Loving The Legend of Zelda isn’t just about enjoying the games; it’s to love Princess Zelda, Link and the bond they share. Over the past 35 years, the two have shared a friendship that has endured regardless of time and place, and the destruction and rebuilding of their world. They go together like bread and butter. Despite the two appearing side by side for years, one big question has been nagging invested fans: are Link and Zelda romantically together?
Do Link and Zelda have a relationship in The Legend of Zelda?
The question of whether or not Link and Zelda are cuddling might seem silly at first. But The Legend of Zelda is one of the most famous and popular video game franchises ever. The fandom has long been animated by the conversation about relationship status between the series’ two protagonists (or their relationships with other characters). Zelda and Link, or “Zelink” for short, have inspired fanfiction and fan-made animation. Whether or not the two are together matters, because it’s juicy gossip, but also because it’s been a floating question for so long.
The answer, unsurprisingly, is that it’s complicated. Whether or not you think they’re together may depend on the game you’re talking about. Some games, such as The Legend of Zelda: The Windwakerportray a more light-hearted, playful friendship between the two, while others like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the recently released sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, paint a more committed and loving relationship between the two. Outside of the games, the Zelda TV show actually leaned into the idea of their romance and showed us a link that was overly excited to kiss Zelda.
In Breath of the Wild, players have seen a significant relationship develop between the two over time. In the game, Link explores Hyrule and unlocks memories that allow players to see what his life was like with Zelda before she holed up in Hyrule Castle. During that game, we actually see them go together almost everywhere. Zelda doesn’t just trust Link with her life; the two also share many light-hearted moments together as Link learns about life through Zelda’s eyes. Tears of the Kingdom builds on their relationship as Link embarks on a new adventure to find her when she goes missing.
Now we have additional information from Zelda’s English voice actor, Patricia Summersett. In an interview with The Gamer, Summersett appeared to confirm that the two do indeed have a “relationship,” but the details of that remain vague.
As a voice actor, looking at the overall relationship between Link and Zelda over the ages, I personally like the ambiguity and that if anything, it’s left to us. I think in my own life I can respect and celebrate relationships that are not conventional.
She later tells the publication:
It also dodges the ending and you always wonder what could happen that will keep the relationship active. There’s a tension to that, and this challenge of a definition is a really nice thing. I always come back to that, and I really love it, both as an actor and as a human being. Those relationships are also super important to portray, and I think they’re the best relationships we have in life, whether it’s friendship or something that doesn’t have to fit into any definition. I know that [Link and Zelda] have a relationship with each other, it’s active, there’s a lot of caring and a lot of listening, and I just love that about it.
So actually, Link and Zelda don’t have a canon-confirmed romantic relationship, but Summersett confirms what we’ve been able to see all along: Link and Zelda share a loving, caring relationship. Link has always been one to support Zelda no matter what, and Zelda has always believed in Link. Their relationship is undoubtedly committed, but it also may not fit the normative way that some people want to see a romance between the two.
Summersett’s sentiment is only supported by the story of Tears of the Kingdom. We won’t go into the details here because of spoilers. I’ll just say that though Tears of the Kingdom is arguably one of the most deeply romantic Zelda games ever released. It’s a testament to Zelda’s unwavering faith in Link, and his unwavering will to move forward despite the daunting challenge ahead. In a way, their bond transcends the average run-of-the-mill romance we know. The love they share is divine and therefore maybe a little hard to understand.