Everything you need to know about BotW Link

The Master Sword chose BotW’s Link, who then lived his life protecting Princess Zelda as her royal knight. We follow him as he faces seemingly endless foes, cooks up some questionable meals, and meets many friends across Hyrule. But what else do we know about Breath of the Wild’s Link?

If you’ve finished Breath of the Wild and want to tackle the sequel, we’ve got some guides to help you. Here are some handy Zelda TOTK maps, all the Tears of the Kingdom Shrine locations, and how to build Tears of the Kingdom vehicles.

What is BotW Link’s backstory?

Link is a revered Knight of Hyrule and the main character in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and Tears of the Kingdom. Yes, there’s a Link in all Zelda games, but they’re mostly all different incarnations.

Link’s father was also a Knight of Hyrule, but his family was not nobility. His hometown is rumored to be Hateno Village – where he owns a house on the river – but this led to him receiving disrespect from nobles after his promotion to both champion and personal bodyguard to Princess Zelda.

During his deep sleep in the Shrine of Resurrection, as referenced below in his BotW story, Link suffers from amnesia after the Calamity meaning he doesn’t remember anyone or anything from before, even if not that much changed in the 100 years he slept.

What is Breath of the Wild’s Link like?

Mipha describes Link as a curious boy who is full of energy, but also a little reckless. As he grew older, he became much quieter and outwardly colder, though we still see glimpses of his old self now and again.

In Breath of the Wild though, due to his amnesia, Link is similar to his boyhood character with more expression and a lighter mood, as he doesn’t remember the burden from his role in Hyrule. We get to see the ‘old Link’ in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity’s cutscenes, where he takes part in eating competitions with Goron’s, among other humorous adventures.

It’s also told, by Zelda and in diaries, that Link loves food and is something of a glutton. Again, the eating competition involving Goron’s Rock Roast proves this.

What is BotW Link’s story within the game?

In Breath of the Wild, you begin the game by awakening from a deep sleep in the Shrine of Resurrection as Link, after remaining there for 100 years. From there, he is led by a mysterious voice to pick up the Sheikah Slate and begin his journey on the outside world.

His first encounter is with an old man who will later tell him that the Calamity Ganon, an evil force that has shown up throughout Hyrule’s history, is currently sealed in Hyrule Castle, where he has remained for the past century. However, the old man informs Link that the Calamity Ganon is about to break free, and so it falls to Link to save Hyrule.

What are Breath of the Wild Link’s abilities?

Link, despite being a Hylian and not a member of a mystical race, has tons of powers up his sleeve – even without the Shiekah Slate’s runes. He can pull off stealth like the Yiga, is a master of multiple weapon types – notably bows and swords – and can crack out amazing skills in battle.

He’s incredibly strong, too. He can even push large boulders around, which is perfect for completing Korok puzzles.

Want to know more about characters in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Why not check out our ultimate guide to BotW’s Zelda next.