From 1986 to the present day, the Legend of Zelda has starred none other than Link, the Hylian youth destined to rise in times of peril, and purge the evil that plagues the land.
Garbed in a forest green tunic, a matching cap, sporting elven ears and wielding the Blade of Evil's bane, Link is an recognizable among gamers old and new. He is named for acting as the one "link" between the gamers and the adventures in which he appears. One of the biggest things to be known for Link is that he is not one character, but exists as multiple incarnations, spread throughout the several generations in the kingdom of Hyrule. Since the first game, there have been upwards of seven or eight individuals by the name of Link, each with their own journey, but with the same destiny to save the kingdom of the evil Ganondorf. With the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf is known and feared as the King of Evil, a nigh-Godly sorcerous tyrant. Vulnerable only to the sacred power of the Goddesses, it is Link keeper of the Triforce of Courage, who is chosen to vanquish him. For everytime Ganon rises, so too, will a new hero emerge.
As mentioned earlier, there are several Links. Most often, each Link has appeared in at least one or two games, usually in the direct sequel to its predecessor (i.e. the original Legend of Zelda, and Adventure of Link feature the same Link, as do Ocarina of Time and its direct sequel Majora's Mask). Some interpret each Link as a sort of reincarnation or ancestor of a previous Link as they all have the same general appearance which includes hair the ranges from blonde to brown, eyes most commonly blue in color, and skills in several arts.
Throughout the years, Link has met a number of different people and had visited several places inside and outside of Hyrule. Besides his archnemesis Ganondorf, Link is fatefully bound by she who is also blessed by the Gods, Princess Zelda. The third wielder of a piece of the Triforce, she is often brought into captivity by Ganondorf, and only Link, the chosen keeper of the Triforce of Courage can save her. Their relationship is often the subject of fan speculation, and ranges from a romantic bond, to even an unknown familial connection. To this day, Link has been acquainted to several girls considered potential love interests, who include, but are not limited to: Malon, the angel-faced red-head farmgirl of Lon Lon ranch (known for her singing), Marin a girl who resembles Princess Zelda and resides with her father on Koholint Island, Ilia, a childhood friend of Link who lives with him and the other villagers of Ordon, and Midna, a small, mysterious, sassy, charismatic, cuddly, all-around loveable imp-like creature who frees Link from captivity and accompanies him on his quest who, in secret is the Princess of the Twilight Realm.
Link's age is dependant on the incarnation, but he is most often a young boy of adolescent years, not far beyond eight to ten years old. Occasionally, there will be a Link of teenage years, such as the adult version of OOT Link, or the Link who appears in Twilight Princess. The oldest he is shown is around sixteen to eighteen years old.
Link's battle prowess is also quite formiddable for a person of his young age. Even in youth, he is proficient with the sword, able to fight the forces that come his way. His skill with the sword depends usually on which Link is the subject. In some, he is able to use basic swordsmanship, and other Links (particularly Twilight Princess Link) are able to perform several special techniques. One of the most common and notable skills of Link is known as the Spin Attack, where he gathers energy in his sword and unleashes it in a rotating slash. Link is also skilled in several other weapons, which include the bow and arrow, boomerangs, bombs, and more unique weapons such as magical staves (i.e, Cane of Byrna, Dominion Rod, etc), hammers, and chained weapons known as the Hookshot (as well as a variant known as the Clawshot).
Physically, he is also very competent. His strength is often quite impressive, and in some cases, can be enhanced to superhuman levels with the aid of items (such as the Power Bracelets, or the Silver/Golden Gautnlets). Link is also very agile, being able to perform quick leaps, rolls, somersaults and backflips with relative ease. As with his strength, Link also has items that can increase his agility such as Roc's Feather.
Link is also commonly a wielder of magic in some way or another. At times, he possesses powers granted to him by higher being, and others gain magical items such as arrows imbued with fire, ice, or light.
There are a few interesting notes about Link as a character. For one, he is left-handed in a majority of his games (save for a few tehcnical exceptions), as shown by how he wields the sword in his left hand and a shield in his right.
What;s possibly most unique about Link is his status as a character. He can be summed up as a "silent protagonist", one who says nothing throughout the entire adventure, save for a few grunts, laughs, etc. This has been but one of the many traditions in the series, but with each passing game, Link grows more and more personable and expressive as a character, making it that much easier to understand what is on his mind. He is generally seen as a humble, courageous, and sometimes naive young man, and grows into a hero as his journey comes full circle.
With each passing game, Link's iconic status in the gaming realm is strengthened by the fanbase (save for the bishie fangirls. F**k them ). Link is but one of many Nintendo characters that proves it doesn't take stubbles, mile-wide jawlines, cocky attitudes, or unrealistically large muscles to be a good character. For that, Link, and his Nintendo bretheren deserve nothing less than the utmost respect.
The following is a list of but a few adventures of only a fraction of the Links shwon in the series (taken directly from excerpts of Link's wiki at Zeldapedia.com).
Legend of Zelda
Link appears for the very first time in the first Zelda game. Here, he is a hero summoned by Impa, the Royal caretaker to save Princess Zelda from the evil Prince of Darkness, Ganon, who is seeking out the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom. Link finds the pieces before he does, and in the end, destroys Ganon with a Silver Arrow and saves Zelda, who was captured. Link's character and background is given little explanation in the game, and appears to be merely a generic fantasy hero during this incarnation.
A Link to the Past
Link is told by a man in the sanctuary that Agahnim, a wizard who has usurped the throne, is planning to break a seal made hundreds of years ago by the Seven Sages. The seal was placed to imprison a dark wizard named Ganon in the Dark World, which was once the Sacred Realm before Ganon invaded, obtained the legendary Triforce and used its power to turn the realm into a land of darkness. Agahnim intends to break the seal by sending the descendants of the Seven Sages who made the seal into the Dark World. The only thing that can defeat him is the Master Sword, a sword forged to combat evil. To prove that he is worthy to wield it, Link needs three magic Pendants of Virtue. After retrieving the pendants, Link takes them to the resting place of the Master Sword. After Link has drawn the sword from its pedestal, Zelda telepathically calls him to the Sanctuary, informing him that Hyrule Castle guards have arrived. Link arrives at the Sanctuary moments after the soldiers have vacated, where he learns from the dying man that Zelda has been taken to Hyrule Castle. Link goes to rescue her but arrives too late; Agahnim sends Zelda to the Dark World. Link then defeats Agahnim in battle but is subsequently also sent to the Dark World.
To save Hyrule, Link is required to rescue the Seven Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, from dungeons scattered across the Dark World. Once the seven maidens are freed, they use their power to break the barrier around Ganon's Tower, where Link faces Agahnim again. After Link battles Agahnim for a second time, Ganon rises up from Agahnim's body, turns into a bat, and flies away. Link chases him, finally confronting him inside the Pyramid of Power in the Dark World. After a battle resulting in Ganon's demise, Link touches the Triforce and restores Hyrule to how it was before Ganon intervened
Ocarina of Time
Link was born during the Hyrulean Civil War, and was left in the Kokiri Forest by his mother, so that he could avoid the violence. From that point onwards, he was raised by the Great Deku Tree. Though he was actually a Hylian, he was raised as a Kokiri, so that he would fit in with his peers. However, unlike the other Kokiri, he didn't have a fairy, and for that reason, he was ridiculed by some of the other Kokiri, Mido in particular. When Link is around the age of ten, Ganondorf places a curse on the Great Deku Tree, and the Great Deku Tree sends Link a fairy, called Navi. Link gets the Deku Shield and the Kokiri Sword, and defeats Queen Gohma, who was part of the curse. After that, the Great Deku Tree bestows Link the spiritual stone upon his death. Saria gives Link the Fairy Ocarina, with which he can play songs important to the gameplay. Link travels to Hyrule Castle, where he meets Zelda. Zelda tells Link about Ganondorf's malicious plans, and sends Link to find the other Spiritual stones.
Link retrieves the two remaining spiritual stones, and sets off for Hyrule Castle Town to place them in the Temple of Time. Before entering the town, Zelda gives him the Ocarina of Time while she is being chased by Ganondorf. Link returns the stones to the Temple of Time, and the Master Sword is revealed to him. However, after pulling the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link is frozen in time for seven years, since the sword did not consider him old enough to carry the title of the Hero of Time. During these seven years, Ganondorf takes over Hyrule. Upon awakening, Link is a young adult of about seventeen years. Rauru, the Sage of Light, informs him of Hyrule's takeover, and instructs him to find the other sages, Darunia, the Sage of Fire, Princess Ruto, the Sage of Water, Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit, Impa, the Sage of Shadow, and Saria, the Sage of Forest. Link gathers the remaining sages, and enters Ganon's Castle. He defeats Ganondorf, in both his Gerudo form and in his moblin-like Ganon form, and frees Hyrule. Zelda then sends Link back in time to before the events of the game occurred
Wind Waker
This Link lives on Outset Island in the Great Sea, which is Hyrule after being flooded by the Gods. He is celebrating his 12th birthday, which is customary on the island for receiving the Hero's Clothes to honor the Hero of Time legend. (Interesting to note is this has sparked rumors that the timelines may know of each other, as the Adult Link timeline would only know of The Hero of Time as an adult and not the age of the child.) Link ventures to the Forsaken Fortress to track down the Helmaroc King who abducted his sister, Aryll, with the help of Tetra the pirate. Link initially fails to rescue Aryll, then, Link is bossed around constantly, by the King of Red Lions, his grandmother, and Tetra and her pirates. Although the game inspires speculation about his possible relation to the Hero of Time (Namely, his family shield which was 'rumored to be used by the Hero himself', this theory is discouraged by the King of Red Lions, the King of Hyrule, who tells the sea spirit Jabun that 'He appears to have no connection to the ancient one.')
Twilight Princess
Link is a rancher in Ordon Village who is around 17 years old. He sports a Triforce shaped birthmark on his hand, physical evidence that he possesses the Triforce of Courage from his ancestor of Ocarina of Time, the Hero of Time. One day, Rusl, the town blacksmith, requests Link to be his proxy for a trip to Hyrule to deliver the Ordon Sword and Ordon Shield the Royal Family ordered. As he prepared to leave, King Bulblin kidnaps Ilia and Colin, Link's friends, along with other children, and draws Link into the Faron Province, blanketed with Twilight. The Twilight morphs Link into a wolf.
Link delivers Light back to the Faron Province, with the help of Midna, and awakens as the Chosen Hero, now donning Link's trademark green clothing. Link and Midna venture to collect the Fused Shadows, which can be used to defeat Zant, the king of the Twilight Realm who covered Hyrule in Twilight.
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Also worth noting is that Link is a man of many hobbies. Since Link's Awakening (the first Zelda on a portable console) several Links have had a talent for fishing. Link's skills in fishing are very commendable, capable of catching even the legendary Hylian Loach. Nevertheless, he isn't always against using a few tricks including the occasional use of the sinking lure, seen as cheating by hardcore fishers such as the Fishing Hole owner known as Hena.
Aside from fishing, several Links are experienced in musical instruments including the harp, most commonly the flute or more specifically the ocarina, and even with plants and grass. Link knows many songs, some of which even have mystical properties like the ability to turn night into day, control the wind, and even warp from one place to another.
Link is also a skilled horseback rider. He can tame his horse with but a single melody and is even capable of using his many weapons atop his horse. Link's trusty steed is named Epona, a light rown mare with white hair and a white tail. She is a fast-running horse and is capable of even death-defying leaps (such as leaping over the gap from the wrecked bridge leading into the Gerudo Fortress). Loyal to Link, she can be summoned by the tune known as Epona's song from even the other side of Hyrule.
Gender: Male Location: 1/9.7'rd Horseman of the Apocalypse
IT's amazing to me that one of the most deserving characters went so long without a respect thread, Link gets huge points for being one of the least pretentious heroes in gaming.
Green cap and tunic? Not exactly 'Stylin' but who needs tattooes, a rediculous jaw line or way too many freakin belts. :P He's freakin Link.
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The moon and stars aren't just shades of lead
But you wouldn't know as you rest your head.
I guess I will get some feats, starting with Twilight Princess Link's phenomenol strength.
Here, while fighting the boss of the Goron Mines, we see Link was able to trip the massive Goron by grabbing his shackles.
Now, a more impressive strength feat IMO was actually seen earlier, while fighting the massive Goron sub-boss. Goron's are pure, living rock, and this one is also wearing what appears to be steel battle armor as well, which would make this Goron as much as 30 tons, yet Link at about 50 seconds into the vid was able to grab and throw the Goron out of the arena.
Now, I personally don't like it, but this is another of Link's strength feats, actually able to match, and at times overpower Ganondorf in a sword lock, despite Ganon's much greater size.
Gender: Male Location: 1/9.7'rd Horseman of the Apocalypse
Let's not leave out feats by the other incarnations of Link.
OOT/MM Link
I'm aware this is a hacked guide, and you need the Golden Gauntlets, but this still counts =P Link cracks his knuckles, then lifts a massive stone pillar that I don't even want to guess at the weight of... and THROWS IT OVER HIS SHOULDER. (where it casually imbeds itself in a cliff face..)
Gender: Male Location: Everything you know is wrong.
This is no shit, people.
LINK FINALLY GETS HIS OWN MOVIE!
...and yes, he is weaing the green outfit.
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Chuck Norris learned his trademark move, along with his sense of duty and justice, from Jesus after watching Him roundhouse kick a money changer out of the temple.
Gender: Male Location: Everything you know is wrong.
Dang. Got my hopes up for nothing
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Chuck Norris learned his trademark move, along with his sense of duty and justice, from Jesus after watching Him roundhouse kick a money changer out of the temple.
LIIIIIIINK! This guy is seriously one of my heroes and certainly one of my most favourite game characters of all time. Ahhhh, those hours spent playing Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, Minish Cap, Link’s Awakening, et al. Damn, total respect to him. Total and utter.
KMC Community Forums
). Link is but one of many Nintendo characters that proves it doesn't take stubbles, mile-wide jawlines, cocky attitudes, or unrealistically large muscles to be a good character. For that, Link, and his Nintendo bretheren deserve nothing less than the utmost respect.
Dec 21st, 2008 12:26 AM
