seen over the years. I think you cracked the code!

[@IamayMizono]

Thank you for not revealing Richard's name, I had no idea his name was leaked and I don't want to be spoiled so thank you! Also, it does makes sense that Zelda would be the 8th heroine. Having helped saved the past and returning to the future, the carver may have been conflicted about protecting her identity and revering her as one of the heroes who saved the world. Creating a statue and hiding it in a place incredibly hard to get to could have been a way they compromised to themself.

[@Brando2301]

Great theory as always. It contributes to the other theory I've heard that the Sheikah KNEW the future champions would fail at containing the calamity. They obscured Zelda's identity in the past and got to work building the shrines as a way to get link prepared for the battle in BOTW.

[@blacklynx2526]

I’ve said it before: even though we have to wait a bit longer for your videos, it’s always more than worth it! Amazing Theory!

[@RomanHoltwick1]

Just like the game 😩

[@fizzybitzobacon5747]

It was Tingle all along. Pack it up folks. We all lost

[@theherooftime]

I'm addicted to heroines.

[@koernerkomedy]

"The flight paths of the dragons seem to coincide with the sword, almost like they're paying their respects." Boy that sure is a relevant observation taking TotK's story in mind, isn't it?

[@EmyKdo]

The fact that your theory is so much better than the game's version of the Eight Heroin's History is really painful.

[@sethtye8059]

This is super cool! Unfortunately Tears of the Kingsom directly contradicts this theory in the side quest “The mysterious Eighth Heroine” where it reveals that the 8th heroine was in fact a male. I suspect that it was a previous incarnation of Link. That makes sense why it would be Mirrored, it’s a subtly hint that it’s a Voe, being the opposite of a Vai

[@bilsuart]

Appreciate the quality content! I’m always looking forward to the videos and I love your insight! 🌀

[@catalyst539]

hello there. wasn’t expecting to see you here

[@bilsuart]

@@catalyst539 I’m usually lurking

[@catalyst539]

@@bilsuart i await a hyrulean form of groudon and kyogre, maybe kyogre as jabu jabu and groudon as king dodongo?

[@silvesta5027]

How tf did he come up with all this before the game even came out? Top quality theorising my god

[@manu_e1178]

Your theories are always so convincing that now I'm a 100% sure that's what's going to happen. Taking your time with these videos always shows that the result is going to be phenomenal.

[@Hakudan2]

I'm 100% on board with this video, holy cow this would be an insane plot

[@mwm5942]

amazing how accurate this was, awesome prediction!

[@GGBlaster]

This video was definitely on the right track, though there were some details missed. To be fair though, these details would have been nigh impossible to have guessed without playing totk. Given how little info there was about totk before its release, I’d say this is probably one of the most accurate theories for totk that I’ve heard.

[@flaurel]

This is honestly such a shockingly solid theory. And if it's true, this'll make for such a good story, even though I was really sceptical about the time travel until now!

[@ricekrispies1917]

The amount of thought and near accuracy put into this theory is impressive! I havent completed that side quest yet but looking at the other comments seems to suggest that it goes down differently. Imho, I rather like your version better. It was really amazing to see how much your theory reflected the game's events. That's actually insane

[@moneyball32]

I’m most impressed with how much lore was supposedly thought out ahead of time and included in BotW before they knew they were going to do a sequel

[@jampharos]

this is my favourite tears of the kingdom theory i've heard so far, and i'm so excited to see how similar it is to the game

[@dylanwoods5944]

I honestly think the mystery woman at 10:15 is actually the Zelda who sealed away the Calamity 10000 years ago.

[@MonsterMaze]

I also think she is an Ancient Zelda. But Im not she is she's the one who seals G-man. It could be. But so far, her design doesn't look like that Green Hand figure.

[@craigauclair4026]

We do find out who the mystery woman is, and it's actually not Zelda, since they interact with each other. Also, we find out that Zelda is a distant relative of her.

[@craigauclair4026]

​@@MonsterMaze we do find out who seals Ganondorf at the start of TotK, and it's pretty cool that it references a character from OOT, and takes the role of King Rhoam from BotW.

[@taymus13]

Im really glad I made it a point to not watch anything other then the first trailer. I was able to piece together that zelda was in the past pretty quick, but that was only because I notice that when sending the sword back, it has the same sound effect of the recall ability. Then realizing "wait if the sword when back in time she must have too." It was fun to figure stuff out based on the hints the game gave me

[@koolaidian1188]

Another idea to think about: If this ancient battle against Ganondorf implies a new reincarnation of the trio, and this mystery lady is related to Zelda in some way, is it possible there is also an older incarnation of Link too that could've even been one of the 8? It could even be Richard, some Zonai sage/warrior if we assume Richard isn't one, or just a hylian like normal

[@Zerolink30]

Damn it, i wasn't sold on the Time Travel shenanigans for TotK but Maze makes such a compelling f-ing argument......

[@charlesdarwin9830]

I go with a different idea about what the mystery woman is and what Richard is. I think Richard is a Zonai and the mystery woman could simply be one of Zelda's ancestors.

[@tentativegazer]

Ha this is funny you got it literally exactly correct

[@Drew.Mellow]

Didn't the Italian voice actor for Daruk (Pietro Ubaldi) mention that he was once again playing Daruk as well as his ancient ancestor? If I remember correctly, his main point was that he was reprising his role as Daruk in TotK. If this is true, will we bring Mipha, Revali, Urbosa, and Daruk back in TotK? If we do, we could potentially see three generations of champions/sages in this game: the Ancient Sages, the BotW Champions, and the TotK Descendant Champions).

[@MonsterMaze]

Yes indeed. I address this somewhere in the middle of the video. Good memory! ^^

[@PFGFrankly]

now we know one of the sages is not a sheakha, its minaru, a zonai

[@raynightshade8317]

They should have made a Sheikah sage out of Paya. The story is about everyone coming together to beat the Demon King but the Sheikah are absent not to mention losing all their tech and shrines with no explanation

[@Czah5]

Ganondorf stealing the Sword of the Six Sages is Hylian propaganda. It was clearly given to him.

[@TheDeadmanstrolling]

The theory about the number of teardrops the supposed sages have really got my attention. The theory about Zelda and the Master Sword being the Eighth Heroine and the Forgotten Sword really convinced me. Excellent video.

[@chukasssss]

I know TotK has already been released for about a month and we know the story now, but I think the 8th Sage statue is supposed to represent Link? They knew Link will be the one who is going to defeat Ganondorf, so they hid the statue that is tributed for him because technically in their time, Link hasn’t even existed yet. Perhaps its their way of honoring what Zelda has told them about Link.

[@charge8039]

Unfortunately, there’s two side adventures that tell you the real story of the 8th heroines, and they have nothing to do with the sages in the ancient past.

[@TeenWeedMcGee]

I think it's implied it's a hylian male but the 7 are not sages at all they're gerudo heroes, the 8th may not have anything to do with link, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it was the king, or even rarou or links estranged father, but a lack of any defining link properties lead me to believe they're a hero of their own making similar to those we continually team up with in these games

[@Zarren_Redacted]

SPOILERS: I think it's "A" Link, but not BotW/TotK Link. There are two side stories dealing with the seven heroines and you find out that the 8th one was a male (implied Hylian) and the reason they were wiped from history was due to the Gerudo tribe's policy around men. Pretty much at some point the Gerudo were facing a huge calamity and that even their best warriors couldn't fight off until a man showed up for reinforcements, helping them win the battle. Then the man was denied entry to Gerudo town, and the seven heroines set up a statute to honor him because they felt it was wrong he was denied even basic respect for what he did.

[@TyrantSh4dow]

Am I the only one who noticed how accurate he was that actually blew my mind

[@dire2293]

i finally got all of richards blessings

[@kiki__21]

Thank you so much for not revealing anything from the leaked artwork. I have been actively avoiding spoilers because discovering all that TOTK has to offer on my own is so important to me. This sense of mystery and the joy it brings is what makes Zelda games so special.

[@lunamiko9536]

It'd be curious if Link is present "Richard" Maybe because he has previous sage's power from his new hand, taking his role in the present

[@MonsterMaze]

I think he technically is in a way. Link inherits Richard's bracelet it seems, and with it his spirit too perhaps? At the very least he's carrying a sage with him on his arm haha ^^

[@catalyst539]

Unfortunately, Link is not present “Richard”. If that were the case, “Richard”’s real name wouldn’t be [rREaDAuCTrEDu]. There is a hidden message in there; but you may treat it as a made-up word- Rreadauctredu. Only try to decipher the message if you don’t care about spoilers.

[@bee7131]

this is such a good video!!! I think now that totk is out and we know what the answer is to this, it's really impressive how close you were ☺️

[@xdErick1234]

My bro predict freakin' TOTK story mode

[@thecrispyacorn]

i appriciate you not naming the character, I had no idea there was a leak like that and so glad u respected it

[@dcmjstar]

This is pretty close. But I do think the 8th is, as you noted by the painted tears is Sonia. Sonia not having a sword may be in reference to her falling on her sword, dying to Ganondorf.

[@Marukanitel]

I'm still trying to imagine her and Rauru having a child before her death 💀 Like it's literally in my head that the child grew up with no parents 😢

[@OOFUS4103]

It’s stated in the game that the 8th heroine is actually a voe who helped gerudo town overcome a catastrophe in ancient times, but was barred entry to the city due to their laws.

[@craigauclair4026]

You are partially right. She did die by sword, but not how you'd think. R.I.P. Queen Sonia 🥺

[@donut3733]

I got spoiled by a short that literally didn't warn us and told the zonai dude's name, I really appreciate that you didn't show it to the other viewers.

[@willian1917]

bro, it is crazy how you guessed most of the game. your theory abou the 8th heroin is infinitely better than the game

[@lucasparadox6823]

"That would create a Paradox" *Laughs in OOT and Majora's Mask*

[@AB-dd4jz]

There was so much speculation around this statue and in the end the reality was quite disapointing spoilers The eighth heroine was in fact a hero which is why he couldn't be put beside the other heroines, they defeated a monster together and that's all, the hero was not allowed to enter gerudo town even after helping them, there is a quest with a gerudo archeologist in TOTK and that's the story you find after doing it.

[@Globbaglobglob]

Lol no way. Guess I'll stop watching

[@StarlightNkyra]

"Thank you for your service, kind voe. We shall build a statue of you. NOW GO AWAY."

[@felixthescholarlytitan4437]

It’s funny that I see this video now, as just last night I finished the Quest uncovering the mystery of the 8 Heroines.

[@itscupss]

Holy shit he got most of the stuff right

[@1800mexicano]

No, he did not :p Spoiler alert*** The eight heroines have nothing to do with sages. They are memorials made for an event that happened in gerudo. Where 7 gerudo warriors couldn't defeat a threat that threatened ONLY the gerudo. Then a non gerudo male came to help them. They made his memorial female and left it separated from the other heroines. Also he called Sonia zonai, when it was Rauru who was zonai. And each stone amplifies the powers of the user, there isn't a stone for each of link's abilities

[@afkalmighty1557]

It's going to be so wierd playing the game and not meeting any significant character named Richard.