The Sheikah have long been a powerful, ever-present force in the Legend of Zelda franchise. They are a race of humans that are often depicted as having ninja-like abilities, as well as technological and magic advancements beyond most other groups in Hyrule. However, with the exception of Princess Zelda's alter ego Sheik in Ocarina of Time, Impa is the only Sheikah to play a role in most games prior to Breath of the Wild. Now The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has an opportunity to go further with the trend its precedessor started by giving Sheikah like Paya bigger roles.
Paya quickly became a fan-favorite character among Breath of the Wild players after the Switch launch title released in 2017. Her role in the story is minimal; she's Impa's granddaughter who lives in Kakariko Village, often found doing chores around the family manor. She's a shy character who gets nervous whenever Link is around, and players can read her diary (similar to Zelda's in Hyrule Castle) to find out she has a crush on him. There's not a lot more beyond fun facts, like her name coming from a papaya seed-shaped birthmark on her buttock, but Breath of the Wild 2's possible story implications mean she – and other Sheikah – could have more to do going forward.
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Paya's Family Legacy
Given the expansive Legend of Zelda timeline, every version of Impa seen prior to Breath of the Wild is technically related – even if some versions can only be found in different branches of the timeline. She has served many roles, from the stalwart royal bodyguard for a young Zelda in Ocarina of Time to both a young guardian and elderly guide in Skyward Sword. In fact, the manual for The Legend of Zelda on NES says nursemaid Impa gives Link his quest to gather the Triforce of Wisdom after Zelda splits it into pieces to stop Ganon.
However, just restricting the scope of events to what is depicted in Breath of the Wild and its auxiliary media still shows Paya has a rich history of aspirational Sheikah to look up to. Koei Tecmo's hack-and-slash prequel Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity shows Impa 100 years prior to Breath of the Wild, and it turns out she is nearly visually identical to her granddaughter. As a royal advisor to the Hylian royal family, she becomes an invaluable ally to Link, Zelda, and the four Champions of Hyrule during the Great Calamity, though they fail to stop the disaster in the original timeline. Impa spends the next 100 years waiting for Link to wake up from the Shrine of Resurrection, where he was placed to recooperate after taking critical damage in battle.
Age of Calamity also offers a closer look at Paya's Great Aunt Purah, who runs the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab in Breath of the Wild and has conducted an experiment which reverts her to the age of a child. She's Impa's older sister in their prime, and is one technical genius who helps figure out how the ancient technology at their disposal works. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity DLC includes Purah and Robbie, another Sheikah scientist known for his work studying Guardians, as new playable fighters.
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Breath of the Wild 2's New Status Quo
Paya's only significant contribution to Link's journey in Breath of the Wild is initiating a quest to unlock one of the game's Shrines. She looks over the Sheikah Heirloom, an Ancient Orb that unlocks the Lakna Rokee Shrine in the forest near Kakariko, and one night that heirloom is stolen. After Link consoles her, Paya offers him a clue for how to find the thief, who turns out to be a member of the antagonistic Yiga Clan. Once the quest is complete, Paya is happy to know the heirloom fulfilled its purpose to help the hero of legend.
Though that's the extent of her contribution to the original game, this may be partially because Kakariko Village is in a secluded and relatively peaceful part of Hyrule. Breath of the Wild 2 may shake up that status quo, as a trailer revealed during Nintendo's E3 2021 Direct shows islands levitating above Hyrule after being ripped from the earth – likely due to the influence of a mummified figure many assume will be Ganondorf. Link also has access to brand-new tools, from being able to reverse time with his Stasis Rune to passing through solid matter.
If more of Hyrule is flung into chaos by presumably Ganondorf's influence, the Sheikah people may become more alert and battle-ready for this upcoming sequel. Link receives guidance on how to use the Sheikah Slate's core four Runes (Magnesis, Remote Bombs, Stasis, and Cryonis) in four of Breath of the Wild's initial Shrines he discovers thanks to the guidance of a deceased King Rhoam, and Purah later gives him access to a Camera feature. Others could help him unlock new powers going forward, and Paya's connection with ancient artifacts like the Sheikah Heirloom suggests she may not be a bad candidate to do further research with her family.
Paya could even follow in her grandmother's footsteps and become a soldier of sorts in this new conflict. It's hard to imagine the shy girl doing battle with monsters, but there's room for character growth thanks to some kind of side quest with Link in Breath of the Wild 2. It would make sense for Nintendo to capitalize on how much fans like the character, with some even going so far as to guide her AI across the map using elaborate mechanical traps – similarly done with Breath of the Wild NPCs like Kass. However, even if Paya herself is not greatly fleshed out, there's room for the Sheikah people to expand their role overall.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.
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