The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past — Is Link wearing pajamas?

Link’s green tunic is an iconic game costume that stands the test of time. When I started up, however, it was a very different experience. The Legend of Zelda – A link to the Past At a very young age I believed that Link was playing the Game Boy Advance in pajamas for the entire game. In the game’s still-incredible opening segment, Link wakes up after receiving a telepathic plea for help from Princess Zelda. Soon after, Link ignores his uncle’s instructions to go back to sleep, doesn’t bother to change, and — once he sees that his uncle has been killed — barrels into a dungeon crawl through Hyrule Castle to save Princess Zelda. Is Link really able to save the Light and Dark Worlds with just a Hylian nightie. Does he have combat fatigues on his bed as a child warrior? Did his uncle pass along his skills at growing mustaches before he passed away?

Since this was Link’s first ever encounter, I had to wonder if others were wrong about Link’s costume. These key points support my theory. First, the pink accent on Link’s cap here gives it more of a nightcap feel, suggesting a soft velvet interior that would keep Link’s hair unbothered even in the toughest fights. A pom-pom would really make this cartoon nightcap stand out. In comparison with his uncle’s wardrobe, Link’s tunic also has a different cut from his soldier relative, with Uncle wearing a jacket and pants while Link has a pullover number secured with a belt.

On another front, most promotional art for the game shows that Link isn’t much of a pants fan. Link can be proud of his simple outfit, which includes a tunic and cap with a belt. While it’s bizarre to wear a belt to sleep, it’s equally strange to refuse to wear any pants in battle. The game’s instruction booklet describes the outfit as “a suit of green cloth which hardly protects you at all,” so Nintendo at least admitted to paltry starting protection here. Even when you seek out some better tunics, the Red Mail and Blue Mail don’t appear to come with legwear either. Link’s garb also differs from that of the Hyrule Castle soldiers, as they seem to have plated metal sets that actually provide some protection, and some cool horns to boot.

The sleeve factor is an unexpected aspect that works in opposition to the pajama theory. When playing this game on the terribly lit Game Boy screen as a child, waiting to drive under street lights so I could actually see the game in my parents’ car, I always thought Link’s sprite had short sleeves. This would add more credibility to the argument that he’s underdressed for the dangers ahead, and gives the tunic more of a nightie look. However, with the aid of time and bright monitors, it was much easier to see the sleeves. Other art outside of the game can also be found that contradicts the notion that Link didn’t change his clothes.

The manga Link created to accompany the game ran in Nintendo Power. It shows Link wearing a different style of sleepwear. Link wakes up in a red shirt and a collar with a pop collar. For the GBA, he also has a second nightshirt. Sure, the simplest and most boring explanation is that the game developers didn’t find it necessary, or have the resources, to show Link choosing between wardrobe options in the intro. It could even be said that the choice you make makes it more important when you do finally receive an armor upgrade. We can go deeper. We can go deeper. What if Link sleeps in his armor to hide Hylian combat training.

Image: Nintendo via Jacob Linden

Link can be trained to feel at home in his armor and be ready for combat. Link might have been able to sense an incoming mission and could have gotten rid of his PJs. It is possible that knights have a history. Sure, actual medieval knights couldn’t shoot beams out of their swords at full health, but Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto has said in the past that medieval sword and sorcery tales were a key Zelda influence, so we can at least examine the “sword” side of that equation.

Oddly enough, however, it doesn’t seem like there were many notable warriors in history who were super eager to sleep in armor. Besides certain exceptions, like the raiding cultures of the Vikings, nighttime combat was less common in medieval warfare, so that level of preparedness often wasn’t necessary. A Catholic Order of Knights Calatrava mentions a group of military personnel sleeping under armor. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, many knights are former monks and that they were disciplined by sleeping in armor.

Even though it was difficult to be comfortable wearing plates of metal or chain shirts is a shame, there were cloth armor options that are more comfy and protective. Many warriors from ancient Greece to Mesoamericans had leather- or layered cloth armors. These were sometimes paired with metal helmets or modified metal pieces. Gambesons were the Middle Ages’ term for these armors. You may have seen them in The Witcher Games as Light Armor fans. These were eventually lost as more firearms became popular.

No matter how much Link may be the perfect cozycore role-model for saving the planet in a nightshirt, it will have an impact on the way you play. Wouldn’t you feel much tenser if you had to scale Death Mountain, muck around Lake Hylia, and clear two worlds’ worth of dungeons in whatever you wear, or don’t wear, to sleep? You can also feel a connection to the original inspiration behind the series by having this mindset. Miyamoto famously stated that the original idea was for Legend of Zelda It was his childhood exploration of Kyoto’s woods and caves that inspired him to create this poem. This is why Link can be seen in his slippers and nightcap.