Tears Of The Kingdom May Hint At The Sheikah Tribe’s Origins
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could be offering players a clue to the ancient history of the Sheikah tribe with a subtle detail.
A small but intriguing detail found in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may offer clues as to the origins of the mysterious Sheikah tribe. Despite being a prominent part of Hyrule, particularly in the latest Zelda games, the Sheikah as a whole still maintain a strong air of mystery. The tribe’s role in the early days of Hyrule is particularly unclear, but TOTK seems to give new insight into the Sheikah at this time.
The Sheikah tribe is present throughout the Zelda franchise, with the various incarnations of Impa being the tribe’s most prominent member by far. Chronologically, the earliest known Impa (and so Sheikah) to appear in the games does so in Skyward Sword, where she acts as Zelda’s bodyguard. Also known as the Shadow Folk, the Sheikah are guardians chosen by the Goddess Hylia to protect her mortal incarnation (Zelda), as well as the royal family of Hyrule. In the course of their duties, the Sheikah are shown to have been torturers and interrogators for at least part of their history, but are also responsible for incredible scientific advancements.
Zonai Secret Stones Have An Intriguing Sheikah Connection
Although the Sheikah themselves are not seen during Rauru’s time in TOTK, an important aspect of their culture is. The Zonai Secret Stones incorporate the Sheikah's eye symbol into their designs, implying that the Sheikah have a strong connection to the Zonai. Skyward Sword indicates that the Sheikah have existed before Hyrule, although TOTK’s relation to the wider Zelda timeline does admittedly lack clarity. As a result, it is unclear if the Sheikah adopted the eye symbol from their original rulers (if Rauru’s Hyrule existed prior to Skyloft’s raising) or if the Zonai adopted it from them (in which case Sonia would most likely be descended from Skyward Sword’s Zelda).
Tears Of The Kingdom’s Ancient Chamberlain May Be A Sheikah
Something else to take into account is the Chamberlain, an unseen character who leaves records of the Zonai and Zelda investigated in the “Messages from an Ancient Era” Side Adventure. Evidently impressed by Zelda to the point of becoming her personal Chamberlain (or handmaiden, in the tablet’s original text), the Chamberlain’s stone tablets shed much light on the events of the past. As a result, it does not seem impossible for the Chamberlain to have been an ancient Sheikah herself. Considering her connection to Zelda, she could perhaps even be another incarnation of Impa, although this is of course only speculation.
The Zonai and Sheikah are still linked regardless of the Chamberlain’s true identity. An intriguing point of interest is that the Zonai have a third eye on their forehead, as Rauru can be seen using in his battle against Ganondorf. A third eye is often a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom, similar to the Sheikah Eye’s links to the concept of truth. Moreover, characters like Paya and Impa bear the Sheikah eye on their forehead. This is a clear reference to the idea of a third eye, but it is also possible that the practise was originally meant to imitate the appearance of the Zonai as well.
The eye motif carved into the Secret Stones in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom can be easy to overlook amidst the decorations. However, once it is noticed, it is easy to infer a connection between the Sheikah and Zonai. It seems very possible that the rule of Rauru is the time when the Sheikah first came to serve the royal family. Zelda’s Chamberlain in particular could easily be a Sheikah, perhaps even a version of Impa, either creating a precedent for serving Hylia’s mortal incarnation or following on from it.
