I've noticed during my romp through Skyward Sword that people refer to Link as a human. It struck me as odd because I've never thought of Link as a human. Even with his pointy ears I've never thought of him as an elf, either. So, if he's neither human nor elven, what exactly is he? Perhaps some hideous hybrid of the two? I vaguely recall him being referred to as Hylian in previous game(s), but then what's a Hylian? What say you, community?

No, he's Hylian.
 
I have next to no interest in the Zelda franchise and even I knew that. :P

He's about as human as you can get in a Zelda game.

Hylians were human at first, then Elven aliens came and spliced with our DNA. Thousands of years later the games take place.

@Ratcabbage: @Three0neFive: @avidwriter: @MrKlorox: Hylians are humans look at the Zelda wiki

@Ratcabbage: @Three0neFive: @avidwriter: @MrKlorox: Hylians are humans look at the Zelda wiki

@Three0neFive said:

No, he's Hylian. And this is coming from someone who has next to no interest in the Zelda franchise.

Hyrule is a kingdom, and the Links that live in the greater province of Hylia are Hylians. Not all of the Links across history live in Hylia because Hylia does not exist at certain stages of history (it in fact rises and falls over the course of the timeline). Human is a weird tag to put in place, but I guess making up a random name for the race of humanoid creatures with pointy ears (without falling back on 'Elf') would just confuse people. It could also be a translation issue.

@MrKlorox: actually i do

my friend scotty nukka

I thought he was almost anime.

Hylians were human at first, then Elven aliens came and spliced with our DNA. Thousands of years later the games take place.

By that logic, people with purple hair or eyes, which are a pretty common thing in a most fantasy works, aren't really human either. It's fantasy, it's humans can have whatever traits the creators want.

@Three0neFive said:

No, he's Hylian. And this is coming from someone who has next to no interest in the Zelda franchise.

Hyrule is a kingdom, and the Links that live in the greater province of Hylia are Hylians. Not all of the Links across history live in Hylia because Hylia does not exist at certain stages of history (it in fact rises and falls over the course of the timeline). Human is a weird tag to put in place, but I guess making up a random name for the race of humanoid creatures with pointy ears (without falling back on 'Elf') would just confuse people. It could also be a translation issue.

I thought he was almost anime.

By that logic, people with purple hair or eyes, which are a pretty common thing in a most fantasy works, aren't really human either. It's fantasy, it's humans can have whatever traits the creators want.

@MrKlorox said:

Hylians were human at first, then Elven aliens came and spliced with our DNA. Thousands of years later the games take place.

I like this. Hyrule as the product of some crazy panspermia business with space elves.

The Zelda fiction is pretty thin, frankly, so I'll just stick with whatever theory makes my heart smile the most.

@Cornman89 said:

@MrKlorox said:

Hylians were human at first, then Elven aliens came and spliced with our DNA. Thousands of years later the games take place.

I like this. Hyrule as the product of some crazy panspermia business with space elves.

The Zelda fiction is pretty thin, frankly, so I'll just stick with whatever theory makes my heart smile the most.

Though, Skyward Sword does end on a note that really puts the entire series in a very dark perspective.

@Hailinel: Dark? Well, I guess... I gave up after the 3rd dungeon, but I did Youtube the ending, and it didn't really go anywhere I hadn't already guessed.

He's an Elf.

At the end of the game, the game clearly proves that not only is Link human, but that he's also Batman.

@MrKlorox: Certainly. The lands of Holodrum and Labrynna are in the same world as Hyrule and do not fall under the influence of the Hylian crown but are home to 'humans' with pointy ears like Link. The Great Sea expands beyond Hyrule's borders and considering there is inhabited island landmass above the Great Sea far from Hyrule (In Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks) it is safe to assume that Hyrule and its surrounds weren't just an island in a planet full of water at the point it was drowned. In any case, the Link in Skyward Sword is not a Hylian because