So... After You Vanquish the Big Bad Evil, You Dump Your Gf for Your Horse?

[Sandwrong]

So, this kinda bothers me, I just beat TP (again) about 20 minutes ago, sat through the credits, again. And watched as Link rides off on Epona, leaving Ilia behind on the path, looking pretty sad.

Watching this, reminded me of the end of OoT, where, again, child link goes on a journey, with pony Epona.

Why? Why Leave?

I realize that, hey, you lead a simple life until ohhh, a month ago, and now you just saved the world and all that fun stuff, but, you've saved Hyrule and Epona doesn't want to go exploring.

 

[Ventus]

What do you mean, why leave? Was it not clear enough that the life of a rancher was boring? That being with the same girl who did nothing but ***** at you day in and day out was pointless? That the horse was freaking awesome? Many questions like that will arise. If I were Link, I would ditch Ilia for Zelda at any day. I would go so far as to say ditch Ilia for the view of Hyrule Field, because as far as I know, Ilia does next to NOTHING for Link. Sure enough, they may've been friends as children, but as young adults Ilia is a huge hindrance.

(That's all a joke, ha ha)

 

[CelticMagician]

I've always believed that Link and Epona share a very strong and unspoken bond.

Likewise, though I haven't yet played through all of TP myself, from what I've seen of the game Ilia ends up treating treating Link terribly all the time. I mean, she even steals Epona near the beginning of the game if memory serves me correctly. Just...I don't know. I've never really liked her from what I've seen of the gameplay. :/

That, coupled with the intense adventure Link had to endure, it really doesn't surprise me that he would move on to bigger and better things with his ever-faithful mare. She is one of his closest companions after all. He may also feel very out of place on the ranch after that.

 

[Ganondork]

Well, Ilia never ended up being his girlfriend, let's get that out of the way first. They were childhood friends, and although there was some lingering feelings there, I think Link developed feelings for Midna throughout the journey. Ilia was a very forceful girl, and she constantly yelled at Link. She took his horse because he pushed Epona too hard, but she didn't realize he did it because Malo and Talon chased after the monkeys. She apologized once Colin told her about it, but it's hard to forget how she yelled at Link and her father - the chief of Ordon. Her amnesia ended up being what ended any feelings between the two. Due to the time in between, Link's feelings for Midna seemed to develop and ended up leaving Ilia in the dust.

As for Epona, it's complicated. He took Epona because she was his companion, his partner. The two herded goats together for God knows how long. They went through most of their adventure in Twilight Princess together. Together they defeated King Bulblin, traveled the vast overworld, and even defeated Ganondorf in a phase together. This was a bond the two had that exceeded anybody, even Midna and Link's, Unlike most relationships nowadays, Link and Epona were one.

It isn't so much that Link dumped Ilia, it was that if there was any feelings between the two, Link probably didn't feel them anymore. He and Epona formed a bond that was tough to ever break. To Link, Epona is more than a horse, she's a friend.

 

[Heriod77777]

Yah, at first I thought Lila would become Zelda at some piont, but then i'm at the very end....."THAT DOESEN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!!!!" Many of us Zelda fans like Link and Zelda together, but for some reason, Link likes Lila in it, and she shoved poor zelda to some strange placement in the corner.

 

[Toon Ganon]

Didn't Link ride BACK to Ordon Village at the end of the credits?

 

[PiBox]

I think Ilia gets a lot of undeserved hate for that "stealing" Epona bit. She took Epona to take care of her, Epona got hurt while rescuing kids and Link didn't care for her himself. Yes, she did get mad and refused to listen how Epona got hurt, but after Colin explained it she apologized for it. The important part in this is that she admitted she was wrong.

But as for Link leaving - I think that after all those adventures, seeing the world beyond Ordon made him want to see more. Ordon could easily feel too small for him now. When the game started there could have been some mutual emotions between Link and Ilia, but a lot happened to both of them. Link goes traveling with Midna, saves the world and Ilia loses her memory, helps to save Ralis. All these events could easily have changed both of them. If there were any kind of feelings they just vanished, because they both saw bits of life outside of Ordon, IMO.

 

[NaviSword]

Ummm I thought Link was riding BACK to Ordon Village, rather than leaving it. In order for him to leave Ordon, he would have to of went to Ordon immediately after Midna broke the Mirror & get out of gerudo desert somehow, since you can't leave without Midna's help in the game, go all the way back to Ordon by foot/horse considering you no longer have Midna to warp from place to place, somehow go back to the Lost Woods to place the Master Sword down, & meet the kids & Ilia at Ordon Village, only to leave for some unknown reason. That just doesnt seem right to me. So I dont think he left Ilia, but when the credits rolled, Ilia was waiting for Link to return.
Lastly, I don't think they should of used Epona's song for Ilia. I think she deserved some kind of theme, but NOT Epona's song. I'm not sure who Link would choose if he had to, but I think he would choose Epona, simply because Epona has been with you through some of the Zelda games, while love interest change throughout the games.
However, being the SLIGHTLY stereotypical female Zelda fan/gamer that I am, I would like Link to be with someone, wether it be a child friend or a creepy fangirl that squeals everytime you touch a star in a certain TP minigame...so I would like him to pick Ilia over Epona.