Is Link REALLY a Hero? A Hilariously Dark Look at Zelda's "Hero"!
The Legend of Zelda: When Saving Hyrule Means Being a Total Menace
Let's be honest, Link is the quintessential Zelda hero, saving Hyrule time and time again. Yet he has some seriously questionable habits! He might be legendary in all of Hyrule; however, many might question his behaviors when you realize what he's really doing. This isn't that epic journey from some morally sound knight; that hero of our imaginations; this is someone very, very flawed. But the inherent, often humorous aspects regarding the way Link operates are actually a perfect reflection of Zelda's own unique game design that shows those inherent aspects of gameplay: he needs items! Those items require funds! Getting those funds requires many unfortunate behaviors for people to bear!
While recent entries (like Tears of the Kingdom) slightly change the core gameplay experience, most Zelda games keep the main character with a very similar role: Link's always battling that incredibly powerful Ganon! But let’s be real; he is surprisingly terrible at some parts of that “being a hero” bit. It might sound surprisingly unintuitive to think this but some inherent mechanical details truly showcases Link’s truly bad side – even during those moments saving Hyrule; demonstrating some very complex narrative considerations which show just how the mechanical decisions and design considerations for creating that specific kind of Zelda game also produces an oddly amusing element regarding Link’s character: he needs supplies, money, items; and this impacts the people living near where he operates and these same mechanisms were largely unaffected, even when considering changes from Breath of the Wild to Tears of the Kingdom, resulting in continued behavior that makes Link look exceptionally and surprisingly villainous!
Link's Eco-Unfriendly (and Financially Questionable) Habits
Saving the world isn’t cheap! And it does require certain things; most importantly it does require preparation for dungeons and exploration! We Zelda players know this is really expensive, and earning Rupees requires methods, often unpleasant: cutting grass! Yes, really!
While we all usually enjoy using this quick and effective strategy in the classic Zelda games; we all forget about those pollinators. This is only one of many points to consider: we often don’t think about the ecological implications behind some decisions! Then there is that serious question regarding animal populations; those poor creatures being hunted as ingredients, especially in newer games like Tears of the Kingdom! (where crafting and making useful supplies requires obtaining items)!
The most infamous issue that made Link truly a menace? This thing that has truly earned its place in meme-culture is something that we all know, all the gamers do: Smashing pottery! Just imagine this; someone suddenly breaking into your house; and then smashing those decorative pieces, taking your money, then vanishing. Sounds a bit weird; but also weirdly accurate!
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom try to reduce this through more diverse strategies like the massive amount of quests you can actually pursue, to reduce relying on that iconic pot-smashing method– mostly to compensate for weapon degradation– resulting in even more resource spending, resulting in increased pressure to use far less appropriate mechanisms of gathering Rupees, again resulting in questionable and very unheroic behavior.
Ultrahand Torture: When Koroks Become Toys
Tears of the Kingdom’s Ultrahand created insane creativity–from building flying vehicles (for getting those Korok Seeds) to full-on Korok torture devices! This uses Ultrahand; to use Koroks as objects attached to this new machinery –resulting in intense suffering. But Koroks remain strangely unbothered, this odd oversight creates that surprising disconnect between this inherent gaming behavior which is almost considered as playful versus actual harm.
Link: Hero or Just a Very Questionable Dude?
Let’s be honest–Link’s not exactly that ideal hero! But he's carrying the entire weight of Hyrule’s fate on his tiny elf-like shoulders! This might cause even more issues when trying to do all this while still having to ensure all those logistical parts are considered, such as equipment repair, food gathering (for health and status), which puts Link in tough situations that make these normally terrible acts seemingly normal for him!
Conclusion: Embracing the Hilarious "Anti-Hero"
Zelda is an absolute blast! And those moments regarding the player’s ability to commit crimes through using existing gameplay mechanics make this entire franchise into something extremely amusing, that strangely creative approach toward generating Rupees is incredibly notable; especially that whole “pot-smashing meme” proves many of us find Link's behavior intensely hilarious.
It adds an amazing dynamic, even unintentional! It ultimately emphasizes those inherent gameplay design details that create something fun and surprisingly effective, all achieved and done well!
