The Legend of Zelda series has become one of Nintendo’s most iconic and classic game series, and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon (Breath of the Wild was amazing, by the way). It’s a great adventure series that has you fighting monsters, solving puzzles, going on quests, and meeting some very interesting and awesome people. By the end of the games, you grow to love the people of Hyrule and want to do your best to protect them.
Every Zelda game brings something interesting to the table, whether it’s new game mechanics, different graphics, an interesting story, or some rather weird visuals and mysteries that make you feel like you’re on a mind trip (looking at you, Majora’s Mask). And while not every game has been a big hit, they’ve all been pretty interesting.
I think one of my favorite Zelda games is Wind Waker. It was so fun to play, and the story behind it was very interesting. Plus, the cartoon style graphics just made it really fun and entertaining to watch and play.
But since this game series has been around for a while, there are bound to be some inconsistencies, especially involving Link. Link is an amazing hero who’s always ready to protect others from evil. He’s tough, yet kind, and he has proven himself to be a hero over and over again. He will never stop until Hyrule is safe from bad clutches.
But there are some things about Link that just don’t add up. So here are 20 things about Link that don’t make any sense. Think we missed some good ones? Make sure to let us know in the comments section below!
20 Talk About The Silent Treatment
It’s basically become a pretty iconic meme, but we’ve realized that in every game, Link hardly says a word. In fact, the only time we hear him actually say anything is in Wind Waker when he says, “Come on!” And yet he seems to talk to people. We just never hear it.
How does that work? Why do we never hear Link speak? Is it just because he’s the main character and the creators want the players to feel like they can be Link? Is it just easier to not have the guy talk? Granted, the majority of Zelda games had mostly silent, written dialogue, but as new ones started getting more voice acting, we’ve yet to hear Link.
19 Hey Link! How’s It Going?
Considering everything that Link has been through and all the crazy monsters he’s had to fight, it’s kind of a miracle he isn’t gone. Seriously, how has he managed to go through so many battles and come out on top?
Yes, it is a video game, and it wouldn’t be very good if the main character were to actually perish, but it’s still pretty crazy. Maybe it’s because he’s been blessed with the Triforce of Courage. That would probably give him some crazy endurance. Either way, Link’s a lot tougher than we get him credit for, and it’s a little freaky.
18 Passing The Mantle On
We know that over the centuries, each Zelda is generally a descendant of the royal family line. And as far as we know, the Ganondorf that Zelda and Link fight is more or less the same Ganondorf (which doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s another issue.) But how is the wielder of the Triforce of Courage chosen?
Is the next hero chosen randomly, or is there some sort of requirement?
Well, it seems kind of random. Sometimes, it’s a descendant of a previous hero, and sometimes it’s a random kid. The best explanation is that Link is the Hero of Legend reincarnated, but it’s still a little weird. Is there a process? Do the gods just decide? We don’t have any good answers for this.
17 That’s One Destructive Hero
Considering Link is supposed to be this big hero that saves Hyrule from evil (and he generally does), he is rather destructive. As you go through the games, you’re often smashing pots and boxes, cutting down trees, and cutting grass and flowers. Not to mention you can blow things up. (And should Link really have bombs in the first place?)
And Link is even more destructive in Breath of the Wild. You can now set things on fire and cause all kinds of mayhem. For a hero, Link does tend to cause a lot of trouble, and yet people seem fine with it. Something weird is going on here.
16 Mysterious Origins
This is related to the fact that we don’t know how the Hero of Legend is chosen. But there are several versions of Link that we don’t know where he came from, or his origins. There are a couple of Links that do have families, but most of them have some mysterious origins.
And in pretty much every version, Link is an orphan. Even the versions with families still don’t have parents. Maybe that’s one of the requirements to be the wielder of the Triforce; you have to be an orphan. Well, we may never find out where Link comes from. But what matters is that he’s here and he’s ready to fight evil.
15 Link, There’s A Hoarding Problem
It’s become a bit of a joke among gamers, but the number of items that Link can carry is kind of ridiculous and should be impossible. He’s got arrows, bombs, rupees, various different tunics and weapons, and more. And it gets even more ridiculous in Breath of the Wild, where you’ve got several outfits, various weapons and shields, and a ton of food.
What’s even funnier is dealing with items like the iron boots and chain and mace. When you’re holding them or wearing them, you’re heavy, but when you put them away, you become lighter. How does that work? Shouldn’t you still weigh the same? There’s got to be magic involved somehow.
14 That’s A Very Long Nap
The big thing in Breath of the Wild is that it’s been 100 years since Calamity Ganon attacked and destroyed part of Hyrule. And Link has been sleeping for those 100 years in the shrine of resurrection. The concept is pretty cool and wandering around Hyrule and seeing ruins of familiar buildings is a pretty surreal experience.
But there is one thing that’s a bit weird. How is it that Link has been asleep for 100 years and hasn’t aged a day? And how has Zelda been fighting Calamity Ganon for 100 years and she still looks the same? Maybe it’s a Triforce thing. There’s definitely some magic involved.
13 That’s One Powerful Piece Of Fabric
For a few of the Zelda games, you have to gain the ability to breathe underwater in order to get through some dungeons. And the most common way that Link gains that ability is through the Zora tunic. But here’s the questions: how on earth does that tunic work?
How does a piece of clothing help you breathe underwater?
In Ocarina of Time, the Zora tunic basically looks like Link’s green tunic, but just blue. That’s all it is. And yet it helps him breathe underwater. I want to know how that’s possible. Also, why do the Zora have a Link-sized tunic when they don’t really wear clothes? Did they foresee Link coming?
12 A Strange Fate Indeed
Majora’s Mask is just a mind trip of a game in general. There’s a lot of mysteries and crazy stuff going on. But one big mystery is the one surrounding Link. What actually happened to him? How did he get to Termina? Why do a lot of the characters look like the people from Hyrule? Is all of this actually happening or is it in his head?
There’s also the popular theory that Link actually perished in the beginning of this game and is in some type of purgatory (which would explain a lot). But nothing’s been confirmed, so it’s still a theory. Basically, this game in general doesn’t make a lot of sense, and Link’s fate is pretty up in the air.
11 This Kid Should Not Be Handling These Objects
If you think about it, a lot of versions of Link are pretty young. So why is it that no one seems to be all that concerned that there’s a little boy running around with a sword, a slingshot, and bombs?
Seriously, how on earth does Link manage to get a hold of bombs both as a kid and as an adult, and everyone is okay with it? I feel like if I knew a kid was buying a bunch of bombs, I’d be a little concerned. Are the child endangerment laws just more relaxed in Hyrule? And why are people making all of these bombs?
10 I May Be Crazy
It’s no secret that Link has gone through a lot in these games. Practically every version of Link has had some sort of harrowing experience. Between fighting some unearthly horrors, nearly getting ended by monsters, and facing a full-grown man that can change into a pig monster, Link’s seen some intense stuff.
How has he not cracked already?
And yet it doesn’t seem to phase him. After everything he’s seen and done, Link should be a lot more messed up than he is. And yet the games don’t really show how much these adventures affect him (we do get a more emotional Link in Skyward Sword, but still). I think this hero needs a break.
9 That’s One Strong Fairy
If you’ve played any Zelda game, you know it’s a good idea to have a fairy in a bottle for when you go to battle. That way, if you do run out of life, the fairy will revive you automically and you can keep fighting. But here’s the question; how does that work?
How can a little fairy revive someone from being goned? And if they can, why don’t they do that for everyone in Hyrule? No one would ever perish again. Though maybe the fairies only do that for Link? Since he is one of the wielders of the Triforce, maybe magic affects him more.
8 It Ain’t Easy Being Green
One of the most iconic things about Link is that in nearly every version of Zelda, he is wearing a green tunic. (With the exception of Breath of the Wild, though you can have that option eventually.) And this color has become part of the legend, making him recognizable to many people.
But my question is, how did that start? And why green? Was there some great significance behind him wearing green, or did it just happen arbitrarily. (Miyamoto did say that he based Link’s look off of Peter Pan, so there’s that.) It’s just funny that something that’s become so famous may have just started out as a simple color.
7 He Just Won’t Stop
We’ve talked about how Link is surprisingly tough, and that he’s faced some pretty intense battles and come out on top. But another crazy thing about him is his stamina and endurance. Seriously, this guy can just keep going and going, day and night, without stopping.
Link has a freakish amount of endurance and stamina.
There are games where you do have limited stamina, but even then, we’ve still got Link doing some impressive feats like climbing mountains, doing acrobatics, swimming for ages, and more. No human should be that tough. I guess he has been blessed by the gods, so him having a freakish amount of strength and endurance isn’t that surprising, but still.
6 Time Travel Is Tricky
The big thing in Ocarina of Time is that you’re often traveling seven years into the future where Link is an adult, and then back to when he’s a kid. It’s a pretty clever use of time in the game mechanics, but it does raise some questions.
One big one is how does Link keep his memories as an adult when he goes back into time to when he’s a kid? I guess he’s watched over by the sages, so they’re probably helping him out there, but it’s a little weird. Especially since no one else remembers this time jumps. I guess Link is just special.
5 Ladies, Control Yourselves
This is less of a confusing thing, and just more random, but Link is surprisingly popular with the ladies. In most versions, Link will get a few girls that flirt with him, hit on him, fangirl over him, etc. (Though I don’t blame them in Twilight Princess; I had the biggest crush on Link in that game.)
But what’s confusing is that if you think about it, Link would not be the best romantic interest in the games. He’s traveling all over the place, he’s kind of destructive, he hardly ever talks, and if you get involved with him, you’ll probably have Ganondorf trying to kidnap you. Maybe it’s best you stay away from this guy.
4 Privacy Has No Meaning For Him
While Link may be the Hero of Legend, he’s not the most respectful of your privacy. Seriously, when you play as Link, you get into everything. He goes into peoples houses uninvited, he reads diaries, and he’s constantly listening in on private conversations.
He may be a hero, but Link is quite the snoop.
What has been funny though, is that people have been calling him out on it in some recent games. But in a lot of the earlier games, people were just fine with this guy in green clothes coming into their houses and talking to them and just looking around. That’s kind of weird and doesn’t make a ton of sense.
3 How Did This New Look Happen?
In Ocarina of Time, once Link opens the Temple of Time, he’s put into a sleep for seven years since the sages need him to be older in order to face Ganondorf. But when he does wake up, he’s in clothes that fit him, even though he’s bigger now.
So how did those clothes get on Link in the first place? Did the Sages change him while he was sleeping? (That’s a little creepy.) Did the clothes grow with him? Plus he has an ear piercing now as an adult. How did that happen? There’s never any kind of explanation, and everyone just kind of ignores this element.
2 What Kind Of Hearts Are We Dealing With Here?
If you’ve played Zelda, you know that hearts equal health. The more hearts you have in your health meter, the stronger you are and the more likely you are to survive battles. And to get your energy back, you need more hearts.
But here’s the question. What are these hearts and how do they restore your energy? Are they just these magic containers that give you energy? Are they actual hearts? (That would have a ton of terrifying implications.) How does this aspect of the game even work? At least in Breath of the Wild, they’ve addressed this with the fact that you have to eat food now to gain energy.
1 Why Is He Always Sleeping?
It’s true that when you play as Link, you’re pretty active and doing all of this crazy stuff. But when we first see him, the opposite is usually true. In fact, when you first meet Link in quite a few games, he’s usually sleeping. What’s up with that?
Why does Link sleep so much?
In several games, our first introduction to Link is this guy who’s fast asleep somewhere and getting woken up by people. Why does Link sleep so much? Does he just like to sleep? Does he somehow know he’s probably not going to sleep much on these adventures? We may never know. Though I can’t blame him for wanting to sleep more. Sleep is wonderful.
