Whenever studios want audiences to see themselves in the protagonist, they generally don’t give said character a voice. Players are supposed to make all the decisions for the character and imagine whatever voice they want coming out of their lips because developers want them to feel they are the hero. Link’s lack of a voice fits perfectly with this design philosophy. In other words, Link is meant to be an avatar for the player.
What Is the In-game Explanation?
Of course, not giving Link a voice is fine from a game design perspective, but it’s still weird for him to remain silent when everyone else around him talks, especially in Breath of the Wild where characters have spoken lines. In order for Nintendo’s decision to make sense, this idea also has to make sense from an in-game lore perspective, and the game has that covered.
While many characters talk to Link in Breath of the Wild, few connect quite as deeply as Princess Zelda. If players find all of Link’s memories, they learn that Zelda initially didn’t like Link following her around as a bodyguard, despite the necessity of his presence. Link doesn’t talk in any of these interactions, and some characters even comment on his silence, but partway through the sequence of collectible videos, Zelda opens up to Link. Part of the reason she warms up to him is revealed in cutscenes that show Link saving her life, but another reason rests in Zelda’s diary.
On page five, the diary states that Zelda got Link to “open up,” and that she eventually asked him to spill the beans on his silence. Surprisingly, the diary claims he did. According to Zelda, Link never speaks because he thinks it is “necessary to stay strong and to silently bear any burden.” If we take the diary at face value, not only does this entry explain that Breath of the Wild’s Link is the strong, silent type because he doesn’t want anyone to worry about him, but it confirms that he does talk. It’s just that players never get to hear Link’s voice.
To be fair, this explanation only applies to the latest incarnation of Link. Almost every entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise stars a different character, even though they all sport the same name. While Links primarily only utter grunts and yells, some are slightly more vocal than others. Wind Waker’s Link is a prime example since he yells “C’mon!” whenever he wants someone to follow him, and if he is tailing someone and about to be exposed, he will mimic a cat’s meow to throw them off.
Even though Wind Waker’s Link is almost as silent as Breath of the Wild’s Link, it would be a stretch to assume they don’t speak for the same reasons. One is a 17 year-old knight destined to save Hyrule, and the other is a 12 year-old boy who wants to save his little sister.
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