The Legend of Zelda games are renowned for many reasons, especially the captivating storylines seen throughout the franchise, but the most interesting story of them all, revolving around the main protagonist, Link, will probably never be used. Link is a constant figure, remaining nearly identical in appearance (though sometimes either as a young boy or a young adult) and pure in intention. While being the hero is synonymous with being Link, a storyline dedicated to Link being evil is a great opportunity to shake up the series.
While Link has always been the hero in Zelda games, he doesn’t necessarily have to be. From Princess Zelda to Breath of the Wild’s champions to Tingle, there are already many characters within The Legend of Zelda games that are often underused within the storyline and whose narrative arcs rely heavily on interactions with Link. This prompts the question: What happens to Legend of Zelda games if there is no heroic Link? Though Link’s signature green cap and tunic make him one of the most easily recognizable video game characters, there are many elements to Link that Nintendo could change to make an entirely new Legend of Zelda gameplay experience.
The Legend of Zelda’s most infamous villain, Ganon, has appeared in many forms throughout the decades-long history of the franchise, such as Calamity Ganon (Breath of the Wild) and Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time). With Tears Of The Kingdom hinting at being the end of Zelda’s timeline, the shared destiny of Ganon, Zelda, and Link could finally start to be re-invented, where the line separating good and evil is more blurred than ever before. Whether it be Ganondorf mentoring an evil Link, or Link finding himself corrupted by the Triforce of Power, these potential narrative arcs contain an entirely new perspective on what a Legend of Zelda game could be. Depending on where the sequel to Breath Of The Wild will take the narrative, giving more depth to Link’s character and personality is an option long neglected by Nintendo that ought to be explored soon within the franchise.
Evil Link Would Be The Perfect Change For The Legend Of Zelda Games
An older Link would make new Zelda games better, especially if he undergoes a true struggle between the heroic and evil impulses within him. Nintendo has offered a glimpse of this through Dark Link, an enigmatic, evil reflection of the hero. In the SNES title A Link To The Past, Dark Link appears with little context as the final boss. Dark Link does not appear in every game, nor does he make up for the lack of depth Link gets in many titles. However, a game where Dark Link, or some variant of an evil Link, is the center of the story would be the perfect change to the next Legend of Zelda timeline.
It is clear that Nintendo intends to keep Link as the main protagonist in The Legend Of Zelda series. While there are pros and cons to having a non-Link protagonist in the next Zelda game, the ultimate shake-up to the series would come from having the protagonist be an evil incarnation of Link that causes the mayhem so frequently experienced in Hyrule. Seeing as so many of the Zelda games rely on their storyline, twisting the fate of honor-bound Link could create a new and exciting timeline. However, at this point, it seems unlikely Nintendo will ever use the most interesting Legend of Zelda story arc.