The Case for Kingship

The Case for Kingship: What Comes After the Adventure?
An article by gliderpilotgirl and Love_of_Zelda


Over the course of the Zelda series, there have been about 10 different heroes named Link. All have the same thing in common: they will be called to embark on a grand adventure which will end in saving Hyrule from the danger it faces. Some will go on to save other lands and worlds, either in reality or even dreams.


But when the adventure is over and his job is done, what is to become of the Hero? A big part of the adventure, dare we say one of the most important parts of the tale, is the personal transformation the Hero undergoes. Typically he comes from humble beginnings: in Ocarina of Time he was an orphaned forest boy, in Twilight Princess a farmhand, in Windwaker a typical non-descript island boy. In the course of the adventure the Hero will meet many people and take on many evils, big and small for those same people. His journey will culminate in him facing the ultimate source of the evil, and he will often partner up with Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, to take the evil down with their unique combined gifts. He becomes a legend, the defender of his land. But after that, what comes next?


Some people feel that after this, the Hero will need peace and a refuge from the blood he has shed, and quietly moves off to live anonymously and carry on with life. In some cases, he has been imagined carrying on his bloodline, which some believe is necessary to ensure the birth of the next Hero.


But it has been shown that bloodline is not a necessity, as the Wind Waker made it explicitly clear that the new Link had no relation to the previous hero, the Link of Ocarina of Time, yet was chosen by fate and approved to take up the mantle of the previous hero. Another fairly recent game, Twilight Princess, continually refers to the new hero as “chosen”, implying while he could theoretically be blood-related to the previous hero, it’s not important. What is important is that he is chosen. But this is a subject for another time and place.


Another flaw we believe in the previous stated opinion, works partially with the second popular opinion: that after his adventure, the Hero is so remarkably changed that he cannot retreat to a “quiet” life, but will continue to wander, never finding inner peace and still trying to make a difference in the world.


This is actually not an uncommon predicament at all, and it is not reserved to the Hero of Hyrule. Many Olympic athletes train all their lives for the Games, and after they arrive, compete, and win their medal, there is inevitably the question of, “What do I do now?” This also happens with many retirees. They work in a particular occupation nearly all their lives, and then they retire. The question that many ask themselves after the cake and ice cream is, “Now what?” People change; adventure and experiences change you over the course of your life. The question is, how must you move on from it?


Considering this dilemma of the Hero after his rescue of Hyrule, our theory of what he very probably could do in the aftermath comes in. In the course of his journey to save Hyrule, the hero inevitably crosses paths with a girl named Princess Zelda, who is called to protect and ensure her nation's safety, like him. In many cases, he becomes close to her, sharing some part of the grand adventure with her and at her behest. But after the adventure, she is often left in charge and solely responsible for the future of Hyrule. She must determine the fate of the land as its' rightful ruler. But she is alone.


Her father has in most cases been removed from the picture, and the traditional defenders of the land have failed, thus creating the need for a Hero in the first place. Here he is; selfless, caring, in most cases close to her ( this is quite often implied in a romantic fashion ) and he possesses a unique love and knowledge of her land and people. She cannot fit in among the people as she will always be above them by virtue of being the impartial ruler, and he also has been taught by his experience to look at the big picture, what he is fighting for. He is something of an outsider as well.


Logic would say that they could make the most difference together. The very qualities that have enabled him to become the Hero he is; his sense of justice, his courage, his ability and desire to fight for Hyrule and his righteous heart make him the perfect man to preside over his land. Paired with Zelda’s wisdom, compassion, and natural knowledge of ruling, they are a winning combination.


In the course of his adventures, Link has already played the part of the monarch. He has consulted with Zelda, taken her superior wisdom into account, and gone and put the plan into motion, albeit with a more direct hand than he would have as the sovereign ruler.
But now that Hyrule has been saved, and his original purpose is served, would he choose to withdraw and cease to make a difference when he is needed most? We think not.


Taking a look at the previous games, support can be found for this idea for Link’s future, from within the games and from the creators. The original Legend of Zelda's Link started the series in motion. He was the original boy from nowhere, a boy who would have two great adventures that would lead him to save the land and eventually awaken a Princess, and supposedly an interview in 1995 with Miyamoto stated he would marry Zelda and rule Hyrule together with her.


The Link who would appear in A Link to the Past was possibly based off the great King from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 's backstory. This is the King who ruled with the complete Triforce, which ALTTP Link is seen receiving at the end of the game. It stands to reason that they are one and the same, especially if ALTTP is considered the prequel, as the original box cover of the game states. Regardless, he would save the land from Ganon’s oppression and receive the Triforce, making him an outstanding candidate.


Ocarina of Time’s Link had the standard great adventure of the previous game's heroes, but was sent back in time, to a time where the terrible future he had conquered had not occurred. That however did not deter him, and he returned to Zelda as a child and together they ensured that future would not repeat itself. He would then go on to save the land of Termina, before likely returning to Hyrule.


Moving hundreds of years into the future, into the world of Twilight Princess, this same hero’s legend is said to be spoken of “in countless tales “in the land of Hyrule. When the new hero encounters those particularly knowledgable about the past, and is recognized for what he is by association to the previous hero, he is given bows of respect, even by no less than the Princess herself. This may indicate he was more than just Hyrule’s savior.


Also, among the items picked up by the new hero; there is a suit of distinctly royal armor, aged by look, but containing unmistakable touches that hint at its’ previous owner, or who it was originally made for. Part of the gear includes the obviously male version of Twilight Princess Zelda's crown, Link's famous hat in royal colors and the armor itself adorned with green gemstones, symbolic of the courage theme that Link bears. The inclusion of this item may be ultimately unimportant, but both other garbs received in the game are specifically linked to the previous hero. Considering this, if Twilight Princess Link was given the Hero of Time’s green tunic, as well as Zora Armor fashioned specifically for the Hero, would it be a long shot to say that the Magic Armor could have been the Hero of Time’s at one point, possibly worn during his reign? It is not too far-fetched. This armor is undeniably unique, especially for its’ original cost of 100000 rupees, and this could be another case of divine co-incidence, with the new hero inheriting the old’s possessions, as well as his mantle in a symbolic sense.



Lastly, there is the matter of the Hero’s Shade, the ghostly mentor of TP Link who is appears dressed in aged golden armor. He is summoned through Wolf Link’s song by what appear to be reworked Sheikah Gossip Stones, and it should be noted that the Sheikah were the especially dedicated servants of the Royal Family.


As we were already speaking of the next hero: Twilight Princess’s Link spent his adventure developing a close bond to the Princess of Twilight, and saved not only his own world, but hers as well. The end of his tale did not leave him nicely at her side, but at the side of the respective “Light side of the coin" to Midna's Dark. The parting scene of the game shows him leaving his childhood home of Ordon Village and heading towards Hyrule, and there is a distinct possibility of him having a future there. Considering the level of respect he receives, this may not only be a link to the previous hero, but maybe a hint to his future.


Windwaker's Link was directly accompanied in his adventure by the actual King of Hyrule, in fact the last ruling one. One of the most prominent duties handed to him by this said King was conducting the sages in prayer, a duty traditionally performed by the King himself. This works with the theme of passing the mantle on to the future, the same theme the Hero’s Shade embodied in Twilight Princess.


After performing this duty and defeating Ganondorf for the final time, Link and Zelda stand in front of the King as he essentially blesses them and sends them off on their journey to look for a new land. They stand before him together; the message that comes out is that they are united in that goal.


The other adventures, mainly the 2D games, have Link still conveniently connected to Zelda, whereupon he saves the land from destruction, likely to a similar fate as the others.


So, to summarize; Link is in most cases close to Zelda. He's saved her land and is faced with his future after the adventure. Will he return to the simple life he led before his quest? Based on the endings of most of the Zelda games, this is probably not going to be the case.


There is no question that he has changed. He can’t go back to what he was before the adventure; his heart has made the transition from boy to fully grown man. He no longer can fit into his origins and the life he had there. Take a look at the actions of the Heroes after their first quest is done: they often embark upon another journey, seeking adventure or to continue their new lifestyle. They need purpose. They have made a new life of serving others first, and what can they do but continue it? Look at Ocarina of Time’s Link. Months have gone by, he is depressed and not fitting in. He has lost not only his valued friend, but undoubtably his purpose and role as hero. He is just a kid again. He “creeps away” from the land of Hyrule to Termina, supposedly to look for this friend, and while he makes the journey, he seems to be quite downcast and he certainly feels lonely. What breaks him out of this “funk”? Helping others in need and making a difference again, of course. But the hero inevitably returns to Hyrule because his work is done in Termina, and what is there for him to do in Hyrule? How can he make the biggest difference and have self-actualization?


When dealing with the idea of Link becoming King, the way to achieve that is clear. A commoner like himself would have to marry the Princess. The romance issue is one that ruffles many feathers, and many people have their own ideas about who is suited for Link. They are not wrong either, as the creators typically leave the ending open for this purpose. The romantic hints in the games are typically balanced, obviously well, or we wouldn’t have these debates in the first place.


But in our opinion, and it works with this theory: there is only one person in Hyrule who is right for our changed Hero. To reiterate what we have previously stated, Link has a much bigger view of life and the world now. He has learned to look at the big picture, and especially how his actions will affect everyone. This was is part of the lesson learned from his quest, to be the true hero he must not only think of others but especially the greater good.


Now who else understands this unique view, in what it is like to be called to give her life in the service of others, to think of others first all the while considering the big picture, and was pre-destined for that purpose? None other than Zelda. Her heart is the same as Links’. But do the games support romantic (not just platonic) feelings between them? Yes. It really doesn’t take too much digging in most of the games themselves, particularly the earlier ones, to expose feelings between Link and Zelda. In fact many times they share a deep fulfilling bond, with love for each other present in some degree, if not openly said. It is typically subtle and down-played, but romance is definitely a recurring theme between the hero and heroine of this series. The non – canon material such as the comics, manga and cartoon support this even more than the games. But dealing with pro’s and con’s of the romance debate is for another time and place.


The last major argument in this theory deals with legends in general. We should consider, for one, how the making of the game could have been influenced by real-world legends and fairy tales. The standard structure and elements of many Zelda games are quite similar to the basic fairy-tale where the dashing hero arises from nowhere, defeats the evil villain to rescue the fair princess. What usually happens to the conquering hero in these tales? He and the princess fall in love, get married and they rule the land happily for many years to come. It’s not unheard of for a hero to choose a quiet lifestyle ( along with a simple girl) but from our previous points, we do not believe the spirit of the Zelda games supports this end fate for Link. He inevitably grows apart from his origins and that ordinary life, and his feelings for Zelda are often clear.


Another thing about legends: the nature of some of them must also be considered. Tales such as Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening in particular are very personal tales. They concern not only a great adventure, but the private experience of the hero. We have already established that during Majora’s Mask, Link was depressed, coming down from his “Olympic athlete high”, and feeling out of place. In addition, he was searching for a personal friend of his. These kinds of private details would not likely be originally shared with people he held only in professional regard. He would have had to have been close to them for them to hear this tale. And tales like this, especially ones of a personal nature, would resonate more if the Hero became someone even more important, such as the eventual King. As evidence of this point, take the legend of King Arthur. Would the Sword in the Stone, which chronicles his childhood adventures and feelings be as dear to so many if he had not grown up to be the great King of legend?


In conclusion, if we take all these points we’ve discussed into account, about the change of the hero, the state of Hyrule after the adventure, romantic feelings for Zelda and other tales of a similar nature, we can conclude that the idea of Link becoming the eventual ruler is not an idea too far-fetched, or too far from the spirit of the games. The games themselves are seldom explicit as the endings are left open to the imagination of countless fans, but it is in our opinion that this fate seems to be one that fits Link and the type of story that The Legend of Zelda is particularly well.


We would be remiss in not quoting Christopher Nagasaki’s excellent article from the Zeldawiki as an inspiration and source of ideas. Also, another wonderful source is that of Zelda Blog, a highly recommended site.
LinkXZelda - Zelda Wiki.org
ZeldaBlog » Blog Archive » Eternally a Princess

Well done.

This is the first really good theory in a long time. The one objection I would have had is that someone would remember the name "Link" as a kingly name, and that should of come up, but then I remembered that when men become Kings they change their given name. So your theory holds up well.

This is gold! Instead of doing a lengthy paragraph, I'm just gonna devide each game into the the catagories of yes, no, and possibly.

Yes
LOZ, Zelda 2, Alltp, LA

Possibly
OOT/MM, MC, FS, FSA, OOA/S

No
TP
As you can see, the majority fall in the possibly and TP is the only no.

Mind explaining that? ALttP and LA have the same Link, so how is one yes and one no?

This is a wonderfully written theory. Thanks for posting it.

I'm personally a fan of fairy tales and all in favor of Link becoming king, so reading this was just seeing evidence for what I already support, presented clearly in an enjoyable format. Well done. ^^

u are a genius love of zelda.that post was worth 50 of mine.i feel ashamed 2 be ahead of u on posts.

Originally Posted by MercuryMule

Mind explaining that? ALttP and LA have the same Link, so how is one yes and one no?

Ok I'm ganna go with oops. Sorry I forgot that.:embrsd: I'm gonna edit now.

Thanks guys, glad you liked our article.
( Check out the newly added screenshot of Link in his very royal looking Magic armor. That's definately a King's garb. )

Edit: I was thinking about MercuryMule's response and came up with what I feel are reasonable explanations:
1) Assuming Link did keep his name when he was crowned, it would be a reasonable assumption that "Link" could have become a popular Hylian boy's name, in honor of Hyrule's great Hero-King. Possibly the use of the name faded out over time or became so widespread that it's not likened automatically to the Hero. Just as Arthur does not automatically lead one to conclude you are named for that King.

2) If a character made a remark like that, it would concretely nail down the previous hero's fate, and thereby upset many fans who had an alternate ending in mind for that hero. The game designers usually leave room for interpretation, especially since the introduction of multiple love interests.

Beautifull article! I love this and I want to point something more out for the adventure of Link.

(from the official instruction book)

Impa took the six crystals and a scroll with the same crest and handed them to Link. "For generations, my family has been handed down these things which have been set aside for a time when a great king will come. They are written in ancient script that no one can read now. But you who have the crest may be able to read it. It is said that the key to uniting the Triforce is hidden there. Now it is time for you to read it."


And of course I will give you this drawing:
King of Hyrule Link by =crazyfreak on deviantART

Originally Posted by Crazyfreak

And of course I will give you this drawing:
King of Hyrule Link by =crazyfreak on deviantART

It makes link look like a girl!!
Not too mention link has blond hair, not brown.

Originally Posted by Crazyfreak

Beautifull article! I love this and I want to point something more out for the adventure of Link.

(from the official instruction book)

Impa took the six crystals and a scroll with the same crest and handed them to Link. "For generations, my family has been handed down these things which have been set aside for a time when a great king will come. They are written in ancient script that no one can read now. But you who have the crest may be able to read it. It is said that the key to uniting the Triforce is hidden there. Now it is time for you to read it."


And of course I will give you this drawing:
King of Hyrule Link by =crazyfreak on deviantART

You know what, I completely forgot about that quote in the AoL manual.
Thank you!

That drawing is lovely.

SheikahSage: That is LoZ/AoL Link, who had brown hair.

This is probobly the first worthwhile reading theory that I've seen in a month.

I don't the time to read all of it but I'll tell you what I think when I do.
I hope you make another theory like this.

Originally Posted by Pinecove

This is probobly the first worthwhile reading theory that I've seen in a month.

I don't the time to read all of it but I'll tell you what I think when I do.
I hope you make another theory like this.

Thank you.

There is an expansion on this article, a Part B we could say that Love_of_Zelda has in her email inbox at this moment. ( I owe you again Crazyfreak for the AoL reminder, thank you! the manual for AoL figures into part two so thanks! )

Crazyfreak, that drawing is gorgeous. It is perfect, and gliderpilotgirl and I want to thank you so much for linking your picture to us! I'm here to say that I will be working on Part B ASAP, and it should be up soon, possibly tonight or early tomorrow morning. Thanks for the awesome comments, guys!