Link (Breath of the Wild)

From Zelda Dungeon Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Want an adless experience? Log in or Create an account.
This article is about the hero from Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Tears of the Kingdom. For other versions of the character, see Link.
Link
Link - TotK key art.png
Art of Link from Tears of the Kingdom

Title

Silent Knight

Race

Gender

Male

Games

Series

Location

Occurrence

Media

Gallery

Link is the hero of the Era of the Wilds, seen in Breath of the Wild, Age of Calamity and Tears of the Kingdom.

Breath of the Wild

"Born into a family of knights and chosen by the Master Sword, Link attracts the attention of others. Aware of how many people look up to him, Link understand that it is his responsibility to set a good example at all times. However, as a result, he has become unable to express himself openly, remaining silent and expressionless. He is honest, serious, and sometimes overly committed to his duties. After becoming Zelda's appointed knight, he accompanies her everywhere as she prepares herself for Calamity Ganon's return, even though she often asks him not to. Initially, she was wary of Link because he seemed inscrutable, but she came to trust him after he saved her from an attack by the Yiga Clan.
While the century-long Slumber of Restoration heals Link's wounds, it also robs him of his memories.
Link was pretty much emotionless as the chosen knight 100 years ago, but he awakes to a time where he is relatively unknown. Only a few people who were around then are still alive. Freed from the attention and expectations of the people and without any memory of the past, this era's Link is more expressive and lighthearted than the stoic knight he was before.
"

Creating a Champion, page 65
Link readying an arrow

Link, also known as the Hero of Hyrule, is the primary protagonist in Breath of the Wild.

One hundred years prior to the game's current events, Link was chosen by the Master Sword to become wielder of the sacred blade and the one who would defeat Calamity Ganon. At the same time, Link was made Princess Zelda's appointed knight, and most of Link's memories entail his journeys during this time as Princess Zelda's protector.

Link's skill as a knight came with ease, something that Princess Zelda was continually jealous of and angry about when looking at her own continued failures to discover the Goddess Hylia's power that rested within. At first, their relationship was tense, and Zelda assured Link that she did not need his protection. However, as Link continued to fearlessly protect her and with Calamity Ganon's imminent return, she began to open up to him and discovered that the two were not so different.

Upon Calamity Ganon's return, events rapidly took a turn to disaster as Ganon used its powers to take over Hyrule Castle, and to corrupt both the Guardians and the Divine Beasts. With nowhere left to run, Link and Zelda were left to fight on their own and survive in a world they could no longer combat. In an open field outside Hyrule, Link bravely stood against a Guardian with his last breath, continuing to defend Zelda and fulfill his role. While at this moment Zelda unlocked her true power after instead defending Link, the hero collapsed to the ground and died in Zelda's arms.

However, when all hope was lost, the Master Sword began to glow with a blue aura and a voice from within the sword spoke to Princess Zelda. The voice was Fi, who was still present within the blade after the events of Skyward Sword. Fi told Zelda that Link could still be saved if taken to the Shrine of Resurrection, where after a slumber he would eventually be revived, ready to face Calamity Ganon once more.

After one hundred years had passed, Link was awoken by Princess Zelda's voice. It is here that the game and Link's journey begins, as he attempts to regain his memories, strength, and the ability to defeat Calamity Ganon before he breaks free to destroy the world. After freeing all four Divine Beasts from Ganon's control, Link makes his way to the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. After defeating Calamity Ganon, and his pure form of evil known as Dark Beast Ganon, Princess Zelda seals away Ganon and both Link and Zelda finally fulfill their roles as the protectors of Hyrule.

Link is shown to be an extremely capable swordsman before Calamity Ganon's return, managing to earn the respect of the Master Sword, as well as taking down some of Ganon's strongest enemies singlehandedly. After regaining his memories and with the help of ancient Sheikah technology, such as the Sheikah Slate, Link recovers his former abilities and reclaims the Master Sword once again.

Throughout Breath of the Wild, Link often has an uneasy relationship with many of the characters. Some, such as the Zora, blame Link for the death of the Champions and Hyrule's demise. Others, such as Revali and other Champions, never believed in Link's ability, and did not see him as the hero that would save Hyrule. After Link freed each of the Divine Beasts and their respective Champions' spirits, they changed their mind and stood behind Link when he eventually faced Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle.

Princess Zelda's Diary is the first text in the series to give an explanation for Link's persistent silence. The diary states that with so many people watching him, and with so much at stake, Link feels it necessary to stay strong and silently bear any burden. This, in turn, causes him to stop expressing his thoughts and feelings, and rather, work to fulfill the duty he was chosen for.


Breath of the Wild Gallery

Models & Screenshots

Artwork

Main article: Gallery:Link#Breath of the Wild

Age of Calamity

Link Soldier Set - HWAoC key art.png

"A skilled swordsman serving the royal family of Hyrule. Born to a line of imperial guards, he is renowned for his fighting skills and courage."

Weapons

Quests


Age of Calamity Gallery

Artwork

Icons

Tears of the Kingdom

This section describes a subject from a pre-release perspective. Please update or remove any incorrect material, then remove this notice

Tears of the Kingdom Gallery

Artwork

Other games and media

Gallery