While not a mainline Zelda game, nor an actual prequel to Breath of the Wild, Age of Calamity has done wonders in fleshing out its sister game’s backstory & lore. Where the original Hyrule Warriors was undiluted fan service from top to bottom, Age of Calamity is a genuine companion piece that strengthens Breath of the Wild’s world by telling an alternate timeline story. Although it’s easy to simply dismiss the plot as non-canon, doing so ignores just how often Age of Calamity infers key details in Breath of the Wild.

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Nintendo’s marketing suggests that Age of Calamity can be played before Breath of the Wild, but newcomers will miss numerous references – and mistakes. As faithful as Age of Calamity attempts to be to BotW, several inconsistencies arise from Hyrule Warriors’ style of storytelling.

Link and Zelda Age of Calamity

Link is almost always depicted as shorter than Zelda, but this wasn’t the case in Breath of the Wild. Kind of. Originally, Link was actually shorter, lining up with the rest of the series. It wasn’t until the Champion’s Ballad DLC where Link had a retroactive growth spurt that put him on the same level as Zelda. Going off Breath of the Wild 2’s trailer, it seems this’ll simply be Link’s new canon height. Age of Calamity, however, features the original, shorter Link. Zelda is once again noticeably taller than him, effectively making the Champion’s Ballad photo logistically impossible.

Age of Calamity trio

Atypical of the average Zelda game where Link & the Princess are – if nothing else – perfectly friendly with one another, Breath of the Wild generates quite a bit of drama from their relationship. Zelda doesn’t like Link at first, creating a hostility between them that only dies down as Link slowly starts to feel more comfortable around Zelda. The two come to realize that they share on another’s burdens, outright dying for each other in order to stop the Calamity.

Although signs of their relationship can be seen throughout Age of Calamity, it’s nowhere near as nuanced. Zelda’s jealousies and initial arrogance towards Link are nowhere to be seen. Instead, AoC opts for a more traditional Zelda/Link dynamic.

8 Where Was Impa During BotW?

Age of Calamity Impa

Impa is very present throughout Age of Calamity, rounding out the main cast by giving Zelda someone to talk to who isn’t totally silent except when they’re off-screen. Unfortunately, Impa’s mere presence ends up creating narrative inconsistencies with Breath of the Wild. Link’s Memories make it clear that Impa was not a part of Zelda’s Champions, but Age of Calamity has her functioning as a secondary retainer alongside Link.

Logistically, Impa should be spending most of the game doing research with Purah and Robbie. It’s better for Age of Calamity that Impa is playable and as present as she is, but anyone who’s played Breath of the Wild is bound to raise an eyebrow.

7 The Champions All “Die”

Age of Calamity Revali

By this point, it’s not exactly a secret that Age of Calamity isn’t a prequel. Nintendo’s marketing was perhaps more deceptive than it ultimately should have been, but it really is all for the better of AoC. A happy ending is a bit corny in the context of Breath of the Wild’s backstory, but Age of Calamity needed a large playable roster and the story does come together in spite of itself.

It’s also not as if Age of Calamity doesn’t infer the events of Breath of the Wild. All four Champions are shown losing to their respective Blights before they’re rescued, more or less serving as their canonical death scenes from BotW.

6 Lon Lon Ranch

Age of Calamity Lon Lon Ranch

A broken down Lon Lon Ranch could be found in Breath of the Wild, matching up with its depiction in Ocarina of Time. While there’s no musical fanfare to signify the ranch’s presence, there are several architectural features which clearly indicate it’s the very same Lon Lon.

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Not only does Lon Lon Ranch appear fully intact in Age of Calamity, it’s actually used as the setting for several missions set in Central Hyrule. In fact, the ranch’s horse pen is used as a training ground of sorts for Hyrule’s knights.

Age of Calamity Wooden Sword and Shield

Unlike in Breath of the Wild, Link can’t choose his own shield – which isn’t to say that he can’t equip different shields in Age of Calamity, just that they’re tied to their respective blades. While this may be disappointing for some (especially those who want to use the Hylian Shield without the Master Sword,) every shield matches up with their sword perfectly. The Ladle goes with the Pot Lid, the Royal Broadsword goes with the Royal Shield, and so on.

4 The Pot Lid Counter

Age of Calamity Link counters Guardian with a Pot Lid to save Zelda

Breath of the Wild reveals that Link became Zelda’s personal knight after countering an activated Guardian’s beam with nothing but a Pot Lid. The event itself is detailed in Daruk’s training journal from the Champion’s Ballad DLC. This doesn’t end up happening in Age of Calamity due to Terrako’s time traveling, but the scene itself is actually referenced in a new capacity.

During the final mission of Chapter 1, Link and Zelda are attacked by a rogue Guardian. Canonically, Link should have countered the Guardian here with a pot lid, but the fact he can use any weapon in Age of Calamity means the reference won’t always land.

Age of Calamity Lynel

Link can read all of the Champion’s diaries in Breath of the Wild, fleshing out their characterization and offering insight into the game’s backstory. Mipha’s journal naturally focuses on her relationship with Link, detailing an instance where the two of them confronted a Lynel on top of Ploymus Mountain. Mipha describes how both of them scaled the mountain, with Link eventually slaying the beast himself.

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This event actually appears in-game during Mipha’s recruitment mission. On the way to make her the next Champion, Link must rescue a young Sidon from Ploymus Mountain – fighting a Lynel alongside Mipha once he reaches the very top.

2 Twisting Zelda’s Arc

Age of Calamity Zelda and Terrako

Zelda’s character arc in Age of Calamity is complementary to her development in Breath of the Wild, filling in blanks Link didn’t remember in BotW itself. That said, Age of Calamity does twist Zelda’s arc considerably by forcing her to confront her failure. In seeing actual pictures of Hyrule Castle overcome by Calamity Ganon and the Divine Beasts corrupted, Zelda realizes everything she’s working for will be her nothing.

Age of Calamity capitalizes on this failure as much as possible, forcing Zelda to grow in a way she couldn’t during Breath of the Wild. She doesn’t become jaded, but instead fights through her insecurities to become the Princess Hyrule needs in the face of Calamity.

Master Sword Age of Calamity

Arguably the biggest inconsistency in Age of Calamity is related to the Master Sword. As per Breath of the Wild, Link has had the Master Sword since he was at least around 12. It’s an important beat that highlights the fact that this Link has a deeper relationship with his sword (important since the Hero of the Wild is a career soldier in every sense.)

Likely to give Link a richer arc in Age of Calamity itself, he doesn’t begin the game with the Master Sword. Due to the butterfly effect, Link doesn’t enter Korok Forest until he & Zelda face off against Astor for the first time and the Master Sword inevitably deems him worthy.

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