Highlights
- Link's switch from being historically left-handed to right-handed in recent The Legend of Zelda games may have a fun in-universe explanation according to a theory about his training as a knight.
- The theory proposes that Link's muscle memory from training with his right hand explains why he continues to use it even after losing his memories, and his ambidextrousness benefits him when using two-handed weapons in Tears of the Kingdom.
- While motion controls are a likely reason for the change, this headcanon offers a more interesting and logical explanation, making for an enjoyable take on Link's right handedness in the games.
After noticing that Link has changed from being historically left-handed to being right-handed in recent The Legend of Zelda games, one fan shared an ingenious possible explanation that involves the real-life history of knighthood. Throughout most of The Legend of Zelda franchise, Link uses his left hand to handle his blade, but the hero of Hyrule has switched over to his right hand for sword-wielding since Skyward Sword and has continued on with this trend throughout Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
The popular explanation prior to this thoughtful headcanon is that Nintendo swapped Link's dominant hand to the right side because of the motion controls that were introduced during Skyward Sword. This certainly makes a lot of sense, but it isn't quite as fun as the in-universe reasoning one fan has come up with. The depth and complexity of the latest entry in the franchise have kept fans engaged even months after its release. Gamers have taken to crafting elaborate items and even creating Onyx from Pokemon in Tears of the Kingdom, and theories like this have also been sweeping the various forums.
Reddit user GrimmCigarretes hypothesizes that because Link was trained as a knight in Skyword Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom, he was forced to train with his right hand rather than his historically dominant left hand. This is consistent with real-world knights who would be forced to use their right hands to wield their swords and fight. His early training in Skyward Sword also makes some sense when considering where it falls in the Legend of Zelda timeline.
The eagle-eyed fan points out that Link even keeps his plume and ink on the left side of his diary in Skyward Sword despite wielding his sword with his right hand – suggesting that Link is actually left-handed but was trained to use his right like a traditional knight. They go on to state that muscle memory would account for why Link continues to use his right hand to fight even after losing his memories prior to the events of Breath of the Wild. Link's ambidextrousness also likely serves him well when wielding Tears of the Kingdom's best two-handed weapons.
Motion controls are the most likely cause behind the change (as the majority of people are right-handed), but this headcanon gives fans a fun in-universe reason. Not to mention, the explanation simply makes a lot of sense. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Link switches back to his dominant hand if and when The Legend of Zelda inevitably returns on the rumored Switch 2 console.
