Zelda Fans Debate Link and Zelda’s Relationship Despite Official “Just Friends” Designation in Tears of the Kingdom Translation
London, UK – June 13, 2024 - A recently released English translation of dialog from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has explicitly defined the relationship between Link and Zelda as platonic, referring to them as “just friends.” however,the clarification has done little to quell ongoing fan speculation and interpretation that the two characters share a deeper romantic connection,fueled by in-game details and ambiguous statements from Nintendo developers.
The dialogue in question, discovered by players analyzing the game’s data, appears during a specific scene and directly labels Link and Zelda’s bond as friendship. Despite this seemingly definitive statement, many fans remain unconvinced, pointing to the shared home Link and Zelda inhabit in the game – complete with a single bed – as evidence of a more intimate relationship. This debate follows years of discussion surrounding the nature of their connection, deliberately left open-ended by Nintendo.
Perhaps the clearest indication of Nintendo’s intent to leave the relationship open to interpretation came from series producer Eiji Aonuma, who told IGN in December 2023: “I will leave it to everyone’s inventiveness [whether Link and Zelda are in a relationship]. I don’t think that Zelda is a type of game where the development team says, ’This is what Zelda is, this is what the story is, this is what the game is.’ Everything that the development team wants to convey has already been placed into the game. And the rest is up to the player’s imagination, and their reflection on how they feel… what they’ve experienced in the game.”
The ambiguity has led fans to interpret subtle cues within the game as romantic undertones. The shared house, in particular, has been a focal point of discussion, with some believing Nintendo’s inclusion of onyl one bed is a deliberate hint at a romantic connection, even if the company avoids explicitly confirming it.
The debate is highly likely to continue as Nintendo prepares its upcoming live-action the Legend of Zelda movie, currently in production in New Zealand after casting its lead roles earlier this year. How the film portrays Link and Zelda’s relationship will undoubtedly further fuel discussion among fans.
