Nintendo All-Stars: Link (Zelda 1)
Link Profile (Series 1)
He didn't know it at the time, being but a young boy, but Link was one of a long line of legendary heroes that had saved Hyrule in times of crisis.
He wasn't yet a teenager when he first set off for adventure, armed with only a shield. It was as he crossed the land of Hyrule that he saw an opportunity to save an old lady from some monsters. Doing so, he landed himself in a bigger adventure. The lady was called Impa, nursemaid to Zelda, princess of Hyrule. Zelda had been imprisoned by the terrifying beast known as Ganon, and Impa was looking for someone to help.
Link took the challenge, and was informed that he couldn't face Ganon without holding eight pieces of the legendary Triforce that Zelda had hidden in secret, booby-trapped dungeons all over her kingdom. Link was not afraid, and he set off. A kindly old man gave him a sword to help face the monsters that were overrunning the land, looking for the Triforce pieces.
He crossed a bridge to a small island where he found his first dungeon. Inside he had to battle Aquamentus, the fire-breathing unicorn-dragon. Then it was into the forest where the terrible Dodongo rested. The beast could only be beaten by force-feeding it bombs, but the deed was done, and two pieces of the Triforce were reclaimed. In the third dungeon he had to take on a man-eating plant named Manhandla, and he crossed a river to the fourth where he had to do battle with a three-headed dragon called Gleeok.
Half of the Triforce was formed, and Link had found and upgraded some of his weapons. His shield could repel fireballs, his sword was more powerful, and his clothes were more resistant to attack. He set off up the mountains, and where before he had been lost, now he came across the fifth dungeon. Inside was the peculiar urchin, Digdogger. With a toot on his whistle, Link was able to shrink Digdogger to a tiny size and defeat him easily. Link came to the sixth dungeon after passing through a massive graveyard haunted with terrible ghosts. Armed with a bow and arrow, Link had to take on the armoured spider, Gohma. Its eye, when opened, was its only weak point.
The seventh dungeon was hidden beneath a pond, and even though the traps were getting deadlier, he found another Aquamentus at the end, but was tooled up enough to take it down easily. The eighth dungeon, under a fake tree in the forest, was home to a four-headed Gleeok, even more deadly than before. Once it was finally slain, Link reformed the entire Triforce of Wisdom. He could now take on Ganon in his Death Mountain lair.
Hidden inside Spectacle Rock, the final dungeon was a massive maze of secret pathways. By using the Triforce he was able to enter the dungeon without becoming stuck at a dead end. He found the legendary Silver Arrows that were used to defeat evil, as well as a Red Ring that would give him even stronger resistance to attacks than before. Entering Ganon's lair he was faced with a giant pig-shaped beast. Link attacked with arrows, but Ganon turned invisible and ran around the room shooting fireballs. Link hacked aimlessly, occasionally hitting the invisible beast. Eventually Ganon was weakened and became visible again. Link aimed a Silver Arrow and it hit. Ganon was defeated, leaving behind the Triforce of Power that he had held for many years. Link rescued Princess Zelda, and they joined together their two pieces of the Triforce. Peace could reign in Hyrule once again.
Still itching for adventure some months later, Link heard of a corner of Hyrule where dragons ruled like tyrants. They had slain many innocent people, and were living in giant castles filled with treasure. Link set off to overthrow the four dragons and liberate the people. He travelled through each of their castles, avoiding attacks from Stalfos. The battles with the dragons were each swifter than the last, as Link had plenty of experience dragon-slaying by now. The people of Hyrule were extremely grateful, even if it was to no more than a young boy.
As he grew older, Link took to living in Hyrule Castle with princess Zelda. On his sixteenth birthday a Triforce mark appeared on his hand, and Impa said that it was the mark of a true Hyrulean Hero. Now he had this mark, Impa showed him the meaning behind the Legend of Zelda. An earlier member of the royal family, also called Zelda, was kept in permanent sleep by an evil curse. Many years before a greedy prince and an evil wizard had been searching for the Triforce and had struck her down with a spell. The prince, coming to his senses, declared that every first female child in the royal family would be called Zelda.
Only the complete Triforce could be used to awaken her, and Link had already reclaimed two parts of it. If he could unlock the binding force on the Great Palace, and defeat the monster within, then the Triforce of Courage would be his. He would need to place orbs in certain statues inside six palaces to break the binding force, but an older and wiser Link was ready for the challenge.
The people in the local towns were willing to help, and a wise man supplied him with a magic shield. After passing through a dark cave Link came to the first palace, and inside were many vicious monsters. The biggest of these was Horsehead, a club wielding beast. After taking it down, Link set the first orb in place, and set off to find the second palace. He had to travel across Death Mountain to reach it, acquiring a mighty Hammer as he did so. The second palace was home to Helmethead. After hitting its weak point its head would detach and fly around the room shooting fireballs, and a second head grew in its place. Link battled and dodged the fireballs, finally bringing the monster down and placing the second orb.
Link went back to a town, and helped a sick boy recover from his illness. In gratitude a wise man gave Link the magical power to turn into a fairy. Onto the third dungeon, and Link had to face a horse-riding Ironknuckle. Link knocked the armoured soldier from its vicious steed, and proceeded to take it down. The third orb was placed. After crossing the sea, Link came upon the fourth palace and did battle with a master Wizzrobe named Carock. Another orb was in place. Just two more to go.
Crossing the water with a pair of magical boots, Link came upon the fifth palace. Gooma, a horrid monster carrying a ball-and-chain, was difficult to take down, but once it was done Link placed the penultimate orb. Link was able to reach the sixth palace by playing a magical flute he had found, and inside was a fiery dragon known as Barba. The creature was no match for Link's magic and strength, and was quickly defeated. The sixth orb was placed, and the Great Palace was finally unlocked.
Link entered the Great Palace at the other end of a long cave, and battled through the creatures that had been imprisoned within for generations. He finally found the terrible beast that guarded the Triforce, the Thunder Bird. By casting a thunder spell of his own Link was able to reveal the creature's face, allowing him to attack. As the Thunder Bird became more and more vicious Link leapt up and struck it between the eyes, killing it. Relieved, Link passed into the room where the Triforce was to be found. However, an old man was sitting there, and he declared one final challenge to prove Link's worthiness to hold the Triforce - he had to destroy the darkness within himself. A manifestation of that darkness, a shadowy Link, was as good at fighting as Link himself. Link had to realise his own weaknesses, and his own strengths, before he could finally deliver the final blow to the creature. The battle was over, and the Triforce of Courage was his to hold.
The original Princess Zelda was promptly awoken by the power of the combined Triforce, and Link was there to see it. His deeds were great, and his bravery unmatched. From that day on he stayed in Hyrule Castle, defending the royal family until his final days. The adventures that were still to be had were left to another generation. Link passed into legend, like all of the legendary Heroes before him.
Posted by Fryguy64 on 4 October 2004. Link art © 2004 Fryguy64.
Games
- The Legend of Zelda (NES)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)
- Zelda (Game & Watch)
Link Profile (Series 2)
Link is not the name of a single character, but a series of heroes throughout the Legend of Zelda series. Each Link will be treated separately by the Nintendo All-Stars features. This bio is specifically for the first Link to appear in the games, in The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II and the Game & Watch Zelda.
Biography
Link was a humble yet courageous young adventurer, clad in green. His homeland, the kingdom of Hyrule, had fallen on hard times following the rise of the demon king Ganon and his army of monsters.
The Legend of Zelda
Link was wandering through Hyrule when he happened across an old woman cowering from a group of monsters. He leapt in to chase the monsters away, and the grateful woman introduced herself as Impa, nursemaid to princess Zelda of Hyrule. She told Link of the Triforce, golden triangles that bestow great power on those who hold them. While Ganon held the Triforce of Power, Hyrule's royal family had protected the Triforce of Wisdom for generations. Ganon had invaded the land, captured Zelda and was now searching the land for the Triforce, which had been broken and hidden in eight of Hyrule's ancient and perilous dungeon labyrinths. Impa had escaped Ganon and was searching for a brave warrior to help restore the Triforce and defeat Ganon once and for all.
Link was determined to help. Arming himself with a sword, he set off in search of the Triforce shards. Each of the dungeons was infested with deadly creatures, traps and riddles. Before Link could claim the pieces of the Triforce, he had to slay gigantic dragons and monsters. To face each new adversity, Link armed himself with whatever he could find in the dungeons, or afford to buy from Hyrule's many traders.
With the eight pieces of the Triforce assembled, Link held in his hand the power to defeat Ganon. He uncovered the concealed entrance to Spectacle Rock on Death Mountain, and fought his way through the devious traps, finally reaching the hall of Ganon himself. Ganon used powerful dark magic, amplified by the Triforce of Power, but the courage of Link and the Triforce of Wisdom overpowered the demon. As Ganon died, the Triforce of Power remained behind.
Link freed Zelda from her prison, and together they united the Triforce of Wisdom with the Triforce of Power. With Ganon dead, Hyrule could finally rebuild in peace.
Zelda (Game & Watch)
Before the people of Hyrule had returned to full strength, a race of dragons took advantage of the power vacuum created by Ganon's defeat. Unwilling to share the kingdom with the Hylians, the eight winged beasts tore across Hyrule, attacking villages and causing as much damage as they could.
On one of their attacks, the dragons managed to capture Princess Zelda and the Triforce of Wisdom before returning to their dark tower to investigate their spoils. Link could no longer stand by, and ran off to the tower.
Zelda had been sealed away using the Triforce, and it has been broken apart, with each dragon holding a piece. Link fought his way through the beasts in the dragons' lair, facing off against the dragons one by one. As each dragon was defeated, Link would gather the Triforce pieces from them and press on. When the final dragon fell, Link broke the spell that held Zelda in her prison, and they returned to Hyrule.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
With Ganon defeated, the people of Hyrule returned to their homes and Link aided the royal family in the rebuilding process. Ganon's monsters roamed the land, leaderless, driven by a legend that the blood of Link could be used to revive Ganon from his ashes.
One day, a mysterious mark appeared on the back of Link's hand. He showed this to Impa, who immediately recognised it as the mark of the legendary hero. The mark showed three pieces of the Triforce joined in harmony. Impa took Link by the hand and showed him one of Hyrule's dark secrets. In a temple in North Hyrule, the very first princess Zelda lay in eternal slumber; a spell cast by an evil wizard who desired the Triforce. All princesses of the land have been named Zelda in her memory.
To awaken Zelda, Link would have to reclaim the third and final piece of the Triforce – the Triforce of Courage – hidden in the Great Palace. By placing six crystals in six temples around Hyrule, the magical barrier that protected the Triforce would open. Once again taking up his sword and shield, Link set off into the vast North Hyrule to complete the Triforce.
The fields of Hyrule were roaming with monsters baying for Link's blood, and when visiting Hylian towns, Link could never be sure of who he could trust. Each town's wise man would welcome Link into their home and teach him useful spells, but he would also meet suspicion and even monsters spying amongst the people of the village.
The temple labyrinths were overrun with monsters and giant creatures, blocking the way to the crystal statues. Slaying each one in turn and placing the crystals in the statues, Link weakened the barrier protecting the Triforce.
When the way to the Great Palace opened, a terrifying demon known as the Thunderbird appeared. Link fought the creature and brought it down using all of his skill. But Link's quest was not over – a mysterious old man appeared with the final challenge: Link would have to fight the shadow in his heart before he was worthy enough to hold the Triforce of Courage. And with that, a dark shadow emerged with all of Link's abilities. Fighting the dark side of himself, Link called upon all of his strength and overpowered his shadowy self.
With the Triforce of Courage united with the Triforce of Power and Triforce of Wisdom, the original princess Zelda was awakened from her slumber, and the power to bring peace to Hyrule was once again in the hands of the royal family. Link's quest was finally over.
Posted by Fryguy64 on 18 November 2007. Link art © 2007 Fryguy64.
Games
- The Legend of Zelda (NES)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)
- Zelda (Game & Watch)
