Zelda's Ten-Thousand-Year Wait

Ethan Vale did not spoil it for her, because as players progressed through the story, they would learn that one of the dragons circling the skies was Zelda.

And Zelda had waited for Link in the sky for ten thousand years.

The first white dragon Link saw after awakening on Great Sky Island and walking out of the cave was Zelda.

The white dragon he saw soaring into the sky when he jumped from Great Sky Island was Zelda as well.

As for why Zelda had waited ten thousand years for Link—Zelda was the one who had suppressed Calamity Ganon a hundred years ago, and she was also one of the Seven Sages who had fought Ganondorf ten thousand years ago.

Zelda was a time traveler. From her perspective, the events of a hundred years ago happened first, followed by those of ten thousand years ago.

Zelda's time travel in Tears of the Kingdom altered history, which was why, from the perspective of the people in Tears of the Kingdom, the sky islands, The Depths, and the new monsters had all appeared out of nowhere.

While exploring beneath the castle, Zelda had accidentally traveled back ten thousand years. She also made a series of preparations so that Link could completely defeat Ganondorf ten thousand years later.

After entrusting what came after to the Sages of the four races and Mineru, she performed the forbidden art of Draconification—swallowing a Secret Stone and embracing the Master Sword as she became a white dragon. At the cost of losing her identity, she crossed the span of time and continuously infused the Master Sword with sacred power, hoping to repair and strengthen it. Only her final wish remained, bringing tears to her eyes; carrying her memories, they scattered across the land.

And she had