Tears of the Kingdom Director Comments on Link & Princess Zelda’s Relationship Status
Posted on September 18 2023 by Kristen G. Rosario
One of the most substantive “will they? / won’t they?” relationships in video games has got to be between Link and Princess Zelda. There are games in the series where it seems obvious that the pair are romantically involved, while it’s not as apparent in others. A lot of the franchise has us rooting for them to be a couple, while some titles completely subvert those expectations and go in a different direction. What doesn’t help with all this, though, is that Zelda‘s developers seem to be pretty vague on the overall subject.
Said vagueness came to us in a recent interview between NPR, Tears of the Kingdom director Hidemaro Fujibayashi, and series producer Eiji Aonuma as they talked about the most recent Zelda title. During the interview, NPR asked Fujibayashi about the relationship between the two main protagonists, and how it has evolved after what transpired in Breath of the Wild.
Fujibayashi basically told the interviewer it’s up to the player to decide:
Zelda and Link seem to have had a loving relationship in the years between the events of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. How did you want to develop their dynamic in this sequel?
Fujibayashi: Link is still entrusted with the role of protecting Princess Zelda. Rather than having the developers explain the relationships between the characters, I think it is best for people to play the game for themselves and use their imaginations.
Fujibayashi doesn’t really offer anything to fans who want our heroes to be more than just friends, but at least he believes there will always be a bond between Link and Princess Zelda. His response, in fact, parallels similar statements made by Princess Zelda’s voice actress Patricia Summersett on the subject.
In my personal opinion, when it at least comes to the relationship between Tears of the Kingdom‘s Link and Zelda, there is definitely something there. While the princess was not exactly a fan of her knight before the events of Breath of the Wild, Link’s unrelenting heroism slowly warmed Zelda up to the possibility of there being something more between the two. That bond can be clearly seen throughout the events of Tears of the Kingdom.
What do you think of Fujibayashi’s response? Do you believe there is something there between Princess Zelda and Link in Tears of the Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: NPR
Kristen G. Rosario is an Editor who joined Zelda Dungeon back in September of 2015. His current goal is to become a full-time video game journalist, hoping to eventually gain a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. While he pursues that dream, he not only takes care of his adorable dachshund Angel, but also helps run a YouTube channel with his brother. The Zelda series is a quest he hasn’t fully completed yet, but hopes to get there one day.
