Link

Link (リンク) is the main protagonist of the Legend of Zelda series. He is usually depicted as a courageous young boy or teenager in green clothing who leaves his home and any relatives to pursue his destiny: fighting the evil forces threatening the land. Over the course of his adventure, Link defeats legions of evil monsters, explores vasts lands, helps anyone he meets struggling, navigates deadly dungeons, and collects mythical items while pursuing his quest for justice and peace. In the end, he gains the power needed to vanquish his main enemy and becomes a legendary hero. He is considered an iconic character in video gaming and the very symbol of the Zelda franchise, and remains one of the most popular video game protagonists.

Link's physical characteristics fluctuate from game to game, though he usually has light-colored hair (ranging from brown to blonde to orange), blue eyes, and a medium build. Other characters sometimes think of him as handsome. It is unlikely that Link's age exceeds nineteen years at any point in the series thus far. In many installments of the series, Link is the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. Several games mention a Triforce mark on Link's left hand, which identifies him either as a chosen hero or the holder of the Triforce of Courage.

Interestingly, Link bears a resemblance to Peter Pan, as they are both elf-like, wear green clothing, fight with swords, and are sometimes accompanied by a Fairy. Link also fights his shadow in some games, either Dark Link or Shadow Link, just like Peter. Surprisingly though, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Legend of Zelda series, has stated that he used Peter Pan as a bit of an inspiration for Link's design in The Legend of Zelda.

Personality
A peculiarity of Link, as well as other characters, is the several different incarnations of the person throughout the Legend of Zelda series. He is implied to be somewhat sleepy or lazy at first since at some point near the beginning of every game except the first two, he is sleeping or dozing off. Since Link does not usually speak, his personality is mainly determined by his actions or others' comments about him. He generally appears to have the basic characteristics mostly found in a heroic character; bravery, selflessness, compassion, wisdom, and kindness. These characteristics (along with his purity) allow him to wield the full Triforce in some of the games without a problem.

Abilities
In each of his adventures, Link grows to become proficient with the sword, his primary form of attack. He wields his sword in his left hand in most games (though there are exceptions). The Master Sword, a legendary blade that Link wields throughout several adventures, has become as synonymous with the series as Link himself. Link is also remarkably proficient with a wide variety of magical musical instruments, being able to use them immediately upon obtaining them. This also extends to his other items and weapons in the series.

In some of his adventures, Link is shown to have some degree of aptitude with hand-to-hand combat (such as sumo wrestling Gorons in Twilight Princess) as well as a degree of superhuman strength (lifting heavy looking objects and beings such as Koloktos's cutlass in Skyward Sword); however, he is generally portrayed as completely defenseless without a sword or other weapon, as shown in Wind Waker: when he loses his sword in the Forsaken Fortress, he must rely on stealth and enemies' weapons to make it through, and if he is spotted, he surrenders without putting up a fight. This can be explained by the fact that the Link in Wind Waker (as well as some other incarnations of him) was a small child, whereas the ones in The Adventure of Link, Ocarina Of Time (in the latter half of the story), Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword are already in their teenage years and thus more powerful and skilled than their preteen counterparts.

Some incarnations of Link can also use magic, as the one in The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time have shown.

The Legend of Zelda
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link is chronologically the third Link in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

Link is a hero summoned by Impa, the royal nursemaid, to save Princess Zelda from the evil Prince of Darkness, Gannon, who is seeking out the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom. Link finds the pieces before Gannon does, and in the end, destroys the villain with a Silver Arrow, saving Zelda. Link's character and background are given little explanation in the game, although the prologue describes him as "burning with a sense of justice."

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Being a sequel set not long after the original game, The Adventure of Link features the same Link as The Legend of Zelda. Link is now fifteen years old, approaching his sixteenth birthday. Although Ganon has been killed, his army of monsters remains active throughout Hyrule. They plan to revive Ganon by spilling the blood of his murderer, Link, onto his ashes. Impa finds a Triforce mark on Link's hand as he approaches his sixteenth birthday, and explains that he is the hero chosen to awaken an ancient Princess Zelda from her sleeping curse by seeking out the Triforce of Courage. Link places a crystal in each of Hyrule's six palaces, ultimately defeats Dark Link, receives the Triforce of Courage, and uses the full Triforce to awaken Princess Zelda. After Link awakened Zelda, she then thanked him as well as called him "a real hero" for saving Hyrule. The curtains then slowly fall with Link and Zelda getting closer to each other afterwards.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages is chronologically the first Link in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

Link lives with his uncle in a house near Hyrule Castle. One night, Link receives a telepathic message from Princess Zelda in his sleep; the princess claims to be locked in the dungeons of the castle. Link awakens to find his uncle preparing to come to Zelda's aid, and is told to remain in his bed. After his uncle's departure, however, Link ignores his command and follows after him to Hyrule Castle. Following further advice from Princess Zelda, Link finds a hidden entrance leading inside the castle; inside a passageway, he finds his uncle, who has been mortally injured in battle. In his final moments, Link's uncle asks Link to save Zelda from her prison, giving him a sword and shield, as well as teaching him the Spin Attack, before he passes. Link navigates the castle and rescues Zelda from her cell, and the two make their escape through a secret passage connecting the castle sewers to the Sanctuary.

The Loyal Sage residing in the Sanctuary tells Link of Agahnim, an evil wizard who has usurped the throne, and plans to break a seal made hundreds of years ago by Seven Wise Men. The seal was placed to imprison Ganon, King of Thieves, in the Dark World, which was once the Sacred Realm before Ganon invaded, obtained the legendary Triforce, and used its power to turn the realm into a land of darkness. Agahnim intends to break the seal by sending the Seven Maidens, the descendants of the Seven Wise Men who made the seal, into the Dark World, allowing Ganon to break free and complete his plan to rule both worlds. The only thing that can defeat Agahnim is the Master Sword, a sword forged to combat evil. To prove he is worthy of wielding it, Link needs the three Pendants of Virtue.

With the aid of Sahasrahla, elder of Kakariko Village, Link is able to retrieve all three pendants, and takes them to the resting place of the Master Sword and is able to draw it from its pedestal. Upon obtaining the blade, Sahasrahla contacts him and tells him to go to Hyrule Castle and use the sword's power to break the barrier placed around the castle tower that serves as Agahnim's stronghold. On the way to the castle, Link is contacted by Zelda again, who tells him that Hyrule Guards have attacked the Sanctuary. Link arrives at the Sanctuary moments after the soldiers have vacated, where he learns from the dying sage that Zelda has been taken to the Hyrule Castle Tower. Link goes to rescue her, but he arrives too late to stop Agahnim from sending Zelda to the Dark World. After Agahnim is defeated in the ensuing battle, he sends Link to the Dark World as well.

To stop Ganon and save Hyrule, Link must rescue the Seven Maidens from dungeons scattered across the Dark World. Once the Seven Maidens are freed, they use their power to break the barrier around Ganon's Tower, where Link faces Agahnim again. After the hero defeats Agahnim for a second time, Ganon rises up from Agahnim's body, turns into a bat, and flies away. Link chases him, finally confronting him inside the Pyramid in the Dark World. After a battle resulting in Ganon's demise, Link touches the Triforce, and wishes for Hyrule to be restored to its former state. With peace restored to the land and his uncle restored to life, Link returns the Master Sword to its resting place in the Lost Woods. This Link seems to have become intimate with Zelda later on as hinted in the Oracle games and A Link Between Worlds.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Link's Awakening is the first game to take place outside of Hyrule and the main storyline involving the Triforce and Ganon. Link is traveling aboard a ship, across the ocean toward destinations unknown, when a fierce storm sets in, leaving him shipwrecked. The hero awakens in the house of his rescuer, a young girl named Marin, whom he initially mistakes for Princess Zelda. Marin explains to Link that he has been marooned on Koholint Island. Link is given his shield by Marin's father, Tarin, and proceeds to retrieve his sword from the beach where he washed ashore. An owl then appears, telling Link about the dangers of the isle and instructing him to search for the eight Instruments of the Sirens, which will allow Link to wake the enigmatic Wind Fish and leave the island. The instruments are contained in the island's eight dungeons and are guarded by Nightmares, evil beings who seek to prevent the awakening of the Wind Fish.

On his quest to retrieve the instruments, Link explores the entire island, through forest, desert, and mountains, receiving aid from the Owl along the way. Furthermore, Marin joins Link in his quest for a time, and they develop an implied romantic relationship. In an eastern shrine, Link uncovers a mural on which is written the truth of Koholint Island: the island and all its inhabitants are but a dream of the Wind Fish, and should it be awakened, they will cease to exist. To continue the Wind Fish's slumber and thus establish control over Koholint Island indefinitely, the Nightmares begin attempting to dissuade Link from awakening the deity by telling him that since he, too, is in the dream, he will also be erased from existence if the Wind Fish wakes.

After collecting all eight Instruments of the Sirens, Link stands before the Wind Fish's Egg on Mt. Tamaranch, and plays the "Ballad of the Wind Fish", which he had learned from Marin, on his Ocarina. Inside the egg, Link does battle with the many forms of DethI, the leader of the Nightmares. Upon defeating his foe, Link is thanked by the Owl and greeted by the Wind Fish, who bids him plays the "Ballad of the Wind Fish" once more. Doing so ends the dream of Koholint, causing the island and all its inhabitants to disappear. Link awakens clinging to a piece of his wrecked ship in the middle of the ocean, and smiles as he sees the Wind Fish fly overhead. It is unknown what happened to Link afterwards as he no longer had a ship to sail. It was hinted in A Link Between Worlds that he eventually returned to Hyrule though.

Hyrule Historia states the Link in this adventure is the same Link from A Link to the Past and the Oracle series. While the Japanese website for Link's Awakening states that it is the sequel to A Link to the Past, in the ending of the Oracle games Link is seen leaving on a ship similar to the one he begins on in Link's Awakening, making this a possible retcon of the timeline, or it's possible that the Oracle games take place between "A Link to the Past" and "Link's Awakening". The manual of Link's Awakening states that Link had recently defeated Ganon, though this occurs in many games, including both A Link to the Past and a linked Oracle game.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask is chronologically the fourth Link in the Unified Timeline and the first Link in the Child Timeline.

Link is born during the Hyrulean Civil War, and is left in Kokiri Forest by his dying mother in an attempt to spare him from the widespread violence. From then on, Link is fostered by the Great Deku Tree, who raises the Hylian child as a Kokiri so that he will fit in with his peers. However, as Link does not possess a Fairy like other Kokiri, he is always something of an outsider, especially in the eyes of Mido, the self-appointed "Boss of the Kokiri".

When Link is a child, the Gerudo King Ganondorf places a curse on the Great Deku Tree in retaliation for the guardian's refusal to hand over the Spiritual Stone of Forest. The Great Deku Tree sends the Fairy Navi to Link, who serves as the boy's Fairy companion for the duration of the game. With Navi's guidance, Link acquires a sword and shield and defeats Queen Gohma, a parasitic monster placed inside the Great Deku Tree by Ganondorf. His health sapped by Ganondorf's curse, the Great Deku Tree bestows the Spiritual Stone upon Link before his death, bequeathing the boy to travel to Hyrule Castle and speak with Princess Zelda. Upon exiting the forest, Link's childhood friend Saria gives him the Fairy Ocarina, with which he can play the various songs he learns on his journeys. Upon reaching Princess Zelda inside Hyrule Castle, the princess tells Link about Ganondorf's malicious plans to take over Hyrule, and tasks Link with finding the Spiritual Stones of Fire and Water. Link retrieves the two remaining Spiritual Stones, aiding the Goron and Zora peoples who guard them in the process, and sets off for Hyrule Castle Town to place them in the Temple of Time. Just outside the town, he encounters Zelda and Impa as they flee from Ganondorf, who has seized Hyrule Castle. Zelda manages to toss Link the Ocarina of Time as she flees, which he uses in conjunction with the three Spiritual Stones and "Song of Time" to open the Door of Time, revealing the Master Sword, which he pulls from the Pedestal of Time. Upon doing so, however, Link is sealed inside the Sacred Realm for seven years, as in his current form he is not judged capable of saving Hyrule as the Hero of Time. Link awakens to find he is seventeen, having aged seven years in the safety of the Temple of Light inside the Sacred Realm, while Ganondorf has touched the Triforce and extended his reign over all of Hyrule. Rauru, the Sage of Light, informs Link of the conquest of Hyrule, and instructs him to find the other five sages. Link traverses five temples in order to rescue the sages and awaken the power within them. They are Saria, the Sage of Forest; Darunia, the Sage of Fire; Princess Ruto, the Sage of Water; Impa, the Sage of Shadow; and Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit. With these five sages awakened, Princess Zelda reveals herself to Link as the seventh sage, only to be captured by Ganondorf. Aided by the power of the remaining sages, Link is able to enter Ganon's Castle and navigate its depths. He defeats both the King of Evil's Gerudo form and his monstrous Ganon transformation, freeing Hyrule and Princess Zelda. The princess then sends Link back in time to regain his lost seven years.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Having been returned to his childhood by Princess Zelda at the end of Ocarina of Time, Link goes on a search for a "beloved and invaluable friend", implied to be the fairy Navi. While traveling deep inside the Lost Woods, Link is ambushed by the Skull Kid and his two friends, the Fairy siblings Tatl and Tael. The Skull Kid makes off with Link's Ocarina of Time, and in the subsequent chase, Link is transported into the parallel world of Termina, where the Skull Kid uses his magic to turn Link into a Deku Scrub. During this process, Tatl becomes separated from the Skull Kid and Tael, and joins Link in order to find them, becoming his Fairy companion for the remainder of the game.

In the caves beneath Termina, Link meets the mysterious Happy Mask Salesman, who agrees to return Link to his normal shape if Link returns Majora's Mask to him, an artifact of ancient power that was stolen by the Skull Kid. As Link embarks on this quest, he learns little by little of the looming catastrophe threatening the land: the Moon in the sky has assumed a horrible, evil face and has abandoned its orbit, and will collide with Termina in exactly three days. Link's quest to restore himself quickly becomes a quest to save the land, during which he not only returns to his original form, but acquires masks enabling him to freely transform between his Hylian, Deku, Goron, and Zora forms.

Eventually, Link succeeds in freeing the Four Giants, enigmatic deities who can halt the Moon's descent, and confronts the Skull Kid. At this point, Majora, the evil entity residing inside Majora's Mask, abandons its now useless host and retreats into the Moon. Link chases after it into the strange core of the Moon, and after a long and heated battle against the three incarnations of Majora, the entity is finally defeated and the menacing Moon disappears. Upon returning the now lifeless mask to the Happy Mask Salesman, Link leaves his new friends and continues his journey, while the people of Termina once more celebrate the dawn of a new day. During the celebration, a Zora identical to Link's Zora form is seen performing with The Indigo-Go's, implying that Link may have returned to the carnival temporarily, though this is never clarified. It was hinted in Twilight Princess and confirmed in the Hyrule Historia that this Link later became the Hero's Shade since he lived a regretful life for not being remembered as a hero despite his actions as well as not passing down his skills to the next generation.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
Link is already a hero at the beginning of these games, as he is the same Link from A Link to the Past according to Hyrule Historia. The two Oracle games begin very similarly, with Link traveling to the shrine of the Triforce. Inside, the sacred relic transports him to a world in desperate need of a hero: Labrynna in Oracle of Ages, and Holodrum in Oracle of Seasons. Link meets and befriends Nayru the singer in the former, and Din the dancer in the latter.

In Labrynna, Link must use his ability to travel back and forth in time via the Harp of Ages to save the land from the clutches of the Sorceress of Shadow, Veran. In Holodrum, he must use the season-changing powers of the Rod of Seasons to end the ambitions of the General of Darkness, Onox. After completing one game, starting a linked game using a password from the first, and completing it, a secret final quest can be accessed in which it is revealed that Koume and Kotake were behind the exploits of both Veran and Onox, planning to use their actions as a catalyst to revive Ganon. After defeating both the witches and the resurrected Ganon himself, Link sets sail to an unknown destination.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Four Swords is chronologically the third Link in the Unified Timeline.

At the outset of the game, Link travels with Princess Zelda to check on the Four Sword, an ancient blade said to seal Vaati, a powerful wind mage. As the two enter the Four Sword Sanctuary, Vaati breaks his seal, absconding with Zelda in order to make her his bride. As Link comes to, he is instructed by three Fairies to draw the Four Sword, which splits the hero into four copies of himself: One green, one red, one blue, and one purple. Together, the four Links journey across Hyrule to meet three Great Fairies, each of whom gives the Links a key necessary to enter Vaati's Palace. Inside, the four Links defeat Vaati after a fierce battle, sealing him inside the Four Sword once more. With Hyrule saved, the four heroes return the Four Sword to its pedestal, thus merging back into one being.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
This Link lives on Outset Island on the Great Sea, the region above Hyrule after it was flooded by the gods to prevent Ganondorf from conquering it. Link is celebrating his birthday, and it is customary on the island for one to receive the Hero's Clothes to honor the legendary Hero of Time when they reach the age the Hero was during his quest. Since the Hero of Time was approximately seventeen years old when he defeated Ganondorf, it is possible that Link is also this age, but based on his physical appearance and voice, however, it seems more likely that this custom refers to when the Hero of Time started his quest, at the age of approximately ten. Shortly after this, the Helmaroc King captures Link's sister, Aryll, prompting Link to travel with Tetra and her pirates to the Forsaken Fortress. Link initially fails to rescue Aryll, but is rescued by the King of Red Lions, who helps him in his quest to save his sister. Link is eventually successful, and is also able to defeat Ganondorf after retrieving the Master Sword and restoring its power. With this quest complete, Link, Tetra, and her pirate crew set sail in search of a new land.

Although the game inspires speculation about Link's possible relation to the Hero of Time (namely, his family shield which was rumored to be used by the Hero himself'), this theory is discouraged by the King of Red Lions, who is in fact the King of Hyrule, when he tells the sea spirit Jabun that "[Link] appears to have no connection to the legendary one." The fact that he managed to pull the Master Sword out of it's pedestal (which was said to only be capable to someone related to the Knights of Hyrule) does hint something, however. After Link overcomes many hardships, the King of Red Lions names him the Hero of Winds, and Ganondorf declares Link to be the Hero of Time reborn.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Four Swords Adventure is chronologically the third Link in the Child Timeline.

Link is friends with Princess Zelda. Concerned that the seal which keeps Vaati in the Four Sword may be weakening, Zelda and the rest of the Seven Maidens summon Link and open the way to the shrine of the Four Sword to investigate. However, Zelda and the other maidens are captured and imprisoned by Shadow Link. Despite the fact that it will release Vaati, Link is forced to draw the Four Sword from its pedestal in order to split himself into four and have the strength to go and rescue the maidens. The Links save all seven of them and collect the four Royal Jewels, which they use to reveal the Tower of Winds. Climbing the tower, the Links reach the Realm of the Heavens, where they defeat the Shadow Links and reclaims the Dark Mirror from which they were created. After another furious battle, the Links defeat Vaati, not sealing him as before, but apparently slaying the wind mage for good. Afterward, Ganon, the true mastermind behind all the events, attacks Zelda and the Links personally. The final battle ensues; the Links are able to defeat Ganon, and with the help of the Seven Maidens, seal him within the Four Sword. The sword is then returned to its sanctuary and sealed there, and the Links are combined into one again.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in The Minish Cap is chronologically the second Link in the Unified Timeline.

Link is the grandson of Smith, the blacksmith for Hyrule Town. He lives just outside the town with his grandfather, and goes to the Picori Festival with his childhood friend, Princess Zelda. During the award ceremony for the festival's sword tournament, the winner, Vaati, shatters the legendary Picori Blade and releases the monsters that had been sealed in the Bound Chest. Princess Zelda uses her power to send the monsters away, and despite Link's attempt to defend her, Vaati turns the princess to stone to prevent her from interfering with his plans.

Afterward, the King of Hyrule sends Link to Minish Woods to find the Minish, in the hopes that they can reforge the broken Picori Blade so that it can be used against Vaati, the Wind Mage. As he travels though the woods, Link meets Ezlo, his companion throughout the game. Ezlo sits on Link's head throughout his adventure to defeat Vaati and restore Zelda. Aside from his frequent advice and sarcastic comments about Link's quest, Ezlo grants the hero the power to shrink down to Minish size.

Chronologically, The Minish Cap is the prequel to Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures. Like the incarnation in Four Swords Adventures, this Link has almost the exact same character design as the Link from The Wind Waker, other than his hat. This game is one of the earliest games in the timeline, as stated in the official Hyrule Historia. At the end of this game Link acquires a real green hat, as he only had Ezlo as a hat before. Ezlo then said that the hat suited him.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Twilight Princess is chronologically the second Link in the Child Timeline.

Link is a rancher in Ordon Village who is around 17 years old. He has a Triforce shaped birthmark on his hand, strongly implying that he currently possesses the Triforce of Courage, though possibly it is merely there as a mark of a Chosen Hero. One day, Rusl, the town's only warrior and swordsmith, requests Link to be his proxy for a trip to Hyrule to deliver the Ordon Sword and Ordon Shield which the Royal Family ordered. As he prepares to leave, King Bulblin and his forces attack, knocking out Link and kidnapping his friends Ilia and Colin, along with the other children. After regaining consciousness, Link is drawn into the Faron Province, which has become blanketed with Twilight. The Twilight morphs Link into a wolf. He is imprisoned by Shadow Beasts, but escapes with the help of Midna.

Later, Link delivers Light back to the Faron Province, with the help of Midna, and awakens as the Chosen Hero, now donning Link's trademark green clothing. Link and Midna venture to collect the Fused Shadows, which can be used to defeat Zant, the king of the Twilight Realm, who covered Hyrule in Twilight, and also defeated the true power behind Zant: Ganondorf, shortly thereafter. Afterwards, he and Zelda witnessed Midna's departure to the Twilight Realm, as well as her destruction of the Twilit Mirror in order to ensure the tragedy never repeated itself. Link afterwards returned the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time, and returns to Ordon Village, but he later leaves the village with Epona. At the very end, the Throne Room of the Hyrule Castle is seen, revealing that the Castle was rebuilt. This may indicate Link is going there, but this is unconfirmed. This Link is often referred to by fans as the "Hero of Light" because of his acts to restore the Light to Hyrule; however, there are those who refer to him instead as the "Hero of Twilight". Both are fan made titles that do not appear in any official material, although his true title in this game is "Hero Chosen by the Gods".

Throughout his adventure, he was trained by the Hero's Shade in the combat styles of the hero and eased his regrets, thus allowing him to move on. It was also hinted in the game and confirmed in Hyrule Historia that this Link is the descendant of the Hero of Time himself.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
This Link is the same Link from The Wind Waker. After the ending of The Wind Waker, Link and Tetra set off to find the land that would be the next Hyrule after the former kingdom had been completely destroyed. After Tetra is captured by the Ghost Ship, Link makes a bold effort to save her, but is knocked out. When he wakes up, he meets a Fairy named Ciela, who becomes his companion for the rest of the game. He also meets Linebeck, who helps him by letting him use his ship. Link acquires a new sword, Oshus's Sword, which Oshus lets him have.

Link finds three spirits which allow him to find the Ghost Ship, where Tetra is being held. He saves her, but finds she is made of stone, due to her life force being drained. To undo this, Link must defeat Bellum, an evil being inhabiting the Temple of the Ocean King. To defeat it, Link needs the Phantom Sword, a weapon made of the three Pure Metals. After Link finds these metals, Zauz forges the Phantom Sword's blade, and Oshus creates the handle out of the Phantom Hourglass. With the Phantom Sword in hand, Link defeats Bellum and restores peace. It is revealed that the world Link explored was an alternate dimension, and Link and Tetra are sent back to their own realm. During the whole adventure, only ten minutes passed in Link and Tetra's world, and it at first seems as if the whole experience was a dream. However, Link finds an empty hourglass in his pocket, and sees Linebeck sailing away in the distance.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Spirit Tracks is chronologically the second Link in the Adult Timeline.

Link is originally an apprentice engineer, who becomes a hero by saving the land of New Hyrule from the evil of Malladus. Throughout his adventure, he works together with the spirit of Princess Zelda, who inhabits a Phantom form in certain situations. His appearance is similar to that of the Link from Phantom Hourglass, however, his voice is now similar to that of the younger Link from Ocarina of Time.

The game opens as Link, an apprentice railroad engineer, travels to the castle of Princess Zelda to attend a Graduation Ceremony, where the honor of Royal Engineer will be bestowed upon him by the princess herself. As she rewards Link for his service, she slips him a note, warning of the suspicious Chancellor Cole, and to take a hidden path and meet her in secret. She requests Link's help in investigating the mystery of the vanishing Spirit Tracks. Zelda is restricted to her quarters, but needs Link's help sneaking out of the castle to figure out why the Spirit Tracks are mysteriously disappearing all over the land. Zelda then presents Link with a change of clothing&mdash;the Recruit Uniform&mdash;which will help Link blend in and trick the similarly dressed guards.

After their success, the two finally make it out of the castle and bump into Alfonzo, Link's Master Engineer, who taught him how to become an engineer. As Alfonzo was once a soldier, he helps Zelda and Link escape on a train towards the Tower of Spirits. However, the tracks begin to vanish from underneath the vehicle. After a spectacular crash they are stopped halfway by Chancellor Cole and his second-in-command. The pair easily defeat Link and Alfonzo, and go on to remove Princess Zelda's soul out of her body. Chancellor Cole then takes Zelda's body and uses it as a vessel in an attempt to revive Malladus.

When Link awakens, he finds himself in Hyrule Castle. Zelda's spirit floats in, and Zelda learns she lost her body and that no one can see her but Link and a few Lokomos. Zelda then leads Link to a sword. After a bit of training she then directs Link to head to the Tower of Spirits to retrieve her body. To help Link, Princess Zelda's ghost inhabits a Phantom and aids Link in stopping Chancellor Cole and reviving herself.

With the help of the Lokomos (and Byrne later on), Link and Zelda managed to defeat Malladus as well as put Zelda's soul back in her body. With the battle over, they were soon assured by Anjean that Byrne wasn't truly dead when he sacrificed himself. She then told them more about the Lokomos as they went go back into the heavens. During this scene, Link and Zelda held hands with Link later slightly squeezing Zelda's hand.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in Skyward Sword is chronologically the first Link in the Unified Timeline.

Link is the hero chosen by the goddess Hylia to perform a great task. A resident of Skyloft, he attends the Knight Academy, a boarding school for those wanting to become Knights of Skyloft. Like all denizens of The Sky, he owns his own Loftwing; in particular, he owns a rare Crimson Loftwing. At the beginning of the game, Link wears clothes similar to those worn by other residents of Skyloft. This incarnation of Link is the earliest known appearance of the character in the timeline, and due to the gameplay, which is designed for right-handed use, this Link seems to be right-handed as well. It is possible though, that the game was mirror imaged and thus this Link is also left-handed as well.

Link is close friends with Zelda, daughter of the academy Headmaster, Gaepora. A rival of Zelda's affections is Groose, who attempts to sabotage his chances of entering and completing the Wing Ceremony at the beginning of the game by kidnapping his Loftwing. He eventually regains his mount and recovers the Bird Statuette, earning him a moment alone with Zelda. After he receives her Sailcloth, the two embark on a flight together; however, they are attacked by a fell black tornado, and Zelda is taken away to a land below the clouds.

Link is thrown from his Loftwing, and a mysterious blue figure appears in his dreams. When he awakens, he finds Gaepora standing before him, wanting to know what happened to Zelda. After Gaepora leaves, he hears a voice outside his door. Seeing the mysterious figure in the hallway, Link follows her to the Statue of the Goddess, where she opens the door to a chamber found inside the statue. Here, he finds the Goddess Sword, and the figure reveals herself to be Fi, the spirit inhabiting the sword. Using the sword to open a path through the Cloud Barrier, Link begins his search for Zelda on The Surface.

Several times throughout his quest, he is confronted by Ghirahim, Demon Lord of the creatures inhabiting The Surface. Link eventually finds out that Zelda is on a journey of her own to purify her spirit, protected by the Sheikah Impa. Eventually, Zelda and Impa seek refuge within a Gate of Time to elude Ghirahim's grasp. An Old Woman reveals to Link that a second Gate of Time exists; however, to activate it, he must infuse the Goddess Sword with three Sacred Flames. For each Sacred Flame he gathers, the sword transforms, until it becomes the Master Sword.

With the Master Sword in hand, he activates the Gate of Time, where he is reunited with Zelda. She explains to him that she is a physical reincarnation of the goddess Hylia; she assumed a human form in order to combat Demise, the ancient Demon King whose beast-like form Link sealed away earlier with the help of a reformed Groose. The only way they can defeat the eternal Demise is to collect the Triforce and wish for his destruction. Link eventually recovers the Triforce, preventing Demise from re-emerging. However, Zelda is taken away by Ghirahim into the past, for there his master still exists.

Ghirahim is able to use her body to resurrect Demise; though Demise is ultimately defeated, the Demon King promises to return to plague their descendants in another form. Zelda, Link and Groose return to their own time, where the Old Woman is revealed to have been Impa all along. Groose returns to the sky, whereas Zelda decides to remain on the surface. She then asked what Link intended to do, with Link sweetly smiling at her as the scene moved towards Link and Zelda's Loftwings flying back into the sky, implying that Link chose to stay with Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
As written in the Hyrule Historia, the Link in A Link Between Worlds is chronologically the second Link in the Fallen Hero Timeline.

Link is a Blacksmith's apprentice who experiences frequent nightmares of Princess Zelda being snatched away by a pig-shaped creature, which often cause him to be late for work. After a brief encounter with Yuga, Link warns Zelda of the new threat, and she gives him the Pendant of Courage and tasks Link with protecting Hyrule. In his next encounter with Yuga, Link gains the ability to enter and leave walls as a painting, which becomes a vital ability in his quest.

After finding the other two Pendants of Virtue and drawing the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link rushes to Hyrule Castle to defend Zelda, but finds himself too late, arriving as Yuga is turning Zelda into a portrait. After battling Yuga once again, Link chases after him through a glowing fissure in the wall and finds himself in what seems to be a darker Hyrule Castle, where he witnesses Yuga revive and merge with Ganon, granting him the Triforce of Power. However, before the combined villains can attack Link, he is saved by Princess Hilda, who explains to Link that he is in Lorule, a darker version of Hyrule. After she teleports Link out of the castle, he blacks out and wakes up in the Lorule Blacksmith's house.

Link then goes on a quest to find the portraits of the sages throughout Lorule, and the sages grant the Triforce of Courage to him upon his success, allowing Link to confront Yuga. Upon reaching the top of Lorule Castle, Hilda reveals her intentions to save her realm by stealing Hyrule's Triforce and commands Yuga to take Link's piece of the Triforce. After Link defeats Yuga once, the villain turns Hilda into a painting and steals the Triforce of Wisdom from her, revealing that he intended to take the Triforce for himself all along. He then battles Link again, even more powerful now that he holds two Triforce pieces. Mid-battle, Zelda gives Link the Bow of Light, which he uses along with the Master Sword to ultimately defeat Yuga.

Zelda and Hilda are restored, though Hilda does not relent until Ravio appears. He takes off his mask, revealing that he is Link's Lorule counterpart and that he once served Hilda. Hilda declares Ravio a traitor, but Ravio convinces her that she shouldn't destroy Hyrule to avert Lorule's fate, admitting that their land is doomed. Hilda agrees to send Link and Zelda back to Hyrule using the remaining power in Ravio's bracelet, and they end up in Hyrule's Sacred Realm, with the Triforce in front of them. They both wish for Lorule's Triforce to be restored, saving the parallel world. Link then returns the Master Sword to the Lost Woods.

The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Courage
Link was set to be the protagonist of this game, but the game was cancelled and never released. In it, Link's mission would have been to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon by collecting the eight pieces of the Triforce of Courage. He would also have to obtain the Rod of Seasons from another dimension where he would meet the Uura Tribe.

Link's Crossbow Training
Link is the protagonist of this game, which is a direct spinoff from Twilight Princess. Since the game involves mini-games that require the use of the Wii Zapper, he wields a Crossbow as his only weapon.

Game & Watch: Zelda
Link is the protagonist, whose mission is to find eight pieces of the Triforce and rescue his "sweetheart", Princess Zelda, from the eight dragons that kidnapped her. In this game, Link is equipped with a sword and shield, but can also pick up a Tomahawk to fight the dragons. This is the only game in the series to feature such an item.

The Legend of Zelda Game Watch
Similar to Game & Watch: Zelda, Link is the protagonist and must find the eight pieces of the Triforce. In each room of the game's eight dungeons, Link must acquire an item and use it to defeat the enemies in the room in order to proceed. He must also collect a bomb for use in defeating Aquamentus, who serves as the boss of each dungeon.

Super Smash Bros.
Link is one of eight characters initially available, and is based on his appearance as an adult in Ocarina of Time. Aside from the traditional green tunic, three alternate tunic colors may also be chosen: red, blue, and blueish white. While the former two are clearly inspired by, respectively, the Goron and Zora Tunics from Ocarina of Time, the latter is decidedly reminiscent of the color his clothes take in The Legend of Zelda when the Blue Ring is worn. Link has many of his signature weapons and techniques at his disposal, including the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield, bombs, the Boomerang, the Hookshot, the Spin Attack, the Jump Thrust, and the Downthrust.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Link comes equipped with the Bow in addition to the equipment he had in the original Super Smash Bros. While his swordplay is formidable, Link is at his best when utilizing all the tools and weapons at his disposal alongside his fighting skill, rather akin to his usual portrayal in the Zelda series. Link's Hookshot now has the ability to latch onto the ledge of the arena, giving him a slight edge should his jump not be enough to recover back onto the stage. Link's appearance is again based on his adult Ocarina of Time incarnation, but is graphically improved due to the GameCube's abilities, appearing similar to his portrayal in the Space World 2000 demo.

Melee also introduces Young Link, a child version of Link based on his younger Ocarina of Time incarnation, as a secret unlockable character. Like in Majora's Mask, he can wield a bow and Hookshot, though strangely these have their Ocarina of Time appearance. He is more agile, but weaker than the older Link: he jumps considerably higher and can perform wall jumps, which adult Link cannot, but his sword and bombs inflict less damage. Additionally, Young Link's sword and Hookshot have less range, and his Bow shoots Fire Arrows rather than traditional arrows.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Link has essentially the same weaponry as in previous installments, but as he is now modeled after his Twilight Princess incarnation, his array of tools and weapons have changed accordingly. Bombs now use their distinct jagged design from Twilight Princess, the Clawshot replaces the Hookshot, and the Boomerang is replaced with the Gale Boomerang. Though essentially the same character as Young Link, Toon Link appears in the game as a secret unlockable character, and is based on Link's appearance in The Wind Waker.

Both characters' Final Smash are the Triforce Slash, which traps an enemy in a large apparition of the Triforce, allowing Link to deliver repeated slashes before shattering the Triforce and sending the opponent flying with a powerful final blow. If there is another player directly behind the one caught in the Triforce Slash, that character will also take some damage. In The Subspace Emissary, Link is seen pulling the Master Sword from its resting place in the middle of an unnamed forest, alongside his fairy.

There are twelve stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl that depict Link:

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Link and Toon Link have returned as playable characters in the fourth installment of Super Smash Bros. Regular Link's appearance is now based a mix of the Skyward Sword Link and Twilight Princess Link while Toon Link is based on his updated Wind Waker HD design. Not much has changed in the mechanics of the two heroes. They both still wield the Master Sword and their regular shields.

Soulcalibur II
Link is a playable character appearing exclusively in the Nintendo GameCube version of the game, in which he is modeled on Link's incarnation from Ocarina of Time. Link's inclusion in the game is believed to be the primary reason why the GameCube version of Soulcalibur II became the best-selling. Notably, Link is one of only two characters in the game who utilizes true projectile attacks, in the form of his Bow, Boomerang, and bombs.

Not much is revealed of Link's story, but it is known that after investigating a series of natural disasters across Hyrule, he discovered that they were caused by an evil wizard, and was summoned by Princess Zelda in order to defeat him. After doing so, Link found that the wizard had been possessed by Soul Edge, an evil soul-devouring sword from another dimension. Quickly pulling the Master Sword out of its pedestal and taking with him the Ocarina of Time, he embarked on a secret journey to this other world in order to destroy Soul Edge, knowing full well that the resurrection of the evil blade must be prevented at all costs. When the game is successfully completed it is revealed that by destroying Soul Edge, Link not only saves his own homeland from peril, but also maintains the tranquility of the world in which the sword resided. After learning of this, the hero then quietly returns to Hyrule, with a faint echo of his ocarina being the last heard of him.

In battle, Link utilizes many special moves believed to be (though not explicitly identified as) references to techniques from The Legend of Zelda games. For instance, the Rocket Stab attack may have been inspired by the Pegasus Boots from A Link to the Past. The Jump Thrust and Downthrust attacks may be from The Adventure of Link, and a backflip and Jump Attack are nearly identical to attacks used in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Much like the Super Smash Bros. series, Link has a total of four costumes, which is more than any other character&mdash;although they differ only in color. He is considered a mid-tier character by the tournament community.

Although Link is not playable in Soul Calibur III, the Create-a-Soul's Sword and Shield moveset is similar to his own, only with Zelda-related moves like the Bombs, Bow, Boomerang and Spin Attack removed.

Dynasty Warriors VS
Link appears as an alternate costume in Dynasty Warriors VS (Shin Sangoku Musou VS), a hack-'n-slash Dynasty Warriors series for the Nintendo 3DS. Link's physical appearance in Dynasty Warriors VS is based on his appearance from Skyward Sword. The costume can be unlocked by completing the game's tutorial.

Hyrule Warriors
Link is the main character in this action-focused spin-off game. He is one of the new recruits of Hyrule's Imperial Guard but has been discovered to have great talent in swordplay as well as using speed and quick footwork to defeat enemies. Link is the focal subject of the primary antagonist Cia. Link's appearances from Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword will be available as alternate costumes via downloadable content. When Link is defeated as an enemy, he drops the Materials Link's Boots or Link's Scarf.

Monster Hunter series
Link's attire appears as an Armor Set in Monster Hunter 4 and its expansion game Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, two games in the Monster Hunter series. He is equipped with the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, Sacred Bow, boomerang, bombs, and a type of bone flute.

Mario Kart 8
Link is available as a downloadable playable character for Mario Kart 8. A Zelda-themed vehicle known as the Master Cycle will be included in his DLC pack as well.

The Legend of Zelda TV series
Link is depicted as a traveling adventurer who settles in Hyrule Castle and takes the "job" of guarding the Triforce of Wisdom from the evil wizard Ganon. He is a brave, yet boisterous warrior who loves to twirl his sword in one hand before, during and after battles. He is right-handed in the cartoon, despite him being depicted as left-handed in most media. Link's voice was provided by Johnathan Potts. A slightly altered version of this Link, voiced by the same actor, appeared in four episodes of Captain N: The Game Master.

Link constantly attempts to impress Zelda in order to earn her affections, but she often rebuffs his advances and spurns him for his behaviors; the few times she agrees to kiss him, they are always interrupted by another character or event. He makes his affections for Zelda very clear and frequently tries to get her to kiss him. Link's catchphrase, "Well, excuse me, Princess!", is often uttered as a reaction to his failed advances towards Zelda, or her displeasure with something he has done wrong.

The Legend of Zelda comics
Following a storyline similar to the TV series, this comic ran for only four issues. In the comic, Link is not from Hyrule but is said to have come from the western land of Calatia, and this is the only land he shows more loyalty to than Hyrule. In one issue, when Zelda accuses Calatia's Queen Seline of stealing the Triforce and forces Link to choose between Seline and herself, Link stands by his queen.

Although these are not considered technically a part of the Zelda canon, the comic book series published by Valiant were reprinted in Nintendo Power magazine and authorized by Nintendo, so some fans accept them as being factual.

Popularity
The character Link has been overall well-received by critics and fans. In the 1988 and 1989 Nintendo Power Awards given by Nintendo Power magazine, readers voted him as "Best Character". He was voted by readers as the number one and three "Best Hero" in the 1993 and 1994 Nintendo Power Awards, respectively. In 2005, Link and his creator were awarded stars on the "Walk of Game" along with Sonic the Hedgehog and Mario. Game Informer magazine listed Link as the number one "Hero of 2006." Link has appeared multiple times in the annual "Character Battle" contests on the popular gaming website GameFAQs, in which players vote for their favorite video game characters, and he is the only character to have won more than once. Also, in one of IGN.com's 2007 "Hero Showdowns," Link was voted the favorite hero.

Moreover, due to his popularity, he has made cameo appearances in other media, most notably other video games, even those not released by Nintendo. One famous example of this is in the game Final Fantasy, wherein a gravestone that reads "Here lies Link. 837 - 866. R.I.P" is found; however, this was changed to Erdrick, a Dragon Warrior hero, in the American NES and European PlayStation versions. Link has also appeared in television shows such as South Park, Robot Chicken, and The Powerpuff Girls.

Link was also ranked the #1 most heroic character ever in gaming in GamesRadar's "Top 100 Best Heroes in Video Games" countdown. GamesRadar claimed he is "the embodiment of the virtue of courage and heroism, single-handedly embarking on epic quests, helping those in need no matter how small the task, and showing his kind-hearted soul to everyone he meets." and "the personification of what a hero is."

Reincarnation
A common theory as to why each incarnation of Link looks similar and has similar abilities is that they are reincarnations of one another. It is notable that when Demise put a curse onto the Skyward Sword Link and Zelda, he stated "Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero." which may have been referring to reincarnation. It should be noted, however, that Link from The Wind Waker, the Hero of Winds, probably isn't the reincarnation of the Hero of Time since he went to the Child Timeline and effectively disappeared from the Adult Timeline. According to the King of Red Lions, the Hero of Winds has no connection to the Hero of Time, though it is unclear whether he is referring to blood relation or reincarnation with this statement. It is worth noting that Ganondorf believes the Hero of Winds is the Hero of Time reborn, though his claim has no concrete evidence. Link from Twilight Princess also probably isn't the reincarnation of the Hero of Time since, according to Hyrule Historia, he not only met the Hero of Time as the Hero's Shade, but is also his descendant.

Relatives
Another theory as to why each incarnation of Link looks similar to one another is that they are actually related to one another. This is supported by the fact that the Hero of Time is the ancestor of Link in Twilight Princess as well as how it is stated in A Link to the Past that the Master Sword can only be pulled out from its pedestal by the ones who carry the bloodline of the Knights of Hyrule. It is possible that when Demise stated "Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero," when he put a curse on Link and Zelda, he was actually referring to the "spirit of the hero" as a form of will or a set of personality traits rather than the soul itself.

This may mean when he was stating "Those who share the blood of the goddess" he was referring to Skyward Sword Link and Zelda's descendants who are the other incarnation of Links rather than the Royal Family of Hyrule, where an alternate reason for the Royal Family having magical powers is the Light Force as hinted in The Minish Cap. This would explain why Link faces other adversaries aside from Ganon, with Zelda (or other members of the Royal Family) sometimes not being present to support the side of good in games such as as Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening. The Japanese text states that Demise's hatred and the Demon Tribe will go under an "evolution", which may mean the curse could involve other villains apart from Ganon himself.

If each Link is related to one another, they need not be related along a single line of descendants. For example, the Hero of Winds cannot be a direct descendant of the Hero of Time since the latter returned to the Child Timeline immediately after his victory over Ganon while being a young preteen in a teenager's body, but provided the Hero of Winds can trace his lineage to Skyward Sword Link, the theory still holds.

Madas
It is possible that in the contemporary Hylian language during the events of Skyward Sword, Link's name may be "Madas" when pronounced. This would explain why Fi, when talking to Link in dialogue that uses his name, often says "Madi Midas" with "Madi" possibly being "Master" in the language. Alternatively, it is possible that Fi's words are gibberish used repetitively in the game, similar to Midna in Twilight Princess.

Etymology
Link's name is based on his status as a "link" between the player and the game world, as stated by Eiji Aonuma in an interview: "When a player is playing a Zelda game, my desire is for the player to truly become Link&mdash;that's why we named him Link, so the player is linked to the game and to the experience."

Gallery
Link Link リンク (キャラクター)