Even though the Dark Interlopers only made an appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, there is a strong argument for bringing them back in a future game so that players can uncover the mystery surrounding them. Throughout the Zelda series, there have been various settings and civilizations encountered that are seldom revisited, such as the Picori from The Minish Cap or the Zonai from Tears of the Kingdom. The Twili from Twilight Princess, including their Interloper ancestors, added a darker layer to Zelda.
Twilight Princess has continued to be one of the most popular Zelda games, alongside titles like Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild. Fans have long hoped for a return to the Twilight Realm and its people, either in the form of a sequel or a spiritual successor. For instance, when Breath of the Wild included the Arbiter's Grounds, speculation emerged about Tears of the Kingdom being connected to Twilight Princess, indicating that fans still desired more, even a decade later. Therefore, with Zelda's acclaimed Era of the Wilds potentially over, it might be time for the Interlopers to make a comeback.
A Return to Twilight Princess is Long Overdue
Twilight Princess' Dark Interlopers Have Untapped Potential
Since its release, Twilight Princess has been one of the more unique Zelda games, thanks in part to its realistic visual design, gameplay gimmicks, and overall darker story. Although the Interlopers were not the first of Zelda's antagonists to attempt to control the Triforce, they stood out due to their Hylian origin and the dark or forbidden power they used. Having witnessed Midna wield the Fused Shadow during Twilight Princess, it's unsurprising that players want to see and learn more about this monstrous and omnipotent power, including the original sorcerers that had first mastered it.
Moreover, the contrast of light and dark throughout the various Zelda games has typically been presented as a binary, but The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess subverted this trope. While characters like Midna and Zant showcased the two sides of the Twili, the revelation that members of the Hylian race born of the goddess Hylia were the reason why the Twilight Realm even existed adds a refreshing angle to Zelda. The nightmarish cutscene that explains this to players makes the Interlopers one of Zelda's more unusual villains and potentially more interesting than even Ganondorf himself.
The Interlopers' Return Offers an Alternative to Tears of the Kingdom's Zonai
However, like most Zelda games that introduce something new to the broader canon, characters like the Interlopers, Midna, or the Twili were likely never intended to be anything more than exclusive additions to Twilight Princess. Yet their subsequent popularity among players could prompt Nintendo to see their return, similar to how Skyward Sword's Fi influence was felt in Tears of the Kingdom. In fact, with Tears of the Kingdom in mind, revisiting the Twili and their Interloper ancestry could be ideal, especially after early speculation during the game's development and now after the introduction of the Zonai to Zelda lore.
Rumors of Twilight Princess' connection to Tears of the Kingdom were not entirely baseless, and following Tears of the Kingdom, the similarities between the two races of Zonai and Twili have become evident. With a Tears of the Kingdom sequel highly unlikely, players still frustrated with the unresolved mystery of the Zonai might be satisfied with a new Zelda game featuring the Interlopers instead. Substituting one ancient enigmatic race for another would be advantageous for Nintendo, as it would help Zelda move on from Tears of the Kingdom while also capitalizing on long-standing calls for a return to Twilight Princess.