Link’s Complicated Role in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Explained

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The Legend of Zelda series has traditionally focused on Link as the main hero. While Zelda is part of the title, she hasn’t been the primary playable character until The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. She previously shared the lead role with Link in games like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. However, the newest Hyrule Warriors game seems to be different – trailers and promotional materials don’t feature Link at all. Zelda is once again taking center stage, and with Hyrule Warriors offering a wide range of playable characters, fans are curious to know if Link will make an appearance.

No, you can’t play as Link in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. However, the full story is a little more complex. Link does make a quick appearance at the beginning of the game, right before Zelda travels through time. This short scene actually unlocks a character who, while not Link himself, plays very similarly. Be careful reading on – there are minor spoilers ahead for those who haven’t progressed far in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.

Link Isn’t Playable In Hyrule Warriors, But He Also Kind of Is

The beginning of Age of Imprisonment shows a Korok unexpectedly activating a strange machine. We quickly meet this Korok, whose name is Calamo, and discover he’s decided to team up with the mysterious machine (originally shown with a question mark). Like another character, this machine doesn’t talk, but it does fight using a sword and shield – and its moves will remind players of the Master Sword’s fighting style.

Although Link didn’t travel to the past with Zelda, Hyrule Warriors introduced a similar character: the Mysterious Construct. This character fights with a sword and has some technological powers due to being a construct, but their overall role in the story and how they fight are very reminiscent of Link.

Why does this character resemble Link so much? The game has a story-based explanation, but you’ll discover it by playing until Zelda and the Mysterious Construct have a direct encounter.

Why The Mysterious Construct Seems Like Link, But Isn’t Mentioned in Later Games

If the presence of Calamo and the Mysterious Construct seems like a strange oversight in the game’s story, rest assured there’s an explanation. They aren’t shown in the flashbacks from Tears of the Kingdom because their history was deliberately erased. This was done to prevent anyone from discovering the dangerous power of the Zonai constructs, especially considering the Mysterious Construct’s connection to an evil version created and corrupted by Ganondorf.

If a Construct is filled with dark energy, it’s puzzling why the Mysterious Construct behaves so much like Link. Zelda notices this immediately upon meeting it. The glowing object Calamo discovered – the one that powered on the Construct – is actually a fragment of the Master Sword, broken off when Link and Zelda fell at the beginning of the game. Because the Master Sword is connected to Link’s spirit, it’s logical that a Construct containing a piece of it would mimic the hero’s actions.

The game subtly references the classic hero from The Legend of Zelda, even though he didn’t directly participate in the Imprisoning War. This clever storytelling really pays off at the end of Age of Imprisonment, making it a worthwhile experience to play through.

Do you enjoy seeing characters besides Link take center stage in newer Zelda games and related titles? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-07 17:44