First off.. that is a really interesting topic and a well done video! It was a great watch and made me think a lot. However.. I don't agree with your conclusion or some of the aspects you brought up during your video essay. One sentence that stuck out to me was: "The Zelda team have always delivered more impactful and emotional moments, by not having Link speak." Does this really hold true? Do we even have a comparison to base this on? Link has never spoken and thus we don't have any reference on what would have been or added to any situation if Link would actually talk. I'm a giant Zelda fan and have played all mainline games and yet.. when I think back to these games.. Link has usually been kind of a side-character in his own games. Would the games still be Zelda without Link being there? Of course not. He is the main protagonist after all and we see the world through his eyes. But often that's all there is. We see him pull off all these incredible acts, saving princesses, slaying monsters and saving whole worlds.. but he often never even seems to acknowledge or care about these feats. He doesn't shed tears, never doubts himself during his journey, never get's excited after winning or saving someone.. at the ending of TotK he just stares at her.. stares and nothing else.. and that's all he'll be able to do if the shackles of being mute won't get lifted by Nintendo. I really hope that in the future we will get a Link that will spring into action with his deeds and his words. It will allow Zelda to reach the next stage. They will be able to craft a story that will be as in depth and heart wrenching like we've never seen before in a Zelda game, think about the Xenoblade franchise for example. A story like that could have never happened if Link was there instead of Shulk. With Link being able to talk the story can finally take place in the here and now and won't have to play a hundred or thousand years in the past, cause our protagonist won't be able to do anything in the cutscenes except for standing around. All we got in the last two games is things that Zelda did. She was the driving actor in the story. Tell me any great game or media franchise that get's praised for it's captivating story in which the main protagonist doesn't share their thoughts? It is simply to much of a burden to overcome for story tellers if the person whose story is being told can't share his thoughts. My take is that if Link get's to talk, a whole new world of Hyrule will open up.
I’ve pinned this comment because I think it presents a really good alternative view and there are elements that I absolutely see where you’re coming, and I think it provides a really good and thought provoking view, so thanks for sharing. With a lot of these things, I think it’s always personal preference, and I totally see where you’re coming from with the ending of ToTK. My stance is more that it’s left to me to have those feelings, but I guess it can be taken the way you have. The Zelda movie will bring up interesting debates when it comes out, and with Link likely to have to speak in it, I just wonder if that will change the direction of the future titles?
@@thezeldarealm I can totally see where you are coming from. After all we are playing as the protagonist and Link oftentimes felt like an empty husk that we had to fill in. I can remember so many of my journeys through Hyrule, Termina and Holodrum but usually I remember everything but Link, cause we are Link. Which isn't necessarily bad.. It certainly will bring a whole new spin to the games if they let Link talk. And I trust the hard working minds at Nintendo that they will figure it out in a way that we will love.
Eh, I'll argue back a few points. There are some Zelda games that convey Link's personality better than others. Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Hyrule Warriors all manage to convey very clear characters despite his lack of speech. In Wind Waker, every scene clearly illustrates his emotions without a word. From the get go, he wakes up to his sister Aryll reminding him that it's his birthday. What's his response? Surprise. This lazy bozo is so carefree that he can't even keep track of his own birthday, which most people his age are THRILLED about. When he sees his grandma later in the day, the bored and dreading expression and body language when she presents him with the hero's tunic is super clear that he'd really rather be chilling in his pajamas because he doesn't see a point in the following the tradition. After saving Tetra, and Aryll gets kidnapped, the shock, rage, and devastating disappointment in himself is plainly evident, as is his determination to get her back. However, this determination isn't single-minded. He still is really sad to leave his grandma behind, and even as he's sailing off, he's holding back tears as he waves goodbye to everyone he knew. This is all just in the opening hour of the game, and there's lots more where that came from. He's perhaps the most emotionally driven Link. In Skyward Sword, we have another lazy hero, but the laziness comes from a completely different place. It's from confidence, nonchalance, as opposed to the lethargy and boredom of Wind Waker's Link. Skyward Sword Link is talented, and he knows it. This comes up to be something of a flaw for him, best illustrated when impa tells him off for being incompetent. Link struggles with the concept of consequences. He bumbles around, thinking that everything will fall into place until one day, everything starts going wrong, and he realizes he isn't quite prepared to deal with it. Despite that though, he soldiers on, because regardless of if he is good enough or not, he's not going to sit around moping about his incompetence. Rather, he's going to redouble his efforts and live up to the potential he knows he has. Also, Link is awkward, inept when it comes to interacting with people. He gets pushed around by Groose, flustered by Zelda, struggles to get people to take him seriously (like when he fails to convince Zelda that he can't sense his loftwing). His unease is palpable, but you can also see throughout the game how he grows to be more sure of himself in a tempered way. Also, the RAGE when Ghirahim shows up and manages to nab Zelda after she awakes from her self-induced coma? Nothing was going to stop him then. It was personal. Twilight Princess conversely features a much more responsible Link. He works as a ranch hand, styles himself as a role model for the Ordon kids, and is generally a much more thoughtful rendition of the character, as seen by the opening cutscene with Russel. He's also a lot more wary. When he first encounters Midna, it's very clear that he DOES NOT trust her. You can see not just on her end, but his as well how their relationship grows. Link at first only agrees to help her because he wants to save the Ordon people, but eventually grows to care for her and decides to help her of his own volition, not because he gets anything from it, but because he wants to, because helping her defeat Zant is the right thing to do. Hyrule Warriors is an interesting one. Sure, it's a spinoff, but this is the clearest time that we see Link's flaws. Despite the fact that he's perhaps one of the strongest iterations of Link, he is shown to be very much _not_ invincible. He starts out as a serious and guarded knight, but that changes once he gets the master sword. Without it, he was already plenty strong. With it? He's unstoppable. Or so he gets conditioned into thinking. The battles start to feel easy, he starts showing off, he's still focused on winning, but he wants to make it look cool now. He gets cocky, reckless, and Cia takes advantage of that. Only once things get so grim that he can't handle it by himself anymore, does he remember that while he may be the chosen _one_, he's not on this journey alone, and he has people by his side that he's fighting for, and are fighting for him. Not all games feature personality this involved, but they show that it's very possible for Link to be a nuanced character without speech. Echoes of Wisdom does something very interesting with Link's muteness, in that, well, he's ACTUALLY mute as a result of his trauma. Despite that though, when talking with the people from Suthern village, they make it clear that despite the communication barrier, it was never hard to tell what Link was thinking. In Echoes of Wisdom, it's a disability, and though we don't get to see much of how he deals with it on account of him not being the main character, it again shows the capacity for Nintendo to make Link's silence meaningful. Even Breath of the Wild, which admittedly doesn't do a good job of actually showing off Link's personality, showed the necessary sensitivity to explain WHY he was quiet. It was due to the pressure of his duty. The expectations placed on him were so great that he was afraid of failing to meet them, and so he keeps quiet. In the eventual Zelda movie, I really hope Link doesn't talk, because at this point, it IS a part of his character, and Nintendo has proven in bits and pieces that it's possible to have a fully realized character, who does not utter a word. So I hope that they take all of the excellent moments of execution from their previous work and combines them to finally reach a new, greater plateau for the character.
@@robertwindshade7629 you really believe Link won't talk in the upcoming movie? lol No one said that Link doesn't have emotions and motives.. it's just that they're very barebones and up for interpretation. And that's what you did. All the things you listed up could have been made even more clear if Link would speak up instead of just making a face. Why do you not want Link to speak? What do you lose by him having a voice? Of course it can "ruin" your interpretation of Link but since in the most games Link is just an alternative/reincarnated version of himself it won't ruin all Links but just this one version haha I want to ask you the same question.. Can you tell me any great game or media franchise that get's praised for it's captivating story in which the main protagonist doesn't share their thoughts? And no.. making a face and running after the bad guys that kidnapped your sister doesn't count as sharing your thoughts. Zelda always get's praised for the gameplay, the puzzles, the level-design, the atmosphere and so much more.. but oftentimes the negative aspects that get pointed out is the lacking story. Take Xenoblade as a comparison.. I really don't remember all the bossfights in contrary to the Zelda franchise.. puzzles are almost nonexistent and the fight-system is up for debate. But everyone is praising Xenoblade for it's story. You know what I hear from people talking about Zeldas storys? "Yea.. so you have to save the princess and beat Ganon, right?" I just wish we would get more in the story department and to open that door Link will have to open his mouth lol
@@basti__ I _hope_ he doesn't talk in the upcoming movie, yes, because as I outlined, the character has demonstrated that it is possible to _have_ a distinct character and personality without speech. Also, in regards to you saying that no one was talking about Link not having emotions, you did say: "We see him pull off all these incredible acts, saving princesses, slaying monsters and saving whole worlds.. but he often never even seems to acknowledge or care about these feats. He doesn't shed tears, never doubts himself during his journey, never get's excited after winning or saving someone.. at the ending of TotK he just stares at her.. stares and nothing else.. and that's all he'll be able to do if the shackles of being mute won't get lifted by Nintendo." As far as I can tell, that's accusing him of not having emotions. If you want an example of media with a protagonist who (functionally) doesn't speak, how about WALL-E? WALL-E doesn't really speak, and yet it's always very clear what the little fellah's thinking. Like I explained, the writers have demonstrated that they CAN write Link's silence with nuance. The lack of words is not necessarily a lack of communication, it simply changes how the communication happens. Zelda stories being criticized is more of a modern thing. Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, all have phenomenal stories. Even Ocarina of Time, which on the surface has a very simple story, uses subtext in an extremely moving way. Yes, people don't talk about the stories of Zelda games the same way they talk about the stories of Xenoblade because the difference is that Xenoblade is primarily a story-based and character driven game. I'm not saying Link is as deep a protagonist as Shulk: he's not. However, making Link speak won't make him as deep a protagonist as Shulk either. Lots of characters speak, that doesn't mean they're necessarily interesting characters. This doesn't mean I'm advocating that people should start introducing silent protagonists all over the place either. A game series like NieR would be worse off if its protagonists didn't speak. The difference is that Link is an established character that doesn't speak. The original reason was a gameplay reason, to let the player self-insert, but over time, the writers started working within the limitation of Link being unable to speak, and limitations famously breed creativity. Limitations were the catalyst behind Zelda's amazing soundtrack, courtesy of Koji Kondo, and also Majora's mask, which was developed in two years, and has stood strong against the test of time. Likewise, the limitation of lacking speech lead to an interesting character, and by taking scraps from their work on other games, a patchwork quilt can be stitched together to make a Link who IS a fully-fledged character that doesn't talk. Also, it's just nice to have representation of mute people in media. It brings a very different perspective, and allows for telling stories in a different, unique way. Sure, they could make a new Link that does talk, but they'd be throwing away what is at this point an extremely iconic trait about him, and we'd be rubbing up against the ship of theseus. How many things can you change about something before it's something else? I'm sure a talking Link could be done well, and I'm sure I would enjoy it plenty, but I find myself far more intrigued by the prospect of a silent protagonist who isn't a self-insert. Whether that silence is self-inflicted, ala Breath of the Wild, or the result of trauma, ala Echoes of Wisdom, it's such a unique idea with so much potential that it would feel like a waste to abandon it. Actions speak louder than words, and though you don't think that "making a face and running after the bad guys that kidnapped your sister doesn't count," it very much does. Not everyone would do that. Not everybody's that brave, or reckless, or stupid, or confident enough to do that. There _can_ be room for interpretation in the silence, but that isn't a bad thing. Xenoblade leaves SO much up to subtext. However, especially in regards to Wind Waker, I wouldn't describe my descriptions as interpretations, but rather, well, _as descriptions._ Facial expressions and body language is a huge part of how humans communicate. It can often fly under the radar, since unless people actively go out of their way to think about it, they intuitively deduce what is being conveyed. In movies, a lot of attention gets put on how to frame shots to convey characters' thoughts and feelings by SHOWING you rather than TELLING you. Though there are definitely some bones to pick with the maxim, "show don't tell" is such a prevalent piece of writing advice for a reason, and that is that stories are more compelling when you're allowed to put the piece together yourself. Also-also-also... Come onnnnnn, Xenoblade has AWESOME boss fights!!!! Metal Face, Xord, the Telethia, Egil, etc. etc. are all super memorable BECAUSE of the stories attached to them. Xenoblade 2, that first time you fight Brigid on her own? Then with Morag later? Then the recurring battles with Zeke? And Vandham!!! YOU FIGHT PARTY MEMBERS BEFORE YOU GET THEM, AND THEY ALL COME WITH HUGE STORY RELEVANCE. Xenoblade 3 might have the weakest bosses since most of the consuls are just kinda whatever, and there are lots of random monsters that are just kinda there. However, who doesn't remember getting stomped by Territorial Rotbart? I would argue Zelda bosses tend to be way less significant since they tend to just be a random monster at the end of a dungeon. Some are more stand-out than others, but rarely are they notable for anything (Molgera's theme slaps though, so does Colgera's). Anyway. I absolutely echo your sentiment of wanting more in the story department, since Zelda stories have shown the capacity to be deeply moving and thought provoking, I do, however, don't want the idea of a silent protagonist to be abandoned. Rather, I want it to be leaned in to. Give every Link their own reason to be quiet. Maybe some of them _do_ talk, but they're just really shy and nervous about opening up to others, or maybe they've taken a Teller from Penn and Teller approach to life, in which he has determined that the way to maximize his comedic prowess is to use silence. There are so many ways to make it work, to build different characters out of the idea, and make compelling stories with a silent lead.
I loved this analysis of the game. I've always thought it was interesting how Link never spoke, although I usually tried to focus on in-game lore explanations lol. I think I agree with you that it impacts the players' ability to connect with link and project themselves onto him. The reactions he shows in cutscenes can be interpreted so many different ways, dependent on how the player reacts on their own . I'd like to see more videos like this!
Thank you for this! It wasn’t until I started writing out this video that I really took the time to consider Link’s silence and the implications of that! Even though I’ve always felt that projection of my own thoughts and feelings onto him! I’m glad you were able to resonate with this video 😁
Link does have internal narration in A Link to the Past all the text to the player in japanese is presented as Link's internal monologue and all the answers are explicitly presented as Link-- it's not much, but it's sublte enough that you do get some personality from him, especially in a couple cases with what kind of choices you do get Similarly in Ocarina of Time, you often see *fully green text.* With the exception of the names of green items, that is heavily implied to be Link talking. (Since it's nearly always answers to questions) As an often nonspeaking person, there's way more someone can communicate than with words-- how they dress, how they relate, how they act. And these things are very strongly done with Link. Again in a Link to the Past, the Triforce transforms people into who they are like, and get explicitly outright told what kind of person he is by he becoming a pink bunny. The absolute proof that Link is his own character is that, he's silent, but nobody would ever think of him as "brooding" or anything like that. They are heroic when it matters, but you get shown all the time how they're kind of dorks or goofy or complete gremlins. Seriously look at Wind Waker's Link right in the eyes and tell me he's a brooding sort or an empty vessel or a generic guy. In general, you have to look for his character a bit more than someone outright talking, but either if it's right there very visibly or in the subtle details, it's undeniably there. Even in Ocarina, the literal first thing we see is a Link shivering in terror.
@@thezeldarealm i am! the way Link doesn't talk outright enhances the narrative in most games with the subtleties. especially with how often the narrative focuses on Link as a helper to others, you get their stories, and that reflects on the question "and how is our hero like?" which every game absolutely takes the time to answer differently a lot of pathos of Ocarina and Majora is solitude and the distance this Link has from everyone, a lot of the comedy of Wind Waker is that Link being a goofball that contrasts with everyone he meets this wouldn't work quite as well if he spoke, because the focus is again on it being these other characters' stories, but with the parts the player does see and know it tells a lot about those with what he doesn't say
I just want to say, Link DOES speak in Botw and Totk. You can see this in his responses to NPC's. It doesn't show a LOT of character, but you can see it. You can also read a little bit more into his character in the JP version of Botw, where the quest log is written from link's perspective.
Maybe it’s something I didn’t quite articulate in my video, but I think it’s clear that Link does speak in the games to other characters, we see this especially in Skyward Sword where you have dialogue options etc. My focus is more on the fact that to the player, Link has always been silent!
First off.. that is a really interesting topic and a well done video! It was a great watch and made me think a lot.
However.. I don't agree with your conclusion or some of the aspects you brought up during your video essay.
One sentence that stuck out to me was: "The Zelda team have always delivered more impactful and emotional moments, by not having Link speak." Does this really hold true? Do we even have a comparison to base this on? Link has never spoken and thus we don't have any reference on what would have been or added to any situation if Link would actually talk.
I'm a giant Zelda fan and have played all mainline games and yet.. when I think back to these games.. Link has usually been kind of a side-character in his own games. Would the games still be Zelda without Link being there? Of course not. He is the main protagonist after all and we see the world through his eyes. But often that's all there is.
We see him pull off all these incredible acts, saving princesses, slaying monsters and saving whole worlds.. but he often never even seems to acknowledge or care about these feats. He doesn't shed tears, never doubts himself during his journey, never get's excited after winning or saving someone.. at the ending of TotK he just stares at her.. stares and nothing else.. and that's all he'll be able to do if the shackles of being mute won't get lifted by Nintendo.
I really hope that in the future we will get a Link that will spring into action with his deeds and his words. It will allow Zelda to reach the next stage. They will be able to craft a story that will be as in depth and heart wrenching like we've never seen before in a Zelda game, think about the Xenoblade franchise for example. A story like that could have never happened if Link was there instead of Shulk.
With Link being able to talk the story can finally take place in the here and now and won't have to play a hundred or thousand years in the past, cause our protagonist won't be able to do anything in the cutscenes except for standing around. All we got in the last two games is things that Zelda did. She was the driving actor in the story.
Tell me any great game or media franchise that get's praised for it's captivating story in which the main protagonist doesn't share their thoughts? It is simply to much of a burden to overcome for story tellers if the person whose story is being told can't share his thoughts.
My take is that if Link get's to talk, a whole new world of Hyrule will open up.
I’ve pinned this comment because I think it presents a really good alternative view and there are elements that I absolutely see where you’re coming, and I think it provides a really good and thought provoking view, so thanks for sharing.
With a lot of these things, I think it’s always personal preference, and I totally see where you’re coming from with the ending of ToTK. My stance is more that it’s left to me to have those feelings, but I guess it can be taken the way you have.
The Zelda movie will bring up interesting debates when it comes out, and with Link likely to have to speak in it, I just wonder if that will change the direction of the future titles?
@@thezeldarealm I can totally see where you are coming from. After all we are playing as the protagonist and Link oftentimes felt like an empty husk that we had to fill in.
I can remember so many of my journeys through Hyrule, Termina and Holodrum but usually I remember everything but Link, cause we are Link. Which isn't necessarily bad..
It certainly will bring a whole new spin to the games if they let Link talk. And I trust the hard working minds at Nintendo that they will figure it out in a way that we will love.
Eh, I'll argue back a few points.
There are some Zelda games that convey Link's personality better than others. Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Hyrule Warriors all manage to convey very clear characters despite his lack of speech.
In Wind Waker, every scene clearly illustrates his emotions without a word. From the get go,
he wakes up to his sister Aryll reminding him that it's his birthday. What's his response? Surprise. This lazy bozo is so carefree that he can't even keep track of his own birthday, which most people his age are THRILLED about. When he sees his grandma later in the day, the bored and dreading expression and body language when she presents him with the hero's tunic is super clear that he'd really rather be chilling in his pajamas because he doesn't see a point in the following the tradition. After saving Tetra, and Aryll gets kidnapped, the shock, rage, and devastating disappointment in himself is plainly evident, as is his determination to get her back. However, this determination isn't single-minded. He still is really sad to leave his grandma behind, and even as he's sailing off, he's holding back tears as he waves goodbye to everyone he knew.
This is all just in the opening hour of the game, and there's lots more where that came from. He's perhaps the most emotionally driven Link.
In Skyward Sword, we have another lazy hero, but the laziness comes from a completely different place. It's from confidence, nonchalance, as opposed to the lethargy and boredom of Wind Waker's Link. Skyward Sword Link is talented, and he knows it. This comes up to be something of a flaw for him, best illustrated when impa tells him off for being incompetent. Link struggles with the concept of consequences. He bumbles around, thinking that everything will fall into place until one day, everything starts going wrong, and he realizes he isn't quite prepared to deal with it. Despite that though, he soldiers on, because regardless of if he is good enough or not, he's not going to sit around moping about his incompetence. Rather, he's going to redouble his efforts and live up to the potential he knows he has.
Also, Link is awkward, inept when it comes to interacting with people. He gets pushed around by Groose, flustered by Zelda, struggles to get people to take him seriously (like when he fails to convince Zelda that he can't sense his loftwing). His unease is palpable, but you can also see throughout the game how he grows to be more sure of himself in a tempered way.
Also, the RAGE when Ghirahim shows up and manages to nab Zelda after she awakes from her self-induced coma? Nothing was going to stop him then. It was personal.
Twilight Princess conversely features a much more responsible Link. He works as a ranch hand, styles himself as a role model for the Ordon kids, and is generally a much more thoughtful rendition of the character, as seen by the opening cutscene with Russel.
He's also a lot more wary. When he first encounters Midna, it's very clear that he DOES NOT trust her. You can see not just on her end, but his as well how their relationship grows. Link at first only agrees to help her because he wants to save the Ordon people, but eventually grows to care for her and decides to help her of his own volition, not because he gets anything from it, but because he wants to, because helping her defeat Zant is the right thing to do.
Hyrule Warriors is an interesting one. Sure, it's a spinoff, but this is the clearest time that we see Link's flaws. Despite the fact that he's perhaps one of the strongest iterations of Link, he is shown to be very much _not_ invincible. He starts out as a serious and guarded knight, but that changes once he gets the master sword. Without it, he was already plenty strong. With it? He's unstoppable. Or so he gets conditioned into thinking. The battles start to feel easy, he starts showing off, he's still focused on winning, but he wants to make it look cool now. He gets cocky, reckless, and Cia takes advantage of that. Only once things get so grim that he can't handle it by himself anymore, does he remember that while he may be the chosen _one_, he's not on this journey alone, and he has people by his side that he's fighting for, and are fighting for him.
Not all games feature personality this involved, but they show that it's very possible for Link to be a nuanced character without speech. Echoes of Wisdom does something very interesting with Link's muteness, in that, well, he's ACTUALLY mute as a result of his trauma. Despite that though, when talking with the people from Suthern village, they make it clear that despite the communication barrier, it was never hard to tell what Link was thinking. In Echoes of Wisdom, it's a disability, and though we don't get to see much of how he deals with it on account of him not being the main character, it again shows the capacity for Nintendo to make Link's silence meaningful.
Even Breath of the Wild, which admittedly doesn't do a good job of actually showing off Link's personality, showed the necessary sensitivity to explain WHY he was quiet. It was due to the pressure of his duty. The expectations placed on him were so great that he was afraid of failing to meet them, and so he keeps quiet.
In the eventual Zelda movie, I really hope Link doesn't talk, because at this point, it IS a part of his character, and Nintendo has proven in bits and pieces that it's possible to have a fully realized character, who does not utter a word. So I hope that they take all of the excellent moments of execution from their previous work and combines them to finally reach a new, greater plateau for the character.
@@robertwindshade7629 you really believe Link won't talk in the upcoming movie? lol
No one said that Link doesn't have emotions and motives.. it's just that they're very barebones and up for interpretation. And that's what you did. All the things you listed up could have been made even more clear if Link would speak up instead of just making a face.
Why do you not want Link to speak? What do you lose by him having a voice? Of course it can "ruin" your interpretation of Link but since in the most games Link is just an alternative/reincarnated version of himself it won't ruin all Links but just this one version haha
I want to ask you the same question..
Can you tell me any great game or media franchise that get's praised for it's captivating story in which the main protagonist doesn't share their thoughts? And no.. making a face and running after the bad guys that kidnapped your sister doesn't count as sharing your thoughts.
Zelda always get's praised for the gameplay, the puzzles, the level-design, the atmosphere and so much more.. but oftentimes the negative aspects that get pointed out is the lacking story.
Take Xenoblade as a comparison.. I really don't remember all the bossfights in contrary to the Zelda franchise.. puzzles are almost nonexistent and the fight-system is up for debate. But everyone is praising Xenoblade for it's story.
You know what I hear from people talking about Zeldas storys? "Yea.. so you have to save the princess and beat Ganon, right?"
I just wish we would get more in the story department and to open that door Link will have to open his mouth lol
@@basti__ I _hope_ he doesn't talk in the upcoming movie, yes, because as I outlined, the character has demonstrated that it is possible to _have_ a distinct character and personality without speech.
Also, in regards to you saying that no one was talking about Link not having emotions, you did say: "We see him pull off all these incredible acts, saving princesses, slaying monsters and saving whole worlds.. but he often never even seems to acknowledge or care about these feats. He doesn't shed tears, never doubts himself during his journey, never get's excited after winning or saving someone.. at the ending of TotK he just stares at her.. stares and nothing else.. and that's all he'll be able to do if the shackles of being mute won't get lifted by Nintendo." As far as I can tell, that's accusing him of not having emotions.
If you want an example of media with a protagonist who (functionally) doesn't speak, how about WALL-E? WALL-E doesn't really speak, and yet it's always very clear what the little fellah's thinking. Like I explained, the writers have demonstrated that they CAN write Link's silence with nuance. The lack of words is not necessarily a lack of communication, it simply changes how the communication happens.
Zelda stories being criticized is more of a modern thing. Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, all have phenomenal stories. Even Ocarina of Time, which on the surface has a very simple story, uses subtext in an extremely moving way. Yes, people don't talk about the stories of Zelda games the same way they talk about the stories of Xenoblade because the difference is that Xenoblade is primarily a story-based and character driven game. I'm not saying Link is as deep a protagonist as Shulk: he's not. However, making Link speak won't make him as deep a protagonist as Shulk either. Lots of characters speak, that doesn't mean they're necessarily interesting characters. This doesn't mean I'm advocating that people should start introducing silent protagonists all over the place either. A game series like NieR would be worse off if its protagonists didn't speak. The difference is that Link is an established character that doesn't speak. The original reason was a gameplay reason, to let the player self-insert, but over time, the writers started working within the limitation of Link being unable to speak, and limitations famously breed creativity. Limitations were the catalyst behind Zelda's amazing soundtrack, courtesy of Koji Kondo, and also Majora's mask, which was developed in two years, and has stood strong against the test of time. Likewise, the limitation of lacking speech lead to an interesting character, and by taking scraps from their work on other games, a patchwork quilt can be stitched together to make a Link who IS a fully-fledged character that doesn't talk.
Also, it's just nice to have representation of mute people in media. It brings a very different perspective, and allows for telling stories in a different, unique way. Sure, they could make a new Link that does talk, but they'd be throwing away what is at this point an extremely iconic trait about him, and we'd be rubbing up against the ship of theseus. How many things can you change about something before it's something else? I'm sure a talking Link could be done well, and I'm sure I would enjoy it plenty, but I find myself far more intrigued by the prospect of a silent protagonist who isn't a self-insert. Whether that silence is self-inflicted, ala Breath of the Wild, or the result of trauma, ala Echoes of Wisdom, it's such a unique idea with so much potential that it would feel like a waste to abandon it.
Actions speak louder than words, and though you don't think that "making a face and running after the bad guys that kidnapped your sister doesn't count," it very much does. Not everyone would do that. Not everybody's that brave, or reckless, or stupid, or confident enough to do that.
There _can_ be room for interpretation in the silence, but that isn't a bad thing. Xenoblade leaves SO much up to subtext. However, especially in regards to Wind Waker, I wouldn't describe my descriptions as interpretations, but rather, well, _as descriptions._ Facial expressions and body language is a huge part of how humans communicate. It can often fly under the radar, since unless people actively go out of their way to think about it, they intuitively deduce what is being conveyed. In movies, a lot of attention gets put on how to frame shots to convey characters' thoughts and feelings by SHOWING you rather than TELLING you. Though there are definitely some bones to pick with the maxim, "show don't tell" is such a prevalent piece of writing advice for a reason, and that is that stories are more compelling when you're allowed to put the piece together yourself.
Also-also-also...
Come onnnnnn, Xenoblade has AWESOME boss fights!!!!
Metal Face, Xord, the Telethia, Egil, etc. etc. are all super memorable BECAUSE of the stories attached to them. Xenoblade 2, that first time you fight Brigid on her own? Then with Morag later? Then the recurring battles with Zeke? And Vandham!!! YOU FIGHT PARTY MEMBERS BEFORE YOU GET THEM, AND THEY ALL COME WITH HUGE STORY RELEVANCE. Xenoblade 3 might have the weakest bosses since most of the consuls are just kinda whatever, and there are lots of random monsters that are just kinda there. However, who doesn't remember getting stomped by Territorial Rotbart?
I would argue Zelda bosses tend to be way less significant since they tend to just be a random monster at the end of a dungeon. Some are more stand-out than others, but rarely are they notable for anything (Molgera's theme slaps though, so does Colgera's).
Anyway. I absolutely echo your sentiment of wanting more in the story department, since Zelda stories have shown the capacity to be deeply moving and thought provoking, I do, however, don't want the idea of a silent protagonist to be abandoned. Rather, I want it to be leaned in to. Give every Link their own reason to be quiet. Maybe some of them _do_ talk, but they're just really shy and nervous about opening up to others, or maybe they've taken a Teller from Penn and Teller approach to life, in which he has determined that the way to maximize his comedic prowess is to use silence. There are so many ways to make it work, to build different characters out of the idea, and make compelling stories with a silent lead.
I loved this analysis of the game. I've always thought it was interesting how Link never spoke, although I usually tried to focus on in-game lore explanations lol. I think I agree with you that it impacts the players' ability to connect with link and project themselves onto him. The reactions he shows in cutscenes can be interpreted so many different ways, dependent on how the player reacts on their own . I'd like to see more videos like this!
Thank you for this! It wasn’t until I started writing out this video that I really took the time to consider Link’s silence and the implications of that! Even though I’ve always felt that projection of my own thoughts and feelings onto him! I’m glad you were able to resonate with this video 😁
Link does have internal narration in A Link to the Past
all the text to the player in japanese is presented as Link's internal monologue
and all the answers are explicitly presented as Link-- it's not much, but it's sublte enough that you do get some personality from him, especially in a couple cases with what kind of choices you do get
Similarly in Ocarina of Time, you often see *fully green text.* With the exception of the names of green items, that is heavily implied to be Link talking. (Since it's nearly always answers to questions)
As an often nonspeaking person, there's way more someone can communicate than with words-- how they dress, how they relate, how they act. And these things are very strongly done with Link. Again in a Link to the Past, the Triforce transforms people into who they are like, and get explicitly outright told what kind of person he is by he becoming a pink bunny.
The absolute proof that Link is his own character is that, he's silent, but nobody would ever think of him as "brooding" or anything like that. They are heroic when it matters, but you get shown all the time how they're kind of dorks or goofy or complete gremlins.
Seriously look at Wind Waker's Link right in the eyes and tell me he's a brooding sort or an empty vessel or a generic guy.
In general, you have to look for his character a bit more than someone outright talking, but either if it's right there very visibly or in the subtle details, it's undeniably there.
Even in Ocarina, the literal first thing we see is a Link shivering in terror.
I think you’re just enhancing my point! Thank you for this, you have added a lot of colour and context here!
@@thezeldarealm i am! the way Link doesn't talk outright enhances the narrative in most games with the subtleties.
especially with how often the narrative focuses on Link as a helper to others, you get their stories, and that reflects on the question "and how is our hero like?" which every game absolutely takes the time to answer differently
a lot of pathos of Ocarina and Majora is solitude and the distance this Link has from everyone, a lot of the comedy of Wind Waker is that Link being a goofball that contrasts with everyone he meets
this wouldn't work quite as well if he spoke, because the focus is again on it being these other characters' stories, but with the parts the player does see and know it tells a lot about those with what he doesn't say
such a beautiful video
Thank you, appreciate it!
great analisis!!!!
I just want to say, Link DOES speak in Botw and Totk. You can see this in his responses to NPC's. It doesn't show a LOT of character, but you can see it. You can also read a little bit more into his character in the JP version of Botw, where the quest log is written from link's perspective.
Ohh really? I didn't know that.. why did they change such an awesome thing in the translation??
Maybe it’s something I didn’t quite articulate in my video, but I think it’s clear that Link does speak in the games to other characters, we see this especially in Skyward Sword where you have dialogue options etc. My focus is more on the fact that to the player, Link has always been silent!
lovely video, can’t wait to see this channel grow!!
Thanks so much that really means a lot!
Gonna put my OG ticket here before you go viral
That means a lot, thank you!
he spoke in the show 🤓🤓
Yea.. please don't ever let him act like that again xD
How does being completely silent not break Emersion
It’s a personal preference thing I’d say. For me, his silence is what immerses me more in the games as Link’s actions become mine