Link as a villain?

I think that one of the most interesting things about the Zelda series is set over thousands of years with different incarnations of each "character". It got me thinking, wouldn't it be cool if the main villain in a game was a Link from a previous game? Obviously there'd have to be a reason for it that doesn't stop him from being heroic, he would have to be possessed by some evil force. This could act as a good way to return Oni Link - we never did find out where OoT/MM Link disappeared off to did we? It would be up to the Link of the current generation to defeat him and break the spell.

Just thinking out loud.

Moved to Future Zelda.

It'd certainly be an interesting twist on events, that's for sure. Link is the perfect definition of a hero: courageous, intelligent, kind, and persevering. To have him fight himself, essentially, would make for a very different, if somewhat cliched quest.

Unfortunately, I'd say that Shadow/Dark Link is a better solution than what you have proposed. Link is a hero, not an evil man, and to fight him as another Link would be very anti-climatic, to say the least. Having a villian who is the exact opposite of everything Link is is a better idea, even if just a little less interesting.

Hmmm. Nah. It just simply wouldn't work out. It would feel very strained, and as SearanoX said cliché. Link is the hero not the villain.

that would be intresting, but shadow/dark link would be even better

OH! what if dark Link can look like Link only a bit darker not black but just a bit darker then the real link, and the dark link goes around destroying things and the real link is acused of it by some

(yea i know it sounds like mario sunshine, but i did get the idea before i relised that it sounds like mario sunshine lol)

Originally Posted by SearanoX

Moved to Future Zelda.

It'd certainly be an interesting twist on events, that's for sure. Link is the perfect definition of a hero: courageous, intelligent, kind, and persevering. To have him fight himself, essentially, would make for a very different, if somewhat cliched quest.

Unfortunately, I'd say that Shadow/Dark Link is a better solution than what you have proposed. Link is a hero, not an evil man, and to fight him as another Link would be very anti-climatic, to say the least. Having a villian who is the exact opposite of everything Link is is a better idea, even if just a little less interesting.

I don't really see it so much as Link fighting himself, but Link fighting his predecessor. It'd add a fun twist to the plot, Link would be fighting an evil entity that had possessed a hero just like himself so he'd see it as a genuine threat, yet at the same time he'd show some restraint for fear of hurting the great hero who reminds him of himself.

Of course whatever evil force has possessed the previous Link would up his power drastically with all kinds of scary magic and strength - enough so that bad stuff could go down once he hits the scene, enough to make an entire game's plot out of.

Shadow Link isn't much of a heavy-weight threat and has very little or no personality. I think it would be more intriguing from a story point of view to explore the Link lineage and an interesting idea in itself to be battling the hero you were playing as in an earlier game from the series. Kind of like when you got to battle Red at the end of Pokemon Gold/Silver, but on a larger scale.

No not a good idea. it just wouldnt seem right fighting himself. I didnt really like the Oot idea of dark link. Maybe I would if it gave more details. Maybe he was cloned.

He wouldn't be fighting himself, he'd be fighting his predecessor. There's a significant difference.

I think it wouldn't work because Link has an heroic background in an old good vs evil story. And knowing he's been chosen by the gods to stand up against Ganon and other evil it just wouldn't fit in the storyline.

Also to make him a good villian you should make him speak wich wouldn't work because every Zelda fan knows he doesn't speak because that's just a part of Link's image.

And further who would fight him I mean to fight a good person you need a evil character. And I can't imagine myself playing with Ganon.

And most important: Who want to fight and destroy such a great gamecharacter who conquered our harts and make us love Zelda as we do today.

So I say just keep Link playable and let him kick some evil ass.

Originally Posted by Grey Fox

I think it wouldn't work because Link has an heroic background in an old good vs evil story. And knowing he's been chosen by the gods to stand up against Ganon and other evil it just wouldn't fit in the storyline.

Also to make him a good villian you should make him speak wich wouldn't work because every Zelda fan knows he doesn't speak because that's just a part of Link's image.

And further who would fight him I mean to fight a good person you need a evil character. And I can't imagine myself playing with Ganon.

And most important: Who want to fight and destroy such a great gamecharacter who conquered our harts and make us love Zelda as we do today.

So I say just keep Link playable and let him kick some evil ass.

I think you misunderstood. There would be two Links in the game. The new Link that you are playing as, and a previous Link possessed by some evil force that would act as a villain. Think Adventure of Link, only instead of saving a previous Zelda you'd be saving a previous Link from a demon that has inhabited his body.

Originally Posted by Crazy Penguin

I think you misunderstood. There would be two Links in the game. The new Link that you are playing as, and a previous Link possessed by some evil force that would act as a villain. Think Adventure of Link, only instead of saving a previous Zelda you'd be saving a previous Link from a demon that has inhabited his body.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but...isn't a Link/Ganondorf/Zelda born every 100 years? If that's so, then the "Evil Link" will have to be acceptionally old, or Twinrova (or whomever) could revive his body and make him evil....but like Sear said, that really does sound like Dark/Shadow Link. If we could possibly amp up Shadow Link's A.I. then I think he could make a very good villain...but right now I just find him as a good baddie. Right up there with: Vire, Moblin King, Agahimn, and Phantom Ganon. Shadow Link is just an enemy that you fight countless times (or so, that's how I see him as...FSA is a great example of this).

-BGS

Originally Posted by BigGoronSword

Please correct me if I'm wrong but...isn't a Link/Ganondorf/Zelda born every 100 years?

Nope.

If that's so, then the "Evil Link" will have to be acceptionally old, or Twinrova (or whomever) could revive his body and make him evil....

Magic.

but like Sear said, that really does sound like Dark/Shadow Link. If we could possibly amp up Shadow Link's A.I. then I think he could make a very good villain...but right now I just find him as a good baddie. Right up there with: Vire, Moblin King, Agahimn, and Phantom Ganon. Shadow Link is just an enemy that you fight countless times (or so, that's how I see him as...FSA is a great example of this).

-BGS

Shadow Link is identical to Link in appearance (apart from the whole colour thing) and abilities. This possessed Link would have great magical powers and a new form. I was thinking more from a plot's point of view anyway.

Originally Posted by Crazy Penguin

I think that one of the most interesting things about the Zelda series is set over thousands of years with different incarnations of each "character". It got me thinking, wouldn't it be cool if the main villain in a game was a Link from a previous game? Obviously there'd have to be a reason for it that doesn't stop him from being heroic, he would have to be possessed by some evil force. This could act as a good way to return Oni Link - we never did find out where OoT/MM Link disappeared off to did we? It would be up to the Link of the current generation to defeat him and break the spell.

Just thinking out loud.

No, that would be stupid. Very stupid.

What if one Link was possessed by Shadow Link?

Nah I just don't think it's possible to pull of. One of the things that makes the Zelda games so great is how simple they are in a sence. I mean you know where you stand....

good guy vs Bad guy and the story is pretty simple. It works, so no need to push it to it's limits.

if the new zelda game had shadow link like in the water temple of OoT. That might be cool. Maybe in the new game we would have to defeat shadow link and then after that beat the evil power that was inside of him. Traditional Zelda style.

It would turn the story around but I have to agree it would be an awesome little tale to tell and would be cool if you could play as him and do evil things. The objective; destroy and wreak havoc! YEAH!

What if you think your doing good but it turns out your doing bad? The King sends you on a quest to find a bunch of junk to destroy Ganon but then you find out the King is working with Ganon in a giant conspericy. Then the King makes it look like Link is actually the one who bought Ganon upon the land and the stuff happens which leads to other stuff happening...and such.

In my humble opinion, many of the Links would have been villains if they hadn't been stuck fighting for a good cause.

Inversely, Ganondorf might have been good if he hadn't suffered with his people in the desert for who-knows-how-long.

NONONONONONONONONONONO! link is too pure to ever be overcome by some evil spirit or to allow for himself to become evil! but i would like to see how adult link would fare against oni link! that would be awesome!

Originally Posted by Oni_Link128

NONONONONONONONONONONO! link is too pure to ever be overcome by some evil spirit or to allow for himself to become evil

if he didn't have the triforce of courage he'd be taken over just as easily as anyone else, the triforce is the only thing that really makes link special, at least compared to everyone else in hyrule.

Swordsman X, what the hell are you saying? link has courage, purity, and goodness even before he gets his triforce of courage (examples; OoT, link as a kid, WW, before he gets his shards, LoZ brave even before he gets his triforce of wisdom) so, the only thing that the triforce does, is empower him in that area, but link is always brave, and would resist evil (he does in every game, even the ones without the triforce) link would never be a villan