Tears of the Kingdom – Does Zelda Stay A Dragon in TotK?

One of the biggest mysteries in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is what happens to Princess Zelda after the introduction. Over the course of the game, players will learn that she was transported into the past when the Zonai were still around. To return to her time, she becomes a dragon, but even after this revelation, Link never knows for sure if she’ll become a Hylian again. This guide explains if Zelda remains a dragon in Tears of the Kingdom and what happens to her as the game concludes.

Related: Tears of the Kingdom – All Zonai Dispenser Locations & Device Types

Does Zelda Stay as a Dragon Forever in Tears of the Kingdom?

No, Zelda doesn’t stay as a dragon in Tears of the Kingdom. Over the course of the story, Link returns Zelda to her Hylian form during an epic battle against Ganondorf. The evil antagonist takes a Dragon Stone to become a dragon and kill Link, but Zelda swoops in to assist him and, in the process, is changed back into a Hylian. We won’t spoil too many more details because this is something best experienced first-hand by players.

Why Does Zelda Become a Dragon in Tears of the Kingdom?

Princess Zelda becomes a dragon in order to return to her own time and be with her friends, including Link, once again. She’s transported back to the dawn of Hyrule at the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom, a time when the Zonai had just founded the kingdom. This race of people is long gone by the time Tears of the Kingdom starts, and realizing this, Zelda works to find a way to return to her time in the future. The way she does this is by swallowing a Tear Stone. This is part of a forbidden ritual called dragonification that Mineru, a Zonai, helps Zelda with.

Zelda is able to return to her time simply by existing as a dragon. She outlives the Zonai and is an ancient dragon by the time Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom, take place. After learning this, players can see Zelda flying through the skies above Hyrule and know that their princess is up there. It’s not until later in the game that they’ll understand this when Zelda finally returns to her Hylian form.

And that’s it! Check out our other The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom guides below to help with crafting, exploring, and tackling challenges across Hyrule.

Tears of the Kingdom Complete Guide | Every Ability & How To Unlock Them | How to Get The Paraglider | How to Get & Use The Travel Medallion | All Armor Locations & Where to Find Them | All Construct Materials & Where to Find Them | All Shrine Locations & Strategies | How to Get More Heart Containers