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For the Boss that refers to itself as “Link’s shadow,” see Shadow Hag.

Link's Shadow,(TAoL)[1] also known as Shadow Link,(NES Remix 2)[2] is a recurring Boss in The Legend of Zelda series.[note 1][name reference needed]

Characteristics[]

The Adventure of Link[]

Link's Shadow appears as the final boss after Link defeats Thunderbird in the Great Palace. He serves as the final test before Link can obtain the Triforce of Courage and wake Princess Zelda. Link's Shadow is the most difficult opponent to appear during Link's second quest to save Hyrule.

The strategy for Link's Shadow is to attack him where his guard is down. Another strategy that many mistake for a glitch is to duck in the very left corner of the arena and repeatedly stab when he gets close.

Dark Link's appearances in Event Matches during Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl are largely based upon this battle. This battle also formed the basis of the Streetpass Battle Mode of A Link Between Worlds, marking only the second time that music from The Adventure of Link returned to use in another Zelda game, the first being in The Minish Cap.

Other Appearances[]

The Adventure of Link (Mishouzaki)[]



Link's Shadow (Mishouzaki)

Link's Shadow

Link's Shadow is an antagonist in The Adventure of Link (Mishouzaki).

The Legend of Zelda (Valiant Comics)[]

Shadow Link (VC)

Link's Shadow as the king of Calatia

In the The Legend of Zelda comics by Valiant Comics published by Valiant Comics, Link's Shadow is featured in the "Coming Home" story of the fifth issue. Referred to simply as the Shadow and described by himself as a servant of Ganon, he has the ability not only to mimic Link, but any other person. While Link is away in Hyrule, the Shadow, disguised as Queen Seline and accompanied by Thunderbird, attacks the monarch of Calatia and defeats her using her own magical powers. He then locks her away in the tower of the Calatia Palace, taking over her kingdom and making her people suffer under his rule.[4] When an unsuspecting Link returns to Calatia to visit his parents, he is violently greeted by his father, claiming that Link is not his son and ordering him to leave and never come back.[5] Confused, Link begins to travel around Calatia but receives the same mistreatment with everyone else in town,[6] and so he decides to see Queen Seline to figure out what has happened.[7] When Link goes inside the palace's throne room, he finds that the Shadow and Thunderbird have made the queen their prisoner and taken her place instead.[8][9]

Once Queen Seline explains to Link what has happened, the Shadow takes his two prisoners and sentences them to death for committing treason against their own king.[10] The queen then halts him and demands her right of a life trial since it is Calatian Law that anyone sentenced to death has the right to trial by combat to prove their innocence.[11] Thunderbird questions Link's Shadow if it is wise to let the restless citizens witness such an event,[12] but still the Shadow accepts Seline's challenge to thus crush the people's spirits by defeating their queen again.[13] In accordance with the ancient laws, Seline chooses Link to fight in her place,[14] and Link agrees.[15]

The Shadow tries to persuade Link to leave by disguising himself as Princess Zelda and appearing to him as a projection urging him to return to Hyrule, claiming it is under attack.[16] However, when Link refuses,[17] Link's Shadow decides to ask Ganon for help in defeating Link.[18] Ganon explains to the Shadow that he will be able to easily defeat his good counterpart since tomorrow is the Day of the Triforce,[19] which is when, once each decade, the three Triforce pieces disappear for reasons unknown from dawn to dusk.[20] During the battle, after a short struggle, Link's Shadow easily bests the young hero, but just as the Shadow is about to deliver the final blow,[21] a swift move by the real Link causes for the both of them to dangle from the edge of the arena, getting ready to fall into the fire pit below. Link angrily explains that he had to let Zelda face her doom alone just so that he could put an end to his evil counterpart's tyranny,[22] but just then the fake Link explains that Zelda lives and it was all a trick.[23] Suddenly realizing the true nature of the enemy he is facing to be the Shadow he fought at the end of the Great Palace.[24] With the Shadow's sword gone and Link's sword point at his back, Link threatens to kill his counterpart unless he orders the Daira guards to drop their weapons, upon which Link's Shadow obediently commands.[25]

Trivia[]

  • In his battle in The Adventure of Link, Link's Shadow dodges or blocks most of the attacks that Link attempts but is vulnerable when he jumps. This flaw can be taken advantage of by simply standing in a corner and repeatedly swinging Link's Sword toward Link's Shadow. Link's Shadow will attempt to jump at Link and keep running into the attacks, making a rather difficult battle seem less difficult. However, this does not work in the original Famicom Disk System version, as the A.I. was simplified when the game was transferred to cartridge format.
  • Although Link's Shadow in itself has not reappeared in any Zelda games (not counting Dark Link or Shadow Link), a similar concept for Link's Shadow was utilized for the Shadow Nightmare final boss in Link's Awakening, which featured the titular bosses, depending on the version, either emerging from under Link (original and DX versions) or emerging from Link in a cutscene (Switch version), implying they were in part formed from Link's inner nightmares.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageName
FranceFrenchEUOmbre de Link[26]
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

Notes

  1. Link's Shadow was referred to as Dark Link on Zelda.com's encyclopedia.[3] However, as this contradicts the name given in Encyclopedia, it is not considered Canon.

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 202 (TAoL)
  2. "Defeat Shadow Link!" — N/A (NES Remix 2)
  3. "Thunderbird was one of the guardians of the Great Palace, where Link defeated Dark Link and successfully roused Princess Zelda from her unnatural slumber."The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia, Zelda.com (archive), retrieved November 21, 2016.
  4. "I was set upon and defeated by someone who looked exactly like me AND had all my powers. Every magic spell I used--it threw back at me! Now this...thing, disguised as YOU, Link, has taken over the kingdom. My people are suffering under his evil rule!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 4)
  5. "You're no son of mine! Get out! Get out of here! ...And never come back!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 1)
  6. "Hey, everyone! It's me--Link! Back from Hyrule! Is it something I said? IS it my breath?" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 2)
  7. "I've got to see Queen Seline. Maybe she can tell me what's going on." (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 2)
  8. "Hey, you! What are you doing on the throne? Where's Queen Seline?" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 2)
  9. "She is my prisoner...just like you!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 2)
  10. "My people! Now all will see what happens to those who defy the NEW king of Calatia! [...] Silence! I am the king! You have committed treason against me! There can be but ONE penalty! Executioner! Stand forth!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, [which page?])
  11. "Hold fast! I, Queen Seline, demand my right of LIFE TRIAL! By Calatian law, anyone sentenced to death has the right to trial by combat to prove their innocence!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 4, 5)
  12. "Master... The people are restless! Is it wise to let them see this?" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5)
  13. "I beat her once already, and she's already been severely weakened by the chains! What better way to crush the people's spirits than to defeat their queen again...before their very eyes! When I am finished, NONE will defy me!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5)
  14. "In accordance with the ancient laws...I choose this man to fight in my place, as my champion!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5)
  15. "What? I...uh...I mean...so be it." (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5)
  16. "I'm not here. This is a magical projection of my spirit! Only you can see or hear me! You must return to Hyrule tonight! Walk through this magical pathway and you'll be back in North Palace! I need you, Link! [...] Link, the north Palace is under attack by Ganon's armies!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6)
  17. "But...how can I? My parents...my homeland are all depending on me! I can't leave them!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6)
  18. "I have no choice. Let the call be sent out...to the Mountain of Death! Hear me..LORD GANON!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 7)
  19. "It is the Day of the Triforce! He will be without his Triforce of Courage! Link has grown soft...too dependent on its power! Without it--he is DOOMED! His own fear will destroy him!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 7)
  20. "Yes...it is the Day of the Triforce. Once each decade, for one day, from dawn to dusk, all three Triforces...Wisdom, Power, and Courage disappear. No one knows wither or wherefore...just that it is so." (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 8)
  21. "Prepare to die, weakling!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 9)
  22. "I let the woman I love face her doom alone just so I could be here to put an end to your tyranny--and I will, no matter what!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 10)
  23. "Wait! Listen to me! Zelda lives! It was a ruse! I posed as Zelda to trick you!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 10)
  24. "So...you're the Shadow! The one I met at the end of the Great Palace in my second adventure against Ganon! You know, you've made me REALLY angry...but I MIGHT let you live if you order your Daira guards to drop their weapons!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 10)
  25. "Guards! Surrender NOW!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 10)
  26. Encyclopedia, Les Éditions Soleil, pg. 197
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