Link Between Genders

At E3 this month, Nintendo released the first images for the new Legend of Zelda game, and while it made me question every choice in my life that did not lead to me playing that exact game this very moment, it also raised another question.

"Hey... is Link a girl in that video?"

Not just in the sense that yes, haha, Link is no slate chested, grizzled white guy with a five o'clock shadow and probably a dark past (like every other main character at E3), instead he's usually under powered for his enemies, and tends to be a bit more... feminine.

Which if you're playing the home game, being less manly than a man who's pecs require zip codes, makes you about normal.

No, the question came about with the art, the motion of his body, the different angles of the face... all seemed to point that "he" might be a "her" this time around.

Now, Nintendo did point out that "Link is a guy in this", but the question had already been asked: why not?  Link is probably one of the most easily identifiable characters in video game history, and certainly one of the easiest for players to identify with.  Unlike many protagonists in games, Link works for both genders.

Take the very first Zelda, Link was a blank slate.  Mega Man at that time, was a person with a story behind him.  He was "Rock", a robot made by Dr. Light, who had a "strong sense of Justice" and took to becoming a warrior to save the day.  That's four more points than Link got.  Link was literally "just a guy, basically you".  Link was not a destined hero, he was not a master of all things.  His motivations, history, and all else were up to the player.  He saved Zelda because the player wanted to save Zelda.

Flash forward a few years, and we have "Ocarina of Time" wherein Link is... a kid, living in a forest.  His history is really not given.  He doesn't have a fairy, but wait... he gets one.  His character arch is that Link is summoned by the Deku tree, that's it.  There's no "Link must learn to be a hero", as it's pretty damn obvious for everyone he knows in the forest; Link is already a stand-up guy everyone but one of them is fine with.  There's no vengeance, there's no "I am fated to save the world!"  Link just goes off to save the world because the player wants to help.

All the way through the series, Link is a rather androgynous character.  He pushes no gender boundaries, he exemplifies no stereotypes.  This is likely one of the reasons the bulk of the gamers I know (male and female) have an affection for this game: we're not playing "Link" we're playing "us in a green outfit".

How many female Link's go to conventions?  Less than the amount of girls I've known who love Link as a character, someone they can identify with.  As a guy, I can't identify with Ivy, the bondage assassin lady from Soul Caliber, nor half of the DoA cast.  Playing a shape shifting witch who walks around in vinyl outfits made of hair, is not something I can see myself as.  I can't find myself absorbed into this characters life.

But as a scared, lonely person trapped on an island of savages all trying to murder the hell out of me?  Well, I'm sure Laura Croft and I would have a lot in common on the "oh God I'm going to die" mentalities.  I can see many a young girl sitting before a TV, asking themselves the question as to "why is Link saving Zelda?"  It's not because he loves her, in many cases, he's never met her.  It's not because Ganon killed his wife and kids.  He doesn't have to do anything actually, Link has all the ability to literally peace out of Hyrule forever.

Link fights Ganon, and saves Zelda because he wants to.  It's the easiest motivation to get behind.  We as gamers want to fight to save something, and beat back the tides of evil forces, and honestly, we don't care about what the hero wears under the armor.

The industry needs to stop pretending like we do.