Dark Link

[GAMEFREAK]

this thread is dedicated to debate the purpose of Dark Link, like why is he a mini-boss in OoT or why is he used to symbolized to be the interlopers in TP? or is he an interloper from TP?
enjoy.

and i'm out for the night.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Lol. I like that. Give us an interesting discussion then run

If I remember rightly, Dark Link has made four appearances in the franchise.

His first was in AoL, as the penultimate boss. His purpose? To be a real pain in the behind. He is only weak to your attacks when he goes to charge at you. Which isn't often enough for some of us...

In OoT, he's a mini-boss in the Water Temple, again he's a real challenge. Why was he in the Water Temple of all places? I haven't got a clue. But Miyamoto-san and Co may have been in the same boat. They wanted to include a Dark Link battle, but didn't know where he could go...

Four Swords Adventure is next. Possibly Dark Link (or Shadow Link, as he's known) in his greatest role. He is a mini-boss on several levels and if I recall was used by Vaati to trick link into removing the Four Sword and freeing him from his prison.

Twilight Princess... Now here is where it's more tricky than you can imagine. My interpretation if it is that Lanayru was simply using images that Link could relate to to represent the tale of Hyrule's past and the Fused Shadows. Remember Ilia was there too? They may not necessarily be Dark Link. If they are, does that mean Dark Link- or Link himself- is a descendant of the Twili?

I swear more of my sentences ended in question marks than is healthy or helpful... But there's a bit of background for people to be going on with...

[Ikkutebayo]

He simbolizes the dark side of Link. I don't think he has ever been a full character (even in AOL), but rather Link's anxiety materialized into a monster. Or a doppleganger.

In OOT, that room in the water temple was some kind of illusionary, and as Sheik said, the waters can "reflect" your image. Since the temple was cursed... Cursed reflections!

In TP, Link simbolized the average Hylian in the Interlopers sequence, and the Dark Links were merely dark Hylians, the Interlopers themselves.

[Uncle Danny]

Twilight Princess... Now here is where it's more tricky than you can imagine. My interpretation if it is that Lanayru was simply using images that Link could relate to to represent the tale of Hyrule's past and the Fused Shadows. Remember Ilia was there too? They may not necessarily be Dark Link. If they are, does that mean Dark Link- or Link himself- is a descendant of the Twili?

I have to disagree. In that scene, Lanayru was just using Link to represent the corrupted magic-wielding Hylians that tried to take the golden power, but were banished to the twilight and turned into the Twili

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Theory: Dark Link... Link = Yin... Yang?

Could Dark Link have been a side effect of Link being such a hero? Such courage and good in one body seems impossible. There had to be a downside to it. Dark Link was the result of that...

Edit @ Uncle Danny: I did start with "My interpretation if it is that Lanayru was simply using images that Link could relate to to represent the tale of Hyrule's past and the Fused Shadows."... I guess I went on a bit of a tangent in that bit.

[GAMEFREAK]

i'm back.

He simbolizes the dark side of Link. I don't think he has ever been a full character (even in AOL), but rather Link's anxiety materialized into a monster. Or a doppleganger.

Whoa man! Are you saying Link is a schizophrenic SOB? That would be something

In TP, Link simbolized the average Hylian in the Interlopers sequence, and the Dark Links were merely dark Hylians, the Interlopers themselves.

No. NOOOOOOO!
Whatever. maybe the past of previous dark links.

[Gloves1931]

I really don't think that the dark link depicted in TP is necessarily the same as the OOT and the other ones. I really think it is just symbolic of the dark side of mankind (link)

[Hyruleansoldier]

I really don't think that the dark link depicted in TP is necessarily the same as the OOT and the other ones. I really think it is just symbolic of the dark side of mankind (link)

I don't think that either. TP's cutscene was a symbolic way of showing what could go wrong if Link let the Fused Shadows take him over and become evil.

I spotted a mistake in the exposé on FSA:

Four Swords Adventure is next. Possibly Dark Link (or Shadow Link, as he's known) in his greatest role. He is a mini-boss on several levels and if I recall was used by Vaati to trick link into removing the Four Sword and freeing him from his prison.

IT was not Vaati, but Ganondorf who stole the Dark Mirror and generated and almost infinite number of Shadow Links. The first Shadow Link was used to trick Link into freeing the Four Sword and... Vaati.
I need to play FSA more to know more about that Dark Mirror, but I believed that was for another topic anyway.

I think, if you look at the battle of the greatest importance with Dark Link at the end of TAoL, you could really see Dark Link as just the completely opposite of Link. Bad VS Good. And after all it is kind of a cliché that you need to "conquer yourself - your worst enemy" to become "whole", and only then could Link govern the Triforce of Courage. There's a lot of symbolism in that.

I believe Dark Link in the Water Temple is more of an easter egg, a recycling of TAoL's Dark Link battle. Navi, when you pressed the C-button to check on Dark Link, said "Conquer yourself". A reference to TAoL and the symbolic nature of the battle...

Also, in both games they kinda mimic your moves, especially in OOT. It's the Shadow version of Link, who is the Light version. Pokémon xD for originality, anyone?

[Nikola]

They were just showing them as Link because it was mostly a metaphor.
But I think that it is possible they also refer to the mirror in FSA... but I'm not sure yet...

[Eater]

The mirror in FSA is a bit different.  Supposedly, it's meant to make a dark reflection of yourself, not to be a portal to any world.

[ZeldaMaster]

thats what i heard.

[wanderer of Hyrule]

my idea is that dark link is not an actual being but something above the lines of pure dark energy...

[Glyphic Facade]

I'll never ever forget that nerve inducing battle in the Water Temple. Even to this day, I really think that Nintendo screwed up the A.I. in that battle. For some reason, the only way to beat him is to take out your Megaton Hammer ( But don't target him ) and turn around, wait till' he comes at you then turn and smash him. I have to say that you have a 50 % chance of this working. And trust me, if he starts blocking your Hammer hits, you might as well throw the controller on the ground and beg for mercy, because you are not surviving that battle.

[Be_yourself]

I'd love to see a well made dark link, as cool as it was to fight him in the water temple, whenever i fight him i panic, because i have no clue of how to actually beat him i always manage too somehow, the hardest time was when i went to the water temple before the fire temple and i didn't ahve the megaton...

I love the idea of him though, i also loved the way there wasn't such a big fuss about him, he appeared and he died and you went...whoa, what the hell was that, it was good, just a wierd little sidenote...

[hello_echoes]

I don't Dark Link has a definite personality either. I really like the idea that he's the embodiment of Link's fustrations, anger, and pain. I mean, no one could go through all that Link does and smile everyday.

But what i'd like to know is, is it a different Dark Link corresponding to each new incarnation, or is it just one dark being generated by the first Link, and then lives on through the ages to combat his descendents?

[Fairy penguin]

A bunch. They all got killed off each time. However, I'm assuming AoL and OoT DLs think the same because Links personality doesn't change for the older Links, and if DL is the opposite of Link, he should think the same.

FSA DL was the opposite of that Link in that he was like a child in the way he acted. A really messed up sadistic kid, but a kid nonetheless.

I don't Dark Link has a definite personality either. I really like the idea that he's the embodiment of Link's fustrations, anger, and pain. I mean, no one could go through all that Link does and smile everyday.

It could be seen as taking all the darkness out of Links heart and giving it form, while at the same time leaving only the light inside Links heart.

[wanderer of Hyrule]

maybe the triforce purifies or darkens the heart depending on the person who owns it

[Power_Courage]

It could be seen as taking all the darkness out of Links heart and giving it form, while at the same time leaving only the light inside Links heart.

If you think about it, Link is a hero who is pure.  The darkness could have been forced out of him as a result.

maybe the triforce purifies or darkens the heart depending on the person who owns it

I think it sort of does.  I mean, in OoT and WW the big problem was letting Ganondorf get a hold of the Triforce and destroying the world.  He was corrupted by the mere knowledge of what he could do with the Triforce's power.  And in WW he was jealous of what the Hylians had, so he wanted to take it away from them.  Ugh...who knew that LoZ was such a theory-driven subject?

[Hyruleansoldier]

I'll never ever forget that nerve inducing battle in the Water Temple. Even to this day, I really think that Nintendo screwed up the A.I. in that battle. For some reason, the only way to beat him is to take out your Megaton Hammer ( But don't target him ) and turn around, wait till' he comes at you then turn and smash him. I have to say that you have a 50 % chance of this working. And trust me, if he starts blocking your Hammer hits, you might as well throw the controller on the ground and beg for mercy, because you are not surviving that battle.

You can do thrust attacks with the biggoron sword too.  It's faster ^^

This will get interesting in the 3DS MQ version though, with the double damage.  But usually I get him more than he manages to hit me.


Also, I don't think the TP interlopers have anything to do with this, it was part of a vision quest and Link's image was used so TP Link would understand the dangers of the Fused Shadows, that he could become evil through its powers too.

[hisak]

Whoa, I'm going to have to put a limit on this. If you want to discuss this topic, make a new thread about it.