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QuestcoreOptionalModerate

Tears of the Kingdom

An optional narrative journey in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom centered on the Dragon's Tears, geoglyph memories, secret stones, Zelda's past, and the history of Hyrule.

RoleOptional story-focused quest
Statusactive
Importancecore
  • Quest typeOptional narrative journey
  • Primary activityGeoglyph investigation
  • Dragon's Tears12Total identified in the supplied source material.
  • Combat focusLow
  • DifficultyModerate
  • Main rewardStory memories and historical context

Exact unlock conditions, completion time, and conventional item rewards are not established by the supplied source pack.

Key takeawaysSpoilers

Use this quest as a narrative investigation rather than a combat mission. The most important rewards are the memories and the story information they provide.

  • Investigate the geoglyphs Each geoglyph marks a location where Link can uncover a Dragon's Tear and view a memory. Search the figure itself rather than stopping at its outer shape, because the relevant tear-shaped mark is the point that advances the investigation.
  • Expect exploration, not a boss fight The quest's core loop is travel, terrain reading, and memory discovery. It does not have a documented single boss encounter or a conventional dungeon finale in the supplied material.
  • The memories explain the past The Dragon's Tears show Princess Zelda's time in the distant past and connect her story with the ancient Zonai, King Rauru, the Sages, and the secret stones.
  • Collect all 12 for the full account The supplied source identifies 12 Dragon's Tears. Completing the set reveals major information about Zelda's sacrifice and her transformation into the Light Dragon.

OverviewSpoilers

Tears of the Kingdom is an optional narrative journey built around the Dragon's Tears and the geoglyphs scattered across Hyrule.

The title has a dual meaning within the game. It names the adventure itself, but it also points to several tear-shaped objects that carry historical and narrative importance. The most direct focus of this quest is the Dragon's Tears: physical items connected to geoglyphs that allow Link to witness memories of Princess Zelda in the distant past. These discoveries turn a landscape-investigation activity into one of the game's clearest ways of reconstructing events that happened before Link's present-day journey.

The geoglyphs are spread across the landscapes of Hyrule, so progress is primarily based on exploration rather than combat. Link must locate the visible figure formed in the terrain, identify the tear-shaped mark within it, and investigate that point to reveal a memory. The memories gradually broaden the story, connecting Princess Zelda's circumstances to King Rauru, the ancient Zonai, the Sages, the secret stones, and the conflict with the Demon King, Ganondorf. Because the discoveries can be made away from the main path, the quest is especially useful for players who want narrative context before pursuing later story objectives.

There are 12 Dragon's Tears to collect according to the supplied source material. Taken together, they reveal the truth surrounding Zelda's sacrifice and her transformation into the Light Dragon, making this quest a major source of story spoilers even though it is optional. The journey does not function like a conventional dungeon with a single combat arena or a fixed boss; its central challenge is reading the terrain, reaching each geoglyph, and keeping track of the historical sequence revealed by the memories.

The quest also gives the title a wider thematic meaning through the secret stones. These powerful, tear-shaped objects amplify the special abilities of their wielders and are historically associated with King Rauru and the Sages. Link's investigation of the memories helps connect these stones and their users to the ancient Zonai past, while also clarifying how that history relates to the present conflict with Ganondorf. The result is a story investigation that rewards curiosity with context rather than with a conventional equipment drop.

Where this sits

Explore HyruleSearch the landscape for geoglyphs
Investigate a geoglyphFind its tear-shaped memory point
View a Dragon's TearWitness a memory from the distant past
Complete the collectionUncover all 12 Dragon's Tears
  1. 1Hyrule explorationexplorationThe quest is distributed across the open world rather than confined to one location.
  2. 2Geoglyph discoveryinvestigationVisible landscape figures provide the investigation targets.
  3. ●Memory viewingstoryDragon's Tears reveal scenes from Zelda's past.
  4. 4Historical reconstructionspoilerThe complete set clarifies the larger conflict and Zelda's fate.

The quest progresses through discoveries across Hyrule, with each memory adding another piece to the historical record.

Requirements

The quest is an exploration-led optional journey. The supplied material does not establish a precise prerequisite or a required sequence for beginning it.

  • RequiredAccess to HyruleYou need to be able to explore the landscapes of Hyrule, where the geoglyphs are located.
  • RequiredA way to investigate terrainThe practical requirement is reaching the tear-shaped mark within each geoglyph. The source pack does not specify a single required ability or item for every location.
  • RecommendedWillingness to accept story spoilersThe memories eventually reveal major information about Zelda, the Light Dragon, the ancient Zonai, and Ganondorf.
  • RecommendedOptional exploration timeBecause the targets are distributed across the world, completing the journey benefits from pausing the main story to investigate landmarks as they appear.

ObjectivesSpoilers

  1. Find the geoglyphs scattered across Hyrule.Use the figures in the landscape as the visible signs that a Dragon's Tear memory is nearby.
  2. Investigate the tear-shaped point within each geoglyph.The memory is tied to the specific tear-shaped item rather than merely discovering the surrounding figure.
  3. View the memories of Princess Zelda's time in the distant past.Each discovery adds another scene to the history Link is reconstructing.
  4. Collect all 12 Dragon's Tears.The complete set reveals the truth about Zelda's sacrifice and her transformation into the Light Dragon.
  5. Understand the connection between the ancient Zonai and the present conflict.The memories connect King Rauru, the Sages, the secret stones, and the Demon King, Ganondorf.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Locate a geoglyph

    Begin treating the geoglyphs as investigation sites

    When a large figure appears in the landscape, approach it as a quest location rather than as scenery. The important interaction is at the tear-shaped mark within the geoglyph, so circling the whole figure or examining only its edge can leave the memory undiscovered.

    Location: Landscapes of Hyrule

    TipA high viewpoint makes the complete figure easier to read and helps separate the geoglyph from ordinary terrain.

  2. 02

    Find the Dragon's Tear

    Reach the tear-shaped mark

    Travel across the terrain until you find the distinct tear-shaped point associated with the geoglyph. The route may involve ordinary traversal around slopes and elevation changes, but the source material does not establish one universal approach for every figure.

    Location: Within a geoglyph

    Watch outDo not assume that seeing the geoglyph completes the objective; the Dragon's Tear itself is the relevant discovery point.

  3. 03

    View a memory

    Investigate the Dragon's Tear

    Interact with the tear-shaped object to trigger the associated memory. Let the scene play before moving on if you want the historical sequence and character relationships to remain clear.

    Location: Dragon's Tear site

    Checkpoint
  4. 04

    Reconstruct the story

    Record the new historical information

    After each memory, note which part of the past it explains and how it relates to the ancient Zonai, the secret stones, King Rauru, or the Sages. This is useful because the discoveries are spread across the world and the quest is designed to be assembled from separate scenes.

    Location: After the memory sequence

    TipIf you are following the narrative closely, avoid skipping every memory and trying to interpret the complete plot only after the final discovery.

  5. 05

    Discover additional Dragon's Tears

    Repeat the search across Hyrule

    Continue locating geoglyphs and returning to their tear-shaped points. There is no need to turn the journey into a combat route: the central task is finding the landmarks and reaching the investigation spot safely.

    Location: Hyrule

    Checkpoint
  6. 06

    Collect all 12 Dragon's Tears

    Complete the set of 12 Dragon's Tears

    Continue until all 12 Dragon's Tears identified by the quest have been collected. The final discoveries contain major story information, so this stage should be approached as a spoiler-heavy narrative objective rather than a minor collectible sweep.

    Location: Geoglyph sites across Hyrule

  7. 07

    Understand the full revelation

    Use the completed memories to understand Zelda's fate

    Once the collection is complete, review the story revealed by the memories as a whole. The resulting account explains Zelda's sacrifice and her transformation into the Light Dragon, while also placing the secret stones and the ancient conflict in context.

    Location: Quest conclusion

    Watch outThis step contains major story spoilers for Princess Zelda and the Light Dragon.

Mission mechanics

Tears of the Kingdom uses the geoglyphs as environmental quest markers. Instead of presenting the player with a single enclosed objective area, the game places large figures across Hyrule's landscapes and asks the player to interpret them from ground level or from a distant vantage point. The actual progress point is the tear-shaped location associated with each figure.

The Dragon's Tears function as memory triggers. Investigating one changes the activity from ordinary exploration into a story scene about Princess Zelda's time in the distant past. The memories are therefore both collectibles and pieces of a larger narrative record; their value comes from what they reveal about history rather than from a combat statistic or equipment upgrade.

The quest's structure supports flexible exploration. Players can find the geoglyphs in an order that does not necessarily match the order in which the story would be easiest to understand, so keeping track of the scenes can help. The supplied source confirms the total of 12 Dragon's Tears but does not provide an authoritative route, map order, or exact recommended sequence.

The title's second layer concerns the secret stones. These tear-shaped objects amplify the special abilities of their wielders and link the memories to King Rauru, the Sages, the ancient Zonai, and the conflict with the Demon King, Ganondorf. This makes the quest valuable even when the player is primarily interested in lore rather than collection completion.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The quest makes Hyrule's landscape itself part of the investigation, giving distant landmarks a clear narrative purpose.
  • The Dragon's Tears provide substantial historical context without requiring every discovery to be a conventional combat encounter.
  • The optional structure lets players pursue the memories when they want more information about Zelda, the Zonai, and the secret stones.
  • The complete collection builds toward a meaningful explanation of Zelda's sacrifice and transformation.

Weaknesses

  • The geoglyphs are distributed across a large world, so players who want a tightly signposted mission may find the route indirect.
  • The discoveries can be encountered out of narrative order, which may make the historical sequence harder to follow.
  • The quest's central reward is story knowledge, so players seeking weapons, armor, or combat upgrades should not expect the same payoff as from a traditional dungeon.

Best uses

  • Pursue it when you want additional story context before advancing through major plot sections.
  • Use it as a world-exploration objective while traveling between other activities in Hyrule.
  • Treat the final discoveries as a dedicated spoiler-heavy story session rather than as background collectible pickups.

Completion checklistSpoilers

  • Identify the geoglyphs as quest locationsThe figures are scattered across Hyrule and can be investigated during normal exploration.
  • Find the tear-shaped point inside each geoglyphThe geoglyph alone is not the memory interaction.
  • View every available Dragon's Tear memoryEach memory contributes to the larger historical account.
  • Collect all 12 Dragon's TearsThis is the total stated in the supplied source material.
  • Follow the connections between Princess Zelda, King Rauru, and the SagesThese relationships are central to the historical revelations.
  • Understand the role of the secret stonesThe stones amplify the abilities of their wielders and connect the past to the present conflict.
  • Prepare for major spoilers about the Light DragonThe completed sequence reveals Zelda's sacrifice and transformation.Optional

CollectiblesSpoilers

  • 01
    Dragon's Tears

    Where: Geoglyphs scattered across the landscapes of Hyrule

    There are 12 total Dragon's Tears identified in the supplied source material. Each is a physical, tear-shaped item that allows Link to witness a memory of Princess Zelda's time in the distant past.

Failure conditions

  • Leave a geoglyph before investigating its Dragon's TearThe discovery does not count until the tear-shaped point is found and investigated.
  • Fail to reach a difficult section of terrainA failed traversal attempt delays the discovery but does not permanently invalidate the quest.
  • Miss a geoglyph during explorationThe quest can remain incomplete until the missing figure and its Dragon's Tear are located.

On failure

No permanent failure state is established in the supplied material. Because the quest is exploration-based, players can return to unresolved geoglyphs later; exact checkpoint behavior is not documented here.

Rewards and dropsSpoilers

  • Dragon's Tear memories
    Each discovery lets Link witness another memory of Princess Zelda's time in the distant past.
  • Historical context
    The sequence connects the ancient Zonai, King Rauru, the Sages, the secret stones, and the conflict with the Demon King, Ganondorf.
  • Truth about Zelda's fate
    Collecting all 12 reveals the truth about Zelda's sacrifice and her transformation into the Light Dragon.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

AftermathSpoilers

The memories change the meaning of the journey

Completing the Dragon's Tears sequence provides the clearest account of Zelda's sacrifice and transformation into the Light Dragon. It also reframes the secret stones and the ancient Zonai history as part of the same chain of events that leads into the conflict with the Demon King, Ganondorf.

Trivia

  • The phrase Tears of the Kingdom refers both to the game's title and to specific objects found in the game world.
  • Dragon's Tears are physical, tear-shaped items rather than only a metaphor for the story.
  • The geoglyphs transform large landscape drawings into memory locations that can be discovered during exploration.
  • The secret stones provide a second connection between the title's tear imagery and the history of the ancient Zonai.
  • The Dragon's Tears journey is optional, but it substantially enriches the player's understanding of the main narrative.

Sources

Relationships

quest content

  • Dragon's TearsCollectiblesThe quest centers on finding 12 Dragon's Tears at geoglyph locations.

characters