Daily Debate: If Zelda is the Lead in Breath of the Wild 2, What Role Might Link Play?
Posted on June 07 2020 by Alexis S. Anderson
Having only one teaser trailer to go on hasn’t stopped Zelda fans from endlessly speculating about the nature of Breath of the Wild’s much anticipated sequel. One intriguing concept is the possibility that Zelda will be playable, whether as a companion to Link or as the sole player-character. In the event that Zelda takes Link’s place as the lead in Breath of the Wild 2, what role do you think Link should play?
Since Zelda admits that her powers have dwindled at the end of Breath of the Wild, it’s possible this new game could be Zelda’s journey to rebuild her magical abilities in order to face the enemy unearthed in the sequel’s teaser. If something along those lines is the case and Zelda heads up this adventure, Link could easily be her companion tagging along to assist with combat; almost like Wolf Link does when his Amiibo is scanned in Breath of the Wild. That would be a strange role to see Link in.
For me, he would have to be otherwise engaged the way that Zelda has been in previous titles. This new evil entity could trap him somewhere or possess him– anything Ganon(dorf) has ever done to remove Zelda from the equation in the past. I think it would be disappointing to see just a reversal of the first game’s dynamic by having Link sacrifice himself to “hold off” the antagonist in some way, but that’s an option. Breath of the Wild broke from convention in a number of ways, so who’s to say what rules its sequel might break? Heck, Link could even be killed off right away. Maybe the point of the game would be to revive him.
Or perhaps somewhat similar to Zelda in Skyward Sword, Link could set out on his own journey simultaneous to Zelda’s. The two would then reunite at the final battle, or even see each other at some locations along the way. This might be difficult to achieve, though, particularly if the game lacks much linearity. But at least this way Link could also have an exciting adventure, as I shudder to think of him having to sit on the sidelines. And maybe a playable version of his arc could be offered as DLC!
What do you think Link’s role would be if Zelda were to head up Breath of the Wild 2? Is there any satisfying way for him to tag along as her companion or be pulled away from the fight? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Alexis S. Anderson is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon who joined the writing team in November, 2014. She has a JD from the UCLA School of Law and is pursuing a career in Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law. She grew up in the New Jersey suburbs with her parents, twin brother, and family shih-tzu.
