What is Link's race?

[Mike Pothier]

The use of the word "human" in TP struck me as odd, and I think it might be an oversight on Nintendo's end. Link has pointed ears, which to me indicates he is Hylian, not human. I've always seen them as two different things. They are capable of interbreeding, but still two different races.

Then again, the Gorons might have seen Link's general appearance and thought "HUMAN!", not caring about specific details.

 

[DeletedUser9]

That instance of the Goron calling Link a human seems more like a mistake to me than anything else.

The term "human" hasn't ever been used in the Zelda series before that point...

 

[Onilink89]

That instance of the Goron calling Link a human seems more like a mistake to me than anything else.

The term "human" hasn't ever been used in the Zelda series before that point...

that was an example, there are more gorons in the game who used the word human.
But please, a mistake? I really don 't think so.

Yeah you are right, that till now the term "human" has never beem used before.
But i don 't think thats a good reason to think its a mistake.

I don 't know why you people keep thinking that a "hylian" is a race.
i mean come on, Hylian --> Hylia --> Hyrule. its a basic concept.

While I will grant that Sheikah and Hylians could possibly be the same species, I must say that it is fact that Gerudos are not.

They have specific traits unique to their species, specifically the fact that only one male is born every 100 years.

And there is no such thing as two races in the same species having different ears. Hylians are different than humans.

Yes the Sheikah are from Hyrule so that makes them Hylian. The Sheikah is a Tribe.

The Gerudo is not from Hyrule so they are not Hylian. But i really doubt that the are 2 different races, just because hylians have pointy ears. So i guess the whole "pointy ear thing" is just a trademark that you are from hyrule"

Its like comparing people from America with people from China. they look different because of their roots, but still they are both humans.

 

[DeletedUser9]

that was an example, there are more gorons in the game who used the word human.
But please, a mistake? I really don 't think so.

Yeah you are right, that till now the term "human" has never beem used before.
But i don 't think thats a good reason to think its a mistake.

I don 't know why you people keep thinking that a "hylian" is a race.
i mean come on, Hylian --> Hylia --> Hyrule. its a basic concept.



Yes the Sheikah are from Hyrule so that makes them Hylian. The Sheikah is a Tribe.

The Gerudo is not from Hyrule so they are not Hylian. But i really doubt that the are 2 different races, just because hylians have pointy ears. So i guess the whole "pointy ear thing" is just a trademark that you are from hyrule"

Its like comparing people from America with people from China. they look different because of their roots, but still they are both humans.

I consider it a mistake because it's utterly contrary and different from the rest of the games. But perhaps mistake is the wrong word... I think that whoever did it, did it intentionally, but I do think they screwed up. Remember, TP was NOT made by Miyamoto.

There are other examples in fiction of whole species being named after their native land. In the Narnia books, for example, the Telmarines (sp?) came from a land which they were named after, but they were the only humans in Narnia, at least during that time period.

Well, actually, the thing about the "tribe" term in Zelda... ALL the species are called "tribes." Including the Zoras, Gorons, and even the Rito and other species throughout the various games.

I know about racial differences on earth. But this isn't earth. First of all, if Sheikah (which are specified as a tribe) are the same species as Hylians, they aren't the same race. They have red eyes and if I'm not mistaken, white hair. Hylians don't.

And I really doubt the Gerudos can be of the same species, as they have utterly different breeding traits. Unlike Hylians, and well, every other species, Gerudos only give birth to a male every 100 years or so. For that to happen, they would have to be far more genetically different than it would be possible for them to be considered the same species, in my opinion.

 

[Onilink89]

I consider it a mistake because it's utterly contrary and different from the rest of the games. But perhaps mistake is the wrong word... I think that whoever did it, did it intentionally, but I do think they screwed up. Remember, TP was NOT made by Miyamoto.

There are other examples in fiction of whole species being named after their native land. In the Narnia books, for example, the Telmarines (sp?) came from a land which they were named after, but they were the only humans in Narnia, at least during that time period.

Well, actually, the thing about the "tribe" term in Zelda... ALL the species are called "tribes." Including the Zoras, Gorons, and even the Rito and other species throughout the various games.

I know about racial differences on earth. But this isn't earth. First of all, if Sheikah (which are specified as a tribe) are the same species as Hylians, they aren't the same race. They have red eyes and if I'm not mistaken, white hair. Hylians don't.

And I really doubt the Gerudos can be of the same species, as they have utterly different breeding traits. Unlike Hylians, and well, every other species, Gerudos only give birth to a male every 100 years or so. For that to happen, they would have to be far more genetically different than it would be possible for them to be considered the same species, in my opinion.

Well windwaker was also not made by miyamoto. and speaking about windwaker, are all the people with pointy ears there are also conciderd as hylians? what about the the people in MM, are they also hylian?
So you think nintendo did that intentionally, ok you can think it that way, but there is no proof about it. mistake or no mistake, for now there is proof that they are actually called "humans".
Also one other thing, its not like that the term "human" is only used in TP. in fact it is also used in TMC.

Sorry i never watched or read Narnia, but you are right we are not discussion earth right now, so i agree with you on that. I intended to use that as an example for people who has a certain trademark from its roots.

but putting that aside, you are really really really confusing me with your statements right now. u are also talking about "species" all of a sudden.

Well, actually, the thing about the "tribe" term in Zelda... ALL the species are called "tribes." Including the Zoras, Gorons, and even the Rito and other species throughout the various games.

in zelda or not in zelda, i think you get the wrong idea of the word "tribe"
For instance, the sheikah is called a tribe because a certain group in kakariko village served the royal family. the red eyes and the two earrings is a trademark of the "tribe" (as in culture, roots, formed group)

And I really doubt the Gerudos can be of the same species, as they have utterly different breeding traits. Unlike Hylians, and well, every other species, Gerudos only give birth to a male every 100 years or so. For that to happen, they would have to be far more genetically different than it would be possible for them to be considered the same species, in my opinion.

a male born in every 100 years, yes thats right, but whats the process?
you can think its genetically, but maybe there is a other process in that? maybe if a male is born before 100 years and there is still a garudo king, they kill it. or maybe the are forbidden to have sex before its time to give birth to a new gerudo king. you can think of so many other things about this process.

 

[DeletedUser9]

Well windwaker was also not made by miyamoto. and speaking about windwaker, are all the people with pointy ears there are also conciderd as hylians? what about the the people in MM, are they also hylian?
So you think nintendo did that intentionally, ok you can think it that way, but there is no proof about it. mistake or no mistake, for now there is proof that they are actually called "humans".
Also one other thing, its not like that the term "human" is only used in TP. in fact it is also used in TMC.

Sorry i never watched or read Narnia, but you are right we are not discussion earth right now, so i agree with you on that. I intended to use that as an example for people who has a certain trademark from its roots.

but putting that aside, you are really really really confusing me with your statements right now. u are also talking about "species" all of a sudden.

Miyamoto didn't make Wind Waker? As far I can remember, he did...

And yeah, I'm pretty sure that the people of the Great Sea and of Termina are also Hylians.

Ah, okay. I never played MC either. But keep in mind neither Minish Cap nor Twilight Princess were made by Miyamoto, so mistakes are easy (in fact, I consider Minish Cap utterly separate from the normal timeline.)

The difference between "races" and "species" is, for example... A human/hylian, and a Goron are obviously two different species. But an african person and a chinese person are two different races of the same species, which is human. So your theory is that Hylians, Sheikah and Gerudos are the same species, just different races. Mine is that they're different species altogether.

in zelda or not in zelda, i think you get the wrong idea of the word "tribe"
For instance, the sheikah is called a tribe because a certain group in kakariko village served the royal family. the red eyes and the two earrings is a trademark of the "tribe" (as in culture, roots, formed group)

The use of the word tribe that Zelda uses is likely "noun: a social division of (usually preliterate) people," which indicates they could be of any species. Within the Zelda games, they refer to Hylians, Sheikah, Gerudos, Gorons, Zoras, and pretty much every other group as a "tribe." You used it as though it implied they were of the same species. It doesn't, because Gorons and Zoras are also referred to as tribes. I believe this makes it possible that ALL the tribes are actually different species. It's not definite, but I think it does support the idea slightly.

a male born in every 100 years, yes thats right, but whats the process?
you can think its genetically, but maybe there is a other process in that? maybe if a male is born before 100 years and there is still a garudo king, they kill it. or maybe the are forbidden to have sex before its time to give birth to a new gerudo king. you can think of so many other things about this process.

I don't think they would kill the kid. This is Zelda; it's kid friendly.

And the idea of them not breeding until it's time to have another king wouldn't make sense, as it would kill the species. Biological clock. It's likely most of the females wouldn't have the ability to have kids anymore. And while it may be possible some would, after a few hundred years of that process, I consider it likely that it would wipe out the species.

 

[Mike Pothier]

Miyamoto didn't make Wind Waker? As far I can remember, he did...

Miyamoto produced it and had some creative input, but most of the credit for Zelda today (from Ocarina of Time onward) goes to Eiji Aonuma. He's sort of Miyamoto's protege.

 

[DeletedUser9]

Miyamoto produced it and had some creative input, but most of the credit for Zelda today (from Ocarina of Time onward) goes to Eiji Aonuma. He's sort of Miyamoto's protege.

Oh, alright. I didn't know that.

Did he do Twilight Princess, too?

 

[Onilink89]

Damn, you are really going deep in this arn 't you?
Anyway i will try to keep it short and will cool off of this topic for a while, because whatever reasons we give to eachother, its going nowhere because we have different ideas/vieuws about it. right now we are only repeating what we already said before.

Miyamoto didn't make Wind Waker? As far I can remember, he did...

And yeah, I'm pretty sure that the people of the Great Sea and of Termina are also Hylians.

Ah, okay. I never played MC either. But keep in mind neither Minish Cap nor Twilight Princess were made by Miyamoto, so mistakes are easy (in fact, I consider Minish Cap utterly separate from the normal timeline.)

Well Miyamoto was involved in WW but the man in charge was Eiji Aonuma.

And even if you didn 't play TMC, actually TMC does fit in the normal timeline. but thats a whole other topic. In fact, Miyamoto was in charge at TMC. the developers is Capcom, but Miyamoto did play a huge partk of making the game, this also includes the stroyline.

 

[DeletedUser9]

Damn, you are really going deep in this arn 't you?
Anyway i will try to keep it short and will cool off of this topic for a while, because whatever reasons we give to eachother, its going nowhere because we have different ideas/vieuws about it. right now we are only repeating what we already said before.

I generally agree. It's the kind of thing that can't be proven either way. And yet, I participate in the discussion. XD

Well Miyamoto was involved in WW but the man in charge was Eiji Aonuma.

And even if you didn 't play TMC, actually TMC does fit in the normal timeline. but thats a whole other topic. In fact, Miyamoto was in charge at TMC. the developers is Capcom, but Miyamoto did play a huge partk of making the game, this also includes the stroyline.

Oh, alright. I didn't know that either.

 

[MrMosley]

People its really not that hard of a thing to figure out, or a valid argument. Human does not mean "not Hylian", and Hylian does not mean "not human". Human is a species. Hylian is a race.

People from America=Americans
People from Africa=Africans
People from Canada=Canadians

That dosen't say they are not human, and the same rule applies here. A race and a species is not the same thing.

Which is why people from Hyrule are Hylian.

 

[DeletedUser9]

People its really not that hard of a thing to figure out, or a valid argument. Human does not mean "not Hylian", and Hylian does not mean "not human". Human is a species. Hylian is a race.

People from America=Americans
People from Africa=Africans
People from Canada=Canadians

That dosen't say they are not human, and the same rule applies here. A race and a species is not the same thing.

Which is why people from Hyrule are Hylian.

I agree, mostly.

The only thing is that I believe Hylians are not human, hence the debate. I don't even think Sheikah or Gerudos are the same species as Hylians.

 

[Mike Pothier]

Oh, alright. I didn't know that.

Did he do Twilight Princess, too?

Yup. He's doing the next one as well.

 

[Claire]

As we are aware, Link has given signs to be a human being (unless he is another species, although by what we know, this seems rather unlikely). We know that Link is a Hylian, and being Hylian does not mean he is no longer human. Those who originated in Hyrule, are called Hylians - just as those from Egypt are called Egyptians (similar to darklink_01 stated prior) - and this does not remove human quality.

 

[Midna666]

I'm sure the people at Nintendo put a lot of thought into what Link's race is.