Daily Debate: What Gym Class Activity Would Each Zelda Character Most Look Forward To?
Posted on August 26 2022 by Alexis S. Anderson
Gym class can be either a highly anticipated break from the monotony of the traditional classroom or dreaded forced exertion. Either way, everyone probably has a favorite gym activity. From dodgeball to yoga or football to badminton, there are a litany of possible games and recreations up for grabs on any given gym day. Which one would have each Zelda character going “Yes!” when the gym teacher makes the reveal?
Link – Archery
First up, Link. We know he loves to fish and play instruments, but the natural choice for his favorite gym class passtime is archery. It may depend on the school whether that is even an option for a gym unit, but I went to a pretty middle-of-the-road high school and we did archery once or twice so let’s assume Link would. He is obviously skilled with a bow, so he’d likely relish the chance to both show off his skills and spend more time engaging in an activity he likes. There is some question as to whether Link actually likes archery or if it is just a necessary skill for his divine-responsibilities. But I think we all know what his second favorite would be: sumo wrestling (assuming schools somewhere in the world run it in gym class).
Impa – Yoga
I continue to fall into the trap of assigning to characters the activity that best reflects what they did in their duty to the Goddesses, but I believe Impa would love the yoga gym session. She is a very level-headed and somewhat reclusive individual who I have a hard time expecting to play well with others. And we know she can find her center and meditate with the best of them (so well that she slows the aging process). Given that, she would relish the chance to do a solo gym activity in which everyone was quiet and behaved, rather than running around like maniacs competing against each other.
Ganondorf – Capture the Flag
I wasn’t sure on this one. My mind initially said football, I think just because he would potentially get to act aggressively, but in school it would probably be two-hand-touch or flag football. With that said, I vote capture the flag. It is essentially what he does every minute of his waking life– strategize how to steal a power while protecting his own, and (try to) take absolute control of it. Arguably, capture the flag may be an upsetting reminder of his many failures, but in the average gym class there is a good chance he would be good at it and have teammates who were more capable than many of his minions.
Tingle – Scooter Racing
Tingle is an agent of chaos whether he knows it or not, and for those of us who grew up occasionally shuffling around gymnasium floors on little bright colored scooters we were likewise chaotic. These things could really fly if you got them going right or were given a push, but hooooo-boy did it hurt when (not if) you ran over your fingers. Tingle would LOVE any scooter game the gym teachers might throw at him, but I note racing specifically because it will enable him to act absolutely unhinged in a mad-dash to the finish, which is exactly his style.
Zelda – Physical Fitness Tests
Now, Zelda would also likely love the gym archery unit, but judging by what a brainiac she is I am willing to bet there is something she finds charming (or infuriating in an intellectually complex way) about the Presidential Fitness Test. For those who aren’t familiar, this was a series of physical assessments students in the U.S. had to do so the government could get a baseline of the fitness of its K-12 students. It included pull-ups, sit-ups, a mile run, the sit-and-reach, and more. Then students could compare their scores with the national averages and try to get scores that were considered “Presidential.” It was an unwelcome part of the gym curriculum, but I think Zelda as an overachiever would look forward to proving her mettle while at the same time debating the merits of the program (or more likely giving a mini-lecture as to the problems with it) to her peers.
Midna – Dodgeball
Our Princess of Twilight has a mean streak in her if I’ve ever seen one, and it will make her a heck of a dodgeball player. She has power and poise, so she’ll be able to pelt opposing players while expertly dodging and catching their balls. There’s no doubt about it for me, Midna may be a princess, but in gym class she’s the dodgeball queen.
Do you agree with my choices? What would other Zelda characters enjoy the most in gym class? 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.
