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Shadow Link

from Zeldapedia, the Legend of Zelda wiki

This article is about the mini-boss from Four Swords Adventures. For the recurring enemy, see Dark Link.
Shadow Link
Artwork of Shadow Link and Vaati
Artwork of Shadow Link and Vaati
First appearance Four Swords Adventures (2004)
Location(s) Hyrule
Weapon(s) Sword, Giant Bombs, any equipment Link owns
Effective weapon(s) Sword
Spoils Force Gems
"Link! The Shadow Links will regenerate if left alone! I must act... Link! Now! Defeat Shadow Link!"
— Princess Zelda
Shadow Link as he appears in-game

Shadow Link is a mini-boss from The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. This near-identical copy of Link is frequently seen causing trouble throughout the course of the game. Sometimes Link will be forced to fight Shadow Link, while others he will simply be required to evade him.

Multiple Shadow Links exist. They are continuously spewed out by the magical Dark Mirror. Shadow Link first appears when Princess Zelda and the Six Maidens go to check on the seal of the Four Sword. When all seven are captured, Link follows Shadow Link back into the Four Sword Sanctuary. When Link travels inside, Ganon uses Shadow Link to convince Link to pull the Four Sword, thus releasing Vaati.

Though Shadow Link is defeated frequently throughout the game, he is not ultimately defeated until near the end of the game when Zelda and Link seal him and his other copies back into the Dark Mirror.

[edit] Battle

Shadow Link attacks in nearly the same way as Link does. He can use any weapons Link can with the addition of Giant Bombs. To defeat Shadow Link, Link must slash him with his Sword while avoiding Shadow Link's attacks.

Shadow Link can also assume the coloration of one of the four Links, requiring that particular Link to defeat him. When Shadow Link stops and begins panting, one final attack will subdue him.

As the game progresses, Link is faced with more and more Shadow Links at one time. If Link destroys the original Shadow Link, however, the remaining clones will automatically be destroyed. He also lets loose a high-pitched scream when defeated.

[edit] Manga

Non-canon warning: This article or section contains non-canonical information that is not considered to be an official part of the Legend of Zelda series and should not be considered part of the overall storyline.

In the manga, Shadow Link's origins is expanded upon and his character is fleshed out. When he first appears, he easily defeats the four Links as the Four Sword has lost its power. Later, he attempts to tempt the purple Link to evil and otherwise to sabotage the Links' mission. This fails, as the Purple Link is revealed to having been lying to him all along, and then joins the other Links, besting Dark Link. He is later recreated by the Dark Mirror. Although he is commanded to fight against the Links, he chooses to help them by pointing out Gufuu's weak point. However, he soon realizes that as long as the Dark Mirror exists, Gufuu will be invincible, and destroys the mirror, despite warnings from Gufuu that he will die if the mirror is destroyed, which turns out to be true. Before dying, he reconciles with the other Links. His nature is explained as "the shadow version of Link from the Dark World" and before dying, he says that "Shadows stay behind their masters, but I turned it around and defeated y'all's enemy." After this, he turns into light.

Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.

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