So! As many people have likely heard and/or seen, a clip from the new Zelda game was shown at e3 this year. The protagonist shown in the video seemes even more androgynous than most versions of Link, and when Aonuma was asked by a reporter why that was he replied, “Nobody ever said that that was Link.”

So, cue theories about the new protagonist being Zelda, or a female version of Link, or a new female character. Cool, right?

Then an interview from an Australian Zelda website, MMGN, pops up, in which Aonuma says, “That was just a joke,” and “I never said that wasn’t Link.” Boo. Super lame.

However! I’m not totally convinced that MMGN is a relaiable source. Literally everywhere else this “joke” tidbit has popped up has sourced back to MMGN, and no other gaming journalists have been given an interview to say it was a joke. Is it possible that the author of that “interview” is just another dudebro gamer who saw the growing positive reaction to Zelda as a potential protagonist, just *knew* those fans were wrong, and so decided to fake an exclusive interview in order to bring in a huge number of views to his website on a seemingly safe bet? In a later interview with Game Informer Aonuma said no such thing, and instead expertly danced around the topic of the trailer character’s gender.

Also, many Zelda fans are aware that thr author and artist of the webcomic Dresden Codak, Aaron Diaz, has been working in his spare time on art for a project called “The Legend of Zelda: Clockwork Empire,” in which Zelda is the main protagonist. Aaron Diaz was one of many people to display approval at the seeming hint at Zelda as a protagonist in the trailer, then outrage at the supposed interview calling it “a joke.” He even tweeted that making such a joke made Aonuma an asshole. However, later on Mr. Diaz tweeted that, while he couldnt talk about details, his professional interactions with Nintendo “keep getting weirder and weirder.” When asked if that meant he’d received a Cease and Desist from Nintendo about Clockwork Empire, he replied, “I’m pretty sure that would be the opposite of weird.” After these tweets, he has said nothing regarding the trailer or his outrage.

Tinfoil hat time! Here are my theories-

a.) The protag is Zelda and Nintendo has hired Diaz for promotional art.

b.) The protag is Link, but after seeing how big the stir was over a potential Zelda protagonist, they’re hiring Diaz for a future game with Zelda, possibly even wanting to use his Clockwork Empire concept art.

Or,

c.) They in fact already purchased the rights to his Clockwork Empire concept, which included giant clockwork enemies (like what was seen in the trailer), and after the “joke” “interview” he was pissed that it seemed like they were only using bits and pieces of his concept, but after his comments he was contacted and they told him either a.) or b.).

This is all just speculation and suspicion on my part, but I still think there’s hope for a Zelda-led Zelda game, sooner or later.