10 BOTW Mysteries That Are Still Unsolved

There are just some mysteries that will never be forgotten unless they’re solved, and BOTW is full of them. From the unreachable Mount Agaat to the one NPC that adores the fearsome Blood Moon, the game has left more and more fans questioning whether Nintendo will either choose to leave these potholes in the road or patch them up in the future. Here are 10 of the biggest mysteries detective players are still investigating 5 years after BOTW’s release… yes, really.

10. Why Is Hino So Obsessed with the Blood Moon?

Perhaps Nintendo thought that Hino was just another one of those boring Hylian NPCs roaming the regional stables and decided to put some dialogue in that simply didn’t make any sense. Found inside the Dueling Peaks Stable, he will give you a side quest regarding the blood moon. If you claim to know nothing about the moon, he will tell you to be on your guard, for this is when Calamity Ganon’s power rises to its peak. But then he starts shouting aloud for the monsters to arise when the blood moon actually occurs, seemingly ecstatic about it… what’s up with this guy?

9. How Can Rito and Zora Coexist?

In 2003’s Wind Waker, the lore was established that the Rito evolved from the Zora after the Great Flood took over Hyrule. There is a different situation, though, displayed in BOTW: both races coexist in Hyrule literally living next door to each other. If the path of evolution was followed from WW, the Zora would be gone, leaving the Rito as their only living remnants. How can both live in Hyrule at the same time?

8. Who Is Kass’s Teacher?

During your numerous interactions with the wandering Rito minstrel Kass, he will mention the songs he plays are passed down from his unnamed teacher. Speaking to him at night will trigger a brief description of this mysterious mentor: Kass will tell you that he/she was a late Sheikah poet who lived in Hyrule Castle and had a close relationship with Princess Zelda. First thoughts may suggest it is Impa, Purah, or Robbie, but all three of them are very well healthy and alive. Plus, none of them were known as poets living in Hyrule Castle. Who is this teacher, then?

7. Is Age of Calamity Canon?

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was unleashed in 2020 as BOTW’s prequel, providing an alternate ending where the Champions all survive and Calamity Ganon is defeated, all thanks to an egg-shaped Guardian named Terrako. But the question still remains unanswered: is AOC canon? Can, and will, BOTW 2 build off of this happy ending? It’s unclear as to whether AOC really counts as a genuine Zelda game in BOTW’s timeline, but it is definitely not impossible as it creates a branch timeline to prevent interference.

6. What’s the Deal with Mount Agaat?

Mount Agaat is notable for being the only unreachable and named location on Hyrule’s map. All other unreachable locations are left unnamed, as they serve as Hyrule’s borders. Fans initially believed the mountain in the Gerudo Highlands would be saved for DLC, but both DLCs were released only to leave it still unreachable. Even paragliding and climbing won’t get you there, since the message “You can’t go any farther” will pop up, leading Link to slide down hopelessly. The only way to reach Agaat is by glitching your way there.

5. What Happened to the Eighth Heroine?

Many may not pay much attention to the story behind Gerudo Highlands’ eight heroines whose legacies are embodied in eight corresponding statues, but delving deeper will immediately leave you with yet another unsolved mystery trapped in your mind. What happened to the eighth heroine? Yes, she was only rumored to be part of the group, but all the others stand in a circle miles away in the East Gerudo Ruins resting together in peace. There must’ve been something that got the eighth of them banished, leading to her statue being placed in a different location, that was unknown to the Gerudo due to their being the race’s divine protectors. She is still nevertheless worshiped even if she did do something wrong to get herself kicked out.

4. How Is the Zonai Tribe Involved?

As shown in the Thyphlo Ruins, the labyrinths (each one you complete gives you a piece of the Barbarian clothing set), and Faron’s specifically named Zonai Ruins, the ancient barbarian Zonai have made quite an evident mark on BOTW’s Hyrule. I mean, who else could be leaving mysterious stone carvings and ruins across the land that obviously originate from the Zonai? It’s impossible for this to be a coincidence: even the obtainable Barbarian Armor Set points to the existence of this warrior tribe. Even more Zonai evidence can be seen in BOTW 2’s underground ruins. What connection to Hyrule do the Zonai have, and will they ever be explained in detail?

3. What Is Beyond Hyrule?

Numerous players have futilely attempted to reach the “extra” land beyond Hyrule by gaining height and then gliding, one notable location being near the Hebra Mountains. The problem is that Nintendo purposely placed strong winds here to prevent them from reaching their destination, and if you hang around for too long, you’ll fall into the abyss below. The only way to successfully land here is by using the BLSS (Bow Lift Smuggle Sliding) glitch. But, as people expected, there’s nothing here but endless grassy plains with only a few Green Lizalfos. Perhaps the extra land was intended to be used at first but ended up as nothing in the game’s final cut.

2. Why Did Vah Ruta Stop Working?

In the secret ending cutscene only watchable if all 13 Captured Memories have been found, Princess Zelda initiates the plan to rebuild Hyrule, in the process stating that Divine Beast Vah Ruta mysteriously stopped working. What’s interesting is that she doesn’t say that all the Beasts have shared a similar fate; only the giant elephant of Zora’s Domain. Why is Ruta the only one? Some fans have speculated this is to show Mipha’s desire for peace and the shutting down of her beast, as it is no longer needed for the war against Ganon. Or its power source, Mipha, passed onto the afterlife, leaving her beast in the dormant state it was before she began piloting it.

1. Are the Divine Beasts Needed in BOTW 2?

Okay, technically, this isn’t a question about the first BOTW, but it is still related, right? Trailers show that Link’s arm was severely damaged by Malice and replaced with a prosthetic one. He can still use Stasis and other upgraded forms of the Sheikah Slate’s rune without even having to physically hold the Slate in his hands. Does this mean that the new arm has all of its powers and more? If the Sheikah Slate has become unnecessary, this could also mean the Divine Beasts have lost importance as the Champions’ spirits pass onto the afterlife now that Calamity Ganon is supposedly defeated. This would finally secure the connection between BOTW 2 and Vah Ruta’s unexplained loss of function.