Now, it’s no picnic being the fabled Hero of Time. Link, in his various incarnations, has been doing the whole hero thing since 1986’s The Legend of Zelda, and there have probably been many times that he’s been tempted to quit it all and go and live in a beach house in Malibu (or whatever the Hylian equivalent of that would be).
Like his fellow Nintendo hero Mario, though, he leaps into action time and again. He's always managed to save Zelda/the world/the whole universe, despite suffering all kinds of terrible setbacks and situations along the way. Here are some of the very worst things that have ever happened to Link over the course of the series.
10 He Did Battle With… Himself
Even the greatest heroes have dark sides. Often, they have to overcome them, in big dramatic plot points. Sometimes, they battle them in a literal sense, as their dark sides come at them brandishing swords and hoping to slice their noble souls into little hunks of defeat and failure.
This was exactly what happened in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Not only did we have to traverse the infamous Water Temple, which had us doing the Karate Kid wax on, wax off with our Iron Boots, but the Dark Link mini-boss also cropped up. It’s one of the toughest fights in the game, as Dark Link can mirror and counter most of your actions, but our hero soon prevailed. He’s faced so much worse.
9 Awakening A Temple Full Of Nasties When Claiming The Master Sword
As all Zelda fans know, the Master Sword is kind of a big deal around these parts. Over the course of the series, Link has claimed the weapon from sacred areas numerous times, wielding the Blade of Evil’s Bane against (usually) the almighty embodiment of ginger-bearded evil: Ganondorf himself.
In The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the Master Sword is sealed in time in Hyrule Castle. There are many time-locked enemies in the chamber, too, and they all awaken when you grab the blade. It’s an unforgettable, chilling moment, though it also pales in comparison to some other hardships Link has faced.
8 His Nightmare Come True
In the introduction to Ocarina of Time, Link has a harrowing nightmare that Zelda (not that he knows who she is yet) is being hunted by a fiendish specter of a man.
When he returns to Hyrule Castle in possession of the trio of Spiritual Stones, he’s forced to watch in despair as the events he foresaw in a dream unfold for real. For its time, Ocarina of Time was an incredible spectacle, and seeing Ganondorf barrelling down Hyrule Field in pursuit of Zelda and Impa was nothing short of breath-taking. This moment set our young hero off on a truly epic quest and was symbolic of everything that was to come, though it’s still early days for this list!
7 He Encounters His ‘Former Self’ In The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess is undoubtedly one of the darkest and most atmospheric entries in the series. It was an excellent swansong for the GameCube, a title that dared to be different and… well, transform Link into a wolf, as we’ll discuss a little later.
For now, let’s take a look at something else terrible and poignant that happens in this title. The Hero’s Spirit has appeared multiple times in the series, and teaches the player new sword techniques in Twilight Princess. When we learn a little more about this woebegone hero (he is the Hero of Time from Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, tortured by regret that he couldn’t pass his wisdom down), we realize just how much it could have affected the latest Hero of Time to know more about his mentor.
6 The Dream Of Koholint Island
Much like fellow Game Boy title Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening didn’t always play by the familiar rules. What are Goombas, Chain Chomps and such doing in a Zelda game? Let’s not ask.
It was an expansive Game Boy title and solid entry in the series (which is currently enjoying a renaissance thanks to the Nintendo Switch remake), but it suffered from a similar issue that plagued Super Mario Bros. 2: it all took place within a dream world (Koholint Island rather than Subcon) and ended with our hero waking up. That was a lot of wasted effort on Link’s part. Still, Link’s Awakening is super, super charming, especially on Switch, so we’re going to put this one right in the middle of the list.
5 He Was Cursed To Become A Wolf
As we’ve said, we can appreciate the edgier, more hard-hitting nature of Twilight Princess. From its atmosphere to its plot and general vibe, everything about the game just took things to a new level.
We all know that the series has a dark side, but only Majora’s Mask really touches the spooky nature of this one. Link’s first venture into the Twilight is horrifying to behold, and it just gets worse from there. Some of those NPCs’ dialogue is truly affecting. At the same time, though, Link has been transformed into worse creatures!
4 He Was Cursed To Become A Deku Scrub
Don’t get us wrong, though: Wolf Link is just as much of a powerhouse as his standard form, and he boasts some neat abilities that the Hylian hero certainly couldn’t pull off. As far as curses go, this wasn’t too bad at all.
Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: nobody wants to be a Deku Scrub. These feeble little forest creatures really only serve as tutorial enemies, teaching Link how to use his shield to reflect their projectiles back at them. Majora’s Mask’s Deku Link does have some interesting powers, granted, but… he’s a Deku Scrub. In terms of humiliation, not much has happened to our elfen hero that’s worse. We’re getting to the truly emotional stuff now, though!
3 Fi’s Goodbye
If anybody ever tries telling you that games are ‘just video games,’ give them a tissue or two and sit them in front of that utterly heart-breaking scene from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
You know the one. Fi, the spirit who resides in the Goddess Sword and accompanied Link through the darkest times in his adventure, asks to be freed. Their mission is complete, and all that’s left to do is to lay the sword to rest again. That moment at the Temple of Hylia, where Fi shares genuine emotion with Link for the first time, is reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s departure at the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Which is another tear-jerker we really regret reminding ourselves about.
2 He Loses His Little Sister (And Is Imprisoned Trying To Save Her)
The Wind Waker’s characters, brought to life by the game’s vibrant cel-shaded aesthetic, are some of the most expressive in the series. When Link and Aryll’s grandmother is ailing later in the game and wishes her grandchildren were with her so she could keep them safe, it’s incredibly touching.
For our money, though, one of Wind Waker’s outstanding heartstring-tugging moment crops up very early in the game. Aryll’s capture by the Helmaroc King and Link’s anguish as he just fails to prevent her abduction really hits us square in the feels. The harrowing journey the young hero emarks on to save her (as he’s imprisoned in the Forsaken Fortress for his troubles) makes things infinitely worse.
1 Having To Relive Those Three Days To Prevent The End Of The World
Well, it’s only natural that the very worst thing to ever happen to Link would take place in Majora’s Mask, isn’t it? That game is just absolute bad news all around for him.
Really, it’s the whole setup. Being forced to relive those three days to gather the Four Giants and prevent the Moon from falling and destroying Clock Town/all of Termina… it’s just beyond the pale, even for heroes who are accustomed to save the whole world-type mission.