The silent protagonist of the Legend of Zelda series has been seen as somewhat of a "player insert" character. A large number of characters in video games are seen this way such as Gordon Freeman, Master Chief, or the Doom Slayer. Link has had many iterations and portrayals explained as being different heroes during different time periods. A few Links are directly related to each other, explained in Nintendo's Zelda timeline, and have distinct qualities about them that separate each generation from the rest.
He isn't a blank slate, but the lack of voice does leave players with many questions about his ambitions and overall personality. However, there are a plethora of times when Link showed he was much more than a conduit for the player to experience the world of Hyrule.
10 Saddened By His Uncle's Death - A Link To The Past
In the opening segments of A Link To The Past or LTTP, Link defies orders from his uncle; Following him to the castle and discovering the hidden entrance, only to find him mortally wounded. At the start of the game, we see a Link defined by duty, and quite possibly revenge. Players often glance over this fact because, in true Zelda fashion, Link has no response to this. In the game itself, it's hard to ascertain just what is going on through his head, but in the manga, things are made clearer. Both fitted with a voice and illustrated to have deep emotions during many of the events of the story, the manga shows how fleshed out a character he is. Brave, saddened, and determined, this Link is more complex than originally thought.
9 Bashful and Shy - Ocarina of Time
OoT's Link shows a lot more to the character through facial expressions and inferred character dialogue. There are several moments that suggest Link is speaking, but we can't read the dialogue in these games. One instance of this is after saving Princess Ruto from inside Jabu Jabu's Belly. Her aggressive behavior to Link up to this point has her treating him like an errand boy, but when he slays the boss and rescues the Princess, her attitude changes.
She asks him to get married twice within the game's story, flirting with him nearly every moment they are both on screen. Link's body language is all that's needed to know just how shy he is about the whole situation and shows a softer side to this game's protagonist.
8 He Believes In Love - Majora's Mask
There are a lot of themes within The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, each dealing with one of the stages of grief. While collecting masks, meeting people, and solving problems, there is one story quest that fans will know to be the longest and most rewarding task in the game. Anju and Kafei's story quest has Link following a series of events in order to reunite two people in love after Kafei is cursed to have the appearance of a child. In order to get the Fierce Deity mask, every mask has to be collected, and Anju and Kafei's mask is the hardest to acquire. Link reunites the two as the moon ends its descent to crush Termina, and even he can't help but look at the bittersweet moment between the two lovers reunited again while the world collapses around them.
7 Four Different Personalities - Four Swords
After being split across four different Links by the Four Sword, a legendary blade that held the villain Vaati, his personality split with it. Each Link is unique with its quirks, and the game does a good job of how they are split up. Red Link is naive, optimistic, and the motivator, whereas the Blue Link is aggressive and quick to anger.
Purple Link is the calmest, taking their time and maintaining their composure, and Green Link is very much like the usual Link we see. He's focused and willing to do whatever it takes to defeat Vaati, which might sound like the same Link at the start of the game. This isn't true though, as the three other Links are all a part of what makes Link who he is.
6 Laziness Is A Personality Trait - Various Zelda Games
Link is often introduced already asleep in various games, showing his lazy nature when tasked with nothing to do. In the introduction to OoT, Link is sleeping as Navi tries waking him up to take on the Deku Tree's task. In Skyward Sword, he's sleeping away until a letter is spat in his face by a Loftwing after a dream. Even the letter calls him out on it, calling him "sleepyhead". Link may spring into battle and adventure, but if he didn't have the fate of the world at stake, you would most likely find him spending the day in bed.
5 Link In Love - Skyward Sword
As the first game in the timeline, Skyward Sword does a good job at making this Link unique. He has goals and ideals, all of which are put on pause after what happens with Zelda. Link shows some jealousy as well, and everyone knows the look on his face when he picks up a "Rupoor". These displays of emotion aren't nearly as strong as when he catches glimpse of Zelda though. Skyward Sword shows a lot of sides to Link and often highlights his feelings towards Zelda. Unlike previous titles, this seems to be a lot more romantic than platonic.
4 Cockiness - Minish Cap
The GBA game shows a slightly different Link than the other Legend of Zelda titles, often charging in without thinking. He starts off already being an established part of the town's setting, even being close with Princess Zelda. He's the son of a blacksmith and has an air of arrogance about him, charging at Vaati the second he appears. When Ezio latches onto Link's head, it really does seem like Ezio's outward thoughts are the same as Link's inward thoughts. Every time Vaati shows up, Link jumps into action, charging straight at him. No matter how many times he's pushed back, he gets up and tries again. At the end of the game, with the right equipment, sword techniques, and hearts, he finally has a reason for that confidence.
3 The Facial Expressions Tell You Everything - Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker has the most animated version of Link to date. His expressions are humorous, and show how complex of a character he can be. Right away his sleepy, eyes-half-open face shows another iteration of the lazy Link stereotype, but his sad expression when talking with his grandmother shows he takes things seriously. This Link may be young, but he clearly has a sense of responsibility to not only his family but the whole world.
The happy face he has on when reunited with his sister, and the worried look he has when his grandma is ill shows this quite well. It's one of the first instances where Link has a real family that he interacts with, and they are shown to have a very close relationship. Just look at his first time being catapulted in a barrel and it's clear that this Link has a personality of his own.
2 A Kind Soul - Breath Of The Wild
Link in the Breath of the Wild is pretty all over the place, but a lot of what's known about him comes from text the player can find in the game. In Zelda's diaries, she sees Link as a strong and capable young man, whose attention can be stolen with the promise of food. In Mipha's diary, she recalls the young boy that first entered Zora's Domain. Courageous and curious, with a kind heart. In the years that followed he hardened outside, but she says that she can still see the kind-hearted man underneath. Zelda's diary gives a look at why Link stays silent as well. Silently bearing these responsibilities and cutting off his emotions.
1 Link's Most Developed Self - Twilight Princess
Being a wrangler in a small village, the Link from Twilight Princess knows everyone at the beginning of the game. He's friends with the local children and shows compassion for his horse Epona as well. As a wolf, you can see him become angry and frustrated, and as a human, you can see his determination and worry. This Link arguably has the most developed personality, and a lot of it has to do with his already established relationship with his friends. He grows closer to Midna, all while doing his best to keep those close to him safe. Empathetic, brave, and determined, players know who this Link is without him ever having to say a word.