New Fan Animation Depicts the Adorable, Wholesome Memories of Young Link and Zelda
Posted on April 12 2020 by John Piland
Initially robbed of his childhood, the Hero of Time returned to his own time to live it out after liberating Hyrule from Ganondorf’s rule. Sometime after returning and warning Zelda of Ganondorf’s impending attack, Link went off in search of his trusty companion, Navi, and found himself on yet another world-saving adventure. Little else is known about his youth between Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, leaving much of it up to the imagination.
YouTube animator RwanLink, who has produced a collection of Zelda animations, brings to life a take on Link’s experience in this new animation. This video, titled Children of the Sky, sees the late Hero of Time reflect on his past, remembering days of playing the day away with Zelda in a valley beneath Hyrule Castle. Seeing these two live their childhood, free of stress and worry is quite adorable.
RwanLink writes in the description that they took inspiration from the scene in Majora’s Mask in which Zelda tells Link she enjoyed their brief time together. The idea was that “maybe they could see each other during a few days running at the same spot in Hyrule to look at the sky and have fun like childs would do. But all this was a memory of the Hero Shade coming back to Hyrule.”
Short but sweet, this animation really moved me. Maybe it’s because I just finished a replay of Ocarina of Time, but I thought of all Link had experienced, as well as the rough life Zelda seemed to have as a princess. I was happy seeing them enjoy their lives the way children should. I initially felt a somber tone as the memory ended and Link walked off, though a second viewing with a greater awareness to “The Champions’ Ballad” shed a more positive light, as sequence invites more nostalgic reflection than somber yearning for old time.
What are your thoughts on the video? Did this have any kind of emotional impact on you or change how you see this Link and Zelda? How did the end leave you feeling? Let us know in the comments below!
John has been a Zelda fan for over 10 years now and is proud to say the series has had a major impact on his life (and wallet). After years of going to Zelda Dungeon for guides or the latest news on the series, John achieved their dream when they joined the writing team in 2019; John can hardly believe how long it’s been. A librarian, he loves meticulously arranging his library of Zelda games and collectibles. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Tears of the Kingdom, John looks forward to the future of the Zelda franchise with enthusiasm, whether that’s the upcoming movie, a new spin-off/remake, or the next big game.
