#as much as i adore the complexity of LoZ

[pancake-umbreon]

is it just me who gets the crushing feeling of guilt and anxiety whenever mischaracterizing a blorbo and knowing full well i'm mischaracterizing them but i've already written so much for them that it's not something that i can undo so quickly

yeah this is about wei wuxian. i've read more metas for him than i have in my whole life because i genuinely feel so guilty mischaracterizing him 😭 i'm not trying to, i swear!!! it's just that the more i learn about him from metas the more i go "FUCK there's another thing i mischaracterized about him"

all. i. want. is to write him fucked up and traumatized. but then i learn that i'm actually writing it totally incorrectly and i just. :(

sigh. things were so much easier when xiao xingchen was my #1 blorbo /silly like he doesn't have nearly as much canon material to work with so i can let headcanons go crazy asfdbskdfbsdf

[sephirthoughts]

Yazoo for the character headcanon thing, please! 💜

YAAAZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO i love the remnants so much thank you and i will be revenged

(this ask game)

i'm dividing these into my headcanons for canon, serious, and crack because my headcanons vary wildly depending on those contexts

Sexuality Headcanon:

canon: in the context of how they are represented in canon, i headcanon all the remnants as asexual. they are very physically beautiful, like sephiroth, and yazoo especially is meant to represent his allure, but sephiroth's allure isn't necessarily sexual. he is a seductive being, but he can use all kinds of seduction, including those that are totally nonsexual, which we see when cloud has his little sephisodes™️ in rebirth. also like sephiroth, i think the remnants lack any kind of sexual drive, especially not biological sexual reproduction since they are not traditional bio-organisms in the first place

serious: pretty much the same as canon, except he's more on the extreme demi end of ace, rather than totally nonsexual. i think he'd be 100% pure homosexual in his attractions though. i can't realistically picture a Yazoo who would be attracted to a woman

crack: everyone is poly pansexual in my rotten little crack universe

Gender Headcanon:

canon: i think the writers intended the remnants to be cismale sort of by default, so i have to respect that in my canon headcanons, but i don't have to like it.

serious: nonbinary all the way. i don't think the remnants see themselves in human terms, and i think how they present gender-wise is pretty arbitrary to them. their bodies look masculine to human people so they just accept masc pronouns that people use for them based on that assumption because they don't give a shit

crack: transcendent. yazoo is too beautiful for any one gender and encompasses them all

A ship I have with said character:

canon: none at all. i don't think the writers intended the remnants to be romantic or sexual beings. i haven't read that novel that occurs pre-advent children but i doubt it's much different in that

serious: complex. my remnants are far too broken to form anything resembling traditional romantic attachments individually. i think the bond between the three is so deep as to make them view themselves as one inseparable unit. however, as a group, they may form an obsessive attachment to someone that may manifest in romantic/sexual ways because i like that dynamic, A LOT. these units are not sold individually so dating one of them doesn't exist. it's either all three or none. the dramatic potential for examining each of them as an individual aspect of one whole, in romantic interactions with the person they've attached to is really interesting to me.

annnnnnd RENT LOWERING GUNSHOTS this is where i get in trouble with the remnants fans: i think all three of them including yazoo would tend toward being incestuous in their sexual/romantic attractions and i have a very good reason! it's because fictional incest is hot! seriously though, i write yazoo and loz kissing a lot but it's not that they're necessarily sexually attracted to each other, so much as it is a self-soothing behavior, because of the way they're mentally connected as one unit. to me the remnants aren't triplets, they're one being, in three pieces. also, i think that because of their jenova reunion thing, they would likely only feel any kind of attraction to another individual with jenova cells. for that reason i think cloud is pretty much the only ship candidate. also imagine cloud being abducted by all three remnants and forced to sit and have a candle-lit dinner with them. ADORABLE

crack: anyone who strikes my fancy i ship everyone in crack. my favorite right now is all three remnants with reeve because him getting followed around and pestered by these superhuman lunatics with teeny-bopper crushes on the handsome grown-up daddy man is very funny to me

A BROTP I have with said character:

canon: the other remnants

serious: cloud. he's the only one left with jenova cells, they call him brother, and he's strong enough to keep them from causing mass-destruction when they're grouchy. i genuinely think that if he'd take them under his wing and be extremely patient, he'd be able to at least quasi-domesticate them. never fully though because yuck why good them up when they're so fun bad, and also he's only partly housebroken, himself. i am literally in the process of writing a post-advent children fic where one of the plot threads is that very thing happening because i love the idea of mentor big brother to the remnants so much.

crack: BABYROTH!!! i think if they could get into contact with past teen sephiroth, they could rescue him from shinra and become a serious threat to the existence of the planet together. they'd be so happy!!! also RENO!!!! i think yazoo and reno would get along insanely well for some reason. it must be that sexy bitch energy

A NOTP I have with said character:

canon: n/a

serious: like i said i wouldn't pair yazoo with a woman but otherwise i can't think of a serious NoTP. i guess just the people on my no ship with anyone ever because i hate them with the fire of ten-thousand suns list

crack: no such thing as a crack NoTP i write whatever i feel like 🧐

A random headcanon:

canon: i think yazoo is the smartest but he keeps his mouth shut about it because kadaj has a super short temper and yazoo doesn't care to argue with him anyway

serious: i like to HC the remnants physically existing outside of sephiroth but bound to him against their will, so they basically have to follow him around and do what he says. in this scenario yazoo is the one least abused by sephiroth for some reason, so he's slightly less terrible to him than the other two. all three of them fear sephiroth and absolutely hate him, so it's not as if yazoo appreciates being the 'favorite', but it IS convenient not to get thrown through walls when sephiroth is in a bad mood. BONUS OTHER REMNANTS: sephiroth is the most violent with loz who is the most physically powerful, and he's overbearing-father controlling and emotionally abusive with kadaj because he sees the most of himself in him

crack: yazoo is constantly accidentally seducing people left and right because he can't help it he just seems like he's flirting no matter what he does or says and he has sephiroth's allure so no one is immune and he winds up with a huge gaggle of lovestruck admirers whether he wants them or not poor pretty baby

General Opinion about said character:

i love yazoo. i love him so much. he's my perfect little angel baby pumpkin sunshine honey muffin mass-murdering monster-summoning child-abducting walking wmd and he fucking SERVES. the remnants all deserved so much better than they got. i want them in waaaaayyyyy more stuff DO THE RIGHT THING SUARE also yazoo slutty bahamut costume WHEN

thank you for the ask! await my vengeance! 🖤

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

I just want to say that BOTW/TOTK's Zelda is the first version of the character I've ever loved, and I've been a LoZ fan since OoT. It just frustrates me the way some fans lambast her for being angry at Link in BOTW and also claim she was wasted/fridged/sidelined/reduced to "pure sacrificial maiden" and had her adorable nerd personality stripped away in TOTK (also claiming her sacrifice in TOTK is an attempt to validate Rhoam's treatment of her in BOTW). I thought her arc in TOTK was a wonderful continuation of the one she had in BOTW and showed how much stronger she had grown. Poor gal can't catch a break. What are your thoughts?

….I do not know how long of an answer you expected, but I have so many thoughts. So. Many. Thoughts. And boy do I go on tangents when I should be sleeping. Anyway. Here you go :)

For the most part, I hold a lot of the Zelda’s near and dear to my heart! Though, admittedly, it comes from the fandom’s exploration of these characters rather than just purely canonical content.

But Botw/Totk Zelda…. I don’t need any ‘additional’ content or exploration beyond what we see in the games to make me absolutely love and adore her. She is the most developed Zelda and she has an amazing arc— her complex feelings regarding her own magic, the complicated relationship she had with her father, the realistic exploration of her feelings regarding Link and how they went from jealousy and dislike to acceptance and adoration.

I always find that many complex and well developed characters are nearly always wasted on those who cannot look past mistakes (especially ones that set up future developments and start plot lines). Sometimes, people fixate on the moments writers use to cement that yes, this character is in a very low point of their life and the way they cope is not the ‘good’ way to.

The first memory in botw tells us that Zelda is none too thrilled to have Link as her knight attendant and the Hylian Champion. That she’s using him to project her own frustrations regarding her own failures. Which is the very introduction used to draw us in, make us curious about her history and how Link is tied into any of it.

So many just… can’t see past the reason we are shown this memory, nor why her frustrations led her to yell at Link. Because she was absolutely powerless and unlike Link who has had the Master Sword since he was 12, she had nothing to show. And her character is constantly forced to listen to her father, to heed the teachings she was vaguely given through one-off comments her mother and grandmother said. She was forbidden to pursue her hobbies and give it all up for the sake of the prophecy.

And then, to find out that Zelda awakened her powers through love, love for Link who she initially misjudged and mistreated, is so so powerful. Because she had grown to resent the spirits and herself. But Link. She grew to not only care for Link but to fall in love with him. And that instinct, that belief, that faith, that love. That is what sparked the power within her.

Zelda finally heard the spirit in the sword. She understood her part in this fight. For so long she had struggled to find her power, and she awakened it just in time to save Link, but at the cost of everyone else she held dear.

Something I don’t think a lot of people who criticize and hate Zelda understand is that Zelda’s pure and unwavering faith in Link is her drive to make these sacrifices. She knows it will be worth it. Because she believes in Link. And she supports him in whatever way she can. The reason they don’t understand this is because they can’t see past Zelda’s initial emotions regarding Link. They can’t see how she never believed in herself but she always had unflinching faith in him once she got to know him.

Then to see her accept that her magic has been sapped from its constant, draining use for the last 100 years at the end of botw…. It is a powerful moment. She fought so long to have those powers, ones her father berated her for not having access to, but she can finally accept that she can’t hear the spirit in the sword anymore. That’s development.

And for those who think Zelda’s cute adorable nerdiness was wiped from totk obviously don’t have the greatest history of understanding context clues. Zelda legitimately geeks out in the very first opening sequence of totk.

*totk Spoilers ahead*

She goes on and on about the Imprisoning War and the Zonai, taking pictures and obviously ecstatic about the discovery. She finds the Master Sword’s ability to heal itself fascinating. She founded research teams and build a school to further education in Hyrule. She wasn’t just a nerd. She was the Princess of Nerds.

Her sacrifice in ToTK is at surface level the action of a sacrificial maiden. Those who can’t read beyond that won’t understand it any other way. They won’t see how important it is that Fi sought Zelda thousands of years into the past, when in the beginning of botw she couldn’t even hear the spirits. They won’t understand how Zelda’s unflinching faith in Link parallels Link’s unflinching loyalty to Zelda. ToTK is a zelink centered game. Yep. I said it. We all know it’s true.

The entire plot revolves around, get this, Finding Princess Zelda.

Link’s entire motivation behind this game is to find Zelda. That is quite literally all he truly wants to do. He wants to find her. He isn’t there for duty. He just simply wants to find her.

And she is in the past, ensuring Link has every possible thing to help him secure a future for Hyrule. She went from detesting her place in the prophecy, from being forced to comply to her father’s choices, to embracing her role as the Princess of Hyrule and choosing her own way of aiding Link.

Totk gave Zelda the supportive father figure and guiding mother figure she sorely lack in botw. It showed us and Zelda that despite having the things she didn’t have, they still failed. Sonia was killed. Rauru had to sacrifice himself.

Zelda had to sacrifice herself. She was known for being stubborn, perceptive, analytical, and independent. Now she is known for her kindness, her intelligence, her empathy, and her compassion. And she sacrificed it all just to give Link the Master Sword. Because she had unwavering faith he could defeat Ganondorf.

Zelda is a RIDICULOUSLY complex character who has been through so much. But complexity is lost on those who only look for the simple, easy to understand things. So she is bound to have haters.

But for those who can understand and admire that development, we see Zelda for who she is. And if it’s any consolation, so does Link. While this game didn’t officially make zelink canon, they did make it canon that Link stayed by Zelda’s side after the Calamity. Once she was gone, they again made it canon that he would not stop until she was back with him. His Zelda. The one that rambles and excitedly tells Link that so much has happened.

Botw/totk Zelda is so so complex. And for that reason alone, she will have haters. But they don’t know or understand her. Not in any way that truly matters. Because those who do understand her and love her, well, it’s pretty clear that’s the way to go if Link’s main purpose and the entirety of totk tells us.

[adrift-in-thyme]

Rank the LU boys 1 to 9 with reasons

Oh gosh okay

*deep breath*

Here we go

Time. This one’s no surprise to anyone I’m sure XD. I loved the Hero of Time before I even got into LU. His tragic tale struck me as so interesting and heart wrenching. Getting into LU pretty much sealed the deal. He’s just such a great character. He’s through so much yet he’s still kind and tries to be the best leader he can be. I mean, this is the guy who stuck around after his death to train his ancestor cause he felt bad about leaving Hyrule without a hero (and also because he regretted being forgotten. HELLO ANGST). Plus, he’s a major gremlin imo. Just a hidden one lol

Warriors. The captain was actually the Link who got me interested in LU. I read @skyward-floored ‘s fic “Up in Arms” and fell in love with him. I’m naturally attracted to snarky, confident characters with a traumatic backstory and secret soft side (Flynn Ryder was my high school crush if that tells you anything XD) so it was kinda a given I’d love this guy lol. I’ll admit my first read through of LU was mainly me fangirling over him and analyzing his every appearance. (Not that that’s changed much).

Legend. He’s tied with Warriors for second tbh. But since I’ve gotta list them all out I’ll just place him in third. I hadn’t played any of Legend’s games when I got into LU but right after getting attached to Warriors, I got attached to him. Largely because to me he’s extremely relatable. He’s also multilayered in the best way. A soft sweetheart beneath all that snark he tries to hide behind.

Sky. I love Sky for pretty much the same reason as Legend. He’s relatable. Very much so XD. And also more complex than I think he often gets credit for. Beneath the calm, sleepy nice guy demeanor he’s got going on is a fierce warrior who’s been to hell and back for the person he loves. And would do it all again. He fought a GOD for goodness sake! He’s freaking awesome!! Also, Skyward Sword is my favorite Loz game so there’s that too. Plus, him and Sun? Chef’s kiss. Couple goals

Twilight. The older sibling thing endears him to me a lot. He carries a large burden and always has. Plus, his love for animals, gentle heart, and the way he brought down Midna’s walls with his kindness just makes me love him. Who can’t like a guy who rambles about Ordon goats and carries kittens like babies??

Wild. He is widely liked so for me that puts him farther down the list just because I kinda get tired of seeing endless content for him lol. But still. I love him very much. I mean, wild child with a traumatic past, memory issues, a mischievous and snarky side no one sees coming and a fierce love for his friends? YES PLEASE. Also he has long hair.

Four. Since I came into the fandom right around the time when that comic was posted I’ve always been a bit hesitant to write him. But he’s grown on me a lot lately. I actually had fun torturing him for whumptober XD He’s got an intriguing personality and I hope to see more of him in future LU updates.

Wind. I love this little dude A LOT. But I’ve never truly been able to get super invested in characters who are canonically much younger than me. Plus he is just SO HARD for me to write. So while I find his personality adorable and his dynamic with the other Links great, I can’t help putting him farther down on the list.

Hyrule. I like him, really I do. But I just can’t get as invested in him and his story as much as the other Links. I’m not sure why tbh

[smilesrobotlover]

I come with questions to occupy you, answer as many as you like 💕

What’s your favorite tloz game?

Favorite animal?

An animal you’d turn into and live as if you could?

Favorite oc of yours?

Favorite oc of someone else’s?

Character from something you hate for petty reasons?

Favorite fic(s)?

Version of Princess Zelda you think you’re most like?

Opinions on the three-banded armadillo?

Favorite loz game: twilight princess will always be my fav.

Favorite animal: uuuuuh deer, bearded vulture, harpy eagle, raccoon…

Animal I could turn into… hm… animals kinda live sucky lives, so this is a hard one 🤔 idk probably a house cat so I can do nothing lol

Favorite oc of mine? Bro I can’t choose. Rn I’ve been obsessing over a character that I haven’t even introduced on my oc blog lol. His name is Clive and I love him very much. He’s not a main character but I still adore him. But I cant pick my fav oc I just can’t 😔

Favorite oc of someone else…. Hm…. @thesacredtwink has a beloved named Gilt and it’s such a wonderful squishy gal 🧡

Character I hate for petty reasons…. Ok ok look, I don’t like Illia cuz she stole my horse and yelled at me.

Favorite fics…. I love @skyloftian-nutcase ‘a dad squad thing, also the Links parents play botw. I love Abel and Tillieth. I also love @skyward-floored ‘s castle town wedding. Makes me feel soft. And her whumptober stuff slaps hard. A fic about Hyrule being kidnapped by the yiga and almost sacrificed to resurrect Ganon is also a very good fic but idk if the person has a tumblr or not. But it’s so good man.

Favorite Zelda. It used to be skord Zelda, and she’s still amazing but spirit tracks Zelda is easily the best. She is so full of personality and is very complex, but she’s such a sweetheart and UGH I love her so much.

And opinions on three banded armadillo. Looked them up and they are very cute and very cool!

[bobthebobking]

also thinking about the potential issues Zelda would have adjusting to her physical body after months as a ghost and phantom. would she have issues with dissociation? would she feel like her body didn't fit quite right, like maybe her soul slotted in a little far to the left? that her body should be bigger, she should be taller, should be stronger, like she was as a phantom?

i think the hand squeeze would become something of a grounding mechanism between zelda and link. if link notices her looking a bit dazed, he'll reach over and squeeze her hand to bring her back into the moment.

i also like the idea of zelda doing a lot of physical activities to make her feel more connected and in control of her body. exercise and combat training to make her body her own, and to make her capable of protecting herself if anything like chancellor cole were to ever happen again. she would never want to be that helpless ever again, only being able to shout for help from a boy with 0 combat training as an inhumanly strong man is 2 steps away from killing her.

[bransles]

@hylianremnants​ said : five, favourite loz soundtrack ?, eleven, favourite ganon characterization ?, twenty - five, favourite companion ? & thirty - nine, which zelda game, in your opinion, had the most satisfying ending ?    //    accepting.

5.  favorite loz soundtrack?

oh god this is so hard. the music in loz slaps no matter what game i’m playing. my immediate answer is cadence of hyrule tbh, i listen to that soundtrack so much like. it’s so good i’m sorry. that shit goes so hard.

as for games that aren’t a spinoff, i’m honestly having a hard time choosing between majora’s mask and wind waker. they’re both uhh wildly different osts lol, but they each fit their respective games SO well. they each add to the feel of the games, MM’s music adding to the onset of panic and dread as the days go on, and WW’s feeling suitable for some grand sea adventure 😩😩😩

notable mentions: a link between worlds, spirit tracks, skyward sword

11.  favorite ganon characterization?

wind waker............. it’s the first time we’ve seen him given any depth as a character and motivations for his actions beyond “he’s just evil and covets power because that’s just how he is.” and, the bit of depth we’re given in wind waker recontextualizes how one can view him in OoT and TP, as more than a man who wants to take over hyrule just for funsies, but as a more complex man who is acting out on wrongs done against him and his people. wish they would bring that depth back. i liked skyward sword, but i don’t particularly care for the whole demise curse thing. i feel it robs ganon of his potential depth and just reduced him to The Hylian Antichrist ;/

25.  favorite companion?

MIDNA. i loved midna so much. she had such a great, memorable character and such great writing. TP has a lot of flaws for me, but one thing i adored about it was its characters. i wish we would get the kind of care and attention towards characters the way we did with midna. my queen

39. which zelda game, in your opinion, had the most satisfying ending?

wind waker. thematically, it fuckin slaps. it’s so. bittersweet. hyrule being drowned, link leaving his island to pursue a new future. it’s like it’s about burying the past and growing up or something. about accepting and allowing change. the obligations we have to future generations. yeah

[red--dragoon]

Indecision and Brainstorming

I kinda want to enter the CA state fair competition for amigurumi, but I’m super indecisive and don’t know what to make for it. I think the due date for entry is May so I have time, but I want to figure this out soon so it won’t mess with my commission schedule too much. 

I don’t know if I want to do a single, really complex and fancy doll that might be bigger than my usual ones, or a set of multiple dolls that are related to one another. One of the winning entries from last year was a set of 5 or 6 superheroes from the Avengers, and another winning entry was just a single doll of Killmonger (there was a lot of Marvel representation for some reason). I don’t want it to be... idk, show-offy? Like “hey look at me I made more than one doll so I’m better than everyone who only made one”. I don’t want it to come across that way (‘-’;)

Brainstorming is below the “Read More” so I don’t spam too much. I’ll add onto it as I think of more things and hopefully come to a conclusion. So many dolls I want to do, so little time! 

I’m leaning toward making a doll from Fire Emblem (big shock), but maybe I should do something more recognizable? It shouldn’t matter too much, but I do have a habit of getting embarrassed over my fandoms (´ω｀*) I want it to be something complicated and challenging since its a competition and such.

Some of my current ideas are:

Valentine Lilina, because everyone can appreciate a nice formal ballgown and I adore her design. I’d possibly include Valentine Roy as well if I feel like making it a set (or is that going too far for a competition? I dunno)

Minerva, because I love her (if my username wasn’t enough to give that away) and I’ve been too chicken to attempt her before. I’d possibly make a set with either the Whitewings or the Macedon fam, because I love them all. I feel like the Whitewings wouldn’t be super obvious as a set to the judges, but at least the Macedon royal family has similarish styles (well... at least they’re all redheads, that counts for something).

Either the Nohr or Hoshido Fam (most likely Nohr because I prefer them slightly). I feel like 4 dolls would be overkill, but at least the aesthetics match one another. 

Other options include:

* Marth/Caeda wedding party (my mom has been suggesting this one. It would feature the bride Caeda I already have, as well as a groom Marth, flower girl Tiki, and possibly Wrys as the minister)

* Berkut/Rinea or Camus/Nyna or some other couple because I can more easily justify a set of 2 dolls than a group of 3+ 

* Disney princesses of some sort, because you can never go wrong with Disney (or non-Disney ones too, because I do really like Anastasia)

* Princess Zelda or anyone else from LoZ (I swear I like things other than Fire Emblem)

* Madoka Magica girls? Or literally any other anime? 

* I could also do animals/pokemon too, but I’m not as confident about non-humanoid dolls 

I could also be lazy and enter a doll I’ve already made and have just sitting around (such as Naesala, Y!Tiki, H!Henry, Androids 17 & 18, Shiro and Yosuga from Deadman Wonderland, etc) but I feel like that’s not in the spirit of the faire. 

I doubt anyone’s read this far, but just in case, I’m open to suggestions and/or validation! 

[attackingstarfish]

Just finished LoZ: Wind Waker...

I normally never post, but I recently wrapped up Wind Waker HD (Yes, I’m late to the party), and it is so far removed from the usual Zelda fare that I just had to compile my thoughts. And if I’m compiling my thoughts, I might as well yell them into the void.

You will have to show me physical proof that Wind Waker is not Ocarina of Time from the Opposite Dimension, where windows are the primary means of entering your house and people worship at the altar of Hello Games, because despite me being almost exactly as satisfied with Wind Waker HD as I was with Ocarina of Time 3D, the greatest sources of joy are flipped with the biggest annoyances between the two games.

Yay!

Breath of the Wild had won me over in part because the entire world felt cohesive; you could go anywhere on the map without having to encounter a single loading screen, and I had no idea Wind Waker did the same thing. The Great Sea is a vast trove of trees, pirates, and treasure, with the occasional giant squid attack or salutation from the Flying Dutchman. Each of the 49 segments contains an island that is often unique in purpose, and you’re very rarely sent to a specific island for a specific item by a specific character. Instead, the entire overworld becomes open to you as soon as you grab your sail on Windfall Island, and you have a literal sea of knowledge before you as the 49 fish that serve as your guidebook to the game take their places.

A couple of islands start off closed, unable to be reached until you get the Iron Boots or the Bow or the Hulk Hogan suplex manual, but that’s it as far as what you can’t reach, and the squares of ocean containing even these islands can be reached as early as any other zone, fish and all. The fish are easy to spot, splashing around near their respective region’s landmass, and to reward taking to initiative to explore, a surprising amount of what they tell you can be put to use immediately, like the location of the all-new extra-fast wind-changing sail the remake’s added to speed up travel. Good thing, too, because there’s a point where travel time stops being buildup and becomes padding, especially when you have to dance a round of Hands Up every time you want to change direction. Later in the game, when you’re better equipped, you could stop by one of those islands you couldn’t figure out earlier on, and figure out what to do with just one more trip around the border. Nothing pops up on your map to indicate that suddenly you’re able to access anything new, and your boat doesn’t  wonder whether the eastmost pillar on island A7 has met any nice hookshot targets lately. The game trusts that you can navigate the uses for your gear yourself, which I value. Fewer tutorials, more expectations.

Even the story serves the game’s hands-off attitude. Ocarina starts with Link going into the Deku Tree to purge it of some unspecified evil (What exactly does Gohma do in there, anyway?) before coming out to be told of his fate to kill a man he has never met before and become Hyrule’s savior. Link takes up the mantle in that game only because the gods who have not and will never make a proper appearance want him to do it. Meanwhile, Wind Waker opens with Link putting on the green tunic to make his grandmother happy for a day, right before his sister, who clearly adores him, gets kidnapped by a giant bird, and he teams up with pirates to sneak into a fortress and rescue her but instead gets bitch-slapped by Ganondorf, who turns out to own the place and the bird. In addition to being awesome because pirates kick ass, Link’s introduction to the man who wants him dead feels a lot more natural here, and Ganondorf doesn’t even come into the plot for real until the second half of the game. Link’s got a sister to save, and everything he’ll do to accomplish that goal will demonstrate him to be worthy of the Master Sword, which itself seems to prefer this organic sort of journey, seeing as the Link who set out to get the Master Sword from the beginning ended up locked in solitary confinement by the thing while it allowed the man it was created to kill to instead take over the world. Evidently the Master Sword is a strong, independent blade beholden to no one who can’t think for themselves, and anyone who disagrees can spend some quality time with the nice old man who loves to talk and talk and talk and talk.

The characters in Wind Waker feel more on the dynamic side than Ocarina’s. At first I was a bit surprised that i felt that way considering Ocarina had you view two very different versions of Hyrule, but Ocarina’s characters either don’t change in personality much between time periods or don’t make an appearance in one of the two at all. Talon’s still lazy in the future, the carpenters are still idiots, the Lake Hylia scientist is still mad, the Kokiri of course don’t change at all, you see none of the Zoras after their caves are frozen over, etc. Not to mention Ganondorf, who doesn’t get much beyond “evil Gerudo thief king who wants to take over the world because of reasons,” even if he gets a bit further than many movie/game villains and is able to demonstrate exactly what he’d do while in charge and why he’s so dangerous. Wind Waker, meanwhile, has even a fair few one-off characters with their own tiny arcs. Mila goes from stuck-up rich kid to poor as dirt and struggling to adapt, so out of her element that she resorts to stealing money from her new boss until Link catches her and helps her stay true to herself in the future. Maggie’s father starts out so desperate for Link to save his daughter that he will annoyingly stop you in your tracks every time he so much as glimpses you and repeat his pleas for help, but after Maggie is returned home and he strikes it rich through no deed of his own, he decides everyone else is beneath him and starts bitching at Link, the Rito postman, and anyone who thinks repeatedly boasting about your own fabulous wealth makes for poor dinner conversation. Even Ganondorf himself is given more than a simple desire to take over Hyrule this time around, as his belief that the rest of the kingdom deserves to suffer the way the Gerudo suffered in the desert is brought to light. 

Boo!

Part of the reason I liked the dungeons in Ocarina of Time so much is that they had a way of coming full circle at the end, or even a smaller full circle in the middle. You’d come across something at the beginning, go “Huh, that looks cool,” then move on. An hour later, BOOM, payoff, and likely in a way you didn’t even expect. The web serving as the floor in the Deku Tree and the blue stone head at the back of Dodongo’s Cavern come to mind. Plus, there were often open rooms that allowed you to get a handle on where everything else was relative to you, and gaze upon areas you’ll visit once you find the Hookshot or Hover Boots. Wind Waker’s dungeons are the antithesis of the rest of the game, they’re cramped and, for the first half of the game, overly linear. Dragon Roost never musters up much more challenge than “kill enemy in front of you, go through door in front of you, repeat,” a far cry from the wall-climbing around the first half of the Deku Tree. Re-hydrating the bombs to get into the place is arguably as clever as you get with it, which for me is the perfect representation of the amount of thought that went into everything surrounding the dungeons vs. the amount of thought that went into the dungeons. And aside from those spinning leaf wheels in Forbidden Woods that wouldn’t know what a wind was if they were fired for incompetence and forced to spend the rest of their lives at its mercy, this is best illustrated during the teamwork-based dungeons with Medli and Makar toward the end of the game .

Considering how often you have to switch between characters to set up a Mirror Shield reflect or to hit a switch or to plant a seed or because you got hit fucking once, it would’ve been nice not to have to do half the Macarena every time you want to switch to your companion’s viewpoint. It also would’ve been nice if the controls of your partners didn’t make me want to offer them to the Floormasters. That said, Medli wasn’t awful. Yes, her flight was a bit hard to direct, there was no way to halt her Link-bearing glide without throwing her, and the number of times you had to hop on the Wind Waker was a pain, but the irritation was diminished when lot of her roles involved standing still and shining light while you played as the character the game actually put work into handling. Plus, my wave of enthusiasm from the first moment I walked under a spotlight while carrying her and saw the light reflect lasted me quite a ways into the dungeon, so my memories of the Earth Temple are okay enough.

On the other hand, Makar. (I still call him Oaki, which should indicate how memorable Makar’s character is) When flying with Medli, all that was required was good aim when leaping off any ledge you were leaving, whether she was on her own or supporting Link. Makar has to fly in patterns more complex than straight lines, so naturally his controls are twice as stupid. You have to repeatedly press A to fly, speeding up or slowing down your button presses to increase or decrease the amount of lift as you go. Button mashing as a recurring mechanic, yay. Its imprecise nature becomes worse when the vertical nature of the dungeon’s biggest room has Makar rack up a ton of momentum from the amount of rising and falling he’ll be doing, leaving you struggling to adjust your frequency to keep up, with aerial endurance that makes you wonder how the Korok seed-spreading ritual has not led them to extinction by mass drowning. Fortunately, there’s a giant fan you can activate at the bottom of the room to blow yourself upward and kill any chance you have at forward progress. You’d think that being able to coast to the top of everything would be a good thing, but being in the fan’s range of “anywhere” causes Makar to eschew any direction that isn’t straight up (as his flight meter drains!), when running out of flight power has the same effect but downwards. If that wind catches you while you’re trying to cross the room, you’re left to watch as Makar is frozen in place while his energy drains to zero, wait for the fan to stop, fall several stories to the bottom of the room, and walk about two feet toward where you want to go before the fan activates again and restarts the cycle. And that’s assuming one of the many flying enemies doesn’t brush Makar and throw the camera back behind a Link who’s attempting to keep calm by doing the wave.

The combat took some getting used to. Ocarina’s combat was fine; it was easy to tell what you were in range to hit, and timing your swings properly could get shield-wielding enemies like Stalfos in a loop where continually accurate shots would finish them in seconds. In Wind Waker, Link’s attacks don’t reach quite as far as his sword would indicate; you’d think the gods would make sure their magical evil-smiting blade is most capable at the end that goes in the King of Evil, but I guess not. “Just The Tip” is a no-no with these monsters, so it’s either impale them in full or let them dominate you.

Meanwhile, you have two options for your targeting system, and they both suck. You either hold down L as long as you want to keep an enemy targeted, which before long will cause your left index finger to rebel against its draconian master, or press the button once to start targeting and press it again to target a different enemy, leaving you with no way to stop targeting the enemies and put an arrow in the switch. This wasn’t that big a deal in Ocarina, since Link had a wider vertical range with the bow and there were never many enemies hounding you  when there was another immediate objective to complete, but in Wind Waker, you can expect a rainbow of respawning Chu’s to ambush you around the clock. It sours a lot of dungeons and dungeon-themed areas for me. That’s why the Wind Waker experience was so surprising; the dungeons were a slog to get through and felt less like a collection of clever puzzle ideas suiting each region’s theme and more like an obligation to throw in because it’s Zelda, yet everything surrounding them felt engaging and intriguing enough to make me want to keep playing and find out what happened to everyone.

(Tower of the Gods was pretty cool, too.)

[roseylaces]

#22 with link and zelda?

thank you so much for sending me a zelink prompt! this is officially my first loz fanfic! because there was no specific game requested, i decided to go with my faves and write a bit of ss!zelink (skyward sword)~ i hope you enjoy!!

22. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

title: Searching for Youwords: 3.5kgame: Skyward Sword

send me a number and a pairing and i’ll write up a drabble!prompt list can be found here~ can also be read on ao3 here!

When two individuals are childhood friends,it is hard to stop them from looking at each other. When two individualsare always together; laughing, playing, and smiling, it is hard to think ofanything else.

So it was not surprising that on more thanone occasion, Link found himself looking at Zelda.

When they first entered school in Skyloft,barely six years old, and sat next to each other on the rustic, wooden workbenches,Link had smiled at Zelda. It was an innocent, playful grin, and, not havingnoticed him, it took a little while before her clear, lapis-lazuli eyes hadcrinkled happily in return.

In that moment, she understood that Link wasquieter than the rest, and she possessed an instinct that influenced her toprotect him.

When Link entered the Knight Academy agedsixteen, and began to train under the careful guidance of her father’ssubordinates, Zelda had congratulated him. His eyes had lit up as she tucked astray hair behind her ear, and he nodded confidently. They had known each otherfor ten years by then, but his eyes still held a childlike quality that madeher feel that not a single moment had passed since they had met.

From that day forward, he had practicedhand-to-hand combat and Loftwing aerial fights diligently, despite theoccasional sleep-in. Zelda would look up from the Knight Academy’s bell fortificationor from the top of the plaza’s Light Tower as a crimson flash spread across thesky. She would watch Link scan the expanse of Skyloft beneath until he caught aglimpse of her shimmering, golden hair.

When Groose was giving Link a particularlyhard time about his stature and subpar combat abilities, Zelda felt irritationclimb up her neck like a vine, and finally snapped. Pushing her finger into thelarger boy’s chest, she told him exactly how she felt.

Link was always tryinghis best, always pushing his limits to prove himself – to live up to hiscrimson Loftwing’s name – and without anything to prove for himself, Groose wasnot one to talk. He only cared about his pompadour, his shadowing minions, andhis ego, putting him to shame in comparison to Link’s selfless dedication tothe arts of battle.

She could tell that Link was thankful forher support, and he watched her stand up to Groose with an elegance thatbefitted her role as the Headmaster’s daughter. Yet she could not tell himit was that gaze he gave her that influenced her to remain so headstrong.

When Link had lost his Loftwing and Zeldahad not been convinced, she pushed him off the edge of one of the myriad ofdive platforms scattered across Skyloft. After all, a thrilling dive would bejust the thing to ensure his crimson companion would come racing to him. Yetwhen Link had been falling for an uncomfortably long time, she dove off to findhim, pushing her Loftwing to their limits.

She was able to catch him in time, but thesprained wing of her amethyst-feathered partner meant that she had to tend tothe injured bird. She caressed the smooth down tenderly, and knew that Link wasadmiring the care she administered to her friend without having to look at him.From then on, she swore to never assume Link was lying again.

When the time finally came for the WingCeremony Race to begin, Zelda could not help but hold her breath as she watchedstreams of color shoot across the wide expanse of blue sky. Birds zipped in andout, bursting through clouds, trying to reach the wooden bird statuette thatwould ensure a chance to spend time with none other than Zelda herself. She hadbeen chosen to play the Goddess in this year’s ceremony, and she clutched thesailcloth that adorned her neck in anticipation.

Her eyes always searched for aflash of crimson, hoping desperately that it would be Link that would clutch thestatuette from the smaller, golden Loftwing’s talons. After all, she had madethat sailcloth specifically for him. Yet she knew how badly Groose wanted towin, and so it was with apprehension that she admired the mixing of navy andcrimson as two particularly fast Loftwings sped closer to the flash of gold,driven by the desires of their riders.

It was therefore understandable that Zeldahad jumped up and yelled with joy as the guardian birds came speeding back toSkyloft, and Link had held the statuette in the air triumphantly. He smiledassuredly at her as she clapped and bounced on her heels.

Upon landing, Zelda had pulled her bestfriend into a hug, and once again congratulated him, even before he had thechance to fully regain his land legs. She had also patted his companion andgave them some silent thanks, resting her head against the behemoth bird’s beakand closing her eyes. She knew Link was watching her as she rubbed the side ofthe Loftwing’s face, and could not help but let a quiet smile line herfeatures.

When Zelda waited for Link to join her inthe palms of the Goddess Statue, she stared up at the beautiful architecture inawe. A light breeze had picked up at such an altitude, and she imagined that itwas Hylia’s blessing as it stroked her cheek. Her eyes were closed, yet sheknew that Link had arrived, and he gazed at her as the cloth at her waistfluttered and her hair ebbed and flowed. Acknowledging his presence, she noddedand smiled. He ruffled his hair awkwardly, yet adorably, in return.

Under the watchful and intimate eye of theGoddess, Zelda had taken Link’s hands in her own. Although she had beenpreparing for this moment since discovering that she would play Hylia in theGoddess Ceremony, she could not deny the light fluttering of her heart as itbeat happily in her chest. Initiating the Wing Ceremony, Link had tightened hisgrip on her hand and knelt on one knee, swearing allegiance to Hylia. For sucha quiet boy, Link always made such a profound impression on her, and she almosthoped that he was swearing allegiance to her, as well.

Little did she know that to do so would beto devote oneself to both Hylia and to herself, for they were one and the same.

She handed him the sailcloth.

When Zelda offered to Link that they shouldcircle around Skyloft on their Loftwings together in celebration, at first, heseemed skeptical. It was as if he had a foreboding something would go wrong.Yet he gave in to her pleading, and held her hand as they jumped off the nearest dive platform together.

Peering into the vast expanse of blue sky,she admired familiar islands as they came into view, and just as quickly,disappeared. She could make out the Lumpy Pumpkin, the Bamboo Isle, and theThunderhead, and even though the two of them had seen these islands and pointsof interest more times than they had each other, Zelda could not help butsingle them out to Link, who rode behind her.

He had smiled at her genuine display ofpleasure, and was almost tempted to reach out and touch the sparkling goldenlocks of her hair as they fluttered in the wind, but resisted the urge. Afterall, she was too far away to reach, and he was fine to just watch. This beingsaid, Zelda has sensed his intentions, and had to quickly turn away and urgeher Loftwing to speed up as a light blush crossed her cheeks.

However, these moments of peace and harmonywere soon destroyed, and Zelda could no longer find Link’s calm yet unwaveringgaze next to her as she plummeted to the depths below the clouds. Even withImpa by her side, guiding her through her role as the Goddess’ chosen vessel, shecould not help but become restless, wondering how Link was faring without her.Was he still the target of Groose’s egotistical complex? Was he still trainingto be a knight? Was he worried about her? Did he even remember her?

Zelda’s hair had grown, she now adorned awhite dress of the highest quality cloth – fit for a goddess, and she now knew shehad a duty. Due to these drastic changes, there was a lingering thought thatperhaps everyone she cared for had lost any recollection of her. Yet Zelda’smind kept wandering back to her childhood friend, and speculating hopefullythat somehow, he was trying to save her.

It almost seemed like false optimism.

When Zelda had waded the waters of theEarth Temple’s Spring, she felt the lukewarm liquid slip between her fingers.An unknown power surged through her spirit, cleansing her soul, and a heavenlylight shone upon her from above. Impa had instructed her to keep the Hymn ofthe Goddess firmly to the forefront of her attention, but it was difficult tonot let her thoughts slip. Purifying herself at each of the two Ancient Springswas a task in itself, but focusing on her responsibility in addition to thiswas almost painful.

It was especially at moments like that thatshe thought most deeply about Link.

Playing the Hymn on the Goddess’ Harp, hergown still dripping with holy water, she hummed the tune, and could almostimagine Link staring after her as he always did. She could feel him take in herform – the pure white of her dress, the iridescent armlets, her new headdress.She could picture him closing his eyes as he heard her voice, soothed by themelody that rang throughout the blessed spring.

It seemed all too real.

Opening her eyes as she struck the finalnote and gazing up at Impa for validation, Zelda saw that the Sheikah’sattention was elsewhere. Following her stare, Zelda’s eyes widened in surprise;for there was a boy, clad in the green tunic of the Knight Academy, andwielding a brilliant blade that glowed ethereally, even when sheathed. It wasthe boy she had been longing for only moments earlier.

It was Link.

Her speculations had come to fruition, andshe held the hallowed instrument closer to her chest. He had been there. He hadwatched her, just as she had hoped.

She wanted to run to him, to tell him thatshe was okay, but she was immediately reminded of her obligation by Impa, whoheld out a barricading arm, separating the two. It was with yearning and regretthat Zelda stepped into the divine light the Goddess provided for her.

As everything turned to white, she promisedherself and Link silently that she would soon tell him everything, as long ashe came to find her again.

When Zelda strummed the last notes of theHymn of the Goddess in front of the Gate of Time within Lanayru Desert, shelooked up to see the lustrous, behemoth structure tick over like a clock. Hervoice and the tune of the harp she held in her hands combined to bring themassive construction to life. She trusted that she sung loud enough so he couldhear her.

She knew that he would come.

Turning around purposefully, her heart sangwith joy when Link met her gaze. He had been watching her play without hernoticing.

With the Gate of Time spinning on its axis,Zelda knew that if she did not tell Link what he needed to know right now, shemay never see him again. During their time apart, her feelings had only grownand blossomed, until she knew exactly what she wanted to say to him.

Clutching the harp so that it would notfall, she ran towards Link. Yet once again, she was prohibited from going near him.

As Ghirahim burst into the Temple of Time,and Impa shot out a deadly beautiful beam of light that would delay him temporarily,Zelda was dragged to the Gate in an attempt to escape. There had to be someway, any way, to ensure that Link would be able to find her again, even acrosstime.

Knowing the Goddess would heed her wishes,she thrust the harp into the air. Impa pressed against the Gate of Time, and itopened in front of her, like a flower in full bloom. The inside of thestructure seemingly continued forever, as luminescent blue swirled into itsdepths.

Zelda was barely able to witness Linkclutch the harp in his hands and give her a reassuring nod of understanding,before the Gate closed behind her, and she was left in a pool of darkness withonly Impa as her guide.

When Zelda was basked in the heavenly lightof the Sealed Temple, she looked back at Impa, who comforted her with a gentlesmile. She knew it would not be long until Link arrived. Since she had seen himlast, she had discovered a very important secret about her true identity. Shewas the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia herself, carefully crafted in orderto provide the formless entity a mortal body.

She was not sure how she was going to tellhim.

A tinkling from outside informed her thatLink had arrived through the Sealed Temple’s Gate of Time, and, holding a handto her chest, she asked Impa to lead him to her. They were very far, both indistance and in time, from Skyloft, yet knowing that he was near made the worldnot seem so vast.

Soon, he would walk up the flight of stairsthat would lead to the back of the temple, and he would see her.

Even though she knew this, she could nothelp but face the back wall. A part of her was cautious as to how Link wouldtake the news, yet the other part wanted him to see her for who she was – as Zelda,and as Hylia – for now she knew that her childhood best friend also containedthe spirit of the Chosen Hero, and it was his duty to protect her. She longedto ensure he still saw her as someone he could trust; as a friend, and as aconqueror of evil.

Hearing the familiar sound of his boots ashe made his way towards her, Zelda steadied her breathing and held her hands toher heart in prayer. She wished for the Goddess to give her the wisdom tocontinue forward, and to give Link the courage to take on what was to come.

The fairy tales about the Great War betweenHylia and Demise the children of Skyloft were told seemed to be so fantastical,yet at that moment, they appeared all too real.

Zelda resisted the urge to turn around asthe great doors leading to the back of the Sealed Temple were pushed open. Shecould sense him hesitate as he contemplated between running up to her, andtaking in the beauty of the Goddess Hylia as she resided in the body of thegirl he loved.

A tender smile lined her lips as she turnedaround to face him.

Link looked like a true champion; hisHylian Shield glistening in the beams of light from the cracks in the temple’sceiling, and his gaze hardened from battle. Yet his eyes softened under herwatch, and he smiled in return.

When Zelda admitted to Link that she wasfated to be sealed under the divine protection of the Goddess, his brows drewtogether in pain. Seeing his heart ache for her brought tears to her eyes, yetshe held them back long enough to assure him that she would return.

As glistening shards of amber swirled andhardened around her, she was able to finally say the things she had been tryingto tell him for so long. Whilst it was true that Zelda was Hylia reborn, shewas still her father’s daughter, and Link’s best friend.

She was still his Zelda.

A tear streaking the side of her face, andas Link futilely bashed his fist against the amber casing forming around her,Zelda asked for a final favor.

Ever since they were kids, she would be theone to wake him up when he slept in, yet this time, she wanted him toreciprocate the gesture.

When everything was over, she wanted him tocome wake her up.

Link promised.

Even when encased in the shimmeringluminescence of Hylia’s divine power, Zelda knew that Link spent anunfathomable period of time pressed against the barrier between them, his headhung in despair. He had admired her comatose form with a bittersweetreminiscence, wondering just how things had ended up this way.

It seemed like a lifetime ago, yet onlyyesterday at the same time, that they were floating amongst the cloudstogether, upon their guardian birds, unaware of the heavy hands of destiny ontheir shoulders.

Link wished that it had been anyone buther.

Zelda wished that it had been anyone buthim.

When Zelda had awoken from her slumber,thousands upon thousands of years after their promise, she stood delicately onshaky legs as shards of amber ruptured around her. Once again, Link was there,as he always was. She had expected it by now, and gave him a warm smile thatsaid, ‘I’m home’, rather than, ‘It’s been a while’.

The look of overwhelming joy on Link’s facemade her sacrifice seem like child’s-play. Yet now, more than anything else,she wanted to be in his arms. Taking unsteady steps, slowly but surely, shebegan to walk down the stairs that divided them. The fact that she had awokenmeant that everything was over. She could be with him. They could finally be atpeace.

She wanted it more than anything else.

Yet after spending millennia inside thecases of the Goddess’ protection, she had been drained of all power.

She felt her conscious slip away from her.

Link noticed instantly, and rushed to her,steadying her in his arms as they both knelt to the ground.

With a weak laugh, she whispered goodmorning, and held his arms tighter. Link pulled her closer, taking in the scentof her hair and feeling the divine cloth of her gown as it draped over herbody. He could not believe that after all this time, she was finally here inhis arms.

He admired the way she sunk into hisembrace, the way she sighed his name and closed her eyes in content. She knewhe was watching, and it softened her.

When Demise had been defeated and theGoddess Statue had returned to its rightful place in the Temple of Hylia on theSurface, Link and Zelda once again stood atop the palms of the behemothsculpture, yet this time, taking in a very different view.

As Link played the Hymn of the Goddess onthe blessed harp, Zelda revered the view of the Sealed Grounds, and Faron Woodsbeyond. Loftwings still flew overhead, but it was no longer clouds thatsurrounded them as they sped past, but trees. Although Link strummed at thestrings of the Harp, she could tell his mind was elsewhere, watching Zelda waveat Groose and his friends as they passed by on their guardian birds.

With the Triforce directly behind them,Zelda was basked in an ethereal light, her golden hair illuminated, and herwhite gown iridescent. It made her seem holy – too divine to touch. Yet she washis.

She was his Zelda.

Aware of Link’s gaze, Zelda turned aroundto face him. She admitted that as a child, she always dreamed of a world belowthe infinite clouds surrounding Skyloft. She wanted to see the surface with herown eyes, and feel the land’s warm breeze on her skin.

She wished to stay where she could seethose sights and feel those sensations every day; to always feel the solidground beneath her feet, see the clouds above her head, and watch over theTriforce.

She informed him that she had seenthe way he looked at her when he thought she did not notice. Whether inthe Knight’s Academy, flying through the islands surrounding Skyloft, or on theSurface of Hyrule, Link’s attention had always settled on Zelda like satin. Helooked at her with admiration, with awe, and what she realized now was love,and although she had a feeling she knew that answer, she was curious as to whathe would decide to do now.

Giving her a warm and resolute smile, heheld her hands in his own. She gazed up at him, tilting her head, knowing thatthis was his answer. After all, he had always been a quiet boy, his actionsforever speaking louder than his words.

Leaning down and brushing the hair from herforehead, his lips ghosted hers.

Suddenly, one crimson and one amethystcolored Loftwing raced to the sky in front of them. They created a gust of wind that made the falling leaves around them flutter in the sky, and the twobirds intertwined in their paths to the sun to become one.

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

I think about Zelink in each game and I seriously give Nintendo props for creating a compelling dynamic between the two no matter if it’s purely platonic or has romantic undertones or is just blantantly spelled out as soulmates.

OoT Zelink has romantic undertones. Don’t even try to argue with me if ya feel differently. It isn’t spelled out plainly enough that we could say it’s practically canon, but it does have that bond between them that’s undeniable.

In the game, you can literally go back into the castle as Young Link and show Zelda the different masks Link acquires through the side quests. And the entire idea of Link sneaking pst all those guards to show Zelda some mask is hilarious and adorable.

After the time jump, Sheik then accompanies Link and it’s 10000% obvious that he’s fascinated with them. Link wants to spend as much time with Sheik as he possibly can. Water Temple aftermath scene anyone? That made it obvious (for me) that OoT Zelink are soulmates, because it’s their souls pulling them together and creating this attraction. Gender has no say. (It’s also makes Link 10000% bi in this game since Sheik is considered a “guy” to everyone else and I live for this headcanon). No matter who they’re disguised as, the chemistry and attraction is THERE. Plus, in Kakariko when they’re attacked by the Shadow. Staying by the others side. Trying to protect each other. Please let me live.

And the final battle. Oh this poor bby. He sticks his arm out to protect her. He’s so loyal to this girl. He found out she was this person guiding him the entire time and she’s separated from him as soon as she reveals her identity. Foolishly banging on a crystal to free her? Desperate boy wanting to save the girl he cares so much about. Link’s entire life ends up revolving around Zelda in this game. She is the one person he truly truly cares about on a deep level.

I love Malon and all, but I never saw the connection. I’ve always headcanoned the idea that Link comes back from MM’s events and goes straight to Zelda and legitimately just grows up in Castle Town under Zelda’s orders and is trained for the Guard and eventually becomes the head of the entire Hyrulian Army. I also headcanon that OoT Zelink both die young, but not before they have a child who is then given to their trusted friend Malon to raise. (I know it’s a dark headcanon but hey I think it makes sense)

Twilight Princess, on the other hand, gives off much more platonic vibes. Partly because Zelda is barely in this game. I do love Midlink in this game too, but as an endgame, nope. The thing about Twilight Princess Zelink is that it could POSSIBLY happen after the game’s events. But during the actual gameplay? This Zelda and Link play their respective roles to ultimately defeat Ganon. It’s more professional.

People can debate about this one, with Link’s attention whenever Zelda is in the room being solely on her and all, but I see that more as a ranch hand meeting royalty for the first time and being awed by the regal and natural beauty she exudes. I have said that I can see them happening through a friends with benefits type of situation, but only after.

In game, the story pretty much implied that Ilia is the love interest and not Midna or Zelda. Tbh, I didn’t love her character but I knew for a fact that Link did so I went with it. But I’m replaying the game now and BOYYY it seriously points to Ilia and Link being an item. And it makes perfect sense too. But after everything, I’d see Link sticking around Zelda more because she at least understands. But again, in game and from the canon events, Zelink is more platonic than anything.

Skyward Sword is completely platonic. Idk how y’all got “soulmates” from this Zelda and Link, I mean-

Yeah no do I even have to talk about how this game is blatantly romantic? Its not even UNDERTONES like it’s full out “I’m doing this to save the girl that I love”. They’re literal soulmates and started the kingdom of Hyrule and I couldn’t be MORE PROUD! The first Zelda and Link happen to be in love and they managed to get cursed so in every incarnation they’re bound to meet each other and I think that’s beautiful (despite the angry third wheel that reincarnates with them). But otherwise, this game is legit a love story between Link and Zelda with a bit of action and adventure sprinkled in. Good quality and excellent eyeliner.

Breath of the Fucking Wild people. I know I already did romantic undertones but would I be me if I DIDNT go on a little rant about the beauty of this Zelink??? Didn’t think so. It’s also not even undertones. It’s also not blatantly romantic. It’s heavily implied.

So, you get the hate to love trope, the princess and her knight trope, AND the amnesia trope. All three in this very special pair. The memories play these two very well. The actual story to the game may have been a bit underwhelming, but Zelink’s story is MASSIVE. The memories show us a very complex Zelda, a mute Link who is loyal to a fault, and an epic love story between the two. This isn’t even a theory. It’s actually canon. (Thank you Kass, ily bby)

Now Link’s perspective isn’t fully fleshed out, but that’s the thing. It’s not supposed to be. But what we do get is a few pieces of information that makes you go “oh so he does have feelings for Zelda”. First being the Journal Entries. He wants to save Zelda ASAP so he can see her smile. He wonders if she will be pleased with how far he’s come. He is determined to save her after gaining all his memories of their relationship back. This Link only truly remembers Zelda. The Champion’s have some place in his mind, but he doesn’t remember like like he remembers Zelda.

Second being the little moments in the memories, like him staying by Zelda’s side in the castle to just hang out with her, listening to her ramble on about science things, being Extra Asf when the ground shakes and he immediately goes to make sure Zelda doesn’t stumble, turning around when Zelda begins to doubt herself, sheathing his sword despite being chased by murder bots. It’s just all those little things that makes you THINK.

Third being the flowers. The symbolism. It’s all too real and I won’t even get STARTED on how Nintendo gave us a canon ship name for BotW Zelink and we had the audacity to IGNORE IT!!!

Fourth being the fact that they practically debunk Miphlink after giving it the potential to become official. Stay with me. They painted Mipha as the typical childhood friend that falls in love with the protagonist. Except, I can say with certainty that it’s 1000% one sided. In the game, Link goes to Zora’s Domain as a kid and Mipha heals kid Link’s wounds because she a kind and gentle soul. There’s nothing romantic about that given the fact Mipha writes about it before she writes about the feelings she develops.

When Link goes back, she writes about how he looks past her, doesn’t open up to her, but still remains the kind soul she knows him to be. This in and of itself tells us that Link has no feelings for her whatsoever. He’s a knight and he does his best to protect whoever is in need. But he doesn’t truly reconnect with Mipha as a teenager because he remains closed off and in her diary, Mipha confirms the fact that he doesnt give her the same attention that she gives him. She makes the Zora Armor, yeah, but she didn’t present it to Link AND she prayed to Ruto. Ruto being the Zora that fell for Link but that relationship never happened because Link didn’t have feelings for her whatsoever. That in and of itself gives the impression that this relationship is also one sided. The thing that always stood out to me was how Mipha never presented the Zora Armor and how she realized Link and Zelda would grow closer because all the time they had was spent with each other. My theory is that Mipha saw Link and how he seemed a bit less weighed down. And it hit her that the Zelda is also more carefree at this point. And she puts two and two together and realizes that Link and Zelda have opened up to each other and gotten much closer as a result. Hence, why she didn’t give him the Zora Armor since she saw where Link’s heart truly lies. That’s just my own personal idea and theory on her not giving him the armor, so don’t judge lol.

But BoTW Zelink is so COMPLEX and is heavily implied to be canon after the events that I cannot wait to see how the sequel treats their relationship. It’s definitely going to be fun to watch and play.

OKAY SO MY POINT WAS

Nintendo provided all thes unique takes on two characters yet never gave them a toxic relationship, but always one where they can rely on the other when they needed to. And I think that’s beautiful.

*please take note that these are more of my personal opinions and how I view the relationships which may differ from others but that’s okay since LoZ is supposed to be a franchise where you are Link and so whatever you love, he loves. I’m just a slut for Zelink 🤷🏻‍♀️