Link from The Legend of Zelda is one of the most iconic video game protagonists of all time. He has been the hero of almost all of the 29 video games in that series, rivaled only by a few other gaming characters. At this point, he’s pretty synonymous with not only his own franchise, but is one of Nintendo’s most prominent characters.
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However, despite his popularity and iconic nature, there’s still plenty that people might not have known about the character. With a movie coming up in 2027 and surely another video game in the next couple of years on the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s a good time for a refresher on all things Link.
4. He’s Technically Not Silent
Link is known as a silent protagonist because we, the gaming audience, never hear him speak at all. The most verbal he ever gets is a grunt or groan while swinging his sword or a cry while he’s falling to his death. He doesn’t have voice lines or text lines, either, so he comes off like a silent protagonist.
This is partly accurate because the idea is for players to be able to imprint on Link. Without a voice, it’s easy to imagine my own voice while playing as Link. It’s much easier to pretend that I am him when I’m attempting to save Hyrule.
But Link does communicate with others, and speaking makes the most sense. NPC interactions in plenty of games give us an idea of this. They respond to what he “says” to them, and they know what he’s doing. NPCs know that he needs to do XYZ in order to get ABC. How? He tells them.
We even see Link exhibit some body language reactions, like shrugs. Why would he do any of that if it wasn’t accompanied by some speech? Plus, some characters will respond back to what Link says by repeating it in the form of a question for clarification, thereby implying that he said something to them. Despite Princess Zelda saying that he’s gone silent in Breath of the Wild, it’s clear that he’s not mute and has spoken at times throughout the franchise.
3. There Are Actually a Few Links
With 29 video games in this series, one might be tempted to think there are 29 different versions of Link, but that’s not the case. Link is a recurring character, but it’s not all chronological, and they’re not all the same version of the character.
Some of them are. For example, the Link in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is the same person. It’s the same one in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks all feature the same version, too. But none of them is the same as the other.
The Zelda timeline is pretty muddy, but it’s clear that Link returns every so often as a new version, a new hero. He’s been the Hero of Time, the Hero of Winds, and more. This is because he has the spirit of the Legendary Hero, a.k.a. the first Link.
This all comes from Skyward Sword, a rather frustrating entry in the franchise that many didn’t make it through. The revelation at the end of that game confirms why Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf can return throughout time despite potential deaths. It’s because they’re all different versions eternally linked to the Tri-Force, which explains why a teenage Link can exist across thousands of years and be different sometimes.
2. Link Is Left-Handed
Link is left-handed in the game series, which is uncommon and typically doesn’t matter much, but he does typically hold his sword in his left hand. In the video games where Link has the Triforce of Courage (his portion), it’s shown on his left hand. Princess Zelda and Ganondorf are marked on their right hands.
There have been a couple of exceptions to this. Link is right-handed in Twilight Princess (Wii version) and Skyward Sword because of the motion controls. Nintendo thought it would be awkward to ask players to use their Wii remote as a sword and other items when it was in Link’s opposite hand. So, since almost 90% of the world is right-handed, Link became right-handed for those games. Otherwise, he is left-handed.
1. He’s Inspired by Peter Pan
If you squint, Link does somewhat resemble Peter Pan, the classic Disney character. His outfit, made up mostly of tights, is similar, as is his resemblance. This is intentional. Shigeru Miyamoto, the character’s designer, claimed that he made Link after the 1953 Disney movie because he enjoyed it. He also gave Link a fairy companion, Navi, in Ocarina of Time as a reference to Tinker Bell.
To a lesser extent, the Kokiri and Great Deku Tree in Ocarina are also nods to the movie, specifically the Lost Boys. Dark Link, a character who perfectly mirrors Link but is evil, is also somewhat based on Peter Pan’s shadow. Peter Pan plays a flute well, and Link masters an ocarina, which is another Easter egg.
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