Daily Debate: What Incarnation of Link Deserves a Continued Story?
Posted on December 16 2021 by Chakell Herbert
The Hero of Time’s story has stuck with me for years, often because of its lack of closure. Because he is the protagonist of my all time favorite Zelda game, Ocarina of Time, I have to admit I was both pleased and devastated when I saw his remains return in the form of the Hero’s Shade in Twilight Princess. Seeing him teach his skills to his descendent was a poignant and beautiful way to showcase one hero passing the torch to the next, which is something we don’t often see in the series. But his state as the Shade is haunting. His armor is unfamiliar, he’s missing an eye, he has the appearance of a Stalfos-like monster, and ultimately, it seems like he really did meet with a terrible fate in the end.
I want to know what happened!
Many of the Links throughout the series don’t have a complete ending to their story–it’s usually implied that they continue to travel and help those in need. Endings like the Hero of Winds setting sail at the end of the The Wind Waker or Link and Zelda smiling at each other in the epilogue of Skyward Sword showcase an overall feeling of peace and tranquility in the air, leading you to believe that while these heroes may have seen more adventures, they ultimately found joy and rest in the end.
But as for the Hero of Time? I don’t think he found peace at all. And that’s why his appearance as the Hero’s Shade is shocking and intriguing. And because of the role he played in taking down the literal first incarnation of Ganondorf in Hyrule, I believe he deserves either another game that depicts what happened after saving Termina in Majora’s Mask, or at least some sense of closure for his story. But until then, my thoughts will race as I try to wrap my mind around what possibly could have happened to such an iconic hero.
What about you? What incarnation of Link would you like to see again in another game?
Featured Image: suzumiyamisa
Chakell (pronounced shuh-kell) is an associate editor for Zelda Dungeon! She has loved The Legend of Zelda series since she was a little girl because of its equal mix of princesses, besting bad guys, and heartfelt stories. Chakell lives in the overall tame state of Utah, but holds onto her childhood hopes to find an adventure in her backyard one day. She has a degree in English and is a full-time editor for a magazine. You can usually find her gaming (obviously), laughing with her husband, taking a long time to tell stories because she keeps getting distracted; getting sucked into books and podcasts; or snuggling her cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
