- "Link, I'm going out for a bit, but there's no need for you to worry. I'll be back by morning, but I don't want you leaving the house until then..."
- — Link's Uncle
Link's Uncle is a character from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. He is the uncle of Link and was a respected swordsman in his youth. He is one of the few relatives of Link's who are seen in the Legend of Zelda series. In the radio drama for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, his name is given as Alfon.
Biography[]
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
Prior to the events of the game, Link and his uncle lived together in a house south of Hyrule Castle. Eventually, the King of Hyrule is betrayed by his trusted servant, Agahnim, who went on to take control over the Hyrule Guards and imprison Princess Zelda in the dungeon of the castle. The game begins as Link witnesses his uncle, who has heard the telepathic call for help from Zelda, leaving the house armed with a sword and shield, asking him to remain in the house.
Unbeknownst to Link's Uncle, however, Link also hears Princess Zelda's call for help. When Link's Uncle is out of sight, Link travels through the rain to Hyrule Castle. He finds a secret entrance into the castle and in a narrow passage, he finds none other than his uncle. His uncle has been mortally wounded, gives Link his sword and shield, and teaches him the Spin Attack, telling him that he is the only one with the power to stop the evil that threatens the land of Hyrule. Recalling fond memories of their time together, Link's uncle then draws his terminal breath mid-sentence, the meaning of which was disputed until recently:
- "Save the Princess... Zelda is your... ... ..."
- — Link's Uncle
Link eventually fulfills the promise to his uncle, defeating Ganon and using the power of the Triforce to undo the evil that Ganon wrought. Among the evil deeds that were undone was the slaying of Link's Uncle, who is brought back to life. The two go back to living together in peace.
Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manga[]
Non-canon warning: This article or section contains non-canonical information that is not considered to be an official part of the Legend of Zelda series and should not be considered part of the overall storyline.
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Link's Uncle from the manga
In the A Link to the Past manga, Link's Uncle owns an apple orchard. He plays the same part in the story as the game as the man who raised Link and cared for him after his parents died. Link witnesses his uncle's death at the hands of Agahnim (in the game, it is never ascertained who struck the killing blow). Link's Uncle speaks to Link briefly before passing away, telling him that parents might be alive, and that he wished he could have seen his nephew's apple farm.
Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.
Theory[]
Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.
In the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Virtual Console versions of A Link to the Past, the uncle's last words were "Zelda is your...". The meaning of this phrase has long been debated, leading some to believe that the entire sentence would have read "Zelda is your sister". Today it is generally accepted that it was meant to be something along the lines of "Zelda is your destiny", though a more accurate translation results in "You are the princess's...", which would still leave room for speculation as to what the conclusion to the statement is. It should be noted however that in A Link Between Worlds, the Link and Zelda from A Link to the Past are heavily hinted to have become intimate with one another, something that would likely not happen if they were indeed related with one another given the fact that Link's uncle would have stated something about it.
In any case, the Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past features a new translation with numerous changes to the dialogue and text, including the aforementioned phrase[1]. Through a certain glitch, it is possible to find the body of Link's uncle that can be conversed with and will speak the original dialogue before transforming into Blind the Thief. He also does this when encountered in the Palace of the Four Sword.
Theory warning: Theories end here.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ "Link...you must rescue Princess Zelda. Our people are fated to do so. But do not fall victim...to fate...Link...I shall always remember...our time...together..."