So...in my SS headcanon, Link and Zelda become the first king and queen of Hyrule. It makes sense, both of them certainly earned it. In most games, Zelda is already a royal, but what would you think of Link being one? A king or prince or whatever, this can go a lot of different ways, he can become one by marrying Zelda if that's what you'd like to see, or there can be something like in OoT where he is separated from his parents as a baby and raised elsewhere, finding out where he really comes from later. I'm pretty sure OoT Link is the son of a knight or something, but there's no evidence. I don't think he's Zelda's long lost brother, so if he is royal he would have nobles of the king's court as parents.
If Link was royalty, and I'm assuming the type born royalty, then he'd probably have to become a completely fleshed-out character of his own. I'm not really against this change, and if that's how Nintendo decides to swing, then whatever. But it would simply be too difficult for Link to be royalty and still be those shoes that the player can stick his/her feet in, since in all other games, he started out as just a regular kid with... nothing much to say. Now, if he became royalty at the end of the game, then I don't think that would change much.
The thing is, he/the player don't have to know it from the beginning. He can still start out from a tiny little village. Most games he's an orphan anyway, so it can be something like...the king and queen's first born was separated from them during an attack or something, a kind stranger found him and raised him as their own. Meanwhile the king and queen, still grieving but knowing they have to move on, have another child, a girl who they name Zelda. Imagine the scene that unfolds when they learn their first born is not only still alive, but the holder of the triforce of courage, destined hero of the land. That I'd like to see.
If, say, Link is hypothetically born into the Hyrulean royal family, doesn't that completely ruin the Zelink ship (unless you like incest)? Considering Zelda's a likely candidate for Link's romantic partner, I feel that Link would have to be anything but a royal. Link started from the bottom, now he's here, and I don't want that to change.
If, say, Link is hypothetically born into the Hyrulean royal family, doesn't that completely ruin the Zelink ship (unless you like incest)? Considering Zelda's a likely candidate for Link's romantic partner, I feel that Link would have to be anything but a royal. Link started from the bottom, now he's here, and I don't want that to change.
^This. Sounds like a good idea, but there is a huge problem with this. If Link was born along with Zelda in the same family, that means the whole 'love' relationship won't work anymore. It'll probably work better if Link was born in a kingdom that's not Hyrule along with having parents that aren't related with Zelda's parents. If they were siblings, then it'll be awkward and it'll be considered incest.
Yeeeeah that would ruin that ship, however I don't always support it. I especially wouldn't support it then. But there are sickos who would. I know that for a fact...
I like the idea of him being from a different royal family. Not as much as I like my idea of him being Zelda's long lost older brother, but hey, it wouldn't have the chance of giving incest supporters something to drool about.
I'm reminded of Star Wars lol... Luke had a little crush on Leia until he found out they were siblings. Same concept.
I prefer to think that Link is the result of an offshoot of the royal family so far removed from the main royal family that, while both are still descended from the original Link and Zelda, Link and the princess are so distantly related that they can have a romance. You'd be surprised how far a bloodline can spread. (I've researched genealogy). I feel it is thus perfectly fine for Link to be of Royal blood as far as romance is concerned.
Still, I like the idea of a common man working his way up the ranks and achieving greatness. I love underdog protagonists who gain greatness not through prophecy or royal position (though with the Zelda the former is sort of already established), but through their own work.
I would kind of like it if it turned out to be a kind of revenge story. Link is the prince and Zelda is the princess (I do ship Zelink but I would not mind at all if they were siblings. That's not to say I'd still ship them in that game, I'm just saying I would be okay with that kind of story.) and Ganon raids the castle. He keeps Zelda as a hostage and exiles Link. He rises up to take back his kingdom and rescue his sister. I'd like to see something along those lines.
First of all, I would only accept Link being a royal if he was a sibling or cousin to Zelda, ZeLink coming true would the last nail in the coffin for me. As Avatar Flygon said, the Link of the game having such a backstory would require a more fleshed out character telling, not that it's a bad thing, but Nintendo doesn't go for that very often. I'd rather he be like a 16th cousin to the Royal Family.
I prefer to think that Link is the result of an offshoot of the royal family so far removed from the main royal family that, while both are still descended from the original Link and Zelda, Link and the princess are so distantly related that they can have a romance. You'd be surprised how far a bloodline can spread. (I've researched genealogy). I feel it is thus perfectly fine for Link to be of Royal blood as far as romance is concerned.
Still, I like the idea of a common man working his way up the ranks and achieving greatness. I love underdog protagonists who gain greatness not through prophecy or royal position (though with the Zelda the former is sort of already established), but through their own work.
Unless it were a situation like the Fanfic The Legend of Zelda: The Return (Seriously, if you haven't read that fic and you're interested, please do. It's awesome.) where
Link turns out to be the son of a Gerudo woman and a Shiekan man, making him the next Gerudo King after Ganondorf, even though he evidently inherited most of his genes from his OC father. (That would actually be a friggin awesome plot element if it ever became canon, tbh.)
I'd actually be against it. I dunno. It just... doesn't really fit his humble and quiet personality. He's always struck me as more of a knightly character; someone who wants to protect but not necessarily lead.
I think the way the author of the fic previously mentioned did the whole 'Link as Royalty' dealio works only because he doesn't really have "royal blood" in him. He just happened to be born as the one Gerudo male, and since the Gerudo seem to pretty much do whatever they want, he's mostly a figurehead.
Plus... yeah, as others have said, the whole pairing situation would suddenly become... quite weird for A LOT of people myself included. And it would probably anger those people too Not really myself included, but I'd probably be a tad disappointed.. I mean, some people got upset that the two of them were basically strangers in TP, just imagine how upset they'd be finding out that their OTP are biological siblings. Nintendo isn't stupid; they know what would be a step wee-bit too far in terms of that sort of thing. And, I honestly can't imagine there are that many fans of incest who would be thrilled to have this plot point I mean, gross! ...not that I'm judging... but, as someone with a brother: SO MUCH EWWW!! Yeah, I know Link and Zel might be different people in almost every game, but each incarnation looks kinda similar and have the same names...
It's kinda like having a daughter and a son, and naming your daughter after yourself and your son after your husband... it's just too awkward for my liking.
Personally, I'd like to see a story that actually makes mention of Link's parents (Like seriously, they're almost always just inexplicably missing.) as perhaps a knight and his wife, who had once been close friends with the King and Queen--Link's father being high up in the ranks, like a general or something. Then, one day, tragedy strikes and the castle is attacked (maybe by some people after our favorite obligatory golden triangles?) And Link's father is expected to protect the royal family, however, he decides instead to protect his own infant son and wife. This decision ends up costing either the King or the Queen's life (perhaps because they tried to protect their baby princess from said assailants?), leaving the remaining monarch to hold a grudge against his or her once-general and his family. Several years later, a betrayal would develop with one of Zelda's parents, once they find out their daughter has teamed up to stop some baddies with the son of the man whom they blame for the death of their spouse, and yada, yada, yada. Ah... I spend far too much time thinking up hypothetical plots.
Wasn't it so that the idea behind Link is that he is just your average guy. Anyone can be him is what Nintendo is trying to tell you. What they mean is that everyone can be a hero. This makes even more sense if you think of the possibility to give Link your own name. You are the hero, you are having a crazy adventure. Making Link royalty would kinda ruin this idea. He wouldn't be your average guy any more and thus ruining the concept behind the game.
I'm against him being royal. But what I'm NOT against is him being a NOBLE, I'd like that. That'd make the entire story more realistic. Since nobles become knights, and knights get knighted by royalty, and could even marry royalty, Link could get training in swordmanship (instead of just picking up a sword and knowing how to use it), get knighted by Zelda (Zelink moment), bad guys come in, kill people, take Zelda, and Link goes on an adventure to get her back. It could work.
