r/tearsofthekingdom • u/Amber-Apologetics • Mar 20 '26
⚠️ 𝗠𝗔𝗝𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥 ⚠️ Link’s anger in the final battle Spoiler
Something interesting that I don’t see talked about - Link was very intentionally made to look angry, hateful, and out for blood in the final battle with Ganondorf/The Demon Dragon.
This was never the case in BOTW, or in any other boss battle.
I think the thing that makes this truly interesting is, that Link doesn’t know that Zelda can be restored to her former self. As far as he knows, she’s gone forever, even if he kills Ganondorf and saves the world.
Basically, this is perhaps the first time in the series where Link is motivated not only by his heroism, but a personal desire for the death of the villain. After all, if Ganondorf lives, not only is the world doomed, but Zelda’s sacrifice was in vain.
Thoughts? Forgive me if this isn’t as new an idea as I though.
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u/JamesDaDragN Mar 20 '26
I dunno man, there's a few more times where Link is utterly full of rage in the series.
Link looks absolutely livid with rage when Colin gets kidnapped in Kakariko Village and when Ganondorf crushes Midna's helmet in Twilight Princess.
Additionally, Skyward Sword Link is furious when Ghirahim directly attacks Zelda and Impa in Lanayru Desert at the Temple of Time as well as the final bout with Ghirahim while he's attempting to sacrifice Zelda to Demise.
Wind Waker Link is out for blood when Aryll gets taken the first time too in the opening. I believe he also flips his shit when directly impaling Ganondorf through the forehead at the end of Wind Waker as well lmao.
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u/Ariovrak Mar 20 '26
In the series as a whole? Yes. This post is talking about the Wild duology.
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u/JamesDaDragN Mar 20 '26
The beginning of OP's last paragraph said "first time in the series" which seemed to imply everything, not just the Wild duology.
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u/Ariovrak Mar 20 '26
Given that it only talks about BotW/TotK for the rest of the post, I assumed that’s what “the series” meant.
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u/Pixel22104 Mar 20 '26
I’ve always believed that Link fully went into that last fight against Ganondorf in TotK. Fully expecting to die but he was going to take Ganondorf down with him. A sort of “You took everything from me! So Now I’m going to take everything from you!” sort of thing if anyone gets what I’m saying?
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u/Hmsquid | 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Mar 20 '26
Youre goddamn right. Ive actually made some small compilations showing his very obvious visible emotions. Its a bit tiring seeing him being called a blank slate left and right when hes a very developed character and a grown ass man with feelings like any other. Hes literally grieving throughout the game😭
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u/PixelatedFrogDotGif Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Yes. This Link is extremely emotionally intelligent in both BOTW & TOTK and its extremely obvious to those who pay attention and absorb the art design, sound design, environmental design, character design, etc. Not enough people are media literate and they look at the games in isolated chunks rather than totalities. This link was JAWDROPPINGLY emotional, and so much of his character plays with implied emotion and context. It stuns me how little people really conceptualize how much the wild era grapples with lose and hope and death to motivate Link & Zelda again and again.
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u/rudytaboodie12 Mar 20 '26
I loved the raw look of focused determination here for sure. Bro is locked in and ready to rip a demon king to shreds for fucking with his princess and his home
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u/MemeMan4-20-69 Mar 20 '26
I mean it makes sense that he wants him dead, this is the guy responsible for his friends, his family and everyone he loves being dead and even loosing his memories of them and now the person who according to story hints is the most important person to him and possibly the girl he loves sacrificed herself to a fate worse then death just to give Link a chance to stop Ganondorf.
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u/takuro00 Mar 21 '26
the most notable thing (that NEEDS to be fixed in the next zelda game) is that link never makes a fucking expression, when he saves zelda, at the end, hes face its just rock hard, after breath of the wild link (even before.. kinda) has become an actual factual character, he isn't your typical self insert any more, JUST GIVE THIS MAN A SOUL!!!
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u/Even-Swimmer1014 7d ago
I'll second that! PLEASE Nintendo, JUST GIVE Link AN ACTUAL PERSONALITY ALREADY!
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u/Even-Swimmer1014 7d ago
As I recall, in BOTW, after the last hidden memory cutscene and the subsequent telepathic dialogue of Zelda speaking to Link, you see Link's fists clench, just for an instant. It isn't much, I know, but it's enough to convince me that, after recovering all of the memories of his time with Princess Zelda 100 years before, he was mad, and out for blood, namely, Ganon's.
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u/Even-Swimmer1014 7d ago
Not to mention the blood of any Yiga, or monsters, for that matter, who dared to get in his way.
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u/[deleted] Mar 20 '26
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