Zonai
The Zonai are a recurring group of people referenced in The Legend of Zelda series.(BotW)[1][2]
Although the Zonai people are never actually seen or mentioned in Breath of the Wild, aside from implications from their architecture and the Barbarian Armor— the only explicit instance of "Zonai" in that game is the name of the Zonai Ruins location— their existence as an ancient people and backstory was expanded upon in Creating a Champion. The Zonai are further elaborated upon in Tears of the Kingdom, with them making an in-person appearance for the first time.
Overview
Characteristics
The Zonai were a powerful Magic-wielding tribe of people.[1] They are an ancient tribe who came from the heavens and are said to be descended from the gods.[3] From those gods the Zonai were given the Secret Stones, which could amplify an individual's magical abilities.[4] When the Zonai first descended to the surface, the ancient Hylians mistook them as gods.[5] The largest concentration of Zonai architecture is in the Faron Region, with the Zonai Ruins there being their home.[6]
They were rumored to be barbaric and are accordingly spoken of only in whispers.[1] Tears of the Kingdom reveals that the Zonai had an animalistic appearance with vaguely sheep-like features, very large ears, and a third eye on their foreheads. Contrary to the aforementioned rumors, they are shown to have had a highly advanced civilization in the sky and were viewed by the Hylians as gods. One of them, Rauru, took a Hylian woman named Sonia as his wife, and together they founded the kingdom of Hyrule.[7] During this time period most of the Zonai were already gone, with only Rauru and his sister Mineru remaining.[8] 10,000 years before Breath of the Wild, the Ancient Hero who wielded the Master Sword and fought beside the princess and Divine Beasts to defeat Calamity Ganon was a Zonai.[9][10]
The Barbarian Set is an Armor Set that belonged to an ancient, warlike tribe from the Faron Region. Though no explicit connection between this warlike tribe and the Zonai has been made, the three pieces of the Barbarian Set are found in the Lomei Labyrinths which are of Zonai construction, and the Faron Region was also home to the Zonai Ruins. However, the Barbarian Set doesn't match the visual style of other Zonai clothing.
History
Breath of the Wild
No records remain of the history of the Zonai.[1] However, it is known that they suddenly disappeared thousands of years prior to the Era of the Wilds.[1] Many of their ruins seem to have been built in relation to the Ancient Shrines, which date back to the Era of Prosperity estimated to be roughly 10,000 years prior to the Era of the Wilds.[1]
Tears of the Kingdom
The exact role of the Zonai in Tears of the Kingdom is not presently known. However, their symbolism can be found throughout the Sky Islands and beneath the surface of Hyrule. This was first made explicit with the new Construct enemies who appear to be of Zonai origin, dropping the Zonai Charge item upon defeat.
In the First Look Trailer, Link and Zelda are seen exploring a vast cave system which has many Zonai-made stone monuments, such as pillars and animal carvings.[11] In the E3 2021 Teaser trailer, Link is seen using a Weapon attached to a Shield that resembles a Zonai Dragon head sculpture to blow Fire onto an unnamed Enemy.[12] He is also seen traveling through various Sky Islands with architecture resembling Zonai construction.
In the Official Trailer #1, Link can be seen pushing open a pair of great stone doors carved with bas-relief Dragons facing each other. Beyond these great doors are stone sculptures of Dragon heads, facing outward.[13] Link can also be seen falling from the Sky, landing on an unnamed Bird-shaped Item while gliding toward a glowing megastructure on Illumeni Plateau. In the Official Trailer #2, more glowing megastructures can be seen throughout Hyrule, as well as green, circling wisps emanating from rocks. These wisps resemble the green energy emitted from the hand shown in the First Look Trailer.[14] Link can be seen riding on Epona through light-colored grass in North Hyrule Plain, where another glowing megastructure could be seen in the previous trailer. A glowing megastructure is also shown on the hillside west of Nabi Lake. Link is also seen collecting the pieces to a vehicle, which is later shown to be loosely constructed by binding a green viscous substance with wooden supports. The front wheels to this vehicle are covered with jade Dragon heads. A balloon constructed in a similar fashion is also shown, alongside a hovercraft vehicle consisting of a platform connecting the green viscous substance to four high-power ducted fans.
Culture
As the Zonai disappeared long before the events of Breath of the Wild, the only known remnants of their civilization are the many ruins they left behind throughout Hyrule. Zonai architecture appears to have been based heavily on pre-Columbian Mesoamerican architecture.
Zonai constructed Zonai Towers across Hyrule, though their purpose is unknown. They may have been used for magical purposes,[1] although it is impossible to confirm this idea.[1] For some reason, though they are known as Zonai Towers, they resemble contemporary Hylian architecture.[note 1]
Several Items, Objects, and mechanical creatures bearing Zonai motifs appear in Tears of the Kingdom. These are as follows:
| Subject | |
|---|---|
| Description | The Shield used by Link, bearing an Eye Symbol shared by other Zonai artifacts |
| Subject | |
| Description | A stone, bird-shaped glider |
| Subject | |
| Description | |
| Subject | |
| Description | |
| Subject |  |
| Description | |
| Subject | |
| Description | A Fan found throughout the Sky Islands |
| Subject |  |
| Description | A wheel |
| Subject |  |
| Description | A vehicle constructed with wheels |
| Subject |  |
| Description | An air balloon |
| Subject |  |
| Description | A hovercraft constructed with ducted fans |
| Subject | |
| Description | A gyroscopic device that controls the rotation of certain Sky Islands |
| Subject | |
| Description | A Construct with Eye Symbols and lotus bud decorations |
| Subject | |
| Description | A Soldier Construct that patrols the Sky Islands |
| Subject |  |
| Description | |
| Subject | |
| Description | A Material dropped by Soldier Constructs |
| Subject | |
| Description | A Material dropped by Soldier Constructs |
| Subject | Description |
|---|---|
The Shield used by Link, bearing an Eye Symbol shared by other Zonai artifacts | |
A stone, bird-shaped glider | |
| |
A Fan found throughout the Sky Islands | |
| A wheel |
| A vehicle constructed with wheels |
| An air balloon |
| A hovercraft constructed with ducted fans |
A gyroscopic device that controls the rotation of certain Sky Islands | |
A Construct with Eye Symbols and lotus bud decorations | |
A Soldier Construct that patrols the Sky Islands | |
| |
A Material dropped by Soldier Constructs | |
A Material dropped by Soldier Constructs |
Symbolism
The Zonai made use of a unique spiral symbol,[1] which can be found on most objects related to them. The Zonai crest appears on the 65 Cube Patterns found throughout Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. The Zonai spiral pattern can also be seen on the tiles along roads once populated by the Zonai.
The Zonai depicted each piece of the Triforce with a different animal relating to its qualities. The Triforce of Power was represented by Boars,[16] an animal heavily associated with Ganon who received the Triforce of Power during the Era of the Hero of Time. The Triforce of Wisdom was represented by Owls,[16] which have real-world symbolism attached to wisdom and knowledge. The Triforce of Courage was represented by Dragons.[16] As the Zonai also worshiped a water Dragon,[1] Dragons are the most numerous animals depicted among the three with a large collection of them throughout and leading to their palace surrounding the Spring of Courage.[1]
There are seven known statues of Boars throughout Hyrule in Breath of the Wild: beside the road northwest of the Lakeside Stable, in the southern part of Sarjon Woods, beside Sarjon Bridge, in the Damel Forest northeast of Sarjon Bridge, in the pond west of Dracozu Lake, in Pagos Woods, and in Finra Woods.
23 Owl statues can be found throughout Hyrule in Breath of the Wild: two Owl statues appear at the start of the road east of Sarjon Bridge, three in Ebara Forest, one at Rodai Lake, two at Floria Falls, one in the Bronas Forest, two at the entrance to the Thyphlo Ruins, one in the Bottomless Bog surrounding the Thyphlo Ruins, and 11 inside the Thyphlo Ruins.
A total of 90 Dragon statues can be found in Breath of the Wild: six at the Thundra Plateau, four in the road from Drenan Highlands to the Thyphlo Ruins, 30 inside the Thyphlo Ruins, and 50 along the path leading up to the Spring of Courage.
Symbols of Dragon are often used in pairs, with their heads facing opposite directions. This motif can be seen most notably on many pillars and on the walls of the Lomei Labyrinths, as well as in the logo and throughout the Sky Islands of Tears of the Kingdom. Lotus petals are commonly used in Zonai architecture, adorning walls and towers. In Tears of the Kingdom, lotus buds also appear prominently throughout the Sky Islands and within a new symbol combining an Eye Symbol with spread wings, similar to the Royal Crest.
Religion
The Zonai were known to worship the Triforce, though they often used their own visual language to represent the three pieces. In addition, the Zonai worshiped a water Dragon and constructed several Dragon statues along the Dracozu River leading to their palace.[1]
Language
In Tears of the Kingdom, glyphs resembling Oracle bone script appear throughout the various structures on the Sky Islands in the Sky that resemble Zonai architecture. These glyphs have not been deciphered, however. These glyphs can also be seen in the teal wisps emanating from the mysterious arm that holds Ganondorf's body and from Link's right arm when it glows the same color.
Geography
The Zonai Ruins in Faron are believed to be the home of the Zonai,[6] as a large amount of ruins can be found spread throughout the jungles of the Faron Region. However, several other Ruins with Zonai architecture can be found throughout Hyrule. Some of these Ruins seem to have been built in relation to other ancient peoples, such as the Hylian Spring of Courage located within the water Dragon shrine in their palace in the Zonai Ruins.[1]
Curiously, the modern Hyrulean ruins in Toto Lake as well as the Ancient Hylian Ruins, recognizable through their Loftwing motifs and fluted columns, at the base of the North Akkala Foothill, overlooking the Rist Peninsula from the southern hill, at the Lodrum Headland, and at Lake Totori South are labeled as Zonai Ruins on the map's legend on pages 412 and 413 of Creating a Champion.
- Locations with Zonai architecture
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Members
The Zonai disappeared from Hyrule thousands of years prior to the Era of the Wilds and no records of them exist.[1] As a result of this, no members other than Rauru, Mineru, and the Ancient Hero are known.
Gallery
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The crest of the Zonai
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Mineru
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Boar statue at Faron Woods from Breath of the Wild
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Dragon statue and pillar at Damel Forest from Breath of the Wild
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Statues in Ebara Forest from Breath of the Wild
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An owl statue in Sarjon Woods from Breath of the Wild
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A stone relief of Dragons facing opposite directions at Dracozu Lake from Breath of the Wild
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Ruins in Faron Woods from Breath of the Wild
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Guchini Plain from Breath of the Wild
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Fishing Resort in Lurelin Village from Breath of the Wild. Note the spiral crest on the side of the building
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Palmorae Ruins from Breath of the Wild
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Dragon sculpture at the Spring of Courage from Breath of the Wild
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Entrance to Thyphlo Ruins from Breath of the Wild
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Thundra Plateau from Breath of the Wild
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Dragon statue at the Thundra Plateau from Breath of the Wild
Nomenclature
According to Senior Lead Artist, Makoto Yonezu, the name "Zonai" is an anagram of the Japanese word 謎 (Mystery).[16]
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Names | Meanings |
 Japanese | ゾナウ (Zonau) | Corruption of 謎 (Nazo) (mystery) |
 German | Sonau | |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
Notes
- ↑ Early designs of these Zonai Towers from Breath of the Wild show that these Towers originally used a specifically Zonai-themed design, as seen in concept artworks and in the 2016 Breath of the Wild demo.[15] The reason for this change is unknown, though the current Hylian-style Zonai Towers were still attested to be the same structures in Creating a Champion.[15][1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 413
- ↑ "Zonai Ruins" — Map (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Long ago, my people, known as the Zonai, came from the heavens to the surface of the world. It was said they were the descendants of gods..." — Mineru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "They bore treasures from these same gods--secret stones, capable of amplifying the abilities of those who possessed them." — Mineru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "When your Zonai ancestors first descended upon these lands long, long ago, they must have seemed to be gods." — Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 359
- ↑ "What an unexpected answer. We are the king and queen who founded Hyrule, after all. Or at least we were the last time I checked." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "It is unfortunate that the noble Zonai no longer grace this world with their presence. All except you and your sister, that is." — Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "This item is said to contain the spirit of a hero who once saved Hyrule. That hero's aura will envelop the wearer." — Ancient Hero's Aspect (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "Ah. I see that you are wearing the attire of the ancient hero. How amusing. You almost look like that figure depicted on the screen..." — Impa (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - First Look Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019, @NintendoAmerica on YouTube, Uploaded June 11, 2019
- ↑ Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - E3 2021 Teaser - Nintendo Direct, @NintendoAmerica on YouTube, Uploaded June 15, 2021
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Coming May 12th, 2023 – Nintendo Switch, @NintendoAmerica on YouTube, Uploaded September 13, 2022 (Archive)
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Official Trailer #2, @NintendoAmerica on YouTube, Uploaded February 8, 2023
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 343
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "The ruins are primarily animal themed, but with the history of the Triforce from an ancient perspective in mind. The designs are symbolic—using dragons (courage), owls (wisdom), and boars (power). And yes, their name is a pun. "Zonai" is a take on nazo, a word meaning "mystery" in Japanese. [laughs]" (Creating a Champion, Dark Horse, pg. 342)