A mystery that has remained unsolved for over 30 years inThe Legend of Zeldaimplies that Link and Zelda may actually have a shocking connection in one game. The characters of Link and Zelda can vary wildly betweenZeldatitles, as can their relationship both before and during the game. Many titles see their versions of Link and Zelda meeting for the first time, but a few games do present deeper connections that form part of their respective backstories, including details that aren’t always immediately obvious.
There are still manymysteries inThe Legend of Zelda, ranging from minor oddities to bizarre lore that hints at some larger, unseen picture. For example, the Ancient Hero’s Aspectarmor fromTears of the Kingdomimplies the first hero to battle Calamity Ganon was not actually a Hylian, and may have been descended from the Zonai in some way, but no explanation for the strange appearance Link gains from it has ever been given. There are many other strange details like this found throughout the franchise, many of which may never be fully explained.
This A Link To The Past Dialogue Remains A Mystery
Link’s Uncle’s Last Words Imply Zelda Could Be Link’s Sister
When Link finds his uncle dying at the beginning ofA Link to the Past, he is entrusted with the mission of protecting Princess Zelda. However,Link’s Uncle’s last words in the 1992 SNES game have been a topic of debate for years:“Save the Princess…Zelda is your…”Although Link’s Uncle is unable to finish this final sentence, its construction is certainly evocative. Although there are many possible ways for this sentence to end, the most intriguing of all is undoubtedly the theory thatLink’s Uncle was attempting to tell the young hero that “Zelda is your sister.”
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Of course, this would be a dramatic twist if true, althoughALTTPnever actually confirms if Zelda is secretly one ofLink’s few known family members. Despite the clear potential for a reveal later on created by this moment, it never comes. It is also worth noting that the same sentence can equally reasonably be finished with words like “responsibility,” which would emphasize Link’s duty to the Princess. Nevertheless, the sheer dramatic weight of Zelda being Link’s sister keeps it the most appealing possibility for many fans.
Notably, the original Japanese version of this scene offers no clarity on what Link’s Uncle intends to say, except to continue to imply some sort of association between the hero and the princess. The only difference is that in Japanese, his dialogue can be translated as“You are the Princess’…”Similar to the English version, this sentence could either end with “brother” or something along the lines of “final hope” with equal plausibility. Aside from altering the subject of the line, the English translation is very faithful.
Could Zelda Really Be Link’s Sister In ALTTP?
Link’s Uncle Hints Towards a Plausible Scenario
Official art of Link leading Princess Zelda through the sewers inThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
A Link to the Pastmakes it extremely clear thatLink and his uncle are descended from an order of Knightswho have protected the Hylian Royal family for generations. It is plausible thatsuch a knight could become close to a member of the family they protect and have children together, even in secret. It would not be inconceivable for said children to be separated and raised apart either, as Link and Zelda would be in this scenario. As such, the two being siblings is at least possible.
Link’s Uncle’s last words by themselves are ultimately too vague to be considered decisive proof, and the game does not provide any more hints to indicate the two may be related.
On the other hand, there is the undeniable fact thatthere is no concrete evidence to support this theory. Link’s Uncle’s last words by themselves are ultimately too vague to be considered decisive proof, and the game does not provide any more hints to indicate the two may be related. Link’s Uncle really could simply intend to have Link live up to his family’s duty as a Knight of Hyrule. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that there will even be any further clarity on thisminorLegend of Zeldamystery.
It is worth noting thatA Link to the Pastis not the only game to have given rise to a suggestion that Link and Zelda are related. The two have also been theorized to besiblings inOcarina of Time, although the reasoning for this is even less founded in canonical fact thanALTTP’s own mystery. TheOoTtheory is mostly based on there being little known about either character’s parents, and ultimately suffers from a general lack of proof. Moreover, the fact that these are clearly a different Link and Zelda makes it unreasonable to draw direct parallels.
Why This Zelda Mystery Doesn’t Have A Clear-Cut Solution
There Is No Conclusive Evidence Either Way In ALTTP
Ultimately, the vagueness ofthe relevant dialogue and lack of a follow-up reveal make it impossible to be certain what the true significance of Link’s Uncle’s final words is. And, unless developers comment publicly on the matter, this will likely remain the case. Another way to gain closure on the mystery would be new dialogue or other content in a future remake ofA Link to the Past, but such a remake has already been released with no additional clarity, despite making significant changes to the scene in question.
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In the 2002 Game Boy Advance version ofA Link to the Past, Link’s Uncle’s dying words are changedto remove any implication of Zelda having a deeper connection to Link. Instead, he simply urges Link to rescue her, calling it their family’s fate to do so. Strangely, however, the original dialogue is found elsewhere. When the shapeshifting Blind the Thief impersonates Link’s Uncle in the new Palace of the Four Sword, it reenacts the original SNES version of the death scene. And, once again, the true significance of this is left unclear.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pastpresents an unusual mystery with no clear resolution, but endlessly intriguing possibilities. There is a tantalizing hint toward its versions of Link and Zelda being siblings, but at the same time, nothing ever actually comes of this. In the end, the true extent of their relationship with each other will likely remain one of the many unsolved mysteries ofThe Legend of Zelda. Of course, this lack of resolution may be disappointing to some, but it also allows people to freely develop their own personal interpretations of the game’s story.
