The Legend of Zelda games follow a pattern for which roles the recurring characters are given. With the Triforce of Courage, Link is always given the role of the hero. Similarly, Zelda is positioned as a wise leader, and Ganon usually fulfills the need for a powerful villain. However, there is potential for Nintendo to break this pattern and make somebody else the hero for a game.

Zelda games most often take place in Hyrule, a land ruled by Zelda's family, and feature many of the same characters and items in each game. Ganon's greed for the power of the Triforce, which will let him bring destruction upon Hyrule, is often what forces Link to undergo the hero's journey. With help from magic items and the people of Hyrule who believe in him and Princess Zelda, Link is able to face Ganon and restore peace to Hyrule.

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Link almost had a female form Zelda, but the plan was never realized. However, it shows that Nintendo has considered the potential of putting a female protagonist in the role of hero for Zelda games. There's no need for Nintendo to shift Link's gender to add variety to Zelda, because there are plenty of characters who have the ability to take the spotlight and give Link a break from having to save the world in each game. At this point, Link as the hero is so iconic that it's unlikely Nintendo will replace him. Yet, it could be fun to flip the script and let Princess Zelda take a hero's journey of her own.

Princess Zelda is the obvious choice to replace Link as the hero in a Legend of Zelda game.

There's no question that Zelda loves her land and the people who live there. In addition, Zelda has strength and abilities of her own. She almost starred in a spin-off game as Ocarina of Time's Sheik, and it's far past time for her to return to her mysterious alter ego. As Sheik, Zelda manages to hide from Ganondorf while she helps Link access the temples and awaken the Sages.

The connection between the Hyrule royal family and the Sheikah could also lead to an intriguing story if Zelda takes the lead because very little is known about the tribe, and she might have the most knowledge about them without being one herself. It also adds to the possibility of a darker Zelda game. Since the Sheikah are heavily related to the Shadow Temple, it could be the perfect chance to explore Hyrule's bloody history.

It's not clear where Zelda games will go after BOTW 2, but the expansive world of the franchise has a lot of potential and plenty of characters to use. Zelda oftentimes needs help or to be rescued by Link, but players have seen that she is more than capable of taking care of herself in some titles. If Nintendo doesn't want to make Zelda the hero, then perhaps a character like Skyward Sword's Groose should step into the role in the next The Legend of Zelda title.

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