The 'What If Zelda Was A Girl?' meme is a legendary piece of internet bait that plays on the common mistake made by non-gamers who confuse the protagonist, Link, with the titular Princess Zelda. Originating in the early days of image boards like 4chan, the phrase is often used intentionally by trolls to provoke a reaction from the Nintendo community by suggesting the male hero is actually a girl named Zelda. Over the years, the meme has evolved into a self-aware joke within the gaming community, used to mock the 'fake gamer' trope or to simply celebrate one of the most persistent identity mix-ups in pop culture history.