The next upcomingLegend of Zeldagame has the chance to solve one of the biggest lingering mysteries fromBreath of the Wild. It’s rare for aZeldagame to get a sequel: only a select few have them, and when they do, they often have a hard time living up to the originals they’re based on. With the advent ofHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, though,Breath of the Wildwill officially have two sequels, or maybe more accurately, follow-ups -Age of Imprisonmentis more of a spinoff, technically speaking.
But even throughout the entirety ofTears of the Kingdom, there’s still a huge unsolved mystery from the end ofBOTWthat’s gone completely unaddressed. However, the nextZeldagame due for release,Age of Imprisonment, is uniquely poised to give us some answers once and for all.
Age Of Imprisonment Explores Events Before TOTK
Bridging The Gap
For what little we know aboutAge of Imprisonmentat this early stage, one thing is abundantly clear:it’ll take place beforeTears of the Kingdom, its plot largely revolving around the Imprisoning War that first saw Ganon sealed away by the Sages - the one whose events Zelda directly participates in duringTOTK.
Its status as a prequel puts it in a unique position. If it takes the time to explore more of the events that took placeimmediatelybeforeTOTK,it could help bridge the gap betweenBOTWand its sequel. That could give it the chance to solve one of the biggest enduring mysteries in the series.
Age Of Imprisonment Can Explain Why Kass Is Missing
Kass Is MIA In TOTK
We still haven’t seen Kass since the events ofBOTW, and there’s been no official confirmation on where he’s been since the game ended. Kass arguably plays a major role inBOTW: although he’s primarily known as a hint-giver, helping the player solve certain puzzle shrines, he figures pretty prominently inThe Champions' BalladDLC, with his own songwriting journey paralleling Link’s adventure.
ButKass is absolutely nowhere to be found inTOTK. Although he’s mentioned indirectly - you may meet his daughters in Rito Village, and another Rito will make mention of a famous bard local to the area - you’ll never see the man himself, or even hear any definitive evidence as to where he ended up.
And ifAge of Imprisonmentis really returning to a pre-TOTKtime,it could explore what really happened to Kass. If it makes an effort to examine what happened between the two mainline SwitchZeldagames, then Kass could factor into those events, giving his story a more satisfactory conclusion.
I don’t need a whole Kass storyline -even an on-screen cameo, maybe of him helping Link and Zelda with their research prior to Zelda’s journey to the past, would do. And if that’s too big of an ask, I’ll take a brief mention by another character of Kass being hard at work somewhere in a far-off city.
And truthfully, I hope it does, becausethis could be our last opportunity for a long time. WhiletheBOTW-TOTKformulawill likely continue to influence the series going forward, I suspect that the nextZeldagame will actually look pretty different - and that may include a new setting, which means another Kass appearance could be out of the question.
BOTW’s Best Rito Character Deserves To Come Back
Kass Is Beloved For A Reason
And it’s more than just an opportunity:Kass genuinely deserves to return. He’s easilyBOTW’s best Rito character - Revali has probably the weakest storyline of theBOTWChampions, and, although some of the townspeople have their quirky little gimmicks, Kass is the only one to have a real plot arc.
Kass has his own goal- to pass down ancient songs to a new generation, while also composing his own. He struggles in doing so, too, frequently needing Link’s help to interpret ancient ballads, or searching for outside inspiration when it comes to his own creative efforts.
Kass is also incredibly likable, being thoughtful, friendly, kind, and undeniably talented. Nothing inBOTWcould make me drop what I was doing and run in a straight line like hearing Kass' accordion from afar. I was constantly looking forward to his next appearance, anddiscovering him in a variety of places scattered all around the map was one of the great joys ofBOTW’s exploration.
Since Nintendo has all but declined to releaseany DLC forTOTK, we need to look ahead to what’s next in the series, and that’sAge of Imprisonment.BOTWis in a rare position, having had multiple follow-ups in which to develop the characters and concepts it’s introduced to the series, and to tie up loose ends from the original game. Hopefully, whatever comes next forThe Legend of Zeldatakes the time to do the same for Kass.
