SinisterGehe said:
If Link would be a female link in next game, it wouldn't be "The Link" it would be a female character named Link.
That has ALWAYS been the case.
There hasn't been "The Link" for 20 years, most games he has been a completely new individual.
"it wouldn't be 'The Link' it would be a female character named Link."
Yes, in Wind Waker, the protagonist was NOT "The Link" it WAS a female character named Link.
So either you are ignorant of the series which shows how relevant your opinion is, or you simply categorically oppose a female hero because she is female. That's nothing but sexism.
"If Nint?ndo would go and reboot the series and start a new saga"
They don't "reboot" so much as go to a time period HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of year separate from the previous Zelda game with a completely unrelated individual, who is prompted to adopt the name "Link".
Magic Muffin Man said:
No, because Zelda's story has always been a riff on old adventure stories and fairy tales where the adventurer was a young man going through a hero's journey. Besides, you've got a female character in Zelda already, why not give her a game to adventure in?
Because she's royalty, it's hardly fitting of the theme that anyone may have the courage in their heart to vanquish evil if it "just to happens" to be in the person who's lived a pampered life of privilege.
Just choosing the nearest main character that's an established female isn't good enough. Do you even understand the theme of the TriForce? Power, Wisdom and Courage for Ganondorf, Zelda and Link respectively (with some variation).
But this is where the NARRATIVE ties in with gameplay, the playable character will be the courageous one as he's actually controlled by someone playing a video game who knows they have infinite respawns, instant courage, but the conceit is the in game character does fear death but overcomes it. Now the role of "Wisdom" is hard to bestow on the player... as they don't know anything! It has to be an NPC. It fits having wisdom be as the ally, as gameplay design can end up a mess if you are trying to match wits, and by having an ally in wisdom they will be a vital guide to the world.
Power, well best have that as the "big boss" character like Ganondorf, it's good to have a great opponent who can take a lot of damage and deal out much more than you. So it depends on your skill to defeat the boss in dodging attacks and finding their weak-spot, not just being inherently stronger. Another theme is to have the wisdom-character advise the protagonist (and the player) on where the weak spot is and what they smut do to avoid attack.
The thing about the protagonist of a Zelda game starting off as a commoner is they are an outsider while still being part of the group. See growing up on a farm or a forest community, then once leaving they are in the same position the player is unfamiliar with the world, it fits to have explanations for things. Why would a princess ask questions about the basic functioning of her own kingdom? Also there is the sense of individuality, that you're on your own and anyone who helps you you have to earn their help. Princesses naturally have adoration and security, it doesn't fit with gameplay for Princess Zelda to be a good lead.
If Zelda was the protagonist of a Legend of Zelda game, she couldn't be a princess or of high-rank (like ship captain) and she couldn't have the attribute of "wisdom", which is MOST of what is non-superficial about Zelda. It doesn't matter if she is a fighting princess, the problem is she is in too hierarchial a position for good gameplay-narrative. This is nothing to do with her being a girl, it has everything to do with her status. It would apply just as much to a Prince Zeldor. And it would have to be Zeldor as Zelda is explicitly a female name. "Link" however is like Alex, it's not got any inherent gender connotations and I don't think this is entirely accidental.
Frankly it's a lot easier to have the young commoner of Hyrule - who will be it's hero - happens to be a girl, than contrive a circumstance where Zelda is a good lead role simply because she's already established as a female role.
It might work with a kind of "Princess and the Pauper" switch of doppelgänger, where Zelda is able to go on an adventure posing as a commoner, but Legend of Zelda games start off in a lowly village and build up to visiting a great unfamiliar castle for a reason.