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Should Link Speak?

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Mar 17, 2020
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I do get frustrated with Link that he won’t open his mouth and stick up for himself…..but I don’t think he should have a voice, I know a bit contradictory but it would be good if he had some different choice of questions and answers some times. Why couldn’t he have the opportunity to ask a question sometimes?
 

Echolight

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Ok, I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and even debated with my sis. (She’s in the ‘Link shouldn’t speak’ group.)

I had put a small tidbit in the beginning of this thread, but never delved into it that much. Now that I’ve fleshed out my opinion more, I’d like to share it.

I think that Link shouldn’t speak.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not agree with people that say that because they think he should be a blank avatar for them to project their own personality onto. If they want to play a game like that, go play Pokémon. I want him to have his own personality.

BUT

him not speaking is part of his personality. Take Zelda’s diary in BotW for example:

1626476159305.jpeg

That right there is personality. From that paragraph you can tell that Link takes his role as a guard for Zelda very seriously. He may also have some insecurities. He might not want to look weak, or emotional, so he bottles up his deepest worries.

The problem is, that Nintendo doesn’t portray any of that in the cutscenes. For example, the memory #3, Resolve and Grief, shows Zelda walking, with Link trailing behind her. He walks and stares. Nothing else. So much wasted potential...

He could’ve been keeping an eye out for enemies. His eyes could’ve been flicking back forth, studying the scenery around him. With any slight rustle in the woods, he could’ve grasped his sword hilt and stared with narrowed eyes at the place where the sound came from. All of that matches up completely with the ‘strong and silent’ personality he has, and also gives him so much more character.

I’m saying that because some people say that him being completely silent is his whole personality.

That’s the same as saying someone talking a lot is their personality. It’s not. It’s part of it, but it’s not the whole thing. It’s what and why they’re talking that are the big reasons.

So why doesn’t Link talk? Is he shy, have social anxiety, introverted, or what? What are his hobbies? Does he like to do stuff that don’t involve other people? Maybe he’s a daydreamer, stuck in his mind.

Or Maybe he has a disability so he can’t talk, and absolutely hates it.

There are so many personalities that he could have, that keep him silent as well, but Nintendo is too lazy to give him one.

And I’m definitely not a little salty because Nintendo makes characters with barely any personality and everyone loves them while I’m over here creating characters for my novel with the best personalities I can come up with...
 
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The Dashing Darknut

DD, the dashing one
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Yes, but just text boxes. I’m sorry, but I’m just not a fan of voice acting in games (with some expectations). It would just feel weird to have voice acting coming from Link, and it would probably not sound good. Either way, not a fan of the character, it doesn’t matter much to me.
 
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It was the one Zelda convention that BotW actually should have broken, so yes.

Link was never mute, not since at least OoT, so why Nintendo kept up the mute meme in the first place is beyond me.

Meme? Are you joking or being uneducated? Link has never spoken ever. Apart from some garbage cartoons. We have plenty of speaking characters. Link is a mute and should stay that way. Thats who he is. He wouldn't be the same if he started talking.

And BOTWs voice acting was atrocious anyway. Nintendo shouldn't be doing voice acting for their games if they're that bad.
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2021
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It was the one Zelda convention that BotW actually should have broken, so yes.

Link was never mute, not since at least OoT, so why Nintendo kept up the mute meme in the first place is beyond me.

Meme? Are you joking or being uneducated? Link has never spoken ever. Apart from some garbage cartoons. We have plenty of speaking characters. Link is a mute and should stay that way. Thats who he is. He wouldn't be the same if he started talking.

And BOTWs voice acting was atrocious anyway. Nintendo shouldn't be doing voice acting for their games if they're that bad.
Yes, but just text boxes. I’m sorry, but I’m just not a fan of voice acting in games (with some expectations). It would just feel weird to have voice acting coming from Link, and it would probably not sound good. Either way, not a fan of the character, it doesn’t matter much to me.

Voice acting in story driven games are fine. I'm far more likely to watch a cutscene then read texts during a cutscene.

Voice acting in Nintendo games are throwaway. They only make sense in short sentences like in a mario game.
 
Joined
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tree
Meme? Are you joking or being uneducated?
Neither, I'm just able to pay attention to the dialogue and notice that there are multiple times when Link is literally asked a question and then proceeds to answer.

In OoT, Ruto gets obnoxious over the letter in the bottle, which would have to have been brought up by Link. Also, the entire first meeting with Zelda where he can say things like "I don't believe you."

In WW, Tetra acts surprised over Link wanting to sail with them, which I doubt she would have randomly surmised on her own. Also, the entire encounter with the thief girl gives an entire tree of optional lines with her.

In TP, there's a whole part of the game where Link is going around telling the people in Ordon where the children are. You can even go back to apologize to the fishing hole girl.
 

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