10 Recurring Story Threads in Zelda Games

Rise of the Underdog

It has become somewhat of a running gag in the series to have Link begin many of his adventures asleep. And in many of these cases, he’s a late riser, with everyone else in his town or village having already gotten up, and began a productive day. This immediately paints him, for lack of a better word, as lazy. Others don’t expect greatness from him because of this. In fact, there are multiple instances of other characters outright doubting his abilities, sometimes regardless of his sleeping schedule. Navi criticizing him at the beginning of “Ocarina of Time,” Impa chastizing him for being too late to help Zelda in “Skyward Sword,” and Revali blatantly telling him he isn’t good enough in “Breath of the Wild” are just a few instances of characters doubting whether Link is capable of doing what needs to be done. But hey, we all love an underdog story.

Tested by the Gods

The ones who are betting on Link’s rise to glory are the Gods themselves. But they still want to make sure he’s up to the task. Across several games, we see that the central Goddesses of the “Zelda” pantheon, Din, Farore, Nayru, and Hylia, have placed tests in his path. In the case of the Golden Goddesses, they gifted three pearls to guardian-like deities, which open the Tower of the Gods, a trial for the Hero in “Wind Waker” to reach the Master Sword. In the case of Hylia, she created an entire spirit to guide the Link of “Skyward Sword,” taking him across dungeons and Silent Realms, collecting Ancient Tablets and pieces of a mystical song, all to see if he was worthy of collecting the Triforce. Although it’s not quite the same, other stories see him called upon by the Triforce, a mark of the Gods, part of which appears on the back of his hand, or speaks to him directly, like in the “Oracle” games.

Seeking Redemption

The core “Zelda” stories are not about redemption. But that act is often designated to different side characters. While Nintendo places us in the role of the underdog, various supporting characters are given their own demons to rise above, and play important roles themselves. One of the most notable is Groose from “Skyward Sword.” He begins the game tormenting Link with his cronies. But by the end, he’s thrown himself into danger to help Link and even ends up admiring him. Byrne from “Spirit Tracks” plays second fiddle to the main villain for most of the game, but his most important deed comes when he switches sides after the heroes show him compassion. Then there’s Ravio from “A Link Between Worlds,” who abandoned his home of Lorule and his ally, Princess Hilda, out of fear. But after being shown true courage through Link, he returns at the end to help Hilda see reason and put an end to her scheme.

The Gerudo’s Regret

The Gerudo only appear in a handful of games. But in most of those appearances, they’re essentially the reason for Ganondorf’s existence. It’s said that a man is born within the tribe only once every 100 years, and that man becomes their king. While Ganondorf has used his position to seek power and bring ruin to others, often with the help of many other Gerudo, there are some who have shown profound regret and even resentment that their tribe birthed such a horrific person. I’ve always found this aspect fascinating, as the Gerudo are normally characterized as being fiercely noble and proud. We see this remorse and anger in key figures like Nabooru in “Ocarina of Time” and Urbosa in “Breath of the Wild.” Elsewhere, the Gerudo of “Four Swords Adventures” are adamantly against Ganondorf for violating their laws. And the ancient Gerudo in “Tears of the Kingdom” eventually rise up to fight against their ruler’s violence.

Parallel Worlds

There are so many parallel worlds, alternate realities, and mirror dimensions in the series that it’s honestly hard to keep track of them all. One of the challenges that many iterations of Link face is delving into these other worlds, and therefore tapping into that fear of the unknown prevalent in adventure stories. “A Link to the Past” was the first to do this, sending Link into the Dark World, once the Sacred Realm but warped by Ganon’s power and hatred. In its spiritual successor, “A Link Between Worlds,” Link once again had to venture into a darker reflection of his home world with Lorule. Others include the Twilight Realm in “Twilight Princess,” a shadowy dimension, and Termina in “Majora’s Mask,” a strange land parallel to Hyrule with familiar faces under different names, living different lives. Even Zelda had to venture into an alternate realm with the Still World in “Echoes of Wisdom.”

Traveling Through Time

When not traveling into a parallel world, it’s a safe bet to say Link will instead be traveling through time. This began with the Hero of Time, who traveled back and forth between a seven-year time period in “Ocarina of Time” and was trapped in a three-day time loop in “Majora’s Mask.” In “Oracle of Ages,” Link travels 400 years into the past to defeat Veran, a sorceress whose actions alter the present day. Although not a major part of the game, the Hero of the Sky briefly traveled back untold centuries in “Skyward Sword.” And Zelda once again got to get in on the action in “Tears of the Kingdom,” traveling back probably even further than any version of Link to witness Hyrule’s founding.

Power Destroys the Land

Whether it be told in an opening cutscene, or built into the lore of the game, Hyrule hasn’t seen many times of peace. Several games detail a tremendous war and the impact it has on the current state of the kingdom. “A Link to the Past” tells of an Imprisoning War, with many fighting and dying to obtain the Triforce. A Hyrulean Civil War occurs not long before the events of “Ocarina of Time,” with remnants like torture chambers in Kakariko Village hinting at the bloodshed. Other games, like “Skyward Sword” and “Spirit Tracks,” instead place the blame on powerful demons seeking power. Although, in the case of the latter, it’s in an entirely different location. Regardless, the destruction and loss of lives is always a result of groups seeking power over others.

A King’s Shortcomings

To be perfectly frank, the King of Hyrule historically sucks at his job. Whenever one appears, he’s either a bad father to Zelda, or his actions or inaction leads to the ruin of his kingdom. In “Ocarina of Time,” he’s easily fooled by Ganondorf, a guy so evil that even a child can tell he shouldn’t be trusted. However, he doesn’t believe Zelda’s warnings and winds up dead because of it, leaving everyone to suffer. In “Breath of the Wild,” he discourages Zelda as she tries to learn more about her kingdom’s history and places a ton of pressure on her to awaken her divine powers. While that is important, his negativity ends up eating away at her, which is no good for anyone. There are exceptions, like the King in “Minish Cap” who is attacked by Vaati unawares. But even these cases show him being tricked by the villain. This makes the King in “Wind Waker,” who could also fit neatly into our entry about characters seeking redemption, so interesting. He knows his shortcomings in the past played a part in the flooding of Hyrule, and still seeks to protect his people as a spirit. At least “Echoes of Wisdom” broke the mold; Zelda’s father in that game is nothing but helpful and supportive.

A Prophecy Foretold

Fantasy, as a whole, is a genre that loves its prophecies. So it’s no surprise that “The Legend of Zelda” has included its fair share. We don’t always see the source or teller of the prophecy, but Link is usually at the center of them. Legends tell of a hero clad in green, who will be able to wield incredible power and put a stop to the incarnation of pure evil. This likely stems from Demise’s curse at the end of “Skyward Sword,” but multiple games include similar predictions, like “Ocarina of Time,” “Skyward Sword,” and even “Echoes of Wisdom.” Even if it isn’t about Link or Zelda, prophecy can still be a driving force for a story. 100 years before “Breath of the Wild,” a prophet foretold the next coming of Calamity Ganon, instructing the King and his forces to excavate old Sheikah technology…not that it ended up helping them.

The Loss of Innocence

There’s a good reason that Link, even at his oldest age, is usually kept pretty young. And that’s because one of the franchise’s main themes is the loss of innocence. We’ve seen it time and time again, though some games place a heavier focus on it than others. “Ocarina of Time” is perhaps the most obvious, with Link giving up his childhood in order to be the hero Hyrule needs. There’s a distinct feeling of sorrow that comes in “Skyward Sword” between Link and Zelda, sharing romantic feelings but not being able to properly express them before the plot rears its ugly head. “Twilight Princess” follows Link as he’s whisked away from his peaceful farm life in an attempt to rescue his friends. Here, we get great examples of this theme not always being used for Link, as the kids deal with the pain of missing home, and Ilia briefly loses her memories from the trauma she endured. While it’s seen to a lesser extent in other games, it’s a key building block to each adventure and Link’s story.

What are some other recurring story elements you like seeing in “The Legend of Zelda?” Share your thoughts in the comments!