The Hylia - Heroism

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Over the years, our simple green-clad hero has fought terrible beasts, saved countless innocent lives, and vanquished armies of nightmarish evil. But doesn’t all that come with the territory of being classified a hero, according to the very definition of the word? What makes Link such an ideal acolyte of justice, a true hero? In this article, we’ll explore the often unconventional but somehow unsurpassable heroism of the Hylian swordsman.

Although thousands of theories and fanfics would have you believe otherwise, Link has always been a sort of empty shell throughout the series. His eternal silence plays a large role in this, providing players no real character behind the sword and shield. His personality is non-existent save for in the mind of the player, each of which interprets him differently. Link’s task is and always will be simply to battle evil, and such a purpose requires no speech, no insight into his true character, not even any real interaction with the other creatures of Hyrule. Link exists to protect the realm, not to think or communicate. Such an obvious lack of personal development causes Link to transcend the boundaries of more realistic characters, to become an intangible, almost divine symbol of heroism itself.
Would you have the courage?
Looking past Hyrule’s drone-like races, bartering shopkeepers, and essentially useless secondary characters, Link is basically alone in his never-ending fight against evil. Even the Golden Goddesses rarely intervene to aid the Hero of Time, and the little help they offer throughout the centuries is always enigmatic and indirect. No ally, no Sage, no Goddess, no Giant, no Sworn Brother ever directly takes on Ganon, instead doing a small bit for Link so that he can eventually prevail.

Take Princess Zelda, Hyrule’s precious treasure with the unfortunate habit of repeatedly getting captured by Ganon. Although the entire epic series is named for the blue-eyed maiden, Zelda, in actuality, does very little to aid Hyrule’s hero. In Ocarina of Time, Zelda instructs Link to collect the Spiritual Stones (braving impossible dangers, solving mind-boggling puzzles, and challenging terrifying monsters), while she keeps safe the sacred ocarina – a simple feat that she couldn’t even accomplish, eventually entrusting it too to Link.

The entire fate of Hyrule rests on Link’s steady shoulders, and his alone. In the time he was locked away in the Sacred Realm – seven short years – the magnificent citadel was destroyed, the land infested with Ganondorf’s minions, and, according to popular theory, Hyrule’s mighty king slaughtered by the desert warlock. Without Link, regardless of how many Sages and warriors and princesses try to protect it, Hyrule would crumble and fall. This responsibility, along with the complete lack of any helpful party or allies, hurls Link past the level of “ordinary” heroes.

Obviously, Link’s destiny to become the Hero of Time and savior of Hyrule plays a part in his ageless heroism. Chosen by the Triforce of Courage, chosen by the ancient Sages, chosen by the legendary Master Sword – from birth, Link’s fate was to become an idealistic giant in the history of Hyrule, to vanquish evil’s servants again and again. The silent boy was a hero before he even picked up a sword, the answer to all Hylian legends and prophecies. His name echoes about the land thousands of years after the original Link departed from the mortal realm – it is a name with power, with destiny, with an incredible weight that can only be carried by one worthy of the title hero. Link’s name, his fate, marks him a hero as much as any victory on the battlefield.

- Rift Willow is an long time Zelda fan and fan of the original Zelda Headquarters. Discuss this article in the forums.