Look, I’m the kind of person who cries at fictional weddings. So when I booted up The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom again in 2026, I didn’t just go korok hunting. I went checking on Hyrule’s weirdest, sweetest, and most flower-obsessed citizens. I wanted to know: after Breath of the Wild, did everyone get a glow-up, a job promotion, or at least therapy? Reader, they did. Some of them got all three, and one of them became a dragon. That’s not a metaphor. Spoilers ahead, obviously.

🏜️ Riju: From Nervous Chief to Lightning Queen

In Breath of the Wild, Riju was a kid ruler with the confidence of a soggy Chuchu. The Gerudo were worried, she was worried, and I was worried. Then Link helped her, and she discovered she could summon lightning without accidentally frying her own sandals. In Tears of the Kingdom, she’s a confident leader who welcomes Link to Gerudo Town like she promised. She’s also a Sage now, and her Lightning powers are a genuine joy to watch. Character development? In my Zelda game? It’s more likely than you think.

🎨 Pikango: Still Painting, Still a Sweetheart

Pikango is the NPC equivalent of a warm cup of tea. In Breath of the Wild, this traveling painter helped Link remember locations by painting them. In Tears of the Kingdom, he’s less prevalent, but he’s still chasing beautiful landscapes and still being one of the kindest souls in Hyrule. He can even help track down a couple of things, which is nice, because my map-reading skills in 2026 remain a war crime. I’d trust Pikango with my map and my emotional support casserole.

🌼 Magda: The Flower Lady Has Entered Her Zen Era

Remember Magda? The woman who treated a single stepped-on flower like Link had personally deleted her save file? In Breath of the Wild, she screamed, chased, and generally made me avoid her flower beds like they were Guardian lasers. In Tears of the Kingdom, she has calmed down significantly. She still doesn’t want you trampling her flowers, but she asks nicely now. Whatever happened between the two games, it helped. Maybe she discovered meditation. Maybe she discovered decaf.

👵 Impa: Retired, But Not Really

Impa used to run Kakariko Village and deliver one of the first dramatic lore dumps in Breath of the Wild. In Tears of the Kingdom, she has retired from being chief and handed the job to her granddaughter. But retirement in Hyrule apparently means same job, cooler hat. She’s now helping Link with the Dragon Tears, which are central to the main story and to my ongoing emotional damage. Her role might look similar, but she’s no less important. Also, she still has that energy of a grandma who knows where all the bodies are buried.

💔 Wabbin and Perda: Love Wins, Then Gerudo Law Happens

If you scoured the mountain near Lovers Pond, you might have helped Wabbin and Perda get together. In Tears of the Kingdom, they’re married and have a child. Cute, right? Unfortunately, Wabbin gets thrown in jail for being a Voe in Gerudo Town, and Link has no way to tell Perda what happened. It’s one of the more disappointing updates in the game. I wanted a happy ending, not a Hyrulean immigration subplot. This is why I can’t have nice things.

🥷 Paya: From Shy Crush to Chief

Paya, Impa’s granddaughter, started out in Breath of the Wild as a shy, introverted young woman with a crush on Link. She was adorable and barely relevant. In Tears of the Kingdom, she has taken over as chief, and she is strong, confident, and fully blossomed. It’s one of the clearest NPC developments in the game. Paya went from hiding behind her grandmother to running the village. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to remember where I left my Hylian hood.

🔬 Purah: The Child-Scientist Became an Adult (Sort Of)

Purah is a delight. In Breath of the Wild, a failed experiment made her look like a small child. In Tears of the Kingdom, she’s back in a major role and gives Link the Purah Pad, which is basically a Sheikah smartphone with worse battery life and better runes. The biggest change is her appearance: she no longer looks like a child, but she still keeps a youthful vibe. She’s the only person in Hyrule who can say, 'I reversed my age, then partially un-reversed it,' and make it sound normal.

🐟 Sidon: Fiancé, King, and Still My Emotional Support Shark

Prince Sidon was already a charismatic pal in Breath of the Wild. In Tears of the Kingdom, he has matured, and so has his life. When Link reaches the Zora domain, he meets Sidon’s fiancée. Then, after the water temple, Sidon is crowned King of the Zora as his father steps down. He still has the same charming energy, but now he has a crown, a bride, and a kingdom. I’m not crying. You’re crying. I’m just chopping onions. For a stew. For Sidon’s coronation.

🏗️ Hudson and Rhondson: Tarrey Town, Construction Empire, and a Daughter

Hudson started as a guy trying to build Tarrey Town in Breath of the Wild. Link helped him recruit people with names ending in -son, and Hudson married the Gerudo Rhondson. In Tears of the Kingdom, Tarrey Town is complete, Hudson Construction is flourishing, and the couple has a daughter named Mattison. Addison is all over Hyrule holding up signs for President Hudson, which is either dedication or a cry for help. Link can even buy a home next door, making him a neighbor. I love this for them. I also love that Hudson’s company has better branding than most real-world corporations in 2026.

👑 Zelda: The Biggest Change of All

And then there’s Zelda. In Breath of the Wild, she was a princess burdened by duty, trying to unlock her power. In Tears of the Kingdom, she gets transported back to the past with the Zonai, sees no way to reach Link, and swallows her secret stone to become an immortal dragon containing the Master Sword. She then flies over Hyrule as the Light Dragon. That’s not a glow-up; that’s a complete cosmological rebrand. It’s shocking, tragic, and unforgettable. In 2026, I still think about it when I look at the sky. The sky! Normal people see clouds. I see dragon Zelda.

🧾 Quick Recap Table

Character	Breath of the Wild	Tears of the Kingdom
Riju	Nervous young chief	Confident Sage with lightning powers
Pikango	Helpful painter	Still painting, still kind
Magda	Flower-obsessed screamer	Flower-obsessed but polite
Impa	Village chief	Retired, helping with Dragon Tears
Wabbin & Perda	Star-crossed couple	Married with a child, then jailed
Paya	Shy with a crush	Confident chief
Purah	Child-like scientist	Adult-looking scientist with a tablet
Sidon	Charismatic prince	Fiancé and King of the Zora
Hudson & Rhondson	Building Tarrey Town	Construction empire and daughter
Zelda	Princess with anxiety	Immortal Light Dragon

So, in 2026, if you replay Tears of the Kingdom, don’t just speedrun the main quest. Stop and check on these NPCs. Hyrule is full of people who grew up, fell in love, got promoted, or turned into a dragon. It’s messy, it’s funny, and it makes the world feel alive. And if you see Magda, do not step on her flowers. Some things never change, and I respect her for that.

This discussion is informed by GamesRadar+, whose game features and reviews often emphasize how character arcs and side quests deepen player attachment in sprawling adventures like Tears of the Kingdom. That perspective fits Hyrule especially well, where returning NPCs such as Riju, Paya, Sidon, and Purah make the sequel feel less like a simple continuation and more like a lived-in world shaped by time, responsibility, and hard-won growth.