When it comes to The Legend of Zelda, the first two names that come to mind are Link and Zelda. The two often work together in order to take down Ganon and save Hyrule. It’s very clear that both of them are incredibly skilled. However, which of the two is the strongest when it comes down to it, who could take down the other? Let’s find out. As a note, for the purpose of this list, we’ll be grouping all of the respective Zeldas and Links as one, as they’re generally all similar to one another when it comes to their powers.
10 Zelda: Runs Hyrule
Zelda, while usually given the title of princess, is the one who is running Hyrule. She has to take care of an entire nation, and despite the Ganon invasions (that she has no control over), things generally run very well. She’s got the knowledge to run a nation as large as Hyrule, proving that she’s quite the capable leader in times of both peace and war.
9 Link: Swordsmanship
While Zelda has been shown to wield swords at some points (even the Master Sword for small periods), her swordsmanship is in no way even close to Link’s. He has an incredible set of abilities that Zelda couldn’t even dream using. If it came to swords, Zelda would be bested with ease.
8 Zelda: Magical Abilities
However, before Link would be able to take her on with a sword, Zelda could keep him at bay with her magical abilities.
While Zelda’s powers can vary from game to game, it’s very clear that in a one-on-one battle she’s an absolute force to be reckoned with. Link wouldn’t ever get the chance to get close to Zelda in battle.
7 Link: His Arsenal
If Link were to utilize his whole arsenal, however, the battle would get quite interesting. Bombs, hookshots, Link’s tools would be able to match Zelda’s magic attacks very well. For every new attack that Zelda would be able to use against Link, he would have another weapon ready to take her on, forcing her to stay on her toes. He could also take her down if she slips up.
6 Zelda: Held Back Calamity Ganon
However, we really do need to give Zelda her due, she held back Calamity Ganon for 100 years, and has also sealed him away countless times with the other sages. Zelda is the only reason that Hyrule has been able to stand for as long as it has. Without her, the kingdom would have been destroyed thousands of years ago. However, she’s not the only one that deserves credit in this area.
5 Link: Defeats Ganon
While Zelda is the one to seal Ganon away time and time again, Link is the one who must take him down first. He is the one who strikes him down in the end. While Zelda has assisted Link in his final battles before, he’s the one who does the bulk of the work when it comes to making sure that Ganon is weak enough to actually be sealed away at all. The two have to work together to make it happen in the end, so they both win in this area.
4 Zelda: She’s Divine
Zelda is the descendant of the goddess Hylia, meaning she has divine blood flowing through her. This is what grants her the powers that she has.
When matching up Link against Zelda, this is something that cannot be ignored. Zelda literally has the power of a goddess backing her up. This is one of her clear advantages over Link that he is going to need to find a way around, because the power that Hylia has granted her is massive.
3 Link: He Saves Zelda
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet is the fact that, well, Zelda needs to be saved by Link from time to time. While she certainly isn’t a damsel in distress by any means, and she’s been forced to surrender to spare her people in the past, she’s never the one who’s doing the saving. And, no, CD-I Zelda does not count. She besmirches the Zelda name. So does that stupid Link, while we’re at it.
2 Tie: Their Triforce Pieces
One area that Link and Zelda tie in is the fact that they both hold a piece of the Triforce, making them incredibly powerful individuals. While the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage grant Zelda and Link, respectively, very different abilities, having any part of the Triforce is going to be a massive advantage while fighting. While Link might be more physically powerful than Zelda, she will have the strategy of the fight down to a science. They both win in this category.
1 Winner: Zelda
The thing is, if Zelda lets Link get in close during the fight, she’s going to lose. However, her Triforce of Wisdom and magical abilities are going to be key in making sure that it never happens. Princess Zelda simply has the tools to stop Link from using his best assets, helping her win her the fight with ease.
NEXT: Top 10 Zelda Characters We Want in Smash Ultimate, Ranked
