Link

Link (リンク, Rinku) is the protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. Unlike the majority of Nintendo protagonists, there are several distinct incarnations of Link seen throughout The Legend of Zelda series, each of whom are destined to become heroes against powerful forces of evil, most notably Ganondorf/Ganon. Due to the consistent critical and commercial success of The Legend of Zelda series, Link is marketed as one of Nintendo's flagship characters alongside Mario, the company's mascot, to the point that both he and Mario are marketed together as mascots for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.)

Origin
Link's first appearance was in The Legend of Zelda, which depicted his quest to rescue Princess Zelda and the land of Hyrule from the evil Ganon. Link is designed with a green tunic and a green hat, which, like Mario's design, was due to the NES' hardware limitations. This appearance has since been traditional for Link, with the exception of his appearance in Breath of the Wild, which nevertheless features versions of his traditional green clothes as unlockable attires.

It is worth noting that while there have been multiple games within The Legend of Zelda series, it has not always been the same Link who the player controls. This is evident with the fact that are there multiple timelines within the series, wherein many games typically feature a new Link with a new origin. Notable examples include "Hylia's Chosen Hero" (referring to the Link from Skyward Sword), the "Hero of Time" (referring to the Link from Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask), the "Hero of Winds" (referring to the Link from The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass), and the "Hero of Twilight" (referring to the Link from Twilight Princess).

On a related note, Link's age has also varied. In some games, such as The Wind Waker and the present timeline of Ocarina of Time, Link is a child, with these two particular incarnations being represented as playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series. In Skyward Sword, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Breath of the Wild, Twilight Princess and the future timeline of Ocarina of Time, Link is depicted as a teenager, with the incarnations from the latter three games also being playable characters in the Super Smash Bros. series.

In addition, Link, regardless of his age, almost always starts out as unremarkable until learning of his heroic destiny and, as his journey presses onward, gradually progresses into a full-fledged hero. For example, Ocarina of Time features him as a young boy whose mother entrusted him in the care of the Great Deku Tree before dying. The Wind Waker also features him as a young boy, albeit living a happy and carefree life on Outset Island alongside his grandmother and younger sister Aryll. In Twilight Princess, he is an ordinary young man working at Ordon Ranch. Breath of the Wild is one of the few exceptions to this rule, introducing him as a knight and a descendant of many other knights.

Regardless of his origin, each incarnation of Link is tasked with defeating the main antagonist of the story, most frequently Ganondorf/Ganon, in order to stop them from either taking over the world or, in other cases, destroying it. Other hallmarks shared by the Links are their ability to wield the Master Sword and their possession of the Triforce of Courage, although these are not depicted universally. Due to the The Legend of Zelda series giving Link simple and concise answers that the player can pick instead of traditional dialogue, there is very little insight into the personalities of the majority of his incarnations. While the only incarnations to expressively show distinct personalities are the ones from The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass, Twilight Princess, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild, universal traits among Link's incarnations are bravery, humility, and politeness.