I can’t say I ever expected to watch as Linkle and Link team up save Hyrule from a not-so-merry Christmas, but here I am.
The day starts off as any typical Christmas would — if Christmas was celebrated in Hyrule. Linkle, asleep in her home, awakes with excitement and childlike fervor to inspect the bounty Santa has undoubtedly brought her. The promise of neatly packaged boxes covered in festive wrappings and bows, all of which will soon be strewn about on the floor under the tree like the leftovers of a Wolfos’s victorious hunt, is more than she can bear. But what she finds is not the peak of festivities that she craves. What she finds is the empty lodgings under the tree, the mark of empty promises.
What could have happened? Why had Santa not come? Linkle, desperate but not dejected, travels to Link’s home to tell him of her sad predicament, which he, after he wakes, learns has befallen him as well. Both of these brave heroes deduce that it must have been none other than Ganondorf, that evil king and apparent hater of Christmas, who is to blame. They ready themselves. Linkle prepares her crossbow, her arrows fully stocked, and Link readies the Master Sword, always sharp and ready to cut through any nefarious scheme. They then, with Linkle also dressed for the occasion, depart for the North Pole to investigate.
What an amazing setup for a Legend of Zelda Christmas story. And Linkle is the perfect character to be the star of this tale, which quickly spirals into a wacky and hilarious venture. CharlesCBernado, the animator behind this video, came up with something truly special with this. Linkle is such a spokesperson of optimism and a true champion of the Hylian holidays.
And the animation style is a perfect match as well. The low level of movement in this cartoon, to a certain extent, matches the old and classic Christmas cartoons most people know. It’s simple, it’s charming, and it’s fun. I think it’s this, the pure fun factor of this animation, that is the key.
Lighthearted joy, which often gets overshadowed by materialistic ambitions for the season, is abundant in this video, and it’s enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s the always welcome feeling that often means the most on this most special of days.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
