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About Link:
Sourced, in part, from Wikipedia.
Please go there to read a far more in depth description.
Link is a fictional character and the main protagonist from
Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, The Legend
of Zelda is one of Nintendo's flagship game franchises, which sold over 47 million
copies worldwide as of 2007. The series' enduring popularity has led to many
incarnations of the Zelda story and of Link himself; the character's first appearance
was in 1986 in the game The Legend of Zelda. Link has been featured in other
video games from Nintendo, including its merchandising, comic books, and an
animated television program.
His age varies depending on the game; incarnations usually vary
from pre-teen to the late teens. Link often journeys through the realm of Hyrule
defeating evil forces and Hyrule's nemesis, Ganon. To defeat Ganon, Link usually
requires the mystical Master Sword and Silver Arrows, obtained after many trials
and battles gathering magical objects or using other items such as musical instruments
and assorted weaponry.
According to the official Zelda.com Encyclopedia, Link is "humble",
but possesses legendary bravery, an attribute consistent with his role as the
rightful bearer of the Triforce of Courage. The character is known in later
Zelda games as "The Hero of Time" in his Ocarina of Time/Majora's
Mask incarnation, and as the "Hero of Winds" in The Wind Waker/Phantom
Hourglass. In the video games he is presented as being a stoic and polite person,
and in the television series as a whining, lovesick teenager.
Link is a young Hylian boy (in the Zelda comic books and various
Nintendo trading cards, however, it is said he hails from the Kingdom of Calatia,
west of Hyrule), and is renowned for his swordsmanship and fighting skill, such
as his boomerang accuracy. It is stated, in The Adventure of Link, that Link
starts the game on his sixteenth birthday. Every Link wears a green tunic, an
under-shirt (usually white or brown), and a long, floppy, green cap; at least
for part of each adventure. It is sometimes replaced by wearable game items,
like mail or armor. It is a common sight to see him wearing light-colored tights
(usually white or tan), although he has appeared barelegged in other games.
Link has brown or blond hair, and long pointed (elf-like) ears; a distinctive
trait of the Hylian race (and their descendants), which supposedly allows them
to hear messages from the gods and from other telepathic Hylians. In the Zelda
trading cards released by Nintendo early on in the series, it is stated that
the pointed ears are a sign of the royal family. Older Links usually wear small
blue hoop earrings, as is the Hylian fashion. However, in episode 4 of the Adult
Saga in the official Ocarina of Time manga series, "Link Vs. Link",
Impa is seen giving a Link his earrings, describing it as a "rite of passage
for young Sheikah men". Sheikah are another tribe in Hyrule. He bears a
Triforce mark on his left hand, marking him as the one who will find the Triforce
of Courage.] He is well known for making use of a variety of weapons and items,
such as Bombs, the Hookshot, the Boomerang, Bow and arrow and Pegasus Boots,
of which make him run extremely fast. He is physically powerful, able to overpower
Ganondorf in blade to blade combat despite Ganondorf's far greater size. He
is extremely nimble, being able to perform quick jumps and flips, and very skilled,
knowing how to perform magic and play many different instruments (usually an
ocarina). When he transforms into an animal in the twilight realm in Twilight
Princess, he becomes a wolf, reflecting the mystical aspects of the transformation
and his heroism. In a Link to the Past he transforms into a Pink Bunny, as some
sort of reflection of his inner self. In the Link to the Past manga and comics
he also starts to transform into a wolf-like creature.
Like the game's creator, Link is left-handed. The Adventure
of Link instruction booklet describes Link setting off "with a magical
sword in his left hand and a magical shield in his right". In A Link to
the Past, he alternates hands, but this is due to sprite mirroring. Starting
with Link's Awakening, Link holds his sword in his left hand and his shield
in his right, no matter what direction he is facing. In The Minish Cap, however,
Link returns to alternately holding his weapon in the right or the left hand,
depending on his orientation. At the beginning of the Four Swords manga, Link
is referred to as the "left-handed hero" after defeating pirates that
were raiding a Hylian town. In addition, Link's figurine description in The
Wind Waker lists his "manual preference" as left. However, in the
animated TV series, Link is right-handed. In the Wii version of Twilight Princess
Link is right-handed, but this was done to better mirror the game's control
scheme. In the game's official artwork he is shown holding his sword in his
left hand. In the GameCube version Link remains left-handed since the game uses
a traditional control scheme.
About Epona:
Sourced from Zelda
Wiki.org. Spoiler warning! Plot or ending details follow.
Epona's role in The Legend of Zelda series is that of Link's
steed. She made her debut in the first 3D Zelda game, Ocarina of Time, for the
Nintendo 64. She also appeared in its sequel, Majora's Mask, as well as a small
cameo in The Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance, and Twilight Princess. She
is named after the Celtic goddess of horses, Epona.
Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time Epona is first encountered when she is just a foal, at Lon
Lon Ranch where she was raised by Malon. She is wild and untamed, running away
when Link approaches, and only Malon can get close to her. After Malon teaches
Link "Epona's Song" for his ocarina, Epona stops running away and
approaches Link. Malon then says that Epona has taken a liking to Link.
Link next encounters Epona seven years later, when she has become
a mare. Unfortunately things have taken a turn for the worse at the ranch and
Ingo is now in charge. At first Epona runs away from Link again, but once he
plays "Epona's Song" she remembers him and trots to his side. Link
then participates in a horse race against Ingo, with Epona as his steed, and
wins, much to Ingo's astonishment. Ingo then challenges Link again, to try and
counter the shame of losing by winning this time, and to persuade Link, bets
Epona herself on the outcome of the race. Needless to say, Link wins, and Epona
is his. However Ingo is not to be trusted, and attempts to prevent Link from
leaving with Epona by shutting the gates. This is not a problem for Epona though,
who just jumps straight over and out to freedom. From that point on she will
willingly carry Link anywhere she can, and will run to his side whenever he
plays "Epona's Song" on his ocarina. Also, in Twilight Princess, when
you blow the Horseshoe grass, Link will play "Epona's Song" from Ocarina
of Time.
Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask Link is seen riding on Epona at the start of the game, both
of them still young. Epona is then startled by two fairies, Tatl and Tael, and
Link is thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious. Skull Kid then appears,
wearing Majora's Mask, and searches Link's unconscious body, finding the Ocarina
of Time and taking it. Link gains consciousness to see the Skull Kid standing
above him, playing on his ocarina. The Skull Kid attempts to hide the ocarina
but Link has already seen it, at lunges for him to try and get it back. However
Skull Kid leaps out of the way and onto Epona, before galloping away. Link leaps
but only manages to grab onto Skull Kid's leg. Epona continues to gallop along,
dragging Link along the ground until he looses his grip as Epona goes round
a bend, and is forced to watch her gallop off with Skull Kid on her back. When
Link finally catches up with Skull Kid again he tells him that he got rid of
Epona as she was a "stupid horse" and didn't listen to a word that
was said to it. Link does not encounter her again until he makes his way to
Romani Ranch in Termina. There Romani teaches him "Epona's Song" and
gives Epona back after Link practices shooting aliens from horseback.
Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, you can actually choose the name of your horse, the default
name being Epona. Link starts the game with Epona in Ordon Village. Link uses
her for his job as a rancher, but it is Ilia who takes care of her. Ilia gets
very angry when Link treats her poorly or she gets hurt. After the village is
attacked by King Bulblin, the horse disappears. Link reunites with Epona later
in Kakariko Village. She runs around desperately attempting to throw off two
bulblins. Once the bulblins are defeated Link has to tame her and then take
her off to save Colin (You have to do this by winning a jousting challenge against
King Bulblin). In this game Link uses spurs rather than carrots, and Epona can
gallop faster than in previous games.
Epona plays a much more prominent role in this game than previous
game in which she has appeared. For the first time you can use various items
while riding her including your sword. There are times in which it is necessary
to use Epona to progress in the game, which often includes battle on horseback.
Both King Bublin and the second-to-last boss are horseback battles.
Manga
Epona also appears in both volumes of the Ocarina of Tima manga as well as the
Majora's Mask manga drawn by Akira Himekawa. You can find these, translated
into English by Annie, at the awesome site Zelda
Legends.
About Link and Epona. Back
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