History TearJerker / TheLegendOfZelda

** Also from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', getting a Game Over while on the train needs special mention. Think about it: The train is blowing up, Link is (probably) laying unconscious, and Spirit-Zelda is is shrieking "AAAAAAAHH! LINK!" at the top of her distraught, grief-filled voice. Even though the game has no real voice acting, Zelda's shriek can still echo on the mind. Things get even worse when you have Teacher with you, who is so frantically worrying over Zelda and searching for her endlessly when you could assure him that he's fretting too much, but won't. And things get even worse than that if you crash while he's on the train. During the resulting explosion, he'll state a final line in which he can actually see Princess Zelda. Who happens to be a ghost. Oh, dear, indeed.

* [[spoiler:Shadow Link's]] death. [[spoiler:He knew that by sacrificing himself for a world that would never appreciate what he'd done, would never care for a "shadow" like him, he was casting away his life for a bunch of ungrateful and unknowing people who would celebrate the four Heroes, and yet he still did it because he wanted to show them he was a hero, too; that [[DarkIsNotEvil not all dark things were bad]].]] The most heart-breaking part of this was when the four Links are gathered around the [[spoiler:dying Shadow]], and they talk about him. Violet even refers to them, the four heroes of light, as [[spoiler:Shadow's]] family, despite him being what he was and what he did.

** When Link's father found his son unconscious in the castle. [[spoiler:It's Shadow Link]].

* The cartoon has an episode where Ganon captures Link when he was aiming for Zelda, leaving the princess distraught. Worse is that only Link's body was captured, leaving his spirit to wander as a ghost until Zelda can reunite them. Zelda can actually be seen ''[[AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther mourning his loss]]'' after the battle is over.

* The cartoon has an episode where Ganon captures Link when he was aiming for Zelda, leaving the princess distraught. Worse is that only Link's body was captured, leaving his spirit to wander as a ghost until Zelda can reunite them.

** And what of Hyrule itself? Even if the hero of a respective era manages to clean up the messes left behind, each of the three timelines involves the fall of the kingdom in some way. In the Decline timeline, the Hero of Time is defeated and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast the sages are forced to seal Ganon away, resulting in the Sacred Realm's century-long corruption]]. In the Adult timeline, [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker the gods themselves saw no choice but to flood the entire kingdom, creating the Great Sea in the process]]. And the Child timeline, though it went the longest without a true fall, [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild still ends up with the Guardians and Sacred Beasts being corrupted by Calamity Ganon, leaving its Hero, its king, its champions, and several innocent lives dead]]. No matter what timeline you're in, Hyrule is bound to suffer its decline.

** And what of Hyrule itself? Even if the hero of a respective era manages to clean up the messes left behind, each of the three timelines involves the fall of the kingdom in some way. In the Decline timeline, the Hero of Time is defeated and [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast the sages are forced to seal him away, resulting in the Sacred Realm's century-long corruption]]. In the Adult timeline, [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker the gods themselves saw no choice but to flood the entire kingdom, creating the Great Sea in the process]]. And the Child timeline, though it went the longest without a true fall, [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild still ends up with the Guardians and Sacred Beasts being corrupted by Calamity Ganon, leaving its Hero, its king, its champions, and several innocent lives dead]]. No matter what timeline you're in, Hyrule is bound to suffer its decline.

* The ''Zelda I''I manga by Ran Maru runs into this quite a few times. It's bad enough that [[spoiler: the first game's Zelda]] is crucified and killed off midway through the story, but later on the body reappears in a brief HopeSpot, only to be dissolved in a lava pit shortly after.

* The Game Over screens in any of the 3D games. Seeing Link fall down while depressing music plays in the background and the words "Game Over" fade into the screen. Spirit Tracks' game over screen was the worst, for this troper, because the overworld theme he adored was suddenly being slowed down and symbolizing your failure, rather than your adventure throughout the land.
** Also from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', getting a Game Over while on the train needs special mention. Think about it: The train is blowing up, Link is (probably) laying unconscious, and Spirit-Zelda is is shrieking "AAAAAAAHH! LINK!" at the top of her distraught, grief-filled voice. Even though the game has no real voice acting, Zelda's shriek still echoes on the mind.
*** Things get even worse when you have Teacher with you, who is so frantically worrying over Zelda and searching for her endlessly when you could assure him that he's fretting too much, but won't. And things get even worse than that if you crash while he's on the train. During the resulting explosion, he'll state a final line in which he can actually see Princess Zelda. Who happens to be a ghost. Oh, dear, indeed.
** Also, speaking of toon-verse Zelda game overs, the one from VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThXvLA4IcfU is basically, like, explicitly telling you to cry.]]
* Ataru Cagiva's Link's Awakening manga has quite a moment. It's bad enough in the game when [[spoiler:[[DreamApocalypse the island disappears and everyone on it vanishes]]]], but the manga does it one better. [[spoiler:[[YouCantFightFate Link KNOWS the island will disappear when he wakes the Wind Fish]], so once he gets all the instruments, he goes back to the village and spends the whole day with hanging out with Marin in a completely silent montage scene. When he's leaving to wake the Wind Fish the next morning, Marin comes out to say goodbye to him. [[CannotSpitItOut Link grabs her shoulders and just looks into her face for a moment with a pained expression on his face, saying nothing.]] It's the last time he'll ever see her.]] Geez Cagiva, [[SarcasmMode was the game too warm and sunny for ya?]]

[[AC:Four Swords Manga]]

[[AC:Skyward Sword Manga]]

[[AC:Ocarina of Time Manga]]

[[AC:Others]]

* The Zelda II manga by Ran Maru runs into this quite a few times. It's bad enough that [[spoiler: the first game's Zelda]] is crucified and killed off midway through the story, but later on the body reappears in a brief HopeSpot, only to be dissolved in a lava pit shortly after.
** On a slightly less tragic note,[[spoiler: a large monster Link befriends]] suffers a similar fate after performing a HeroicSacrifice. When Link looks over the cliff, only its burning ribbon remains. However, they [[DisneyDeath reappear at the very end,]] with the implication that the Triforce was involved.

* The Zelda II manga by Ran Maru runs into this quite a few times. It's bad enough that [[spoiler the first game's Zelda]] is crucified and killed off midway through the story, but later on the body reappears in a brief HopeSpot, only to be dissolved in a lava pit shortly after.
** On a slightly less tragic note,[[a large monster Link befriends]] suffers a similar fate after performing a HeroicSacrifice. When Link looks over the cliff, only its burning ribbon remains. However, they [[DisneyDeath]] reappear at the very end, with the implication that the Triforce was involved.

* [[spoiler:Shadow Link's]] death. [[spoiler:He knew that by sacrificing himself for a world that would never appreciate what he'd done, would never care for a "shadow" like him, he was casting away his life for a bunch of ungrateful and unknowing people who would celebrate the four Heroes and yet he still did it because he wanted to show them he was a hero too, that [[DarkIsNotEvil not all dark things were bad]].]] The most heart-breaking part of this was when the four Links are gathered around the [[spoiler:dying Shadow]], and they talk about him. Violet even refers to them, the four heroes of light, as [[spoiler:Shadow's]] family, despite him being what he was and what he did.

* When Link has to kill Volvagia even though [[spoiler:she was his childhood pet that he bought before drawing the Master Sword]]. This, along with the cuteness of [[spoiler:Volvagia in Link's childhood]], finishing with Volvagia's dying words being [[spoiler:"Link"]], it's enough to make a grown man cry

** Also from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', getting a Game Over while on the train needs special mention. Think about it: The train is blowing up, Link is (probably) laying unconscious, and Spirit-Zelda is is shrieking "AAAAAAAHH! LINK!" at the top of her distraught, grief-filled voice. Even though the game has no real voice acting, Zelda's shriek still echoes on my mind.

** Also from ''SpiritTracks'', getting a Game Over while on the train needs special mention. Think about it: The train is blowing up, Link is (probably) laying unconscious, and Spirit-Zelda is is shrieking "AAAAAAAHH! LINK!" at the top of her distraught, grief-filled voice. Even though the game has no real voice acting, Zelda's shriek still echoes on my mind.

* [[spoiler: Shadow's]] death. [[spoiler:He knew that by sacrificing himself for a world that would never appreciate what he'd done, would never care for a "shadow" like him, he was casting away his life for a bunch of ungrateful and unknowing people who would celebrate the four Heroes and yet he still did it because he wanted to show them he was a hero too, that [[DarkIsNotEvil not all dark things were bad]].]] The most heart breaking part of this was when the four Links are gathered around the [[spoiler:dying Shadow]], and they talk about him. Violet even refers to them, the four heroes of light, as [[spoiler:Shadow's]] family, despite him being what he was and what he did.
** When Link's father found his son unconscious in the castle. [[spoiler: It's Shadow Link]].

* The death of [[spoiler: the first Link.]] Although Skyloft was successfully lifted away to the sky, [[spoiler: Link, who suffered betrayal and imprisonment for years, is mortally wounded and choose not to join his comrades. As Link lays dying on the surface, he admits that he wanted to go up to the sky and fly with the Loftwings, but his wounds made it impossible for him to do so.]] The scene becomes even more heartbreaking when Goddess Hylia discovers [[spoiler: the recently-deceased Link lying nearby and mourns for her hero's passing, revealing that Link's imprisonment was intentional as a means to turn him into [[TheChampion her chosen hero]]. [[TheAtoner Regretting her actions]], she swears to Link that his spirit shall be reborn while [[TheLegendofZeldaSkywardSword she shall shed her divinity so that they shall meet each other again as simple humans.]]]]

* When Link has to kill Volvagia even though [[spoiler:she was his childhood pet that he bought before drawing the master sword]] along with the cuteness of [[spoiler:volvagia in Link's childhood]], finishing with volvagias dying words being [[spoiler:"Link"]], It's enough to make a grown man cry

* Ataru Cagiva's Link's Awakening manga has quite a moment. It's bad enough in the game when [[spoiler: [[DreamApocalypse the island disappears and everyone on it vanishes]]]], but the manga does it one better. [[spoiler: [[YouCantFightFate Link KNOWS the island will disappear when he wakes the Wind Fish]], so once he gets all the instruments, he goes back to the village and spends the whole day with hanging out with Marin in a completely silent montage scene. When he's leaving to wake the Wind Fish the next morning, Marin comes out to say goodbye to him. [[CannotSpitItOut Link grabs her shoulders and just looks into her face for a moment with a pained expression on his face, saying nothing.]] It's the last time he'll ever see her.]] Geez Cagiva, [[SarcasmMode was the game too warm and sunny for ya?]]

* In the OoT Manga when Link has to kill Volvagia even though [[spoiler:[[she was his childhood pet that he bought before drawing the master sword]]]] along with the cuteness of [[spoiler:[[volvagia in Link's childhood]]]], finishing with volvagias dying words being [[spoiler:[["Link"]]]], It's enough to make a grown man cry

*** And I had just been in two car accidents prior to playing the game, so I could practically ''feel the impact.'' I seriously put the game down and went to lay down for a while the first time I crashed...And I, too, could hear her scream quite clearly in my mind.

**** That could easily count as both a tear jerker ''and'' FridgeHorror[=/=]NightmareFuel.
** Also, speaking of [[ForTheCelOfIt toon-verse Zelda]] [[GameOver game overs]], the one from VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThXvLA4IcfU is basically, like, explicitly telling you to cry.]] [[InelegantBlubbering WAAAAAAAH!!!]]

[[AC:Ocarina of Time Manga]]
* The manga puts Volvagia in a different light. Instead of being an evil dragon revived by Ganondorf, it was a [[spoiler:long lost pet of Link who was possessed by Ganondorf. Despite Link's unwillingness to fight Volvagia and his attempts to [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight talk it back to normal]], he is forced to kill it to keep it from destroying Goron City. Only when Link has sliced off its head does Volvagia finally remember him, letting out one last "Li...nk..." before disintegrating away]].
** [[spoiler:This later comes back to haunt Link when the Desert of Illusions makes the disembodied head of Volvagia appear saying "It hurts, Link"]].

** When Link's father found his son unconsious in the castle. [[spoiler: It's Shadow Link]].

* [[spoiler: Shadow's]] death. [[spoiler: He knew that by sacrificing himself for a world that would never appreciate what he'd done, would never care for a "shadow" like him, he was casting away his life for a bunch of ungrateful and unknowing people who would celebrate the four Heroes and yet he still did it because he wanted to show them he was a hero too, that not all dark things were bad.]] The most heart breaking part of this was when the four Links are gathered around the [[spoiler: dying Shadow]], and they talk about him. Violet even refers to them, the four heroes of light, as [[spoiler: Shadow's]] family, despite him being what he was and what he did.

* The death of [[spoiler: the first Link.]] Although Skyloft was successfully lifted away to the sky, [[spoiler: Link, who suffered betrayal and imprisonment for years, is mortally wounded and choose not to join his comrades. As Link lays dying on the surface, he admits that he wanted to go up to the sky and ride with the Loftwing, but his wounds made it impossible for him to do so.]] The scene becomes even more heartbreaking when Goddess Hylia discovers [[spoiler: the recently-deceased Link lying nearby and mourns for her hero's passing, revealing that Link's imprisonment was intentional as a means to turn him into [[TheChampion her chosen hero]]. [[TheAtoner Regretting her actions]], she swears to Link that his spirit shall be reborn while [[TheLegendofZeldaSkywardSword she shall shed her divinity so that they shall meet each other again as simple humans.]]]]