Ilia, yet another of the many females in Link's life. But what kind of relationship do they share? Let's discuss it here everyone!

I see them as childhood friends.

My brain is dead right now, i cant type anything.

I knew this topic was going to pop up eventually. XD

I'm pretty merciless when it comes to dealing with Ilia XD... but right now I'm in a fairly good mood so I'll tone myself down a bit. >_>

The way I see their relationship to this game is like the Link and Saria of OoT--childhood friends. If there was any sort of "romantic" relationship, it was certainly one-sided. The way I figure this is because of the scene where she recovers her memory--if Link had romantic feelings toward her I would expect him to beam with happiness and do his dialogue-less gasps of joy and some sort of physical contact would have been there, but there wasn't... In fact, he didn't really do much at all.

Going back to the Link and Saria comparison... at the beginning of OoT, Saria was a part of his mind often--same in TP. (Well, the reason for that is because she was shot by an arrow.) He was off to rescue her (but he was off to rescue the kids too... and she wasn't really "rescued"). But after a while, Ilia played less and less of a role. It was the same in OoT with Saria.

Link/Midna is more evident than Link/Ilia...

My conclusion? Nothing more than childhood friends, with perhaps an unrequited love.

Lol, great anyalisis HM!

I agree with you, there is a lot of that Link Saria feel there. I honestly did not see anything really romantic in their relationship. Half the time, it reminded me more of a sort of family thing. Ilia reminded me of a sister or a mother with the way that she scolds Link and the way he reacts to it. For instance, when Epona was supposedly 'injured', she immediately berates him and he cringes and acts like a kid who got caught raiding the cookie jar.

And as for the whole rescuing/recovering her memory thing, there wasn't really much there on Link's part. He did look sad that she couldn't remember who he was, but other than that, there wasn't total tragic emotion from him. And even when she regains it, like you said, all he does is smile.

If anything, I think this supposed romance is onsided, with Ilia loving Link romantically, and for him, only the friendship sort of deal.

Ilia also makes me think of Malon too- she's there because of Epona, if that makes any sense. So, I guess she's a combo of Saria and Malon's roles.

I completely agree with you on the who Ilia = Malon thing, because, quite frankly, Ilia seemed more worried about the safety of Epona than Link :P

:lol:

She sort of did, huh? Ilia always reacted more strongly to Epona being hurt or in danger than she ever did to the thought of something happening to Link.

What I can't figure out is if Epona orignally belonged to Ilia and she gave her to Link, or if she just loves the horse. :blink: Because its sort of weird for Ilia to get so worked up about how Link treats Epona if she's never had any claim of ownership. Does that make any sense?

Yeah, she did seem oddly attached to that horse. *snerk* Who wants to bet that there is a person out there who actually ships Ilia/Epona? XD

*headdesk*

You know, I actually wouldn't be surprised if there was someone shipping that pairing. There doesn't seem to be any low that fandom won't stoop to anymore. <_<

Actually, I think that Ilia was concerned about Epona as a reason to keep in touch with Link. And I mean, sure, they live in a tiny village and they're the only ones their age for miles, but you know how sometimes you have a crush on someone and you'll keep messing with them just to pretend you're just friends?

I get that feeling off Ilia; maybe I'm overanalyzing.

Over the game, though, I think she grows to become less of a crushing girl than a genuine friend. She didn't exactly express reluctance at Link's wanderings, or show any jealousy or whatever.

Not to mention Midna doesn't tease Link about Ilia the way she does about Zelda (if I recall properly).

Actually, Midna does taunt Link a little about Ilia. She goes "Aww, how sweet! A girl and her wolf!" But it didn't carry the same feel to it as her taunts about Zelda and Link did. At least, that's how I felt about it. *sweat*

Ooooh, I forgot about that. True, very true. Well then, ignore my comment above. I don't remember what Midna did to tease Link about Zelda, aside from the eye-roll in the very beginning.

Lol! :lol:

Well, Midna also says something to Link along the lines of "Don't worry about Princess Zelda. She chose this state of affairs afterall," or something like that. I swear there was something else, but my brain's dead at the moment.

Actually, Ilia does say, "You still prefer your master over me?" Or something to that affect when she steals Epona from Link... AGAIN. (I personally would prefer Link over Ilia any day! ...*ahem*... I'm getting a little carried away... ^^; )

Now that I think about it, Midna makes more comments about Zelda than Ilia... "don't fret about Princess Zelda!" "Don't worry about Zelda!" Heh...

Another part of my opinion on how Link and Ilia are no where near a romantic relationship also has to do with the horse whistle... if you read the description, it says "A horse call that Ilia made for Epona" (or something like that)... but if there had been a romantic relationship between she and Link... don't you think that "Epona" would have been replaced with "you"?

Also... back to the "recovering memory scene"... I came to the conclusion that their relationship is one-sided (if there's any sort of romantic relationship), because after Ilia said "the smell of hay..." she remembered that rather fabricated moment... Now, if it was a two-way relationship, I personally, would have shown Link as well in the cinema before the "flashback". But that didn't happen--what struck me that it was all in her head.

And did anyone else find that shot between them a little cheesy?

Link: derrrrrr....

Ilia: aaaaaaaa

Epona: *slow motion* NEEEIIIIGGGHHHH!!! *bucks*

... <_<

Unfortunately, I did see a romantic relationship between them, or at least the beginnings of one. It seemed to me like at the beginning that they were best friends, but it just on the verge of shifting into more. Hey, if Link hadn't gone on his adventure, I would see him eventually marrying her.
When he did find her and she didn't remember..he truly seemed heartbroken. Even the part where Telma skips off after Renado..Link seemed like he wanted to skip off to Ilia..but realized she didn't know him.
When she remembered, the scene had the "cinema effects" often attached to love..sparkling lights on the water, the camera circling them like they are the only two in the world. The last time I saw a similar scene ( floating in the clouds, the only two in the whole world feeling...) It was the Sky Scene in OoT, and I have no doubt that was romantic. Lastly..." I will be waiting for you"...isn't that usually a romantic phrase? In OoT, Rauru actually said: "The one who is waiting for you...the one who is waiting for you in the Temple of Time" He was obviously referring to Zelda, who waited seven years for Link to return. Ilia's speech in the remembering scene seemed to be taking a page from Anju/Kafei's reunion as well.

To add to the above discussion, Midna also torments Link about Ilia when he discovers her purse: " It's the girl isn't it? I can see the look in your eyes"...and then basically hints Ilia could be hurt.

There...I've said my take on it. Despite the abundance of hints, I am most certainly not an Ilia x Link shipper at all. The relationship IMO felt forced...not natural like Link and Zelda typically are..and Link and Midna's. I do think in the end Midna may have taken his heart from Ilia. He's suddenly got two girls he likes, and a whole new lifestyle..I can't see him with Ilia after the adventure. She appeared to get left behind, with the rest of Ordon.

( And I fully agree about Ilia being a blend of Saria and Malon )

True, true--perhaps Link would have married Ilia if he had not gone on his adventure.

But he did go on his adventure, so he's bound to walk the path of the hero. And as the game progressed, it seemed that Ilia only became less and less important.

Even if Link did want to be with Ilia, because his heart is set on adventure and he's destined to walk the path of the hero.

If that is the case, then what makes ZeLink more canon than Ilia x Link? If Link is destined to walk the path of the hero, he will continue to go on adventures, which makes him staying in the castle very unlikely. It is strongly implied that Zelda is the (only) ruler of Hyrule. She couldn't very well go on adventures with Link and abandon her throne. Not only is that asking for trouble, but I highly doubt Zelda would just give up her throne to travel around with a guy she only met three times in her life.

Don't get me wrong, I love Zelink in Twilight Princess. But Ilia is more versatile than Zelda, in that she can come and go as she pleases, where as Zelda has a duty to Hyrule. Zelda was raised a princess and "a princess knows the needs of the people outweigh her own" (totally took that from the Aladdin tv series :D). And while Ilia is watching Link leave in TP, who's to say he won't come back? Ordon is his home. He most likely will go back. And if he does, who's to say Ilia won't go with him on his next adventure. It seems far-fetched, but this is Zelda. Anything is possible.

But I'm not trying to prove Ilia x Link. I don't like that pairing all that much, even though I like Ilia (her hair confounds me, but whatever). Besides, I like Link/Hena and Link/Zelda a whole lot more <3.

Hold on—you’re getting ahead of me. I didn’t directly say that “ZeLink was more cannon than Link/Ilia.” That’s not what I’m discussing. That's another subject that branches off in another direction.

If Link wants to return home, is he even able? What prompts that question is that if you look at the person that taught him all the sword techniques—I don’t think he’s in any condition to return home. He might travel to distant, distant lands, too. Also by the time the game was over I had the strong impression that Link wasn’t returning home. In the specific scene where Fado runs up to Link’s window, like he usually does, and calls out to him, but Link doesn’t answer—he’s gone. What would be the point of that particular sequence if he was returning home? After Link’s adventure, Ordon is different without him.

And I seriously can’t imagine Ilia going on adventures with Link. Does she know how to use a weapon? I mean the most she does in a dangerous situation (aka the covered wagon scene) is scream girlishly. I don’t think the creators intended to make her a sword-bearing heroine. What I’m trying to say that Ilia is not very flexible.

I don’t find Link/Ilia very plausible… I still see her as a Saria figure—only a friend.

My bad XD

We really don't know where Link was going though. And what that scene with Fado meant to me was simply that Link was gone from Ordon on his next adventure. Don't know when he will be back but Ilia will be there waiting for him. If there was a long goodbye before Link rode off into the sunset, I highly doubt he would be so cruel as to not return at least once or twice to see Ilia, be they simply friends or something more.

And who's to say Ilia can't learn how to use a weapon. Colin didn't and look at him by the end of the game (god he's so cute). Of course, I don't think Ilia would be the type to simply up and learn how to use a sword/spear/javelin/what have you, because it doesn't seem to be in her character. But that can change. I was just saying, she is more versatile than Zelda. But since we're not discussing Zelda, I guess that's irrelevant.

I took it as Link was changed - Ordon would no longer be his home. I mean, that's the beauty of it, it was vague enough for interpretation, but I felt a strong sense of restlessness and deja-vu...as in life was back to normal for everyone BUT Link, and that's why he left. I see him visiting, but not making his life there anymore.

I can see how some may feel Ilia's lack of commitment makes her versatile as she's not tied to any life or a crown ( like Zelda and Midna ) but I think HyruleMaster nailed it..as a character, she's not dynamic, she's static. She never seemed to want to pick up a sword and fight, and I have no reason to believe that would change. Throughout the adventure, the only change she seemed to undergo was accepting that she'd have to let Link go and trust him, and a great part of that was forced upon her by circumstance. Now if Link is the type that wants a sweet little girl to wait at home for him, good for him. Ilia's his girl.

But after the adventure, I saw signs that Link had fallen for Midna..a girl who had accompanied him constantly, not content to wait, but actively fighting at his side. I think being so close to Midna then being confronted with the static Ilia may make him realize his desires have changed, though he'd always love her as a dear friend. In that Ilia is static, I don't think she'd understand either, only that he's changed. Just like Saria and Malon with OoT Link.

I can agree with you all the way up to the part about Malon. But that's a whole nother topic for a whole nother board. ;)

But it's similar..mainly because Ilia seems to be an amalgamation of the concepts behind/people of Saria and Malon. Though I truly think the affection Link displayed for her was for the Saria part..the loving childhood friend who believed in Link and knew him better than anyone else but it was doomed to fail.
I will go to the Malon topic to continue the Malon part.

Ilia... while I don't like the character, I do like how symbolic she is. She represents friendship, budding love, and the past.

When we first see her and Link, we get the feeling that she likes him. Maybe he likes her back. It's canon that she has feelings for him, and Link even dreams about becoming the mayor one day. (as stated on zelda.com/tp) So I'm sure that Link may have had a slight crush on her, and maybe even considered marrying her in the far future if he was to be mayor one day.

But things change. Link embarks on a perilous journey, and no doubt develops feelings (or at least interests) in other characters (Midna, Zelda). He grows mentally. He becomes somebody new and different. At the end of the game, we see him leaving, and Ilia is left alone. Why? Because she's the past. She is no longer something he can be a part of. She represents all that was, and now he's changed and grown so much as a person that he can't go back to the way things were or the way he used to be.

Yeah, but we have to remember that Link (in almost all the games), he NEVER talks! He might act like a emotion-less mime. Also, sometimes people don't show their expressions by their faces, but they might be thinking stuff in their minds...

Link/Midna is pretty evident than Illia/Link, but Zelink is the best. (no offense Illia/link and Midlink fans.)

I'm actually a fan of them all, but Illia/link and Midlink have a few more downfalls compared to Zelink.




PS: Yeah, she does represent the past. But, to me, she also represents that the past must be LET GO... I, as well, don't like Illia's personality very much at all.

I hate Illia. Especially that big disgusting and misshapen canteloupe head of hers. Often I wished I can go to the sanctuary and use the Ball & Chain to bust her ugly head open with skull fragments and brain matter splattered all over the sanctuary.

YES!! :yay: :angry: I hate Illia that bad. I'm for LinkxZelda in TP but it seems that its probably not going to happen. So I'd rather see Link hook up with Ashi, Telma, Hena, Fortune telling lady and yes even Fado, before he hooks up with Illia.

I have to take issue with this opinion in general.

While I may be no fan of Ilia, I think my beef is usually with the creators of the game rather than Ilia herself. To elaborate, I feel antagonism because of the way she was shoehorned into a role that didn't suit her, or I didn't think she should have. They spent so much time telling the player how desirable she was, how brave and kind..but it doesn't matter if she's meant to be eventually left in the past. Nor can she remotely compare to either princess, and I think it's silly to try to push that.
Secondly, I disliked how they took aspects from characters of the past ( specifically Saria and Malon ) and remade them into something not so likeable. Rather than the beloved childhood friend of Saria, she was the inevitable forced romantic interest. Malon's humorous spunk became shrewish insecurity. Again, this is more the creator's fault than Ilia's.

Saying Ilia is ugly and therefore worthless always bothers me, because she wasn't meant to be as beautiful as Zelda or Midna. However she balances that out with knowledge and empathy for Link himself, more than either princess showed. ( Zelda was empathetic, but not knowledgable about him. ) Anyways, while I hope that TP Link is done with her, she wasn't without merit.

True..Believe it or not I tried to like Illia but the whole amnesia thing making her totally useless in just standing in the sanctuary for a great majority of the game did not sit well with me. I admit certain aspects of her character were good in pertaining that she genuinely cared for Ralis's well being. But was it just me or did it seem that Ralis didn't care much to thank Illia for helping him?? :huh: But yeah..I generally agree with everything you posted. Especially on Link and Illia's implied romance in the beginning seeming rather forced and contrived. But I still can't stand her misshapened and deformed looking head. :angry:

Her hair cut looks really bad at some angles, but I never had short hair except as a baby, and now I think I don't ever want to cut my hair. Not worth it...

I also don't like how at one point she's having this rather ridiculous spazz at Link, and then she's so innocent when she lost her memory. And I know that people don't remember how and who they are with amnseia, but even with her memory restored she acted all... well, I can't really explain it, but she had two personalities, both demonstrated at the wrong place and the wrong time...

Overall I found Illia to be annoying. Even when she was all sugary sweet. But the temper tantrum she had that caused Link to cower like a weenie didn't do much to make me like her in the first place. But I think I was actually more annoyed with Links girly man reaction.

I know fangirls seem to think that its cute and adorable that Link in TP, and even in OOT, is very kind and gentle natured. But as a guy I find it to be lame and a little annoying IMO. When Illia had that temper tantrum I would've respected Link more if he had just stood there with a look of indifference. The way I look at it, if Link cowers like a wimp from an ugly duckling commoner like Illia, then how do you think he would react if Zelda were to scold him?

Thats why it seems to me that LinkxZelda in TP is highly unlikely, due to my belief that the more mature and womanly TP Zelda could never fall for a boyishly unassertive and gentle natured TP Link. In other words, TP Link and Zelda seem very incompatible and as much as I hate to say it, Link is more compatible with Illia due to them both generally being naive and innocent in their personalities.

People seem to forget that Ilia scolded him for good reason >> She doesn't bark at people who don't deserve it; and what does it matter if Link reacts that way. I don't think anyone would like it if their best friend tried to chew em out. And honestly, Link's expression was rather amusing when Ilia backed him into a corner about Epona. It was like he got his hand caught in the cookie jar, lol.

Ilia has spirit and isn't above confronting someone if she thinks they did something wrong. Some people may find that annoying, others like me see it in that she knows when to take a stand on something she thinks need to be addressed. Link did something wrong and she let him know it! How that's a bad attitude I have no idea :giggle:

As for having two personalities, did you mean when she lost her memory? It was probably because she was unsure, afraid and really quite ignorant. Not knowing who you are or where you are is frightening and she could be a completely different person in that sense. Is it plausible to hold it against her for being someone who isn't herself when she doesn't remember what that is? Hardly.

I generally agree with you on Illia's reason to scold Link. I was just annoyed by Link's girly man reaction thats all. I admit, Illia had some good qualities about her but generally I found her to be quite annoying personality wise. I don't know..I guess since the game went from Illia being a focal character in the beginning to her being useless throughout the rest of the game after the escort mission, didn't do much to make me believe that Link should be hooked up with her by the end of the adventure IMO.

Mmm, yeah. I also think that's because Link just isn't the same individual anymore. Going back to Ordon at the end of the game doesn't seem plausible and Link didn't stay in the end. Perhaps some time down the road, given a few years or so, Link would return to stay...or he may not. Ilia is a part of Link's old life and it's really up to the player/the fans to interpret how much Link had changed/didn't change during the course of the adventure to ponder when or if Link would ever go back to Ordon.

Mandy might know where this came from. :D

But I just wanted to quote somebody on Ilia that I think sums her up nicely. At least who she is to Link up until the events of TP

I agree with Saami's quote.
I also don't hate Ilia.
Oh my GOD I'm weird. I don't hate Navi either. (that's another story)

I guess I'm the only one, but:
I -am- effing annoyed by the ''sissy'' remarks, though. It's actually one of the few times in my life that I feel offended as a girl. Link was childish, reacting as if Ilia was his mom, Link needed to grow up, mature, stand up for himself. But who can stand up to ''mom'' figures? Link needs to learn how to argue.
But GIRLY?
Yes, I'm a girl, and I'm effing deeply offended.

I had to get that out of my system, sorry.
*Checks posts* I guess that counts as necro-bashing.

I was never much a fan of Ilia. To be honest, I actually somewhat hate her. :sweat: But all prejudice aside, I'm going to respond to a bit of this here.

Now, I'm not sure what point is trying to be made with the established history. Her being a friend of Link's from a young age isn't any different than Link and Saria being friends in OoT since Link came to the forest as a baby. The only history we get out of it is that Ilia has a thing for Epona- who isn't even her horse to begin with, since Ilia herself says that Epona still 'prefers her master' to Ilia. I felt Colin and his family gave Link much more of an established history than Ilia does, not to mention the other children in the town. Or is it simply because she's a girl his age that people are trying to use this?

I'm also not sure what is meant about her emphasising Link's personality. How exactly? Also, was that unique to Ilia alone? I don't think so. If anything, I felt Midna gave more emphasis to Link's personality than Ilia ever did. Midna brought out all kinds of emotion in Link from annoyance, frustration, happiness, and sorrow, some right after the other.

Ilia wasn't the only motive Link had for going on his journey. Colin and the other village children were just as much a part of that as she was. It seems to me that most Ilia fans like to overlook this aspect of things, and try to make it seem as if Ilia were the only person that Link set out to rescue originally, when that simply isn't true.

And I disagree, if anything, Ilia was more one dimensional than some of the other characters. In the begining she shows quite a strong and assertive personality, but then she fades into this waifish character with none of that fire from the begining. She had suffered memory loss, so it's understandable she might be uncertain, but her assertive personality was completely lost and she was stuck in the roll of being a helpless character who needed everyone else to solve her problems. Her whole role in the game was a tie to Epona- the main point in restoring her memory was recieving the horse call, which by that point is pretty much useless.

But anyway. I don't care if others like Ilia- she's very much the Malon character of this game in that it's easy for people to see themselves in her and imagine themselves in her place with their personality. But I personally didn't care for her, and I don't like some of these misconceptions people seem to have developed regarding her character.

I'm no fan of her either. I'll never forget the first time I saw her, "Oh brother. I didn't ask for this." was my reaction. I know certain fans want the ordinary girl, but unlike Saria ( who I liked ) Ilia just fell flat, IMO.
What I disliked more was how the game kept trying to tell us how special she was...when you have to try to convince the player how good a love interest is, I think that's a sign you've failed.

By established history, I would think it's the idea that he's very ordinary at the outset. He's an ordinary teenage boy, growing up in a remote village, and he's got a local village girl who's seeing hearts in his direction. It's realistic, but mind you I never got the impression that he felt as strongly her way as she did towards him. I think he did like her, but it was also in addition to her being his dear friend.

Yeah..what Alantie and Gilderpilot said.

I sort of settled into indifference where she is concerned. I thought I would immediately be enamored to her because she's (supposedly) in the same vein as Malon. But to be quite honest, she didn't measure up. Not even close. And at the end of the game, I was just "eh" where she was concerned. If Link loved/liked/tolerated her, then so be it. If she was what he wanted to go back to, then so be it. But by golly, I would hope he wouldn't settle for her. But like I said, I don't particularly care for her either way. Especially compared to the other girls I ship TP Link with, namely Zelda and Hena.

I do think Ilia was a combination of Saria and Malon, but a very distinctly different person was the result.
I'd consider her quick temper, the somewhat cowed father and her affinity for horses as coming from Malon. The initial caring best friend/girlfriend and the earnest manner that she relates to Link in I'd attribute to Saria.

Strangely enough I'd consider Hena closer in personality to Malon: spunky and somewhat coy and flirtacious, and very into what she does. ( Fishing in her case. )

Anyways, back to Ilia. I have to agree with the "I hope he doesn't settle for her."
I think she's a decent person, but he could do so much better.

Everything Ilia has, Zelda is and more. Compassionate, caring and empathetic Link's way. She also is much more mature than Ilia, and has a life view closer to how Link now thinks. If he had the chance to know her, I think he'd fall for her. If he's truly in love with Ilia, good for him, but I already saw some attraction Zelda's way. The question is whether it would come to anything or not.

The only thing Illia fans can really stress on is closer childhood friendship/relationship and better romantic compatibility in their similar innocence personality wise. But like I said before a closer friendship doesn't guarantee anything romance wise IMO. Personally if Link is unable to win over Zelda I prefer Hena, Ashi, Telma or even a random Hyrule town girl before he decides to go back to Ordon but thats just me. To me Illia just represents the sure thing romantic relationship but it doesn't mean Link is going to settle for that.

Come to think of it, Link x Hena is really cute. o.0
And somehow wrong. Eating fish every day..

I just thought about this.. Link's reaction when he sees Ilia doesn't remember him makes me wonder: if OoT had tried to further develop its main character, wouldn't OoT Link's reaction be similar when he came back to the Kokiri Forest as an adult? (I imagine it was harder on OoT Link, though, since we can assume that behind his pixelated coldness lies the will to make us interpret his human insides and then argue about it) Since TP has a lot of retro ''winks''... references(?), couldn't they have tried to give us a hint on what the older games could've looked like? I mean, like the scene with the Master Sword, which had a (sweet) smell of ALttP all over!?

And I haven't finished Link's Awakening yet. Can Ilia be compared to Marin instead of Malon? (Ok, I've heard Malon could be compared to Marin, but they're not exactly the same, I believe...!?)