Breath of the Wild to Have Beedle the Merchant Return?
By Curt Hutson 04 January 2017
Nintendo’s most recent post on its The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Facebook page may hint at the return of a familiar merchant from the series.
The official Facebook page for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been regularly posting screenshots and artwork from the upcoming, and hotly anticipated, sequel in the long-running franchise. Nintendo’s most recent post for the game is a screenshot that has gotten people talking, particularly about one of the figures obscurely present in the image.
The folks at GameXplain decided to join the discussion with a video that offers insight into who this mysterious figure could be. Unfortunately, the image isn’t crystal clear, so it took some careful analysis and strained eyes. However, by taking into account certain aspects of the character from past games, they have come to the conclusion that the figure in the image for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has to be Beedle the merchant.
While there is no official word from Nintendo regarding the matter, the consensus is that it is indeed him and he will be making an appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to offer some helpful items to our hero. As for evidence, the figure shares a lot of similarities with Beedle, such as his appreciation of beetle-themed apparel, and the color and shape of his hair. However, the most supportive evidence is the large bag the character is lugging around that is shaped like a beetle.
Beedle has had a presence in the series since Wind Waker, where he set up shop on a barge that cruises the open seas of Hyrule. He could later be found again in the direct sequel, Phantom Hourglass. Link ran into Beedle a couple more times in The Minish Cap and most recently in Skyward Sword. He often sells rare and advantageous goods to the hero and has become a welcomed addition to the series’ cast of quirky characters.
In every appearance, Beedle has sported an awkward bowl cut, and wears a pair of shorts and little else. Nevertheless, with his more detailed incarnations, players will notice his shorts include an embroidered beetle on the front. While the screenshot is fuzzy, the figure in question also appears to have the same design on his right leg. With this information in mind, it would be hard to chalk all of this up to coincidence.
Additionally, if everyone is correct in their assumption, his appearance lends to the speculation that Breath of the Wild is another direct sequel to Wind Waker. This would mean that the forthcoming game is set in a time long after the vast ocean has subsided.
Nintendo has been wonderful in its regular releases of Breath of the Wild assets, which include several trailers and gameplay videos, various pieces of artwork, and screenshots that fans have been ravenously digesting with gratitude. Nintendo is smart to do so as well, with this very discussion being an excellent example of what a single image can spur. Fans will just have to wait and see if their hunch is correct when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild releases, though, and it may coincide with the launch of the Nintendo Switch, if the rumors are true.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is currently scheduled for launch in 2017 for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.
