Spoiler Aftermath of Link's Awakening

[OcarinaBoy]

Spoilers once again. If you haven't finished Link's Awakening, you will want to leave because I give details from the VERY END of the game. As in right before the end credits. Continue reading at your own risk.

I recently (at the time of first writing this) finished Link's Awakening (DX) and something has been bothering me. At the end of the game, Link looks up and sees the Wind Fish flying overhead. After the credits roll, you see the Wind Fish again, this time flying to the side of the screen. I got the "good" ending for having no game overs (if that makes much of a difference), so Link also saw Marin's face in the sky. My concern lies with what follows this moment.

My question is this: What happens to Link after that? Does the Wind Fish save him, or is he just left stranded at sea? And if he was left there, did he survive or perish at the hands of the relentless waves?

The only reason I ask is because the game didn't really seem to suggest one outcome over the other, so I was hoping all of you could give your input on the matter.


*NOTE: I wanted to move this question to ZD because I would like all of the input I can get on this subject. This question still bothers me quite a bit, as I haven't recieved enough feedback to ease my mind yet. I have also noticed that the community here seems to be MASSIVE (or at least remarkably quick with replies).

 

[Ventus]

To me, I think the ending slightly suggests that Link would perish at the hands of the waves for a tragic hero effect -- it's hinted ingame that Link and Marin could possibly be love interests (is this your big chance?) -- but I have no evidence for this claim. I don't even think we know at this point; the official timeline is, on the Hero Defeat timeline, ALttP/OoX/LA -- LA/AoL to my understanding.

View the timeline here:
Hyrule Historia: Visual Timeline Map Recreated

It's safe to say the ending and the aftermath is fairly ambiguous.

 

[DarkestLink]

He survives and goes on two more adventures in OoS and OoA.

I'm more concerned with why the hell Link doesn't care about all of those people, even a few of his friends, getting killed with the Wind Fishes awakening.

 

[Ventus]

He survives and goes on two more adventures in OoS and OoA.

Oracle of Ages and Seasons come before Link's Awakening, so how can he have two more adventures through time periods he's over and done with? That doesn't say Link doesn't survive, but he definitely doesn't travel back in time to relive OoX.

 

[A Link In Time]

You have to remember that the events of Link's Awakening are entirely a dream. What occurs to the Link on Koholint Island is not the same fate as that of the hero on the decline timeline. Removing said discontinuity, Ganon is slayed in A Link to the Past and the witches Twinrova-Koume and Kotake-endeavor to revive him in the Oracle series. The better question is how are the hags resurrected? The two clearly perish in Ocarina of Time's Spirit Temple. Or why is Ganon alive once more in The Legend of Zelda?

 

[r2d93]

Duz not say wether or not he dies in the waves...
I'd like to say he survives to make room for a possible LA sequel?

 

[bspurka]

On the hero is defeated timeline all the links are the same. FACT. It says it in the HH.

 

[Sir Quaffler]

That is one of the greater questions of the game. There's no real way to know what his fate is. But, considering he was stranded at sea for days (assuming the dream island of Koholint follows the same progression of time) he would not have the strength to make it off of the ocean. Also, his craft is totally ruined, and being stranded in the middle of the ocean, i can see no way for Link to get out of there before dying. Unless the Wind Fish intervenes and carries him off, which is always a possibility.

As for the good ending, it's considered canon that Marin does in fact turn into a seagull and flies away, and that it was not in fact a fever dream by Link. It's really sad to see that no one else was spared the fate of disappearing along with the island, but then again there's a kind of bittersweet happiness in knowing that, though they may be gone, they still live on in Link's memories.

 

[Sheikrazy]

He's Dead, Jim ! - YouTube

 

[HyruleHistory10]

Page 103 | Hyrule Historia

If you go here Hyrule Historia just goes on to say that his whereabouts are unknown after the events of the game. There maybe a sequel to continue it but it is up to speculation now.

 

[Seth]

I always imagined he either returned to Hyrule, or more likely, that he continued on his journey to new lands unknown and we just haven't seen those adventures.

 

[bspurka]

Page 103 | Hyrule Historia

If you go here Hyrule Historia just goes on to say that his whereabouts are unknown after the events of the game. There maybe a sequel to continue it but it is up to speculation now.

I also found this in the HH, so his whereabouts are unknown however he made it make to Hyrule however, My proof is the canon art from nintendo first LoZ, his ears are pointed which means that he is 100% Hylian and the proof is here, and from the HH it says that OoA, OoS, and LA are all the same "Link" -- "A young traveller. He encounters Impa while visiting Hyrule Kingdom. It is thought that he may be the descendent of the Link that defeated Ganon and departed on a journey to gain knowledge during the era of Light and Shadow."