Zelda Producer clarifies Link and Zelda's relationship status

Zelda Producer clarifies Link and Zelda's relationship status
Images via Nintendo

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

13th Dec 2023 13:59

Think of them as gaming's very own Ross and Rachel. Ever since Link first swung his sword in 1986's The Legend of Zelda, fans have been questioning whether the Hero of Hyrule is simply trying to save the day... or if he's got an ulterior motive to bag the girl.

Gaming has some great couples, and whether it's Peach and Mario, Commander Shepard and T'Soni, or Geralt and Yennefer, they tend to make their feelings pretty clear for each other. Maybe Link and Princess Zelda should take a leaf out of their books, with the pair being something of a 'will they, won't they' annoyance.

Tears of the Kingdom Producer clears up Link and Zelda's dating life

Link Paragliding in Tears of the Kingdom
Click to enlarge

Speaking to IGN, Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma attempted to clear up the mystery of Link's dating life, but ultimately, made it more confusing. On the subject of Link and Zelda, Aonuma said, "I will leave it to everyone's imagination."

Basically, their potential romance is up to the player themselves. If you want to imagine a happily ever after or Link pining after some unrequited love, it's all on you. Aonuma added, "I don't think that Zelda is a type of game where the development team says, 'This is what Zelda is, this is what the story is, this is what the game is.'

"Everything that the development team wants to convey has already been placed into the game. And the rest is up to the player's imagination, and their reflection on how they feel… what they've experienced in the game."

This comes after voice actor Patricia Summersett said her words were taken out of context when it was implied she said Link and Zelda are an item. The Zelda timeline and lore is complicated enough as it is, but to be honest, we'd hoped for a little more clarity on the headcannon of the leads' relationship status. 

Bring on the playable Zelda

Princess Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom
Click to enlarge

The problem is, that neither Link nor Zelda are the most talkative. She's more of a chatterbox than him, but across all these eras of Hyrule history, we've never really got to find out what makes either of them tick. To be fair, they're usually saving everyone from a reanimated Ganondorf and his legions of monstrous bosses. 

That can all change in an upcoming adventure, with Aonuma teasing that we could actually step into the shoes of Zelda. More than just being a damsel in distress, Zelda has proved herself to be an accomplished warrior - just check her out as Sheik.

Zelda don't need no man, and much like Peach has long stepped out of Mario's shadow to be a strong woman under her own steam, Zelda should break free from being shackled to Link. Either way, we won't be buying a hat for Link and Zelda's wedding. 

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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