Daily Debate: Which Link is the Strongest?

There have been a lot of Links introduced to us over the past 35 years, each bringing a new look, new items, new skills, and a variety of adventures. But if you gathered them all in a sort of Hunger Games-esque arena… which one would win? Which incarnation of Link is the Link that would rule them all?

My opinion on this question has changed throughout the years, but I think it was finally set in stone after I played through Age of Calamity. The incarnation of Link that exists in both Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity is terrifying in the best way.

Sure, he’s not very tall, he is one of the only Links who was actually defeated by Ganon, and he goes full rag-doll mode when he’s hit too hard. But this Link is absolutely overpowered, especially when you consider that he doesn’t even have the Fierce Deity Mask or the Triforce or even a Hookshot to boost his powers.

Here is why I think he’s the strongest:

  • In the book The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild–Creating a Champion, this Link is noted to have defeated knights in swordplay at only 4 years old, and became worthy of the Master Sword when he was only, like, 12.
  • The same book also describes his last stand with Princess Zelda at Fort Hateno, illustrating just how big of a threat Calamity Ganon considered this Link to be. It points out the outrageous number of guardians that were sent after him and Zelda. And he took out so many of those Guardians on his own before he literally collapsed from exhaustion and succumbed to his injuries, all while still clutching his sword.
  • In Age of Calamity he is shown single-handedly fending off all four blight Ganons at once, and although he probably would have been killed if Zelda hadn’t activated her powers, he was giving them quite a run for their money considering their massive power combined against him.
  • There is a memory in Breath of the Wild where it shows five dead Lynels and all sorts of monsters scattered around the ground that Link has defeated, and all he has to show for it is a little cut on his arm.

And among other skills, he can slow down time when using his bow in midair, expertly wield a plethora of weapons, and parry Lynel attacks with his shield. I rest my case. I know there’s a timeline split between these games, but in my eyes it is the same Link.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that Breath of The Wild‘s Link would be the one to rule them all? If not, which is your champion? Let me know in the comments!

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