The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tear Jerker
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is set in a ruined Hyrule 100 years after Ganon nearly destroyed it. It's considered to be one of the most emotional games in the series, so don't be surprised if you find yourself reaching for the tissues.
- This incarnation of Link is one of the most tragic incarnations of the character since the Hero of Time, which is saying a lot considering the sheer amount of hell he went through.
- Before the Calamity struck, the pressure of living up to his knightly lineage molded him into a stoic, mute young man who had difficulty opening up to others. Despite the stoic, Badass front he put up, he was under just as much pressure as Zelda was and simply internalized it all. This is tragically reflected in one of Mipha's diary entries, where she talks about the jarring contrast between the sweet and outgoing little boy she met, and the quiet, seemingly emotionless man he'd grow up to be.
- Despite how powerful he is when compared to other Links, he failed to stop Calamity Ganon from destroying most of Hyrule. And every time he passes by the ruins of an old village, kills a Wizzrobe dancing in the burned-out husk of a house, or sees the Malice-tainted ruins of Hyrule Castle from off in the distance, he's reminded of that failure. Imagine having to live with that knowledge for the rest of your life.
- Because he doesn't awaken until a hundred years after the Calamity, any friends who didn't die to that catastrophe succumbed to the passage of time. The few Calamity-era humans that are still alive are incredibly old and don't have much time left, and the Zoras, who can live for well over a century? Most of the ones Link knew hate him and hold him responsible for the state of Hyrule. It gets better once he defeats Waterblight Ganon, but God damn.
- Out of all the friends Link has lost, the deaths of the Champions truly hit the hardest. They were his brothers-in-arms, and Mipha could have potentially been his wife. But they were slain in the Divine Beasts that they piloted, and all Link can do is free their souls from their suffering and let them pass on.
- Zelda has it really bad, too. She spent most of her life consumed with self-hatred and doubt thanks to being unable to awaken the powers needed to seal Calamity Ganon away, and was put under a ton of pressure by her father to succeed. She was far more in-tune with Guardian technology than with spirituality, but King Rhoam would harshly scold her and refuse to allow her to pursue her interests, which would lead to the mother of all emotional breakdowns once the Calamity struck. With countless people including the Champions and her father killed, Zelda breaks down in tears and blames everyone's deaths entirely on herself, and can only sob uncontrollably in Link's arms while the weight of their situation sets in.
- And keep in mind, that's all before she traps herself and Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle for a hundred years. To be fighting evil incarnate non-stop for a century and never resting on threat of him destroying the rest of the world... it's a fate so hellish that it's a wonder that she's still sane after all this time.
- When you first start the game, you're trapped on an isolated swathe of land called the Great Plateau, which is populated by monsters with no friendly faces around... save for a mysterious old man. He's a kind soul who helps ease you into the world, and as you do a few tasks for him you start to form a bond with him. And then you learn the truth: he's the ghost of the long-dead king of Hyrule, and he's lingered on the physical plane so he can help set Link on his way once he awakens from his hundred year slumber. After telling Link about Ganon and Zelda and pointing him towards Kakariko Village, his spirit passes on. And without his friendly presence, the Plateau becomes so painfully lonely. The fires in and around his home are out, never to be lit again. You'll never see him hunting, chopping firewood, or relaxing near a campfire. At this point the emptiness of the Plateau is crushing, and it's hard to want to come back once you finally leave it behind.
- The Old Man himself. King Rhoam loved Zelda, but he played the part of a harsh and cold man who was dismissive of his daughter's interests in ancient technology because he had no idea how to help awaken the powers she'd need to seal Ganon away, and felt that she needed the ironclad authority of a king to push her into forcing her powers to manifest instead of a father's love. It's an understandable mindset given the threat Ganon presents and the pressure he was under, but it doesn't make it any less terrible. And Rhoam's had to deal with the crushing guilt of failing his daughter and Hyrule at large while waiting for Link to awaken.
- Give his diary a look when you explore Hyrule Castle. He realized that he was pushing her too hard and resolved to greet her with fatherly affection the next time they met. Except this was written during her trip to the Spring of Wisdom, right before Calamity Ganon struck and killed him while she was far from the castle. Ouch.
- Mipha. Just... Mipha. This absolute sweetheart of a Zora is in love with Link, but painfully shy about admitting her true feelings to him. And by the time she was ready to confess, the Calamity Struck. And she met her end at the tip of Waterblight Ganon's spear. While the Blight Ganons are hard to feel animosity towards, you will want to slaughter Waterblight for murdering her.
- The Zora's Domain scenario is practically this trope incarnate. Unlike the Gorons, Gerudo, and Rito, there are plenty of Zora who were alive during the Calamity and knew both Link and Mipha personally. And since she was their beloved princess, they took her disappearance rather hard. The elderly ones are cold and bitter towards Link, holding him and all Hylians in contempt for Mipha's fate and Ganon's near-victory. Even though the younger ones and King Dorephan himself are overjoyed to be reunited with him, it still hurts.
- As sad as this is, there's a ray of hope that Mipha's okay if you're doing this one first. Zelda's still alive a century later, and there's no reason to believe that the same wouldn't apply to the Champions. King Dorephan has held onto hope that she's still alive and is enthusiastic about you boarding Vah Ruta and banishing the evil within. And then the awful truth sinks in: she really is dead, and you have to tell her father and brother the bad news. Sidon takes it well since he's had a century to accept it, but while Dorephan keeps his composure, the heartbreak and disappointment is clear on his face.
- Talking to Dorephan after cleansing Vah Ruta will get you this Gut Punch of a quote.
 |
"Link... she really loved you, you know. I hope you will remember her". |
 |
- Goron City's scenario also packs a punch, but it's more of a happy Tear Jerker that crosses over into Crowning Moment of Heartwarming territory. After defeating Fireblight Ganon and freeing Daruk's spirit, he looks down at Goron City from atop Vah Rudania's perch on Death Mountain, and notices his descendant Yunobo looking up at him. Proud of him for showing enough grit to fight the corrupted Rudania despite his Cowardly Lion tendencies, Daruk raises a triumphant fist into the air while an overjoyed Yunobo laughs, cheers, and waves at him excitedly. Feel free to let the Manly Tears flow.
- Out of all the ruined settlements you can find, there's one particular place that hits harder than all the rest: the Ranch Ruins, which is Lon-Lon Ranch as it appeared in Ocarina of Time perfectly recreated. While Malon and Talon would have been long dead by the time the Calamity Struck, it doesn't make it any easier to see such a warm, welcoming, and peaceful place so callously destroyed.
- The Horse God's Spring, mainly for its music. This calming mix of Epona's Song and the Great Fairy Fountain theme really captures the bittersweet feeling of being reunited with a beloved horse that died over the course of your adventure.
- Soon after leaving the Great Plateau, you might end up crossing the Proxim Bridge, which is patrolled by a spear-wielding NPC named Brigo. If you try to jump off it for whatever reason, he assumes you're going to commit suicide and tries to talk you out of doing it. Not only is it sad to think that he's likely met suicidal people driven over the brink by the state of Hyrule, but it can really hit hard for players who have contemplated or even tried to kill themselves.
- The state of Dorian's family. Dorian is a widower who has to raise two little girls alone, and can't even bring himself to tell them that their mother is dead. The youngest of the girls, Cottla, is blissfully unaware and just thinks her mom's hiding. But the more mature of the two, Koko, knows the truth and cries at her grave every day. It's even worse when you know the most likely reason why Dorian won't tell them the truth: He's an ex-Yiga Clan member, and his wife was murdered by his old cohorts as punishment for his desertion. They've also threatened to kill his daughters, and use them to blackmail him into spying for them.
- If you pay the family a visit at night, you'll see Dorian sitting on a chair near their beds, vigilantly watching over them while they sleep. With the above information taken into consideration, it's obvious that he's deathly afraid of what could happen to them after his wife's murder, and he's doing all he can to make sure they're safe. Poor guy...
- For fans of Fi from Skyward Sword, seeing the Master Sword in its rusted, decaying state can be really upsetting. It's the sword spirit equivalent to seeing someone fatally wounded, or suffering from a terrible disease.
- The ominous way Vah Medoh hovers directly over Rito Village doesn't seem sad at first, but when you talk to the native Rito it quickly becomes apparent that the overgrown bird is almost like an oppressive tyrant. Rito Village and the surrounding area are its domain, and anyone who tries to share the skies with it is quickly shot down with extreme prejudice. It's robbing them of their way of life, so it's hard to blame Teba for stubbornly, futilely trying to fight back.
- During the Champions' Ballad DLC, Kass's performance of the titular ballad evolves as you complete each Champion's trials. It starts off sounding very lonely, sad, and almost unsure of itself, but by the end of the DLC its become a beautiful melody that invokes feelings of nostalgia, heartbreak, and triumph. In other words, it perfectly captures the tragedy of the Champions' untimely deaths while celebrating their achievements in life.