Dark Link

Dark Link, also known as Shadow Link, was a recurring villain throughout The Legend of Zelda. He is often thought as a doppelgänger of Link. He debuted in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link as the final boss of the game. 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 and everything that he is at the same time. It would be accurate to say he is Link's exact opposite, for whatever Link desires, Dark Link wants the opposite. He holds the skills of the Hero but instead of all things good, he is bad, this making it possible that Dark Link was created from all of the negative thoughts and feelings in Link I, the Hero of Time. It is also possible that Ganon brought life to Link I's shadow using dark and evil magic. He is filled with evil and a need to destroy the Hero and the line of the Hero. Dark Link in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the same person as the one in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time possibly, but the Link is different. Unlike Dark Link, Link is not immortal and eventually dies. However, several of the incarnations of the Hero of Time had to face Dark Link, or some of the mass-produced Shadow Links. It is unclear if Dark Link works for Ganon directly, or merely fights the hero on his own accord as he did in "Zelda II".

It seems that multiple Dark Links can be created at the same time, which all seem to be seperate entities than the iconic villain. These are often identified as "Shadow Links" in-game, rather than Dark Links, oddly. These are most often much weaker and less skilled than the iconic Dark Link villain.

Creation
Dark Link's creation is not often elaborated upon in the games he appears in. Ganon's minions may have created him to combat Link and serve their lord. Another possibility is that the elderly man who guarded the Triforce of Courage created Dark Link as a final challange for the hero, as he implied. He might have been created by some other power that has yet to be elaborated upon. Regardless, the iconic Dark Link seems to be the same being who survives through the ages.

The weaker, mass produced Shadow Links all come from various sources. In Four Swords Adventures they are continuosly spewed out by a magical "Dark Mirror", obviously being seperate entities than the original Dark Link. In The 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 Shadow Links appear in a hidden dungeon, and it is stated that they represent the final challange to the hero before claiming the Four Sword.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Dark Link's first appearances was in Zelda II as the final boss of the game. Link was forced to fight him after the defeat of the Thunderbird in order to win the Triforce or Courage. He copied all of Link's abilities exactly in this game. He was defeated by Link, who after the ordeal saved Princess Zelda. Dark Link is never mentioned to be one of Ganon's servants, and rather appears to be a tool to test Link.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Dark Link appears as a Mini-Boss of the Water Temple, waiting for Link in a strange, illusionary room. He can use some of the Link's sword attacks and is one of the hardest enemies in all the game. He can counter Link's sword attacks easily, and can actually counterattack the stab: a rather arrogant move where he jumps ONTO Link's sword, pinning it in place, and slashes at Link. In this game he has a shimmering apperance and sports a pair of blaring red eyes. Upon defeat, Dark Link flies through the floor, and the mysterious room looses its illusion and the door forward opens.

This game would mark his first chronological appearance, but his origins in this game have not been elaborated upon. It could be presumed that this Dark Link survived through the ages to do battle in "Zelda II", but this is never directly suggested.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, the game's main villain 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: A Link to the Past (Gameboy Advance Version)
After clearing several sub-challenges included in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and the main game itself, a hidden palace 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: Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures, Ganon uses Shadow Link to deceive Link into drawing the Four Sword from it's pedestal, releasing Vaati the wind mage, who abducts The Seven Maidens and Zelda. Shadow Link is a main antagonist in the game, a recurring mini-boss, and has a new trademark giggle. Many Shadow Links appear in the game, all mass-produced by the Dark Mirror. However, one of them seems to survive and play as the main copy, but whether this is the iconic Dark Link or not is speculatory.

Many Shadow Links appear to harrass the heroes using various tools, such as giant bombs and Link's own weaponry. They can assume the coloration of one of the four Links, requireing that particular one to defeat it. Shadow Link is killed at the end of the game by the effects of the Mirror.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Dark Link appears as a cameo appearance in Twilight Princess. 3 Dark Links symbolize the interlopers that broke into the Dark World in the vision to Link of the creation of Hyrule. Also if you look in the mirror in the basement of Link's house with out using the lantern (except to find the mirror and then turn the lantern off) Link's reflection in the dark strongly resembles Dark Link. Dark Link is not fought, however, and is merely a visual tool.

Super Smash Bros. series
Dark Link makes a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee as the opponent in event match Link's Adventure, though it is just Link at Level 9 in a black "skin". Dark Link does not vocalize in this game.

Dark Link is playable as a pallet 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 pallet swap, but instead appearing completely black, similar to the Dark Link in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Strangely, his damage meter shows the picture of his pallet swap. 

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, only to be defeated.

In the manga of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, Shadow Link appears and is expanded upon. When he first appeared, he easily defeated the four Links as the four sword had lost its power. Later, he attempts to tempt the purple Link to evil and otherwise to sabotage the Link's mission. This failed, as the Purple Link was lying to him all along, and then joins with the other Links and bests Dark Link. He is later recreated by the Dark Mirror. Although he is commanded to fight against the Links, he chooses to help them by pointing out Vaati's weak point. However, he soon realizes that the as long the Dark Mirror exists, Vaati will be invincible, and destroys the mirror, despite warnings from Vaati that he would die if the mirror was destroyed, which turned out to be true. Before dying, he reconciles with the other Links. His nature is explained as "The shadow version of Link from the Dark World".

Link Oscuro