Why Can’t Link Be a Girl?

The answer to the question Why can’t Link be a girl? is that Link is designed to be a male character, and making him a female would disrupt the balance of the Triforce, a crucial element in the Legend of Zelda series, according to the creators. Eiji Aonuma, a longtime Zelda producer, wanted Link to be a gender-neutral character, but he is canonically male, and his character design has always been intended to be male with a feminine touch.

Understanding Link’s Character

Introduction to Link

To understand why Link can’t be a girl, it’s essential to delve into his character design and the reasoning behind it. Link is designed to be a hero that players can relate to, and his male character is a deliberate choice to maintain the balance of the Triforce.

FAQs About Link’s Character

Here are some frequently asked questions about Link and his character:

1. Is Link always a child? – Link is often depicted as a young character, which is due to the influence of Japanese artists and anime on his design, making him appear more youthful and slender.
2. Does Link have a personality? – While Link shows emotions in the games, his personality is intentionally left blank for players to project themselves onto him, making him a more relatable character.
3. Is Link canonically pretty? – Link is often described as a beautiful boy in the Legend of Zelda series, particularly in Breath of the Wild.
4. Do Link and Zelda love each other? – While Link and Zelda are not in a canon-confirmed romantic relationship, they share a loving and caring relationship, with Link always supporting Zelda and Zelda believing in Link.
5. Who does Link love most? – Link’s love interest can vary, but in Skyward Sword, his desire to be with Zelda drives the story, making her a significant character in his life.
6. What does Link suffer from? – Some fans speculate that Link suffers from a Sisyphean curse or recurrent amnesia, which could explain his memory loss and repetitive heroism.
7. How does Link never age? – In Breath of the Wild, Link remains young due to the properties of the Shrine of Resurrection, which stops his aging process as he heals.
8. Was Link originally a girl? – Although Link is male, Eiji Aonuma wanted him to be gender-neutral in Ocarina of Time, making Link’s character design androgynous.
9. Is Link nonbinary? – While Link’s design has been inspired by Peter Pan, Eiji Aonuma confirms that Link is male, but his character design has always been intended to be gender-neutral.
10. Does Link have a crush? – In Link’s Awakening, Marin may be a manifestation of Link’s feelings for Zelda, suggesting that Link had a crush on Zelda in A Link to the Past.
11. Is Link LGBTQ? – Although Nintendo insists Link is straight and cisgender, fans have expanded the Zelda universe with LGBTQIA+ characters and queer readings of Zelda games.
12. Why did Link dress up as a girl? – In Breath of the Wild, Link dresses up as a female Gerudo to infiltrate Gerudo Town, which is an all-female society in the Zelda universe.
13. Can Link marry Zelda? – Link and Zelda are never depicted as married in the games, and their relationship remains platonic.
14. How old is Link? – Link’s age varies across games, but he is generally under 18, with Hyrule Historia stating that he is 10 years old in the first game and 17 years old in Twilight Princess.
15. Did Link ever cry? – While Link is often stoic, there are moments where he shows emotional vulnerability, such as in Skyward Sword, where he is deeply affected by the events of the game.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Link can’t be a girl because his male character is a deliberate design choice to maintain the balance of the Triforce and to make him a relatable hero for players. Through Eiji Aonuma’s intention to create a gender-neutral character and the influence of anime on his design, Link has become an iconic character in the Legend of Zelda series.