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, but 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.

Characteristics
Dark Link is everything that Link is not, but at the same time, everything that he is. Everything Link desires, Dark Link wants the opposite. Dark Link has the same skills as Link, thus making it possible that Dark Link was created from all of the negative thoughts and feelings in Link; his negative, a being of pure evil with a desire to destroy Link. It is also possible that Ganon brought Link's shadow to life using dark and evil magic. It is unclear if Dark Link works for Ganon directly, or fights Link on his own accord.

As evidenced by Shadow Links, it would appear that multiple Dark Links, though less skilled, can be created at the same time, all of which seem to be separate entities rather than the iconic villain. The weaker, mass-produced Dark Links all come from various sources. In Oracle of Ages, Veran produces four of her own, though they are the weakest to ever be displayed. In the Gameboy Advance version of A Link to the Past, four Dark Links appear in a hidden dungeon, and it is stated that they represent the final challenge to the Hero before he can claim the Four Sword.

Creation
Dark Link's creation is not often elaborated upon in the games he appears in. However, it is generally assumed that Ocarina of Time reveals his back-story. As Link is traversing through the Water Temple, he comes upon a surreal room matted with water, a skyline, and a small tree in the middle. Link's shadow suddenly leaves the floor without him noticing and hides behind the tree, causing Link to lose his reflection in the water as well. After Link has no success opening the door on the other side of the room, he turns around and is ambushed by a dark version of himself.

In Four Swords Adventures Ganon uses the Dark Mirror to create Shadow Links. Until the Mirror itself is destroyed, it will keep generating new Shadow Links.

In the non-canonical Four Swords manga, Dark Link is said to be Link's doppelganger from the Dark World; he does evil acts to be noticed, since people turn their backs to their shadows. This Link is also afraid of the light. In the end, he realizes that he is a part of Link, which made him a hero. He destroys the Dark Mirror, killing both Vaati and himself for the sake of the world. Before Dark Link dies, one of the four Links tells him, "You are one of us."

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Dark Link serves as the final boss of the game, found inside the Great Palace. Link is forced to fight him after the defeat of the Thunderbird in order to win the Triforce of Courage. Dark Link appears when Link approaches the Triforce of Courage. 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 revives 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. It is possible that he is a separate entity from the incarnation of Dark Link from Ocarina of Time.

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, the hidden Palace of the Four Sword appears. In this palace's final room, Link must battle four Shadow 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 charge, sword beam, a jump attack, and the hurricane blade.

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. He can counter Link's sword attacks easily, and can actually counterattack Link's stab attack by jumping onto Link's sword, pinning it in place, and slashing at Link. Whenever a hit is landed on Dark Link he will drop down into the floor and appear again right behind Link. However, Link can make short work of him using Din's Fire, an unblockable attack, or simply not Z-targeting. 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 (probably, but debated), but his origins in this game have not been clarified. It could be presumed that this Dark Link survived through the ages to do battle again in Zelda II, but this is never directly suggested and, considering the storyline of that game, seems improbable. 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 multiple copies of Dark Link throughout the 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 drop a heart upon defeat.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
After completing the game and earning ten Medals of Courage, Link can enter the Palace of the Four Sword, where he must face again four of the bosses from the game. The final battle of the dungeon is against four Dark Links, each with a different tunic and ability.

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

The player can also see what may be another possible cameo by sending Link into the basement of his home; Link should wield the lit lantern and use it to navigate his way across the room to a mirror, then extinguish the lantern. Link's reflection in the dark strongly resembles Dark Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
A 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.

Comics and manga
In the manga version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Dark Link makes one appearance. While Link is training with Impa in Kakariko Village, Dark Link appears from the well and attacks Link. He seemed to know every move Link had except one move Link had seen Impa do but never did himself until he used it to defeat Dark Link. But the fight continues when he quickly reappears on "Dark Epona" and Link mounts Epona for a horse back battle where Dark Link is quickly slain.

In the Valiant Comics story "Coming Home," Link returns to his home country Calatia to find that a tyrant who looks just like him has usurped the throne. The rightful queen demands that Link be allowed to battle this imposter, 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 imposter also assumed Zelda's likeness, implying it can assume the form of anyone it likes.