Link
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Link is the main protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. He is a young man who is around 17 years old. He was created for the original Legend of Zelda game, in 1986 by Shigeru Miyamoto. He has appeared in all canonical The Legend of Zelda games. He was introduced as a young sword-fighting boy, but, since The Adventure of Link he's been changing from game to game. Link is named for the “link” the player shares with the hero of each game. In every game, the player can name the character according to his or her wishes.
As already confirmed by Miyamoto, there are many different incarnations of Link. The games tend to call them Hero of Something (i.e. Ocarina of Time Link is called the Hero of Time), but many fans are used to number them, according to their own timeline theories(i.e. Ocarina of Time Link is generally called Link I by fans), which causes too much confusion, since each fan builds his own theory, and none of them are official.
Common attributes of all Links
In almost all the games (with the exception of The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past and Twilight Princess only), Link starts his journey as a child or young adolescent, and his age rarely exceeds 19 years at any point of the series. Though many people believe Link to be mute, he is not. His name is Link to signify the 'link' between the player and character. He does not speak, because this is putting words in the players mouth, thus breaking the link. In a sense, he says what the player wants to say, to some extent.
Link’s adventures mostly take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, which he had to save several times; although Link's Awakening, Majora’s Mask, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, The Wind Waker, and Phantom Hourglass are set in different locales. However, Hyrule is mentioned in all the games, and in The Wind Waker, the Great Sea is supposed to be the kingdom of Hyrule after a great disaster. In Majora’s Mask, the land of Termina is considered a different dimension of the land of Hyrule.
Link is, also, often associated with the Triforce of Courage and the goddess Farore.
Invariably, every Link wears a green tunic and a long, floppy green cap, at least for part of each adventure, 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. His hair color changes from game to game, but his hair style remains largely the same.
In all games, Link is a Hylian, and, due to that, appears as a young man with pointed ears. He generally has the Triforce mark on the back of his left-hand.
He is also left-handed as pointed by almost all games. In most of the 2D games, the player can choose in which hand he wants to use each weapon. In the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Link is right-handed because of the Wiimote. There is no option for left-handers, but in the GameCube version, Link will be a traditional leftie. They made Link right-handed in the Wii by mirroring the entire game. Contrary to what some people believe, Link is STILL left-handed, the whole world is simply mirrored (two proofs: the sun rises from west and the Triforce parts are mirrored)This is proved when you see all the artworks in the Wii version manual: all depict Link left-handed, as usual.
Link's Incarnations and Appearances
The Legend of Zelda
In the The Legend of Zelda that started it all, Link is a brave hero who decides to save Hyrule and Zelda from the clutches of the evil Ganon. In this game, he collects the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom and battles Ganon in the final battle of the game. After almost 20 years since its release, Link's original adventure still holds up and is the basis to all other Zelda games and storylines.
The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, which is a quite different game then the original, in that it featured side-scrolling gampeplay rather than the overhead view used in The Legend of Zelda, Link returns to again rescue a Princess Zelda(It is not the same one as in The Legend of Zelda) as he travels once more across the land of Hyrule to collect the pieces of the Triforce of Courage. At the same time, he also does battle with Ganon's minions who are in the process of trying to revive the evil king. (This hero is considered to be the same one from The Legend of Zelda)
A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Link is telepathically contacted to Zelda, who is imprisoned in the castle. After finding three pendants, he finds his way to the Lost Woods, where the Master Sword waits. Using the Master Sword, he travels from Hyrule to the Golden Realm, which had become a twisted, evil place with Ganon's touch. Awakening the seven descendants of the Sages {7 beautiful maidens} (Seven Wise Men), he uses their power to destroy Ganon.
Link's Awakening
In Link's Awakening, Link is on a sea voyage to test his skills. He comes across a deadly sea storm which leaves him stranded on a mysterious island where he must begin a quest to awaken the Wind Fish and defeat its nightmares. (This hero is considered to be the same one from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past)
Ocarina of Time
In what is considered to be the most epic game of the series, Ocarina of Time was the first game to bring Link into 3D. After unsuccessfully saving the life of the Great Deku Tree from a curse placed by Ganondorf, Link embarks on an adventure across time to find,first, the three Spiritual Stones,and after link becomes a adult, the six sages of Hyrule and banish Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm. Bringing many new elements into the series, this game marked the first time Link rode horseback and had a traveling companion in the form of his fairy, Navi.
Majora's Mask
In the direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Link departs to the Lost Woods looking for his companion, Navi. Finding his way into the alternate dimension of Termina, he takes on the task of saving the people of the world from total destruction at the hands of a falling moon. With such an apocalyptic aura, this game is Link's darkest journey yet. (This hero is the same one from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Oracle of Seasons
In Oracle of Seasons, Link is a young teenager, who was summoned by the Triforce to save the land of Holodrum. Like many other 2D Zelda games, he acquires different tools and weapons to complete his quest. However, this game is more action-oriented than puzzle-oriented.
Oracle of Ages
In Oracle of Ages, Link is also a young teenager, who was summoned by the Triforce to save the land of Labrynna. Like many other 2D Zelda games, he aquires different tools and weapons to complete his quest. However, this is more of a puzzle-oriented game, so the amount of puzzles and fights is more balanced than in OoS. (This hero is considered to be the same one from The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons)
Four Swords
In Four Swords, when Link takes the sword, he is divided into 4(Green, Blue, Red and Purple), and they need to rescue the hylian knights and the maidens from the power of the final boss, the powerful sorcerer Vaati.
The Wind Waker
Link, as seen in The Wind Waker, is a completely different Link when compared to the Links of the past with his newest and most different look yet in the series. In this game, what begins as a quest to sail across the sea to save his sister later turns into another fantastic quest to save the world from Ganondorf and his evil intentions.
Four Swords Adventures
This Link had to save Zelda and six other maidens who were captured by Shadow Link. When he followed Shadow Link down to the four sword sanctuary he pulled the four sword spliting him into four like in the other four swords but when he pulled the sword Vaati was released from the seal once again. After the Links saved Zelda and the maidens and got the four jewels from different heroes of Hyrule and defeated Vaati, Zelda and the Links fought against the dark lord Ganon and sealed both monsters away and restored peace to Hyrule.
The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap Link lives with his Grandpa and is good friends with Princess Zelda. He goes with her to the Picori Festival where Vaati attacks and turns her in to stone. Link meets an odd talking cap that resembles a bird, Ezlo, who can help him shrink to the size of the Minish. Link must infuse the four elements into the Picori Blade (the Four Sword). Once he has the Four Sword he can save Princess Zelda and seal Vaati away.
Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, Link is a teenager who has been raised as a wrangler outside of Hyrule territory in Ordon Village. His friend, Rusl, request that Link go in his place to deliver a sword he has made to the Hyrule Royal Family. Before Link can go on this journey, his village is attacked by King Bublin. Link is knocked unconscious and all the children are kidnapped. When Link awakens he wanders into a darkness and gets pulled into a twilight realm. Once in the twilight realm, rather than becoming an unaware spirit like everyone else, he transforms into a wolf. He is captured until an imp-creature Midna comes to his aid. She helps him escape and get back to the light realm. Link must journey to save the children of Ordon Village and eventually save the entire Land of Hyrule from the mysterious Twilight.
Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass takes place months after the end of the Wind Waker, with the Hero of Winds. Link is sailing along with Tetra, when their boat is shipwrecked, separating Link and Tetra. Link wakes on an Island by a fairy and they set on a journey to find Tetra. Not much is known about Link's journey in this game at this time. (this hero is the same one from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)
Other Appearances
Super Smash Bros.
Link was one of the eight playable characters available at the beginning of Super Smash Bros. in his adult form from Ocarina of Time. He sports his traditional green Kokiri tunic. (The player can also choose from two alternate tunic colors inspired by Link's Ocarina of Time tunics: the red Goron Tunic and blue Zora Tunic; a purplish-white tunic inspired by the effect of the Blue Ring from the original Legend of Zelda; and a black Gameshark Tunic representing Shadow Link.) 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 returns as 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. 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 Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask version of the hero, Young Link is more agile but weaker than the older Link.
On May 10, 2006, at an after-hours press conference during E³, Link became one of the first confirmed fighters in the Wii installment of the franchise, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Unlike the previous games of the series, Link appears as depicted in Twilight Princess, rather than Ocarina of Time.
Soul Calibur II
Link was a playable character in the GameCube version of Soul Calibur II. He appears in his adult incarnation from Ocarina of Time.
Not much is revealed about this incarnation of Link, but it is known that, after saving Hyrule from an evil wizard who was being controlled by a fragment of Soul Edge, he went on a quest to destroy the evil sword. Quickly pulling the Master Sword out of its pedestal, he set out to travel to this world to destroy Soul Edge, on a secret mission arranged by Princess Zelda. Miyamoto did not see a problem with Link appearing in what some had thought to be a "violent fighting game", since he had already been established as a fighter in the Super Smash Bros. games. The more realistic Link in this game was also used to help develop Link's Twilight Princess look, which may have been the reason why Link was allowed to be in Soul Calibur.
In Soul Calibur II, Link is the only character to use ranged weapons and the only guest character to have his own theme and more than three costumes (he starts with his traditional green Kokiri tunic and the red Goron Tunic; the blue Zora Tunic and purplish-white tunic are unlockable) His weapons are a number of weapons from the Zelda games.
In addition, Link's fighting style retains many of his signature moves from past games in the Zelda series, specifically with direct comparisons drawn from the Smash Bros. Melee iteration.
Other Links
- Link the young Goron
- See Link (Goron)
The son of Darunia, Link of the Gorons was born sometime during Link, the Hero of Time's seven year long sleep, and named after the hero who saved the Gorons by chasing off the Dodongos, who had taken possession of Dodongo's Cavern, the place that the Gorons used as their chief source of nourishment.
- Link the stuttering Goron
The poor Goron who ends every other word with "goro" loses his reserved room at the Stock Pot Inn when Anju mistakenly gives away his room key to Link the boy. He his forced to spend the night outside. The world is such a hard place goro...
- Dark Link
The shadow-like form who resides in the Water Temple and mirrors Link's sword movement and is solely a creation of Ganon.