Dark Link


 * This article is about the recurring enemy. For the Four Swords Adventures mini-boss, see Shadow Link.

Dark Link is a recurring antagonist in the Legend of Zelda series. It seems to serve as a doppelgänger of Link. Dark Link appears in many games; it is uncertain if this is one, single entity or if each game has its own, individual Dark Link, but it is suggested that the same being appears in several games. It is also unclear if Dark Link serves any one master or fights on his own accord. Multiple Dark Links have been known to exist at the same time, all of which seem to be separate entities rather than the iconic villain. Some Dark Links have the ability to perform any offensive move Link has at his disposal.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Dark Link serves as the final boss of the game, found inside the Great Palace. After the defeat of the Thunderbird, Link enters the final chamber of the palace, where the Triforce Keeper holds the Triforce of Courage. Suddenly, the lights go out, and Link's shadow jumps away from his body and then proceeds to attack with his sword. He is eventually defeated by Link, who after the ordeal awakens Princess Zelda. Dark Link is never described as one of Ganon's servants; the more likely scenario is that he was a final test left for Link by the King who hid the Triforce of Courage. It should also be noted that in this game, he is never called Dark Link; most official documentation which refers to him at all identifies him as Link's shadow, suggesting that he might be a different entity from other Dark Links.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Dark Link appears only in the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past. After clearing several sub-challenges included in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and the main game itself, Link is allowed to enter the Palace of the Four Sword, whose entrance is found on the outside of the Pyramid of Power. In this palace's final room, Link must battle four Dark Links, each with a different tunic and different powers. Their tunics correspond to the colors of the Links that hold the Four Sword: Green, Red, Blue, and Purple. Each Shadow Link has a different power, and the powers of the previous ones. These powers include using Link's Dash Attack, Sword Beam, Downthrust, and the Whirlwind Sword Attack.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Dark Link appears as the mini-boss of the Water Temple, appearing as Link's shadow in a strange, illusionary room. His voice is the same as Link's, only with a much deeper pitch. He can use some of Link's sword attacks and is considered to be one of the most difficult enemies to defeat in the game. As the battle continues, Dark Link becomes slightly less transparent until he is completely opaque. When Link defeats Dark Link, the illusionary tree and pond disappear from the room and the door forward opens. When Link proceeds onward, he obtains the treasure that Dark Link was guarding, the Longshot.

This game marks his first chronological appearance, but his origins in this game have not been clarified. Some speculate that he is the result of the split-timeline theory, created when Link travels back to the future from the past after the Forest Temple.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The game's main antagonist and final boss, Veran, summons four Dark Links at the start of the second phase of the final battle. These copies are significantly weaker than the real Link, and are mainly used by Veran as a distraction. They cannot attack save for bumping into Link, and always drop a heart upon defeat.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
In a flashback sequence told to Link by Lanayru, three Dark Links are used to symbolize the Interlopers that once attempted to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. Dark Link is not fought, however, and is merely a visual tool.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Dark Link appears as the final boss of the Take 'Em All On mini-game in Castle Town. He is able to use the Great Spin Slash, the Bow, and Bombs, while Link is limited to his own sword. He appears as a literal shadow, and as he is damaged, he gradually becomes more transparent before fading away entirely upon defeat.

Super Smash Bros. series
Dark Link makes a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee as the opponent in the event match Link's Adventure, though it is just Link at Level 9 in all black.

Dark Link is playable as a palette swap for Link in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and also appears as a boss in event mode, where he has 200HP. However, in the image in which he is seen as a boss in event mode, he doesn't use the palette swap, but instead appears completely black, similar to the Dark Link in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Strangely, his damage meter shows the picture of his palette swap. Also, Toon Link, another playable character based on Link's appearance in The Wind Waker, has the dark skin available as well. These palette swaps resemble how the Interlopers are depicted in Twilight Princess. Strangely, this plaette swap also affects the color of Link's Hylian Shield, but does not affect the Master Sword.

The Legend of Zelda series manga
Dark Link makes an appearance in the manga adaptation of Ocarina of Time; While Link is training with Impa in Kakariko Village, Dark Link appears from the well and attacks Link. He appears to know every move Link does, but is eventually defeated when Link performs a new move he learned by watching Impa. The battle continues when Dark Link quickly reappears astride a dark horse, but both are quickly defeated by Link and Epona.

Valiant Comics
In the Valiant Comics story "Coming Home," Link returns to his home country Calatia to find that a tyrant identical to him usurped the throne. Seline, the rightful queen, demands that Link be allowed to battle this impostor, and backed by the will of the people, the usurper grants her wish. During the battle, both Link and his lookalike end up hanging off the edge of a bridge, and Link realizes the double is the shadow of himself he fought before. During this story the impostor also assumed Zelda's likeness, implying it can assume the form of anyone it wishes.

The Legend of Zelda: The Sage of Darkness
Dark Link appears as the remainder of consciousness left behind by Link's father after he was murdered by Davik, manifested as a ghost that haunts the resting place of the Master Sword. When Link arrives in order to obtain the Master Sword, Dark Link, a representative of the darkness inherent in Link's heart that is seeking revenge for the death of Link's family, stands in his way. Link is unable to fight it and does not comprehend its true purpose. After surmising the purpose of Dark Link, Link drops the White Sword, a weapon wielded by Ganon himself through hatred, and Dark Link departs, telling Link to remember what he has learned from this. Having passed the test, Link draws the Master Sword and leaves with his new weapon. It is unknown what happened to Dark Link afterward, but it is presumed he went to the afterlife and was finally able to rest in peace.

Theory
It is possible that Dark Link was created when Link drew the Master Sword from its pedestal. As the sword vanquishes evil, it may have expelled all evil within Link, which then manifested itself as his evil side, Dark Link. This idea can be countered however, by the fact that Rauru says that the Master Sword is a sword "which evil ones may never touch." This may imply that there was no evil in Link to start with.

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Link Oscuro