Annoyingly, Threads posts won’t embed in WordPress, but if you check out the link (no pun intended, I assure you!), you’ll that Sage the Creep has an interesting concept of who Link is in The Wind Waker, and if you ask this meerkat, they are absolutely right. To quote:
Wind Waker Link is a masterclass in stoicism. He isn’t chosen by prophecy, is rejected by the Master Sword, and inherits no Triforce. His sister is taken; he dons the green tunic as tradition, not destiny , not the chosen one , and sails an open, uncertain world. He builds his power himself, accepts that old Hyrule is gone, and kills Ganondorf outright. No speeches. Just responding with action until duty is fulfilled. It’s been over 20 years since I played—what am I missing?
In many Zelda games, Link is predestined to appear as a hero. His story is, ahem, legendary. It is written into the lore of any given era that a hero will appear to thwart Ganon and his plots for power. In The Wind Waker, Link does not start out with the promise of becoming a hero. He is a child without any legacy behind him or in front of him. As Sage says, tradition is why he dons Link’s famous green tunic, and he does not set out to rescue Hyrule from tyranny, but instead, he goes off to save his sister, and is swept up in the currents of fate.
I suppose it could be argued that perhaps the guiding hands of the goddesses of Hyrule are working quietly. However, there’s no obvious evidence of this. Here, Link has no destiny, there is no one to advise him that he is indeed the Hero of Legend, all he has is his determination to save his sister, a sword, and a lot of courage.
Courage has always been a trait of Link’s. He aims to fight for the good of those around him, be it at the behest of messages from Zelda, or be it due to the will and pleas of the King. However, in those stories (such as Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and A Link to the Past), Link knew his purpose. In one sense, this added weight to his shoulders – everyone knew he was the hero, so everyone expected great, noble things from him, a burden was upon him, so it where – yet in The Wind Waker, his origins are perhaps at their most humble, as is his quest. However, when swept into a wider world, with a wider mission, Link does not shirk from doing what’s right.
Up against terrifying monsters and ancient evil, Link, who has found himself stumbling into all of this in The Wind Waker, does not wilt. Lacking the knowledge that he is a powerful hero, Link still charges forward to help those in need. Whilst I’ll fully confess to not regarding The Wind Waker as my favourite game, in the wake of Sage’s words, I can appreciate the conviction and determination of this incarnation of Link all the more.
‘Kat Comments