Zelda Dungeon Talks: Which Possible Love Interest Do You Think Was The Best For Link?
Posted on March 01 2016 by Josh Tasaico
Throughout the Zelda series, no clear romantic relationship is ever established between Link and any other character. The closest we have gotten to something like this would be Skyward Sword and while there is clearly something going on there, nothing is truly confirmed to be happening. Link has met a lot of romantic interests throughout his adventures. Malon, Ruto, and Zelda, to name a few. But out of all the girls Link has come across, which one is right for him?
In this week’s edition of Zelda Dungeon Talks, various staff members share with us their opinion on the topic. And you’re welcome to share yours in the comments!
Jon Lett – View Profile
I really want to say Malon, as she presented the possibility of Link having someone he could return to or see every now and then along his adventure, were Ocarina of Time to have taken her character that far. Link has always had that down-to-Earth, everyday man type of persona, and we’ve seen that he as a farmhand is a regular sight, so having something with Maln would make sense. But, alas, the shipper in me will likely choose Link x Zelda. Seeing an evolving relationship between these two, and more so seeing their inherent effect on each other. Particularly with Zelda in games like Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, where she is more mature and… well, acts like a true monarch, seeing her loosen up due to Link’s influence, and seeing him gain some real knowledge of the world from her, would be a real treat, and a nice change of pace.
Thomas Jacobs – View Profile
If you were to cut me, I’d bleed Zelda/Link (please do not cut me, it will not end well), so my answer to this question is rather biased from the get-go. Last year I took an in-depth look at the pairing and found that in the games Zelda kissed Link twice… and that’s it. Even with the possible situations where they possibly ended up together (WW/PH and SS), there is no conclusive evidence. But where were they the strongest? Skyward Sword immediately comes to mind with how Link and Zelda interact and the danger Link throws himself into just to protect his Zelda (her words!) and the duo stays on the surface together. But the line of Goddess has to have continued somehow and who’d be the best one to continue it with than with her lifelong friend Link? But the best iteration would be in Wind Waker. Tetra starts off not all that impressed with Link but she likes his gusto, giving him a chance and slowly grows impressed with him. During the adventure Tetra begins to learn more about herself and her bloodline all the way up to the climactic battle with Ganondorf. Link and Zelda vanquish him together and return to the surface to find the new land the Triforce gave them. In the sequel Tetra is shown as being upset at Link for loafing about, but after rescuing her she seems genuinely grateful and warm towards Link. Sure, we see in ending cutscene that she’s still got her edge when she tells of her crew, but she’s got her soft side after all. And we’ve seen that the crew finds New Hyrule rather soon afterwards, going by the stained glass window of Tetra we see in Spirit Tracks. And because the two Zeldas are related, Tetra must’ve had children eventually. And who’d make a better consort than Link, the hero who saved the Great Ocean and the Realm of the Ocean King, on top of rescuing Zelda in her time of need not once but twice? Gonzo perhaps? Or Zuko, or perhaps Mako? I don’t think so. Though to be fair, if Link did end up as the prince it would raise all kinds of questions of perhaps sad memories with Niko, who’d end up as the guardian of Link from Spirit Tracks and sees his old friend reincarnated. But Niko’s tragedy would get in the way of the fun of the WW Zelda/Link pairing: their chemistry, their interactions, how they complement each other and how they work together in combat makes for a pairing unlike any we’ve seen the two of them interact in the series. And that’s why I like them so much.
Alexis Anderson – View Profile
Marin! I wrote a Women of Legend article outlining in better detail why I believe Link and Marin’s romance is the loveliest of the bunch. To sum up, the two of them are exactly what the other needs. Marin longs for a life outside of Koholint, Link is the embodiment of all of her hopes and affirmation that there is a bigger world out there. And Link is in need of a guide and a friend while he’s stranded on an uncharted island. The two of them have immediate chemistry, and their romance is clearly shown in-game. I feel that they have an emotional bond from the way Marin speaks to Link, and we see them hang-out in Mabe Village in a way that is very similar to a date. She is also able to sacrifice for him later in the game, and he eventually “frees” her from the island. I just love them, they are my babies and I’ll never forget them.
Brandon Schmitz – View Profile
Although Link and Zelda make for an endearing couple in Skyward Sword — I love the whole childhood-friends-turned-lovers angle — I’ve gotta go with Midna. The relationship between the Twilight Princess and the Hero of Twilight remains my favorite dynamic between any two Zelda characters. For someone who doesn’t even speak, Link sure does have a ton of chemistry with the mischievous imp. It’s mostly communicated through the two characters’ actions, as well as subtle body language. It’s just powerful to see these two people who initially can’t stand each other form such a close relationship. Eventually, the two begin to look out for each other like so few gaming duo’s do. More than just another guide, Midna stands as Link’s equal. There’s a tenderness to their relationship that is perhaps best expressed when they arrive at the Gerudo Desert for the first time. When she places her hand on his cheek and says “You’ll come with me, won’t you,” and Link just smiles in response — c’mon, how can you not love that?! The camaraderie that they show, too — especially just before and during the fight against Ganon — is infectious.
