Last time I contributed to our Tingle’s Maps column, I explored the garden around Link’s house in Breath of the Wild. Today, I take a look inside this little home and see if I can glean anything more about our beloved hero. I can’t promise to find any concrete answers, but I’ll certainly provide you with food for thought!
What strikes me most about Link’s home is just how open it is. Unlike the other houses in Hateno Village, the main room is spacious, with a high, vaulted ceiling. It isn’t bisected by a partitioning wall, nor is the floor raised above the exterior ground level, which adds to the cramped feeling in the other Village homes.
Of course, it seems all the more spacious due to the lack of furniture. To the left of the door is a neat kitchenette, complete with pots and pans. Did Bolson know Link enjoyed cooking? There’s no fireplace or stove to cook on, but then again there is the one outside. Next to this is a bookcase, again very neat and tidy.
Is it tidy because Link never has a chance to enjoy his home, or because he’s a fastidious person? You don’t get to be Princess Zelda’s personal knight without a great attention to detail and level of care, after all. Though I think the answer is probably a little bit of both in this case.
The centerpiece of the room is the dining table. A wooden frame above it is hung with many lanterns, giving the room a warm glow, and the rustic table is laid for two. Blue and white crockery sit at the place settings, and a lovely vase of bright flowers sit in between. There’s some kind of woven rug underneath, and the table has a faded yellow cloth runner down the middle.
It feels homely. It reminds me of homes belonging to previous Links. There’s a definite quality that reveals life ‘before’ in this little tableau. And yet we look at it after.
The weapons racks on the walls bring us back to present day. I have no evidence for this, but I find it unlikely that Link had much time to collect many weapons before the Calamity. I think he was too focused on his role as a Champion, along with that of Zelda’s protector.
Up the stairs on the little mezzanine is the bedroom. There’s a writing desk, some work and books still sitting on it, and a little cabinet beside. The walls up here have pictures and a little shelf. The low bookshelves have more pictures and knickknacks on them. The overall effect is cozier than below, and the larger window gives it an airy, brighter quality. Again, it’s reminiscent of previous Links’ homes, as the bedroom is small, simple, and in a little loft area.
The bed, of which there is only one, is pushed into a corner. On the bedside table is a bud vase with a bright yellow flower in it. Below the stairs, in the storage area, there are herbs drying on the wall. Did Link pick these? Is it something he does in remembrance of Zelda, or did Bolson want to give the place a little love before handing over the keys?
I’d like to think Link keeps it ready for Zelda’s return, where he’ll sleep on the floor by her bed to ensure a sound night’s sleep.
This house is very basic, with only the merest hints of Link’s personality. But I think that’s the point. Our silent protagonist leaves little behind him, wherever he goes, though he touches the lives of those around him. He’s led an almost monastic life up until now — all that training, routines, and focus on honor.
