Zelda vs Malon, Comparing the two

IMO Link would be a more effective Hero in living AMONG the common people/diverse races of Hyrule instead of away from them being cooped up in the Castle awkwardly out of place within the Hyrule Court as a novelty social misfit like a freakshow on display.

In a THEORETICAL LinkxMalon, there is nothing to suggest he has to be milking cows all the time or leaving Malon, Talon, and Ingo in a bind when he does his Hero duties riding around Hyrule with Epona. More than likely Link would do his fair share of the workload before he goes off on Hero duty, whether it would be just for the day or a few days. Link can lift boulders for crying out loud, so more than likely he probably could do more than enough of the ranch work and can be gone for a convienient extended amount of time maintaining frontier defenses and overseeing the needs of the common people/diverse races of Hyrule without worrying about the ranch crumbling to the ground. If normal men from the historical past were able to live this lifestyle with no problem, why not the exceptional Hero that is Link?? My question now is how can Link REALISTICALLY live the life of a Hero living a royal lifestyle away from the common people of Hyrule and with Zelda coddling him like a child??

Also there is nothing unusual with Link settling for a humble lifestyle living at the ranch with Malon. And more than likely Link would still maintain ties with Zelda at the Castle and they can still work as a team in protecting the people of Hyrule. The only difference is that Link won't be a permanent fixture in the Hyrule Court since he would be living AMONG the people of Hyrule instead of away from them. IMO I doubt Link would want to live a royal lifestyle anyway since it obviously contradicts his humble and unassuming simplistic gentle nature. And to me the MM scene of him leaving Zelda on Epona is evidence enough for me that Link ultimately rejected that royal lifestyle altogether and chose the life of a Hero and not a useless trophy pet.

MalonsLover: You still continue to bash Link and Zelda. I have nothing to say to you.



It makes sense, Angel Zelda, and I agree with both you and GPG. I was actually trying to say that both Zelda and Malon have suffered, and not to say that Malon was carefree and so forth, but yes, on the scale Zelda's suffering and trials far outstrips Malon's.

Zelda's world was completely destroyed and she can never fully gain it back. Wheras with Malon, her world was altered, but not so much so that she could never fix anything or get back what she lost.

I think both in the game and manga Zelda lost her identity. She knew who she was deep down in both cases, but no one else did, besides Impa; that really wears on you when no one else knows who you really are. Imagine what it must have been like for her, to be standing right in front of Link and caring for him, but not having him recognize her for being Zelda the Princess instead of Sheik. Major pain right there.

From what the manga implies, and from the lack of mention of the King after the seven year period, the King of Hyrule was killed, yes. Pretty sad, for Zelda to lose the only family she had left in the world. Malon's father was merely turned out of the ranch; he was still alive, and Malon could have easily gone with him or gone to him at any point in time- you've got to wonder about her priorities there, to stay with the animals instead of going to help her father. Anyway. . .

Agree 100%. Zelda needs support even more due to her much more demanding and grueling life. With so much responsibility, she needs someone to be with her, aid, understand, and support her through it all. How many men are there out there that would be able to do that, and that she would actually love? Hardly any.

Malon does get quite a bit more freedom in the choice of her marriage, and really, if she didn't want to, she wouldn't even need to stay on the ranch. She has that freedom to pick up and leave it whenever she wants- not that I really think she would, but she has that option. Zelda doesn't have such a choice, and she would never give up her position as Princess anyway- it's not in her character, a selfish choice that just doesn't fit with the personality she has.

That's a great example, Angel Zelda!!! There's a similar choice that Achillis faces- he can either stay at home and live in happiness to a ripe old age, but in the end no one will remember his name. Whereas, if he goes to Troy to fight the battle there, he will be successful and his name will last the ages- but he will never go home. He picked the glory and honor, and to continue fighting. It's the same with Link- he's not going to throw away everything he's done to live a life of pleasure. It's not who he is, and never will be.

I really believe that has a lot to do with her decision. There was so much they both lost in their fight against Ganondorf, and by sending Link back, she was attempting to give another chance at what they lost.

True..I can agree that Zelda has suffered more than Malon overall. But IMO Zelda needs a partner that she is actually ROMANTICALLY compatible with. To me Link and Zelda are the epitomy of the opposites attract romantic relationship. ASSERTIVE & Highly Intelligent Royal Princess with a UNASSERTIVE, soft spoken & simple minded forest being = TOTALLY INCOMPATIBLE romantic wise. But Link being as Zelda's best friend should be more than enough for her to have a shoulder to lean on when she needs it, plus she has her choice of more qualified noblemen/suitors to choose from when Link is not around while living at the ranch with Malon.

OK forget about that last sentence. IMO Zelda's interraction with Link seems more like a caring & loving over protective mother. Where is the romance in that?? Why would Link want to be with someone who treats him like a cute and cuddly baby?? Zelda doesn't even seem interested in Link romantically IMO outside of being like a motherly best friend/older sister type similar to how Saria was with the cute and cuddly child Link IMO.

Agreed. She knew he was concerned and looking for her too, but she couldn't tell him without revealing her secret and compromising her safety. And all those times she had to actually flee from him because he tried to approach...she couldn't even really comfort him because she couldn't get too close.
The other angle I feel bad for her is the loss of her femininity. I know she's a tomboy but she was dressed as a man...that would wear on most women eventually.

I think she was confused and just didn't know what to do...she just wasn't able to make that leap to realize what she should do. All she could do is attempt to keep living the way she had always done it. That's the biggest difference betwen her and Zelda. Malon is very static, Zelda is dynamic. Zelda can adapt.

Agreed. The standards to be the Princess's husband is alot tougher than that of a rancher's. Link would never have to try if he married Malon...he'd never be encouraged to push his limits and become more. Zelda will always bring out the best in him, challenge him...she'd be a tough example for him to follow.

Believe it or not Gilderpilot I agreed with a lot of what you posted. It seems that me and you see Zelda in similar ways but she does not seem romantically compatible with Link at all IMO. Zelda could do all those things you mentioned in a LinkxMalon as the motherly best friend always providing sagely wisdom to Link to encourage and support him as the Hero of Hyrule in living among the common people/diverse races of the kingdom.

I'm ignoring you. I have yet to see you add anything to any discussion that isn't, "Link and Malon are best!" Frankly, I think you are wasting your time here with that argument.

I'm tired of hearing how Link and Zelda can be so close....yet Malon will be the one he goes home to. I fail to see what Malon could do that would attract Link to her over Zelda: an actual princess, his encouragement and confidante and the most beautiful and kind woman he would ever meet. I think this is silly: I'm done arguing with you.

Oh I know. . . Like at Lake Hylia where she's standing behind him, just watching him, and then she has to slowly back away and leave. . . And at the desert, they actually stand there and look at each other for several moments, and then she has to leave when he gets close again. So sad. It really made my heart hurt.

Pretending to be a guy would be really hard! Like if you've ever seen Mulan- look at what she went through pretending to be a man. Zelda's situation isn't quite as extreme, but it's still difficult not being able to be who she was; a young wman. She couldn't depend on anyone- she had to close herself off and just keep going on, couldn't show emotion either freely.

That's a good way to put it. Her life had changed so drastically, she was probably attempting to hang on to a bit of normalacy. She might have also been too afraid to leave home. But yes, Malon is a very static character while Zelda is dynamic. Malon doesn't change or adapt very well while Zelda does.

Being with Malon would be that step backwards into the life he'd left behind. He wouldn't go above and beyond like he had done the entire game. Being with Zelda would open up whole new challenges for them to face together, as they've always done.

Thats just it!! Malon being static is ideal for Link IMO. Zelda being too dynamic is why I can't picture the humble and simple minded/but not stupid Link being with mommy Zelda in the first place. IMO, whatever new challenges are to be faced by Link and Zelda EASILY can be done as close best friends.

Go away, child, unless you have something VALID to add to this besides you own opinon where you insert yourself as Link. I agree with GPG, not going to argue with you until you have something to say besides insults to the characters.

OK...thats enough. Anyway..I think you and Gilderpilot make good points to support the possibility of LinkxZelda. But remember, MM seems to suggest that Link had a lost sense of purpose and ultimately left Zelda and the pampered royal lifestyle behind and left on Epona. It doesn't guarantee that he is going to be with Malon but the MM cutscene seems to be IMO a foreshadowing of things to come, in which Link chooses the life of a Hero and NOT an unlikely royal King.

Bottom line is OOT/MM Link doesn't seem interested in anyone romantically. Zelda seems interested in him but not romantically I'm afraid. BUT...since Malon dreams of a KNIGHT in shining armor and Link is actually descended from a Hylian KNIGHT put two and two together and.. LinkxMalon FTW!! OK...I admit my THEORIES for LinkxMalon are no more valid than any LinkxZelda THEORIES so I'm done for the moment. But I really think you and Gilderpilot are probably the best Zelinkers I have ever debated.

Then how would Zelda know his story from MM? In the beginning it is clearly said that the story is dear to the Royal family.

Just because Malon wants a knight doesn't mean she gets a knight. You forget that Link has his opinions and tastes, too. Just because, for example, I like something doesn't mean I'll get it, now does it?

I agree, a female having to disguise herself as a young man (even if she was a tomboy) would be difficult for her. Zelda just wouldn't have to disguise her identity, but also have to disguise her gender. Speaking of Mulan, she had several close calls (or rather, she had little idea as how to act like a man). I wonder if Zelda had any close calls during those seven years...Interesting to think about.

Then how would Zelda know his story from MM? In the beginning it is clearly said that the story is dear to the Royal family.

Just because Malon wants a knight doesn't mean she gets a knight. You forget that Link has his opinions and tastes, too. Just because, for example, I like something doesn't mean I'll get it, now does it?

Some people theorize that the happy mask salesman was the one who told the story to Zelda and the Royal Family. Since there is no proof that Link ever returned from the MM adventure it is possible I guess.

Even if Link did return to Hyrule after the MM adventure and told the story to the Royal Family himself before THEORETICALLY choosing to be with Malon, I'm sure the story would STILL be cherished by the Royal Family anyway. To suggest otherwise would mean that Zelda would be bitter at Link for choosing Malon over her. IMO that would be totally against Zelda's loving and affectionate character if you ask me. And I was just teasing about the coincidental Knight references. To me thats the ridiculous equivilant as the infamous Link and Zelda should hook up simply because they have matching triforces and Zelda gave Link the ocarina.

The fact of the matter is that OOT/MM Link is the ideal embodiment of the purely innocent undisputed champion of voluntary celebacy so all we can do is theorize on who we want him to be with if he did return from the MM adventure. I simply prefer Malon because of the identifiability of the normal & quaint lifestyle which IMO matches well with Link's humble and unassuming personality. But if he chose to be with Zelda to live a royal lifestyle so be it. I just don't feel Link would want that type of lifestyle and the MM cutscene of him more than willing to leave Zelda behind at the Castle is proof enough for me.

And also IMO Zelda doesn't seem physically attracted to Link at all and seems to interract with Link like a caring best friend with feelings more associated to a loving mother or sister IMO. The same can be said for Malon I guess as she seems to be like the friendly girl next door type that I at least find somewhat appealing. If thats wrong then shoot me but to each his/her own.

You need to consider something: at the end of the adventure he's seen amazing, out-of-this-world things, and been on an adventure the likes of few have ever seen. There is nothing normal or quaint about his life now. He's going to find a massive gap between his before and after states likely. Simply put, I don't think Malon could identify with him anymore, regardless if the fans identify with her.

One thing I've noticed in many of these games: there are two distinct streams of love interest/family member. The plain ordinary girl ( before ) and the princess. ( after ) The before's are Marin, Malon/Saria/, Aryll ( a reference to Marin, but not a love interest though ), and Ilia. It seems to me that regardless of how he personally feels about them ( theoretical romantic love and sister love for Aryll ) he's destined to leave them behind. Zelda seems to also be a constant: in LA the dream is over, he likely returns to Hyrule. OoT/MM returns to Zelda. WW, leaves with Tetra. TP, last shot is the throne room of Hyrule Castle. I guess what I am saying is that he will end up with Zelda.

You make a good point on him seeing amazing things and all. But by the same token he can be like the Hero who has done great things but desires to return back to a humble lifestyle or beginning. Take the character Maximus from the movie Gladiator who desires to return back to his humble farm with his family after leading the Roman armies to victory. True Maximus is just a fictional character but he is the embodiment of the HUMBLE hero who still yearns to continue living a HUMBLE lifestyle. To me Link CAN be this way, and if you want me to provide another literary example of the HUMBLE hero continuing to live the HUMBLE lifestyle I would be more than glad to do so.