The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's largest and most iconic franchises. That's all thanks to Link, the series' green-suited hero who is destined to possess the Triforce of Courage. Despite Link's bravery and strength being the saving grace of many Zelda games, he's far from a protagonist without any flaws.
Throughout the Zelda series, Link's mistakes often put the land of Hyrule in peril and, in some cases, even doom his own timeline. While he's able to make up for his many missteps, his future reincarnations are sometimes just as prone to errors. These ten moments throughout the Zelda series are Link's biggest failures.
10 Link Fails To Save The Great Deku Tree
Link is a true pillar of courage, often rushing headfirst into conflict without hesitation. Sometimes, he's unfortunately unable to change fate, which is what happens at the beginning of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Link faces his first perils when he enters the watchful Great Deku Tree to rid him of a curse by Ganondorf.
Though Link is successful in killing the root of the curse, the parasitic Queen Gohma, he's too late to stop any further damage to the Great Deku Tree. After passing on some handy exposition, the Great Deku Tree withers away and dies. As a result of the Deku Tree's absence, Kokiri Forest becomes overrun with Ganon's minions.
9 Link Loses To Ganon
Most players will succeed in their final fight against the Demon King Ganon in Ocarina of Time. However, players who get a game over will find an alternative route, as specified in Hyrule Historia. This book, published after the release of Skyward Sword, outlines the three timelines that emerge from Ocarina's ending.
If players lose to Ganon in the climactic battle, Ganon is able to complete the Triforce. As a result, the Seven Sages seal Ganon in the Dark World, leading to a war between realms. Eventually, this loss results in the events that make up several iconic Zelda titles, such as A Link to the Past and the original NES games.
8 Link Is Robbed By Skull Kid
The opening of Majora's Mask follows another timeline, where Link returns to the past to live out the 7 years he spent sleeping in the Temple of Time. However, his journey across Hyrule is cut short when he's ambushed by the Skull Kid. Donning the cursed Majora's Mask, Skull Kid robs Link of both Epona and the Ocarina of Time.
When Link awakens, he's in a strange land called Termina, awaiting the destruction of the world by the falling moon. Link is soon tasked with stealing the Majora's Mask from Skull Kid in order to prevent the end of the world. Suffice it to say, it would've been easier for Link if he hadn't run into the mischievous Skull Kid.
7 Link Leaves The Adult Timeline
The ending of Ocarina of Time finds Princess Zelda sending Link back in time to relive his youth. However, this return ultimately dooms the timeline, despite Link defeating Ganon in the final battle. The true ramifications of this abandonment, however, are not detailed until the opening sequence of The Wind Waker.
The Wind Waker takes place generations after the events of Ocarina of Time. Eventually, Ganon returns to take over Hyrule, but because Link has returned to his past, this timeline had no sacred hero to protect it. As a result, Hyrule was flooded, and Zelda was sent to the new world under the guise of a pirate named Tetra.
6 Link Lets His Sister Get Kidnapped
Link meets the disguised Zelda in her Tetra form during the opening of The Wind Waker. They meet on Outset Island, where Link lives with his younger sister and grandmother. After watching the Helmaroc King drop Tetra, Link goes into the Fairy Woods to find her and rescue her.
Upon returning, however, Link proves to be a pretty neglectful brother. The abandoned Aryll is kidnapped by the Helmaroc King and taken to the Forsaken Fortress. As a result, the story of The Wind Waker is set in motion as Link joins Tetra and her crew on a rescue mission at the fortress that goes south very quickly.
5 Link Is Ambushed By A Shadow Beast
Typical of Zelda games, Link appears in Twilight Princess as a ranch hand in the humble Ordon Village. However, he's unexpectedly thrust into the conflict of Hyrule when the Army of Twilight invades his village. Though Link tries to defend himself, he is nevertheless ambushed by a Shadow Beast and transformed into a wolf.
Thankfully, Link is not entirely helpless in the wolf form, especially with the help of the usurped Queen of Twilight, Midna. Together, they set off to restore light to Hyrule, returning Midna to her throne. Hopefully, Link gets to return to the simple life of a rancher after the events of the game, or maybe he remains a servant of Zelda.
4 Link Agrees To Help Zelda Escape Hyrule Castle
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks takes place a hundred years after Phantom Hourglass, the direct sequel to The Wind Waker. Here, Link is again met in humble beginnings, as an aspiring Royal Engineer. He is again thrust into conflict when Zelda, suspicious of her advisor, asks Link to help her escape from Hyrule Castle.
This plan goes haywire pretty quickly as Link and Zelda team up with Alfonzo, Link's master. Zelda's advisor, Chancellor Cole, confronts the three, taking Zelda hostage. Luckily, Zelda's spirit is able to escape from her body, and she sets off again with Link to stop Chancellor Cole from resurrecting the Demon King Malladus.
3 Link Is Rather Lazy
The earliest title in the Zelda timeline is Skyward Sword, which finds Link and Zelda as residents of the airborne city of Skyloft. However, this game also finds Link at his most flawed, as the prospective knight tends to oversleep. This aloofness carries over to the story, which begins when Zelda goes missing during a Loftwing flight.
Link remains appropriately courageous once he arrives at the Surface World to find Zelda. The gameplay during this portion of the game also emphasizes Link's tendency to tire out easily. This is the first Zelda game with a stamina meter, meaning that running or climbing for too long can result in Link becoming exhausted.
2 Link Gives His House Over To Ravio
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds takes place after the events of A Link to the Past. The game finds Link on a mission to rescue the Seven Sages from the capture of Yuga, a follower of Ganon. His journey leads him to meet Ravio, a rabbit-suited man who sets up an item rental shop in Link's house.
While Ravio is nothing more than an overbearing guest, it's not very wise for Link to be this trusting to a stranger. That point is proven even more when Ravio is revealed to be a variant of Link from Lorule. Thankfully, Ravio comes to Link's rescue at the end of the game, even though he has plenty of reasons to betray him further.
1 Link Is Defeated By Calamity Ganon
Most of the story of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild takes place 100 years before the game begins. Link was the servant of Princess Zelda, accompanying her on a mission to rid Hyrule of Calamity Ganon. However, in the eleventh hour, Link lost, forcing Zelda to sacrifice herself to revive him and keep him safe for 100 years.
When Link re-emerges, he has no memory of the events 100 years prior. However, he does still hear Zelda's voice calling him to Hyrule Castle to rescue her. After locating the Divine Beasts (and, let's be honest, spending a lot of time cooking), Link finally makes up for his mistake century-long failure and defeats Calamity Ganon.