I’m sorry, but Link isn’t mute.

This has been bothering me for a while, and I think I should give my two cents on the matter. And hey, maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think you should claim something is canon and confirmed when all you’re citing is a spinoff game.

Hyrule Warriors isn’t in the Zelda canon. It’s a spinoff game, and there isn’t anything in there that’s supposed to be taken as canon. But even if it were, Link does speak in Hyrule Warriors. True, a fairy speaks for him during most of the game. But there’s a scene that happens right at the beginning of the game, when he and Proxi meet.

There was no one else talking in this scene. Link was the one who told Proxi his name. And yes, the next thing Proxi says is how Link doesn’t talk much. But just because someone doesn’t talk much doesn’t mean they’re mute. Link spoke to Proxi, so while she may speak for him for the rest of the game, right from the beginning we know Link is capable of speaking.

And there are other examples of Link talking in games that are part of the Zelda canon.

Take Wind Waker, for example. In the game, there’s a sidequest where you have to confront a girl who’s trying to steal from the man she’s working for. When you catch her in the act, this triggers a lengthy dialogue between Link and the girl. And Link doesn’t just nod his head yes or no. He says detailed things, and she responds.

Link has no fairy companion to speak for him. Heck, his companion in this game can’t come on land, much less interpret what Link says. So no, Link is not mute in this game either.

There are more examples than just this. My favorite example would have to be Skyward Sword. This Link is clearly anything but mute.

Nobody is speaking for Link in these. He has varied options of what to say, and each option elicits a different response. The first two screenshots are before he ever acquires Fi or any fairies, so we know he is the one speaking, and doesn’t have anyone speaking for him.

He is a silent protagonist, but that’s different. It’s been stated several times by several very important people in Nintendo that the reason Link is silent is to give the players more of a connection with him and the world of Hyrule. He is, in a sense, our ‘link’ to Hyrule. Yes, that is the reason for his name. But Link is shown to talk in many of the games, besides Skyward Sword. At the beginning of Twilight Princess, he talks to Ilia as he rides Epona. You can see his mouth moving if you look closely. 

In Adventure of Link, much like in Skyward Sword, he actually talks. With actual words.

Link doesn’t have a companion in this game. He’s the one who says it. 

And, in Wind Waker, Link actually has a voice! He has about as much voice acting as any other character in the games and says a few phrases that are actually coherent, my favourite being “come on!” when he’s calling things that are following him.

…Link, is that you?