An NPC from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time bears an uncanny resemblance to the real-world voice of Ganondorf. Until the release of Breath of the Wild in 2017, The Legend of Zelda franchise notably had little to no voice acting. While Link has remained mute in the newest Zelda video games, other classic characters like Zelda, Impa, and Ganondorf finally gained a voice for the first time in Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. However, a fan of the Zelda franchise has noticed that a minor NPC in an older version of Hyrule may have foreshadowed one character's voice actor years in advance.

The X leafspirits recently pointed out that the item shop found in Hyrule Castle Town and Kakariko Village in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was run by a nameless NPC that looks similar to Matthew Mercer, the voice actor of Ganondorf. Mercer, perhaps best known as the long-running Dungeon Master of Critical Role, has a distinctive look that includes chin-length hair, blue eyes, a striking chin, and always wearing a vest. The NPC not only shares these traits with Mercer but also has Mercer's pleasant smile. You can check out the NPC down below:

Matt Mercer's Connection To The Legend Of Zelda Series

Mercer Played Ganondorf In A Web Series Long Before He Actually Appeared In A Zelda Game

Although Mercer looks remarkably similar to the NPC, it's purely a coincidence, since he was 14 years old when Ocarina of Time first came out. However, Mercer has his own history with The Legend of Zelda franchise. The actor played Ganondorf in a live-action web series called There Will Be Brawl, which featured dark versions of various Nintendo characters from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Mercer got the chance to actually play Ganondorf in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and also hosted a Zelda-themed Actual Play one-shot on his Critical Role channel.

Mercer's voice has appeared in countless games and animated shows over the years, including Chrom in the Fire Emblem series, Yasuke in Persona 5 and its various spinoffs, and Vincent Valentine in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Mercer has also voiced the English dub versions of numerous anime series, including The Legend of Vox Machina, an animated series based on Critical Role.

Our Take: How Does Link Want To Do This?

Ocarina Of Time's NPC Is An Amazing, Albeit Unintentional, Coincidence

As a longtime Critical Role fan, I nearly did a spit-take when I saw Mercer's NPC doppelgänger pop up on my feed recently. I honestly had to see whether or not it was real because the likeness was so uncanny.

I'm not saying that the nameless Man in the Medicine Shop inspired Mercer to adopt his iconic looks, but there's a strange bit of video game inception that one of the few actors linked to The Legend of Zelda franchise seems to pop up in a game made over 25 years before he appeared in it.

Source: X/leafspirits