Hero's Shade - Zelda's Most Tragic Link

The Hero's Shade is one of the Zelda series' most mysterious characters. Who is this phantom swordsman, and how are they connected to Link?

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[Zeltik]

Who do you think the Hero's Shade is? Why do you think his spirit lingers on?

[GentlemanJacque]

"Go and do not falter, my child" is also what the Great Deku Tree tells the Hero of Time as he sends him on his quest towards Hyrule castle.
Making it more fitting to me that he is using the same words he was told so long ago to the new Hero.

[matthewmuir]

As far as what happened to the Hero of Time after Majora's Mask, I generally infer that Link returned to Hyrule after that game. The big lesson the Skull Kid had to learn was that the Four Giants were still his friend even after they had left, and I think the ending implies that Link took this lesson to heart and ended his search for Navi, choosing instead to return to Hyrule, content that Navi is still his friend.

[loftyjoy]

the hero’s shade is genuinely one of my favorite parts of zelda lore

[corsola]

I think Link marrying Malon makes sense not only because of TP Link's start on a ranch, but also due to her presence in the game: Malon's voice can be heard singing in Hyrule Fields at night.
The reason we can still hear Malon could be that she is waiting for Link to complete his unfinished business (training his decsendant) so that they can pass on together.

[IvanPonce-zxjk]

And while the mangas are not considered "Canon" by nature.
The TP manga adaptation not only outright confirms that Shade is OoT Link, but also makes TP Zelda Remember her past life as OoT Zelda and embrace his memory and existence, welcome him back. Its beautiful.

[CZsWorld]

The red eye can be explained by the Lens of Truth, which corrupts the eye of the person who used it. We see this in Bongo Bongo, the Sheikah who owned the lens, became obsessed with it and turned into a horrific creature with one red eye.

The "curse of the swordsman" is an obsession with the lens.

[RifterDask]

Looking at his armor, I always assumed Link joined the royal guard and enjoyed a distinguished but otherwise mundane career. Forget peaking in highschool, the peak of his life effectively didn't happen. That would screw with anyone.

[orderlysummit]

Not being able to pass on his knowledge is definitely a more noble regret than not being remembered as a hero. It also could imply he died in battle (cause armour post-mortem is a common trope for undead characters), possibly right around his child being born and therefore being unable to raise them/teach them what he learned.

[darthrevan]

I choose to think that Marlon is who the Hero of Time ended up with since the Hero of Twilight is a farmhand and Marlon’s voice is present in the Hyrule Field Theme, perhaps eluding to the fact that he still hears her voice. He also knows Epona’s song, a staple of Malon’s character.

[LR-yucx]

Song of healing... seems he's signing to himself. My poor boy, you were never forgotten as a hero. You still are the MVP.

[songoku]

This is why I want a 3rd final Hero of Time game where we play as a true naturally aged adult Link who’s an actual adult. 17 is not an adult, it’s a teenager.

[Cassimfan]

The fact that the Hero's Shade says his regret is not being remembered. It makes sense. The child timeline Link left no memory in that timeline of his feats as the Hero of Time. Though he never forgot, the world he lived in never knew those feats. All his skills and experience would've had to be downplayed throughout his life as, whatever life he lived, likely could not have given him the level of experience and skill he gained fighting alone against Ganondorf's reign. Which meant, he could not pass on those skills and knowledge until TP Link.

[ayylmao]

I think it's poetically tragic that HoT spends Majora's Mask soothing the troubles of others, living and dead alike, only for he himself to become a haunted soul in need of healing. It's a real balm that the Hero of Twilight, after centuries, gets to be for the Hero of Time what he himself was for so many others. I really hope that, one day, unseen by players, he did find Navi at least. Boy deserves that much.

Also with the mention of the first song you howl together with him being the Song of Healing, I really have always liked the theory that this is an attempt by the Hero of Time to cure Twilight's wolf transformation.

[Spiceopod]

I am really surprised you didn't mention the Shade's diddly feet being another connection to past Links - he diddles his feet in the same way the Hero of Time would diddle while Z-targeting. How could you neglect the diddly feet, Zeltik?!

[ItsjustBlackJackhere]

I find it so…fascinating how most peoples true link is the hero of time. Id say he’s the most unique of them all and should come back in some way shape or form like he did here

[anthonyouki]

Hero's shade:
The most Tragic Link.
The Link no one in Hyrule remembers in the child timeline.
Arguably the most powerful Link. If all sources are taken into account.
The Link responsible for the timeline split. Because he dies in one of them.
The Link that had no childhood, as it was stolen from him.
The Link that permanently lost his closest companion, and never found them. That companion being Navi.
Died with so many regrets that he couldn't pass on into the afterlife, and remained as a wandering wraith until he met TP Link.
All the friends he made in OoT became sages and left him behind.
Had to constantly wonder Hyrule with no companions other than Navi. Who again leaves him.
Majora's mask. Not much else needs to be said here.
Saying this Link's life sucks, is a huge understatement.

[pkjoan]

Actually, I think the reason why OoT/MM Link sings the Song of Healing first is because he thinks TP Link has been affected by a curse that turned him into a Wolf and is trying to return him to normal.

[Tbone]

“In the end, the Boy from the Forest returned home”. Amazing way to end the video!

[Jess-s-hideout]

Twilight princess was my first Zelda and when a friend that knew about the story told me about this character it's when I fell in love with the game and it's story, it instantly clicked. To this day I still think of him as one of my favorite characters in the videogame series. It's such a gift that you made a video about him, thank you.