I already linked to it in another thread, but there here's Love_of_Zelda and my article
which we originally posted on ZU.

*edit* mods, I may have posted this in the wrong area, if so, I'm sorry; can you please move it?

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 the Hylian royalty's colors ( red and gold ) 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


Part 2:

In our previous article we made a case for the beloved hero of the Legend of Zelda series eventually assuming the ultimate responsibility, the leadership of Hyrule alongside Princess Zelda. Without repeating the entire article, we covered the internal change and growth of the hero, the situation he faces at the end of the adventure and how real world legends and tales in general echo similar situations.
But we felt the theory could use some expansion, and some discussion about the more common arguments against it.

1) Link is a farmboy, not a King.

We feel the problem with this argument is that it fails to take the change in the hero into account. As we previously expanded upon, Link has undoubtably changed. He can’t go back to what and where he was before. Twilight Princess’s Link seemed the most likely of the heroes to return to his origin. He had a loving family in the villagers, a girl who loved him and a home. But he is seen riding away at the end, forever changed as the people he knows look on in apparent confusion and sadness. We don’t know he won’t return, but the feeling was that of a deja-vu, as in nothing had changed in his home, except him.
Ocarina of Time’s Link was literally forced away from his home as he not only internally matured over the course of the adventure, but externally as well. That pushed him away from the forest and his childhood, and when he did get invitations to have a simple life again, destiny would inevitably lead him away from that option and back to Hyrule. Our point is that the change and his new role has made him more than a simple boy who can settle into oblivion, he is Hyrule’s new hero and his kingdom needs him. This leads into the second part.

2 ) He won’t be happy, what could he possibly do in a castle?

The same thing he has done in his starting situation and since then. Adapt and find his place as best as he can, and he’ll do whatever he feels he needs to, which would be helping Zelda in the unique way he can.
His quest has already prepared him to be right for the job, take the Zelda II: Adventure of Link’s manual:

“For generations, my family has been handed down these things which have been set aside for a time when a great king will come”
This is said by Impa, the nursemaid of Princess Zelda, when she hands the preserved scroll to Link.
The scroll, which only Link can read, says this.
“A crest will appear on a young man with that character that has been brought up correctly, has gained many kinds of experiences and reached a certain age.”


These quotes not only hint that that this particular Link is the great King to come, but say that his experiences are most important to his future. He has been groomed by destiny to not only inherit the Triforce, but take his place at Zelda’s side and lead Hyrule.

Link already possesses many of the attributes which he needs to rule the kingdom. Two of which are particularly notable:

Leadership:
At first glance our hero may appear least likely to ever step up and take control of anyone, but a quick study of the qualities of leadership reveals he already possesses them in spades. Initiative, for one: a leader must always take point, and be willing to be the one to make the first step. Link does this consistently and gladly. He may be told what he needs to do by Wisdom, represented by his partner-in-crime, Zelda, but he is capable of deciding what to do on his own and then carrying it out. Since the introduction of partners for gameplay reasons this may seem to have decreased, but Link still chooses to do what he does.

A leader must also always be able to do what he expects his followers to do. One obvious way the Hero could particularly demonstrate this is in the military aspect of a kingdom. In a kingdom like Hyrule, the King would be expected to be able to lead his forces against those who threaten his land, and he should be the ultimate challenge for an aggressor. Not only able to physically take down the most formidable enemy, but he must also have an excellent grasp on fighting strategy. Would most question Link’s ability in these aspects? Certainly not. Link could most certainly take over the leadership of the defense of his land, and any lackings he may have in protocol or style would be more than covered by Zelda’s knowledge and wisdom. And his growth does not stop after the adventure, he would grow into the role.

A leader must also be the ultimate voice of authority. The one who makes a judgement call and stands behind it. With him and Zelda together on this, they would be most formidable and the land would prosper under their just hand.

Ability to Create Unity:

A good leader must be able to unify his people, especially in a time of conflict. A quick perusal of Ocarina of Time’s beginning reveals that at that point in history, the tribes of the land are held unified by loyalty to the current Royal Family, in a peace which was forged by a previous King who unified the land after a fierce war. At the time of the game however, that loyalty is in danger of collapsing, based on the reactions of the respective tribe leaders. This is the result of the interference of Ganondorf. Our hero rises up and deals with the situation with Zelda’s aid, and the ultimate end of the adventure has him standing beside her and with a representative of each tribe ( each of whom are Sages ) as he and them seal the evil away. He is then returned to a time before this has happened, leaving that unified Hyrule of the future still existing.

It would not be a bad assumption to assume he continued to unite the people of Hyrule after his restored childhood, as in the world of Twilight Princess, the one thing all the tribes have in common is a link to and respect for the previous Hero. But it is has unravelled once again as he has undoubtably died and time has marched on. Our new hero gains the confidence of the tribes and restores the unity.

Windwaker’s Link visits all the respective surviving peoples of Hyrule and once again they unite under his guidance as he is advised by the King of Red Lions. The land above the waves will know peace because of his deeds.
The other heroes once again perform similar feats.

The end result of each Hero is that the land is in better shape, and peace has been wrought. He has brought the land together.
Moving on, now that we have established that he has the necessarily qualities to make him the perfect leader, what if he chooses not to use them? Here’s our last argument.


Argument 3: Link should marry another girl, not Zelda.

This one borders on the conflict - inducing grounds of the romance debate, but is valid and needs to be addressed for the purpose of our theory. Leaving aside the fact that Link canonly shows romantic interest in Zelda in nearly every incarnation, the way we feel to tackle this is by duty versus personal feelings, and the effects of duty. These are lessons Princess Zelda already lives by, and Link undoubtably grows to adopt over the course of his adventure.

The Hero’s Spirit in Twilight Princess had this to say:

“You must use your courage to seek power...and find it you must. Only then will
you become the hero for whom this world despairs.”

The statement here is that the world needs Link to become the hero he will be, and it is expanded on in another quote:

"You must persist on the lonely path of the sword to obtain true courage and
earn the strength to conquer the great evils of this world!"

This effectively says that the job will not be easy. We could go a step furthur and say as well that his job is not necessarily done when the adventure is over either. This is a lifetime, and even beyond life commitment, as the situation of this ghost of a former hero testifies.
Link will be needed and is. But his kingdom needs him first of all. We already argued in the previous part of the article that Zelda herself needs Link, and she is as well in essence the representative of Hyrule itself.

We need to consider her dilemma again and elaborate on it. It is her duty to not only govern the land, but to ensure royal heirs are born. This means she has to take a husband. But if Hyrule is like most medieval fantasy kingdoms, her husband will become King and the sovereign ruler of the land when she marries him. As you can probably deduce, the damage done to the kingdom in the event of a wrong choice in spouse would be unimaginable. After the adventure, as previously established, Hyrule is in shambles. A man of unique quality and character is needed to ensure a bright future and to supervise the restoration of the land back to glory. Physical damage exists, but the land's spirit has been broken. A strong leader with a firm hand is needed. And not one man is more the embodiment of quality itself than the Hero. Zelda has to marry, why not marry him?

There is another aspect to consider. Link and Zelda have essentially been running the kingdom, and in many cases he has already informally taken on the role of her partner. If another man came in and became King, this new monarch would rightfully resent Link’s intrusion into the duties of his position and may even be suspicious of Link’s undeniably special bond with his wife, Zelda.

But if Link were to simply remove himself from the picture, Hyrule would suffer because of it. While men of valor and courage may exist in the land, none are the Hero except for Link. As evidence of this take the situation of Wind Waker. Look what happened when the Hero was not there to lend his power. While the kingdom may not see turmoil again within the Hero’s lifetime, his power would benefit all.

Considering Link himself: If he took a wife other than Zelda, this would likely interfere with his duty. Link would not be a normal man if he did not unconsciously put his wife and family first, or struggle greatly with the task.
He knows what he is called to do, and personal interests not consistent with it would be harmful to all concerned. The result would be an emotionally torn hero.

In Twilight Princess, this was portrayed beautifully. Link had a pre-existing love interest in a girl named Ilia, and her capture was part of the catalyst to the adventure in the first place. But after he found her, it was not hard to tell she was a distraction in his mind. Take this statement of Telma’s.

“How's that Ilia doing, honey?
I'm sure that shaman will find a way to get her memory back. That Renado is a
talented man, for sure!
Anyway, honey, you've got your own things to worry about, so you just make sure
you do what needs doing right now, OK?”

By his "own things", she means saving Hyrule, though she may not comprehend who exactly he is at that moment. Anyways, previous to this scene, Link had appeared completely devastated by Ilia’s memory loss, but her effectively being inaccessible to him served the purpose of making him focus on the entire land and how others needed him, not just this one girl. When Ilia did eventually regain her memory, she told Link she would wait for him, but she also remarked about going home when the adventure was finished. There is a great likelihood she did not understand that Link will never be finished being the Hero, as it is his destiny. Nor would she understand the amount of change he has undergone either. One could imagine resentment and trouble would eventually form when he did not come home, as his focus is no longer there. Life would never be the way it was before.

And again, another woman would harm the crucial bond between Link and Zelda that benefits Hyrule. Link’s wife would not be human if she did not feel concerned about her husband’s strong connection and devotion to his land, which is represented in bodily form by a woman of undeniable quality and great beauty, who is ultimately more important to him than her. These worries and his wife’s unhappiness would distract him, and form a barrier between him and Zelda.

Overall, it’s a recipe for disaster and unhappiness.
In our opinion, it would be far simpler for Link to both marry the girl he is usually portrayed to have feelings for: Zelda, and ensure Hyrule has the King it needs. Him.

In conclusion, we hope we addressed these common counter arguments well, and that we’ve made a decent case for our theory once again.

I just read it in the other site. It's awesome! Congratulations on that amazing essay based on logic and proof. Now if only everone could read this... :zelink:

Something that always made me curious: why have so few in the fanbase come up with this idea? It seems kind of obvious to me yet I seldom encounter this, barring some fan fiction. Maybe just because it's a stretch of the imagination?

It is not a stretch of the imagination, no more than the MM theory that the Terminians cursed the Goddesses and made Majora's Mask their god. It is a logical conclusion that naturally follows the ZeldaxLink pairing in Oot, and possibly in other games. Problem is, much of the Zelda community is Malinker. Link can't be a king if he marries Malon.

I thought it was worth discussion at least.

I definately come across the "Link became a farmer" much more. The odd thing is, it seems to only be in the Zelda online community: before I visited the forums I had never even heard that people thought he would end up with Malon over Zelda. Ask the average person out there, and you'd get a "who's Malon?" more often that not. The additional material out there ( Manga, cartoon, books, Smash Brothers etc ) only seem to echo this.

Anyways, I can see where the games leave it vague: I mean, he's got to start out humble or else he wouldn't be Link. The only problem is people assume the previous hero married small-time in order to get this. Or that bloodline is a must, and Link is thereby forced to marry someone else. The problem I can see is that the games aren't meant to connect so closely...they never restrict our imagination in such a manner.

Is that why timeline theories don't really matter, because there's not really an official timeline of the Zelda games?

Supposedly Nintendo does have a timeline written out somewhere in their files, but it's never been made public. I know Aonuma is more concerned about continuity because of the fan demand for it, but I doubt they will ever allow it to dictate what they do in a game. Look at OoT...they had a golden opportunity to tell the tale of ALTTP's backstory yet they threw it out the window when they sent Link back in the end, and honestly, I think he was sent back solely for dramatic effect. Then they threw WW in there with the flooding of Hyrule, and now TP ( where OoT's future never happened ) so ALTTP can't be remotely easily placed. Same with LoZ and AoL. Basically the timeline is full of paradoxes and impossibilities, and all as the result of the game dev's saying, "We want to do our thing here, and the timeline comes second."

These people want us to be Link, and we are his voice. To be faithful to that, they would never set down concrete rules.

That does make sense, considering that if one tries to make a timeline of Zelda history, it's full of plotholes that you can drive a truck through. Timelines simply aren't that important when it comes to Zelda.

So true, yet it's fun trying to come up with a plausible timeline. I made one last night at 11:30 p.m. T.T So late...the thing is, I found something that might cancel out the split timeline theory and that made me shocked, scared, amazed, and somewhat pleased (more scared and shocked though). It actually made sense. O.o

Yeah, it is fun to make up Zelda timelines, no matter how frustrating it can get.

So, what did you find?

Okay, my crazy (yet somewhat logical) idea was, if Zelda sent Link back in time to his childhood. Nothing every happened. Correct? So he warned them about Ganon and the future that would have happened, didn't happen. He rewrote the past and changed the future. It's like when you go to back to being a kid to get, say, a golden skulltula. Then in the future, the thing which you changed in the past, in this case the skulltula, is changed in the future. What you change in the past is changed in the future, or if it's huge, certain aspects of the future don't exist. Link alters the past and it's like one moment a guard is dead in the future, and the next moment, he's with his family without knowing what did happened. Link would still be in the future, just that he is different. It's like if someone were to go back in time right now and stop Miyamoto from making "the legend of Zelda" then we wouldn't be chatting at this forum. That person could still grow up back then, but a lot of things would be changed and they would still appear at the present moment which to that person would be when they went back in time. I even have a timeline that works with that theory. OoT >MM (direct sequel)>Oracles(Impa's there)>LA (at the end of the oracles, in the joined version, he goes of in aboat that looks like LA)>While Link is gone, hyrule floods. Link returns, finds the princess, continues the line etc. Hundreds of years pass.>WW (at the end Ganon is turned to stone and the triforce of power is gone along with the other two so he can't survive)>PH(direct sequel)>land formation over hundreds of years>MS(the four sword is made here)>FS/FSA(ganon is reborn and takes the form of a pig which you seal him as)>LoZ(you beat pig Gannon)>AoL(sequel)>TP (round-eared beings introduced)>ALttP(the Hylian blood is wearing thin and also modern slang "Yo, Link!"). So there you go! Something I thought of at 11:30 p.m.

That...actually makes sense. It really doesn't sound crazy when you think about it. Maybe it has a bit of circular logic, but it's not crazy-sounding.

That's what I thought. When you think about it, it makes sense, and I got all the games in. I remember reading somewhere that there are a million different ways you can put the games together, but fewmake any sort of sense. I'm glad I got one that made sense, and a single timeline one too.

Yup. For this reason I hope that Nintendo never publishes their timeline, because all it's going to do is make people angry who believe in other timelines. That famous interview last year with the split timeline made half the Zelda theorizing community go up in flames, and I'd rather not see that again. Linearist vs Splittist etc. It seems some fans take it as seriously as we do shipping.

And the rumors about getting the Triforce in Ocarina of Time, don't forget about that. ;)

For a closer issue to us, there was also those lovely rumors of the deleted scene with Link and Malon riding off into the sunset. However nothing has ever turned up to support that, neither in interviews nor anything else. Aside from a screenshot with Malon photo-shopped onto Epona behind Link.

Anyways...I'm glad I'm not a timeline theorist, because a revelation like that would be akin to the folks at Nintendo telling us "well Link married x and that's why.." Some people would be very upset.

Oh, yes, I know about that rumor. And I've also seen that photoshopped screenshot, which was proven to be a fake.

I am not sure, but I thought sometime last year (in June?) that Nintendo confirmed the Split Timeline. I don't remember if they published in order the games, but I am pretty sure that they confirmed the Split. I remember there being a big ruckus on lots of Zelda forums about the whole thing - several people in ZU (back in the day when I was still a regular) left.

That's exactly what I was talking about. It was sure ugly to see the drama. Fans have strong feelings..so far in the romance department they've avoided ugliness by balancing the "ships" out to the point where it's hard to tell sometimes.

To Angel Zelda: on the bright side, I've also heard rumors of planned ( and never made ) romance scenes in OoT between Link and Zelda, and there's a magazine out there that Crazyfreak found that actually mentions them. And a hug was removed between Link and Zelda in MM. It's in the beta version. Why they removed it I don't know, but if it made it that far, it was obviously to indicate a deep connection between Link and Zelda, maybe it just wasn't right for the final mood they wanted to achieve.

I also heard that in an interview, Miyamoto said that if OoT was a love story, it would be between Link and Zelda. Now if that's not proof...

*sigh* A hug would have been nice. As for the timeline thing. I also have a split timeline theory. I don't know which one is true anymore, or if I really did find a flaw in reasoning for the split-timeline one, but if they release a published version of the timeline, I'll be glad, if not, oh well. I'll just focuse on shipping for now.

I heard that same statement. That's pretty much outright proof, and he also said in another interview when asked if Link had a girl friend, "If it was Princess Zelda, it would be great. However..." blah blah, something about Navi, and Navi having feelings for Link in the context of the story. ( I can't remember the last part )

You can't always take the interview's to heart though: Bill Trinen's famous remarks about TP Link and Zelda were a sham. Or he was in a roundabout way referring to Midna, we just didn't know it. However this ^ is Miyamoto talking...far more important in terms of intent.

To Z-i-d: Yeah, I agree. I've seen someone say however that the hug made Link look "too depressed to care" in terms of him not responding so maybe it's a good thing it was removed. Depression does that to people: apathy towards loved ones. It doesn't mean he didn't care! Anyways, I thought the final product was a home run in terms of emotional impact...you could practically cute the feeling with a knife.

I think shipping is more fun too. A bit of romance spices a story up a great deal...and "the heart" behind a story is hugely important.

That's funny, because I've played Ocarina of Time several times and I've never picked up any hint of Navi having feelings for Link. She just talks a lot and has a tendency to nag.

There's only one real moment I could accuse Navi of *maybe* having feelings...the scene where Zelda says, " It's over!" and Link turns to her, smiles, they just stare at each other...and Navi interrupts. If there ever was a moment for Link to stuff her in his hat and make her be quiet, there you go.

A theory...maybe Navi partially left at the end because not only was he done, but maybe because she knew how he felt about Zelda.

Maybe, but then again, Navi was just apologizing for not being able to help Link in the fight with Ganondorf.

With really bad timing. But Link and Zelda never getting to kiss on-screen, etc has become almost a joke: take PH's lovely scene..Link and Tetra are reaching towards each other...and bam! She literally gets kidnapped out of thin air.

At least we get little hints that things might have happened though...the Magic Armor from TP, AoL's prologue. As to the original subject, I still think Link marrying Zelda to become Hyrule's ruler is an obvious ending.

Well, if you beat OoS/OoA linked, you get a special ending where Zelda kisses Link. And in ALttP (or AoL, I'm not sure which--it's the game where Zelda is in an enchanted sleep), it's heavily implied that Link and Zelda kiss at the end (but of course, we don't actually see it because the curtain drops at the last possible second).

I think Miyamoto did say that Navi had feelings for Link. It was in an interview. I'll check tomorrow, I have to go in a while. I also think that it's obvious that Link marries Zelda and becomes king.

That's probably the same interview I'm referring to. As far as I know though, it was released a year before the game was...somethings had changed. There was also a question flat out where Miyamoto was asked what Link and Zelda's connection was. His reply was something along the lines of: " They aren't "linked" romantically but rather by the Triforce..it's part of the story." ( It's true, Zelda isn't his girlfriend at the outset. They get together to defend the Triforce. Doesn't mean they don't also love each other. )

Angel Zelda: It seems to me that the more serious the relationship, the less likely they are to show anything on-screen. They conveniently "zoom away" for Link and Ilia in TP, the screen fades to brown at the end of OoT when they are just looking at each other, the curtain in the end of AoL, Tetra getting kidnapped in PH, the list goes on. But on the bright side, you can say that if it's too obvious ( Cremia ) than it's meaningless. They would never presume to actually put Link's feelings in words like that. There's always room for denial, hence why we never actually see it.

That could be true, but then again, take a look at any form of entertainment in which a romance between two characters was bound to happen (Han/Leia in Star Wars, Inuyasha/Kagome in Inuyasha, Darcy/Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, etc.). The feelings that the two characters in question have for each other are almost never "hidden," they're made obvious for the audience (as well as other characters) to see. The feelings between Link and Zelda, from what I've seen, are no expection.

Of course, I've probably missed the entire point of your post and gone off onto a completely different rabbit trail. ;)

I don't think the feelings are hidden...just actions resulting from them are kept away. I mean it seems obvious to me that they like each other, and other characters know it. ( Impa, Ruto, possibly Navi and Tatl...) But in the interest of pleasing everyone they never let them get that well-deserved kiss. But I'd rather take an overall subtle ( or not ) relationship throughout the whole game over a one time event that can be denied.

Indeed, the essay based on logic and proof is remarkable! I also wish that everyone would read it.

I hope that one day, when they have another interview with the makers of the game, the interviewer will tell the one who is being interviewed that whatever decision they make about this love plight, it's not about the drama, or a breathtaking, unsuspected result.
It's about pleasing the most amount of people. And, based on the essay and the posts I have read, Zelda should be the most appropriate candidate. :zelink:
But, it's not only because of duty, because, well, there is not one girl other than the wise Princess Zelda that had to do with Link's triumph over evil in every single game. She plays a rather vital part in the games, though she is not shown on screen as often. :zelda:

But back to the post on top. I agree, the feelings are almost never hidden, but the result of those feelings is what keeps this topic interesting.
Every once in a while, one of the most important words are cut off. For example, in TP (which is one of the most debated since it's most complex), Midna is leaving to her realm in the end of the game. Before she leaves, she says that Link and Midna may see each other again. She then says " Link..." "I..." "See you later." I was thinking WHAT??? I'm not sure about what she was going to say, but I wish that they didn't cut it off... It can be really annoying. <_< Also, in that part, Zelda just stands there, right next to Link!

My Case AGAINST Kingship

OOT Link Child Timeline: For one thing he is a commoner and there is no proof that the King of Hyrule would go out of his way to allow a commoner like Link to marry into the Royal Family. Even if he dies and Zelda becomes Queen and marries Link, its highly unlikely that she will give up her administrative duties as head of state to a soft spoken dweeb like Link. Seriously people can you imagine Link giving an important royal speech?? More than likely the royal subjects would heckle and laugh at him and throw rocks. IMO Link does not command the respect that Zelda does when it comes to King/Queen administrative duties. More than likely Zelda will allow him to handle things that he would be good at like working with the Hyrule Knights on military matters or doing errands with envoy missions involving him using Epona. At best Link would be like a Prince/regent that would be subservant to Zelda as Queen. IMO Kingship for Link can only happen if Zelda dies and she bares no children.

OOT Link Adult Timeline: This Link is literally a child trapped in a mans body. Unlike the Link in the other timeline he does not have the advantage of a friendship with Zelda over the years to properly teach him how to serve with dignity in the Hyrule Court as this Link was in limbo for 7 years remaining in a state of arrested development. In other words he would be completely out of place in the Hyrule Court as some comically bizzare freak show with a fairy hovering and twirling around him along with his creepy blank stare of clueless oblivion. He would simply just stand there at Zeldas side during the important royal meetings like a special needs child having no clue as to whats going on. So no Kingship here for obvious reasons.

TP Link: Unfortunately for this Link he can only be an admirer from afar because lack of game evidence suggests that Zelda has no romantic interest in him whatsoever. His role in the Hyrule Court would be simply as the Common Born Hero of Hyrule with the TOC with a special status as a seperate but equal rank in relation to the nobles and knights of the Hyrule Court. More than likely Link will remain in this position within the Hyrule Court and Zelda will go on to marry a more qualified Hyrule nobleman. Nope no Kingship here either.

So in conclusion OOT Link Child Timeline has the best chance for Kingship only under the circumstances that after marriage with Zelda, that she dies and bares no children.

Stop ruining this topic that discuss Zelink.
I respect your liking of Malon, based on your name, but then respect our liking of Zelink, please.

I'm glad you don't swear or say anything completely unecessary about Zelink, and I respect your opinion, but respect our happiness chating and discussing here to help Zelink evidence prosper. This is, after all, a Link X Zelda forum. I know your trying to sound formal and polite, but you'll have to do better than that to avoid bashing and dissaproval.

PS: To be honest, I found that essay very well written, and it looks like you put a lot of thought into it. For that, I must say kudos! Just, maybe you might consider trying to ease up on the formality, and perhaps lighten up. :)

TNX. I'm not trying to be malicious, its just that its fun to debate about these issues. :D

Okay, sure. Just be sure to check your words right and just lighten up. What I do when I debate something is to talk about something else more enlightening, in case the other person gets mad or something...

I don't think you're MALICIOUS... That might be just a tad harsh... ;)

He is not a commoner - Ocarina of Time Comic - Nintendo Power Magazine This comic basically says that Link is the son of a Hylian Knight - hardly a commoner. His mother is likely of noble blood to be married to Link's father. Therefore, it would be a perfectly feasible option for Link to marry into the Royal Family.

A "soft-spoken dweeb?" Where did that impression come from? To my knowledge, Link has never spoken in OoT, period. It is implied that he has said a word, but it is not speech in the traditional sense of the word. And just because he is willing to help Zelda in her quest to make Hyrule a better place does not make him a dweeb.

Certainly not, since his lineage is that of a long line of Knights and he would be thoroughly trained for the role of King, if indeed that became the case. And why would the Hylians mock him if he saved their country from Ganondorf's clutches?

Those types of things are part of a King's role anyways. He would be commander-in-chief (so to speak) in the Hylian military, he would be a peace-keeper among his people since he spent such a long amount of time with them, and he would make alliances with other races in Hyrule because he has been among them.

It is not appropriate in a debate to bash ANY character (I am aware this has already been said). And if Link were to become King, he wouldn't have time to have a "creepy blank stare of clueless oblivion." He would be immediately involved in training for the throne.

Maybe he would during his training, but I guarantee that he wouldn't get to do it for long. Kings are extraordinarily busy, and he would have to keep pace with Zelda and the things that demand her attention. Since Link demonstrated value in his leadership in fighting against Ganondorf, leadership on the throne wouldn't be too far of a stretch.

Just because lack of in-game evidence implies that there would be no romance between TP Link and Zelda doesn't mean that the foundation for it wasn't set. Remember the scene on the glowing lake just before Link and Zelda chase after Ganondorf on horses? That was the strongest Zelink moment in the game; while it was brief, it gave the implication that there might be more going on later outside the game.

Truly, the game felt more Link x Midna more than anything else, but the scene in the credits where we witness Link riding away from Ordon Village makes me believe that he made the choice to leave behind his old life and begin a new on in the main area of Hyrule. When a soldier's life changes as drastically as Link's obviously did, there is no emotional support or mental refuge in the "old haunts." It's like when a person moves away from an area for a long period of time, then goes back to visit only to discover all the playmates are gone and the neighborhood is a bit rougher. It just doesn't fit who you are as a person anymore.

I would also like to state that the Magic Armor featured in TP looks just like Zelda's traditional outfit. Notice the Sheikah symbol on the shoulder pads, the similarly patterned apron, etc. What can we take from this? The article has already stated what we can and cannot take from this, so I will not repeat myself.

Here is the picture which gliderpilotgirl has graciously provided:

You make really good points and I remember reading something that OOT Link was related to the Hylian Knights but I can't quite remember. Anyway the correct term I should have used was OUTSIDER instead of commoner. But I really believe that in the Child Timeline that Zelda would sort of entrust Link with some authority to help her co rule the kingdom of Hyrule. Yet there is nothing for me to believe that Zelda would just give up her title as head of state to Link at all. I don't know, but for some reason I just can't picture Zelda being subservant to Link period. And I can't picture them having matching thrones either. To me the image I get is Zelda sitting on her throne as Queen and Link STANDING by her side as Prince co regent subservant to Zelda in authority that includes the marriage relationship as well.

As for the Adult timeline, I just can't picture Link serving in the Hyrule Court in his child like mental state. So in other words, Kingship in this timeline is totally out of the question. You yourself admitted that Link has never spoken, so how the heck can he be King of anything?? Zelda would be crazy to relinquish her royal title to someone that can barely communicate and who barely has the mental capacity to think for himself less be in charge of an entire kingdom. IMO its far more likely that all Link cares about after Ganon has been defeated in this timeline is being with any female that will order him around and keep him in line like the perfect obedient pet that he is and nothing more. At least that would be more believable than any outrageous notion of Kingship, thats for sure. I think Zelda knew this and it only makes perfect sense that she sent him back to the Child Timeline or else Link would have more than likely wandered off and end up settling into a more simple and less complex lifestyle with either Malon, Ruto, or even Nabooru if he had stayed. Preferably with Malon of course. :D Anyway, Kingship is the last thing that would have happened in this timeline. I bet my life on it.

In TP I just see the whole LinkxZelda thing as an incompatible mismatch thats totally the opposite of OOT LinkxZelda in the child timeline IMO. With that being said, I still prefer a LinkxZelda in TP than a LinkxIllia without question. But I still have doubts that TP Zelda would allow Link to co rule with her even if by some miracle they did get married. I still think Link fits best as just the Hero of Hyrule with the TOC under Zeldas royal command. But it would be funny if Zelda allowed him to perform a royal speech just for the heck of it. If I were a royal subject that had to endure an awkwardly quite speech from Link, I would love to heckle him and throw rocks at his face as he nervously fumbles through the words. :lol:

Okay. I still don't get the rock throwing part. He has the confidence to stand up to monsters and even the dark lord Ganny himself. So, why doesn't he have to courage to make a speech??? Nervous around people??? Not likely. Otherwise he wouldn't do so well as to saving them. And I think that Zelda would well allow him to be crowned King, if she loved him. Actually, I think that Link would accept the life-long task, but Zelda would care more about his well-being, since the councils and such wouldn't like a man with so called "dirty blood" to ever be crowned King of Hyrule. Honestly, I don't think Zelda cares about bloodline.

Well, I gotta go now. This is the last day of the holidays, so I'm not going to waste it on the computer!!! You'll all probably see me less from now on until summer or Christmas. Maybe not even X-Mas (That is the American slang for Christmas, right? I've heard it before, on tv, but the british don't use it much... Not saying I'm british or anything! I don't have the accent, though I can speak with it well enough... I think.)

I was obviously kidding about the rock throwing part, but I still think it would be a funny sight. ;) Its just Links lack of formal public speaking skills and his lack of formality in general, along with the knowledge that he is basically a country bumpkin, would probably hurt his chances in anybody actually taking him serious in being a competent monarch. But its doubtful that he can even hook up with Zelda in the first place for that to even come close to happening anyway. Well have a great labor day holiday Hylian Princess. :)