Link's Uncle
From Zelda Wiki, the Zelda encyclopedia
| Link's Uncle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Title(s) | Royal Knight |
| Race | Hylian |
| Game(s) | A Link to the Past |
| Non-canon Appearances | A Link to the Past comic |
| Family | Link (nephew) |
Link's Uncle is a character featured in A Link to the Past.
Contents |
Biography
A former knight in service to the royal family of Hyrule, Link's Uncle has been Link's guardian for some time. He teaches him how to effectively use a sword in the game.
Link, woken in the night by a telepathic plea from Princess Zelda, finds his uncle about to leave the house with a sword and shield in hand. Seeing Link wake, he tells him not to leave the house, promising to return for morning.[1] Ignoring his instructions, Link sneaks into the palace via the sewers in an attempt to rescue the Princess himself. Here, Link finds his uncle mortally wounded, unable to go on. Entrusting him with the task of saving the Princess, he gives Link his sword and shield and teaches him the Spin Attack before dying.[2]
At the end of the game, after Ganon has been defeated and Link makes a wish on the Triforce, Link's Uncle is shown to be alive and well in the credits, where he seems to be practicing sword fighting with Link in front of their house.
In the Game Boy Advance version of the game, Link's Uncle supposedly appears in the Palace of the Four Sword, wounded. However, when Link speaks with him, he transforms into Blind the Thief.
Other Appearances
| Non-Canon Information | hide |
A Link to the Past comic
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In the A Link to the Past comic, it is mentioned that Link's Uncle adopted Link because his parents stumbled into the Dark World, shielding him from the intrigues of the Royal Family.[3]
At the beginning of the comic, Link's Uncle goes to Hyrule Castle to confront Agahnim while Link is still asleep. When Link wakes up in his house to find that his uncle is missing, he panics but heads to Hyrule Castle after hearing Princess Zelda's plead. Link sneaks into the castle and sees his uncle dueling Agahnim, who deals a deadly strike to Link's uncle, saying that anyone who challenges him will meet their doom, and promptly vanishes afterward.[4] Link rushes to his uncle's side and receives his sword and shield from him. Before passing out, Link's Uncle explains that after the young hero rescues Zelda and the people in the Dark World, he might be able to meet his parents.[5] After he passes away, Link promises to defeat Agahnim with the use of the Master Sword to avenge his uncle's death.[6]
Once Link reaches Death Mountain, he stumbles upon a portal to the Dark World, which activates itself and shows a vision of his parents standing with his uncle.[7] Link's Uncle is not seen again until the end of the comic after Link defeats Ganon and peace returns to Hyrule: at Hyrule Castle, Link sees a vision of his father, mother and uncle, who congratulate him on his difficult victory and tell him to never forget the efforts of the many generations of knights and Wise Men that preceded him.[8]
Trivia
- Early in the game, Link's uncle says "Zelda is your..." before falling unconscious. This caused some people to speculate that the full sentence would have read "Zelda is your sister", possibly in relation to the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (less popular sentence endings included "ally" and "only hope"). The Japanese version of the game contains a slightly different line ("お、お前は、姫の… …。", literally, 'y- you are the Princess's...'). In the Game Boy Advance version, this line is instead attributed to the impersonator of Link's Uncle in the Palace of the Four Sword.
- Link's Uncle shares some of his physical traits to Tarin from Link's Awakening, especially how Link's Uncle is depicted on official artworks.
- Link's Uncle also shares similarities with Rusl from Twilight Princess. They are both swordsmen who serve as Link's mentors, both were wounded during the game, they have the same in-game hairstyle, and they both have facial hair which is a different color than their hair.
- The official Japanese soundtrack CD of A Link to the Past contained a short radio drama. In it, a young Link was placed under the care of Zelda's nurse, Egorowa, and her husband Alphon - who he calls uncle. It is unclear if this meant to be a preview of a pre-Ocarina of Time version of the Imprisoning War or simply an alternate history.
- Link's Uncle is briefly seen in the Japanese commercial for A Link to the Past.
Gallery
An injury drives Link's Uncle to the ground.
Link's Uncle as seen at the end of A Link to the Past.
Link's Uncle standing next to Link after being revived by Link's Triforce wish.
Link and his uncle beneath Hyrule Castle.
References
- ↑ "Link, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back by morning. Don't leave the house." — Link's Uncle (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "Unnh... Link, I didn't want you involved in this... I told you not to leave the house... Take my sword and shield and listen. You can focus power in the blade (hold the B Button). ...Then release it using the secret technique handed down by our people... Link, you can do it! Save the Princess..." — Link's Uncle (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "Your parents were Knights of Hyrule... But they stumbled into the Dark World... You will never be able to enter the Dark World and find your parents! [...] They dwell now in the Dark World... After they disappeared, your uncle adopted you and shielded you from the intrigues of the Royal Family..." (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 14)
- ↑ "You have struck your final blow, puny fool! ...Hmnph! Thus shall all who challenge me, Agahnim, meet their doom!" (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 8)
- ↑ "Take my sword and shield. The princess...you must save her! After you rescue Zelda...and the people in the Dark World...you may meet your parents..." (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 8)
- ↑ "Of course! Besides, I promised Zelda! And...I have to bring Agahnim to justice for what he did to my uncle!" (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 13,14)
- ↑ "Link... Link... We are here with our brother...in the world of darkness...." (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 6)
- ↑ "Link... You have done well, Link... In the Imprisoning War of years past, great armies risked all to seal Ganon in the Dark World. You, however, accomplished a much more lonely and difficult victory... It was not only by your own power, but also that of the many generations of knights and Wise Men who preceded you. Let the memories of their efforts humble you. Never forget!" (A Link to the Past (Nintendo Power), pg. 11, 12)
 Names in Other Regions 
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | |
| Japanese | 
|
リンクのおじさん (Rinku no Ojisan) |
| German | 
|
Links Onkel |
