As a sequel to Breath of the Wild, it’s expected that Tears of the Kingdom would feature a lot of familiar faces that Link met on his previous adventure to destroy Calamity Ganon. However, Hyrule has changed a lot in the time that’s passed, with unfamiliar characters cropping up across the land.
One such character is Lady Yona, Prince Sidon’s fiancée who is helping around Zora’s Domain now that it’s covered in sludge. As a completely new character in Tears of the Kingdom, Yona’s presence is somewhat mysterious, and a lot of fans have questions regarding her origins and who she is.
Who Is Yona?
Yona is Sidon’s fiancée and a new Zora introduced in Tears of the Kingdom, who arrived just in time to help clear the domain of sludge.
Yona’s title that appears when she is introduced is “Caretaker of the Zora,” reflecting her kindhearted nature and willingness to help Zora’s Domain and Link, whom she has dubbed Sir Link.
In terms of appearance, Yona resembles a mobula or devil ray, with her character having similar horn-like protrusions on her head.
Where Did Yona Come From?
As Yona isn’t mentioned in Breath of the Wild, despite being Sidon’s fiancée, it’s unclear where she originates from.
Yona’s character profile explains this inconsistency somewhat, as it says that Yona is a member of another Zora royal family. No other Zora’s Domain can be found in Tears of the Kingdom’s explorable map, suggesting that Yona hails from somewhere outside of Hyrule.
Although we don’t see any other people that inhabit the land outside of Hyrule, Yona’s presence suggests that at least the Zora have a relationship with other domains.
Yona’s character profile describes her as “Sidon’s childhood friend” implying that the royal family Yona is part of visited Hyrule often, with Yona and Sidon meeting as children.
Unfortunately, little else can be gleaned about Yona’s original domain, but it’s interesting to get confirmation of settlements separate from Hyrule.
Yona’s Role In Tears Of The Kingdom
Link first meets Yona when visiting Zora’s Domain to investigate the Regional Phenomena that is plaguing the area. In this instance, sludge is raining down from the sky and polluting the domain’s water supply.
When Link arrives in Zora’s Domain, Yona is speaking to two Zora regarding how to remove sludge from an important statue. Link helps out by using a Splash Fruit and cleaning the statue.
Yona is incredibly grateful for Link’s help, and Link informs her and the other Zora that he is the swordsman depicted in the statue alongside Sidon.
In turn, Yona introduces herself as Sidon’s fiancée, saying that she has heard a lot about Link since arriving at Zora’s Domain. Yona asks Link to meet Sidon at Mipha Court.
Speaking to Sidon, Link discovers that Sidon is using his power of water manipulation to stop Zora’s Domain’s water supply from being sullied by sludge and can’t leave Mipha Court.
When Link returns to Mipha Court to let Sidon know about his discoveries regarding the sludge, he finds Yona speaking to Sidon. Yona voices her worries for Sidon, and urges him to join Link in quelling whatever is harming the domain while she protects it in his stead.
From this interaction, it’s clear to see that Yona and Sidon have great trust in one another - Yona is able to pick up on Sidon’s emotions and encourage him when he needs it, and in turn, he knows that she will do anything to protect the domain and its people.
Sidon worries for Yona’s safety, but she’s able to quell his fears, saying that he shouldn’t be held back by the fear of losing her, like he did his sister Mipha.
Yona tells Sidon to not dwell on the past and “keep moving ever onward.” Before departing, Yona asks Link to protect Sidon, and tells Link that Sidon is the “sun in [her] sky.”
After Link and Sidon defeat the Muktorok and save Zora’s Domain, King Dorephan recognizes Sidon’s courage, and abdicates his throne, making Sidon the king of the Zora and Yona the new queen.
Yona addresses the Zora people after she and Sidon are married, expressing her gratitude for being welcomed into the domain. Although not originally from Hyrule, it’s clear to see that Yona is honored to serve Zora’s Domain as their new queen.