The tradition revealed in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has broader implications for the rest of the franchise, including offering new, gruesome context for a previous Zelda context. Although relatively small compared to its immediate predecessors, Echoes of Wisdom however, it revealed stunning new details about Hyrule and the circumstances behind its creation. Furthermore, although this naturally feeds strongly EoWIn the game’s own narrative, the new perspective also changes how events from older games can be interpreted.
Without a doubt the most significant addition The Legend of Zelda tradition in Echoes of Wisdom is Null, an all-consuming entity whose very existence inspired the creation of Hyrule as a means of containing it. Null’s existence is crucial to EoWit is tradition, as it creates the Rifts that plague the kingdom in its efforts to escape. As well as being the reason why Link can’t speak Echoes of WisdomNull’s efforts to effectively end his own existence have apparently damaged Hyrule repeatedly throughout the ages, with the true disaster only being controlled by the Tris.
Null may be responsible for Lorule’s collapse
Their rifts could be destroying the unopposed dimension
It is explained in A connection between worlds that Lorule is falling apart due to the loss of her Triforcewith the artifact being desired by the royal family. This was done to end the wars fought to claim it, something parallel to the wars Hyrule also experienced. The unforeseen consequences of this act were disastrous; the moment Link travels to Lorule in ALBWthe kingdom is divided by a series of chasms created by its slow but relentless disintegration.
At the time of ALBWthe launch and introduction of this non-Hyrule Legend of Zelda scenario, that was all the explanation offered for Lorule’s situation. Now, however, Echoes of WisdomNull’s introduction hints at something much more terrifying. The chasms that block Link’s path ALBW Could it be Null’s workor perhaps his Lorulean equivalent, personally corroding the kingdom. This would imply that the loss of the Triforce also had a profoundly negative impact on the Tris of Lorule, rendering them unable to properly perform their duties.
Of course, Lorule’s chasms are not exactly the same as the rifts seen appearing in Hyrule in Echoes of Wisdom. However, this in itself is far from inexplicable; perhaps the Tris of Lorule retain enough power to close Null’s rifts, but without the Triforce (which would presumably act as a source of power) they are unable to restore what was lost. In this case, the restoration of the Lorulean Triforce actually saved the kingdom in more ways than one.
Link avoided more than one disaster in ALBW
He unknowingly prevented Null from freeing himself
Assuming that Null exists in Lorule as it does in EoWIf Hyrule was trapped but eager to escape its prison and destroy the world, then it’s possible it would be very close to succeeding. Lorule’s condition makes it very easy to imagine Null breaking free in the near future, at least if it weren’t for Link. Having defeated Yuga Ganon and willed Hyurle’s own Triforce to restore its Lorulean counterpart with Zelda, it appears that the hero unknowingly saves Lorule (and by extension Hyrule) twice.
Of course, it’s worth noting that this is true even if Lorule’s condition is not directly the work of Null. After all, the impact of losing her Triforce remains, and Lorule’s collapse still represents a potentially catastrophic collapse of Null’s prison. With just a little more time, Null would be able to escape without having to struggle. However, in both cases, Link’s actions directly prevent this worst-case scenario from happening; Lorule is placed firmly on the path to restoration, as is Null’s imprisonment.
What this could mean for the larger Zelda lore
Null could be an invisible threat across the entire timeline
Since Lorule is effectively a darker reflection of Hyrule, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had her own Null or was part of Hyrule’s own entity prison. Anyway, Null is one of the most original Zelda villains to be introduced, so it’s interesting to consider how this might affect other aspects of the franchise. For example, Null constantly eating away at the world could help explain why Hyrule’s geography changes frequently dramatically between the titles.
That being said, it should be noted that Null may not be a problem in ALBW because he is already dead. This is because it is not entirely certain how Echoes of Wisdom is related to the timeline, so it’s possible that Null was defeated long before Lorule lost her Triforce. On the other hand, EoW can also occur after TOTKin which case the Demon Dragon’s immensely destructive attack on Hyrule could have similarly threatened to free Null.
With Hyrule facing so many threats aimed at destroying it to some degree throughout the franchise, the fact that for much of its history Null was trapped deep beneath its surface is naturally cause for concern. In particular, Lorule’s troubles clearly represent an important potential escape route for Null, depending on where The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom fits into the broader timeline. Null is now effectively a hidden threat throughout the franchise, the world above never knowing how close it is to oblivion.
Source: Nintendo/YouTube