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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
Boy, Link sure has it rough. Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're looking at moments from “The Legend of Zelda” that prove being the Hero of Hyrule isn't all it's cracked up to be. And just in case, we're going to go ahead and issue a series-wide spoiler alert. Our list of the worst things to happen to Link includes Crashing Into a Dream from “The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening” (1993), that time he got Trapped in a Time Loop in “The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask” (2000), When His Sister was Kidnapped in “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003), His Failure to Protect Hyrule “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017), and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re looking at moments from “The Legend of Zelda” that prove being the Hero of Hyrule isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And just in case, we’re going to go ahead and issue a series-wide spoiler alert.

Losing an Arm

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023) Let’s start with something more recent. During the opening of “Tears of the Kingdom,” Link accompanies Zelda to investigate the recently uncovered ruins beneath Hyrule Castle. By doing so, the duo disturbs Ganondorf’s beauty sleep, whose powerful magic absolutely shreds Link’s right arm. If the loss of the majority of Link’s hearts are any indicator, it’s a pretty painful process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he then watches helplessly as Zelda vanishes in midair, only to be knocked out and wake up on the newly appeared, floating islands in the sky. Sure, he gets a replacement arm with some cool tricks, and his original is returned to him by the end. Still couldn’t have been fun, though

Crashing Into a Dream

“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993) Though we’ve never experienced it personally, being shipwrecked during a mighty storm has got to be terrifying. Now imagine going through that, all on your own, only to wake up on an odd island that’s a fabrication of gigantic fish’s dream. Yeah, we’d have trouble coming to terms with it, too. “Link’s Awakening” follows our hero in such a predicament. Despite the colorful Koholint Island being populated by charming NPCs, Link eventually learns that nothing is real. The island, or dream, is being plagued by nightmares, and Link must defeat all of them to awaken the Wind Fish and return home. It’s one of the more bittersweet endings in the series.

His Sister is Kidnapped

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“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003) Technically this is something that happens to Aryll, Link’s younger sister. But it’s undeniably tragic for the young hero to experience. During the opening of “Wind Waker,” Ganon’s pet, the Helmaroc King, drops Tetra on Link’s home island while being chased by her pirate pals. Link takes it upon himself to save her, and all he gets for his heroics is an ungrateful attitude and having to witness his younger sibling get kidnapped instead. Link never has any living parents, let alone other relatives, so we have to assume he and Aryll are pretty close here. So we can’t really blame him for recklessly running off a cliff in an attempt to save her.

Unwilling Transformation

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000) & “Twilight Princess” (2006) Link has gone through many transformations across the series, usually against his will. But the most traumatic instances take place in “Majora’s Mask” and “Twilight Princess.” In the first, he’s turned into a Deku Scrub by the Skull Kid, only after the villain robs him of his horse and ocarina. In “Twilight Princess,” he’s turned into a wolf when Zant’s forces attack his village and kidnap all his friends. In both games, he’s eventually able to regain his true form, but it must be stressful for the poor lad. His Deku form is looked down on by several Clock Town NPCs, and even attacked by the dog outside the Clock Tower. Everyone who sees his wolf form in “Twilight Princess” screams in fear or brandishes weapons, so it isn’t much better.

Hunted by Ganon’s Minions

“Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” (1988) “Zelda II” is a hard game for players, so imagine what Link must be going through. The premise concerns a sleeping Princess Zelda, who Link can only awaken by completing challenges in six palaces across Hyrule. All the while, the minions of Ganon, who Link defeated in the original game, are hunting him in an effort to use his blood to revive their fallen master. When Link dies, players are given a game over screen telling them Ganon was successfully resurrected. Now, Ganon’s minions are on the lookout to kill Link in every game he appears in. However, being used as the key ingredient in the return of ultimate evil certainly makes it worse.

Killed by Ganon

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“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) Being hunted for sacrifice is pretty bad, but there’s only one canonical time Link has actually been killed and it doesn’t even take place within a game. With 2011’s “Hyrule Historia,” Nintendo cleared up the debate behind the series timeline, and clarified that it splits in three following “Ocarina:” one in which Link relives his childhood, the future era where Ganondorf was defeated, and one in which he loses the big fight. Getting murdered by a raging pig monster sorcerer is awful enough. But to go on the arduous journey he does and end up losing in the final moments has got to sting. All that sacrifice and suffering for nothing.

Forced Into Rebirth

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“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011) Hey, just because it’s great for us doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck for Link. With “Skyward Sword” coming first chronologically, this version of the hero is the first. By the end, he’s able to live up to his potential, fighting and defeating the mighty demon king, Demise, in order to bring peace to the land. However, before the villain perishes, he places a curse upon Link and Zelda. He states his undying hatred will follow their bloodlines for all time. And it does so, even across different timelines. Everything that every version of Link goes through is all because Demise can hold a serious grudge.

Misses His Childhood

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998) The Hero of Time is one of the strongest iterations of the character, but he’s also one of the saddest. Before the game even begins, Link is an orphan raised among Kokiri, feeling like an outsider among them, with one straight up hating him. Things don’t get better when he signs up to fulfill his destiny, either. He has to wait inside the Sacred Realm for seven years, completely missing his childhood and waking to a world far worse off than the one he left behind. Even when Zelda sends him back in time to make up for it, we doubt he’d actually be able to experience what he’s missed, given everything he’s been through.

Trapped in a Time Loop

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000) Link had it rough in “Ocarina,” but the sequel really brought the despair. “Majora’s Mask” sees Link trying to stop the Moon from crashing into Clock Town, which will occur in three in-game days. Unfortunately for him, that’s not nearly enough time to do everything he needs to in order to stop it from happening. And so he’s forced to relive the same three-day loop until he can. That would suck regardless of circumstances. But in a game as dark as “Majora’s Mask,” everything’s a bit worse. Link is powerless to save certain doomed NPCs, and even those he can help have their memories and actions reset whenever Link plays the Song of Time. Other than Tatl, it’s a very lonely adventure.

The Philips CD-i Games

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Nah, we’re just joking. They are terrible though. Our actual last entry is…

Failing to Protect Hyrule

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“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017) In “Breath of the Wild’s” post-apocalyptic Hyrule, Link attempts to save his kingdom while reclaiming his forgotten memories. Sadly, those memories show us why he couldn’t the first time. 100 years prior to the game’s events, Hyrule began preparing for the prophesied return of Ganon. When he did return, he took control of the Guardians and Divine Beasts. While the Guardians slaughtered citizens and soldiers alike, the monsters that corrupted the Divine Beasts killed the Champions, Link’s close friends and allies. However, when all seemed lost…well, it really was. Link nearly died trying to defend Zelda and had to be put into a coma, losing a century and his memories in the process. We feel the impact of Ganon’s victory here more than anywhere else. What do you think is the worst thing that’s happened to Link? Share your thoughts in the comments and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day.

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