Daily Debate: What Should Link’s Newest Profession Be?

Throughout the Legend of Zelda series, we’ve seen our protagonist rise to heroism after first occupying (or apprenticing for) several different professions. In A Link to the Past, Link lives with his uncle, who is not clearly identified as belonging to one profession or another, though we can infer that he is a veteran soldier (given his ownership of both sword and shield). In the manga, he and Link are shown to be apple farmers. Given their proximity to the forest (just to their west), Link’s uncle could also be a woodman or hunter.

In The Minish Cap and A Link Between Worlds, Link is shown to be a blacksmith’s apprentice. While in Twilight Princess he is a goatherd and farm hand. In Spirit Tracks he is an apprentice engineer! And finally, in Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild, Link is in some stage of training to become a soldier or knight.

All of these are the professions of “the common folk” in Hyrule — further enhancing our connection to the character and ability to project ourselves upon him while playing. Most of us probably feel “lost in the crowd” in life, and fantasizing about the idea of rising to heroic status is a favored pass-time. In many of the other games, Nintendo has simply shown Link to be nothing more than a common youth — running, playing, and dreaming of the outside world; just like we did.

So what other professions could the Zelda team use for Link – to better connect him to players? The various realms/worlds of the Legend of Zelda series could offer us many options: astronomer, banker, builder/bricklayer, baker, chef, circus performer, cartographer (map maker), woodsman/lumber jack, hunter, sailor, etc.

What “life before the adventure” would you like to see Link have? Comment below!