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The Legend of Zelda movie has to do one big thing right

Highlights

  • Link's silence is an important part of The Legend of Zelda saga, but it is one of many important features.
  • The Hylian hero's sacrifice and willingness to give up everything for the greater good defines his character more than his lack of speech.
  • Even when he doesn't speak, Link's actions speak volumes, ensuring his character resonates with players and creating the emotional depth needed to make it to the big screen.


The Legend of Zelda The name may come from Nintendo's famous princess, but every fan knows that the real hero is Link. Over 20 cores The Legend of Zelda games and a treasure chest full of spin-offs, the young Hylian warrior has repeatedly helped save the kingdom of Hyrule and parallel empires. It's hard to imagine a character starring in so many games that are on the list of the best games of all time, including the latest installment. Tears of the Kingdom. But the Hero of Legend's greatest adventure could be making the jump to a live-action film.

Fans know the key elements that make it tick Zelda's Legend – key components reappear in various forms alongside new incarnations of Link. There is his famous, usually green tunic and hat, as well as the master sword and the Hylian shield or similarly mystical and powerful items. The likelihood of traveling into mysterious and dangerous dungeons is overwhelming. However, there is one constant throughout the spread Legend of Zelda is that players never hear Link speak. When the hero finally makes it to the big screen, it's understandable that the film's director Wes Ball is asked whether Link will speak in the film or not.


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Silence is as golden as the Triforce

There's no doubt that Link's silence is a crucial factor in the gaming franchise's popularity – a success that has resulted in the game selling over 160 million copies since it first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987 . It's a brilliant tradition that makes him a pleasant constant in worlds that often fall apart. It is impossible to misinterpret his tone, which portrays him as a hero distinguished by actions. Link isn't mute – the characters in the game react to the elf-like Hylian, so they can obviously hear him – but it's important that players don't. This ensures that the attention is on the characters he is interacting with. By not speaking, the hero lets the threat speak for him.


The most important consequence is that Link's silence allows the player to slip into the hero role like no other character. The legend ofZelda Typically, each game introduces a different incarnation of the hero – reincarnated in the immersive Hyrule Historia (the official timeline), each possessed by the spirit of the original hero. They also often encourage players to name each new incarnation of Link, adding to the immersive experience of diving into the character. It's hard to imagine how this interactivity can be replicated or that every live-action Link will have a voice that lives up to the expectations of millions of players.

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There are many films with protagonists who say no words or very few words Edward with the scissor hands (1990) to Mr. Bean (1997) too Halloween (last seen in 2021). But no one expects the characters at the center of these films to save a kingdom. However, Link's speech isn't his most important feature or the big thing the upcoming film needs to get right.


It's dangerous to walk alone

Link's quiet devotion doesn't mean the character is just a sword-wielding shell of an ancient hero. It has been around for over 30 years Legend of Zelda gave the pixelated hero an enormous amount of character and opened up a whole range of emotions. Link's character traits are primarily determined by his friendships. The most important quality to make it into the film is his willingness to sacrifice everything to achieve the incredible.


The Games have repeatedly shown that ultimate sacrifice is Link's defining characteristic, as his courage created his legend and further strengthened the hero's spirit for future generations. Over the course of the games, Link has evolved to take on unimaginable evil. Although he often has excellent support, including characters like the fairy Navi Ocarina of time, who accompany him during his momentous battles, it is Link's lone figure who sees evil. This sacrifice isn't just about the significant risks involved in fighting supremely powerful evil beings like Ganon; It is the consequences of success that hit the Hylian hard.

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A great example and one of the most emotional parts of the entire series is this all-time classic: The ocarina of time. ​After Link defeats Ganon, Princess Zelda tells the Hero of Time that he must return to the time before he pulled the Master Sword from the stone and woke up as an adult seven years later. Back in time, the hero meets the princess again, but the connection between the two has been lost in the timelines. The immediate continuation Majora's Mask, apparently confirms this great sacrifice and is even hinted at at the beginning of Link's epic journey ocarina. When the future hero leaves his home in the Kokiri Forest for the first time, his friend Saria gives him a simple ocarina to remember her and the life he is turning his back on.


On their many paths to overcoming evil, Link's incarnations repeatedly suffered losses. This also includes Midna Twilight PrincessFi in Sky Swordand Mipha in Breath of the Wild. In a particularly disastrous turn of events during the aptly named Tears of the Kingdom, even Zelda sacrifices herself. No fan can forget this time loop classic Majora's Mask forced Link to experience the destruction of the world over and over again.

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Majora's Maskthe darkest of them Zelda Games, sums it up right at the beginning. Transformed into a Deku Scrub by the mischievous Skull Child (yes, Link sacrifices his body a lot), the hero arrives in Termina and meets the lucky mask seller for the first time. The seller immediately recognizes Link's character when he sends the hero on his quest:

You've met a terrible fate, haven't you?


Whether or not Link speaks or Wes Ball finds a way to translate the benefits of his silence into non-interactive storytelling, Link must be defined by his sacrifice, not his voice.