The KINGDOM in the Sky - TLoZ: Tears of the Kingdom Theory 

Happy holidays everyone!

The truth is, it was all an elaborate prank. It was just Dampe the Gravekeeper digging up rocks and stuffing them with balloons. XD

Pretty sure these are all being held up by the epic pedaling skills of Beetle and the identical members of his family line.

The Sacred Realm is a pocket dimension. It's located right on top of Hyrule Proper, and they're so deeply connected they can be referred to each other interchangeably. Ergo, when Zelda says they're home, she means they're back in the Sacred Realm and thus back in Hyrule. The same holds true to for Lanayru when it talks about the Interlopers trying to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm, as if you rule Hyrule than you essentially also rule the Sacred Realm.

Maybe it's because I've been replaying Skyward Sword HD lately, but I think it'd be really neat to be able to explore the broken-apart, abandoned ruins of Skyloft in Tears of the Kingdom. Even neater if the Loftwings continued to prosper after everyone returned to the surface, and we got to see or even ride one. Though that last bit might be a bit of a stretch, I still think it'd be really cool.

Who else is hyped for TotK? Amazing video, as always! Happy holidays Don and everyone else!

11:53 Crackpot theory unrelated to the video: what if the magic used to elevate the palace of winds is the same as the magic of Revali’s Gale? They’re both related to wind and are used to elevate things, so who knows? Maybe Revali trained himself to master the wind tribe’s magic without even knowing it.

My biggest question has always been ... "Will these islands be inhabited in any way?" Except for the stone gollum figure, we have zero evidence of anyone up there. I think we have to assume they're will be enemies in that giant tower building, but are there "people" up there? I'm so excited to find out

Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild is more connected than we think, I mean both links are right handed. If anything I think Ganondorf raising the castle into the air is revenge for what happened in skyward sword (after Link makes that wish to crush the imprisoned.) Ganon never forgotten and that's why he has the upper hand because Link and Zelda don't remember what happened in a past life. That's the curse Demise put on both of them, Fi was trying to remind Link about the fact that the master sword had what was left of Demise and now that it broke...

Love the effort you put in your videos Don. You and Zeltik are in that S tier rank. Really love how willing you are to have discussions with so many other channels that are smaller than yours too. You're awesome, cheers to Totk content in the future!

IMO the Sacred Realm is just wherever the Triforce rests, sometimes a seperate dimension as in a link to the past and other times as Hyrule itself. The "point where the Golden Goddesses departed for the heavens" must have been a location in the Light World, and when Rauru constructed the Temple of Time which was linked to the Chamber of Sages in the Light Temple the Triforce was placed there, making that seperate dimension the Sacred Realm.

I'm excited for a video by you and Zeltik. You guys are my favorite 'Zelda RU-vidrs'.

Most zelda theorists clearly put passion into their work, but out of all of them your kind feels the closest to how I feel about zelda, ur my fave MM

The Japanese mythology about the Floating Bridge of Heaven reminds me a lot of Bifrost, the burning rainbow bridge that connects Midgard, the realm of mortals to Asgard, the realm of the Aesir gods in Norse mythology.

Genuinely the only Zelda channel worth a damn. Thank you and happy holidays!

Quality speculation is so rare. Looking forward to that video on the Sacred Realm as well.

Best Christmas gift is when Monster Maze uploads! Every video you've made ever since your start in 2018 have been really well made. I'd say you're the best Zelda CC, way better than Commonwealth Realm even! Fanboy rambling aside, have a wonderful holiday and a merry Christmas, Don!

i think like on the surface in botw, the floating islands will be vague but have a TON of easter eggs and references to all the sky-based societies

The most exciting part of watching your videos has to be the animations, the sky islands look incredible

I’m excited to relax up in those sky islands above regardless of what true nature they are. I’m still on the camp of Sacred Realm passage because of how well it lines up to the first ever mention AND description we ever got of the Sacred Realm in the A Link to the Past manual written by Yoshiaki Koizumi, saying the trees and grass are of gold, at least golden colouring.

The vortexes in BOTW that the dragons enter into, is the clearest indication along with the NPC's phrase "Kingdom in the sky" that TotK would expand to the skies. Somehow Links will manage to enter the "Sky dimension" through some ancient technology, beyond Sheika's. Since BOTW I always believed that the main portal/initiation to this, would be Typhlo ruins, which in Greek means "Blind" as something is hidden there. Invisible dragons, invisible sky dimension, invisible ruins. All this until Link gains the power to fully see and access through the green power acquired from the green hand that is connected to this power.

Happy holidays Don! Super inspiring times are coming!

I would LOVE to hear your explanation or take on the Minish home realm of all places being the closest to the gods. Small in stature but mighty in spirit, I adore the minish and I hope they get a 3d Zelda focus someday.

Yesss, was just thinking about wanting too see you collab with Zeltik. Can't wait!

Nice overview! This is something I've been wondering about as well.

MonsterMaze forgot to mention that depictions of loftwings can also be seen in the area known as the Lanayru Promenade (which is part of the path leading to the foot of Mt. Lanayru). There's been no information as to WHY loftwings are depicted there, but perhaps more will be revealed in the upcoming TotK.

I just hope that we have a chance to see Skyloft or its ruins In reality, I hope to see a lot of Skyward Sword references and that we have a conclusion to the cycle Demise set on Link and Zelda

"Good kids can see it. The Kingdom floating in the sky" .. Wow, I never noticed that BotW dialog before. That's really interesting. I had been under the impression the sky islands were pulled from Hyrule below, which would have been great for remixing BotW's map, but the possibility this realm already existed but cannot be seen is more interesting to me. It resonates with my love for theology, and how certain concepts can make sense when viewed through a different worldview lense. Essentially, the lore introduced in TotK could reshape how we see Hyrule and its relationship to other realms. SS and TP had sky locations that raised the question "Why can't we see these places when looking up to the sky?". The magic barrier idea of SS provides a canonical explanation, but kinda feels like using "video game magic" to explain the sky world's abscence in previous Zelda games. In TotK were actually placed in a Hyrule we're familiar with, and from that reference point the game removes the veil from player's eyes revealing a whole other world was always there.

Damn dude, the thumbnail. Kudos 🔥

Something I don't see often is people mentioning the trailers might be omitting things on purpose. The map might have changed but they don't want to spoil it? Like when we got a little bit of gameplay footage of those Talus/ Moblin bosses the volcano is fine. Not until the other sneak peek came out, anyway. I think the topography will change, we just weren't allowed to see it yet

What a great Christmas gift, MM! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Happy Holidays Monster Maze, and thanks for a new upload!

I honestly love your videos so much

Love the vids, MM! But I disagree on your main point, Im confident the Kingdom whom the Tears reference is simply Hyrule, that kingdom has more than enough reason to shed tears 😅

Clearly since Nintendo loves Studio Ghibli and inspiration from Princess Mononoke can be found in BOTW, these sky lands are obviously the remnants of Laputa, the castle in the sky, and are fragments of the Kingdom of Laputa /s … unless?

Top tier Zelda content. Another amazing video. Thanks for sharing your ideas, Monster Maze!

Hey guys, I have no videos yet, but I have been thinking about making a BOTW channel since it came out. I was wondering what you guys would like to see if I were to do that. If I like your ideas, I will feature your names in the video. Thank you!

Love these videos! Every time I watch them I feel like I'm a scholar at a historian presentation. I'm learning the history of a civilization long past! Lol. For real though, the time, care, and research you put into your theories/videos is apparent.

Monster Maze, Skyloft exists in BotW already, and according to the trailers, it's still there (at least in the beginning, presumably). The Great Plateau is the main portion of Skyloft. Just take a close look at the geography and remember that is reimagined at a larger scale, with more realistic geography.

still so crazy how we are 5 months away from TOTK and we know close to nothing, if it's not related to more powerful hardware which is unlikely why has Nintendo being so close lip out this game?

I love your channel and Zeltik's, both equally my favourite. Can't wait for your collab!! Happy New Year and thanks for everything!

I love that the Palace of Winds seems to depict the floating kingdom of Laputa from Studio Ghibli 😁

now that’s the holiday spirit! a Monster Maze video 🎉!! happy holidays Don!

The ruins along the Lanayru Promendade also have Loftwing engravings although many are damaged so you have to compare the designs to realise what they are.

Me and my brother were talking just a couple hours ago; we think the coolest thing that could be in the game is being able to bond a Loftwing. It would probably be later in the game to keep navigation a challenge for a while, but it would be really cool.

11:53 "ThUpEr AdVaNcEd TeChNoLoGY"

I've gotta say, the idea that it's simply caused by utilizing timeshift zones may be just cool, but simple enough for Nintendo to have chosen

Honestly I have no idea what tears of the kingdom will bring. Most theories (not including yours of course) are all the same and tbh even if it’s not as good as botw I think it will still be a treat. Merry Christmas!

Great video! Looking forward to the sacred realm one!

This guy just doesnt rest to keep us entertained

Nope, I never thought the islands ever lifted up from the ground. Just seemed like way too much stuff up there.

A personal theory of mine is, that this game will have some relation to time traveling, or at the very least trying to undo the past. The Zelda isn't a stranger to such a concept. They did that before in some way with "Oractle of Time", "Ocarina of Time", "Majoras Mask", "Skyward Sword", so this could be a possible outcome. Also, we see quite a bit of time-related stuff. Link's new power of not only toping objects but returning them back in time, drops of some fluid falling backwards, Rocks floating up (again using that ability Link would have), Links wird jump, which kinda looks like a reversed fall and of course the reversed music you can hear in some of the trailers. So, there could (and probs will) be a theme of "Reverting" something... Maybe reverting the damage on the Master Sword... Or maybe saving Zelda, because I have the believe that she's dead (or at least lost her physical body) in this game.... Anyways, enough of my ted talk.

The lore about the sky realm being different from heaven makes me want a Zelda game where we actually go to heaven and meet the goddesses.

I hope tears of the kingdom has lots of links (heh) to twilight princess. I’ve been so excited for TOTK for so long and I think that they should’ve done more with the storyline of twilight princess especially with the Twili

The Oocca technology is based in magic. And the Wind Tribe's magic (and collaboration with the Minish) led to the development of autonomous stone soldiers like the Armos, as well as the giant machine guardian of the Fortress of Winds called Mazaal.

It's vaguely possible the people of Hyrule physically moved into the Sacred Realm. Though it's also possible the nature of the Realm changes over the centuries and milennia. Could be that how we see in in A Link Between Worlds is because the Zelda of that game or one of her ancestors got it to look like that... and Lorule's Sacred Realm just happened to either morph in kind for similar reasons or simply always looked like that. And having a wish-granting sacred artifact doesn't hurt that notion either... at least for Hyrule. Though one note; i thought the Twilight Princess translation was moreso calling Hyrule a "holy land" rather then specifically *the* Sacred Realm? Hyrule being considered a holy land would also make a lot of sense given how heavily involved they are with Spirits and Divinity.

Great video! Love to hear theories as I wait for the game’s release!

That's the beauty of Zelda series, for decades we just fantasize the story, timeline, and speculate. After more than 2 decades they just released the complete timeline. No one complain about the plot holes, because anything just possible. There is no boundaries in future Zelda games, because it feels they didn't and it did bonds each other. So I will keep enjoying the game even thou they only released 2 games in decade which is good because I'm not young anymore (41yo) lol.

Love ur content. Happy holidays

Finally, another great video about TotK Happy holidays mr Maze, thanks for the present 🎁🎁🎁

Amazing Don! Merry christmas!

One thing we never really see in botw is the triforce. I don't remember ever seeing those damn cheese wedges, and the cutscenes at the end never show that Zelda or Link had retrieved it, and depicted that it was more like Zelda and Link just let the dead city rest as it was after freeing it from malice. So, did Ganon really destroy the kingdom to get the power of the triforce?

babe wake up, new monster maze video dropped

Hurricane Zelda hit a pod of octoroks and flung baloons everywhere. Funniest shit I ever saw.

Thanks for this amazing video maze man! Merry Christmas to you and yours buddy!❤

You mentioned new videos and I was like YES A MM VID I HAVEN"T WATCHED!! But then I realized this is a new video, so I'll have to wait :((

Happy Holidays to u too Don, interesting video and can't wait for the future vids

I wish we see another race in TotK, like Hylian with wings or lizardfos kind but not hostile

Happy holidays man, loved the video as always!! 😁⛄️

Nice video, as always ;). I'm actually really curious if Hyrule City itself is rebuild in Tears of the Kingdom (or is it really starting after BotW? Maybe we see it being rebuild)

But that's... just a theory... a GAME THEORY!

Makin me think that Ganon did some crazy thing and is trying to pull the sacred realm into Hyrule.

The simplest explanation is generally the best. With the emphasis on SS HD , the sky and the similar dark theme of TP, ‘The Kingdom’ is likely the sky kingdom, with ‘Tears’ being both the figurative and literal fall.

Lightsabers confirmed in TOTK 😮 Mr Maze is always right 🫡

Someone probably already said it, but doesn’t everyone say the zonai just disappeared and no one know that happened to them? Doesn’t that mean that maybe because of conflicts with the Hylians after they defeated Ganondorf, (the Zonai putting his body into the construction build for him) and fleeing into the sky’s. Maybe the structures were already build in the sky or they rebuild their home. Being out of sight of the Hylians, continuing Ganondorfs bidding, etc. and possibly dying out or dying caused by something else.

I’m surprised you didn’t bring up the twilight realm. They had a kingdom in the skies.

A Monster Maze theory video for Christmas eve is always a good Christmas present

I've never noticed that planet in the A Link to the Past Sacred Realm artwork.

Perhaps in Tears of the Kingdom, the final fight would take place in the Heavens

Nicely done!

My personal theory about the oocca and wind tribe are that they are infact the same tribe evolved over the years. More so than that, i've come to believe that they were originally infact a faction of sheikah who specialized in wind magic. Likely learning such magic from wind deities like levias or cyclos and zephos, maybe even using the windwaker to learn such mastery over the wind. The reason for this, for starters all the wind tribe have red eyes. Then there's the fact one of their greatest creations was Mazaal, a magical automation nearly identical to gohan from WW, another automaton clearly made from ancient sheikah technology My belief is over time they all moved up into the sky expanding and creating the city in the sky. I mean lets be honest, theres no way the chicken people made that city in their current forms. Then maybe due to the increasing wars on the surface, they cut off contact but still left behind the book and canon incase of emergency. Take note they left the clues to contact them again with the sheikah of old kakariko, their sister tribe because they used to be shiekah themselves! Then over the years, perhaps due to the power of those same wind deities they learnt from, they transformed further into the full oocca we know now. Saying this honestly isnt weird when we have the kokiri tribe starting out as just ordinary hylians, becoming an eternally young tribe under the watch of the deku tree (a nature deity), and then transforming again completely into koroks by that same power As for the question of one using magic and the other using technology, you gotta remember thats essentially the same thing at this point. The advanced sheikah tech could easily just be seen as straight up magic to anyone else. Plus remember the the wind tribe (the one supposedly using magic and not tech) created mazaal and a whole bunch of mechanical golems, showing they were infact using advanced technology aswell as magic Ohh and when it comes to the sacred realm, i always saw it as a separate realm to hyrule but still very much connected. Think of it like it and hyrule are 2 sides of the same coin (hence lorule is a different coin with its own sacred realm on its flip side) so not physically up in hyrule's sky area. Alttp basically confirms this as the dark world infact was the sacred realm but twisted by ganon, and its clearly a different plane altogether and not up in hyrule's sky

Worth mentioning that the Japanese word for angel literally translates to sky messenger. The Oocca (whose Japanese name uses the same Kanji -- 天), as Hyrule's "creators" occupy a similar space to angels in Western canon as builders of the Earth that humans would occupy.

About the sky temple only being destroyed in the child timeline, I imagine the timeline merge in botw to be kind of like a merge in the software development tool GIT. Probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but basically you can create multiple different branches going off from the same file with different changes (kind of like alternate timelines) and can then later merge them together, where you usually keep all the changes from all the branches (as long as they are compatible). So it being destroyed in the timeline, marking an active change in the branch, would be merged into the final timeline.

There is also stone depictions of loft wings in Lanayru Promanade. At least I remember seeing some there

There's also the concept of the firmament described in Genesis, which is considered to be a barrier between the earth and the heavens.

3:34 Kudos for using footage from Gol, a Brazilian airline. 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

A Zelda RU-vidr Quest With Aaron, specializes in building Zelda theories from localization differences, they make a strong case that Hyrule was built *in* the sacred realm, which is whatever land righteous worshipers of the goddesses inhabit. The dark realm is Hyrule transformed by jyaki and malice.

As far as the islands, I think they are the home of the army in the murel that zelda is looking at with the torch. They somehow subdued gannon 1000's of years ago and used his body to power their land or a part of their sky land. When zelda and link inturept the power source that the hand has been supplying from gannon to keep it way up high, or invisible or whatever, it appears!!

Hey! I love your video's and it was super cool hearing my song pop up! I hope you enjoyed it! haha

I genuinely think these floating islands is Hyrule returning to the sky. It won't be skyloft though, it'll still be hyrule but maybe in the next game Hyrule will be in the sky again and we get to explore skyloft again. Maybe the reason Link and Zelda returns to the sky is for similar reasons like in Skyward Sword which is the fact that the surface has been so heavily contaminated with evil, this time because of Ganon.

TotK - Tears of the Kingdom BotW - Bears of the Wingdom

Nice work 👍. I also love your custom footage, can I use it? Of course I’ll include credit.

Theory: In botw Zelda has to awaken her power. Maybe the reason you never see the triforce object in botw is because Zelda has had it the entire time and “awakening” her power is realising she has it. If this is true then maybe Zelda’s mother died because she passed it onto Zelda without her knowing. And now in TotK Ganondorf is trying to kill Zelda to get it for himself

Excited for the zeltik collab!!

I think the sacred realm is the final destination. Obviously there's a goal with the sky island, this will be like Celeste.

Hopefully we get to see Vaati in tears of the kingdom

If the islands are skyloft (which most likely will be) it would be a huge missed opportunity if they didn't make the once lively buildings into explorable abandoned buildings that isn't just rubble or even proper dungeons, seeing an abandoned rundown skyloft to be fully explored would be a whole new level of beauty

Great video! Literally what everyone's thinking.

It's may or not be obvious but it would be cool to fly along the three dragons when you're in the skies. Also, although not part of the subject. You really intrigued me with the figure on top of the Death Mountain (presumably) concept art on 0:49. I wanna say it looks like the Ganondorf we know. But that also makes me wonder about the corpse underground. I've always theorized that the corpse is another incarnation of Ganondorf like how FSA Ganon was another incarnation. But I might just be jumping to conclusions. P.S. Seeing Death Mountain in the sky in Totk would be awesome. P.P.S. Assuming there's more info, do you think you'll make aTears of the Kingdom Ganondorf video or another video relating to him?

I wouldn’t be surprised if the floating islands were related to the Zonai. We don’t know much about them except the structures and stuff they left behind