After sleeping in the Shrine of Awakening for 100 years in Breath of the Wild, Link finally rouses to fulfill his destiny and save Hyrule from Calamity Ganon's grasp. To the surprise of many, it turns out that he has lost all of his memories during his slumber, including the ones involving Princess Zelda.
Once you arrive at Kakiriko Village and meet with Impa, you'll receive the Captured Memories quest, which allows Link to remember his journey with Zelda by going to specific locations across Hyrule. Each spot will unlock a memory from before Ganon's arrival that highlights the highs and lows of the duo's relationship. Each Captured Memory has something to offer, but some are worth revisiting more than others.
10 Subdued Ceremony
Subdued Ceremony is Link's earliest memory with Princess Zelda and the Champions, and it's more awkward than you could imagine. Once the Master Sword chooses Link to become the Hero of Hyrule, Zelda begrudgingly performs a ceremony to honor him and his new path.
The scene perfectly captures the tension between Link and Zelda at the beginning of their relationship as she sighs through her speech and coldly recites the lines for the ceremony. Urbosa reminds the other Champions that this process is rough for Zelda because, while Link has found his destiny, she still fails to discover her own. Subdued Ceremony excellently introduces the main characters and the conflict between them.
9 Zelda's Resentment
Zelda's fascination with Sheikah technology drives her to explore Shrines and other locations, but now that she has a loyal knight, it seems like she can't even do that anymore without being watched by someone. Her frustration with Link culminates in a confrontation in Zelda's Resentment, where she finally lets him know how she feels.
Before Link arrives, Zelda acknowledges that Shrines are only meant for the person who wields the Master Sword, but insists on finding her own way inside. Zelda's tenacity is one of her strongest traits, but when Link shows up to help, she finally blows up on him and tells him to stop following her.
8 Father And Daughter
Aside from spending some time with his ghost in the Great Plateau at the beginning of the game, King Rhoam only makes a few appearances in Breath of the Wild. In the Father and Daughter memory, you witness a different side of the man as Ganon's return approaches, and Zelda spends more time gawking over Guardians than awakening her power.
In the tense confrontation, King Rhoam scolds his daughter for her obsession with Sheikah technology and bans her from studying them until she harnesses her power to seal Ganon. This moment finally helps you realize the immense amount of responsibility on Zelda's shoulders and makes her previous outbursts easier to understand.
7 Shelter From The Storm
A little bit of rain never hurt anybody, but in Hyrule, a lightning storm can be just as dangerous as fighting a Lynel. As Link and Zelda wait out a storm beneath a tree, the princess shows a moment of vulnerability by questioning her destiny and pondering if either of them ever had the choice to do something different with their lives.
The scene begins with Link training with the Master Sword to pass the time, but as Zelda continues to speak, he slows down to listen to her thoughts about fixed destinies and free will. In hindsight, it's tragic how much adversity each iteration of Link and Zelda must face simply because they have been chosen as heroes. It's rare to see these two characters somberly acknowledge their fates, but it fits the tone of Breath of the Wild perfectly.
6 Slumbering Power
To awaken Zelda's power to seal away Ganon, Link must escort her to the Springs of Courage, Power, and Wisdom to perform a sacred ritual. As much as she tries to fulfill her destiny, Zelda continues to be incapable of harnessing her abilities, and her frustration finally breaks through during the Slumbering Power memory.
Even though she dedicated her life to praying and worshiping the ancient gods of Hyrule, Zelda still doesn't feel any connection with them whatsoever. Despite both her Grandmother and Mother's ability to communicate with the Spirit Realm, Zelda doesn't hear or feel a thing from them, which leads to her emotional plea at the end of this scene.
5 Blades Of The Yiga
Zelda's disdain for Link is apparent at the beginning of their partnership, but her perspective of him finally starts changing once he saves her from an ambush by the Yiga Clan. When Link defeats one of the assassins, you can notice a change in the way she looks at him.
Although she dismissed Link and his role as her protector, this act of selflessly putting his life on the line for her, proving his undying loyalty, opens Zelda's eyes. She finally sees him and his capabilities and realizes how pivotal he'll be on the journey to save Hyrule. Blades of the Yiga is one of the most action-packed memories you can discover, and while there isn't much dialogue, the character growth for Zelda is palpable.
4 Silent Princess
There is a lot of sorrow and despair weaved into Breath of the Wild's narrative, but there are also plenty of humorous moments between characters to showcase their endless optimism. Silent Princess is Link's most lighthearted memory with Zelda and possibly the happiest he ever sees her before Ganon finally arrives to claim Hyrule for himself.
Sometime after saving her from the Yiga Clan, Zelda finally opens up to Link and takes him to a field to show him some of her favorite plants and animals. There, she discovers a silent princess, a flower that's hard to grow domestically because it thrives in the wild - quite like Zelda herself. The scene hilariously ends with Zelda finding a frog she wants Link to taste, so she can research how it affects him.
3 Return Of Calamity Ganon
Moments after another failed attempt to awaken her powers at the Spring of Wisdom, Zelda and Link meet up with the Champions at the base of Mount Lanayru. Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha, and Revali each offer their support to the disheartened princess, but by the time they resolve to move on, the sky darkens, and Calamity Ganon finally makes his move on Hyrule.
The scene embodies both the sorrow of Zelda's misfortune and the endless hope from her friends before culminating with the terrifying image of Ganon's attack. Unfortunately, this is the last moment the Champions, Link, and Zelda share before separating and becoming victims of the Calamity's power.
2 Despair
As Link and Zelda run through a forest after Ganon's appearance, the weight of the princess' responsibilities finally crashes down on her in one of the most emotionally-powerful scenes in The Legend of Zelda series. Not only are they running for their lives, but they're leaving behind everyone and everything they ever fought for.
Zelda knows that King Rhoam and the Champions have already died and blames herself for not having the power to save them. As she confronts her feelings in front of Link, she finally bursts into tears and falls into his lap. It's heartbreaking to see your heroes at their lowest points, and witnessing Zelda hit her breaking point after so much work is like a punch to the gut.
1 Zelda's Awakening
Zelda's Awakening is the final Captured Memory, but you won't be able to view it until you find all the others and then report back to Impa in Kakiriko Village. Impa will send you to one last location to recall your final memory with Zelda before being placed in the Shrine of Resurrection to heal.
As Link defends Zelda until his last breath, a Guardian spots them and charges its laser. Wanting to protect him for a change, Zelda steps in front of Link, and her power finally awakens. It's too late for Link to do anything more, so with newfound confidence, the princess steps forward to continue the fight with Ganon for 100 years while the hero recovers. It's a powerful scene that inspires hope and proves that Zelda is capable of more than she could have ever imagined.