Why The Legend of Zelda's "Linkle" is a Wonderfully Progressive Figure

Nintendo's New Heroine of the The Legend of Zelda Franchise, Linkle, as she appears in Hyrule Warriors.

Linkle is a very interesting case. Regardless of what developers may say, she is undeniably a female reimagining of the main character of the The Legend of Zelda series, Link. A lot of people love her. A lot of people hate her. I'm not here to dispute for either side, I just feel the need to point out the wondrous implications of Linkle's mere presence.

For those who don't know, Linkle is slated to appear in both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the Zelda spinoff game, Hyrule Warriors. She uses crossbows and has many of the physical characteristics of the already somewhat androgynous Link. The argument against her that says she is a third party designed character is null, as lead Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma was heavily involved in both her design and inclusion in the game. Aonuma has also publicly stated his intent to consider her for future main entries into the series. 

Linkle has an absolutely brilliant visual design. While she may not have any revolutionary design choices, she is nonetheless a visual treat and really just adorable. She is animated as well as any other character on the roster and even has a light amount of backstory within the game. Linkle is also a weird name. It sounds quite similar to some juvenile words, and just adding the "Le" to Link's name seems like an odd choice on the designers part. It needs to be stated though, that using this as an argument against her importance as a symbol is as immature as denying a female character the right to be the main protagonist of a game.

Concept art of Linkle that was first revealed upon Hyrule Warriors initial release.

Link has been the protagonist of the Zelda series for decades. He is a individualized character, yes, but he is first and foremost what his name implies; a link between the player and the experience. His name can be changed to the player's own and the experience can be made yours instead of his in many ways. He is the hero, and gender doesn't influence that whatsoever. He is already as close as you can get to a genderless character of human like design, considering the design goes for stylized photorealism in certain games. Linkle just seems to be a natural step for the character, adding the option of gender choice at the beginning of the game so that the player can again have an enhanced sense of connection to the experience.

The argument that she is going to replace Link is out of place. In no way would she replace Link, there would simply be the option to choose between a male and a female main character before the player begins their journey. And the argument that it is tradition for Link to be male is also rather silly. Consider how many facets of our lives would not exist if we lived in a society that stuck solely to tradition. A game character's gender shouldn't need to stick to tradition if the character is a mostly trait-free link for the player to the game.

Regardless of whether or not you like Linkle's name or design, what she represents and the huge step forward she could be for gender equality is indisputable. In a game all about your journey, the gender of the vessel that carries this out should not be a predetermined thing. The addition of options to satisfy a wider audience, all without taking away from the people that are happy with the past design would be a brilliant step, and one that I would love to see Nintendo make.

How do you feel about Linkle and what she represents? Please let me know, share your opinion, especially if it differs from my own.

Have a tremendous day.