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* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler:Mipha was his childhood friend and she had fallen for him, even intending to marry him after the Great Calamity, though it's somewhat left ambiguous on Link's part, but it's clear she meant a lot to him.]]
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* ChildhoodFriends: Link spent part of his childhood stationed near Zora's Domain and was friends with several of the younger Zoras including Princess Mipha, Kodah, and the Big Bad Bazz Brigade. As a result, none of the adults share the elder's hostility towards him when he comes back a century later.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler:Mipha was his childhood friend and she had fallen for him, even intending to marry him after the Great Calamity, though it's somewhat left ambiguous on Link's part, but it's clear she meant a lot to him. Kodah also used to have a crush on him, but she ended up finding a SecondLove after his presumed death.]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler:Mipha was his childhood friend and she had fallen for him, even intending to marry him after the Great Calamity, though it's somewhat left ambiguous on Link's part, but it's clear she meant a lot to him. Kodah also used to have a crush on him, but she ended up finding a SecondLove after his presumed death.]]
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* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like a normal teenager, however, [[spoiler:he's actually over 110 years old in the present-time of the game. This is due to the healing stasis he was put under in the Shrine Of Resurrection for 100 years.]] Lampshaded in-game when Link is rejected by the bartender in Gerudo Town, who states Link looks too young to buy any of her drinks. One of the replies Link can choose is [[spoiler:"I'm over 100 years old."]], which the bartender naturally doesn't believe. This is also lampshaded with a Zora NPC who remarks that Link hasn't aged a day, [[spoiler:despite meeting him 100 years ago and now wonders how Link doesn't look like an old geezer]].
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s “innocent Bokoblins enjoying their evening.”]]
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s “innocent Bokoblins enjoying their evening.”]]
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* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like a normal teenager, however, but [[spoiler:he's actually over 110 years old in the present-time present time of the game. This is due to the healing stasis he was put under in the Shrine Of of Resurrection for 100 years.]] Lampshaded in-game when Link is rejected by the bartender in Gerudo Town, who states Link looks too young to buy any of her drinks. One of the replies Link can choose is [[spoiler:"I'm over 100 years old."]], old"]], which the bartender naturally doesn't believe. This is also lampshaded with a Zora NPC who remarks that Link hasn't aged a day, [[spoiler:despite meeting him 100 years ago and now wonders wondering how Link doesn't look like an old geezer]].
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s“innocent "innocent Bokoblins enjoying their evening.”]] evening"]].
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s
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** By game's end, Link has an extensive arsenal of weapons, runes, and all of the Champions' abilities combined. In addition to his own ability to [[AttackDeflector parry enemy attacks]] with his shield, and unleash flurries of sword strokes, or flechette storms of arrows in midair - in BulletTime.
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** By game's end, Link has an extensive arsenal of weapons, runes, and all of the Champions' abilities combined. In addition to his own ability to [[AttackDeflector parry enemy attacks]] with his shield, and unleash flurries of sword strokes, or flechette storms of arrows in midair - -- in BulletTime.
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''[[caption-width-right:350:"Link... You are the light - our light - that must shine upon Hyrule once again."]]''
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''[[caption-width-right:350:"Link... You are the light - -- our light - -- that must shine upon Hyrule once again."]]''
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* NatureHero: Invoked, [[spoiler:although not in an obvious way - the iconic green tunic of past Heroes is now the reward for basically mastering and traversing the vast wilderness of Hyrule. Receiving it reveals this particular Link's official "Hero Title" (as compared to the [[VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaOcarinaOfTime Hero of Time]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Hero of the Wind]], or [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Hero of Twilight]], etc.) and considering what this Link needs to have gone through to get it, the tunic officially titles him: ''The Hero of the Wild.'']]
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* NatureHero: Invoked, [[spoiler:although not in an obvious way - -- the iconic green tunic of past Heroes is now the reward for basically mastering and traversing the vast wilderness of Hyrule. Receiving it reveals this particular Link's official "Hero Title" (as compared to the [[VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaOcarinaOfTime Hero of Time]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Hero of the Wind]], or [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Hero of Twilight]], etc.) and considering what this Link needs to have gone through to get it, the tunic officially titles him: ''The him ''the Hero of the Wild.'']]Wild''.]]
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* FreudianExcuse: Her attitude towards Link at first and her moments of hopelessness and self-loathing stem from two potential causes. [[spoiler:The first being the death of her mother, which also strained her relationship with her father, is still something she grieves over. The other being how many, including her father, feel she's wasting her time at "playing a scholar" and give her enormous pressure and judgement for not living up to her ancestors. So she first resents him for thinking he has no issues before realizing he just hides them better.]]
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* AmbiguousDisorder: She exhibits many symptoms related to depression. These include sadness, irritation, sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem. Given the pressure given to her by her father and others on how she hasn't been able to unlock her power, she may have actually developed it after years of being seen as a failure.
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* AmbiguousDisorder: She exhibits many symptoms related to depression. These include sadness, irritation, sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem. Given the pressure given to put upon her by her father and others on how she hasn't been able to unlock her power, closely tied to the grief she feels over her mother's sudden death when she was six, she may have actually developed it after years of being seen as a failure.
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** Likewise, upon awakening her long-dormant power, Zelda [[RescueReversal saves Link]] by disabling an entire field of Guardians. Then proceeded to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon ''[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething on her own]]'' and has remained deadlocked with him for an entire century. Meaning, this incarnation of Zelda is as powerful as Ganon, himself.
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** Likewise, upon awakening her long-dormant power, Zelda [[RescueReversal saves Link]] by disabling an entire field of Guardians. Then proceeded to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon ''[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething on her own]]'' and has remained deadlocked with him for an entire century. Meaning, this incarnation of Zelda is as powerful as Ganon, himself. Her endurance ultimately can't match Ganon, as he frees himself to fight Link, but once he is weakened Zelda finishes him off with the full extent of her power.
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* AmbiguousDisorder: She exhibits many symptoms related to depression. These include sadness, irritation, sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem. Given the pressure given to her by her father and others on how she hasn't been able to unlock her power, she may have actually developed it after years of being seen as a failure.
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** He's this even in a game with some voice acting. Amusingly, there is a cutscene where Zelda quotes something he told her once off-screen. Her diary also reveals why he's this: [[spoiler:because of the pressure he felt as the Hylian Champion and the stuff he has to live up to, he chose not to speak much to focus more on his duty, and for fear of saying anything that might disappoint. Learning this makes Zelda warm up to him even more, since she has similar insecurities.]]
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** He's this even in a game with some voice acting. Most of his communication happens through unvoiced dialogue trees, and though he is clearly ''shown'' actually speaking by his own initiative at several points, all of his lines remain unvoiced (implying that the player is supposed to imagine what he said based on how the other characters reacts to it), and several characters remarks on how he is man of relatively few words. Amusingly, there is a cutscene where Zelda quotes something he told her once off-screen. Her diary also reveals why he's this: [[spoiler:because of the pressure he felt as the Hylian Champion and the stuff he has to live up to, he chose not to speak much to focus more on his duty, and for fear of saying anything that might disappoint. Learning this makes Zelda warm up to him even more, since she has similar insecurities.]]
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* ShockwaveStomp: Link is mighty indeed, when he takes to the air he can come crashing down with a weapon hard enough to generate a shockwave that can knock down Moblins, something that his bombs can't do.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, [[DownplayedTrope it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.]]
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: but if If you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, [[DownplayedTrope it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.]]
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. [[DownplayedTrope That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.]]
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, [[DownplayedTrope That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.]]
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Changed line(s) 155 (click to see context) from:
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. [[DownplayedTrope That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.]]
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* UnscrupulousHero: After his resurrection. Make no mistake, Link is as heroic as ever. But he's also happy to help himself to [[KleptomaniacHero anything that isn't nailed down]], willing to [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] people if he needs to, and, depending on the player, will PayEvilUntoEvil with alarming regularity.
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* UnscrupulousHero: After his resurrection. Make no mistake, [[DownplayedTrope Link is as heroic as ever. ever.]] But he's also happy to help himself to [[KleptomaniacHero anything that isn't nailed down]], willing to [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] people if he needs to, and, depending on the player, will PayEvilUntoEvil with alarming regularity.
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Changed line(s) 155 (click to see context) from:
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: If you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: If [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] but if you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.
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Misspelling.
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* CompositeCharacter: The developers have compared her to both her ''Twilight Princess'' and ''Skyward Sword'' incarnations. She's very serious-minded about the fate of Hyrule like the former, but her status as a close fiend of Link's, with possible romantic undertones, matches that of the latter. On top of that, the way her more independent personality initially causes her to clash with Link and watching the two adapt and grow closer to each other as their journey goes on is reminiscent of Tetra and the Hero of Wind's relationship in ''Wind Waker''.
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* CompositeCharacter: The developers have compared her to both her ''Twilight Princess'' and ''Skyward Sword'' incarnations. She's very serious-minded about the fate of Hyrule like the former, but her status as a close fiend friend of Link's, with possible romantic undertones, matches that of the latter. On top of that, the way her more independent personality initially causes her to clash with Link and watching the two adapt and grow closer to each other as their journey goes on is reminiscent of Tetra and the Hero of Wind's relationship in ''Wind Waker''.
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* MaybeEverAfter: The true ending of the game highly implies the two of them become a couple as they seek to restore Hyrule.
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* MaybeEverAfter: The true ending of the game highly implies she and Link become a couple.
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* MaybeEverAfter: The true ending of the game highly implies she and Link become a couple.
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* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]] That being said...
** CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
** CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
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* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]] That being said...
**]]
* CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
**
* CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
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* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Both of them. And not just because they both wear blue now.
** Before the calamity and TimeSkip, [[ClassicalAntihero Zelda]] is much more unsure of herself than previous incarnations, and doesn't know how to use her powers at first. Meanwhile, Link is a skilled warrior and knight right from the start, in contrast to the humble origins he usually has.
** After the TimeSkip, Zelda is much more powerful than she ever was in her previous lifetimes, while Link is much more snarky.
** Before the calamity and TimeSkip, [[ClassicalAntihero Zelda]] is much more unsure of herself than previous incarnations, and doesn't know how to use her powers at first. Meanwhile, Link is a skilled warrior and knight right from the start, in contrast to the humble origins he usually has.
** After the TimeSkip, Zelda is much more powerful than she ever was in her previous lifetimes, while Link is much more snarky.
* BrokenAce: A little, in the memories. Zelda's diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of being a Knight of Hyrule and dealt with it by being stoic and silent. Once Zelda realizes this, she and Link become close friends.
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* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]]
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* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]] That being said...
** CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
** CameBackStrong: His health might be low starting out, but Link still has all his fighting abilities available to him from the moment he wakes up, and is capable of defeating Ganon right from the start if the player is skilled enough.
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* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Surprisingly. Zelda's diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of being a Knight of Hyrule and dealt with it by being stoic and silent. Once Zelda realizes this, she and Link become close friends.
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* UnscrupulousHero: After his resurrection. Make no mistake, Link is as heroic as ever. But he's also happy to help himself to [[KleptomaniacHero anything that isn't nailed down]], willing to [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate]] people if he needs to, and, depending on the player, will PayEvilUntoEvil with alarming regularity.
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Changed line(s) 207 (click to see context) from:
* TeensAreShort: Link is implied to be around the same age as Zelda, who is only just seventeen, and he's shorter than most characters in the game (emphasised as many of the races of Hyrule are much taller than regular Hylians anyway, making him seem even shorter).
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* TeensAreShort: Link is implied to be around the same age as Zelda, who is only just seventeen, and he's shorter than most characters in the game (emphasised (emphasized as many of the races of Hyrule are much taller than regular Hylians anyway, making him seem even shorter).
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Changed line(s) 11 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:350:''A goddess-blood princess and a fearless knight,\\
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Two brave souls protect it, no matter the cost.\\
A goddess-blood princess and a fearless knight,\\
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/linkzelda.jpg]]
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/linkzelda.jpg]] org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_1rsz_5botw_expansion_pass_artwork.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''A goddess-blood princess and a fearless knight,\\
They appear in each age to fight the good fight.'']]
->''"One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power, and a skilled knight at her side."''
-->-- '''King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule'''
[[caption-width-right:350:''A goddess-blood princess and a fearless knight,\\
They appear in each age to fight the good fight.'']]
->''"One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power, and a skilled knight at her side."''
-->-- '''King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule'''
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trope applies to both of them
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To each other. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Zelda’s love for Link is confirmed multiple times throughout the game, and that it was her love for him that allowed her to [[spoiler:awaken her powers]]. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding possibly, representing the endless love they will share.
Deleted line(s) 127 (click to see context) :
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Zelda. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Zelda’s love for Link is confirmed multiple times throughout the game, and that it was her love for him that allowed her to [[spoiler:awaken her powers]]. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding possibly, representing the endless love they will share.
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* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Link. Zelda’s feelings for him are confirmed multiple times throughout the game, her love for him and her desire to protect him actually becomes the trigger to awakening [[spoiler:her power to seal Ganon]]. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding, possibly representing the endless love they will share.
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | Link and Zelda | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan Ganon and Yiga Clan]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | Link '''Link and Zelda Zelda''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan Ganon and Yiga Clan]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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These pages are just indexes within an index now. There’s no reason to keep them.
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ('''Link and Zelda''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan Ganon and Yiga Clan]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ('''Link Link and Zelda''' Zelda | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) Champions]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan Ganon and Yiga Clan]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]]) Mooks]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) Races]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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* AttractiveBentGender: [[spoiler:When he has to crossdress to infiltrate the Gerudo compound, talking to nearby dudes have them hitting on him.]]
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* AttractiveBentGender: [[spoiler:When he has to crossdress to infiltrate the Gerudo compound, Town, talking to nearby dudes have them hitting on him.]]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ('''Link and Zelda''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ('''Link and Zelda''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan Ganon and Yiga Clan]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildLinkAndZelda Link and Zelda]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] | '''Races of Hyrule''' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildLinkAndZelda Link ('''Link and Zelda]] Zelda''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] | '''Races [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule''' Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildLinkAndZelda Link and Zelda]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] | '''Races of Hyrule''' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]
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A page for Link and Princess Zelda, the two main protagonists of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''.
'''Beware of spoilers!'''
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: In General]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/linkzelda.jpg]]
* {{The Chosen One}}s: In ''Breath of the Wild'', Link continues to serve as Princess Zelda's appointed knight and remains the chosen wielder of the Master Sword. Whereas Zelda is the chosen bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, which bestows the sacred sealing power passed down to the women of her family.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Both have been deemed worthy to wield the sacred arms and powers of the Goddesses and they've used them to selflessly defend the kingdom of Hyrule throughout time.
* LadyAndKnight: While Link has served as Zelda's protector in previous installments, this marks the first time he's done so in an official capacity as the head of the Royal Guard and as her appointed knight. It also marks the first time Zelda is canonically stated to have feelings for him, though it's unknown whether Link reciprocates.
* LivingLegend: Their feats of heroism have been recorded in legend and song and is one of the cornerstones of the series' lore. The traveling minstrel, Kass, explains that the purpose of his journey is to complete his teacher's song about Zelda and her fallen knight from 100 years ago.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: They're both chronologically 117 years old, yet still look like teenagers due to being magically preserved in stasis for a century.
* RedOniBlueOni: Link and Zelda have this dynamic, but they essentially switch roles after the TimeSkip.
** In the past, Link maintained a more stoic and reserved behavior in comparison to Zelda, who was more energetic and emotional.
** In the present, however, Link has become considerably more {{Adorkable}} and provides more comic relief, while Zelda has become calmer and more confident in her abilities.
* {{Reincarnation}}: They're the latest incarnations of the fabled Hero and Hyrule's princess, who have defended the land throughout its history.
* RipVanWinkle: Both of them spent the past century in stasis because of Ganon: Link because his injuries from fighting off the Guardians required him to spend that time in a HealingVat, Zelda because she had to protect Hyrule by using her sealing powers to trap Ganon in Hyrule Castle. They finally wake up in the present because Ganon is [[LeakingCanOfEvil starting to break out of his seal]] and they need to defeat him once and for all.
* TookALevelInBadass: These are their most powerful incarnations, thus far:
** By game's end, Link has an extensive arsenal of weapons, runes, and all of the Champions' abilities combined. In addition to his own ability to [[AttackDeflector parry enemy attacks]] with his shield, and unleash flurries of sword strokes, or flechette storms of arrows in midair - in BulletTime.
** Likewise, upon awakening her long-dormant power, Zelda [[RescueReversal saves Link]] by disabling an entire field of Guardians. Then proceeded to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon ''[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething on her own]]'' and has remained deadlocked with him for an entire century. Meaning, this incarnation of Zelda is as powerful as Ganon, himself.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Link]]
!!Link
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600px_botw_link_shooting_artwork.png]]
''[[caption-width-right:350:"Link... You are the light - our light - that must shine upon Hyrule once again."]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Kengo Takanashi
The latest incarnation of the Legendary Hero that has saved Hyrule countless times in the past. A mysterious young man who wakes up in an isolated chamber, devoid of any recollection of why he was there. Upon leaving, he finds himself in a land that was parched by a great evil over a century before. He sets out on a quest to destroy the one who wrought the havoc on the land and a discovery of his true self.
----
* {{Adorkable}}: When cooking, he hums a little tune and gets excited when he finishes, and when renting a sand seal in Gerudo Town all of Link's dialogue options are seal related puns. Should you choose to sleep on the waterbed in Zora's Domain, Link can be heard bouncing on the bed and giggling like a little kid.
* AllYourPowersCombined: [[spoiler:Over the course of the game, Link gains the special powers of the fallen Champions. [[BarrierWarrior Daruk's Protection]] allows him to form a protective barrier around himself, [[HealingHands Mipha's Grace]] revives him with extra hearts if he falls in battle, [[BlowYouAway Revali's Gale]] lets him create an updraft that can carry him into the air for paragliding, and [[ShockAndAwe Urbosa's Fury]] allows him to call down thunderbolts.]]
* AlternateSelf: He is this to Wolf Link.
* AmnesiacDissonance: Although Link is technically still a HeroicMime, his dialogue options show a penchant for [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] and [[PungeonMaster puns]], and he freely displays emotion. In the original Japanese text, he is the one writing the journal entries of the Adventure Log, and often adds his thoughts on the situation at hand.[[note]]In the Western localizations, this was changed so the journal addresses the player directly instead.[[/note]] By contrast, the Link we see in flashbacks was TheStoic with a fixed expression who rarely spoke. According to Zelda's diary, he behaved this way because of the pressures of his responsibility, suggesting that the present Link is emotionally open because he doesn't remember his anxiety.
* AmnesiacHero: He wakes up not knowing much about who he is or what his purpose is.
* AnInteriorDecoratorIsYou: While most of his bachelor pad is built by Bolson, he can choose what gear to hang on the walls as trophies.
* ArcherArchetype: Link is of a deliberate stoic and focused personality and [[BowAndSwordInAccord just as associated with bows as he is with swords.]] The original 2014 footage featured Link using a bow and arrow, the first artwork released featured [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Link aiming his bow at the viewer]], and one of the amiibo is Link with a bow and arrow ready.
* ArmorIsUseless: It isn't, really, but his Champion's Tunic has more defense than equally-levelled Soldier's Armor and Ancient Armor despite being a glorified shirt (and it doesn't turn him into a walking lightning rod). [[spoiler:The "Hero of the Wild" clothing set also invokes this, as the cloth cap, shorts, and tunic all have equal defense to the Soldier and Ancient Armor sets as well.]]
* AttractiveBentGender: [[spoiler:When he has to crossdress to infiltrate the Gerudo compound, talking to nearby dudes have them hitting on him.]]
* BadassAdorable: He's an adorable, lightly built teen and the greatest hero of his generation.
* BadassBiker: Link's Divine Beast turns out to be a {{Magitek}} motorcycle, which can be summoned with his Sheikah Slate. Link can also use his weapons while driving, even two-handed ones.
* BadassBookworm: Along with the various dishes he can cook in the game, the fact that he can brew potions suggests a knowledge of chemistry.
* BadassCape: The Hylian Hood gives him a pretty nice one.
* BadassNormal:
** He doesn't gain any innate magical ability. Any magic he has is because of either the Sheikah Slate, or [[spoiler:the spirits of the other Champions using their powers from within him]].
** He doesn't even have [[spoiler:the Triforce of Courage. Zelda has the ''entire thing''. Even that which has been passed down from Hero to Hero ever since the Triforce split has been denied him -- and that ''still doesn't stop him''.]]
** Albeit his Flurry Rush ability (as well as being able to seemingly slow time when firing arrows) could be seen as some kind of time magic or superhumanly enhanced senses.
** "The Champions' Ballad" DLC adds another feat to Link's badassery as told from a journal written by [[spoiler:Daruk]]. When a Guardian malfunctioned and began to attack, Link manages to deflect its laser back at it with a ''pot lid'', which is something the player can do in the game as well.
* BadWithTheBone: Link can swipe Stal creature limbs and skulls after scattering them, and use them to bash opponents.
* BatterUp: He can get the Boko Bat early in the game, and latter gains a nail bat in the form of the Spiked Boko Bat.
* TheBeastmaster: He can tame wild horses, deer, and even ''bears'', and is pretty chummy with his lupine AlternateSelf from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
* BettyAndVeronica: He's seen as the Betty to Zelda's Archie, with Kass's teacher being the Veronica. Kass's teacher was both a Sheikah and the court poet, while Link is a knight-in-training and a commoner, something the poet greatly despised.
* {{BFS}}: Some of the obtainable weapons are claymores and greatswords as long as Link is tall. Even the Master Sword qualifies.
* BigBrotherMentor: He served as one for the "Big Bad Bazz Brigade," helping them hone their swordsmanship. They express their gratitude to him over this a century later as Zora soldiers.
* BigDamnHeroes:
** One of his memories features [[spoiler:Zelda surrounded, semi-supine, and [[DamselInDistress has been caught dead to rights]] by the Yiga Clan. Right before they can murder her, Link charges in and kills one of her attackers. This is also the event that causes Zelda to stop being cold towards Link.]]
** Unless you ignore the innocent Hylians being attacked by monsters while wandering Hyrule, the player will almost certainly live up to this trope many times over.
* BigEater: One of the first things Zelda learned about Link when they became friends was that he has a bottomless appetite and is a sucker for a good meal. Indeed, unless you're very good at dodging or playing a SelfImposedChallenge, Link will embody this in-game.
** According to Daruk's [[spoiler:training journal]] Link once ate a [[ShapedLikeItself rock steak]]. And [[ExtremeOmnivore liked it]]!
* {{Bishonen}}: Is one of the more feminine-looking Links. This makes the point in the game where [[spoiler:you have to cross-dress to get into the Gerudo city]] extra funny -- and more believable.
* BladeOnAStick: Spears are one of the weapon types that Link can find on his adventure.
* BladeSpam: Performing "Flurry Rush" with a sword lets Link execute a barrage of slashes similar to his [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros "Triforce Slash" Final Smash]].
* BlueIsHeroic: Link has most prominently been shown wearing an elaborate blue tunic which is a uniform that the Champions of Hyrule wear. This is even enforced by the game, as you cannot dye the Champion's Tunic an alternate color and it's the best armor Link can get in the game.
* BoringButPractical: The Paraglider is one of Link's first items, and it does nothing more than allow him to glide. Of course, it is invaluable when it comes to traversing the mountainous regions of Hyrule and saving Link from a fall.
* BraggingRightsReward: One of the additions in the Champions' Ballad DLC is the Master Cycle Zero, a motorcycle that's like a horse, but better. That said, you gain it from completing the Champions' Ballad DLC, which, considering it's an addition to the main story, can really only be used to explore the world.
* BroughtDownToBadass: Judging by his memories pre-Calamity Link was an unstoppable OneManArmy. When he wakes up a century later with a fraction of his old strength he's still capable of fighting the most powerful enemies Ganon can bring forth.
* BulletTime: By dodging an enemy's attack at the last second, Link can slow down time and counter with a Flurry Rush. Link can also slow down time to aim precisely while airborne at the expense of his stamina.
* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]]
* CassandraTruth: Many people don't believe Link when it comes to his history. [[spoiler:Even though he is the very same Hylian Champion from 100 years from the past, people have a hard time believing him and cite that he's either lying, a descendant of the Champion, or someone looking for fame. Only the Zora, the Sheikah, and Riju and Buliara of the Gerudo believe that Link is the real deal.]]
* CastFromHitPoints: He can only prove himself worthy of using the Master Sword [[spoiler:by allowing it to drain away a good chunk of his hearts]]. Thankfully, this is a one-time thing.
* CelibateHero: Though many women flirt with Link during the events of the game, he never pays serious attention to it. The rationale is obvious, what with Calamity Ganon needing to be stopped and his own journey of self-rediscovery on top of that. The only exception, [[LostInTranslation according to the Adventure Log in the Japanese version]], is Princess Zelda, whom he emphasizes a lot in his quest entries.
* TheChampion: His literal title for this game is the Hylian Champion, but more personally he serves as this to Zelda, and their LadyAndKnight relationship is emphasized in this game.
* CharacterDevelopment: As explained in Zelda's Diary, Link was at first a quiet and stoic young man who put up a cold front to deal with the pressures of being a knight of Hyrule, but after rescuing Zelda from a trio of Yiga ninjas, he began to open up to Zelda and they soon became close friends. On top of that, while he feels iffy about being able to purify the Divine Beasts at first, his dialogue options show his increasing confidence with each encounter.
* ChainsawGood: Link can obtain the Ancient Bladesaw, a sword with rotating teeth made of pure energy.
* CheerfulChild: "The Champions' Ballad" DLC through Mipha's diary reveals that Link was a curious, energetic, and cheerful child.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: One of the results of his knight training was gaining SuperReflexes that makes time seem to slow down around him.
* ChickMagnet: Some female [=NPCs=] will flirt with Link, especially if he's completed quests for them, Paya develops a crush on him, [[spoiler:and Princess Mipha of the Zora intended to marry him after Ganon was defeated (not to mention she was also in a LoveTriangle with Kodah as her rival), while Zelda is also confirmed to have fallen in love with him according to Kass's Mentor (via Kass after he returns to Rito Village) and was about to confess based on her conversation with the Great Deku Tree]].
* ChildProdigy: Link was as young as four years old when he could best grown men in sword fighting.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler:Mipha was his childhood friend and she had fallen for him, even intending to marry him after the Great Calamity, though it's somewhat left ambiguous on Link's part, but it's clear she meant a lot to him.]]
* ChildSoldier: Link was stationed with a group of knights by Zora's Domain when he was four years old, yet at that time was noted to be strong enough to overcome grown men.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Lampshaded by Impa:
-->''" Ha! Not a memory to your name, yet you are as intent as ever to charge forward with only courage and justice on your side. You have not changed a bit. Once a hero, always a hero."''
* CombatPragmatist: Tactics for combat can include sniping at range, stealthy kills, electrocution when the enemy's in water, spamming enemies when they're wide open, and so forth. Considering RealityEnsues when it comes to damage in this game, you'll have to have him fight dirty to survive.
* TheConfidant: To Zelda. According to Impa and Zelda's diary, she ([[CharacterDevelopment eventually]]) saw him as someone she could confide in and rely on when the pressures of defeating Calamity Ganon became too great, which you can see in some of the memory locations you can find. In the present, he also becomes one for Riju, as she becomes more open with him about her own insecurities once he retrieves the Thunder Helm.
-->'''Impa:''' A hundred years ago, you and the princess were quite close. You were a comfort and an encouraging presence to her as she struggled each day to fulfill her destiny. That is why she believes in you...and why she has the strength to fight Ganon all alone.
* {{Cosplay}}: Via Toys/{{amiibo}} and DLC, this Link can impersonate most of his predecessors, and even other characters such as [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Sheik and Phantom Ganon]].
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter:
** Most incarnations of Link wear green tunics, come from rural or suburban settings, sleep for pleasure, and meet Princess Zelda when their quests are underway. This one wears a wide variety of clothes, is the son of a Hylian knight, had to be placed in the Shrine of Resurrection to prolong his life, and was Zelda's friend long before the story of the game starts.
** Personality-wise, while most Links are unfailingly polite, some of this Link's dialogue options border on blunt, snarky, or even rude.
** [[spoiler:He's also the first Link shown to keep the Master Sword at the end of his game. Whereas most Links return the sword to its pedestal or otherwise lose it, this Link is shown wearing the Master Sword on his back in the GoldenEnding.]]
* CoolSword: The Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane. By the time period the game takes place, the Master Sword's name has been mostly forgotten and most just refer to it as ''the darkness-sealing sword''.
* DayHurtsDarkAdjustedEyes: He experiences this when he opens the Shrine of Resurrection up to the daylight outside.
* DeadpanSnarker: This incarnation of Link can easily be the snarkiest yet through his dialogue options, even in many instances where the game only gives one. And there is [[https://abload.de/img/2017032623202603-f1c18uubq.jpg one famous instance]] where [[UpToEleven all of his dialogue options]] are snarky puns.
* DeathOfPersonality: As detailed above in AmnesiacDissonance. At the beginning of the game, upon waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection, Link loses all of his memories. People who have advanced suitably far enough into the game may take note that the personality of Link post-revival is completely different from his original personality- he's curious, a lot more carefree, cunning, and open about his emotions. By the time he's gotten most of his memories back, Link has become courageous and stalwart once more, though one could also argue that [[spoiler:his carefree nature was his original personality, and the weight of his role as the legendary hero caused him to become emotionally withdrawn- with the stress of that gone, he's able to properly express himself once more.]]
* DentedIron: His backstory as a Knight of Hyrule means he is essentially this when he wakes in the Shrine of Resurrection. He is initially ''very'' weak, and even the weakest enemies around can beat him down pretty fast if he's not cautious. Over the course of his adventures, he slowly recovers his full strength (i.e. Heart Containers).
* {{Determinator}}: Much as with all other Links in bearing the Triforce of Courage, he bears this nicely. [[spoiler:Even when he was so battered that he could barely stand and was succumbing to his wounds inflicted by the Guardians, he refused to stop putting himself between them and Zelda. Right before the final battle, Zelda says the one thing Link never forgot was his courage.]]
* DisappearedDad: His father was a knight of Hyrule, and Link follows in his footsteps. But he was only mentioned once by Zelda, and never seen in person. Given that 100 years have passed after the Great Calamity, he is most likely dead by this point, even if he survived the Calamity.
* DisguisedInDrag: Link has to use his PrettyBoy good looks and dress up as a woman in order to enter Gerudo Town.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Some of Link's wardrobe options are masks and armor that make him look like a monster, making it possible to walk straight into enemy camps without the enemies realizing what's up.
* DubPersonalityChange: Well... [[TheSpeechless of a sort.]] The journal used to keep track of quests is in first-person in the original Japanese version (as well as some other languages, like Russian), and contains a lot more introspective dialogue from Link himself. Most chiefly [[spoiler:upon completing the memory gathering quest, Link explicitly claims that he wants to "see [Zelda's] smile again". While the romantic element between the two of them is obvious enough in the English versions, these other translations drive the point home.]]
* ElementalWeapon: Can wield elemental swords, rods, and arrows.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: He starts the game with nothing more than a pair of shorts and acquits himself well, even before gaining access to magical upgrades.
* EnemyEatsYourLunch: Link can steal food from enemy camps.
* ExperiencedProtagonist: Unlike most other incarnations, Link is already a MasterSwordsman and the wielder of the Master Sword by the time the game starts, having been born into a family of royal knights.
* {{Expy}}: An invoked one, of [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the original Link]], to complete the allusions to that title. Heck, his official traditional green tunic you can find? ''It's an updated version of that very Link's clothes.''
* ExtremeOmnivore:
** Link will eat anything you can throw into a pot, including rocks, frogs, and [[CensoredForComedy dishes so hideously disgusting they can't be shown on television]].
** Lampshaded in Daruk's training journal, Link was able to eat the trademark Goron meal, which is basically roasted rocks. He didn't even complain.
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Link gets hit on by male [=NPCs=] almost as often as females. Some of these [[AttractiveBentGender think he's a girl]], while others are AmbiguouslyGay.
* FlashStep: To achieve striking distance, Link executes one during a Flurry Rush performed from a perfect dodge on opponents with long melee weapons, such as Lynels, Ganon Blights, and Calamity Ganon.
* TheGadfly: Some of his interactions are pretty trollish.
* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: [[spoiler:The fact that the Zora Armor crafted by Mipha and given to him by King Dorephan fits him perfectly is used to prove to a skeptical Muzu that Link is the one Mipha loved.]]
* TheHero: As expected, Link is the protagonist and TheChosenOne.
* HeroicLineage: He's descended from a long line of Hylian knights and was a knight of Hyrule himself, and a step above due to being the chosen wielder of the Master Sword. In one memory, Zelda muses on the pressure of being a slave to one's lineage, and wonders if Link would have chosen a different path in life if this wasn't the case.
* HeroicMime:
** He's this even in a game with some voice acting. Amusingly, there is a cutscene where Zelda quotes something he told her once off-screen. Her diary also reveals why he's this: [[spoiler:because of the pressure he felt as the Hylian Champion and the stuff he has to live up to, he chose not to speak much to focus more on his duty, and for fear of saying anything that might disappoint. Learning this makes Zelda warm up to him even more, since she has similar insecurities.]]
** Downplayed in the original Japanese text, where Link is the one writing the journal entries in the Adventure Log, often while giving his own thoughts on the situation at hand, thus being the first time in the series where Link expresses himself completely outside of the player's influence. In the Western localizations, the entries were rewritten so they address the player directly instead.
* HeroicRROD: [[spoiler:After Calamity Ganon turns the Guardians against Hyrule, Link fights off wave after wave of Guardians while critically injured. Even with Zelda pleading for Link to get away to safety, he still refuses to back down. His body eventually gives out and falls unconscious. Had Zelda not intervened, Link would have been dead for good.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: In the present day, a number of the older Zora aren't very fond of him, as they blame him for the death of Mipha.
* HiddenDepths: As described in Zelda's diary, Link put up a stoic and silent front in order to cope with the pressures of being a Knight. It's only through his bond with Zelda that he becomes more open with his feelings.
* HorseArcher: One viable means of dispatching enemies is shooting them with arrows from horseback. Link is able to change position on a moving mount, spinning on his saddle to shoot at targets behind him and changing forward when finished, without missing a beat or losing control of the horse. That's a feat of masterclass horsemanship.
* HotConsort: [[spoiler:The fact that he could have been a gender-inverted example is [[TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper a minor plot point]], as Mipha had been planning on asking for his hand in marriage, but was unable to work up the courage to confess before she was killed. It might still end up happening after the events of the game, given that Zelda is also confirmed to be in love with him.]]
* HumbleHero: Link never seeks glory in his adventures, though sometimes he asks for rewards for helping people, and doesn't bother to make a point of the fact that he's a legendary hero, instead allowing those he interacts with to form their own opinions about who he is.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Link can use Iaijutsu if he charges an attack with certain weapons, all of them katana-like. Also, he can also perform an iaijutsu-like move with other weapons if he draws them while running.
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Zelda. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Zelda’s love for Link is confirmed multiple times throughout the game, and that it was her love for him that allowed her to [[spoiler:awaken her powers]]. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding possibly, representing the endless love they will share.
* ImprobableUseOfAWeapon: If Link mounts a Lynel while wielding a spear or two-handed weapon, it will be too long to properly swing at them, so he just starts ramming the butt end of the weapon into the creature's back.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Link can wield an eclectic assortment of odd weapons, ranging from broken sticks to undead skeleton body parts to giant leaves.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Surprisingly. Zelda's diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of being a Knight of Hyrule and dealt with it by being stoic and silent. Once Zelda realizes this, she and Link become close friends.
* InformedDeformity: Several characters will note that Link's body is [[CoveredInScars littered with faint scars]], none of which appear on his character model.
* InstantRunes: In the beginning stages of the game, Link can upgrade his Shekiah Slate with Runes that can perform various actions by completing Shrines:
** [[ThrowDownTheBomblet Remote Bombs]] that can blow things up and come in two shapes: round bombs that tend to roll and square bombs that tend to stay in place. Instead of detonating after a certain amount of time, they can be detonated at will.
** [[HollywoodMagnetism Magnesis]] can let Link manipulate metal objects to solve puzzles and fish treasure chests out of the water.
** [[AnIcePerson Cryonis]] can let Link freeze water into solid blocks of ice that can be used as makeshift platforms or shields.
** [[TimeStandsStill Stasis]] allows Link to temporarily freeze time for an object or enemy and store their kinetic energy by hitting them while they're frozen, ensuring that they are sent flying when the stasis effect wears off.
** [[CameraFiend Camera]] allows Link to take pictures, with a good number of the things he takes pictures of filling out the in-game Hyrule Compendium.
** Toys/{{Amiibo}}, which can be turned on and off, allows the player to scan Amiibo for daily bonus items or summon Wolf Link for help.
** [[CoolBike Master Cycle Zero]], which summons Link's titular Divine Beast to be ridden anywhere outdoors. It's eco-friendly, too, running on whatever random materials you give it.
* InterspeciesFriendship: He was {{Childhood Friend}}s with several Zoras, and "The Champions' Ballad" DLC revealed that he and Daruk were already BloodBrothers before the Champions were gathered.
* InterspeciesRomance: We don't know if Link responded or not, but we do learn that both Mipha, the Zora Princess, and a commoner Zora named Kodah were in love with Link. [[spoiler:However, Mipha died fighting Calamity Ganon and Kodah moved on when Link was put into his healing slumber, going on to marry a fellow Zora named Kayden, have a daughter with him (Finley), and run the Seabed Inn.]]
* InTheHood: One of Link's pieces of armor is the Hylian Hood, a simple traveler's cloak.
* {{Irony}}: In contrast to [[OlympicSwimmer all the other Links]] except the one from ''The Wind Waker'', this Link is limited in how far he can swim by his stamina meter. This is despite the fact that he not only grew up interacting with the [[FishPeople Zora]] to the point of being ChildhoodFriends with several of them, [[spoiler:he almost became their prince consort]].
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: If you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: The Sheikah swords, such as the Eightfold Blade, are a subversion. While the descriptions boast of them having the sharpest conventional blades ever made, and they are a step up from the early weapons, they can be outclassed by future ones quite quickly.
* KingInTheMountain: He was sealed in the Shrine of Resurrection before the events of the game.
* KleptomaniacHero: Link can sneak into enemy camps and rob them blind of their food and weapons. There's even seldom any acknowledgement or ramifications for helping himself to supplies found in friendly encampments such as Stables found around Hyrule.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Link has always been a swordsman who fights evil, champions the innocent, and serves as [[LadyAndKnight the White Knight to Zelda's Bright Lady]], but for the first time in the series -- not counting ''Twilight Princess'' -- he can don proper plate armor with the Soldier's Armor set.
* LateToTheTragedy: The setup of the game implies that Link SleptThroughTheApocalypse, but an early game reveal tells us (and him) that [[spoiler:he was actually at ground zero, present at the moment Calamity Ganon ravaged Hyrule, as a knight fighting alongside Princess Zelda and the other pilots of the Divine Beasts. Link almost perished in the struggle and was only saved by bringing him to the Shrine of Resurrection]].
* LegacyCharacter: On top of him being the latest in a long line of Links, a horse he can tame in a sidequest is the direct descendant of the horse that Zelda used a century ago.
* LegacyOfService: Link is from a line of knights, his father having been a member of King Rhoam's Royal Guard.
* LostInTranslation: Much of the writing in the Journal in the Japanese version is changed from being written in the first person to address the player directly instead. This means a lot of character that Link had in Japanese is unfortunately lost- most notably, that a lot of his romantic subtext with Zelda is removed entirely. This is visible [[http://undergroundsky.tumblr.com/post/164820765851/munettie-%EF%BC%91%EF%BC%93%E3%81%8B%E6%89%80%E3%81%AE%E6%80%9D%E3%81%84%E5%87%BA%E3%81%AE%E5%9C%B0%E3%82%92%E5%B7%A1%E3%82%8A%E3%82%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%80%E5%A7%AB%E3%81%AE%E6%83%B3%E3%81%84%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E5%8F%96%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F-i-have here]].
* LoveTriangle: It turns out that he was actually involved in three of these, making his love triangle so complex it's better described as a love triforce. Amongst the Champions, both Mipha and Zelda, Princesses of the Zora and the Hylians respectively, had a crush on him. He also had another going on with both Mipha and a Zora named Kodah. The last was between him and an unnamed Shiekah poet regarding Princess Zelda's affections.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: He can use several types of shields made out of wood, metal, or ancient technology. His shields will break if he blocks too much, but successful parries can counterattack while preserving the shield durability. Link's wooden shields are useless against fire or the superheated areas in Death Mountain while metal shields will make Link become a lightning rod if he's caught in a thunderstorm. [[spoiler:Link can find the Hylian Shield, which has the best defense and has a ''ton'' of durability, but since it's metal, thunderstorms will make it dangerous to have equipped.]]
* MadeOfIron: ''Significantly less so'' than other Links, but enough hearts and armor can allow him to survive a bolt of lightning.
* MagicKnight: Link can use {{Magitek}} arrows, as well as utilize a {{Magitek}} device called the Sheikah Slate to perform magic.
* MagikarpPower: Moreso than any Link up to this point. He starts out very, ''very'' weak; there are enemies in the tutorial area that can kill him in one hit, and the first weapon he's likely to find is a ''tree branch'' lying on the ground. But as the game continues, and he completes shrines, dungeons, and other quests, he becomes easily the most powerful incarnation in the franchise, as shown in a lot of his other tropes.
* {{Magitek}}: Link's main item in this game is a Sheikah Slate, an all-purpose magical tablet which can be loaded with spells such as [[MagnetismManipulation Magnesis]], [[AnIcePerson Cryonis]], [[HavingABlast Remote Bombs]] and [[TimeStandsStill Stasis]]. It also comes equipped with a [[DowsingDevice Tracker]] for shrines, treasure, wildlife, or monsters, [[{{Teleportation}} a warp]] function, and a [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Camera]].
* MasterSwordsman:
** Starts out as one for the first time in the main series[[note]]As opposed to several other Links, who would become one as the game went on[[/note]]. This Link was once [[spoiler:an elite knight in the Hylian army who was nearly killed trying to fend off the Calamity Ganon a century before]]. His combative skills are ingrained in his mind, even if he doesn't have recollection of his past experiences. The closest the series has had to someone of this Link's level of skill was in ''Skyward Sword'' (whose Link was training to become a knight, but had not graduated at the time of the game). Prior to his fall, he was the chosen wielder of the ''[[AwesomeMcCoolname Master]] [[LegendaryWeapon Sword]]''.
** Several readable tomes and commentary from NonPlayerCharacter dialogue cite Link among the greatest swordsmen in Hyrule. His role as TheChosenOne was because he wielded the Master Sword, but his appointment as Princess Zelda's knight was because of his unparalleled skill with the blade.
** Mina and Mils, a pair of veteran adventurers (and self proclaimed [[AdventurerArchaeologist treasure hunters]]), can occasionally be found fighting a pair of Bokoblins. While the two can defeat the monsters without Link's assistance, watching them reveals how inefficient their swordsmanship is compared to his. They block an attack with their shield, then strike back with a single sword swipe. This process is repeated until the Bokoblins are dead. Link on the other hand can parry and dodge attacks, execute BulletTime, and perform a rapid ThreeStrikeCombo.
* TheMatchmaker: One sidequest has Link act as Finley's wingman in landing her the man she's fallen for.
* McNinja: One of his outfits is a Sheikah outfit that makes him look like a ninja, and improves his stealth ability when worn.
* MrFanservice: Link is a rather attractive young man in this game, potentially able to walk around just in his underwear. To quote Nintendo's CEO, Reggie Fils-Aimé: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt1YFCXDHjQ "Link is hot"]]
* MultiMeleeMaster: In a step up from his previous incarnations, Link can skillfully wield swords, axes, spears, clubs, and a number of other weapons.
* MultiRangedMaster: He can also wield bows, boomerangs, and magic rods.
* NatureHero: Invoked, [[spoiler:although not in an obvious way - the iconic green tunic of past Heroes is now the reward for basically mastering and traversing the vast wilderness of Hyrule. Receiving it reveals this particular Link's official "Hero Title" (as compared to the [[VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaOcarinaOfTime Hero of Time]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Hero of the Wind]], or [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Hero of Twilight]], etc.) and considering what this Link needs to have gone through to get it, the tunic officially titles him: ''The Hero of the Wild.'']]
* NiceGuy: Noble, loyal, dedicated to his duty, and mature beyond his years.
* NiceHat: Defied. He is not seen with his iconic green cap. [[spoiler:It's something Link has to find in the game or unlock via amiibo.]]
* NoSympathy: Gets this from many people bitter over his initial loss to Calamity Ganon, despite him clearly trying his damnedest both then and now.
* NotSoDifferent: Zelda's Diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of living up to his responsibility of being a knight of Hyrule. It's Zelda realizing this that causes them to bond.
* OneManArmy: One of his memories reveals Zelda bandaging an injury and admonishing him for being reckless. The scene cuts to reveal the pair alone on a plateau, surrounded by dozens of slain monsters he defeated to protect her, including several [[BossInMooksClothing Silver Lynels]]. [[spoiler:In the final memory, he faces down an endless horde of [[DemonicSpiders Guardian Stalkers]] to keep Zelda safe. He does take down many of them, but alas, it's still not enough and he goes down, saved only by Zelda awakening her divine powers.]]
* OnlyMostlyDead: [[spoiler:Succumbed to his wounds defending Zelda from the corrupted Guardian army after she awakened her powers, passing away in her arms... for about five minutes. Then Fi spoke up, and Zelda had Impa and Purah whisk him to the Shrine of Resurrection, where he was quickly put on life support and set to be revived in time. Even so, it apparently took 100 years to regenerate him.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like a normal teenager, however, [[spoiler:he's actually over 110 years old in the present-time of the game. This is due to the healing stasis he was put under in the Shrine Of Resurrection for 100 years.]] Lampshaded in-game when Link is rejected by the bartender in Gerudo Town, who states Link looks too young to buy any of her drinks. One of the replies Link can choose is [[spoiler:"I'm over 100 years old."]], which the bartender naturally doesn't believe. This is also lampshaded with a Zora NPC who remarks that Link hasn't aged a day, [[spoiler:despite meeting him 100 years ago and now wonders how Link doesn't look like an old geezer]].
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s “innocent Bokoblins enjoying their evening.”]]
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Aside from Zelda, children and [[MiniatureSeniorCitizens elderly characters]], Link is the shortest adult Hylian in the game, and Hylians themselves are shorter on average than the other major races of Hyrule (which are ''gigantic'' by human standards). He's still a OneManArmy.
* PraetorianGuard: He is the son of a family whose bloodline served the kingdom as such. As TheChosenOne of the [[CoolSword Master Sword]], he was specifically designated to serve and protect Zelda.
* ProngsOfPoseidon: He can obtain the Ceremonial Trident and Mipha's Lightscale Trident.
* PungeonMaster: He makes a lot of seal puns in Gerudo Town, like when he seals the deal on renting one.
* SamuraiPonytail: Link sports a short ponytail, though he's a knight rather than a samurai. Certain pieces of head armor even change his hairstyle; the Stealth Mask gives him a ninja's topknot, fitting into this trope even more.
* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful: Link is not averse to capitalizing on his looks to get what he wants, whether it be seducing a man out of his shoes, cutting in line for a very sought-after spa treatment, or getting a massive discount on a house.
* SealedGoodInACan: Ultimately revealed to be this after you gather the four Spirit Orbs on the Great Plateau: [[spoiler:the Old Man explains Link has been healing at the Shrine of Resurrection since he fell in the last battle against Calamity Ganon, 100 years ago. Memories you find later in the game elaborate that this is also a case of coming BackFromTheDead.]]
* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler:After you defeat the Yiga Clan member that tried to steal the Sheikah Heirloom, Dorian asks you to keep his Yiga roots on the down-low. Presumably, being the good chap he is, Link agrees to take that knowledge to the grave.]]
* SheIsAllGrownUp: A rare male example. Link became this to Mipha, who as a Zora was already an adult upon meeting four year old Link. Upon seeing Link again after he had grown up she fell in love with him.
* ShieldBash: He can do this with any shield, even the Pot Lid, and can actually cause direct damage with any type of Lynel Shield. Daruk's training journal references a time where Link had used a Pot Lid to deflect a laser from a Guardian, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which is indeed something he can do in-game.]]
* ShieldSurf: Given a decent slope, he can slide down mountains and hills while riding a shield, though this will wear it down very fast. He can cross the Gerudo Desert with a sand seal by letting it drag him while surfing on a shield.
* ShamelessFanserviceGuy: Link does not seem especially concerned with running around in his underwear, even when other characters directly comment on it.
-->'''Kass:''' Boldly standing naked on the pedestal... [[SarcasmMode That’s definitely reminiscent of the hero of legend.]]
* ShipTease:
** With Zelda and Mipha. [[spoiler:Both girls are explicitly confirmed to be in love with him, and the game offers the player the possibility of choosing dialogue options that imply that he reciprocates either of them... or even ''both of them''.]]
** The Japanese version favors [[spoiler:Zelda over Mipha. In that language, the journal entries of the Adventure Log are written by Link himself, and he often reflects his thoughts on them. In many entries, specially those from later in the game, Link talks about Zelda with quite significant romantic undertones]]. This was completely removed from the Western localizations, though.
* SleptThroughTheApocalypse: Subverted; [[spoiler:he slept ''during'' the apocalypse, downed while fighting Calamity Ganon's campaign of destruction and had to be revived at the Shrine of Resurrection]]. He doesn't remember any of this happening, though.
* StatOVision: His Champion's Tunic allows him to see an enemy's health in numbers.
* TheStoic: Like his ''Twilight Princess'' incarnation, he rarely emotes. Zelda's diary reveals that Link put up the front of being stoic and silent as a defense mechanism to deal with the pressures of being a knight of Hyrule.
* SubmissiveBadass: One of the best swordsmen in Hyrule, but completely loyal to Zelda.
* SuperReflexes: He can spam enemies to death after dodging a melee attack at the last minute, shoot arrows in midair, and the world around him is in an adrenaline-fueled BulletTime while he does so.
* SupremeChef: By necessity, he must become good at cooking, as every meal regenerates health (along with other benefits).
* SwordBeam: Link can launch Skyward Strikes from the Master Sword instead of throwing it; the Windcleaver katana also has a unique special attack that fires a Razor Wind at enemies instead of a SpinAttack.
* TakeUpMySword: Over the course of the game, Link is rewarded with the signature weapons of the fallen Champions of Hyrule when he cleanses one of the Divine Beasts. King Dorephan will reward Link with Mipha's Lightscale Trident, the Goron Boss will reward Link with Daruk's Boulder Breaker, Chief Riju will give Link Urbosa's Scimitar of the Seven and Daybreaker shield, and the Rito Village elder Kaneli will give Link Revali's Great Eagle Bow.
* TeensAreShort: Link is implied to be around the same age as Zelda, who is only just seventeen, and he's shorter than most characters in the game (emphasised as many of the races of Hyrule are much taller than regular Hylians anyway, making him seem even shorter).
* ThreeStrikeCombo: Link can perform them when using one-handed swords.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Downplayed. In the past, he was a stoic knight who focused on his duty and behaved chivalrously. After Calamity Ganon's attack and his time in the Shrine of Resurrection, he's stopped caring as much about what people think of him, often edging into JerkWithAHeartOfGold territory.
* TrickArrow: He can use various types of arrows such as the standard fire and ice arrows, bomb arrows, shock arrows, ancient arrows formed from Guardian technology, [[spoiler:and the Arrows of Light in the final battle with Ganon]].
* UsedToBeMoreSocial: Mipha notices this about Link as revealed in her diary in "The Champions' Ballad" DLC. Link used to be a talkative and energetic child and grows up into being very aloof, stoic and rarely smiles. This is probably due to Link's dedication in being a knight for the Royal Family and his duty in protecting Zelda caused him tons of anxiety, thus he kept up a stoic front to look calm and professional.
* VitriolicBestBuds: His relationship with Zelda started off as a one-sided version of this. As he was the appointed knight, his job was to protect Zelda from danger. Zelda, being the fiercely independent girl she is, wasn't too happy with the idea of having a 24/7 bodyguard, and according to Urbosa, she saw Link as a reminder of her own failure to [[spoiler:awaken Hylia's power]]. But after Link saves her from a trio of Yiga ninjas, she gradually began to warm up to him, [[spoiler:even ordering that he be taken to the Shrine of Resurrection in a last-ditch effort to save his life after trying to protect him for a change served as the trigger for her sealing magic]]. Reading Zelda's diary in Hyrule Castle reveals that despite her frustrations and jealousy, every time she came down from shouting at Link to go away, she would think back to how bewildered and confused he seemed and would realize how badly she was treating him for doing his job. Venting her frustrations at Link just made her feel horrible about herself on top of all her self-doubt in a vicious self-sustaining cycle.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Thanks to the addition of clothing options. Link starts out in the Shrine of Resurrection as this, but playing through the entire game as this is not a good idea.
* WeakButSkilled: Unlike most Links, his damage is sustained realistically. Basically, he'll take realistically-high levels of damage that, compared to a lot of his enemies, makes him either a FragileSpeedster or a GlassCannon. That said, quick thinking and strategic approaches to combat can allow him to dominate all.
* WhatBeautifulEyes:
** Paya dedicates a whole diary entry to them.
** Zelda crushes on them too. During the memory cutscene of her RescueRomance, she's staring intently at Link's eyes as he intimidates the assassins to leave her alone.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Although the merchant who sells them insists that they're actually gender-neutral, Link can wear enchanted earrings and circlets in order to boost his defensive powers. [[spoiler:More accurate to the trope, in order to gain access to the Gerudo city, Link has to dress up in women's clothing. It's also implied he's done this before, when Zelda would take advantage of Gerudo city's laws to avoid him, and in select dialogue from the Champion's Ballad DLC Urbosa will comment on how lovely he'd looked in Gerudo dress.]]
* WithThisHerring: Link starts his quest with only a set of threadbare clothes and no weapons.
* YouDontLookLikeYou: His facial features are the same, but Link is not seen in his iconic green tunic in the promotional material, with all the merchandise and advertising showing him in the blue Champion's Tunic instead. [[spoiler:This game's version of the iconic green tunic must be earned.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Zelda]]
!!Princess Zelda
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/botw_zelda_artwork.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away... Or so I've been told all my life..."'']]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see Zelda in her formal dress]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zeldaformal.png[[/labelnote]]]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/YuShimamura (Japanese), Patricia Summersett (English) Jessica Ángeles (Mexican Spanish), Nerea Alfonso (European Spanish), Adeline Chetail (French), Julia Casper (German), Martina Felli (Italian)
The titular princess of the ruined Hyrule. She is the voice that guides Link after his hundred-year slumber and the only one holding Calamity Ganon at bay. As Link begins his quest to save Hyrule, he begins to regain his memories relating to Zelda and her past.
----
* AbortedDeclarationOfLove: Implied when she asks the Great Deku Tree [[spoiler:to tell Link something for her when he comes for the Master Sword when he awakens, but the Deku Tree stops her mid-sentence and convinces her to say it herself]].
* {{Adorkable}}: One of Link's memories has her going absolutely ecstatic when she catches a frog (including an absolutely ''adorable'' shuffle on her knees over to Link to show him, and going "ta-dah!" when she shows it to him) and is giddy at the idea of doing an experiment by having Link eat it. Her line delivery is even more excitable in the Japanese audio.
* AdventurerArchaeologist: Zelda travels the world researching the dilapidated ruins of Old Hyrule. She was the original owner of the Sheikah Slate, and was very annoyed to find that the shrines were only designed to work for the hero bonded to the Master Sword.
* AffectionateNickname: Her mother and Urbosa called her "little bird".
* AllForNothing: She laments how all her efforts to prevent Hyrule from suffering destruction were for nothing.
* BadassAdorable: She's an {{Adorkable}} little archaeology nerd who[[spoiler:, upon awakening to Hylia's power, is strong enough to seal the resident UltimateEvil EldritchAbomination [[SealedEvilInADuel in a duel]] for an entire century]].
* BadassBookworm: A staple for the character due to her being the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, but this Zelda takes it further by being a scholar who explores Hyrule culture while being the mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia.
* BadassInDistress: Zelda has been fighting Ganon nonstop for a century. She awakens Link because her power is waning and she needs backup.
* BarrierMaiden: She's kept Ganon sealed within Hyrule Castle for the past century.
* BeYourself: [[spoiler:It's implied the reason she has such trouble with her powers, compared to other Zeldas who were more or less able to behave as they liked, is because she is prevented from doing this. In one of the memories, she poses a hypothetical to Link, asking him to consider that if one day he realized he wasn't meant to be a fighter, but no matter what, because he was born into a family of the Royal Guard, that's the role he had to fill. It's very clear she's actually talking about herself and her role as Princess. In another memory, her father quashes and suppresses her interests, dismissing them as 'playing at being a scholar', and forces her to do as her ancestors did.]]
* BigGood: She was responsible for gathering the Champions and spearheaded the research of the lost [[{{Magitech}} Sheikah technology]]; including the Divine Beasts and Link's Sheikah Slate. And she has prevented Calamity Ganon from completing his conquest by keeping him confined to Hyrule Castle, while Link recovers.
* BigOlEyebrows: Hers are noticeably thicker than most of her predecessors and they're a few shades darker than her hair color.
* ABirthdayNotABreak: She spends her seventeenth birthday praying at the Spring of Wisdom, but as she comes down from Mount Lanayru, [[spoiler:Calamity Ganon attacks]].
* BittersweetSeventeen: She made one final effort to awaken her sealing powers by praying at the Spring of Wisdom on her seventeenth birthday.
* BlueBlood: She's the crown princess of Hyrule and, appropriately, speaks with a high-class British accent in the English dub.
* BodyguardCrush: Her behavior in some of the cutscenes imply this, and [[spoiler:a sidequest involving the minstrel Kass will reveal that his teacher was a Sheikah poet for the royal court who fell in love with Zelda, but that she "only had eyes for her appointed knight".]]
* BreakTheCutie: She cries to Link and heavily laments how all her efforts (assumed to be preventing the fall of Hyrule and stopping the Calamity Ganon from doing so) [[ShootTheShaggyDog were for nothing]].
* CharacterDevelopment: She starts off haughty and dismissive towards Link, acting much like her counterpart from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda'' animated series. However, she slowly warms up to him as they spend time together.
* CompositeCharacter: The developers have compared her to both her ''Twilight Princess'' and ''Skyward Sword'' incarnations. She's very serious-minded about the fate of Hyrule like the former, but her status as a close fiend of Link's, with possible romantic undertones, matches that of the latter. On top of that, the way her more independent personality initially causes her to clash with Link and watching the two adapt and grow closer to each other as their journey goes on is reminiscent of Tetra and the Hero of Wind's relationship in ''Wind Waker''.
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Previous incarnations of Zelda were already adept at magic and most met Link when his quest is underway. This Zelda is insecure about her inability to unlock her powers and has known Link for quite some time before the game begins. In addition, instead of being [[DistressedDamsel being kept captive by the villains]], she's instead the one [[SealedEvilInADuel keeping Ganon trapped in Hyrule Castle]].
* CoveredInMud: Several scenes show Zelda and her white dress smeared with mud.
* CrisisOfFaith: [[spoiler:In one of the memories of the events from the past, Zelda's inability to channel Hylia's power despite praying to the goddesses daily eventually causes her to lash out and curse her divine ancestor.]]
* CryIntoChest: Zelda [[spoiler:was unable to awaken her powers, fails her kingdom and her friends, and]] breaks down crying in Link's arms.
* DareToBeBadass: When she went to recruit Revali as Divine Beast Vah Medoh's pilot, she told him "We must protect the precious life of this land from the Calamity's grasp at all costs. Hyrule needs you, Revali." He found it surprisingly motivating despite his scepticism of the plan against Ganon and him finding her wording corny due to Zelda's determined look.
* {{Determinator}}: Her resolve is as strong as Link's. [[spoiler:She's spent the past century fighting to keep Ganon contained in Hyrule Castle despite her power weakening over time.]]
* DefrostingIceQueen: She starts off as being dismissive and cold towards Link, but gradually becomes affectionate towards him.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: She's the titular character, one of the three beings with their destinies constantly entangled in Hyrule's history, most of the memories detail her growing relationship with Link, and she's the BarrierMaiden who bought Link the just over a century to save the day.
* DieOrFly: She is unable to summon her divine powers [[spoiler:until threatened by a Guardian, after Link has fallen in battle, and the power is the only thing that can save her]].
* ErmineCapeEffect: This is actually averted, Zelda does have a fancy royal outfit with the RequisiteRoyalRegalia like her CoolCrown, but she only wears it for ceremonial purposes in the story and actually wears two other outfits for travel and for rituals.
* FlatEarthAtheist: Because of scholarly pursuits and focusing on Hyrule's equivalent of UsefulNotes/TheScientificMethod, she is sceptical that blind faith to the goddesses will be enough to unlock her powers. She becomes more doubtful as each attempt at devout prayer is only answered with failure. This frustrates her father, who is a pious ruler, as past princesses and queens have been successful using that method. Its strongly alluded that Zelda's doubt of her own divine inheritance and inadequate self-confidence kept her powers sealed.
* FlowerMotif: Zelda is associated with the in-game flower called the Silent Princess; this rare and beautiful flower is said to be impossible to grow in a controlled environment, much like [[spoiler:Zelda's powers are not able to flourish in her restricted life]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In one of the flashbacks where Link single-handedly killed an army of monsters, Zelda praises Link for his courage, but also warns him not to push himself beyond his limits. [[spoiler:In the final memory, Link is shown on the brink of collapse and his Master Sword is notched and stained from holding off a swarm of Guardians that were attacking him and Zelda. The princess pleads with Link to save himself, but he refuses to stop protecting her.]]
* GenderedOutfit: Her blue outfit is essentially a female version of Link's.
* GeniusSweetTooth: The palace library contains a cookbook mentioning Zelda's favorite food was fruitcake, which she claimed helped her focus better on ancient technology research.
* GoldAndWhiteAreDivine: Like her earliest incarnation, Zelda wears a ceremonial white gown (along with gold accessories) when she prays at the Goddesses fountains to awaken the divine power of Hylia within her.
* GoThroughMe: One of the scenes shows Zelda standing between a badly-injured Link and a Guardian that's about to blast him with a laser. [[spoiler:It is this act that finally allows her to awaken Hylia's power.]]
* GreenEyes: Previous incarnations of Zelda had InnocentBlueEyes, but her's are green and [[VisualPun fittingly enough]] her aggression towards Link is because [[spoiler:she [[GreenEyedMonster envies]] how set he seems with his destiny as he had no issues getting control of the Master Sword]].
* HardWorkHardlyWorks: [[spoiler:The methods King Rhoam used to train her to use her power [[NiceJobBreakingItHero caused her to be a late bloomer when it comes to Hylia's power]]. In fact, until they got to know each other more, this was a major source of her initial envy towards Link (as he was chosen by the Master Sword much sooner than Zelda was able to harness the power of Hylia).]]
* HartmanHips: Accentuated by her traveling outfit (and the game's camera angles).
* HeyYou: In her diary, she calls Link "HIM". After he saves her life, she starts using his name.
* HolyHandGrenade: Zelda is set to inherit a divine power of her ancestors.[[note]]It's implied, but not outright stated, that her holy power is in fact the completed Triforce, given the imagery.[[/note]]
* IAmVeryBritish: Speaks with a noticeable Received Pronunciation accent, befitting her station as a princess.
* InadequateInheritor:
** [[spoiler:As revealed in Link's awakened memories, she was seen as one by her father and her subjects due to her inability to awaken the divine power the Royal Family inherited from Hylia, her own interests and wants dismissed as 'playing at being a scholar'. One memory even shows that ''she'' sees herself as this too.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' What's wrong with me?
** [[spoiler:Once she unlocks her powers she becomes a SuperiorSuccessor, and the strongest Zelda we've seen to date. In a role reversal, instead of being captured and held in Ganon's Tower, she essentially captured Ganon and held him in Hyrule Castle for ''100 years'' until Link came to help destroy him.]]
* AnIceSuit: In some DLC, she's wandering around a winter landscape in a white coat [[PrettyInMink trimmed with white fur]].
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Link. Zelda’s feelings for him are confirmed multiple times throughout the game, her love for him and her desire to protect him actually becomes the trigger to awakening [[spoiler:her power to seal Ganon]]. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding, possibly representing the endless love they will share.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Zelda is initially aloof and haughty towards Link, resenting him for realizing his ability as the Hero's reincarnation [[spoiler:while she is initially unable to tap into the divine power passed down by Hylia]].
* {{Irony}}: Of the InvertedTrope variety. Most of the time, Ganon imprisons Zelda in Ganon's Tower. This Zelda imprisoned Ganon in Hyrule Castle.
* JerkassRealization: After Link rescues Zelda from Yiga ninjas, she realizes how selfish and antagonistic she's been towards him and apologies for her actions and begins to talk with him.
* TheLeader: She was the appointed commander of the Champions.
* TheLoad: [[spoiler:Was considered this in the past since she couldn't awaken her divine powers, much to her displeasure. She ''tried'' to be TheSmartGuy of the Champions or perform duties that would normally be expected of a princess instead, but her father was having none of it and shoved her back into this by forcing her to pray constantly to no avail.]]
* {{Magitek}}: Her official character art and amiibo show her using a Sheikah Slate. [[spoiler:She was its original bearer, and passed it on to Link when he was sealed.]]
* MsFanservice: There are a number of [[MaleGaze camera angles]] in Link's memories and the [[spoiler:GoldenEnding]] that focus on her posterior, which her snug-fitting breeches help emphasize.
* MissingMom: Zelda's mother, the Queen, died a year before Zelda's training was to begin. [[spoiler:As she was the parent with Hylia's magic, Zelda was left without a teacher to guide her through tapping her latent magic power, leading to her underdeveloped abilities, and her father, despite also being of Hylia's bloodline, isn't any better at it than she is.]]
* ModestRoyalty: She is seen in many outfits, but the most prominent one is her Champion's attire.
* MotorMouth: She, as a scholar, is pretty talkative when it comes to the subjects of her research.
* MuggleBornOfMages: A lot of Zelda's issues come from [[spoiler:not being able to awaken the magical powers that come naturally to the women of her family. Subverted later on, as her power manifests in time to save Link from Guardians.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' A daughter of Hyrule's royal family yet unable to use sealing magic... He must despise me.
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:Between Calamity Ganon's return and Zelda awakening her power, there's a dark moment when she believes that all her hard work for the past ten years, training to access her power and researching Ancient technology, did nothing to save her friends, her kingdom, or her father. She blames herself.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' Everything I've done up until now... it was all for nothing...!
* MythologyGag: In Zelda's room in Hyrule Castle, you can find a powerful Royal Guard's Bow on display on her wall; the bow and arrow, of course, has been Zelda's weapon of choice in many games before.
* NeverGotToSayGoodbye: She mentions in her diary that she had yet to see, let alone make up with, her father from a fight before she and the party set out for Mount Lanayru. That's also the day Calamity Ganon attacks.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Before the Calamity hit, she had just turned 17. However, in the present time of the game, [[spoiler:she's technically 117 years old. She didn't age due to her being locked in a magical battle with Ganon for 100 years, which kept her physical body in stasis.]]
* PimpedOutDress: Zelda's court dress is a beautiful and elaborate blue gown.
* ThePowerOfLove: Kass believes it was Zelda's love for Link that [[spoiler:finally awakened her power, based on what his late teacher, a Sheikah poet, witnessed 100 years ago.]]
* PrettyPrincessPowerhouse: Zelda, by her own admission, lacks any proper skills in combat without her powers. [[spoiler:After awakening her powers, however, she is able to shut down a whole battalion of Guardians before walking into Hyrule Castle to trap Ganon inside it for 100 years. In the FinalBoss fight, she aids Link by generating InstantRunes on Ganon's body for Link to target and then afterward is the one to deliver the finishing blow, consuming and destroying it with the power of the Triforce.]]
* RebelliousPrincess: Because Zelda struggles to awaken her divine power, she prefers to spend her time as a scholar exploring Hyrule. Her father disapproves of her choice, and has Link guard Zelda against her own will.
* ReligionIsMagic: The power passed down the royal family is due to DivineParentage and it is assumed that the power must be awoken through ritualistic prayer.
* RescueRomance: After Link saves her and she learns that he is not as stoic and confident as he appears, not only did she start to warm up to him, she later developed feelings for him, as even the Deku Tree suggests telling him in person instead of through a message.
* TheResenter: [[spoiler:She was initially jealous of Link for his status as TheChosenOne and for how easily he was able to wield the Master Sword, while she repeatedly failed to awaken Hylia's power. In one of the memories, she contemplates breaking into a Shrine, which is only meant to be entered as a Trial by the chosen hero. As Urbosa put it, Link reminded her of her own failures.]]
* RoyaltySuperPower: The divine magic that Zelda strives for is passed down by blood from the Royal Family's godly predecessor.
* SacredBowAndArrows: As per tradition, the final battle begins with Zelda creating the Bow of Light with her powers for Link to wield as an EleventhHourSuperPower. Zelda's Bow of Twilight from ''Twilight Princess'' can also be obtained from the Zelda Smash Bros Amiibo and can fire infinite Light Arrows with the blast radius of Bomb Arrows and the power of Ancient Arrows.
* SealedGoodInACan: [[spoiler:The can being the Calamity Ganon, who itself was sealed in Hyrule Castle as a result.]]
* SensualSpandex: Downplayed example, but her pants are ''very'' tight-fitting, and the camera will remind you of that.
* ShipTease: Finishing Kass's sidequest makes [[spoiler:Zelda's feelings for "her appointed knight" explict, as it greatly frustrated his teacher who, as the court poet, had fallen in love with the princess and was jealous that she only had eyes for a commoner like Link. We also later see her desire to protect or save him was the reason for her powers being awoken.]]
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: After learning that behind Link's stoic attitude lies an {{Adorkable}} young man with his own insecurities that she can confide in, it's likely what led to her developing feelings for him.
* SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer: She didn't appear in footage until the Game Awards trailer, though her face wasn't shown and her identity wasn't revealed until the January Switch presentation. Her voice is in the E3 2016 trailer, though like her identity, it wasn't revealed to be her.
* TheSmartGuy: Of the Champions; her combat abilities are undeveloped due to her being unable to access Hylia's power, but she's the most knowledgable of the Sheikah's technology, and continuously researches ways to help her team.
* SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler:Of all the Champions when the Calamity Ganon first attacked, leaving her alone to fend it off. Subverted in that she immediately had Link sent off to be resurrected while he still could be, making his passing ''very'' brief, though it took a hundred years to revive him fully.]]
* SpockSpeak: Well-spoken at all times.
* SuddenlyVoiced: ''Breath of the Wild'' is the first mainstream ''Zelda'' game[[note]]She's spoken before in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures Tetra's Trackers]]'', but it's been a long time since either one[[/note]] where she (among other characters) is given fully-fledged voice acting, in all languages the game is localized into.
* SwallowedWhole: [[spoiler:By the Calamity Ganon when she went to face it after Hyrule's destruction, whereupon she managed to confine it to the castle, but was consequently trapped inside it for the next century until Link defeated it.]]
* TakingTheBullet: This seemed to be her plan when she [[spoiler:jumped between Link and a Guardian during the final memory. After her powers thankfully kicked in and saved both of them, she is shocked and confused, implying that she either didn't expect them to work or wasn't even consciously trying to use them.]]
* {{Technobabble}}: Zelda slips into this when geeking out.
* {{Telepathy}}: In the grand ''Zelda'' tradition, Zelda herself keeps an eye on Link's adventures and speaks to him via a psychic connection. [[spoiler:It's unclear if this is the source of the memory Link finds of when she left the Master Sword in the Deku Tree's care, or if it's because of his connection to Fi.]]
* TemptingFate: Early on in their relationship, Zelda gets fed up with Link following her constantly and bluntly tells him to get lost because she can take care of herself. Two memory scenes later, cue Zelda running for dear life from Yiga assassins, with Link nowhere in sight.
* TextileWorkIsFeminine: "The Champions' Ballad" reveals that the NonUniformUniform outfits the Champions wear were all sewn by Zelda.
* ThemeMusicPowerUp: When Zelda [[spoiler:finally uses her sealing magic for the first time, the scene is accompanied by her theme]].
* ThroughHisStomach: According to her diary, she gets Link to open up by feeding him lots of food.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: [[spoiler:After being consumed by Calamity Ganon, she was put in exactly the right place to be able to keep it sealed inside Hyrule Castle for a whopping one hundred years.]]
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: The palace chefs claimed Zelda had a passion for fruitcake.
* TragicKeepsake: Zelda's Sheikah Slate acts as one for Link; her photographs on the camera are the key to Link recovering from his amnesia.
* TrainingFromHell: Zelda has trained by praying in freezing-cold sacred water for days at a time.
* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: Zelda's divine powers only kicked in [[spoiler:shortly after Calamity Ganon enacted his plan and took control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, when Link was at death's door and about to be killed right in front of her]].
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: One of the recipes you can find in the VeryDefiniteFinalDungeon details how to make her favorite Fruitcake.
* TrueBlueFemininity: She wore a navy blue regal dress in flashbacks, and her traveling outfit is predominantly blue.
* TheUglyGuysHotDaughter: [[spoiler:Being an {{Expy}} of the [[http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Old_Man Old Man]] from the original ''The Legend of Zelda'']], King Rhoam has little to do with Zelda's cuteness. Though [[BigOlEyebrows her eyebrows]] may come from him.
* UnskilledButStrong: [[spoiler:She had just awakened to Hylia's power when she destroys an entire army of Guardians, and seals Ganon in a duel for a century.]]
* UptownGirl: [[spoiler:Her love for Link drew the ire of Hyrule's court poet since Link was neither nobility nor royalty.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: Her relationship with Link started off as a one-sided version of this. As he was the appointed knight, his job was to protect Zelda from danger. Zelda, being the fiercely independent girl she is, wasn't too happy with the idea of having a 24/7 bodyguard and according to Urbosa, she saw Link as a reminder of her own failure to [[spoiler:awaken Hylia's power]]. But after Link saves her from a trio of Yiga ninjas, she gradually began to warm up to him, [[spoiler:even ordering that he be taken to the Shrine of Resurrection in a last-ditch effort to save his life after her powers activated trying to protect him for a change]].
* WellDoneDaughterGal: Her father was very strict and had high expectations for her, and their relationship was strained by the time of Ganon's attack. [[spoiler:It ended up playing a role in Hyrule's downfall.]]
* WellExcuseMePrincess: She might not be as snarky as her [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda cartoon incarnation]], but she definitely has the attitude.
* WhiteStallion: She had a prized white stallion which Link had taught her how to ride and it was decked out in a fancy bridle and saddle. Taming the descendant of this same horse is the goal of the sidequest which earns Link the bridle and saddle to go along with it. [[spoiler:In the True Ending, Zelda seems to have gotten her hands on this horse.]]
* WhenSheSmiles: [[spoiler:Has an absolutely beautiful smile in the True Ending.]]
* TheWisePrincess: Zelda is wise and scholarly with an insatiable curiosity for knowledge.
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Zelda's father warns her the nobles believe she's treading this path, because she hasn't manifested the sealing powers that Hylian queens and princesses possess. He's fed up with the intrigue and shadow politics, telling Zelda she ''must'' prove them wrong. She eventually does... but not without the entire kingdom falling into ruin beforehand.
* WomanInWhite: She has a long white dress she wears for ceremonial purposes, and it's this dress she's wearing [[spoiler:when she fights and seals Ganon in Hyrule Castle for an entire century, all the way until when she and Link defeat him]]. It certainly adds to the mystical and powerful image.
* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Her beauty's so renowned that people are still talking about it 100 years later.
[[/folder]]
'''Beware of spoilers!'''
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: In General]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/linkzelda.jpg]]
* {{The Chosen One}}s: In ''Breath of the Wild'', Link continues to serve as Princess Zelda's appointed knight and remains the chosen wielder of the Master Sword. Whereas Zelda is the chosen bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, which bestows the sacred sealing power passed down to the women of her family.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Both have been deemed worthy to wield the sacred arms and powers of the Goddesses and they've used them to selflessly defend the kingdom of Hyrule throughout time.
* LadyAndKnight: While Link has served as Zelda's protector in previous installments, this marks the first time he's done so in an official capacity as the head of the Royal Guard and as her appointed knight. It also marks the first time Zelda is canonically stated to have feelings for him, though it's unknown whether Link reciprocates.
* LivingLegend: Their feats of heroism have been recorded in legend and song and is one of the cornerstones of the series' lore. The traveling minstrel, Kass, explains that the purpose of his journey is to complete his teacher's song about Zelda and her fallen knight from 100 years ago.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: They're both chronologically 117 years old, yet still look like teenagers due to being magically preserved in stasis for a century.
* RedOniBlueOni: Link and Zelda have this dynamic, but they essentially switch roles after the TimeSkip.
** In the past, Link maintained a more stoic and reserved behavior in comparison to Zelda, who was more energetic and emotional.
** In the present, however, Link has become considerably more {{Adorkable}} and provides more comic relief, while Zelda has become calmer and more confident in her abilities.
* {{Reincarnation}}: They're the latest incarnations of the fabled Hero and Hyrule's princess, who have defended the land throughout its history.
* RipVanWinkle: Both of them spent the past century in stasis because of Ganon: Link because his injuries from fighting off the Guardians required him to spend that time in a HealingVat, Zelda because she had to protect Hyrule by using her sealing powers to trap Ganon in Hyrule Castle. They finally wake up in the present because Ganon is [[LeakingCanOfEvil starting to break out of his seal]] and they need to defeat him once and for all.
* TookALevelInBadass: These are their most powerful incarnations, thus far:
** By game's end, Link has an extensive arsenal of weapons, runes, and all of the Champions' abilities combined. In addition to his own ability to [[AttackDeflector parry enemy attacks]] with his shield, and unleash flurries of sword strokes, or flechette storms of arrows in midair - in BulletTime.
** Likewise, upon awakening her long-dormant power, Zelda [[RescueReversal saves Link]] by disabling an entire field of Guardians. Then proceeded to Hyrule Castle to face Calamity Ganon ''[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething on her own]]'' and has remained deadlocked with him for an entire century. Meaning, this incarnation of Zelda is as powerful as Ganon, himself.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Link]]
!!Link
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600px_botw_link_shooting_artwork.png]]
''[[caption-width-right:350:"Link... You are the light - our light - that must shine upon Hyrule once again."]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' Kengo Takanashi
The latest incarnation of the Legendary Hero that has saved Hyrule countless times in the past. A mysterious young man who wakes up in an isolated chamber, devoid of any recollection of why he was there. Upon leaving, he finds himself in a land that was parched by a great evil over a century before. He sets out on a quest to destroy the one who wrought the havoc on the land and a discovery of his true self.
----
* {{Adorkable}}: When cooking, he hums a little tune and gets excited when he finishes, and when renting a sand seal in Gerudo Town all of Link's dialogue options are seal related puns. Should you choose to sleep on the waterbed in Zora's Domain, Link can be heard bouncing on the bed and giggling like a little kid.
* AllYourPowersCombined: [[spoiler:Over the course of the game, Link gains the special powers of the fallen Champions. [[BarrierWarrior Daruk's Protection]] allows him to form a protective barrier around himself, [[HealingHands Mipha's Grace]] revives him with extra hearts if he falls in battle, [[BlowYouAway Revali's Gale]] lets him create an updraft that can carry him into the air for paragliding, and [[ShockAndAwe Urbosa's Fury]] allows him to call down thunderbolts.]]
* AlternateSelf: He is this to Wolf Link.
* AmnesiacDissonance: Although Link is technically still a HeroicMime, his dialogue options show a penchant for [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] and [[PungeonMaster puns]], and he freely displays emotion. In the original Japanese text, he is the one writing the journal entries of the Adventure Log, and often adds his thoughts on the situation at hand.[[note]]In the Western localizations, this was changed so the journal addresses the player directly instead.[[/note]] By contrast, the Link we see in flashbacks was TheStoic with a fixed expression who rarely spoke. According to Zelda's diary, he behaved this way because of the pressures of his responsibility, suggesting that the present Link is emotionally open because he doesn't remember his anxiety.
* AmnesiacHero: He wakes up not knowing much about who he is or what his purpose is.
* AnInteriorDecoratorIsYou: While most of his bachelor pad is built by Bolson, he can choose what gear to hang on the walls as trophies.
* ArcherArchetype: Link is of a deliberate stoic and focused personality and [[BowAndSwordInAccord just as associated with bows as he is with swords.]] The original 2014 footage featured Link using a bow and arrow, the first artwork released featured [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Link aiming his bow at the viewer]], and one of the amiibo is Link with a bow and arrow ready.
* ArmorIsUseless: It isn't, really, but his Champion's Tunic has more defense than equally-levelled Soldier's Armor and Ancient Armor despite being a glorified shirt (and it doesn't turn him into a walking lightning rod). [[spoiler:The "Hero of the Wild" clothing set also invokes this, as the cloth cap, shorts, and tunic all have equal defense to the Soldier and Ancient Armor sets as well.]]
* AttractiveBentGender: [[spoiler:When he has to crossdress to infiltrate the Gerudo compound, talking to nearby dudes have them hitting on him.]]
* BadassAdorable: He's an adorable, lightly built teen and the greatest hero of his generation.
* BadassBiker: Link's Divine Beast turns out to be a {{Magitek}} motorcycle, which can be summoned with his Sheikah Slate. Link can also use his weapons while driving, even two-handed ones.
* BadassBookworm: Along with the various dishes he can cook in the game, the fact that he can brew potions suggests a knowledge of chemistry.
* BadassCape: The Hylian Hood gives him a pretty nice one.
* BadassNormal:
** He doesn't gain any innate magical ability. Any magic he has is because of either the Sheikah Slate, or [[spoiler:the spirits of the other Champions using their powers from within him]].
** He doesn't even have [[spoiler:the Triforce of Courage. Zelda has the ''entire thing''. Even that which has been passed down from Hero to Hero ever since the Triforce split has been denied him -- and that ''still doesn't stop him''.]]
** Albeit his Flurry Rush ability (as well as being able to seemingly slow time when firing arrows) could be seen as some kind of time magic or superhumanly enhanced senses.
** "The Champions' Ballad" DLC adds another feat to Link's badassery as told from a journal written by [[spoiler:Daruk]]. When a Guardian malfunctioned and began to attack, Link manages to deflect its laser back at it with a ''pot lid'', which is something the player can do in the game as well.
* BadWithTheBone: Link can swipe Stal creature limbs and skulls after scattering them, and use them to bash opponents.
* BatterUp: He can get the Boko Bat early in the game, and latter gains a nail bat in the form of the Spiked Boko Bat.
* TheBeastmaster: He can tame wild horses, deer, and even ''bears'', and is pretty chummy with his lupine AlternateSelf from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.
* BettyAndVeronica: He's seen as the Betty to Zelda's Archie, with Kass's teacher being the Veronica. Kass's teacher was both a Sheikah and the court poet, while Link is a knight-in-training and a commoner, something the poet greatly despised.
* {{BFS}}: Some of the obtainable weapons are claymores and greatswords as long as Link is tall. Even the Master Sword qualifies.
* BigBrotherMentor: He served as one for the "Big Bad Bazz Brigade," helping them hone their swordsmanship. They express their gratitude to him over this a century later as Zora soldiers.
* BigDamnHeroes:
** One of his memories features [[spoiler:Zelda surrounded, semi-supine, and [[DamselInDistress has been caught dead to rights]] by the Yiga Clan. Right before they can murder her, Link charges in and kills one of her attackers. This is also the event that causes Zelda to stop being cold towards Link.]]
** Unless you ignore the innocent Hylians being attacked by monsters while wandering Hyrule, the player will almost certainly live up to this trope many times over.
* BigEater: One of the first things Zelda learned about Link when they became friends was that he has a bottomless appetite and is a sucker for a good meal. Indeed, unless you're very good at dodging or playing a SelfImposedChallenge, Link will embody this in-game.
** According to Daruk's [[spoiler:training journal]] Link once ate a [[ShapedLikeItself rock steak]]. And [[ExtremeOmnivore liked it]]!
* {{Bishonen}}: Is one of the more feminine-looking Links. This makes the point in the game where [[spoiler:you have to cross-dress to get into the Gerudo city]] extra funny -- and more believable.
* BladeOnAStick: Spears are one of the weapon types that Link can find on his adventure.
* BladeSpam: Performing "Flurry Rush" with a sword lets Link execute a barrage of slashes similar to his [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros "Triforce Slash" Final Smash]].
* BlueIsHeroic: Link has most prominently been shown wearing an elaborate blue tunic which is a uniform that the Champions of Hyrule wear. This is even enforced by the game, as you cannot dye the Champion's Tunic an alternate color and it's the best armor Link can get in the game.
* BoringButPractical: The Paraglider is one of Link's first items, and it does nothing more than allow him to glide. Of course, it is invaluable when it comes to traversing the mountainous regions of Hyrule and saving Link from a fall.
* BraggingRightsReward: One of the additions in the Champions' Ballad DLC is the Master Cycle Zero, a motorcycle that's like a horse, but better. That said, you gain it from completing the Champions' Ballad DLC, which, considering it's an addition to the main story, can really only be used to explore the world.
* BroughtDownToBadass: Judging by his memories pre-Calamity Link was an unstoppable OneManArmy. When he wakes up a century later with a fraction of his old strength he's still capable of fighting the most powerful enemies Ganon can bring forth.
* BulletTime: By dodging an enemy's attack at the last second, Link can slow down time and counter with a Flurry Rush. Link can also slow down time to aim precisely while airborne at the expense of his stamina.
* CameBackWrong: It's evident that [[spoiler:being revitalized from the Shrine of Resurrection has left the Princess's appointed knight with amnesia -- all of his memories are lost. The King immediately realizes he's wandering without purpose and very confused, thus doesn't reveal himself proper, for fear it would cause further strain on the hero's mind.]]
* CassandraTruth: Many people don't believe Link when it comes to his history. [[spoiler:Even though he is the very same Hylian Champion from 100 years from the past, people have a hard time believing him and cite that he's either lying, a descendant of the Champion, or someone looking for fame. Only the Zora, the Sheikah, and Riju and Buliara of the Gerudo believe that Link is the real deal.]]
* CastFromHitPoints: He can only prove himself worthy of using the Master Sword [[spoiler:by allowing it to drain away a good chunk of his hearts]]. Thankfully, this is a one-time thing.
* CelibateHero: Though many women flirt with Link during the events of the game, he never pays serious attention to it. The rationale is obvious, what with Calamity Ganon needing to be stopped and his own journey of self-rediscovery on top of that. The only exception, [[LostInTranslation according to the Adventure Log in the Japanese version]], is Princess Zelda, whom he emphasizes a lot in his quest entries.
* TheChampion: His literal title for this game is the Hylian Champion, but more personally he serves as this to Zelda, and their LadyAndKnight relationship is emphasized in this game.
* CharacterDevelopment: As explained in Zelda's Diary, Link was at first a quiet and stoic young man who put up a cold front to deal with the pressures of being a knight of Hyrule, but after rescuing Zelda from a trio of Yiga ninjas, he began to open up to Zelda and they soon became close friends. On top of that, while he feels iffy about being able to purify the Divine Beasts at first, his dialogue options show his increasing confidence with each encounter.
* ChainsawGood: Link can obtain the Ancient Bladesaw, a sword with rotating teeth made of pure energy.
* CheerfulChild: "The Champions' Ballad" DLC through Mipha's diary reveals that Link was a curious, energetic, and cheerful child.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: One of the results of his knight training was gaining SuperReflexes that makes time seem to slow down around him.
* ChickMagnet: Some female [=NPCs=] will flirt with Link, especially if he's completed quests for them, Paya develops a crush on him, [[spoiler:and Princess Mipha of the Zora intended to marry him after Ganon was defeated (not to mention she was also in a LoveTriangle with Kodah as her rival), while Zelda is also confirmed to have fallen in love with him according to Kass's Mentor (via Kass after he returns to Rito Village) and was about to confess based on her conversation with the Great Deku Tree]].
* ChildProdigy: Link was as young as four years old when he could best grown men in sword fighting.
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: [[spoiler:Mipha was his childhood friend and she had fallen for him, even intending to marry him after the Great Calamity, though it's somewhat left ambiguous on Link's part, but it's clear she meant a lot to him.]]
* ChildSoldier: Link was stationed with a group of knights by Zora's Domain when he was four years old, yet at that time was noted to be strong enough to overcome grown men.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Lampshaded by Impa:
-->''" Ha! Not a memory to your name, yet you are as intent as ever to charge forward with only courage and justice on your side. You have not changed a bit. Once a hero, always a hero."''
* CombatPragmatist: Tactics for combat can include sniping at range, stealthy kills, electrocution when the enemy's in water, spamming enemies when they're wide open, and so forth. Considering RealityEnsues when it comes to damage in this game, you'll have to have him fight dirty to survive.
* TheConfidant: To Zelda. According to Impa and Zelda's diary, she ([[CharacterDevelopment eventually]]) saw him as someone she could confide in and rely on when the pressures of defeating Calamity Ganon became too great, which you can see in some of the memory locations you can find. In the present, he also becomes one for Riju, as she becomes more open with him about her own insecurities once he retrieves the Thunder Helm.
-->'''Impa:''' A hundred years ago, you and the princess were quite close. You were a comfort and an encouraging presence to her as she struggled each day to fulfill her destiny. That is why she believes in you...and why she has the strength to fight Ganon all alone.
* {{Cosplay}}: Via Toys/{{amiibo}} and DLC, this Link can impersonate most of his predecessors, and even other characters such as [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Sheik and Phantom Ganon]].
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter:
** Most incarnations of Link wear green tunics, come from rural or suburban settings, sleep for pleasure, and meet Princess Zelda when their quests are underway. This one wears a wide variety of clothes, is the son of a Hylian knight, had to be placed in the Shrine of Resurrection to prolong his life, and was Zelda's friend long before the story of the game starts.
** Personality-wise, while most Links are unfailingly polite, some of this Link's dialogue options border on blunt, snarky, or even rude.
** [[spoiler:He's also the first Link shown to keep the Master Sword at the end of his game. Whereas most Links return the sword to its pedestal or otherwise lose it, this Link is shown wearing the Master Sword on his back in the GoldenEnding.]]
* CoolSword: The Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane. By the time period the game takes place, the Master Sword's name has been mostly forgotten and most just refer to it as ''the darkness-sealing sword''.
* DayHurtsDarkAdjustedEyes: He experiences this when he opens the Shrine of Resurrection up to the daylight outside.
* DeadpanSnarker: This incarnation of Link can easily be the snarkiest yet through his dialogue options, even in many instances where the game only gives one. And there is [[https://abload.de/img/2017032623202603-f1c18uubq.jpg one famous instance]] where [[UpToEleven all of his dialogue options]] are snarky puns.
* DeathOfPersonality: As detailed above in AmnesiacDissonance. At the beginning of the game, upon waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection, Link loses all of his memories. People who have advanced suitably far enough into the game may take note that the personality of Link post-revival is completely different from his original personality- he's curious, a lot more carefree, cunning, and open about his emotions. By the time he's gotten most of his memories back, Link has become courageous and stalwart once more, though one could also argue that [[spoiler:his carefree nature was his original personality, and the weight of his role as the legendary hero caused him to become emotionally withdrawn- with the stress of that gone, he's able to properly express himself once more.]]
* DentedIron: His backstory as a Knight of Hyrule means he is essentially this when he wakes in the Shrine of Resurrection. He is initially ''very'' weak, and even the weakest enemies around can beat him down pretty fast if he's not cautious. Over the course of his adventures, he slowly recovers his full strength (i.e. Heart Containers).
* {{Determinator}}: Much as with all other Links in bearing the Triforce of Courage, he bears this nicely. [[spoiler:Even when he was so battered that he could barely stand and was succumbing to his wounds inflicted by the Guardians, he refused to stop putting himself between them and Zelda. Right before the final battle, Zelda says the one thing Link never forgot was his courage.]]
* DisappearedDad: His father was a knight of Hyrule, and Link follows in his footsteps. But he was only mentioned once by Zelda, and never seen in person. Given that 100 years have passed after the Great Calamity, he is most likely dead by this point, even if he survived the Calamity.
* DisguisedInDrag: Link has to use his PrettyBoy good looks and dress up as a woman in order to enter Gerudo Town.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Some of Link's wardrobe options are masks and armor that make him look like a monster, making it possible to walk straight into enemy camps without the enemies realizing what's up.
* DubPersonalityChange: Well... [[TheSpeechless of a sort.]] The journal used to keep track of quests is in first-person in the original Japanese version (as well as some other languages, like Russian), and contains a lot more introspective dialogue from Link himself. Most chiefly [[spoiler:upon completing the memory gathering quest, Link explicitly claims that he wants to "see [Zelda's] smile again". While the romantic element between the two of them is obvious enough in the English versions, these other translations drive the point home.]]
* ElementalWeapon: Can wield elemental swords, rods, and arrows.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: He starts the game with nothing more than a pair of shorts and acquits himself well, even before gaining access to magical upgrades.
* EnemyEatsYourLunch: Link can steal food from enemy camps.
* ExperiencedProtagonist: Unlike most other incarnations, Link is already a MasterSwordsman and the wielder of the Master Sword by the time the game starts, having been born into a family of royal knights.
* {{Expy}}: An invoked one, of [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the original Link]], to complete the allusions to that title. Heck, his official traditional green tunic you can find? ''It's an updated version of that very Link's clothes.''
* ExtremeOmnivore:
** Link will eat anything you can throw into a pot, including rocks, frogs, and [[CensoredForComedy dishes so hideously disgusting they can't be shown on television]].
** Lampshaded in Daruk's training journal, Link was able to eat the trademark Goron meal, which is basically roasted rocks. He didn't even complain.
* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Link gets hit on by male [=NPCs=] almost as often as females. Some of these [[AttractiveBentGender think he's a girl]], while others are AmbiguouslyGay.
* FlashStep: To achieve striking distance, Link executes one during a Flurry Rush performed from a perfect dodge on opponents with long melee weapons, such as Lynels, Ganon Blights, and Calamity Ganon.
* TheGadfly: Some of his interactions are pretty trollish.
* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: [[spoiler:The fact that the Zora Armor crafted by Mipha and given to him by King Dorephan fits him perfectly is used to prove to a skeptical Muzu that Link is the one Mipha loved.]]
* TheHero: As expected, Link is the protagonist and TheChosenOne.
* HeroicLineage: He's descended from a long line of Hylian knights and was a knight of Hyrule himself, and a step above due to being the chosen wielder of the Master Sword. In one memory, Zelda muses on the pressure of being a slave to one's lineage, and wonders if Link would have chosen a different path in life if this wasn't the case.
* HeroicMime:
** He's this even in a game with some voice acting. Amusingly, there is a cutscene where Zelda quotes something he told her once off-screen. Her diary also reveals why he's this: [[spoiler:because of the pressure he felt as the Hylian Champion and the stuff he has to live up to, he chose not to speak much to focus more on his duty, and for fear of saying anything that might disappoint. Learning this makes Zelda warm up to him even more, since she has similar insecurities.]]
** Downplayed in the original Japanese text, where Link is the one writing the journal entries in the Adventure Log, often while giving his own thoughts on the situation at hand, thus being the first time in the series where Link expresses himself completely outside of the player's influence. In the Western localizations, the entries were rewritten so they address the player directly instead.
* HeroicRROD: [[spoiler:After Calamity Ganon turns the Guardians against Hyrule, Link fights off wave after wave of Guardians while critically injured. Even with Zelda pleading for Link to get away to safety, he still refuses to back down. His body eventually gives out and falls unconscious. Had Zelda not intervened, Link would have been dead for good.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: In the present day, a number of the older Zora aren't very fond of him, as they blame him for the death of Mipha.
* HiddenDepths: As described in Zelda's diary, Link put up a stoic and silent front in order to cope with the pressures of being a Knight. It's only through his bond with Zelda that he becomes more open with his feelings.
* HorseArcher: One viable means of dispatching enemies is shooting them with arrows from horseback. Link is able to change position on a moving mount, spinning on his saddle to shoot at targets behind him and changing forward when finished, without missing a beat or losing control of the horse. That's a feat of masterclass horsemanship.
* HotConsort: [[spoiler:The fact that he could have been a gender-inverted example is [[TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper a minor plot point]], as Mipha had been planning on asking for his hand in marriage, but was unable to work up the courage to confess before she was killed. It might still end up happening after the events of the game, given that Zelda is also confirmed to be in love with him.]]
* HumbleHero: Link never seeks glory in his adventures, though sometimes he asks for rewards for helping people, and doesn't bother to make a point of the fact that he's a legendary hero, instead allowing those he interacts with to form their own opinions about who he is.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Link can use Iaijutsu if he charges an attack with certain weapons, all of them katana-like. Also, he can also perform an iaijutsu-like move with other weapons if he draws them while running.
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Zelda. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Zelda’s love for Link is confirmed multiple times throughout the game, and that it was her love for him that allowed her to [[spoiler:awaken her powers]]. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding possibly, representing the endless love they will share.
* ImprobableUseOfAWeapon: If Link mounts a Lynel while wielding a spear or two-handed weapon, it will be too long to properly swing at them, so he just starts ramming the butt end of the weapon into the creature's back.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Link can wield an eclectic assortment of odd weapons, ranging from broken sticks to undead skeleton body parts to giant leaves.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Surprisingly. Zelda's diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of being a Knight of Hyrule and dealt with it by being stoic and silent. Once Zelda realizes this, she and Link become close friends.
* InformedDeformity: Several characters will note that Link's body is [[CoveredInScars littered with faint scars]], none of which appear on his character model.
* InstantRunes: In the beginning stages of the game, Link can upgrade his Shekiah Slate with Runes that can perform various actions by completing Shrines:
** [[ThrowDownTheBomblet Remote Bombs]] that can blow things up and come in two shapes: round bombs that tend to roll and square bombs that tend to stay in place. Instead of detonating after a certain amount of time, they can be detonated at will.
** [[HollywoodMagnetism Magnesis]] can let Link manipulate metal objects to solve puzzles and fish treasure chests out of the water.
** [[AnIcePerson Cryonis]] can let Link freeze water into solid blocks of ice that can be used as makeshift platforms or shields.
** [[TimeStandsStill Stasis]] allows Link to temporarily freeze time for an object or enemy and store their kinetic energy by hitting them while they're frozen, ensuring that they are sent flying when the stasis effect wears off.
** [[CameraFiend Camera]] allows Link to take pictures, with a good number of the things he takes pictures of filling out the in-game Hyrule Compendium.
** Toys/{{Amiibo}}, which can be turned on and off, allows the player to scan Amiibo for daily bonus items or summon Wolf Link for help.
** [[CoolBike Master Cycle Zero]], which summons Link's titular Divine Beast to be ridden anywhere outdoors. It's eco-friendly, too, running on whatever random materials you give it.
* InterspeciesFriendship: He was {{Childhood Friend}}s with several Zoras, and "The Champions' Ballad" DLC revealed that he and Daruk were already BloodBrothers before the Champions were gathered.
* InterspeciesRomance: We don't know if Link responded or not, but we do learn that both Mipha, the Zora Princess, and a commoner Zora named Kodah were in love with Link. [[spoiler:However, Mipha died fighting Calamity Ganon and Kodah moved on when Link was put into his healing slumber, going on to marry a fellow Zora named Kayden, have a daughter with him (Finley), and run the Seabed Inn.]]
* InTheHood: One of Link's pieces of armor is the Hylian Hood, a simple traveler's cloak.
* {{Irony}}: In contrast to [[OlympicSwimmer all the other Links]] except the one from ''The Wind Waker'', this Link is limited in how far he can swim by his stamina meter. This is despite the fact that he not only grew up interacting with the [[FishPeople Zora]] to the point of being ChildhoodFriends with several of them, [[spoiler:he almost became their prince consort]].
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: If you pay attention to some of the responses Link can give in-game, a ''surprising'' amount of them are... less than pleasant. Even some of his more pleasant responses can come off as sounding less than kind, and several quests outright have him [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating people to further his goals in one way or another]]. That said, it doesn't stop him from being as heroic as previous Links.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: The Sheikah swords, such as the Eightfold Blade, are a subversion. While the descriptions boast of them having the sharpest conventional blades ever made, and they are a step up from the early weapons, they can be outclassed by future ones quite quickly.
* KingInTheMountain: He was sealed in the Shrine of Resurrection before the events of the game.
* KleptomaniacHero: Link can sneak into enemy camps and rob them blind of their food and weapons. There's even seldom any acknowledgement or ramifications for helping himself to supplies found in friendly encampments such as Stables found around Hyrule.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Link has always been a swordsman who fights evil, champions the innocent, and serves as [[LadyAndKnight the White Knight to Zelda's Bright Lady]], but for the first time in the series -- not counting ''Twilight Princess'' -- he can don proper plate armor with the Soldier's Armor set.
* LateToTheTragedy: The setup of the game implies that Link SleptThroughTheApocalypse, but an early game reveal tells us (and him) that [[spoiler:he was actually at ground zero, present at the moment Calamity Ganon ravaged Hyrule, as a knight fighting alongside Princess Zelda and the other pilots of the Divine Beasts. Link almost perished in the struggle and was only saved by bringing him to the Shrine of Resurrection]].
* LegacyCharacter: On top of him being the latest in a long line of Links, a horse he can tame in a sidequest is the direct descendant of the horse that Zelda used a century ago.
* LegacyOfService: Link is from a line of knights, his father having been a member of King Rhoam's Royal Guard.
* LostInTranslation: Much of the writing in the Journal in the Japanese version is changed from being written in the first person to address the player directly instead. This means a lot of character that Link had in Japanese is unfortunately lost- most notably, that a lot of his romantic subtext with Zelda is removed entirely. This is visible [[http://undergroundsky.tumblr.com/post/164820765851/munettie-%EF%BC%91%EF%BC%93%E3%81%8B%E6%89%80%E3%81%AE%E6%80%9D%E3%81%84%E5%87%BA%E3%81%AE%E5%9C%B0%E3%82%92%E5%B7%A1%E3%82%8A%E3%82%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%80%E5%A7%AB%E3%81%AE%E6%83%B3%E3%81%84%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E5%8F%96%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F-i-have here]].
* LoveTriangle: It turns out that he was actually involved in three of these, making his love triangle so complex it's better described as a love triforce. Amongst the Champions, both Mipha and Zelda, Princesses of the Zora and the Hylians respectively, had a crush on him. He also had another going on with both Mipha and a Zora named Kodah. The last was between him and an unnamed Shiekah poet regarding Princess Zelda's affections.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: He can use several types of shields made out of wood, metal, or ancient technology. His shields will break if he blocks too much, but successful parries can counterattack while preserving the shield durability. Link's wooden shields are useless against fire or the superheated areas in Death Mountain while metal shields will make Link become a lightning rod if he's caught in a thunderstorm. [[spoiler:Link can find the Hylian Shield, which has the best defense and has a ''ton'' of durability, but since it's metal, thunderstorms will make it dangerous to have equipped.]]
* MadeOfIron: ''Significantly less so'' than other Links, but enough hearts and armor can allow him to survive a bolt of lightning.
* MagicKnight: Link can use {{Magitek}} arrows, as well as utilize a {{Magitek}} device called the Sheikah Slate to perform magic.
* MagikarpPower: Moreso than any Link up to this point. He starts out very, ''very'' weak; there are enemies in the tutorial area that can kill him in one hit, and the first weapon he's likely to find is a ''tree branch'' lying on the ground. But as the game continues, and he completes shrines, dungeons, and other quests, he becomes easily the most powerful incarnation in the franchise, as shown in a lot of his other tropes.
* {{Magitek}}: Link's main item in this game is a Sheikah Slate, an all-purpose magical tablet which can be loaded with spells such as [[MagnetismManipulation Magnesis]], [[AnIcePerson Cryonis]], [[HavingABlast Remote Bombs]] and [[TimeStandsStill Stasis]]. It also comes equipped with a [[DowsingDevice Tracker]] for shrines, treasure, wildlife, or monsters, [[{{Teleportation}} a warp]] function, and a [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Camera]].
* MasterSwordsman:
** Starts out as one for the first time in the main series[[note]]As opposed to several other Links, who would become one as the game went on[[/note]]. This Link was once [[spoiler:an elite knight in the Hylian army who was nearly killed trying to fend off the Calamity Ganon a century before]]. His combative skills are ingrained in his mind, even if he doesn't have recollection of his past experiences. The closest the series has had to someone of this Link's level of skill was in ''Skyward Sword'' (whose Link was training to become a knight, but had not graduated at the time of the game). Prior to his fall, he was the chosen wielder of the ''[[AwesomeMcCoolname Master]] [[LegendaryWeapon Sword]]''.
** Several readable tomes and commentary from NonPlayerCharacter dialogue cite Link among the greatest swordsmen in Hyrule. His role as TheChosenOne was because he wielded the Master Sword, but his appointment as Princess Zelda's knight was because of his unparalleled skill with the blade.
** Mina and Mils, a pair of veteran adventurers (and self proclaimed [[AdventurerArchaeologist treasure hunters]]), can occasionally be found fighting a pair of Bokoblins. While the two can defeat the monsters without Link's assistance, watching them reveals how inefficient their swordsmanship is compared to his. They block an attack with their shield, then strike back with a single sword swipe. This process is repeated until the Bokoblins are dead. Link on the other hand can parry and dodge attacks, execute BulletTime, and perform a rapid ThreeStrikeCombo.
* TheMatchmaker: One sidequest has Link act as Finley's wingman in landing her the man she's fallen for.
* McNinja: One of his outfits is a Sheikah outfit that makes him look like a ninja, and improves his stealth ability when worn.
* MrFanservice: Link is a rather attractive young man in this game, potentially able to walk around just in his underwear. To quote Nintendo's CEO, Reggie Fils-Aimé: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt1YFCXDHjQ "Link is hot"]]
* MultiMeleeMaster: In a step up from his previous incarnations, Link can skillfully wield swords, axes, spears, clubs, and a number of other weapons.
* MultiRangedMaster: He can also wield bows, boomerangs, and magic rods.
* NatureHero: Invoked, [[spoiler:although not in an obvious way - the iconic green tunic of past Heroes is now the reward for basically mastering and traversing the vast wilderness of Hyrule. Receiving it reveals this particular Link's official "Hero Title" (as compared to the [[VideoGame/TheLegendofZeldaOcarinaOfTime Hero of Time]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Hero of the Wind]], or [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Hero of Twilight]], etc.) and considering what this Link needs to have gone through to get it, the tunic officially titles him: ''The Hero of the Wild.'']]
* NiceGuy: Noble, loyal, dedicated to his duty, and mature beyond his years.
* NiceHat: Defied. He is not seen with his iconic green cap. [[spoiler:It's something Link has to find in the game or unlock via amiibo.]]
* NoSympathy: Gets this from many people bitter over his initial loss to Calamity Ganon, despite him clearly trying his damnedest both then and now.
* NotSoDifferent: Zelda's Diary reveals that Link, like Zelda, felt the pressures of living up to his responsibility of being a knight of Hyrule. It's Zelda realizing this that causes them to bond.
* OneManArmy: One of his memories reveals Zelda bandaging an injury and admonishing him for being reckless. The scene cuts to reveal the pair alone on a plateau, surrounded by dozens of slain monsters he defeated to protect her, including several [[BossInMooksClothing Silver Lynels]]. [[spoiler:In the final memory, he faces down an endless horde of [[DemonicSpiders Guardian Stalkers]] to keep Zelda safe. He does take down many of them, but alas, it's still not enough and he goes down, saved only by Zelda awakening her divine powers.]]
* OnlyMostlyDead: [[spoiler:Succumbed to his wounds defending Zelda from the corrupted Guardian army after she awakened her powers, passing away in her arms... for about five minutes. Then Fi spoke up, and Zelda had Impa and Purah whisk him to the Shrine of Resurrection, where he was quickly put on life support and set to be revived in time. Even so, it apparently took 100 years to regenerate him.]]
* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like a normal teenager, however, [[spoiler:he's actually over 110 years old in the present-time of the game. This is due to the healing stasis he was put under in the Shrine Of Resurrection for 100 years.]] Lampshaded in-game when Link is rejected by the bartender in Gerudo Town, who states Link looks too young to buy any of her drinks. One of the replies Link can choose is [[spoiler:"I'm over 100 years old."]], which the bartender naturally doesn't believe. This is also lampshaded with a Zora NPC who remarks that Link hasn't aged a day, [[spoiler:despite meeting him 100 years ago and now wonders how Link doesn't look like an old geezer]].
* PayEvilUntoEvil: You can make Link attack monsters that are currently minding their own business. Or as one E3 player put it, [[https://youtu.be/eL3sgKGW1Mk?t=4m33s “innocent Bokoblins enjoying their evening.”]]
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Aside from Zelda, children and [[MiniatureSeniorCitizens elderly characters]], Link is the shortest adult Hylian in the game, and Hylians themselves are shorter on average than the other major races of Hyrule (which are ''gigantic'' by human standards). He's still a OneManArmy.
* PraetorianGuard: He is the son of a family whose bloodline served the kingdom as such. As TheChosenOne of the [[CoolSword Master Sword]], he was specifically designated to serve and protect Zelda.
* ProngsOfPoseidon: He can obtain the Ceremonial Trident and Mipha's Lightscale Trident.
* PungeonMaster: He makes a lot of seal puns in Gerudo Town, like when he seals the deal on renting one.
* SamuraiPonytail: Link sports a short ponytail, though he's a knight rather than a samurai. Certain pieces of head armor even change his hairstyle; the Stealth Mask gives him a ninja's topknot, fitting into this trope even more.
* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful: Link is not averse to capitalizing on his looks to get what he wants, whether it be seducing a man out of his shoes, cutting in line for a very sought-after spa treatment, or getting a massive discount on a house.
* SealedGoodInACan: Ultimately revealed to be this after you gather the four Spirit Orbs on the Great Plateau: [[spoiler:the Old Man explains Link has been healing at the Shrine of Resurrection since he fell in the last battle against Calamity Ganon, 100 years ago. Memories you find later in the game elaborate that this is also a case of coming BackFromTheDead.]]
* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler:After you defeat the Yiga Clan member that tried to steal the Sheikah Heirloom, Dorian asks you to keep his Yiga roots on the down-low. Presumably, being the good chap he is, Link agrees to take that knowledge to the grave.]]
* SheIsAllGrownUp: A rare male example. Link became this to Mipha, who as a Zora was already an adult upon meeting four year old Link. Upon seeing Link again after he had grown up she fell in love with him.
* ShieldBash: He can do this with any shield, even the Pot Lid, and can actually cause direct damage with any type of Lynel Shield. Daruk's training journal references a time where Link had used a Pot Lid to deflect a laser from a Guardian, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which is indeed something he can do in-game.]]
* ShieldSurf: Given a decent slope, he can slide down mountains and hills while riding a shield, though this will wear it down very fast. He can cross the Gerudo Desert with a sand seal by letting it drag him while surfing on a shield.
* ShamelessFanserviceGuy: Link does not seem especially concerned with running around in his underwear, even when other characters directly comment on it.
-->'''Kass:''' Boldly standing naked on the pedestal... [[SarcasmMode That’s definitely reminiscent of the hero of legend.]]
* ShipTease:
** With Zelda and Mipha. [[spoiler:Both girls are explicitly confirmed to be in love with him, and the game offers the player the possibility of choosing dialogue options that imply that he reciprocates either of them... or even ''both of them''.]]
** The Japanese version favors [[spoiler:Zelda over Mipha. In that language, the journal entries of the Adventure Log are written by Link himself, and he often reflects his thoughts on them. In many entries, specially those from later in the game, Link talks about Zelda with quite significant romantic undertones]]. This was completely removed from the Western localizations, though.
* SleptThroughTheApocalypse: Subverted; [[spoiler:he slept ''during'' the apocalypse, downed while fighting Calamity Ganon's campaign of destruction and had to be revived at the Shrine of Resurrection]]. He doesn't remember any of this happening, though.
* StatOVision: His Champion's Tunic allows him to see an enemy's health in numbers.
* TheStoic: Like his ''Twilight Princess'' incarnation, he rarely emotes. Zelda's diary reveals that Link put up the front of being stoic and silent as a defense mechanism to deal with the pressures of being a knight of Hyrule.
* SubmissiveBadass: One of the best swordsmen in Hyrule, but completely loyal to Zelda.
* SuperReflexes: He can spam enemies to death after dodging a melee attack at the last minute, shoot arrows in midair, and the world around him is in an adrenaline-fueled BulletTime while he does so.
* SupremeChef: By necessity, he must become good at cooking, as every meal regenerates health (along with other benefits).
* SwordBeam: Link can launch Skyward Strikes from the Master Sword instead of throwing it; the Windcleaver katana also has a unique special attack that fires a Razor Wind at enemies instead of a SpinAttack.
* TakeUpMySword: Over the course of the game, Link is rewarded with the signature weapons of the fallen Champions of Hyrule when he cleanses one of the Divine Beasts. King Dorephan will reward Link with Mipha's Lightscale Trident, the Goron Boss will reward Link with Daruk's Boulder Breaker, Chief Riju will give Link Urbosa's Scimitar of the Seven and Daybreaker shield, and the Rito Village elder Kaneli will give Link Revali's Great Eagle Bow.
* TeensAreShort: Link is implied to be around the same age as Zelda, who is only just seventeen, and he's shorter than most characters in the game (emphasised as many of the races of Hyrule are much taller than regular Hylians anyway, making him seem even shorter).
* ThreeStrikeCombo: Link can perform them when using one-handed swords.
* TookALevelInJerkass: Downplayed. In the past, he was a stoic knight who focused on his duty and behaved chivalrously. After Calamity Ganon's attack and his time in the Shrine of Resurrection, he's stopped caring as much about what people think of him, often edging into JerkWithAHeartOfGold territory.
* TrickArrow: He can use various types of arrows such as the standard fire and ice arrows, bomb arrows, shock arrows, ancient arrows formed from Guardian technology, [[spoiler:and the Arrows of Light in the final battle with Ganon]].
* UsedToBeMoreSocial: Mipha notices this about Link as revealed in her diary in "The Champions' Ballad" DLC. Link used to be a talkative and energetic child and grows up into being very aloof, stoic and rarely smiles. This is probably due to Link's dedication in being a knight for the Royal Family and his duty in protecting Zelda caused him tons of anxiety, thus he kept up a stoic front to look calm and professional.
* VitriolicBestBuds: His relationship with Zelda started off as a one-sided version of this. As he was the appointed knight, his job was to protect Zelda from danger. Zelda, being the fiercely independent girl she is, wasn't too happy with the idea of having a 24/7 bodyguard, and according to Urbosa, she saw Link as a reminder of her own failure to [[spoiler:awaken Hylia's power]]. But after Link saves her from a trio of Yiga ninjas, she gradually began to warm up to him, [[spoiler:even ordering that he be taken to the Shrine of Resurrection in a last-ditch effort to save his life after trying to protect him for a change served as the trigger for her sealing magic]]. Reading Zelda's diary in Hyrule Castle reveals that despite her frustrations and jealousy, every time she came down from shouting at Link to go away, she would think back to how bewildered and confused he seemed and would realize how badly she was treating him for doing his job. Venting her frustrations at Link just made her feel horrible about herself on top of all her self-doubt in a vicious self-sustaining cycle.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Thanks to the addition of clothing options. Link starts out in the Shrine of Resurrection as this, but playing through the entire game as this is not a good idea.
* WeakButSkilled: Unlike most Links, his damage is sustained realistically. Basically, he'll take realistically-high levels of damage that, compared to a lot of his enemies, makes him either a FragileSpeedster or a GlassCannon. That said, quick thinking and strategic approaches to combat can allow him to dominate all.
* WhatBeautifulEyes:
** Paya dedicates a whole diary entry to them.
** Zelda crushes on them too. During the memory cutscene of her RescueRomance, she's staring intently at Link's eyes as he intimidates the assassins to leave her alone.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Although the merchant who sells them insists that they're actually gender-neutral, Link can wear enchanted earrings and circlets in order to boost his defensive powers. [[spoiler:More accurate to the trope, in order to gain access to the Gerudo city, Link has to dress up in women's clothing. It's also implied he's done this before, when Zelda would take advantage of Gerudo city's laws to avoid him, and in select dialogue from the Champion's Ballad DLC Urbosa will comment on how lovely he'd looked in Gerudo dress.]]
* WithThisHerring: Link starts his quest with only a set of threadbare clothes and no weapons.
* YouDontLookLikeYou: His facial features are the same, but Link is not seen in his iconic green tunic in the promotional material, with all the merchandise and advertising showing him in the blue Champion's Tunic instead. [[spoiler:This game's version of the iconic green tunic must be earned.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Zelda]]
!!Princess Zelda
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/botw_zelda_artwork.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away... Or so I've been told all my life..."'']]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see Zelda in her formal dress]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zeldaformal.png[[/labelnote]]]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/YuShimamura (Japanese), Patricia Summersett (English) Jessica Ángeles (Mexican Spanish), Nerea Alfonso (European Spanish), Adeline Chetail (French), Julia Casper (German), Martina Felli (Italian)
The titular princess of the ruined Hyrule. She is the voice that guides Link after his hundred-year slumber and the only one holding Calamity Ganon at bay. As Link begins his quest to save Hyrule, he begins to regain his memories relating to Zelda and her past.
----
* AbortedDeclarationOfLove: Implied when she asks the Great Deku Tree [[spoiler:to tell Link something for her when he comes for the Master Sword when he awakens, but the Deku Tree stops her mid-sentence and convinces her to say it herself]].
* {{Adorkable}}: One of Link's memories has her going absolutely ecstatic when she catches a frog (including an absolutely ''adorable'' shuffle on her knees over to Link to show him, and going "ta-dah!" when she shows it to him) and is giddy at the idea of doing an experiment by having Link eat it. Her line delivery is even more excitable in the Japanese audio.
* AdventurerArchaeologist: Zelda travels the world researching the dilapidated ruins of Old Hyrule. She was the original owner of the Sheikah Slate, and was very annoyed to find that the shrines were only designed to work for the hero bonded to the Master Sword.
* AffectionateNickname: Her mother and Urbosa called her "little bird".
* AllForNothing: She laments how all her efforts to prevent Hyrule from suffering destruction were for nothing.
* BadassAdorable: She's an {{Adorkable}} little archaeology nerd who[[spoiler:, upon awakening to Hylia's power, is strong enough to seal the resident UltimateEvil EldritchAbomination [[SealedEvilInADuel in a duel]] for an entire century]].
* BadassBookworm: A staple for the character due to her being the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, but this Zelda takes it further by being a scholar who explores Hyrule culture while being the mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia.
* BadassInDistress: Zelda has been fighting Ganon nonstop for a century. She awakens Link because her power is waning and she needs backup.
* BarrierMaiden: She's kept Ganon sealed within Hyrule Castle for the past century.
* BeYourself: [[spoiler:It's implied the reason she has such trouble with her powers, compared to other Zeldas who were more or less able to behave as they liked, is because she is prevented from doing this. In one of the memories, she poses a hypothetical to Link, asking him to consider that if one day he realized he wasn't meant to be a fighter, but no matter what, because he was born into a family of the Royal Guard, that's the role he had to fill. It's very clear she's actually talking about herself and her role as Princess. In another memory, her father quashes and suppresses her interests, dismissing them as 'playing at being a scholar', and forces her to do as her ancestors did.]]
* BigGood: She was responsible for gathering the Champions and spearheaded the research of the lost [[{{Magitech}} Sheikah technology]]; including the Divine Beasts and Link's Sheikah Slate. And she has prevented Calamity Ganon from completing his conquest by keeping him confined to Hyrule Castle, while Link recovers.
* BigOlEyebrows: Hers are noticeably thicker than most of her predecessors and they're a few shades darker than her hair color.
* ABirthdayNotABreak: She spends her seventeenth birthday praying at the Spring of Wisdom, but as she comes down from Mount Lanayru, [[spoiler:Calamity Ganon attacks]].
* BittersweetSeventeen: She made one final effort to awaken her sealing powers by praying at the Spring of Wisdom on her seventeenth birthday.
* BlueBlood: She's the crown princess of Hyrule and, appropriately, speaks with a high-class British accent in the English dub.
* BodyguardCrush: Her behavior in some of the cutscenes imply this, and [[spoiler:a sidequest involving the minstrel Kass will reveal that his teacher was a Sheikah poet for the royal court who fell in love with Zelda, but that she "only had eyes for her appointed knight".]]
* BreakTheCutie: She cries to Link and heavily laments how all her efforts (assumed to be preventing the fall of Hyrule and stopping the Calamity Ganon from doing so) [[ShootTheShaggyDog were for nothing]].
* CharacterDevelopment: She starts off haughty and dismissive towards Link, acting much like her counterpart from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda'' animated series. However, she slowly warms up to him as they spend time together.
* CompositeCharacter: The developers have compared her to both her ''Twilight Princess'' and ''Skyward Sword'' incarnations. She's very serious-minded about the fate of Hyrule like the former, but her status as a close fiend of Link's, with possible romantic undertones, matches that of the latter. On top of that, the way her more independent personality initially causes her to clash with Link and watching the two adapt and grow closer to each other as their journey goes on is reminiscent of Tetra and the Hero of Wind's relationship in ''Wind Waker''.
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Previous incarnations of Zelda were already adept at magic and most met Link when his quest is underway. This Zelda is insecure about her inability to unlock her powers and has known Link for quite some time before the game begins. In addition, instead of being [[DistressedDamsel being kept captive by the villains]], she's instead the one [[SealedEvilInADuel keeping Ganon trapped in Hyrule Castle]].
* CoveredInMud: Several scenes show Zelda and her white dress smeared with mud.
* CrisisOfFaith: [[spoiler:In one of the memories of the events from the past, Zelda's inability to channel Hylia's power despite praying to the goddesses daily eventually causes her to lash out and curse her divine ancestor.]]
* CryIntoChest: Zelda [[spoiler:was unable to awaken her powers, fails her kingdom and her friends, and]] breaks down crying in Link's arms.
* DareToBeBadass: When she went to recruit Revali as Divine Beast Vah Medoh's pilot, she told him "We must protect the precious life of this land from the Calamity's grasp at all costs. Hyrule needs you, Revali." He found it surprisingly motivating despite his scepticism of the plan against Ganon and him finding her wording corny due to Zelda's determined look.
* {{Determinator}}: Her resolve is as strong as Link's. [[spoiler:She's spent the past century fighting to keep Ganon contained in Hyrule Castle despite her power weakening over time.]]
* DefrostingIceQueen: She starts off as being dismissive and cold towards Link, but gradually becomes affectionate towards him.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: She's the titular character, one of the three beings with their destinies constantly entangled in Hyrule's history, most of the memories detail her growing relationship with Link, and she's the BarrierMaiden who bought Link the just over a century to save the day.
* DieOrFly: She is unable to summon her divine powers [[spoiler:until threatened by a Guardian, after Link has fallen in battle, and the power is the only thing that can save her]].
* ErmineCapeEffect: This is actually averted, Zelda does have a fancy royal outfit with the RequisiteRoyalRegalia like her CoolCrown, but she only wears it for ceremonial purposes in the story and actually wears two other outfits for travel and for rituals.
* FlatEarthAtheist: Because of scholarly pursuits and focusing on Hyrule's equivalent of UsefulNotes/TheScientificMethod, she is sceptical that blind faith to the goddesses will be enough to unlock her powers. She becomes more doubtful as each attempt at devout prayer is only answered with failure. This frustrates her father, who is a pious ruler, as past princesses and queens have been successful using that method. Its strongly alluded that Zelda's doubt of her own divine inheritance and inadequate self-confidence kept her powers sealed.
* FlowerMotif: Zelda is associated with the in-game flower called the Silent Princess; this rare and beautiful flower is said to be impossible to grow in a controlled environment, much like [[spoiler:Zelda's powers are not able to flourish in her restricted life]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In one of the flashbacks where Link single-handedly killed an army of monsters, Zelda praises Link for his courage, but also warns him not to push himself beyond his limits. [[spoiler:In the final memory, Link is shown on the brink of collapse and his Master Sword is notched and stained from holding off a swarm of Guardians that were attacking him and Zelda. The princess pleads with Link to save himself, but he refuses to stop protecting her.]]
* GenderedOutfit: Her blue outfit is essentially a female version of Link's.
* GeniusSweetTooth: The palace library contains a cookbook mentioning Zelda's favorite food was fruitcake, which she claimed helped her focus better on ancient technology research.
* GoldAndWhiteAreDivine: Like her earliest incarnation, Zelda wears a ceremonial white gown (along with gold accessories) when she prays at the Goddesses fountains to awaken the divine power of Hylia within her.
* GoThroughMe: One of the scenes shows Zelda standing between a badly-injured Link and a Guardian that's about to blast him with a laser. [[spoiler:It is this act that finally allows her to awaken Hylia's power.]]
* GreenEyes: Previous incarnations of Zelda had InnocentBlueEyes, but her's are green and [[VisualPun fittingly enough]] her aggression towards Link is because [[spoiler:she [[GreenEyedMonster envies]] how set he seems with his destiny as he had no issues getting control of the Master Sword]].
* HardWorkHardlyWorks: [[spoiler:The methods King Rhoam used to train her to use her power [[NiceJobBreakingItHero caused her to be a late bloomer when it comes to Hylia's power]]. In fact, until they got to know each other more, this was a major source of her initial envy towards Link (as he was chosen by the Master Sword much sooner than Zelda was able to harness the power of Hylia).]]
* HartmanHips: Accentuated by her traveling outfit (and the game's camera angles).
* HeyYou: In her diary, she calls Link "HIM". After he saves her life, she starts using his name.
* HolyHandGrenade: Zelda is set to inherit a divine power of her ancestors.[[note]]It's implied, but not outright stated, that her holy power is in fact the completed Triforce, given the imagery.[[/note]]
* IAmVeryBritish: Speaks with a noticeable Received Pronunciation accent, befitting her station as a princess.
* InadequateInheritor:
** [[spoiler:As revealed in Link's awakened memories, she was seen as one by her father and her subjects due to her inability to awaken the divine power the Royal Family inherited from Hylia, her own interests and wants dismissed as 'playing at being a scholar'. One memory even shows that ''she'' sees herself as this too.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' What's wrong with me?
** [[spoiler:Once she unlocks her powers she becomes a SuperiorSuccessor, and the strongest Zelda we've seen to date. In a role reversal, instead of being captured and held in Ganon's Tower, she essentially captured Ganon and held him in Hyrule Castle for ''100 years'' until Link came to help destroy him.]]
* AnIceSuit: In some DLC, she's wandering around a winter landscape in a white coat [[PrettyInMink trimmed with white fur]].
* ImpliedLoveInterest: To Link. Zelda’s feelings for him are confirmed multiple times throughout the game, her love for him and her desire to protect him actually becomes the trigger to awakening [[spoiler:her power to seal Ganon]]. While Link’s feelings are more ambiguous in the Western version of the game, in the Japanese version his feelings are more explicit as all the Adventure Logs are written from his perspective. When all thirteen memories have been collected he expresses in the Adventure Log how he wants to save her as quickly as possible and to see her smile again with his own eyes. Multiple characters lampshade and support their relationship such as, The Great Deku Tree, Kass, Urbosa, and Paya. The latter having a crush on Link herself, yet she notes Link and Zelda would make a splendid couple. Despite the clear romantic undertones of their relationship, Link and Zelda’s relationship remains only implicit due to Zelda’s AbortedDeclarationOfLove. Link can, however learn about Zelda’s feelings by completing all of Kass’s quests. In a side quest called “From The Ground Up” Link helps a man named Hudson build Tarry Town and eventually helps with Hudson’s wedding. At the end of the wedding a shower of flower petals fall, according to Bolson the infinite flower petals represent endless love. If Bolson’s statement is to be taken seriously, then it paints the true ending of the game in a different light. In the true ending of the game Zelda tells Link they’re going restore Hyrule to its former glory together, but as they begin to walk off the camera pans out to show a shower of Silent Princess petals. The petals falling in the same way as Hudson’s wedding, possibly representing the endless love they will share.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Zelda is initially aloof and haughty towards Link, resenting him for realizing his ability as the Hero's reincarnation [[spoiler:while she is initially unable to tap into the divine power passed down by Hylia]].
* {{Irony}}: Of the InvertedTrope variety. Most of the time, Ganon imprisons Zelda in Ganon's Tower. This Zelda imprisoned Ganon in Hyrule Castle.
* JerkassRealization: After Link rescues Zelda from Yiga ninjas, she realizes how selfish and antagonistic she's been towards him and apologies for her actions and begins to talk with him.
* TheLeader: She was the appointed commander of the Champions.
* TheLoad: [[spoiler:Was considered this in the past since she couldn't awaken her divine powers, much to her displeasure. She ''tried'' to be TheSmartGuy of the Champions or perform duties that would normally be expected of a princess instead, but her father was having none of it and shoved her back into this by forcing her to pray constantly to no avail.]]
* {{Magitek}}: Her official character art and amiibo show her using a Sheikah Slate. [[spoiler:She was its original bearer, and passed it on to Link when he was sealed.]]
* MsFanservice: There are a number of [[MaleGaze camera angles]] in Link's memories and the [[spoiler:GoldenEnding]] that focus on her posterior, which her snug-fitting breeches help emphasize.
* MissingMom: Zelda's mother, the Queen, died a year before Zelda's training was to begin. [[spoiler:As she was the parent with Hylia's magic, Zelda was left without a teacher to guide her through tapping her latent magic power, leading to her underdeveloped abilities, and her father, despite also being of Hylia's bloodline, isn't any better at it than she is.]]
* ModestRoyalty: She is seen in many outfits, but the most prominent one is her Champion's attire.
* MotorMouth: She, as a scholar, is pretty talkative when it comes to the subjects of her research.
* MuggleBornOfMages: A lot of Zelda's issues come from [[spoiler:not being able to awaken the magical powers that come naturally to the women of her family. Subverted later on, as her power manifests in time to save Link from Guardians.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' A daughter of Hyrule's royal family yet unable to use sealing magic... He must despise me.
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:Between Calamity Ganon's return and Zelda awakening her power, there's a dark moment when she believes that all her hard work for the past ten years, training to access her power and researching Ancient technology, did nothing to save her friends, her kingdom, or her father. She blames herself.]]
--> '''Zelda:''' Everything I've done up until now... it was all for nothing...!
* MythologyGag: In Zelda's room in Hyrule Castle, you can find a powerful Royal Guard's Bow on display on her wall; the bow and arrow, of course, has been Zelda's weapon of choice in many games before.
* NeverGotToSayGoodbye: She mentions in her diary that she had yet to see, let alone make up with, her father from a fight before she and the party set out for Mount Lanayru. That's also the day Calamity Ganon attacks.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Before the Calamity hit, she had just turned 17. However, in the present time of the game, [[spoiler:she's technically 117 years old. She didn't age due to her being locked in a magical battle with Ganon for 100 years, which kept her physical body in stasis.]]
* PimpedOutDress: Zelda's court dress is a beautiful and elaborate blue gown.
* ThePowerOfLove: Kass believes it was Zelda's love for Link that [[spoiler:finally awakened her power, based on what his late teacher, a Sheikah poet, witnessed 100 years ago.]]
* PrettyPrincessPowerhouse: Zelda, by her own admission, lacks any proper skills in combat without her powers. [[spoiler:After awakening her powers, however, she is able to shut down a whole battalion of Guardians before walking into Hyrule Castle to trap Ganon inside it for 100 years. In the FinalBoss fight, she aids Link by generating InstantRunes on Ganon's body for Link to target and then afterward is the one to deliver the finishing blow, consuming and destroying it with the power of the Triforce.]]
* RebelliousPrincess: Because Zelda struggles to awaken her divine power, she prefers to spend her time as a scholar exploring Hyrule. Her father disapproves of her choice, and has Link guard Zelda against her own will.
* ReligionIsMagic: The power passed down the royal family is due to DivineParentage and it is assumed that the power must be awoken through ritualistic prayer.
* RescueRomance: After Link saves her and she learns that he is not as stoic and confident as he appears, not only did she start to warm up to him, she later developed feelings for him, as even the Deku Tree suggests telling him in person instead of through a message.
* TheResenter: [[spoiler:She was initially jealous of Link for his status as TheChosenOne and for how easily he was able to wield the Master Sword, while she repeatedly failed to awaken Hylia's power. In one of the memories, she contemplates breaking into a Shrine, which is only meant to be entered as a Trial by the chosen hero. As Urbosa put it, Link reminded her of her own failures.]]
* RoyaltySuperPower: The divine magic that Zelda strives for is passed down by blood from the Royal Family's godly predecessor.
* SacredBowAndArrows: As per tradition, the final battle begins with Zelda creating the Bow of Light with her powers for Link to wield as an EleventhHourSuperPower. Zelda's Bow of Twilight from ''Twilight Princess'' can also be obtained from the Zelda Smash Bros Amiibo and can fire infinite Light Arrows with the blast radius of Bomb Arrows and the power of Ancient Arrows.
* SealedGoodInACan: [[spoiler:The can being the Calamity Ganon, who itself was sealed in Hyrule Castle as a result.]]
* SensualSpandex: Downplayed example, but her pants are ''very'' tight-fitting, and the camera will remind you of that.
* ShipTease: Finishing Kass's sidequest makes [[spoiler:Zelda's feelings for "her appointed knight" explict, as it greatly frustrated his teacher who, as the court poet, had fallen in love with the princess and was jealous that she only had eyes for a commoner like Link. We also later see her desire to protect or save him was the reason for her powers being awoken.]]
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: After learning that behind Link's stoic attitude lies an {{Adorkable}} young man with his own insecurities that she can confide in, it's likely what led to her developing feelings for him.
* SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer: She didn't appear in footage until the Game Awards trailer, though her face wasn't shown and her identity wasn't revealed until the January Switch presentation. Her voice is in the E3 2016 trailer, though like her identity, it wasn't revealed to be her.
* TheSmartGuy: Of the Champions; her combat abilities are undeveloped due to her being unable to access Hylia's power, but she's the most knowledgable of the Sheikah's technology, and continuously researches ways to help her team.
* SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler:Of all the Champions when the Calamity Ganon first attacked, leaving her alone to fend it off. Subverted in that she immediately had Link sent off to be resurrected while he still could be, making his passing ''very'' brief, though it took a hundred years to revive him fully.]]
* SpockSpeak: Well-spoken at all times.
* SuddenlyVoiced: ''Breath of the Wild'' is the first mainstream ''Zelda'' game[[note]]She's spoken before in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures Tetra's Trackers]]'', but it's been a long time since either one[[/note]] where she (among other characters) is given fully-fledged voice acting, in all languages the game is localized into.
* SwallowedWhole: [[spoiler:By the Calamity Ganon when she went to face it after Hyrule's destruction, whereupon she managed to confine it to the castle, but was consequently trapped inside it for the next century until Link defeated it.]]
* TakingTheBullet: This seemed to be her plan when she [[spoiler:jumped between Link and a Guardian during the final memory. After her powers thankfully kicked in and saved both of them, she is shocked and confused, implying that she either didn't expect them to work or wasn't even consciously trying to use them.]]
* {{Technobabble}}: Zelda slips into this when geeking out.
* {{Telepathy}}: In the grand ''Zelda'' tradition, Zelda herself keeps an eye on Link's adventures and speaks to him via a psychic connection. [[spoiler:It's unclear if this is the source of the memory Link finds of when she left the Master Sword in the Deku Tree's care, or if it's because of his connection to Fi.]]
* TemptingFate: Early on in their relationship, Zelda gets fed up with Link following her constantly and bluntly tells him to get lost because she can take care of herself. Two memory scenes later, cue Zelda running for dear life from Yiga assassins, with Link nowhere in sight.
* TextileWorkIsFeminine: "The Champions' Ballad" reveals that the NonUniformUniform outfits the Champions wear were all sewn by Zelda.
* ThemeMusicPowerUp: When Zelda [[spoiler:finally uses her sealing magic for the first time, the scene is accompanied by her theme]].
* ThroughHisStomach: According to her diary, she gets Link to open up by feeding him lots of food.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: [[spoiler:After being consumed by Calamity Ganon, she was put in exactly the right place to be able to keep it sealed inside Hyrule Castle for a whopping one hundred years.]]
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: The palace chefs claimed Zelda had a passion for fruitcake.
* TragicKeepsake: Zelda's Sheikah Slate acts as one for Link; her photographs on the camera are the key to Link recovering from his amnesia.
* TrainingFromHell: Zelda has trained by praying in freezing-cold sacred water for days at a time.
* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: Zelda's divine powers only kicked in [[spoiler:shortly after Calamity Ganon enacted his plan and took control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, when Link was at death's door and about to be killed right in front of her]].
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: One of the recipes you can find in the VeryDefiniteFinalDungeon details how to make her favorite Fruitcake.
* TrueBlueFemininity: She wore a navy blue regal dress in flashbacks, and her traveling outfit is predominantly blue.
* TheUglyGuysHotDaughter: [[spoiler:Being an {{Expy}} of the [[http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Old_Man Old Man]] from the original ''The Legend of Zelda'']], King Rhoam has little to do with Zelda's cuteness. Though [[BigOlEyebrows her eyebrows]] may come from him.
* UnskilledButStrong: [[spoiler:She had just awakened to Hylia's power when she destroys an entire army of Guardians, and seals Ganon in a duel for a century.]]
* UptownGirl: [[spoiler:Her love for Link drew the ire of Hyrule's court poet since Link was neither nobility nor royalty.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: Her relationship with Link started off as a one-sided version of this. As he was the appointed knight, his job was to protect Zelda from danger. Zelda, being the fiercely independent girl she is, wasn't too happy with the idea of having a 24/7 bodyguard and according to Urbosa, she saw Link as a reminder of her own failure to [[spoiler:awaken Hylia's power]]. But after Link saves her from a trio of Yiga ninjas, she gradually began to warm up to him, [[spoiler:even ordering that he be taken to the Shrine of Resurrection in a last-ditch effort to save his life after her powers activated trying to protect him for a change]].
* WellDoneDaughterGal: Her father was very strict and had high expectations for her, and their relationship was strained by the time of Ganon's attack. [[spoiler:It ended up playing a role in Hyrule's downfall.]]
* WellExcuseMePrincess: She might not be as snarky as her [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda cartoon incarnation]], but she definitely has the attitude.
* WhiteStallion: She had a prized white stallion which Link had taught her how to ride and it was decked out in a fancy bridle and saddle. Taming the descendant of this same horse is the goal of the sidequest which earns Link the bridle and saddle to go along with it. [[spoiler:In the True Ending, Zelda seems to have gotten her hands on this horse.]]
* WhenSheSmiles: [[spoiler:Has an absolutely beautiful smile in the True Ending.]]
* TheWisePrincess: Zelda is wise and scholarly with an insatiable curiosity for knowledge.
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Zelda's father warns her the nobles believe she's treading this path, because she hasn't manifested the sealing powers that Hylian queens and princesses possess. He's fed up with the intrigue and shadow politics, telling Zelda she ''must'' prove them wrong. She eventually does... but not without the entire kingdom falling into ruin beforehand.
* WomanInWhite: She has a long white dress she wears for ceremonial purposes, and it's this dress she's wearing [[spoiler:when she fights and seals Ganon in Hyrule Castle for an entire century, all the way until when she and Link defeat him]]. It certainly adds to the mystical and powerful image.
* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Her beauty's so renowned that people are still talking about it 100 years later.
[[/folder]]
