Daily Debate: What Would Have Happened If Zelda Was Never Revived in Twilight Princess?

To this day, “Midna’s Desperate Hour” remains one of the most memorable sequences in the Zelda series. Despite not actually racing against the clock, many players felt a tremendous sense of urgency while attempting to save a wounded Midna’s life. Upon reaching Zelda’s chamber in Hyrule Castle, this chapter culminates in the Hyrulean Princess sacrificing her life force to the diminutive imp.

Now, as much as I adore the story of Twilight Princess, many fans and I are still kind of baffled as to how Zelda returned to the land of the living during the game’s climax. I understand that Midna returned the “cherished power” Zelda bestowed upon her, but how and when did Zelda’s physical form re-manifest itself? At the end of “Midna’s Desperate Hour”, we see Zelda’s body straight-up disappear!

Hence, we come to today’s what-if scenario. Had Twilight Princess been the first entry to properly kill off Zelda herself,  how do you think that would have affected Hyrule? I mean, for the sake of this discussion, let’s just assume that Link is able to defeat Ganondorf without the use of Zelda’s Light Arrows. After all, the horseback Hylian Hero could easily chuck the Master Sword at Ganondorf like a trident!

There’s one theory out there that the “cherished power” Midna is referring to is none other than the Triforce of Wisdom. If that is indeed the case, then what would that mean for Hyrule’s Royal Family? It’s unclear as to what remains of the Royal Family following Zant’s initial attack on the castle. However, considering Zelda entrusted Midna with such sacred power, would Midna and her descendants inherit the thrones of both Light and Twilight? Would she even accept this responsibility? Frankly, the more territory under Midna’s control, the better, I say.

These are just a few of the thoughts running through my head. In any case, such a loss would certainly have caused a shakeup when discussing Hyrule’s post-twilight-invasion future. What do you think, though? How would Zelda’s death affect Hyrule after the events of Twilight Princess? Be as out-there as you’d like — I can’t wait to read your responses in the comments below!