Link (The Legend of Zelda)

File:Zelda2005-Link.jpg

Link, seen here in some Twilight Princess artwork, is a fierce fighter who stars in the Legend of Zelda games.

Link is the protagonist of Nintendo's Legend of Zelda video game series. Link was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, and first appeared in the 1987 game The Legend of Zelda. Introduced as a generic sword-fighting hero, the character was typical of fantasy-adventure games. However, later Legend of Zelda titles revealed significantly more details about him. The game's success—over 6.5 million copies sold worldwide^[1]—and that of its numerous sequels made Link one of Nintendo's best-known characters. Link is named for the "link" the player shares with the hero of each game^[2].

A peculiarity of the character is that there are several different incarnations of Link throughout the series, although they share a number of distinctive characteristics. The existence of multiple Links is made obvious on many occasions in the games; for example, the introduction sequences of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap refer to an ancient, legendary champion, identical in appearance to Link, and TWW directly mentions the "Hero of Time" as an historical entity. Because of this unique situation, Link may be referred to both singularly and plurally throughout this article. Miyamoto-san confirmed that there were multiple Links in late 2003, however, the exact chronology of the Legend of Zelda series is subject to debate among fans, and apart from a few fairly clear pairings (see Link's incarnations section) it is uncertain which of Link's incarnations appears in each of the games. Even "official" timelines tend to contradict previous "official" timelines. (See Legend of Zelda series for a discussion of the controversy surrounding the chronology of the games.)

Contents

1 Common attributes of all "Links" 1.1 Appearance 1.2 Abilities and weaponry 1.2.1 Swords and shields 1.2.2 Other weapons 1.2.3 Physical abilities 1.2.4 Magic 2 Relationships with other characters 2.1 Family 2.2 Companions and allies 3 Link's incarnations 3.1 The Legend of Zelda & The Adventure of Link 3.2 A Link to the Past & Link's Awakening 3.3 Ocarina of Time & Majora's Mask 3.4 Oracle Series 3.5 Four Swords 3.6 The Wind Waker 3.7 Four Swords Adventures 3.8 The Minish Cap 3.9 Twilight Princess 4 Link in other media - TV, comics, and more 5 Appearances in other games 5.1 CD-i 5.2 Super Smash Bros. series 5.3 Soul Calibur 2 5.4 Minor cameos 6 References

Common attributes of all "Links"

Link is a courageous boy or young man—it is unlikely that his age ever exceeds 19 years at any point in the series. In the Legend of Zelda (LoZ) games, he usually leaves his home and relatives at an early age to pursue his destiny and fight Ganon, his archenemy, or other servants of evil. In almost all LoZ games, (exceptions being Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) Link is a child or a young adolescent when he begins his quest. This is made clear through Link's body dimensions in the 3D games and by his lack of sexual awareness: when certain characters exhibit sexual behavior in parts of some games, Link is often taken aback, rather than tantalized.

Link's adventures mostly take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, although The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages are set in other locales (and so, to some extent, is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker—although all of these games at least mention Hyrule). Link is closely associated with the Triforce of Courage and thus with the goddess Farore and her color, green. Recovering the Triforce of Courage is a key part of some LoZ games like The Adventure of Link and The Wind Waker.

The Legend of Zelda titles give few hints at Link's personality; ellipses ("..." and variations thereof) are sometimes used to replace Link's speech and can be interpreted in various ways, but his actual words are almost never given. He speaks (or thinks) a few sentences in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and speaks his name in other games, but he is usually silent. Moreover, the top-down 2D view in many of the games is not well-suited to depict his facial expressions. However, a defining trait of his character seems to be his bravery, an attribute consistent with his role as the rightful bearer of the Triforce of Courage. In The Adventure of Link, it is explicitly stated that the quest for the Triforce of Courage is to be a trial for whomever seeks it. Despite his youth and the adversity that he must face, alone for the most part, Link rarely shows signs of fear or cowardice (although he sometimes expresses fear of allies for comic effect). Nintendo's Zelda.com Encyclopedia^[3] also uses "humble" to describe him.

Appearance

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Link sprites from several 2D Zelda games, demonstrating a range of appearances

Invariably, every Link wears a green tunic and a long, floppy green cap, at least for part of each adventure, (not counting the bonus "Second Quest" of TWW) although the shades of green vary. He also wears different clothes during parts of some Legend of Zelda games, most often color variations on his basic outfit. Link's Kokiri tunic in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask is of a somewhat darker tone than his tunic in The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap. This may be due to the radically different artistic styles of the aforementioned games: the first two had graphics and artwork aiming for a more realistic feel, whereas theThe Wind Waker used cel-shading to achieve a cartoonesque look, which The Minish Cap imitated.

Link's hair color changes throughout the series, ranging from brown in the first Legend of Zelda game, to pink in A Link to the Past, but recent Links have had blond hair. Shades range from a gingery color in Link's Awakening and strawberry blond in Ocarina of Time, to a light, lemony gold-blond in The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap. The new link in Twilight Princess has straw-colored, dirty blond hair.

Link has pointed ears resembling some conceptions of elves. These are apparently a distinctive trait of the Hylian race, (and their decendants) allowing them to hear messages from the gods.

Several games mention or show a Triforce mark on Link's left hand; the instruction booklet for The Adventure of Link reveals that this mark identifies him as the champion who will find the Triforce of Courage. There is also a segment in the clip shown in the beginning of Super Smash Bros. Melee showing three hands (Link's, Zelda's, and Ganondorf's) coming together, each bearing a brown Triforce symbol with one triangle glowing white, representing the three pieces. Most recently in a demo for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess at E3 2005, Link was shown as having a brown mark of a whole triforce on his hand; all three triangles were brown, however.

Abilities and weaponry

Swords and shields

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A few examples from Link's wide array of swords and shields

In all LoZ games, Link carries a shield, and a sword is his primary weapon. He usually acquires more powerful versions of both items at later stages of his quests. The most well-known sword the hero can use is the Master Sword. This sacred blade, forged centuries before any of the events recounted in the Zelda games, has become an important symbol for the series, appearing on many of the titles' cover art. It is also known as the "Sword of Evil's Bane", a fitting title given its ability to greatly damage evil creatures and repel evil magic. Link does not wield the Master Sword in the first two games: It is replaced by a "Magical Sword". Additionally, in the first two games the Holy Cross appears on his shield, as well as other places in the game (see picture).

Some of Link's other swords include the Wooden Sword, the White Sword, the Magical Sword, the Fighter's Sword, the Tempered Sword, the Golden or Gilded Sword, the Kokiri Sword, Biggoron's Sword (a massive, two-handed sword), the Razor Sword, the Great Fairy's Sword (also two-handed), the Noble Sword, and the Four Sword (sword that allows Link to replicate himself up to three times).

Other shields usually include something larger and stronger than his original shield, such as a metal or magical shield to improve on a small wooden original. The ultimate shield is often the Mirror Shield, highly resistant to attacks and capable of reflecting light, lasers, and even some spells back at their source or another target.

It is unclear when most of Link's incarnations developed their swordfighting or weaponry skills; it appears that they are naturally gifted with great dexterity, which would be consistent with Link's role as a warrior chosen to hold or retrieve the Triforce of Courage and stop the evil that threatens an innocent person/people/land. In some games, however, he is taught special techniques by instructors he encounters on his way (The Adventure of Link, Majora's Mask, The Minish Cap, The Wind Waker) or can practice on dummies.

Link is left-handed (although this detail is never particularly stressed on in any of the games, save for a Nintendo Gallery figurine description in The Wind Waker, which states that Link favors his left hand) and wields his blade accordingly in the 3D games. However, in 2D Legend of Zelda titles, even Game Boy Advance games like The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, he can be seen alternately holding his weapon in the right or the left hand, depending on his orientation, due to sprite mirroring. (Nintendo's originally joking explanation for this is that he always keeps his shield pointed at Death Mountain, which in the 2D games that featured it was always North, towards the top of the screen.)

Sword techniques

Link's oldest special sword-fighting technique is the ability to shoot beams of energy from his sword—the exact nature of the beams remains obscure, though it has been referred to as "throwing his sword". This allows him to hit opponents from great distances, but often with less power than a direct strike. In most Zelda games, Link must have full health (measured by a meter with red, usually heart-shaped units which empty as he takes damage) to perform this move. In The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Link's first sword has the ability to shoot beams at full health. In subsequent 2D games, Link usually had to acquire a more powerful sword to perform the technique. Majora's Mask changed the technique slightly by requiring him to don the Fierce Deity's Mask, which then consumed magic to perform the beam technique. In The Minish Cap, the ability was taught to Link by one of the Blade Brothers, and he could also learn to perform the technique when he had just one heart.

Only two games in the Zelda series do not feature the sword beam technique, the first being Ocarina of Time, although it was intended to be implemented, as shown in a picture on Nintendo's official website during the development process. The Wind Waker also omits the sword beam.

Another of Link's signature moves is the spin attack, during which he executes a full 360° (or more) rotation with his sword drawn; this can damage several of his opponents at once and is usually more powerful than an ordinary strike. Although the visual representation of this attack varies throughout the series — performing a spin attack usually causes Link's sword to light up and other related visual effects — the technique itself is present in every Legend of Zelda game beginning with A Link to the Past. In The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap, after Link learns a special technique, he can charge power longer to spin for an extended period (rather than a single rotation) when he uses his spin attack. Sometimes known as the "Hurricane Blade", this technique was also present in the Game Boy Advance re-release of A Link to the Past, and it was usable in the Gamecube release of Soul Calibur 2, which featured Link as a playable character.

Occasionally, Link also possesses the "upthrust" and "downthrust" techniques, which are used to strike at enemies above or below Link while he is jumping. The downthrust move is also known as the "sword plant" technique, as it ends with Link planting the sword point down in either his adversary or the ground. These moves are found in The Adventure of Link, Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Soul Calibur 2. The downthrust is featured in The Wind Waker as a parry technique usable only against Magtail and Floor Master enemies, as well as in The Minish Cap, but as a move Link needs to learn from one of the Blade Brothers. Furthermore, preview videos for Twilight Princess have shown Link utilizing the sword plant move. The animation for the move in Twilight Princess is directly taken from the parry version in The Wind Waker.

Parrying, introduced in The Wind Waker, is a new technique for Link to perform; if the player hits the action button just before being hit by an enemy, Link will dodge the attack and counter it, either by rolling behind his opponents or jumping over them and slashing them from behind. The third parry, mentioned above, is the rare downthrust. Link learns this technique from the old warrior and fisherman, Orca, in his home village on Outset Island.

Other weapons

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The evolution of Link's four main repeated items from The Legend of Zelda to A Link to the Past to Ocarina of Time.

There are other weapons recurrent in Link's arsenal, most notably (and repeatedly) small Bombs and projectile weapons including Boomerangs, Bows, and the Hookshot.

Bombs

Link's bombs are small, blue, and have a short fuse. When they blow up, they can hurt enemies or destroy obstacles, or even bring down walls to reveal secret passages. Variants include Bomb Flowers, from which bombs are made, which explode shortly after Link picks them; Bombchu, mouse-shaped bombs which, once released, zoom along floors and walls searching for targets; and grey Remote Bombs which Link can detonate at will.

Boomerang

The boomerang, somewhat exotic for a sword and sorcery fantasy setting, is available to Link in all LoZ games except for The Adventure of Link and Majora's Mask. In Majora's Mask, however, Zora Link/Mikau is able to shoot his fins as if they were two boomerangs thrown simultaneously with each arm. The boomerang always returns to Link when thrown. It is most useful for stunning enemies, but can be used to kill some weak opponents and collect items or activate switches at a distance. In The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, Link's boomerang can hit multiple targets. According to Zelda.com^[4], Link is "one of the most accurate boomerang throwers Hyrule has ever seen". Occasionally, Link obtains a "Magical Boomerang" which flies farther and can sometimes be controlled after he throws it. In the upcoming LoZ game Twilight Princess, the "Gale Boomerang" creates whirlwinds which can carry items.

Bow & Arrows

Link's bow & arrows allow him to shoot at enemies from a safe distance. In addition to simple Wooden Arrows, Link can acquire more devastating rounds to foil the traps and dangers that await him. In The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past, he finds special Silver Arrows that are required to defeat Ganon, alluding to silver's role in mythology as a tool against evil magic and creatures. In Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and The Wind Waker, Link can use magic with this weapon, enchanting his arrows to become Fire and Ice arrows which burn(/melt) or freeze enemies and obstacles on contact. In these games and The Minish Cap, the Silver Arrow is replaced by the mystical and powerful Light Arrow. Link's bow & arrows are often essential in solving in-game puzzles and defeating very powerful bosses. For example, the final confrontation with Ganondorf in The Wind Waker involves extensive use of the bow.

Hookshot

The hookshot, introduced in A Link to the Past, is a weapon which fires and retracts a hook on a chain, using a spring-based mechanism. The hook can dig into certain surfaces, such as wood, and then pull Link to them. Alternatively, it can be used to retrieve items, break objects, or attack enemies. Variations on the hookshot include a longer-ranged version called the Longshot in the latter part of Ocarina of Time, and a simplified rope and Grappling Hook in the early stages of The Wind Waker.

Physical abilities

Link is generally physically fit, and in addition to his fighting skills he can perform certain actions on his own or using powers granted by non-weapon items.

In several 2D games Link can use the Pegasus Boots (or Pegasus Seeds) to give himself a speed boost and dash—allowing him to ram obstacles and enemies, and cross unstable terrain into which he would otherwise sink.

Link can generally jump down from ledges where they exist and are not blocked, but curiously he is limited in other jumping ability. In the 3D games, he jumps small gaps and steps automatically, but can not jump higher. In the 2D games, only The Adventure of Link has jumping as a default action, in other titles Link must use an item such as the Roc's Feather or Roc's Cape to jump.

Link can usually lift small bushes, clumps of grass, and sometimes small clay pots on his own. When aided by the Power Bracelet(s) or other magical bracelets, gloves, and gauntlets, he can lift and push much heavier objects which he would not normally be able to move.

The swimming abilities of the Links vary greatly, some cannot swim at all, some can remain afloat indefinitely. To reach his full swimming and diving potential, however, Link usually needs to obtain a magical aid such as Zora's Flippers, or an enchanted Zora scale.

Magic

Many Links are skilled with magic and, once taught, can use spells to protect, transform, defend, or otherwise enhance themselves, or to directly attack the enemy and cause other effects. In some games Link uses magic power to activate items such as Magic Wands, Rods, Staves, Canes, etc., although sometimes he does not have a Magic Meter and these work on their own.

• In LoZ Link can obtain a Magic Book to enhance the spell his Wand fires.
• In AoL, Link learns spells from wise men in several towns. These spells are an important key to success in one of Link's most challenging adventures.
• In OoT, certain Great Fairies will grant him magical powers including three powerful spells, gifts from the legendary Golden Goddesses.

Often, Link also plays songs on special instruments that magically affect his environment.

Relationships with other characters

Link is essentially a lone adventurer. Although Zelda games feature more interaction with friendly or neutral non-player characters (NPCs) than some adventure games, such as the Metroid series, these characters rarely take an active part in Link's quest. At best they provide him with hints, maps or useful items.

There are too many NPCs who help Link in some way throughout the series to name here. Nevertheless, some are particularly notable because they are related to Link, and therefore provide insight into his character and background, or because they directly accompany and assist Link in his quest, instead of passively offering advice or items. For more characters not covered here, see The Legend of Zelda series characters.

Family

• The first family of Link's known to gamers was an unnamed uncle who meets a grisly fate shortly after the beginning of A Link to the Past. Taking up his sword and shield, Link sets out to avenge him and complete his mission: rescuing Princess Zelda, and all of Hyrule, from Ganon. If Link is successful, his uncle is shown to have miraculously recovered (presumably part of Link's wish, as granted by the Triforce).
• Mentioned but not seen, the mother of Link from Ocarina of Time was mortally wounded fleeing the ravages of a fierce war with her baby. Desperate, she entrusted the child to the Great Deku Tree —who sensed the child's destiny— to live and grow as a Kokiri...
• Link's grandmother has struggled to raise her grandchildren in the unexplained absence of their parents. On his birthday at the beginning of The Wind Waker, she gives Link a lovingly made new outfit which resembles the legendary Hero's, the sign that he has come of age... She also makes him a most delicious and beneficial soup.
• The Wind Waker also introduces the first relative in the series to have a name, his sister. Aryll loans Link her prized telescope on his birthday, not realizing it will lead them both into an adventure where she will be kidnapped by a monstrous bird and held prisoner on a forsaken rock far to the North. After she is rescued, she continues to lend him moral support while he quests to stop the dark forces threatening to swallow the remains of humanity who eke out a living on the Great Sea.
• In The Minish Cap Link lives with his grandfather, Hyrule's Master Smith and a friend of the king. When Zelda is cursed by the evil mage Vaati, the Smith recommends sending Link to seek out the legendary Picori and beg their assistance.

Companions and allies

Princess Zelda

Main article: Princess Zelda

Zelda herself often aids Link in his quest to defeat evil. For example, in Ocarina of Time, she guides Link through his adventures and provides him with hints, sometimes disguised as Sheik. In The Wind Waker, as the pirate captain Tetra, she helps Link free his sister from Ganondorf's grasp. In both games, Zelda is by Link's side helping him during the final confrontation with the "King of Evil" (Ganon).

There is a popular theory among some fans of a romantic relationship between some of the Link or Zelda characters in the series. Although not yet definitely confirmed in the video game titles of the franchise, it is based on strong hints given in the games, interviews with the game creators, the cartoons, and comics/manga.

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Princess Zelda is suspected to be giving Link a kiss behind the curtain in the end sequence of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Fairies

Fairies are common in Legend of Zelda games. In all titles, Link can find small fairies which help him by replenishing several hearts before disappearing. In A Link to the Past, The Minish Cap and the 3D games, these can be captured in bottles and kept for later "use". Great Fairies are a somewhat rarer sight. In hidden fairy fountains, they fully heal Link, and may provide him with items, techniques, or spells useful to his quest, or upgrade his bomb bag, quiver, and wallet so he can carry more bombs, arrows, and rupees (the currency of Hyrule).

Ocarina of Time also introduced Navi as Link's fairy companion and guide, and the fairy Tatl accompanies Link in his journey through the world of Termina in Majora's Mask.

Epona

In some games, Link is able to ride on horseback. His steed, Epona, allows him to reach places much faster then he would on foot, and she can jump certain fences and gaps while galloping.

Link's incarnations

Below are synopses of the different Links' adventures.

The Legend of Zelda

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Link, carrying all of the many and varied items he acquires in The Legend of Zelda.

Main article: The Legend of Zelda

In this game, Link's character is not examined in detail. He is a young adventurer and, like any Link in the series, is controlled by the player. Described by the instruction booklet as a traveler who saved Princess Zelda's elderly nursemaid Impa from monsters, he is mostly a generic hero character attempting to rescue Zelda (and her kingdom, Hyrule) from the evil wizard Ganon, who has stolen the Triforce of Power. He begins the game as a green-clad elfin boy with a small shield but no weapon, and gradually gathers equipment and scattered shards of the Triforce of Wisdom until he is powerful enough to defeat Ganon and free the Princess.

The Adventure of Link

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Link in front of the sleeping Zelda's altar in North Castle.

Main article: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

(This is Link from The Legend of Zelda.)

As Link approaches his 16th birthday, Impa takes Link to North Castle in Hyrule, alarmed by the sudden appearance of a crest on the boy's left hand. She shows him the true heiress of Hyrule, the original (or at least a very old) Princess Zelda, trapped out of time in an eternal sleep, lying on an altar in the castle. The old woman also tells Link the Legend of Zelda, an ancient tale about the division of the Triforce and the curse that was put upon the princess. Long ago, the power of the Triforce had belonged to one man alone, a great king of Hyrule; however, when he died, the artifact was divided, and the heir of the throne could inherit only part of it. Before his death, the king had only told the prince's younger sister, Princess Zelda, where the missing parts of the Triforce could be found. As the princess would not give away her precious secret, the prince and one of his counselors, a magician, threatened her, but still the princess kept silent. In his anger, the magician put a curse on the princess so she would sleep forever, despite the objections of the prince, and died in exhaustion after casting the spell.

Impa then gives Link six crystals, and a scroll written in an ancient Hylian tongue, which Link understands despite having never learned it. He reads that the mark on his hand is the sign that he was chosen to seek the third Triforce, Courage, in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death. Link then begins a quest to place a crystal in each of six palaces in Hyrule, so that he can later penetrate unhindered into the magically protected Great Palace, claim the Triforce of Courage, reunite the three, and awaken Zelda from her slumber.

If Link dies in this game, the Game Over screen depicts the "Return of Gannon [sic]". It is implied that his followers will use the slain Link's blood in a ritual to accomplish this resurrection.

A Link to the Past

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Centuries before the events of A Link to the Past, Ganon and his army of evil were banished into the Golden Land, the realm of the Triforce, by the Hylians, at the price of countless lives. The portal to this world was magically blocked by seven sages, and the lands behind that seal, which Hylians hoped would never be broken again, became known as the Dark World, as they were corrupted by Ganon's malice. (These events are generally believed to be those recounted in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.)

One day, when the Imprisoning War is all but forgotten, the land is plagued by sudden disaster, until the wizard Agahnim appears at the court of the king of Hyrule and quells the upheaval. Named chief advisor to the throne, he soon seizes power from the king and kidnaps six maidens, descendants of the wise men who had sealed the entrance of the Dark World. The maidens are taken to the castle tower, and never seen again. Agahnim then begins a dark ritual to break the seal on the Dark World and unleash Ganon's fury upon Hyrule. Princess Zelda herself descends from the seventh sage, and manages to send out a telepathic call for help before being taken away. Link's uncle heads for the royal castle first, but he is quickly dispatched. He leaves Link his sword and with his last breath imparts the sword-spin technique. The young hero then begins a journey to collect three magical Pendants of Virtue, and claim the Master Sword as his before facing Agahnim. Link then enters the Dark World to rescue the seven maidens trapped in their crystal prisons, and eventually slay Ganon himself. After this he is told by the entity known as the "Essence of the Triforce" that it will grant him any wish when he touches it. Link uses his wish to restore peace and prosperity to the land of Hyrule, and returns the Master Sword to its pedestal.

Link's Awakening

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Screen shot of opening scene from the DX version of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

After defeating Ganon, Link decides to travel the world, so he might be prepared if a threat like Ganon ever comes to Hyrule again. Returning to Hyrule, Link's ship is caught in a storm and wrecked. He washes up on the shore of a mysterious island called Koholint. A girl named Marin, who strongly resembles Zelda, finds Link lying unconscious on the beach and brings him to her home. When he wakes, the young hero returns to the beach to retrieve his equipment. There he meets a strange talking owl who tells him that the only way he can escape Koholint is by awakening the "Wind Fish", a giant creature slumbering in a colossal egg in the center of the island. To do so, Link must collect eight legendary Sirens' Instruments and play the Ballad of the Wind Fish. Link later discovers that the entire island of Koholint and its people were dreamed into existence by the Wind Fish itself. Before the end of his journey inside the Wind Fish's egg, Link must fight the "Nightmares", evil spirits which the owl says have recently started disturbing the dream realm's quietness.

Link's Awakening has a mysterious and somewhat confusing plot and an atmosphere that is sometimes compared to Alice in Wonderland. The ending is purportedly equivocal, as it remains unclear how Link entered the Wind Fish's dream, or whether Link himself dreamed the entire adventure. In the short ending sequence however, Link awakens and sees the Wind Fish flying above him. This ambiguity is well illustrated by the Wind Fish's last words before Link plays the Song of Awakening, at the end of the game: "[…] Come Link… Let us awaken… Let us awaken… Together!". This is considered to be reminiscent of the Red King in Through the Looking-Glass.

Ocarina of Time

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Link playing the legendary Ocarina of Time

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

In Ocarina of Time, 10-year-old Link has been raised as one of the Kokiri, the "children of the forest" (who later are thought to have become the Koroks in The Wind Waker). Always considered an outsider by Mido, the leader of the Kokiri (due to the fact that, unlike other Kokiri, Link did not have a fairy companion) Link became very good friends with Saria, the object of Mido's affection. Link's life changes one day when the Great Deku Tree sends a fairy, Navi, with instructions to bring Link immediately.

After bypassing a distraught Mido, Link battles a curse put on the Tree by Ganondorf, an evil Gerudo thief from the desert. Dying, the Deku Tree directs Link to Hyrule Castle, where he encounters Princess Zelda. She sends him on a mission to collect three Spiritual Stones and save Hyrule. Once Link obtains the stones, he travels to the Temple of Time and opens the Door of Time with the Stones and the Ocarina of Time. He then draws the Master Sword from its stone pedestal. This action imprisons Link in the Temple of Light for seven years, while Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule and seizes the Triforce, a legendary artifact hidden in the Sacred Realm by the three goddesses, holding unimaginable magical power.

Seven years after drawing the sword from the pedestal, Link is awakened as the Hero of Time by Rauru, Sage of Light. Link finds that seven years have passed, and he has grown up. He sets off on a quest to cleanse the land of Ganondorf's evil. Returning to the Kokiri Forest, he finds that none of his friends have grown up, and most now don't recognize him! Finally he meets the Deku Sprout (the Great Deku Tree's successor), who reveals the hidden story of his past.

The reason Link has grown, while his Kokiri friends have not, is that he is actually a Hylian, orphaned in the Hyrulean Wars. When Link was a baby, his mother fled with him to Kokiri Forest, and, mortally wounded, left him under the Deku Tree's protection. He was brought up as one of the Kokiri, and knew no differently. Now, Link must rescue the other five sages from their temples so they can awaken to their powers and lock Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm. After Link gathers the sages in the Temple of Light, the final Sage, Zelda, reveals herself and is captured by Ganondorf—who could only hold the Triforce of Power, and now seeks to recover Wisdom and Courage by sacrificing Link and Zelda. Fighting through Ganondorf's castle, Link confronts and seemingly defeats the tyrant. But the King of Evil reveals the true blackness in his heart, and, using the Triforce of Power, transforms into the monstrous Ganon. After Link triumphs over Ganon, Princess Zelda uses the power of the Ocarina of Time to return Link to the past and allow him to live out the seven years of his youth taken from him while he was sealed away by the Master Sword.

Majora's Mask

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

(This is the same Link who returned to his youth in Ocarina of Time.)

After defeating Ganondorf and being sent back in time to his childhood, Link leaves Hyrule to search for a lost friend (declared by the official manga to be his old fairy companion, Navi, which is a reasonable assumption in the game as well). While riding deep in the Lost Woods, he is ambushed by a Skull Kid who is possessed by an evil artifact, Majora's Mask, and his horse, Epona, is stolen. Chasing the Skull Kid, Link falls into a crevasse and arrives in an alternate reality, in a country called Termina. He must save this land from the evil of Majora's Mask, which has drawn the moon into a decaying orbit, causing it to crash into Termina's capital city in just three days. Link uses his trusty Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time, which sends him back in time when he plays it, to relive those precious three days again and again in order to prevent the disaster. Along the way Link finds many magical masks of his own, a handful of which allow him to transform. Those masks can turn him into a rock-like Goron; a petite, plant-like Deku Scrub; a graceful aquatic Zora; or the all-powerful Fierce Deity, making Link as powerful as Majora's Mask.

In this game, Link never grows up in the traditional sense, but the dark power of the Fierce Deity's Mask allows Link to assume a powerful adult form, "Fierce Deity Link", also known by some fans as "Oni-Link".

Oracle Series

These two games tell different stories about the same Link, within the framework of a larger story, which comes into play when the gamer starts the second game with a special password from the first. (The games can be played in either order, and certain characters and events from the first will carry over.)

Oracle of Seasons

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Link at the beginning of his journey through the land of Labrynna, in Oracle of Ages.

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

The Triforce sends Link on a mission to another land, Holodrum, to stop the disruption of the seasons by the General of Darkness, Onox. While there, it is his duty to protect the Oracle of Seasons, a dancer named Din. After Onox takes her by force and the seasons are thrown into chaos, Link sets out to rescue her with the aid of the Rod of Seasons (a magical staff which allows Link to control the four seasons).

Oracle of Ages

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

Link awakens one day in another land, Labrynna, where he has been sent by the magic of the Triforce. Upon his arrival he is tricked by Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, into opening the seal protecting the Oracle of Ages, a singer named Nayru. Veran, possessing Nayru's body and time-traveling powers, goes back in time to change the past and command the present. Link rushes to follow them to the past and save Nayru using the power of the Harp of Ages, which, when played correctly, grants its user the ability to move back and forth through time. After exorcising Veran's spirit from Nayru's body, Link ascends her citadel to defeat the Spectre of Sorrow.

In the manga, Link traveled to Labrynna after the events of OoS manga.

Linked Ending

Even though Link has restored peace to Holodrum and Labrynna, Onox's efforts have yielded the Flame of Destruction; Veran's, the Flame of Sorrow. Twinrova plans to use these flames to sacrifice Zelda and revive Ganon! Link must first defeat Twinrova and save the kidnapped Zelda, then take down the crazed, bestial Ganon produced by the botched attempt.

Four Swords

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

For the first multiplayer Zelda game, Nintendo didn't want to introduce new characters and have gamers arguing over who gets to be Link—so everyone gets to be Link.
In the beginning of the game, a Zelda (who is probably not Zelda from any of the other games) goes to the Sanctuary of the Four Sword with her friend Link, to check on the seal containing the Wind Mage, Vaati. The seal has weakened, however, and Vaati emerges and kidnaps Zelda. Drawing the Four Sword from the pedastal where it had imprisoned Vaati, Link gets a splitting headache and passes out, awakening to find that the magical Four Sword has divided him into 2-4 identical Links (depending on the number of players). Identical except for their fashion sense. The first Link wears his traditional green outfit; the second, a red version; the third, blue; and the fourth purple. (In The Minish Cap, it is revealed that these colors reflect the four elements with which the sword is imbued.) The Links must cooperate to overcome obstacles, collect keys, and storm Vaati's Palace so they can rescue Zelda and seal the mage away again.

The Wind Waker

File:Linkwaker.jpg

Link as he appears in The Wind Waker.

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Save differences in hair color and tights, he looks very much like the Link from the first Zelda game.

Hundreds of years after Ocarina of Time, the Goddesses have flooded Hyrule. A new country has been formed, encompassing the islands of the Great Sea, islands that were once the highest mountaintops of Hyrule. The kingdom of old, lying dormant under the sea, is now a half-forgotten dream, barely surviving in ancient scrolls and dusty memories. But in one village, the legend of the hero lives on...

In the beginning of the game, Link's younger sister Aryll is captured by the Helmaroc King (a giant masked bird), mistaken for someone else with golden hair and pointy ears. In order to save his sister, Link travels to all corners of the Great Sea to retrieve his sister and defeat the shadowy power in control of the bird. He finds his quest intertwines with another, and Link becomes, after many trials, the "Hero of Winds". Using the Wind Waker, a magical conductor's baton, he borrows the power of the gods to aid him in his quest. The wand's user interface is similar to that used for the Ocarina of Time, but adds tempo as well as pitch to form tunes.

It is widely discussed what relation this Link has to the Hero of Time, but since it is mentioned in the game that they are not directly connected, and Link's family shield is a variant on the Hylian shield used by Hero of Time and the Knights of Hyrule, it is reasonable to suggest that this Link is actually descended from such a Knight. Whether he is the hero reincarnated is not known for sure. He aids the pirate Tetra in finding her destiny as the Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. The true heir to the Hyrulean royal family also aids him in his quest to awaken two sages and seal the great evil sorcerer Ganondorf under the sea.

Four Swords Adventures

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

(This Link may be the Link from the original Four Swords.)

Worried about the seal on Vaati, Zelda goes with six other mystical maidens to check on the Sanctuary of the Four Sword, and Link accompanies her. But something goes horribly wrong, and a dark shadowy copy of Link attacks! Link is forced to draw the Four Sword to fight Shadow Link, but when he does, he once again develops a split personality, and Vaati escapes. The Four have to battle their way through the countryside, collecting Force Gems, breaking barriers, and freeing Maidens, until they can ascend the Tower of Winds to the Realm of the Heavens and face down Vaati in the Palace of Winds. Even then, it's not over. The Links must escort Zelda safely down through the collapsing Tower of Winds and confront the dark force behind Shadow Link and Vaati's return... Ganon! Following Ganon's defeat, the Four Sword is returned to its rightful resting place and the Four recombine into a single Link.

In the FSA manga, the four Links had very different personalities, which sometimes led to arguments. They gave each other nicknames to tell themselves apart: Green (the "main" Link), Red (the childish optimist), Blue (the tempermental fighter), and Vio (the dry-wit loner).

The Minish Cap

File:Linkminish.png

Link receiving the restored White Sword in The Minish Cap.

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

In The Minish Cap, Link is a young boy living with his grandfather, the Master Smith of Hyrule. Link is a childhood friend of Princess Zelda, and on the day of Hyrule's yearly fair to celebrate the coming of the Picori, they go to join in the festivities. A mysterious stranger, Vaati, shows up and wins the sword-fighting competition; each year the victor of this tournament has the honor of touching the sacred Picori Blade. This sword was gifted to the Hylians by the tiny Picori, it was used long ago by a legendary hero (probably a Link) to defeat the forces of darkness and seal them away in the Bound Chest. At the ceremony, Vaati reveals his true nature; he breaks the Picori Blade off at the hilt, releasing all the malevolent spirits that had been imprisoned inside the chest. Princess Zelda is protected from the spirits by a mysterious golden aura emanating from her forehead. Vaati then remembers that the female descendants of Hyrule have "the power of light" in their blood; knowing she could cause him trouble with this power, he turns her to stone before looking in the chest. He had been hoping to find the legendary Light Force, but instead it is completely empty. The king of Hyrule, desperate to save his daughter, sends the young Link on a mission to seek help from the Picori, who are believed to reveal themselves only to children. With the help of a mysterious creature called Ezlo, Link traverses Hyrule to find four magical crystal elements and infuse the reforged Picori Blade with their power so he can face the power-hungry Vaati. The reforged sword is known as the White Sword until Link powers it up with all four elements; it then becomes the Four Sword.

Twilight Princess

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

In the upcoming Twilight Princess, scheduled for release "in 2006, after the conclusion of this fiscal year (March 31)"^[5], Link is a young rancher leading a fairly normal life, until two of his friends are kidnapped by monsters. Link's rescue mission leads him into the Twilight Realm, a dark place that changes him into a wolf. When he is a wolf, a strange creature named Midna with an object attached to her head rides on his back. In his attempt to save a young boy, Link discovers an even greater evil that only he can stop.

Link in other media

Although information is only considered series canon if it comes from the games or instruction booklets (where there is conflict, the games themselves are the accepted source), or occasionally other Nintendo materials, there are a number of other officially licensed Zelda stories. It is interesting to note the inclusion of fairy companions for Link (Spryte and Epheremelda) in several creations which predate Ocarina of Time. While there is no way of knowing whether these inspired Navi (& Tatl), the aspect of the crush on Link present in these cases is evidently absent in the games.

The Legend of Zelda TV series

File:The Legend of Zelda cartoon logo.png

Main article: The Legend of Zelda (TV series)

Link was featured in a set of cartoons which aired from 1989-1990 as a part of DiC's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Based loosely on the first two games, the series presented Link as a rude, lovesick teenager, an image many find at odds with his silent persona from the video games. Constantly pursuing Zelda and pursued by the fairy princess Spryte, this Link was known to beg kisses from Zelda, and, famously, to burst out "Well excuuuuuse me, Princess!" when fed up with Zelda's attitude. Thirteen of these cartoons were produced before the cancellation of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. All thirteen episodes are scheduled to be released October 18, 2005 on a three disc deluxe DVD set.

A slightly altered version of this Link appeared in assorted episodes of Captain N: The Game Master.

The Legend of Zelda comic books by Valiant

Featuring characters and settings from the TV series, this fleetingly entertaining comic only ran for four issues. Additionally, a few stories were included in a larger, 2-issue "Nintendo Comics System" title, which also had Mario, Metroid, Punch-Out!!!, and Captain N. While largely forgotten and ignored, this is actually the source of some persistent fanon beliefs.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Graphic Novel

Created as a serial comic for Nintendo Power magazine by acclaimed manga author Shotaro Ishinomori, and later collected in graphic novel form, this told an alternate version of the events from ALttP. Though Link starts out a hapless, bumbling kid, caught up in something bigger than he ever imagined, he displays great courage and ultimately proves himself a determined and competent adventurer. Interestingly, he also has a fairy guide and companion, Epheremelda, long before this concept was introduced to the series. This telling portrays Link's parents as Knights of Hyrule, lost to the Dark World. It also includes an original character, Roam, a descendant of the Knights of Hyrule who fought in the Imprisoning War. (Roam bears a striking resemblance to 002 from Ishinomori's first successful creation, Cyborg 009.) At the end of the story, Zelda has become Queen, and Link is head of the Royal Guard and the Knights of Hyrule. This success is bittersweet, as their duties keep them apart, even though they were once so close, sharing an adventure and even coming together in dreams.

Stories from several Zelda games have also been converted to manga format in Japan. These official publications greatly expand parts of each game's backstory.

Appearances in other games

Link is present in a number of games outside of the Legend of Zelda series. While varying in their regard within the gaming community, none of these games contributes anything to the series which would be considered LoZ canon.

Link: The Faces of Evil

Link: The Faces of Evil, released in 1993 for Philips' CD-i system, is the only game not made for a Nintendo system in which Link is the protagonist. At the beginning of Faces of Evil, Link is visited by a wizard who tells him that Ganon and his servants have seized the peaceful island of Koridai and captured Zelda. After being informed that only he can defeat Ganon, Link travels to Koridai to find the magical artifact known as the Book of Koridai. Using the Book, he defeats Ganon and frees Zelda. Although it features Zelda characters, this game was not produced by Nintendo, with supervision from Nintendo, or even for a Nintendo system. It has earned disfavorable reviews, particularly from Zelda fans, who do not consider it part of the Zelda series.

There were two other Legend of Zelda games released for the CD-i; Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure. However, in both games Princess Zelda was the main protagonist, as in both games the plot involves Link's kidnapping.

Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee

File:Supersmahs.JPG

Link in the Opening of Super Smash Bros. Melee

Link (the adult version from OoT) is one of eight characters available at the beginning of Nintendo's 1999 fighting game, Super Smash Bros. No special information is disclosed about Link in this game. Link sports his traditional green Kokiri tunic (the player can also choose from a few alternate tunic colors inspired by Link's Ocarina of Time tunics, including the red Goron Tunic and blue Zora Tunic, and a purplish white color inspired by the effect of the Blue Ring from the original Legend of Zelda). He also has some of his usual arsenal from the Legend of Zelda series at his disposal, including bombs, his boomerang and a hookshot. Link is considered one of the strongest characters in the game.

Link is also one of the 14 playable characters available from the start in Super Smash Bros. Melee, the 2001 sequel to Super Smash Bros. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, he has his bow in addition to the equipment he brought with him to the original Super Smash Bros. While his swordplay is formidable, Link is at his best when utilizing all his tools and weapons in conjunction with his bladework, rather akin to his motif in the LoZ series. Link is one of the most versatile and flexible close range fighters in the game, but in both games he suffers from somewhat poor jumping ability, and he is fairly slow on the attack. In Melee, he is given the ability to use his hookshot to latch onto the ledge of the arena, giving him a slight edge should his jump not be enough. Despite this, Link still rates only as a mid-tier character.

Also playable in the game, as a secret unlockable character, is Young Link, the youthful Link from most of the games in the series. Modeled after the Majora's Mask version of the hero, Young Link is more agile but weaker than the older Link, and his hookshot has a shorter range. His Kokiri Sword and bombs also inflict less damage than adult Link's Master Sword and bombs. Young Link's quiver is stocked with fire arrows rather than traditional arrows. He also jumps considerably higher than adult Link. According to Young Link's trophy description, he is considered to be the "true" Link. It is known that Mr. Miyamoto originally thought of Link as an adolescent child adventurer, rather than a young man portrayed in OoT and TP. Young Link is considered a low-tier character.

Soul Calibur 2

In the GameCube version of Namco's Soul Calibur 2, the adult-style Link is a playable fighter. Not much is known about the story, but it is known that Link, after saving Hyrule from an evil wizard who was being controlled by a fragment of Soul Edge, went on a quest to destroy the evil sword. Quickly pulling the Master Sword out of its pedestal, he embarked on a secret journey, a journey which Zelda knew nothing about. He left Hyrule to destroy Soul Edge, so that the evil blade would not bring harm to Hyrule or anyone else ever again.

The GameCube version of Soul Calibur 2 is said to have been more popular than its PlayStation 2 and Xbox counterparts; many believe that this is due to Link's presence, since the GameCube is not the most popular current generation console among gamers. Link was also notable in this game for being the only character with true projectile attacks (his trusty bow and arrow, boomerang, and bomb) - only Spawn, an Xbox exclusive character, could do the same. Link was also given a unique fighting style on par with any of the "regular" characters, and even had several moves from previous Legend of Zelda games, for instance, a dashing sword attack inspired by the A Link to the Past's Pegasus Boots, the upper and under cut jumping attacks from The Adventure of Link, and a backflip/jump sword attack nearly identical to attacks used in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. As in the Super Smash Bros. series, he had a total of four costumes, although they differed only in color (green, red, blue, and a very light blue), which as it happened was more than any other character had in any version of the game.

Minor cameos

File:Link Cameo Strip.png

Link also briefly appears (cameos) in the following Nintendo games:

• Tetris (NES) — appears after winning a B-type game of level at least 9 and height at least 1
• F-1 Race (GB)
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)
• Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest (SNES/GBA)
• Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (SNES)
• Donkey Konga 2 (EU/NA) (GCN)
• Mario Golf (N64)
• Picross NP Vol.5 (SFC)
• Animal Crossing (GCN)
• WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ (GBA)
• WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games (GCN)
• WarioWare: Twisted! (GBA)
• WarioWare: Touched! (NDS)
• Final Fantasy (GBA) - Link's name appears on a tombstone in Elfland. In the NES version, the tombstone is Erdrick's.
• In many Kirby games, when Kirby obtains the "sword" power-up, he also gains a green cap similar to Link's. This also occurs in the Super Smash Bros. games, when Kirby "absorbs" Link or Young Link.
• World of Warcraft - A gnome NPC named Linken makes an appearance in the MMORPG World of Warcraft. He is dressed similarly to Link and gives players quests that, once completed, give the player "Linken's Boomerang" and "Linken's Sword of Mastery". The player also receives a photograph of Linken standing with a female gnome that looks remarkably similar to Princess Zelda.

Trivia

• Link has won the GameFAQs Summer Contest, in which internet gamers vote on their favorite characters, twice. In 2002, the first Summer Contest, Link beat Mario in the final. In 2004, Link beat then-reigning champion Cloud Strife. In 2005, Link was removed from the regular Summer Contest but won the Tournament of Champions, which was a new contest for all of the previous GameFAQs Contest winners.

References

• ^ "Zelda sales charts and sequel announced. OptiGamersite. Retrieved Apr. 30, 2005.
• ^ According to a quote from Shigeru Miyamoto in a G4 TV show, "Icons".
• ^ Paragraph "Link", "Zelda Encyclopedia". Zelda.com. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005.
• ^ Paragraph "Boomerang", "Zelda Encyclopedia". Zelda.com. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005.
• ^ "Twilight Princess delayed until 2006 Retrieved Aug. 17, 2005.
• "ReyVGM" (pseudonym), (Jun. 26, 2004). http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/zelda_ending.txt - Ending FAQ list for the multiple Zelda games. GameFAQs. Retrieved Jan. 05-06, 2005. Note that linking directly to the source is against GameFAQs policy; copy and paste the URL into the address bar.

In addition to information taken from the Legend of Zelda games themselves, the instruction booklets of the US versions of the Zelda games were also used as references for this article. So were the official Nintendo Player's Guides by Nintendo Power.