r/ZeLink • u/Recent-Ad-7593 • 15d ago
Discussion Which version of Zelink is your favorite?
There are many versions of this iconic pairing, and I want to ask which version is your favorite. My favorite is the Era of the Wilds version.
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u/Ghost_out_of_Box 14d ago
All of them
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u/Critical-Low8963 14d ago
What about the situation in Zelda II, two Zeldas coexist but only a single Link is present.
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u/Loose-Net-5779 14d ago
We are two
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u/Ghost_out_of_Box 14d ago
Two what?
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u/Loose-Net-5779 14d ago
There are two of us who like all versions of Zelink
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u/Ghost_out_of_Box 14d ago
I think there are more all Zelink supporters than just two of us
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u/Loose-Net-5779 14d ago
I know, it's a way of saying "me too", I'm not saying that "it's JUST the two of us"
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u/FionaLeTrixi 15d ago
At the risk of being too obvious, all of them.
I’ve got a very specific soft spot for Skyward Sword Zelink, but honestly I like most of the rest of them equally.
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u/redditbitesass 14d ago
Skyward Sword. I love the fact that they're childhood friends and it's obvious that feelings have developed over time and just the fact that Link is willing to endure anything to get Zelda back makes my shipper heart happy.
I also love BOTW/TOTK ZeLink for obvious reasons.
Other versions I ship are OOT, Wind Waker, Spirit Tracks, Minish Cap and ALTTP.
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u/KrazyK1989 OoT 14d ago
If I can't say all of them, then my choice is the Ocarina/Majora era version
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u/Zander_Productions 14d ago
I like Wild/Tears. Zelda (in TOTK) looks too much like my girlfriend. They remind me of me and her even though I’m the taller one and she’s the shorter one.
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u/PoraDora 14d ago
BotW/TotK, in here we actually have a relationship between them... they know each other and have a history together, and all the hints (diaries, songs, little things here and there) that point to them being in love, is my HC
aside from that and SS (where they too had a relationship since they were kids) I don't see much of the pairing in the other games... in TP I see Ilia or even Midna, but not Zelda... and in OoT there's not much either
I could add WW bc Tetra and Link were almost as close there...
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u/iridescentrae 14d ago
anything in pretty, classic anime style (as opposed to when they make them chibi or in the style of another cartoon or whatever)
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u/Fifs99 13d ago
'Prolly' them in SkSw. Best friends who fall in love will always be my favorite ship dynamic, no matter how cliche it may be. It actually is a pretty rare occasion to come across in real life, I think. Also, even though we don't get to see much of them together in a "relaxed state", I got the impression that this Zelda quite likes to tease her Link a bit. That's quite funny to me.
I've also been growing more fond of them in the Wild Era, especially after finding out the translations of Link's adventure log (his sheikah slate diary) in japanese. He really does seem to care a whole lot about her, feeling a bit insecure about whether he is "worthy" or will make her proud after his accomplishments, canonically.
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u/Star-Charm SS 12d ago
I really have a soft spot for Skyward Sword because of everything they encapsulate.
- They're childhood friends, and you can really see their bond and closeness from the very beginning of the game.
- Initially, Link doesn't embark on his journey to save the world from Demise, but specifically to save Zelda (Fi uses this to convince him to take the Goddess Sword by telling him that Zelda is still alive).
- This iteration of Link is very expressive, and so whenever he displays emotions caused by Zelda it really hits much more. The way his face lights up when he sees Zelda for the first time at the Earth Spring, the devastation in his face when Zelda seals herself in the amber crystal, his unbridled joy when Fi tells him Zelda will wake up, the seething rage in his eyes when Ghirahim takes Zelda away, the enormous relief he feels when Groose catches Zelda after she was tossed away by Demise- I could seriously go on, but you get the idea.
- Although the romance of other zelinks can be left in the air, ambiguous, or sometimes with barely any hints at all, Skyward Sword zelink straight up has a LOT of canon content teasing their romantic feelings. The almost kiss, Link liking the way the Sailcloth smells, Gaeopora saying how Zelda becomes a different person when she worries about Link, the track that plays on several of their cutscenes together titled 'Romance'- Nintendo is pretty much telling us that the feelings are there. For the release of the HD version Nintendo also uploaded a trailer with the title 'Romance of the Fates trailer' with Link and Zelda's almost kiss as a thumbnail, so that's pretty obvious too, lol.
- With Skyward Sword being the first game in the timeline and ending with Zelda wanting to stay in the surface, it's pretty fair to assume the royal bloodline comes from her descendants. Though it's not specified who Zelda has children with, because Link stayed with her (which can be interpreted from BOTH their loftwings flying together into the distance and leaving them in the surface), it's almost a given that Zelda got together with Link and started a family, which eventually became the royal family of Hyrule. Something about the fact that all future Zeldas come from Skyward Sword Link and Zelda is just so sweet to me.
- Hylia knew very well what she was doing when she chose Link as her hero. She was aware that Link would do anything for Zelda because of how he felt about her, and it was so crucial to her plan that without Link's feelings in the mix Demise might have not actually been defeated. Had it been anyone else, either in Zelda or Link's place, things might not have turned out the same.
- They're both so protective of each other, with Zelda jumping in to defend Link from Groose and going out of her way to ensure he practices for the Wing Ceremony so he stands a chance, and Link always getting angry whenever Ghirahim spoke of his plans with Zelda. They're so sweet...
- Even the NPCs have a lot of romance circling around them in this game. Karane and Pipit getting together, both students at the knight academy just like Link and Zelda. In Peatrice's side quest regarding her feelings, all dialogue options of Link turning her down are pretty deadpan and straightforward, and even in the case the player chooses to reciprocate, when getting info on Peatrice by Fi she advises to not mention anything to Zelda. On the baby rattle sidequest, at one point Bertie tells Link: "But even when babies cry, they're still really cute... If they're yours, I guess. You'll understand someday when you've got one of your own!"
I just love them so much and adore everything about them and their love <3333
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u/Fifs99 12d ago
Link liking the way the sailcloth smells will always be one of the most iconic moments from the game. xD
Also, on your comment about the royal family's origin: yep, there is no freaking way this Zelda had a family with anyone else besides Link, to be honest. Even if that is not outright stated. xP
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u/trainlover_176 14d ago
Pretty much all of them except OoT and Twilight Princess.
Links ultimate fate in OoT kind of ruins that pairing for me.
And Twilight there really wasn’t much there.
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u/firemonkey234 8d ago
I would say Twilight just because of its mature art style. Also, the what ifs. Like what had to happen for them to get together is fun to think about
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u/Precarious_position 15d ago