Summary
The Legend of Zeldafranchise has always been praised for its gameplay, mechanics, and presentation,but its narrative and world-buildingare another highlight. Every single entry presents an engaging plot that motivates fans to keep playing until the very end.
Speaking of which, a good story would be nothing without a great conclusion to end things with. TheLegend of Zeldaseries has an amazing collection of memorable endings that are not only satisfying to watch but can also improve the experience that preceded them. But one question remains. WhichLegend of Zeldagames have the best endings in the entire franchise?
SomeLegend of Zeldagames were developed forolder, less powerful, consoles, so it only makes sense that they have less complex narratives. But this didn’t prevent the iconicA Link To The Pastfrom having one of the most legendary and satisfying endings in the entire franchise.
The concept is quite simple: Link defeatsGanon,recovers theTriforce, and uses it to bring peace back to Hyrule. But this is followed by a montage of all the locations and characters that the player has met throughout the game, set to a beautiful music track. All of this creates a huge sense of accomplishment and makes the entire experience worth it.
This spiritual successor toA Link To The Pastwas released on the Nintendo 3DS,which allowed for a more complex story. This game’s ending has two surprising reveals: That Yuga was working for Princess Hilda (Zelda’s dark world counterpart) and that the merchant Ravio was Link’s dark world counterpart all along.
The tale of Hilda and her mission to save Lorule is quite tragic, and her conflict with Zelda is fascinating. These plot twists are not only shocking, but they also help to enhance the entire narrative of this game, which was relatively simple up to that point. In the end, Link and Zelda go back to Hyrule and forgive Hilda as they use their Triforce wish to restore Lorule’s Triforce to its former glory, in the most beautiful and emotional scene in the game.
Twilight Princessis one of the darkestLegend of Zeldagames, so it makes sensethat Ganondorf’s defeat is quite morbid as well, as Zant can be seen snapping his neck somehow, and the main villain dies standing in front of Link and Zelda. This is an incredible conclusion to this game’s climactic final battle. The rest of the ending is more light-hearted, as the player can see Hyrule entering a new period of peace.
But the most emotional moment is when Link has to say goodbye to Midna, who has been his loyal and charismatic sidekick during the entire adventure. This is quite bittersweet because, while Midna was arguably the best character in the game, and it’s sad to let her go, it’s also very satisfying to finally see her going back to the Twilight Realm in peace.
Wind Wakerhad the difficult task of following the events ofOcarina Of Time, but it ended up working well, with an intriguing storyof a version of Hyrule that was swallowed by water. Link defeats Ganondorf after an incredible sword fight, but Hyrule is fated to be permanently washed away by the water to keep it safe from this dangerous evildoer.
King Daphnes’ speech to Link and Zelda, about how he has hopes that they’ll build a brighter future free of his mistakes, is really moving and is made even more poignant by the fact that he eventually sacrifices himself to help them escape the water, even after Link tries to reach him. Considering that the King has been Link’s boat all along, the King of Red Lions, this means that his tragic demise even has a huge impact on the player.
Skyward Swordalso concludes with an emotional scene of Link having to say goodbye to a good friend. After defeating the Demon King Demise, Fihas to go back to the Master Sword because she will have to assist future heroes in their quests. And even if she could be a tad annoying during the gameplay, Fi’s robotic personality was quite endearing, so it’s sad to see her go.
On top of that, the young version of Impaalso remains in the past to protect the Master Sword and the Gate of Time. Link, Zelda, and Groose return to the present and make their way to the lands below, setting the stage for the development of Hyrule in the rest of the franchise. This ending is extremely satisfying because it builds the foundation for titles that are set after the events ofSkyward Sword, and some elements of it (like Fi and Demise) have been alluded to inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom.
As the most popular and iconic game in the series, the ending ofOcarina Of Timeis relatively simple, and that works in its favor. After an intense final battle, Ganondorf is defeated by Link, and he is sealed away by the seven sages. Hyrule is saved, and all the memorable characters of the game can be seen celebrating. Everything in this ending is very rewarding for the player, especially after this long quest.
But the most memorable part is when Zelda, after apologizing to Link for everything that happened - which includes forcing him to grow up prematurely - sends him back to the past, so he can be a kid again. This is an emotional sendoff, and it’s made even more emotional by young Link saying goodbye to Naviand meeting with young Zelda once again. Not to mention that this crucial eventbasically created the infamous branching storylineof theLegend of Zeldatimeline.
The conclusion toMajora’s Maskshares a lot of common elements with the endings of other games in the series. The main villain is defeated satisfyingly, and the entire land of Termina can be seen celebrating. But this light-hearted celebration is even more significantbecause of how depressing the rest of the game was. Especially if the player gets to see the cutscene in which the moon destroys the world, which is triggered after three in-game days have passed.
But this ordeal was caused by Skull Kid. And now that he has been saved from the evil mask’s influence, he can meet back with his fairy friends, Tatl and Tael. He also asks Link if they can be friends, and the young hero accepts. After Link and Epona leave Termina, the final shot of the game shows a cute drawing on a tree that was made by Skull Kid, which is endearing and ends this dark game on a sweet note.
The most recent entry in the franchise,Tears of the Kingdom, improved upon many things from its predecessor,Breath of the Wild. And one of them is the story and the ending. Most of this plot is set in the past, as Zelda witnesses the events that led to Ganondorf’s inevitable resurrection, and she eventually chooses to transform into a dragon to help Link in the present.
The final segment andboss of this gameare simply incredible. After defeating Ganondorf in his underground lair, the villain also transforms into a huge dark dragon and Zelda helps Link slay him in an amazing aerial battle.
If this final battle wasn’t incredibly memorable already, everything that happens afterward makes this ending even better. Rauru and Sonia restore Zelda to her regular form, Link saving Zelda while falling from the sky, both of them finally meeting once again, Mineru’s farewell, and the Sages' successors vowing to keep protecting Hyrule. The ending is a cinematic masterpiece, and it will be fondly remembered as one of the best moments in the franchise for many years to come.
