From the moment that Nintendo released the trailer for the sequel to Breath of the Wild, many fans (including myself) have been waiting with bated breath to see if Link and Zelda will both be playable. While the concept of Zelda traveling alongside Link was featured a little bit in Spirit Tracks, fans want to see a game where Zelda is a constant playable companion to the Hero of the Wild. While we’re still waiting to see what awaits us in the sequel of the wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity offers us the chance to see everyone’s two favorite Hylians battling through hordes of Bokoblins, Lizalfos, and Guardians as they try in vain to prevent Calamity Ganon’s rise. By simply passing a Joy-Con to a friend, we can fulfill this Hyrulian fantasy of fighting as Link and Zelda together.
These two pieces of art by Megan O’Rourke (@ZeOcelot on Twitter), collectively titled “Fightin’ Together,” do a fantastic job of capturing the frantic co-op action of the Hyrule Warriors series.
The first piece features the young Link wearing the Soldier’s Armor instead of his Champion’s Tunic as he’s not yet been appointed as Zelda’s knight. In the lower-left corner sits the husk of a Guardian, the lack of light hinting at its defeat. Diagonal lines of white-and-gray smoke lead towards Link, highlighting his serious expression. This stoic look calls to mind this quote from one of Zelda’s diary entries: “With so much at stake, and so many eyes upon him, he feels it necessary to stay strong and to silently bear any burden.” Despite the piles of Bokoblins that Link sends flying with every swing of his blade, Link still feels a pressure heavier than any soldier’s armor to live up to the expectations placed upon him. Perhaps he feels no pressure quite as greatly as that of his player two: Princess Zelda.
The other piece of art features Princess Zelda facing towards Link and the Guardian that lies just out of sight. Zelda’s wearing her researcher gear and a very stern look, mirroring Link’s. Just as Link struggles with the pressure he feels from everyone, Zelda knows a lot about that topic herself. Her father’s expectations lie heavy upon her shoulders. Her eyes remain focused forward on the Guardian but they may also be equally focused on Link. At this point, her father may already be eyeing Link for the promotion to Zelda’s protector, and Zelda may see this moment as her chance to stare down Link just as much as the Guardian in order to show the knight that she’s not just some damsel in distress.
While her right hand holds the Sheikah Slate, Zelda’s left hand is outstretched as she brings the power of the Stasis Rune to bear. Just beyond her fingertips is a circle that I imagine to be a magical clock face, the second hand frozen in place by the Sheikah tech just as the Guardian is. Chains of varying sizes hold the ancient tech still, an easy target for Link’s blade.
Similar to Link, Zelda also has lines of smoke flowing past her in the bottom-left corner. It’s interesting to notice this element in both pieces. Despite the title of “Fightin’ Together,” the smoke of the battlefield seems to be blowing the two partners away from each other. While Link and Zelda are literally fighting together against the Guardian in the combined piece, the fact that the mechanical automaton is mostly absent seems to imply a friendly rivalry between the hero and the princess. The combined fight against the Guardian may not be the only fight going on. These amazing pieces by Megan O’Rourke help many Zelda fans live out their dreams of seeing Link and Zelda fighting together. At the same time, they remind us of the joys of playing cooperatively that await us in Age of Calamity. On the battlefield, we have to rely on our partner in order to succeed. At the same time, there’s always room for some friendly competition to see who can fell the most enemies, and in this way, perhaps we’re all just a little bit like Link and Zelda.
