Why the World Doesn't Need Link

At some point in every person’s life, be they of grand or meager stature, comes a simple realization, of which they knew all along but were afraid to face: sooner or later, no matter how frightening and brutal the world can be, you have to be the one to take that first step forward, to let yourself be heard, and harness that fear, conquer it, and stand up against evil. There is not always a gallant hero, not always someone else who will be there to catch you when you fall; you must be the creator of your own destiny, the god of your future; anything short is a failure to your own strengths, the limitless power that resides within us all.

Link, be his fabled exploits in the lands of Hyrule and beyond ingrained within us all, has come to a crossroads; a destined point in time where he must make a choice. Link is a role model to many, a cornerstone in the fantasy world, an unwavering monolith against the strains of time, but I believe it is has come to the proper juncture where we must part ways.

Relatively unchanged now for decades, the name Link has become synonymous with unfaltering righteousness, self-sacrifice, and the will to endure, even in the bleakest of times. Though I feel it is time that he become more than the man, more than the boy with a blade, and truly become that legendary figure he has so long been renowned as. The Legend of Zelda series has long been without significant alteration. Though the games we have are great, some of the best ever made, they still lack that single, poignant detail that makes or breaks each and every game: originality. Some may showcase robust artistic merit or seemingly independent archetypes, but all in all they are still a retelling of the same tale: Link, a heroic boy, sets out to save the land from evil.

My view on this, be it unpopular with many, is that Link should be laid to rest. Let him live on in immortality as the legendary hero of the past, with earnest homages to his person, but let someone else take up the blade, be it he or she, a descendant or reincarnation, a Hylian or perhaps even of another race entirely. Or, better yet, let the player decide. Wether through a character creation system or through a set of predestined characters, pave the way for other legends to be intertwined within the dogma of Hyrulean culture.

This view could also be applied to Ganondorf, the apparent great enemy of all time, or Zelda, the eponymous side note of the series, though I believe their place in the canon to be more critical than Link, as he, even by name, is the focal point from which the stories are accessed.

The romantic view of the one and only hero is fascinating to me, as it directly undermines any sense of hope or self-worth. If there is only one hero, and you know it is not you, what reason would you have to fight? Would you just roll over and die, letting the hordes of the enemy ravage your homeland with naught but a whimper for the hero to save you? No; you would fight, if indeed you thought the world you lived in was worth saving. People need to believe that the hero resides within them, that they are capable of great things. They need to feel courage, need to feel hope, need to know that they cannot wait for the lonely rider to come to their aid.

I firmly believe the world no longer needs Link, as he has done his part in the annals of history. The world needs to look to itself now, to each and every person, and see that courage is a universal token of existence, and the player should be the one to decide who saves the world, and how.

The first argument I am sure I am about to hear is that the game just would not be Zelda without Link, as he is so deeply tied to the series, but that would be the exact point. It would not be your standard Zelda, not another cookie-cutter re-branding of it’s predecessors, but would open so many doors, new branches and ideas of eternal promise to explore.

To sum up my feelings on the matter, I find it more than proper to quote Henri Bergson: "To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." To this I wholeheartedly cohere. If the Zelda franchise wishes to grow, if it wishes to continue to be one of the greatest works of art in the digital age, change must be it’s goal. The saying of goodbyes to Link is just one of the many options that lie in our path, but I hope, whatever that change may be, that it is done respectfully, with courage, and is received with open arms from the Zelda Community.

- DB

Let's say goodbye to "avatar" Link & say hello to a "personality" Link!

But a Zelda game is a Zelda game. I'm pretty open to changes. They did say that TP was going to be the last if its kind. Perhaps they will do something drastic like that.

While a different genre, I'll help back your point with Final Fantasy. while there are a few exceptions, each game holds a different antagonist and protagonist. Each game also holds different plots, relationships, magic systems, some enemies, and so on and so forth. Yet, when you play a Final Fantasy game, you know your playing one. The feeling and the essences of what makes its a Final Fantasy game is there.

Zelda could do the same with a different lead role. Though one advantage with having Link is that he is just an avatar, and if you are bored playing a game as Link then you could change him up, within limitations of course.

Though I do not feel Zelda should take Link out.

That read like poetry, Doran. A very interesting idea. And I'm sure that a Zelda game could work perfectly well without Link. And it's been proven that Zelda games can do without Zelda or Ganon.

I'm just not sure if a Zelda game without Link would still have the same type of magic though. I guess we'll have to wait until there is such a game.

Well DAMN. I think someone's got their Master's in English or something. That was very well written. You even compelled me to make an idea to it...

But I agree with these series of statements. We don't need Link.

Link should stay. Taking him out would be like taking out Mario from Super Mario, Samus from Metroid, The Chief from Halo!

I don't agree with this thread. But you're entitled to your opinion so, i'm not gonna start an argument. I'm just saying that Link should stay

Very well written, and i agree to a certain point. I would really love it if Nintendo decided to make a ''Hyrule Fantasy'' game without Link Zelda or Ganondorf, but to keep the old gameplay and formula. They could make references to the Legend or even not.

BUT, Link should not be laid to rest forever, we should also take into account that TWW Link has nothing to do with The hero of time, hes not even the original bearer of the triforce, hes just a brave kid that the KoRL thrusted in being a worthy Hero (so did the gods after he past the Tower of Gods).

As long as Link isnt completely disowned and abandonned, i agree, what i really don't want is other AlttP, OoT, or TP clone.

While I agree that zelda really needs to reinvent thier storylines, I do not like the idea of taking out link. They mearly need to make him a character rather than an avatar.

You can take away anything from a Zelda game, but you just can't touch Link. It's like my biggest issue. Link is the constant, the player follows him, not Hyrule, not Zelda or anything else. And just like the Maidens say a Hero will rise everytime evil threatens Hyrule. So unless this game has nothing to do with evil invasions...they have to have Link.

You sir, know how to write a synopsis.

I would really love it if Nintendo decided to make a ''Hyrule Fantasy'' game without Link Zelda or Ganondorf, but to keep the old gameplay and formula. They could make references to the Legend or even not.

BUT, Link should not be laid to rest forever, we should also take into account that TWW Link has nothing to do with The hero of time, hes not even the original bearer of the triforce, hes just a brave kid that the KoRL thrusted in being a worthy Hero (so did the gods after he past the Tower of Gods).

^
THIS!!!
It would be awesome to have a game with a character who has no resemblence to Link but is still a hero nonetheless, however throughout the game the hero has visions of Link or maybe just reads something writen by him.

Why not just make a new series? That would at least be natural.

By the nine, this has got to be the most cohesive and compelling thread posting in Future Zelda in years.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Zelda doesn't need Link, nor does it need Zelda, the Triforce, or any of the other elements that have come to "define" it. What it needs is a radical redesign, and I support the path you've suggested.

Originally Posted by Machina

Well DAMN. I think someone's got their Master's in English or something. That was very well written. You even compelled me to make an idea to it...

And I look forward to reading it.

Originally Posted by The Great Panda

By the nine, this has got to be the most cohesive and compelling thread posting in Future Zelda in years.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Zelda doesn't need Link, nor does it need Zelda, the Triforce, or any of the other elements that have come to "define" it. What it needs is a radical redesign, and I support the path you've suggested.



And I look forward to reading it.

I only read half of it. It feels kind of holy. Something I'm not used to, proper grammar is an odd sight on the internet... *blank stare*

i liked the deluge idea. mostly because insanity is very fun.

Really good Writing, most likely convincing. I know its hard for Zelda fans to let go of there favorite character, the Legendary Hero, Link. I think this should happen, it could be the biggest change in the series. Ive been thinking about it for a while now, after beating TP.

The series is called"The Legend of Zelda", Link is just a boy who saves the world, his name isnt mentioned in the series title. So it doesn't compare to Super Mario, etc.

They could create a good linking element to the other Zelda games, Like in WW "The Hero of Time". But with a different character in the next game instead of Link... they could mentioned the stories on how Link saved Hyrule.

I have some friends that forget the good things/abilities that they have or could do , but they only think about Link how strong and cool he is.

It could break some hearts, for Zelda fans, but they should accept it and enjoy another tale.

This is why "deluge" exited me at first. Because without Link as the hero, but a person who only wants to be Link. That seems to me that then Link becomes a pure ideal, a "legendary hero." If there was an emotionally torn hero, and because of his youth maybe foolishly brave. This would allow the Link-character to show emotion, and maybe for awhile you don't even know if he really is Link, and once you found out, you were so emotionally charged, you didn't care. I would honestly like a character in Zelda to show more emotion and deal with things like corruption, self-hate, regret, horror, hate, remorse, and for the most part, passion. In OoT you never get to see Link show remorse over letting Ganondorf into the sacred realm. Or in WW you never get to see Link's horror over the Master Sword not working. I honestly don't think it would happen though.

Link is pretty much Zelda tradition. If he isn't in the game, then the Zelda game would automatically become a spin-off title or something.

Take Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland for example, it is a spin-off.

I think it could very well be considered a spin-off, but still a good game.

Don't remove Link, but change the Zelda basic elements and such.

Nintendo did state that TP was going to be the last of it's kind, so we'll see what they'll do to the future series of Zelda.

I think there comes a point when they've just changed too much. I mean, for the next game, people seem to want:

- New gameplay structure (no more overworld-town-dungeon-overworld style)
- New environments (i.e. futuristic, steampunk, western, etc.)
- New antagonist (no more Ganon)
- New control style (using the Wiimote as effectively as PH used the DS)
- New music (no more rehashes)
- New protagonist (other than Link)

Now add that all together, and you basically have an entirely different IP.