You’re standing on the Great Plateau, looking out over a ruined Hyrule. Link looks like a teenager, right? Maybe nineteen. Maybe seventeen. He’s got that youthful face, but he’s also carrying the weight of a dead kingdom on his shoulders. So, when people ask how old is Link in Breath of the Wild, they usually expect a single number. They want to hear "he's 17" or "he's 117."
The truth? It’s both. And neither. It’s actually one of the most interesting bits of lore Nintendo has ever played with.
Most Link incarnations are teenagers. Ocarina of Time famously split the difference between a 10-year-old and a 17-year-old. Twilight Princess gave us a more rugged, 17-to-19-year-old farmhand. But Breath of the Wild (BotW) pulls a fast one on us by introducing the Great Slumber. Link isn’t just a hero; he’s a living relic. He is a historical artifact that still breathes.
The 100-Year Nap and Biological Reality
Technically, Link is roughly 117 years old.
We know this because the Calamity happened exactly one century before the game starts. When Zelda’s father, King Rhoam, meets you on that plateau, he explains that Link has been submerged in the Slumber of Restoration for 100 years. This isn't just a long sleep; it’s a magical stasis that halted his aging process.
Before he went under, Link was a knight. He wasn't just some kid who found a sword in a forest. He was the chosen protector of Princess Zelda, a role that required years of training. Based on the Creating a Champion art book—which is basically the Bible for BotW lore—Link was likely 17 years old during the events of the Great Calamity.
Why 17? In Hyrulean tradition, especially concerning the royal family and the springs of wisdom, 17 is the age of maturity. Zelda herself is 17 when she finally visits the Spring of Wisdom on Mt. Lanayru. It’s heavily implied Link is around the same age, or perhaps a year older, making him a biological late-teenager and a chronological centenarian.
👉 See also: When Was Monopoly Invented: The Truth About Lizzie Magie and the Parker Brothers
Why Chronological Age Doesn't Really Matter
If you meet a guy who’s been in a coma for a hundred years, is he an old man? Mentally, he’s still where he was when the lights went out.
Link’s brain is essentially that of a 17-year-old with amnesia. He remembers how to fight—muscle memory is a powerful thing—but his identity has been erased. This creates a weird dissonance. The Sheikah monks who built the Shrine of Resurrection designed it to heal, not just preserve. He woke up with the body of a young man in his prime, yet he’s older than almost every living person in Hyrule, save for the Zora and a few ancient Sheikah like Impa and Purah.
It’s actually quite funny when you talk to the Zora.
Prince Sidon and the elderly Zora actually remember Link from a century ago. To them, he’s a peer. To the Hylians in Kakariko Village, he’s just a weirdly dressed traveler who looks like he should be helping with the harvest. This age gap is a huge part of the game’s melancholy vibe. You are a ghost inhabiting a young man's body.
The Purah Paradox
If you want to talk about "how old is Link in Breath of the Wild," you have to mention Purah. She’s the Sheikah researcher in Hateno Lab. She was an adult 100 years ago, making her well over 120. But because of a de-aging experiment gone wrong, she looks like a six-year-old.
Hyrule is full of people whose chronological ages don't match their physical bodies.
✨ Don't miss: Blox Fruit Current Stock: What Most People Get Wrong
Link is the inverse of Purah. She’s an old soul in a child’s body; he’s a "young" soul in a body that has existed for over a century. This isn't just flavor text; it impacts how NPCs treat him. The older characters treat him with a reverence or a nostalgic bitterness that he doesn't yet understand because his "clock" stopped in the Year 0 of the Calamity.
Evidence From "Creating a Champion"
Nintendo is usually pretty vague about specific birthdays. They like Link to be an avatar for the player. If he’s too specific, he’s harder to project onto. However, the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion book provides the most concrete evidence we have.
The developers mention that they wanted Link to be a bit older and more "accomplished" than previous versions. He’s a Master Swordsman. He’s already the best of the best. This supports the 17-19 biological age range. He’s finished his growth spurts. He’s sturdy.
Compare this to the Link in The Wind Waker, who is clearly a child (around 12). The BotW Link has a physical maturity that matches his status as a veteran of a literal world-ending war. Honestly, if he were any younger than 17, his role as the Princess's personal bodyguard would feel a bit ridiculous, even by fantasy standards.
The Tears of the Kingdom Time Jump
We can’t talk about his age without looking at the sequel. Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) takes place a few years after the end of Breath of the Wild. While Nintendo hasn't given an exact number, the world has changed. Look at the construction in Lookout Landing. Look at how much Tulin has grown.
Most fans and lore-hunters estimate the jump is between 3 to 5 years.
🔗 Read more: Why the Yakuza 0 Miracle in Maharaja Quest is the Peak of Sega Storytelling
If Link was biologically 17 and chronologically 117 in BotW, he’s now roughly 20 to 22 biologically and 120+ chronologically in the sequel. He looks a bit more filled out. His hair is longer when it's down. He’s becoming a true adult.
Does the Age Affect Gameplay?
Not really. Link can climb mountains, sprint for miles, and parry a laser beam from a Guardian regardless of the calendar. But the age matters for the story.
Knowing he is 117 years old adds a layer of tragedy. He lost a hundred years of his life. Everyone he knew—his fellow knights, his family, his friends—is dead, except for those with exceptionally long lifespans. His age isn't just a stat; it’s a measure of his loss.
When you see him eat a baked apple or struggle to stay warm in the snow, you’re seeing a 17-year-old kid trying to survive. When you see him face down Ganon, you’re seeing a century-old warrior fulfilling a destiny he forgot he had. It’s that duality that makes this version of the character so compelling.
Key Takeaways on Link’s Age
- Biological Age: Approximately 17-18 years old. He has the body of a late teenager/young adult.
- Chronological Age: 117-118 years old. This includes the 100 years spent in stasis.
- Context: He is the same age as Zelda, who is explicitly stated to be 17 before the Calamity.
- Sequel Status: In Tears of the Kingdom, he is likely in his early 20s (biologically).
Actionable Insights for Lore Fans
If you're trying to piece together the timeline for yourself, don't just look at Link. Look at the environment. The "age" of the world is just as important as the age of the hero.
- Read the Diaries: Go to Hyrule Castle and find Zelda's study. Her diary entries provide the most context for their lives before the 100-year gap.
- Talk to the Zora Elders: In Zora's Domain, the older Zora will give you specific dialogue about "Master Link" from a century ago, which helps cement his history.
- Check the Master Works/Creating a Champion: If you want the "Word of God" from the developers, these books are the only places where these numbers are even hinted at officially.
Stop worrying about whether he’s "too old" or "too young." Link is a timeless hero in a very literal sense. He is a bridge between the Hyrule that was and the Hyrule that will be. Whether he's 17 or 117, he’s still the guy who's going to spend three hours hunting crickets instead of saving the world, and that’s the Link we love.
To truly understand the depth of Link's journey, focus your next playthrough on the "Recovered Memories" questline. These flashbacks are the only way to see the "17-year-old" Link before he became the "117-year-old" legend. Pay close attention to his demeanor in the memory titled "Quiet Harbor"—it shows a level of exhaustion that proves he was carrying the weight of the world long before he ever went to sleep.