The 40 Greatest Moments in The Legend of Zelda – Part 4

40 years. More than 20 different games. One incredible legacy.

As The Legend of Zelda celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Zelda Universe staff has come together to determine the forty very best moments from across the series. These are story cutscenes that left us stunned, awe-inspiring locations that took our breath away, gameplay sequences that tested our mettle, boss battles that thrilled us from start to finish, and more. They come from the earliest days all the way back on the NES, to some of the most recent adventures that released on the Nintendo Switch.

In a series that that has delivered countless unforgettable memories, these are the moments that best define what The Legend of Zelda means, and why it has remained so beloved by fans around the world for four decades.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

10. Midna breaks the Mirror of Twilight before leaving Hyrule

Legend of Zelda sidekicks are known to part ways with the hero after the quest is done, but Midna’s parting from Link and Zelda during Twilight Princess’ ending is one the greatest tragedies in the entire series. Midna is more than a sidekick, she’s the game’s namesake. Even though it was her decision, you can’t blame her for breaking the Mirror of Twilight. Her choice was not for herself, it was to protect everyone else, especially those she loved the most. The shock on Link’s face is clear; he doesn’t understand. The Twilight Princess does her duty even in tears, but she moves swiftly before she changes her mind. She runs up the stairs as the mirror cracks, and while leaving the world of light forever, she fixes her final gaze on Link. He is the last light dweller she will ever see before crossing to the other side. Once she is gone and the mirror shatters, fans are left with tears, and questions of their own. What happens to Link and Midna from here? Is this really how it ends? This scene alone single-handedly sparked the “Want Midna Back” fan movement, and to this day fans still hang onto a shred of hope for Midna to return someday.

– Chelsea Reed

9. Rescuing Zelda at Hyrule Castle

The Super Mario Bros. franchise wasn’t the inventor of the “Save the Princess” trope, but it certainly was the one that popularized it. The Legend of Zelda followed in its footsteps for the first two games, only to shake things up a bit with the third entry. A Link to the Past twists the trope and has Link rescue Zelda at the game’s outset, making it the hero’s very first objective. Link’s infiltration of Hyrule Castle, during which he is entrusted by his gravely wounded uncle to save Zelda, before then fleeing through the sewers with the princess alongside him, broke new ground for scenario design in The Legend of Zelda. From that moment, the game stopped being about simply rescuing the girl, allowing Link’s quest to become bigger in scope and freer than any adventure game that came before. This moment establishes Zelda as a prominent character, not just within this game, but within the rest of The Legend of Zelda series.

– David Johnson

8. Zelda reveals that she was Sheik

Who can forget the moment when Link learns that Princess Zelda was actually helping him all along while he was awakening the Sages in Ocarina of Time? All of those encounters with the enigmatic Sheik turned out to be Zelda in disguise, who was hiding from Ganondorf for seven years of his destructive rule over Hyrule. This dramatic scene was a rollercoaster of emotion: the revelation blew everyone’s minds, we finally got to see how Zelda had grown up into a young woman just as Link had grown up into a young man, it tugged on our heartstrings as Zelda acknowledges that her mistakes as a child played a role in Ganondorf’s rise to power, and finally hits us with one last gutpunch when Ganondorf captures Zelda and goads Link into coming to his castle. The whole encounter also cemented the classic Legend of Zelda lore of the “Triforce Trio” that would continue in the series for close to two decades. They are the pillars of the series who will always be connected.

– Chelsea Reed

7. Anju and Kafei reunite before the Moon falls

Hands down, the Anju and Kafei sidequest in Majora’s Mask is the best and most rewarding one of the whole game, and that’s because they make you work for it. Most of the sidequests have just a few steps, but reuniting this couple has nine required events (with multiple quest-ending decisions sprinkled in). Because of this involvement, both Anju and Kafei become fully-fledged characters with their own stories, aspirations, insecurities, and fears. Not only do you bear witness to their story, you become involved and actively choose to help them fulfill their dreams. The ultimate wait for Kafei is tense, with the clock counting down the seconds and minutes, making you worry that he won’t make it in time. But just before the Moon falls overhead, Kafei rushes through, finally willing to face his fears and reveal the truth to his fiancée. It honestly gives me goosebumps every time, and surely many other fans can say the same.

– David Johnson

6. Drawing the Master Sword for the very first time

Although we have grown quite used to drawing forth the Master Sword, the early iterations knew how to add a powerful atmosphere to the occasion. A Link to the Past introduced this iconic moment, and the Super Nintendo classic set a precedent for conveying the magnitude of it all. Wandering the Lost Woods in Northwest Hyrule, you’re surrounded by an ethereal fog and a unique tune that follows you as you search through a seemingly endless forest for the legendary Sword of Evil’s Bane (which is still the best descriptor for a weapon ever). Although false blades seem to greet you at every turn, there is no mistaking the true Master Sword. The inscription beneath the pedestal promises everything you had been told: the fulfillment of legend. As your hard-worn pendants shine, the Master Sword’s theme rings forth, and you hold aloft the sacred blade for the very first time.

– Connor Schultz

5. Traveling down to Hyrule beneath the Great Sea

By completing the trials within the Tower of the Gods, Link is acknowledged as a true hero and granted passage to a long forgotten kingdom. Lost to cataclysm in the distant past, it is revealed that Hyrule yet slumbers at the bottom of the Great Sea when Link and the King of Red Lions descend to the fabled land. At first, all appears to be frozen in time, but activity and color soon return once Link draws the Master Sword in a chamber beneath Hyrule Castle. It is in that same chamber where Link and Tetra eventually meet with the former king of Hyrule — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule — and learn of both the kingdom’s doomed fate, and Tetra’s connection to it as the incarnation of Princess Zelda. Traveling down to Hyrule in The Wind Waker is a moment where the legend comes to life, ancient history being resurrected before our eyes. It’s a glimpse into the vast mythos of The Legend of Zelda, a reminder of how the tale of The Wind Waker is just one chapter in a legendary saga that spans countless ages and adventures.

– Jeffrey Pawlak

4. Midna’s desperate hour

After working together to dispel the Twilight from multiple regions of Hyrule, all while obtaining the completed Fused Shadow, everything comes crashing down in the blink of an eye for Link and Midna. Zant blindsides them inside the Lanayru Spring, placing a curse upon Link that traps him in his wolf form, and nearly killing Midna by turning Lanayru’s light against her. What follows is a heart-wrenching sequence where the player is as helpless as the two heroes are in their vulnerable states. With Midna desperately clinging to life, Link hurries to find Zelda, the only person who may be able to help them. Dashing through the pouring rain while Hyrule Castle Town residents cower in fear rather than offer any assistance, Link can do little more than set his paws forward. Miraculously, Zelda is able to bring Midna back from the brink of death, but it comes at a cost. By transferring her very essence to Midna, Zelda acknowledges that she can do no more to save her kingdom. The princess places her faith in Link and Midna, trusting that they will be the ones to vanquish the great evil which threatens Hyrule and the Twilight Realm.

– Jeffrey Pawlak

3. Emerging from the Shrine of Resurrection

When it comes to the “new age” of The Legend of Zelda, there is nothing that defines it better than this. The doors open, the blinding light of day floods your eyes, and you take your first steps onto the vista. As you stand there with the opening theme playing, the world stretches out before you, from the Great Plateau and beyond. It can only be described as breathtaking. Hyrule and its many wonders are right at your fingertips, free to explore and engage with however you can imagine. From the very beginning of the franchise, the concept behind the series was to be brought into an unknown world and have the freedom to venture to every corner of it, fighting evil along the way. This spectacular view at the beginning of Breath of the Wild feels like the true fulfillment of that dream.

– Connor Schultz

2. “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”

It should be no surprise that this simple piece of dialogue was selected as one of the most iconic moments in The Legend of Zelda’s storied history. These words from the Old Man served as the very first line of text in the series’ first game, and even if you haven’t played it, you’ve probably heard it before. It’s a line of dialogue that has echoed throughout the video game industry for forty years, recognizable no matter your familiarity with the series. The Legend of Zelda (NES) opens with Link standing in a clearing, a lone cave just before him. Inside he’ll find an Old Man who offers him a sword, along with this tidbit of sagely wisdom. Ignoring these words may come at a high price, for Hyrule is a dangerous place, indeed. Unless you’re one of those daring souls seeking something more thrilling, since it’s actually possible to reach Ganon without ever picking up the sword (have fun, good luck).

– Shona Johnson

1. Link draws the Master Sword and travels seven years into the future

When Link opened the Door of Time and proceeded to draw the Master Sword, both an in-game world and an entire franchise were forever changed. Within the context of Ocarina of Time, alone, it allowed Ganondorf to enact his diabolical plan by infiltrating the Sacred Realm and claim a piece of the Triforce. Hyrule then suffered for seven long years under the King of Evil’s tyrannical rule, turning the once proud kingdom into a shadow of its former self. Ocarina of Time’s midway point yields one stunning transformation after another: from witnessing Link grow into an adult, to walking outside the Temple of Time to find a devastated wasteland where Castle Town and Hyrule Castle once thrived, to seeing how all other corners of Hyrule have been blighted by Ganondorf’s touch. But the effects were felt far beyond one game, as Link’s time travel altered The Legend of Zelda’s very lore as we know it. Three different timelines branched off due to this single event, leading to multiple paths through Hyrule’s history that would see distinct adventures occur within each. Link drawing the Master Sword back in 1998 shaped more than just Ocarina of Time — it shaped the Legend of Zelda itself.

– Jeffrey Pawlak