Daily Debate: Which Incarnation of Princess Zelda Was The Wisest?

Posted on December 29 2020 by Judy Calder

Princess Zelda, heir to the throne of Hyrule and keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom (typically). The namesake of our favorite series has made some important decisions for her kingdom, each with its own consequences, and it could be argued that some choices were smarter than others. It makes me wonder, which incarnation of Princess Zelda was the wisest?

Let’s look at Princess Zelda from Ocarina of Time. This incarnation made one of the most impactful decisions ever by splitting the timeline. She sent Link back to his childhood, which was extremely kind, but perhaps she should have considered the ramifications of dabbling in time-magic just a little more. After all, when Hyrule needed a savior in the Era Without a Hero, Link could not aid them. Because of this, Ganondorf was revived and Hyrule flooded.

Then there is Princess Zelda from Twilight Princess. She gave up her throne to protect the people of Hyrule, but to what end? Hyrule was still subject to the suffering caused by Zant and his Shadow Beasts. The world was being changed under the influence of Twilight and with Ganondorf in power, things could only get worse. Maybe, instead of acting the martyr, Zelda should have stood her ground and fought for her kingdom? Then again, perhaps she knew that her strength alone was not enough.

Lastly, we should consider Zelda from Skyward Sword. Although she isn’t a princess in this story, she is the reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia and the ancestor of all incarnations of Princess Zelda to come. The most momentous decision she made in this game was to remain in a deep sleep for thousands of years to keep Demise imprisoned within his seal. Of course, things do eventually come to a head when Link, having gathered the full Triforce, faces Demise at last. The question here is could Zelda have made a different choice that might have prevented the eventual Curse of Demise? Perhaps if she had planned things another way, the landscape of the Zelda series could be entirely different. Then again, maybe this was the best course of action, and the most important choice to be made for the land’s survival.

Of course, there are many other versions of Princess Zelda to consider when deciding which one made the best choices. So which incarnation of Princess Zelda do you think was wisest? Let us know in the comments below!