Summary
There have been multipleLegend of Zeldatitles now that have set up the legendary hero, Link, as a knight or soldier enlisted in the Hyrule forces. Most recently inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom,where it served as a major plot point. Link’s history as a knight of Hyrule’s royal family set up his relationship with Princess Zelda, as well as his unshakable drive to protect the kingdom as a whole. It’s a compelling backstory and one that has served those games very well. However, there is an opportunity for futureLegend of Zeldagames to expand upon the approach ofBotWandTotKin an even more engaging way.
In bothBotWandTotK, Link’s time as a knight is told primarily through flashbacks and references to old events. Players never really get to experience Link in his time as a knight when it is happening in the present. This was briefly done in the firstHyrule Warriors, where the story started with Link as a soldier-in-training before the Triforce of Courage awakens inside him.Skyward Swordalso took a similar approach, with an opening act that sees Link still completing the soldier’s academy before setting out on his adventure.FutureZeldagamescan either dive into this backstory deeper or choose to go a completely different path.
How Link’s Backstory Should Change In The Next Zelda Game
The Next Zelda Could Dive Deeper Into Link’s Past
Soldier Link has been explored in the past, but there is still a lot of room for potentially interesting gameplay segments in a futureZeldagame. Perhaps allowing players to explore the day-to-day life of a Hyrule Knight for more time, allowing a deeper setup for events later in the story. There could be moments building up relationships with other characters, similar tothe team inTears of the Kingdom. Having some kind of hub area or home base to free roam and take quests from could be a great opportunity to elaborate on Link’s life leading up to a big adventure.
Focusing more on the knight role for Link could also be an interesting way to freshen up his backstory. Perhaps in a future game, Link wouldn’t be the only playable protagonist, but there could be a team of knights. Maybe some sort ofmodern take onFour Swordscould make for an interestingZeldagame. This could tie into an extended opening act where players can learn more about the inner workings of Hyrule and knighthood in an era where the kingdom is fully functional.
The Next Zelda Could Have A Very Different Backstory For Link
An alternative to continuing the soldier/ knight story for Link would be to offer something completely different. There have been many different backstories foreach version of LinkthroughoutZelda’s history, and the nextZeldacould innovate further. Some of Link’s past backstories were:
In eachZeldagame of the past, Link is summoned to be a hero, regardless of the life he has lived up to that point. Each Link is different in their way, with unique strengths and weaknesses. The character could exist in any era with any profession and still be summoned to save Hyrule when the time comes. It could be cool to seea completely different take on Linkin a future game. Perhaps, there could be an older version of the character who doesn’t receive the call of the Triforce until later in life. Though it may be a stretch to have a Link with a partner and some kids, seeing a more mature version of the character living on their own before being forced into the hero’s life could make for an interesting protagonist.
