Link (The Legend of Zelda TV series)

Link (The Legend of Zelda TV series) "Oh boy, smooching time!" Gender: Male Type: The Bratty Side of Link Meterosexual Wannabe Age: 17 Species: Human Portrayed by: Jonathan Potts Status: Alive Media of origin: The Legend of Zelda

Link is the main protagonist from The Legend of Zelda games and the TV adaption of the same name. He is the friend of Princess Zelda and Spryte. While he retained his look and heroic personality from the games, Link is the main co-protagonist of the show. He was voiced by Jonathan Potts.

Why He Should Not Have Been Excused by the Princess

NOTE: This is only focusing on The Legend of Zelda TV version of him since the video game version thereof is likable, and also because he redeems himself in Captain N: The Game Master TV show.

1. Unlike in the games where he is portrayed as kind, heroic, and altruistic (except for Link in the Philips CD-i games), in this show, he is unlikable and an annoying brat who is constantly trying to seduce Princess Zelda.
   • Not only does he come off as an absolute simp, but the way he is constantly pestering her and trying to weasel his way into getting a chance with getting smooches from Zelda such as jumping into Zelda or wanting to be tied onto her until she does give a smooch for example also makes him out to be a huge stalker and a creep at the same time, one that either comes off as both; some infatuated doofus or a G-rated sex pest, to the point that Zelda is often either annoyed by his very existence or finding his attempts at getting her romantic approval out to be incredibly sappy and lame.
2. He is often lazy, whiny, rather ineffective, arrogant in a bad way, demanding, and is often guilted, bribed, or tricked into being the "hero" claims he to be. And it's not in a well-written way for a 'heroic comedic egomaniac' type of character such as Johnny Bravo.
   • Not to say that it's bad to give snarky or jerkish qualities for a protagonist by video game adaptation or outside of that, but this version of Link has no character development over the course of the story whatsoever, meaning that he starts out as a jerkass type of character, and ends up as the same type of person he was from the very beginning, all thanks to the episodic nature of the show itself.
3. His catchphrases get old fast, especially his ("Well excuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!") line. It is consistently annoying, and it's shoehorned in nearly every episode and even in the intro.
   • Not only is his repeated catchphrase always used in a very annoying context, but it was also plagiarized from a Steven Martin comedy routine, by line delivery and all. Making it all the more insufferable and disappointing for how unfunny Link makes this one-liner out to be.
4. Where the common nitpick would revolve the pointer that Link isn't supposed to talk and right before it was officially established that Link is mute but can only make grunts or sounds. But despite it fitting his immature personality in the show, his voice is rather mediocre and grating to listen to.
5. His character design is rather bland and generic, as the direction that went into his design along with Zelda wasn't fitting to the source material.
6. Despite being a so-called hero, he often puts himself in danger, Zelda often saves the day from any form of danger responsibly and strategically. Link also relies on Ganon's perpetually bumbling minions to screw up or for his shooting sword to do the work for him, being a "hero" that wants the perks and doing none of the work to earn it. He is more of a horny, self-centered sidekick to Zelda and generally acts like he'd do anything else than being a hero.
7. He is so inept as a hero and as a character, he is often the butt of many jokes from the series, such as his continual failed attempts at earning smooches from Zelda by being interfered with by somebody else or even screwing up at defeating Ganon. This makes him out to be more of a bigger schlemiel than usual.
8. He often attempts at making wisecracks wherever he goes or ends up at, but it always comes off as very cheesy and definitely not witty.

Redeeming Qualities

1. He was a much better character in the games and in the four TV specials from Captain N: The Game Master, he was more of a hero than he was in his own show, he doesn't repeat his catchphrases at all and he is a lot more tolerable than before, which is pretty cathartic.
2. Since he is essentially the victim of many jokes, he often deserves the mishaps and star-crossed nature that was coming to him, which can be seen as hilarious or satisfying (if not lame or even pitiful towards some).
   • With that in mind, there are times where he is righteous as the protagonist, especially when he actually does help Zelda.
3. He actually speaks, which is unique because he's mostly silent in video games (except the CD-i games, although they're non-canon) and it does fit his personality in the series. But, that doesn’t save for the fact that his voice is bad.
   • It does however improve in Captain N: The Game Master.
4. Even though his line "Well excuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!" is annoying and repetitive, it can come off as funny to some viewers.

Trivia

1. In the Latin American Spanish dub, Link was voiced by Rocío Garcel's son Jorge Roig Jr.
2. Link's catchphrase later became an internet meme.

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