Promotional artwork depicting several characters from The Legend of Zelda series and its spin-offs. Left to right: Fi, Impa, Darunia, Princess Zelda, Midna, Link, Ganondorf, Ghirahim, Lana, Zant, Sheik, Ruto and Agitha.
The series centers on Link, the playable character and protagonist. Link is often given the task of rescuing Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon, who is the series' principal antagonist; however, other settings and antagonists have appeared in several games. The plots commonly involve a relic known as the Triforce, a set of three omnipotent golden triangles.
Since the original The Legend of Zelda's release in 1986, the series has expanded to include 20 entries on all of Nintendo's major game consoles, as well as a number of spin-offs. An American animated TV series based on the games aired in 1989. Individual manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most prominent and successful franchises. Many of its games are considered by critics and fans alike to be among the greatest video games of all time.
Link is the silent protagonist of the series and the playable character. He is a Hylian youth of varying age who has traditionally been depicted wearing a green cap and tunic.[1] He has appeared as the hero of every game in the series, each time as a new iteration of the same character. Although each game offers a new variation of Link, he typically sets out on a journey across Hyrule with the aim to defeat evil, usually in the form of Ganon, in order to save Princess Zelda. To defeat his enemies, he typically obtains and wields the legendary Master Sword.[2] Each incarnation of Link is humble, brave, and worthy to bear the Triforce of Courage, one of three relic pieces that form the Triforce.[3] As the series protagonist, Link has appeared in numerous related media, including spin-off games such as Hyrule Warriors,[4]comics and manga[5] and other video game series, such as Mario Kart 8 and the Super Smash Bros. series.[6][7] Although he is mainly silent in the video games, he does speak in the Legend of Zelda cartoon series and the CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series produced by Philips.[8] Link was recognised as the second greatest video game character of all time behind Mario in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2011.[9]Nintendo Life counts Link as "one of gaming's most iconic heroes".[10]GamesRadar described him as, "one of the most enduring heroic archetypes".[11]Time named him as one of the most influential video game characters of all time.[12]
Princess Zelda is Hyrule's princess and the guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom.[13] While older titles portray Zelda as a "princess in peril" requiring Link to save her from Ganon, since Ocarina of Time she has been developed as a more fully realised character, particularly in Breath of the Wild.[14] Zelda is the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia in mortal form and is therefore capable of using various magical powers to aid Link. She is powerful enough to use light magic to seal Ganon away from Hyrule.[15] She has used her Bow of Light as a recurring weapon in the series.[16] Zelda occasionally has aliases and alter egos, including Sheik in Ocarina of Time and Tetra in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.[17] Although she is the titular character, Zelda is only a playable character in Spirit Tracks in the main series and the CD-i games, but is playable in spin-offs such as Hyrule Warriors, or other games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series.[18] She was named as one of the most iconic female game characters of all time by Digital Spy.[19] Alongside Link, she was counted as one of the greatest video game characters of all time by the 2011 Guinness World Record Gamer's Edition.[9]
Ganon is the series' primary villain and final boss. His specific motives vary across games, but general themes include seeking the Triforce for power and destruction, and kidnapping Princess Zelda as a means to that end. Like Link and Zelda, he is the bearer of one third of the Triforce, namely, the Triforce of Power.[13] Ganon was introduced as the main antagonist of the original The Legend of Zelda video game in the form of a blue boar and his role and appearance has since evolved.[20] Over the course of the series, he has generally appeared in two forms: Ganon is his monstrous, demon pig-like form, and Ganondorf is his humanoid Gerudo form that was introduced in Ocarina of Time. In Breath of the Wild, he appears in two monstrous forms in the final boss fight as Calamity Ganon and Dark Beast Ganon.[21] Ganon's primary objective is to conquer Hyrule to achieve ultimate power. His portrayal varies across each game in the series ranging from a mute beast to an incredibly powerful warlock with formidable sword skills, but all variations are so powerful that only Link and Zelda are capable of defeating him.[20] In addition to the main Zelda series, Ganon/Ganondorf appears as a playable character in spin-off games, such as Hyrule Warriors[22] and the Super Smash Bros. series.[23] Ganon was recognised as one of the greatest video game villains of all time in a 2013 poll for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer's Edition.[24] In 2022, GamesRadar counted him as one of the most iconic gaming villains of all time.[25]
Support characters
Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES and Game Boy era (1986-1993)
Old Man
The Old Man appears in the original 1986 The Legend of Zelda video game and is notable for being the first character that Link meets in the series. He is encountered inside a cave and offers Link a sword, saying, "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this." No further information is provided about the character's background or motivations. Ozzie Mejia writing for Shacknews remarked that this quote has become synonymous with gaming in popular culture and has been referenced on numerous occasions in various media.[26] Jack Yarwood of GamesRadar called him "iconic" and commented that he acts as a tutorial for the player who is otherwise given no clear direction. The Old Man was the inspiration for several other characters that appear later in the series, including a similar character in Breath of the Wild.[27]
Impa
Impa[lower-alpha 2] was introduced in the game manual for the original The Legend of Zelda video game as a caretaker to Princess Zelda and member of the Sheikah. She takes the form of an old woman and her role is to seek out Link to save Zelda from Ganon. She returns in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, where her function is to act as a guide to Link. In Ocarina of Time, she plays a major role in the plot as a young warrior and the guardian of Zelda. Her character design is similar in Skyward Sword, where she makes appearances in both a young and elderly form.[28]Breath of the Wild depicts her as a Sheikah elder in Kakariko Village, where she is aged about 120 years. She is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors[29] and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a young warrior.[30] In Tears of the Kingdom, Impa has retired and is busy investigating the geoglyphs that have appeared around Hyrule. She sets Link on his quest to find the tear memory locations in the game.[31] Impa's characterisation was praised by Jenni Lada of Siliconera, who admired her for being an intelligent warrior and a respected character.[32]
Impa's character design has evolved significantly over the course of The Legend of Zelda series. She has been depicted in a variety of forms and ages to fulfill various roles in the games. In her first appearance, Impa was created as an elderly woman for the instruction manual of The Legend of Zelda.[33] In Ocarina of Time, she appears as a slimmer, younger character with a sturdy build and hair tied back in a pony tail.[34] By contrast, she was designed as an overweight woman for Oracle of Seasons.[35] In Skyward Sword she appears as younger and older versions of the same character due to the storyline shifting in time and is dressed in the clothing of the Sheikah.[34] The younger version of Impa was given an androgynous appearance. The older version wears a costume that was designed to reflect the passage of time, including a pendulum braid and a triangular robe that becomes a sundial.[36] In Breath of the Wild, she reappears as a much older village elder with a short, shrunken stature.[37] In Hyrule Warriors she is depicted as an athletic warrior, which is similar to her appearance in Ocarina of Time and her younger form in Skyward Sword. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity she is portrayed as a young woman in her twenties who is a powerful fighter and a younger version of the character that appears in Breath of the Wild. She strongly resembles her future granddaughter, Paya.[34] Impa's design, abilities, and gestures in Age of Calamity drew heavy inspiration from Naruto Uzumaki, the eponymous character of the mangaNaruto.[38]
Throughout her many incarnations she bears the typical traits of the Sheikah tribe, having white hair and red eyes. She also typically displays the Sheikah symbol, an eye with three triangles above and a teardrop below, on her forehead or clothing.[39] As a representative of her people, she wears the unique garments of the Sheikah, which take inspiration from historical Japanese clothing.[40] As a member of the Sheikah, Impa is highly skilled in combat and in the use of magic.[39]
Dark Link
Dark Link (also known as Shadow Link) is a recurring boss and doppelgänger of Link with black coloring and red eyes. His first appearance was as the final boss of The Adventure of Link.[41] He is a mini boss in the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time, where Link must escape by defeating his own shadowy reflection, an evil version of himself who is capable of mirroring his movements in combat.[42] Dark Link appears in A Link to the Past and Four Swords in an optional dungeon named Palace of the Four Swords, which requires the player to defeat four versions of the character. He makes recurring appearances in Four Swords Adventures. In Oracle of Ages, multiple Shadow Links are summoned by the sorceress Veran during the final battle. He also makes appearances in a mini game in Spirit Tracks and the Den of Trials in Tri Force Heroes.[43] He is an obtainable armour set in Breath of the Wild.[44] He is also a downloadable costume for the spinoff Hyrule Warriors[45] and an optional costume for Link in most entries of the Super Smash Bros. series.[46]Game Informer considered Dark Link in The Adventure of Link as one of the top ten best Zelda boss fights, describing it as, "a notoriously difficult battle".[47]Den of Geek praised Dark Link in Ocarina of Time as one of the series' most creative battles as his counter moves force the player to try different methods to defeat him.[48] In 2010 IGN ranked Dark Link as 77th on its list of the Top 100 Video Game Villains for being a "formidable opponent, mirroring your moves and putting up a seemingly impenetrable defense".[49]
Agahnim
Agahnim is an evil wizard who is a major villain in A Link to the Past. He assisted the Royal Family by dispelling multiple plagues and became their trusted advisor for a time. However, he soon displayed his true colors and seized power for himself by killing the King of Hyrule and brainwashing the castle soldiers. Agahnim begins capturing the descendants of the Seven Sages and banishes them to the Dark World to release Ganon from his imprisonment. Link is unable to stop Agahnim from capturing Princess Zelda, Agahnim escapes to the Dark World and drags Link with him. After a battle atop of Ganon's Tower, just prior to his defeat, it is revealed that his body is a vessel for Ganon's soul. Link must face Agahnim twice in the game, firstly at the end of the light world and again near the end of the dark world, where the battle features two shadow clones. In the second battle, the player must distinguish between the shadow clones and the real Agahnim as they shoot projectiles at Link, who can bounce them back to defeat him.[50] In Link's Awakening, Agahnim's Shadow is one of the Shadows of Link's former foes who attack Link in the final battle in Koholint Island's Wind Fish Egg.[51]
Error
Error is a minor NPC that appears in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. He is a bearded man dressed in a purple outfit who meets Link in the town of Ruto. He introduces himself with the words "I AM ERROR". After Link speaks to another character in the town of Mido and returns to Error, he will reveal the passage to the Island Palace, one of the game's dungeons. Although only a minor character, Error became an internet meme. Although his name appears to be a mistranslation of the Japanese, it is considered to be a developer's in-joke, as an identical character dressed in red is present in the game that is named Bagu, the Japanese word for bug. Aaron Kaluszka of Nintendo World Report commented that the character had "become one of the most well known in all of video gaming".[52]
King of Hyrule
The King of Hyrule is the title given to the various ruling monarchs of Hyrule, and generally also the father of Princess Zelda in most of his incarnations. Appearing in many entries, his presence is often relegated to cameos, backstory, or lore. In The Minish Cap he is named King Daltus and he must be rescued by Link when Vaati, the game's villain, turns him to stone and imprisons him. In The Wind Waker he is named Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule and his identity is revealed as The King of Red Lions, the sentient red sailboat that accompanies Link throughout the game. He is instrumental in the game's plot in several key moments; he helps Tetra to uncover her real identity as Zelda, he leads Link to the Triforce of Courage and he usurps the Triforce to sink Hyrule.[53] He later appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors Legends.[54] In Breath of the Wild, he is introduced as the Old Man who helps Link to obtain the paraglider and is eventually revealed as the spirit of deceased King Rhoam.[55] In the game's backstory, King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule plays a major role in the story as he prepares for the return of Calamity Ganon and puts pressure on his daughter Zelda to awaken her sealing powers, but his efforts end in failure and his death.[53] King Rhoam makes a return as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.[56]
Great Fairy
Great Fairies appear in almost every game in the series and reside in springs called "Great Fairy's Fountains". The first instance of a Great Fairy appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda video game. Their designs have varied across the series but usually have the appearance of a voluptuous woman. Their function is generally to help Link by bestowing hearts and upgrades.[57]Ocarina of Time's Great Fairy designs moved away from traditional winged depictions and feature characters with bright pink braids and ivy body covering. Visiting these fairies provides the player with the opportunity to replenish health and magic but also receive upgrades that can be used in boss fights. Similar Great Fairy designs were later used in Majora's Mask. In The Wind Waker, the Great Fairy designs have the appearances of dolls with blank expressions and they upgrade Link's item inventory.[58] Four Great Fairies named Cotera, Kayla, Mija and Tera are scattered across Hyrule in Breath of the Wild and will upgrade Link's armour in exchange for craft materials.[59] The same Great Fairies return in Tears of the Kingdom, where they are found in different locations and can only be unlocked after being serenaded by a musical group called the Stable Trotters.[60] In Hyrule Warriors, one of Link's unlockable weapons allows the player to control a Great Fairy, with Link held in a bottle that she carries with her.[61] In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Great Fairies are secret characters that can be unlocked by completing four Fairy Fountain challenges.[62]
Marin
Marin is a young girl who appears in Link's Awakening. She finds Link washed ashore on Koholint Island and nurses him back to health, after which she spends her time in the village with her father Tarin. Marin is loved by the villagers for her singing, specifically her favorite song, the Ballad of the Wind Fish. If the player does not die during the entire game, a secret ending is revealed after the credits where Marin wishes she could fly away from Koholint and the Wind Fish grants her desire by reincarnating her as a seagull.[63] Jenni Lada of Siliconera considered Marin to be one of the most charming aspects of the game because, rather than being a one-note character, she grows as a person and has an element of melancholy, as well as playing a major role in the story.[64] Timothy Monbleau of Destructoid opined that Marin's close relationship with Link marked a change in the series that resulted in more personal character stories in subsequent games, changing Zelda's role, and revealing more information about Link's character.[65] Marin appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and is also a playable character through downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors Legends.[66]
Nightmares
Nightmares[lower-alpha 3] are evil monsters and primary villains of Link's Awakening. They invade the island of Koholint in hopes of ruling over it. They include Moldorm,[lower-alpha 4] a segmented worm who guards the Full Moon Cello in the Tail Cave, Genie,[lower-alpha 5] a clown-like spirit in a jar who guards the Conch Horn in the Bottle Grotto, Slime Eye,[lower-alpha 6] a huge, one-eyed slime who guards the Sea Lily's Bell in the Key Cavern, Angler Fish,[lower-alpha 7] a huge angler fish who guards the Surf Harp in the Angler's Tunnel, Slime Eel,[lower-alpha 8] a massive eel who guards the Wind Marimba in the Catfish's Maw, Façade,[lower-alpha 9] a disembodied face who guards the Coral Triangle in the Face Shrine, Evil Eagle,[lower-alpha 10] a huge, bizarre-looking eagle who guards the Organ of Evening Calm in the Eagle's Tower, Hot Head,[lower-alpha 11] a disembodied head cloaked in fire who guards the Thunder Drum in the Turtle Rock, and Dethl,[lower-alpha 12] a shadowy being who is the one who put the Wind Fish to sleep and the final Nightmare to face.[67][68]
Epona is Link's horse who was introduced in Ocarina of Time and reappears in other games in the series, including Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. She comes to Link's aid when called by her special song, which he plays on the ocarina in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, and on a blade of "horse grass" in Twilight Princess.[69]Shigeru Miyamoto said that Epona was specifically chosen as Link's main mode of transport so that he could get in contact with other characters.[70] In Ocarina of Time, she is first encountered at Lon Lon Ranch where Malon teaches young Link "Epona's Song". Later Link frees her from the control of Ingo and she becomes his steed.[71] Charlotte Krol of NME chose the experience of riding Epona in Ocarina of Time as one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game, noting that the speed at which players traverse the game world felt revolutionary at the time.[72] Chris Hoffman writing for GamesRadar praised the subtle bond between Link and Epona and described her as his steadfast companion throughout the game.[73]
Navi[lower-alpha 13] is a fairy who is Link's "navigator" in Ocarina of Time. The Great Deku Tree in Kokiri Forest instructed Navi to assist Link in his quest to stop Ganondorf. All Kokiri have companion fairies, but because Link is actually a Hylian, he does not receive one until Navi joins him near the beginning of Ocarina of Time. In gameplay, Navi functions primarily as a guide that points out clues in the environment and helps the player learn the controls and advance in the game. Most of her hints are about how to progress in the story or defeat enemies. She can also be used to lock onto enemies, items and other characters in the game. She is one of the few characters with any voice-acting in the series, and one of the few characters who uses English words, such as "Hey", "Look", "Listen", "Watch out", and "Hello". Navi leaves Link at the end of the game after he puts the Master Sword back in the Pedestal of Time. In Majora's Mask, Link sets out to search for a "beloved and invaluable friend", which leads him into the land of Termina. It is strongly implied this friend is Navi. GamesRadar editor Mikel Reparaz ranked Navi as the most irritating female character, writing that she would have been bearable if she did not interrupt the game constantly with "Hey!" and "Listen!". Fellow GamesRadar editor Tom Goulter listed her as the second most annoying sidekick ever.[74]
Great Deku Tree
The Great Deku Tree is a large tree and the first dungeon in Ocarina of Time, where he is charged with watching over the Kokiri, a childlike race of forest spirits that live in the Kokiri Forest. He is an ancient, exceptionally large tree, with a humanoid face and big mustache. He suffers from a curse cast upon him by Ganon, who wishes to gain the power of the Spiritual Stone of the Forest. The Deku Tree sends Navi to retrieve Link to destroy the cause of the curse. Although Link does so, it is too late, and he succumbs to the curse.[75] Seven years in the future, Link discovers a little sprout, which grows into the Deku Sprout, his successor. In The Wind Waker, the Great Deku Tree appears again as the guardian of the forest.[57] He also appears in Breath of the Wild where he is tasked by Zelda to guard the Master Sword in Korok Forest until Link is ready to claim it.[76] In Tears of the Kingdom, the Great Deku Tree has been poisoned by Gloom, which requires Link to cleanse the tree by defeating an enemy called Gloom Hands followed by Phantom Ganon.[77]
Kaepora Gaebora
Kaepora Gaebora[lower-alpha 14] is a wise owl who guides Link throughout various games in the series. In Ocarina of Time, he is referred to as the reincarnation of an ancient sage. Hyrule Historia clarifies he is Rauru, the Sage of Light.[78] He is also present in Majora's Mask and Four Swords Adventures.[79]Screen Rant described the character as "arguably Ocarina of Time's most hated character", noting his lengthy speeches, which rarely provide useful advice. Devin Ellis Friend reported that interacting with the character had caused particular frustration because at the end of his speeches he asks players if they want the advice repeated and as the cursor defaults to yes, it can cause players to repeat the same advice over again.[80]
Rauru
Rauru is a Hylian high priest and the Sage of Light, he is the last of the ancient Sages. He cares for Link during the hero's temporary imprisonment in the Sacred Realm and provides him with information about the Sages and the events of the past seven years. Rauru tasks Link with finding the five remaining Sages and gives him the Light Medallion to begin the quest.[81]
Saria
Saria is a Kokiri girl and the Sage of Forest, she was one of Link's only childhood friends. When monsters seized the Kokiri Forest because of Ganondorf's curse, Saria traveled to the Forest Temple to solve the problem herself. After Link defeated the ghostly Phantom Ganon, Saria awakened as a Sage and used her new powers to break the spell, freeing the forest from evil influences and ushering in a new era of peace.
Darunia
Darunia is the leader of a tribe of rock-eating giants known as Gorons, and the Sage of Fire. He considers Link a "Sworn Brother" after Link helps his people by defeating King Dodongo, who had taken over the Goron's mines causing a food shortage. Seven years later, the Gorons resisted Ganondorf's rule after he took over Hyrule; as punishment, he captured nearly all of them and prepared to feed them to the monstrous dragon Volvagia in the Fire Temple. Darunia traveled to the Temple to free his people and briefly met Link inside. After Link freed the Gorons and slayed Volvagia, Darunia awakened as a Sage and added his power to Link's. Darunia returns as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors.[82]
Ruto
Princess Ruto is a Zora and the Sage of Water, she is the Princess of the Zora people. The Zora refused to follow Ganondorf's rule, so he punished them by sealing their entire domain in ice. The mysterious Sheik saved Ruto and traveled to the Water Temple to break Ganondorf's curse. Ruto met Link, whom she was engaged to as a child due to a misunderstanding and showed him the way through the temple. After Link killed Morpha, the source of the curse, Ruto awakened as the Water Sage and reluctantly put her marriage on hold to aid him. Ruto returns as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors.[83]
Nabooru
Nabooru is a Gerudo and the Sage of Spirit, she is the second-in-command of the Gerudo tribe, a race of thieves. Nabooru protested Ganondorf's cruelty toward innocents and traveled to the Spirit Temple to interfere with the wizard's plans, recruiting Young Link to recover a rare pair of Silver Gauntlets for her. Twinrova, Ganondorf's surrogate mothers, kidnapped Nabooru and brainwashed her into becoming his follower. After Link defeated the witches, Nabooru awakened as a Sage and delighted in the prospect of vengeance against her captors.[84]
Dampé
Dampé is an old gravekeeper who appears in several games. He was introduced in Ocarina of Time where he is found in the Kakariko Village graveyard. His role is to provide a guided tour of the graveyard and help child Link to find treasures. When playing as adult Link, Dampé is dead and Link must enter his grave and challenge Dampé's ghost to a race in order to claim the hookshot. In Majora's Mask, he can be found in the Ikana Graveyard looking for a treasure which Link helps him find. In Four Swords Adventures, he is found at the graveyard in the swamp area and tells Link about the Forest of Light. In The Minish Cap, he is found in the Royal Valley where Link can fuse kinstones with him to unlock rewards and locations.[85] He also appears as a graveyard caretaker in A Link Between Worlds.[86] In the Nintendo Switch remake of Link's Awakening, he runs the Chamber Dungeon editor, where players can assemble custom dungeons.[87]
Malon
Malon[lower-alpha 15] is a young girl and a recurring character who appears in Ocarina of Time, where she interacts with Link on several occasions in the game. She is encountered outside Hyrule Castle, where she sings "Epona's Song". Later in the game Link visits Lon Lon Ranch and helps Malon and her father Talon with their ordeals. There she teaches Link "Epona's Song", which allows him to call the horse Epona at any time.[88] After Link takes ownership of Epona, he can return to Malon to challenge her in a time trial. If he beats Malon's record of 50 seconds around the track on Epona, she will put a cow in his house in Kokiri Forest.[89] In Oracle of Seasons, she and her father breed Cuccos north of Horon Village near Eyeglass Lake in Holodrum. As part of the trading quest, if Link gives her the Cuccodex, she will give him the Lon Lon Egg. In Four Swords Adventures, the four Links guide Malon to her father, Talon, when her path is blocked by castle knights. Upon reuniting her with Talon, he gives the Links permission to use his horses, which appear when one of the Links touch a carrot. She also makes an appearance in The Minish Cap, where Link helps her and Talon back into their house by finding a key, later moving to the town to sell Lon Lon Milk.
Twinrova
Kotake[lower-alpha 16] and Koume,[lower-alpha 17] collectively referred to as the Twinrova Sisters[lower-alpha 18] (/ˌtwɪnˈroʊvə/), are a pair of Gerudowitches who are the surrogate mothers and servants of Ganon.[90] They can brainwash others to serve him and merge to form the stronger witch Twinrova; the brooms they use to fly become scepters that channel Twinrova's power. They appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages.[91] When Link encounters them in a boss battle in Ocarina of Time, they combine their magic to become one powerful enemy, capable of dealing fire and ice attacks at Link. They can be defeated by Link deflecting their own attacks with the help of a Mirror Shield.[92] Chris Freiburg writing for Den of Geek listed this battle as the best temple guardian boss fight in the game and considered it one of the best in the series.[93] Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku thought that the Twinrova battle represents the fusion of the two sisters' contrasting magical abilities and personalities, but is also an allegory of their fraught relationship.[94] Dan Ryckert of Game Informer ranked Twinrova as the best boss battle in the series calling it a "thrilling fight" because, in the final phase, Link must absorb three blasts of the same element before being able to deflect an attack, which means that the player must anticipate Twinrova's moves to succeed.[50]
Skull Kid
Skull Kid[lower-alpha 19] is a young Imp who first appears in Ocarina of Time. Three can be found in the Lost Woods, that appear with no faces. Two play a memory game with Link as a child and one rewards him if he plays a particular song for him on his ocarina.[note 1] In the direct sequel, Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid is seen cavorting with a pair of fairies named Tatl and Tael. He steals Majora's Mask which grants him great power but corrupts him.[note 2] Under this influence, he curses the inhabitants of Termina and causes the moon to fall toward Clock Town. He is thwarted when his old friends the Four Giants of Termina stop the moon from falling and Link defeats Majora. At the end, the Skull Kid notes that Link "smells a lot like that fairy kid who taught [him] that song in the woods", suggesting that he is the same Skull Kid as seen in Ocarina of Time.[note 3] Skull Kid also makes an appearance in Twilight Princess.[95] He makes a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a pair of stickers.[96] He appears in The Legend of Zelda manga.[97] Skull Kid also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors Legends and Cadence of Hyrule.[98][99] Levi Winslow of Kotaku chose Skull Kid as the scariest aspect of Majora's Mask, because his pranks become increasingly more violent as the mask takes over his sanity.[100]Bloody Disgusting praised the character's physical design, particularly his vibrant, heart-shaped mask, which "exudes a mystic appeal".[101] Skull Kid's appearance in the 2016 short fan filmMajora's Mask: Terrible Fate, voiced by Joe Zieja, received widespread attention among The Legend of Zelda fandom and critical acclaim.[102][103][104]
Majora
Majora is the main villain of Majora's Mask, a mysterious entity in the form of a sentient artifact once used by a nameless tribe for hexing and torture. The mask is primarily seen being worn over the face of Skull Kid, who, corrupted by Majora's influences, uses the mask's dark magic to wreak havoc across Termina. During the final boss battle, three forms of Majora are shown; a floating jelly fish-like creature, the Incarnation form and Majora's Wrath. The last two are humanoid creatures, though Majora's Wrath has long, whip-like arms.[105] CJ Andriessen of Destructoid described it as "the freakiest final boss battle in Zelda history", citing the point when Majora's Mask sprouts arms and legs and a third eye, and naming its final form Majora's Wrath "the stuff nightmares are made of".[106] Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku considered the fight with Majora to be unnerving and disorientating: "You spend all this time watching the citizens of Termina coming to terms with death and grieving, then find the force of nature behind all this despair is this raving mad creature that only exists to sow chaos".[94] Majora's Mask is an obtainable head piece in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.[107][108]
Happy Mask Salesman
The Happy Mask Salesman[lower-alpha 20] is a mysterious man who travels the world collecting masks. In Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages, he sells masks that factor into item-trading sidequests separate from the main game. In Majora's Mask, he plays a more integral role. On his travels to find rare masks, he is ambushed by the Skull Kid and his two fairies, Tatl and Tael; they steal Majora's Mask, a powerful, but malevolent, mask. Noticing that Link has been cursed into a Deku Scrub by the Skull Kid, the Happy Mask Salesman offers to undo the curse in return for Majora's Mask and Link's Ocarina of Time. The Happy Mask Salesman also provides Link with information about the various masks that can be recovered within the game whenever Link speaks with him.[109][110] Marty Sliva, writing for The Escapist, described the character's first words "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" as "iconic" as they convey a wealth of meaning.[111] The phrase is the character's reaction to Link's transformation at the start of the game, but also hints at an uncertainty that this dark fate can be reversed.[112]IGN ranked him number four on its list of the Top 20 Weirdest Zelda Characters: "With his manic smile, followed by that hideous sneer, followed by all other manner of mood swings, this guy was downright unsettling".[113]
Tatl
Tatl is a fairy companion who appears in Majora's Mask. Appearing as the equivalent of Ocarina of Time's Navi, her function is to provide Link with guidance throughout the game. Initially she is hostile to Link and she and her brother Tael ambush him with the Skull Kid. The events result in her being left behind, which causes her to reluctantly agree to help Link so that she can be reunited with her brother. She comes to realize that the Skull Kid must be freed from the influence of Majora's mask to save the land of Termina from destruction. Tatl was chosen as the best fairy companion by Lowell Bell of Nintendo Life, who praised her backstory, personality and prominent role in the game's events.[114] Jeff Levene writing for The Escapist praised her as a significant upgrade from Navi and highlighted her rich personality, good advice and development as Link's companion.[115]
Tingle is a eccentric middle-aged man who is obsessed with fairies and believes himself to be the reincarnation of one.[note 4] He first appears in Majora's Mask, where he wears a green body suit and floats around on a balloon selling maps. He reappears in Wind Waker, first in a jail room located on Windfall Island, and then in a tall wooden tower, where again he acts as a map maker. He also appears in Oracle of Ages, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. He cameos in Phantom Hourglass as a poster, in Spirit Tracks, an almost shop figurine, and in Skyward Sword as a doll in Zelda's room at the Knight Academy.[117] Tingle has gained some notoriety due to being disliked by American players and has not appeared in the main series since Twilight Princess.[118] He ranked first on IGN's list of the weirdest Zelda characters.[119]IGN staff expressed their distain for the character with a 2004 "Die, Tingle, Die! Die!" Campaign", describing him as a "nutty clown freak" and stating, "we hate Tingle, we want him dead, and we're not going to stand for him in another Zelda game".[120] He has gone on to feature in his own games, including Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland.[121] He is also a playable character via downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors.[122] His green fairy suit is an obtainable armour set in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.[123]
GameCube and Game Boy Advance era (2002-2004)
Vaati
Vaati (Japanese: グフー, Hepburn: Gufū) is the antagonist of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. His most common appearance is a black orb with a single eye, though he was originally a human-shaped sorcerer. In Four Swords, Vaati is initially sealed in the Four Sword weapon but escapes and captures Princess Zelda, only to be returned to the sword by Link, who is split into four by the sword. In the sequel, Four Swords Adventures, he escapes with Princess Zelda again with the help of Ganon, forcing Link to be split up and defeat him. Before the events of The Minish Cap, Vaati was a Picori that became corrupted by the evil in the hearts of mankind. He used the Wishing Cap created by his master, Ezlo, to transform himself into a Hylian sorcerer, and seeks out the power of the Light Force.
Ezlo
Ezlo is a magical talking green cap that appears in The Minish Cap. Possessing a bird-like face, the character serves as Link's companion throughout the game, offering him advice and humorous comments. He gives Link the ability to shrink down to the minuscule size of the Minish and can be used like a parachute to carry Link from one area to another. Ezlo's role is central to the game's story and involves the character's own redemption arc. Jeff Levine writing for The Escapist praised Ezlo's design as a "delightful play on Link's own iconic green cap" and described him as a fully realised character.[124] Thomas Jones of Nintendo Life expressed a preference for Ezlo as a companion in comparison to previous characters like Navi, describing him as "one of the more endearing and loveable guides/companions Link has had on his many journeys".[125]
Beedle
Beedle, also known as Terry in different localizations of the games,[126] is a traveling merchant who sells Link numerous items to help aid him as well sometimes exotic items. He also values his consumers with rewards discounts. He first appears in The Wind Waker where he can be found around numerous islands in the Great Sea on his boat shop. In The Minish Cap, Beedle appears in Hyrule Town selling Picolyte after Link fuses kinstones and clears the area with the Gust Jar. In Phantom Hourglass, his role is the same as that in The Wind Waker, but he sells boat parts. In Spirit Tracks his role is the same but instead of a boat, he is seen soaring above in a balloon across New Hyrule. In Skyward Sword his role is the same, traveling from his island home to Skyloft in a pedal-powered wooden shack with helicopter-type propellers that serves as his shop. In Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, he travels on foot with a large backpack, and he is often seen at different stables.[127]IGN ranked him number 14 on its list of the Top 20 Weirdest Zelda Characters.[128]
Medli
Medli is a young Rito girl and the Sage of Earth, she is the apprentice attendant of Valoo, a powerful dragon and the Sky Spirit. When not serving Valoo, she tends to young Prince Komali and practices her harp, the symbol of the Sage of Earth.[129] Her ancestor Laruto, a Zora, was the original Sage;[130] Laruto teaches Link the Earth God's Lyric and appears to Medli in a vision to inform her of her sacred duty. Medli travels to the Earth Temple with Link and helps him navigate it by carrying him over short distances and helping to solve puzzles.[131] She eventually begins offering up her prayers, which restores the energy and edge of the Master Sword. She later reappears as a downloadable player in Hyrule Warriors.[132] Josh Max of Nintendo World Report named Medli as his favourite Zelda character, describing her as "a little bird girl with a heart of gold". He praised her responsibility and kindness and noted that although she is unprepared to take on the role of sage and Valoo's attendant, she always tries her best and is a valuable ally in the game.[129]
Makar
Makar is a young Korok and the Sage of Wind. He is one of the beloved children of the Great Deku Tree. During the annual Seeding Ceremony, Makar performs a special song on a leafy violin, the symbol of the Sage of Wind. His ancestor Fado, a Kokiri and the original sage was killed by Ganondorf when he invaded the Wind Temple. Fado appears to Link and teaches him the Wind God's Aria to awaken Makar to his destiny. When Makar discovers that he is the successor of Fado, he willingly accepts his role as the Sage of Wind. Though Makar is captured in the Wind Temple, Link frees him, and he assists Link and fully restores the power to repel evil to the Master Sword, which manifests as a brilliant glow. Zachary Miller writing for Nintendo World Report chose Makar as his favourite character in the Zelda series, describing him as "adorable" and naming him as the game's standout character.[133]
Midna[lower-alpha 21] is the titular character of Twilight Princess. She is an imp-like creature and the princess of the Twili race who serves as Link's companion and guide, much like Navi in Ocarina of Time. Initially Midna shows contempt for Link and uses him to further her own goals, but she grows to like him and helps him on his quest. They share a common goal in defeating the villain Zant who has invaded Hyrule and usurped the Twilight Realm's throne. When Link is transformed into a wolf in the Twilight Realm, she rides on his back, acting as his counterpart in battle. She is eventually revealed to be the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, the "Twilight Princess", who Zant overthrew and cursed into an impish form. At the end of the game, Midna's true form as a tall, beautiful character is revealed and she severs the connection with Hyrule forever by breaking the Mirror of Twilight.[134] Midna returns in Hyrule Warriors as a playable character in both her imp and Twili forms.[135]Destructoid listed Midna as one of the top ten best companions in gaming history, citing her cheeky character, her ability to help Link destroy enemies and her emotional moments in the game.[136] Jeff Levene writing for The Escapist also chose her as the best companion, describing her as a fully realised character with more layers than other companions.[115]
Zant
Usurper King Zant[lower-alpha 22] is the enemy of the Twili who willingly offered himself to Ganondorf, whom he saw as a god, so he could dispose of Midna and invade Hyrule. Zant is a sorcerer and the antagonist for the majority of Twilight Princess. He dresses in an oversized robe with his head enclosed in a large silver helmet that is reminiscent of a chameleon's head. Rob Crossley of GameSpot remarked that Zant's personality "descends from composed usurper king to a confused, overpowered adolescent" as he becomes increasingly desperate. He described Zant's story arc as "fascinating and overbearing and weird and brilliantly imaginative".[137] The final battle against Zant involves fighting him in the arenas of other bosses and sub-bosses before fighting him in front of Hyrule Castle. Destructoid expressed a "hatred" for the character due to him being set up as the main villain but then being reduced to a puppet of Ganondorf with no real power of his own.[138] Zant also makes an appearance as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors.[139] Zant's helmet is an obtainable armour piece in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.[140][141]
Malo
Malo is a young child who is from Link's village in Twilight Princess. He is the brother of Talo and has the appearance of a cute toddler, having a large, round head and large eyes. When he speaks, his character is revealed to be in direct contrast to his youthful appearance, as he is often mean and sarcastic. He also has an entrepreneurial streak and runs a shop.[142] He complains about the store at Hyrule Castle, particularly the high prices and customer service. Eventually he takes over the store and names it Malo Mart. Once he is the boss of the store, he makes his employees, who are much older than him, wear colourful outfits displaying his face and dance to a catchy song. Pedro Hernandez of Nintendo World Report compared Malo to Stewie Griffin from Family Guy due to his intelligence. He also praised the writers for creating a funny and unforgettable character rather than another archetype.[143] Malo appeared as a host in several Tweets on Nintendo's Japanese Twitter account leading up to the release of Twilight Princess HD.[144] He was also an internet meme, in reference to Damien, the son of Satan, in the South Park episode of the same name.[145]
Linebeck
Linebeck first appears in Phantom Hourglass as one of the main characters who helps Link save the World of the Ocean King from Bellum. He provides transport for Link in his ship, the S. S. Linebeck, and is greedy and self-centered. For the first half of the game, his goal is to obtain the Ghost Ship's treasure. After the Ghost Ship's treasure is revealed to be merely a rumor devised by Bellum to attract people to it, Oshus, revealed as the Ocean King, promises Linebeck one wish if he continues to sail Link across the oceans. This is to be granted after Bellum is defeated. In the endgame, showing a rare burst of courage, Linebeck saves Link and Tetra from Bellum by stabbing him. Bellum, enraged, then possesses Linebeck. After Bellum is defeated by Link once again, he finally dies, and Linebeck is freed. Linebeck has been considerably humbled at this point, however, when the now-restored Ocean King asks him what his wish will be, Linebeck first questions whether he even has to make a wish, then decides that he merely wants to have his ship back (it was destroyed by Bellum just before he possessed Linebeck), rather than asking for some great treasure. In Spirit Tracks, Linebeck's grandson, Linebeck III, runs Linebeck Trading at the Trading Outpost in New Hyrule. Linebeck III hires a bridgemaker to build a bridge for Link, in exchange for a precious ring he retrieves from the resting place of the original Linebeck.
Ghirahim
Demon Lord Ghirahim[lower-alpha 23] is a boss that is encountered several times in Skyward Sword. Link must defeat him three times over the course of the game in a series of boss fights where Ghirahim can deflect his attacks.[146] Ghirahim's objective is to kidnap Zelda in order to break the seal of the goddess Hylia so that an ancient evil named Demise can be released, which forces Link to battle him so that he can save her.[147]Eiji Aonuma said that he wanted to include a different type of antagonist for the game in place of Ganon, so Ghirahim's delicate appearance was designed to contrast with Ganon's "very masculine, powerful, evil" image.[148] In the final boss battle, Ghirahim is revealed to be the spirit of Demise's sword, given life so that he can resurrect his master. He returns to his sword form but is no match for the Master Sword during the climactic battle with Link.[149] Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku described him as a "queer-coded menace" and noted that despite all of his theatricality and cockiness, Ghirahim resorts to brute force in the final battle and starts swinging at Link with his sword, which reveals his true character.[94]Nintendo Life described Ghirahim as, "one of Nintendo's most edgy, downright creepy creations", noting his intimidating character and strange mannerisms.[150] Outside the main series, Ghirahim appears in Hyrule Warriors and also Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as an Assist Trophy.[151]
Demise
Demon King Demise,[lower-alpha 24] is an evil deity and the final boss in Skyward Sword. He is presented as the origin of the evil that manifests repeatedly throughout the history of Hyrule. Despite not being the first game in the series, Skyward Sword was designed to be the beginning of The Legend of Zelda fictional timeline. In the game's ancient past, Demise enters the world with his malevolent forces with an aim to steal the Triforce from the goddess Hylia and have ultimate power over the world. To protect the Triforce, Hylia seals Demise away in the Sealed Grounds. He takes on a monstrous form named The Imprisoned and attempts to escape by breaking the seal. His sword, which assumes the form of the Demon Lord Ghirahim, tracks down Hylia's reincarnation, Zelda, and uses her lifeforce to resurrect Demise. Impressed to see a Hylian like Link willing to stand up to him, Demise decides to battle him out of amusement.[152] After Link mortally wounds him and restores Zelda's soul to her body, Demise's remains are sealed within the Master Sword. Before his end, Demise curses the future incarnations of Link and Zelda with the promise to manifest repeatedly throughout history. Within the fictional history of the series, this is widely considered to be Ganondorf's origin as Demise's evil reincarnation.[153] In Hyrule Warriors, Demise reappears in his Imprisoned form.[154]
Fi[lower-alpha 25] (/faɪ/) is a female humanoid representation of the Goddess Sword, which later evolves into the Master Sword, in Skyward Sword. Fi serves as Link's logical-minded companion and assists him throughout the game. In the end, after Demon King Demise is sealed within the Master Sword, Fi reveals her last order from the goddess is to let Link put her into an endless sleep within the weapon, which he does after encouragement from Fi and Zelda. Fi appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors.
Groose
Groose is a bully from the Knights' Academy in Skyward Sword. He is often hostile and works to undermine Link due to his jealousy of Link's close relationship with Zelda. Over time, through Link's exploits and his own shortcomings, he is humbled and becomes more helpful. He builds a catapult called "The Groosenator" to aid Link in halting the imprisoned Demon King Demise from escaping the pit of the Sealed Grounds and reaching the Sealed Temple, and looks after the elderly Impa at the Sealed Grounds. David Roberts of GamesRadar compared Groose's conceit and selfishness to Gaston from Beauty and the Beast and listed the character's transformation from bully into Link's ally as one of the greatest moments in Zelda history.[155]
Yuga
Yuga is a powerful sorcerer and the main antagonist of A Link Between Worlds. His obsession with beauty and art compels him to transform his victims into paintings. In the game Link uses this ability to merge with walls to travel between Hyrule and its dark counterpart, the kingdom of Lorule.[156] Yuga conspires with its ruler Princess Hilda to infiltrate Hyrule and steal its Triforce in order to restore Lorule, which has crumbled into ruin due to its people destroying their own Triforce. Rather than being another pawn in Ganon's plan to take over the world, Yuga decides to resurrect Ganon and uses him to make himself more powerful by merging with him to become Yuga-Ganon. Link must defeat Yuga-Ganon in a boss fight that involves deflecting light arrows to hit him from behind.[157] At a New York Comic Con panel, Eiji Aonuma explained that Yuga had been designed with long hair and physical features that make him "a little bit ambiguous gender-wise".[158] Outside the main series, Yuga appears as a character introduced in downloadable content for Hyrule Warriors.[159]
Princess Hilda
Princess Hilda is the princess of Lorule in A Link Between Worlds, a world that mirrors Hyrule. She is Zelda's counterpart in the game, although Eiji Aonuma noted that although the two princesses have similarities, they have "different desires" and "different motives".[160] She is voiced by Kei Hayami.[161] Hilda plots to save her kingdom by stealing Hyrule's Triforce because Lorule's version was destroyed by the Lorulian Royal Family. She conspires with Yuga, an evil sorcerer, but after being double-crossed by him, attempts to steal Link's and Zelda's Triforce pieces. At the end of the game she decides to return Link, Zelda and the Triforce back to Hyrule.[162] C J Andriessen of Destructoid counted her as a memorable Zelda villain because she is "pulling the strings all along" and the driver behind the events in the game.[163] Peter Tieryas of Kotaku commented positively on the nature of Hilda's journey as an antagonist, noting that the tragic context of her committing evil acts to save her kingdom contrasts with the motivations of other villains in the series like Ganon.[157]
Ravio
Ravio is a mysterious merchant and supporting character in A Link Between Worlds. He wears a purple outfit with a rabbit mask covering his face, referencing when Link transforms into a rabbit upon entering the Dark World in A Link to the Past. Ravio sets up a shop and rents equipment to Link for Rupees, giving the player access to essential items from the outset. He sends his pet bird Sheerow to retrieve any rented items should Link fall in battle. Jim Sterling writing for The Escapist described Ravio as "really annoying" and disliked this rental system as it requires the player to return to Ravio every time they run out of health, forcing them to rent the items again.[164] Ravio is later revealed to be Link's counterpart in the Dark World who attempted to stop Princess Hilda from stealing Hyrule's Triforce pieces. GamesRadar's David Roberts thought that Ravio's reveal is one of the coolest moments in the series, describing it as a "brilliant yet subtle callback".[155] Peter Tieryas of Kotaku responded positively to Ravio's role, noting that his rental system means that the player can tackle the game's dungeons in any order and that losing a life has more significance than in other Zelda games. He also considered Ravio's reveal as the cowardly version of Hyrule's hero to be an opportunity to see Link in a new light.[157] Ravio is a playable character through downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors.[165]
Wii U and Nintendo Switch era (2017-2023)
Mipha
Mipha is one of the four Champions that Princess Zelda recruits to protect Hyrule against Calamity Ganon. Mipha is voiced by Amelia Gotham in English and Mayu Isshiki in Japanese. She is the pilot of one the Divine Beast Vah Ruta and is the first of the Champions to master her Divine Beast.[166] Mipha, alongside the other three Champions, loses her life during the battle with Calamity Ganon.[167] The game's backstory reveals that Mipha and Link were once childhood friends.[168] In a cutscene that is one of Link's memories named "Mipha's Touch", Mipha reminisces with Link about their past and promises to always heal him.[169] Mipha is shown to have romantic feelings for Link to such an extent that she makes Zora armour for him to wear.[170] However, the storyline does not reveal whether Link returns her affections.[171] Her spirit is set free in the present-day when Link wakes up 100 years later and takes control of Divine Beast Vah Ruta.[172] Afterwards, she bestows a powerful healing skill named Mipha's Grace upon him. She apologises to her father for not returning safely and wishes that she could see her family again. Link honours her memory by wearing the Zora armour that she made for him and by aiding the Zora people.[169]
In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Mipha returns as a playable character. She wields the Lightscale Trident or Zora Spear in battle and has the ability to heal herself and her allies on the battlefield. She also uses her skill to manipulate water to create water-based attacks.[173] Mipha plays a major role in the storyline as one of the four Champions recruited to pilot one of the Divine Beasts. During a cutscene, Mipha bravely accepts her role as the Zora Champion, although her father King Dorephan says that it is only on the condition that she returns safely.[174]
Lead artist Hirohito Shinoda stated in development notes that he used a dolphin as the basis for Mipha's design. Cinematic designer Naoki Mori said that Mipha's relationship with Link was intended to be different to his relationship with Princess Zelda and commented that "it almost ended up being too intense. I tried to balance things by making her into a quieter person".[175]
Daruk
Daruk is the courageous Goron Champion and pilot of the salamander-like Divine Beast Vah Rudania. He is voiced by Joe Hernandez in English and Koji Takeda in Japanese.[176] Although usually calm, he becomes loud and ferocious during battle and believes in Link's fighting capabilities. He grants Link "Daruk's Protection", which protects Link from attacks. Daruk returns as a playable warrior in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[177] with the game being set as a prequel to Breath of the Wild.[178] Cinematic designer Naoki Mori stated that Daruk is reminiscent of Darunia from Ocarina of Time because he calls Link "little guy", which serves as a homage to Darunia calling him "brother". He designed him to have a straightforward nature like the other Gorons while being the elder spiritual leader of the Champions.[179] Lead artist Hierohito Shinoda added that he wanted Daruk to feel like an experienced leader that anyone can count on, with his hair looking like armor. He also focused on his body shape to make sure he is not out of shape, but bulky and muscular.[180] When Daruk is in combat, he carries his signature weapon, the mighty Boulder Breaker with him wherever he goes and is a formidable opponent.[181]
Revali
Revali is the prideful Rito Champion and pilot of the bird-like Vah Medoh. He is voiced in English by Sean Chiplock and Noboru Yamaguchi in Japanese.[182] Revali is skilled in aerial battles and has exceptional sight and archery skills. He believes himself to be superior to Link but changes his views on the Hylian hero after Link frees his spirit from Calamity Ganon. He grants Link "Revali's Gale", a powerful vertical wind column that blows Link into the air. In the book Creating a Champion, cinematic designer, Naoki Mori stated that the Champions were designed as a throwback to characters in earlier games. He thought it would be interesting to create a character that does not accept Link as a hero like the other Champions, but wanted to ensure that Revali is not disliked due to overconfidence.[183] The lead artist of NPCs, Hirohito Shinoda said that Revali was the first Rito character to be created for the game and that this defined the other Rito designs. Various bird motifs were used, including swallows and woodpeckers, before the team chose birds of prey. Shinoda also said that it took a lot of experimentation to create a character that sees Link as his rival but is unable to be honest about it.[183] In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Revali returns as a playable character.[184]VG247 reported that players lamented the absence of Revali's Gale in Tears of the Kingdom, describing it as the most useful of all the four Champion abilities.[185]
Urbosa is the Gerudo Champion and pilot of the camel-like Vah Naboris. She is voiced by Elizabeth Maxwell in English and Rei Shimoda in Japanese.[186] Urbosa is a strong and courageous leader who showcases care and concern for Princess Zelda's well-being because she was good friends with Zelda's mother, the deceased Queen of Hyrule. Urbosa still feels bitter about her failure as a Champion one hundred years before. However, she expresses personal pleasure in being able to help defeat her people's shame (as one of Ganon's previous incarnations was a Gerudo himself). She grants Link "Urbosa's Fury", a devastating electric attack. She was generally well-regarded, considered one of the best characters of 2017 by Paste Magazine and Destructoid.[187][188]
Sidon is Mipha's younger brother and heir to the Zora throne. He is voiced by Jamie Mortellaro (English) and Kosuke Onishi (Japanese).[189] Sidon is admired by the Zora for his strength and optimism. Link is invited by Sidon to stop Vah Ruta from flooding Zora's Domain and causing terrible damage to the surrounding regions, as the Zoras (being weak to electricity) can't use the Shock Arrows needed to disable the Divine Beast. Sidon also helps Link win the support of the prejudiced Muzu by proving Mipha's love for him with the Zora Armor. A younger version of Sidon is briefly seen in a flashback during the Champion's Ballad DLC, and again in Age of Calamity where he bravely stands up to a Lynel despite the danger.
In Tears of the Kingdom, Sidon can be found helping purify the tainted waters around Zora's Domain. He is shown to feel guilty about being unable to protect Mipha a centruy ago, and fears the idea of losing someone he cares about again. Sidon helps Link find the sorce of the sludge and becomes the Sage of Water, and later the king of the zora.
Yunobo
Yunobo is a young Goron and a descendant of Daruk. He is voiced by Joe Hernandez.[190] Though a bit cowardly, Yunobo possesses Daruk's power of Protection and helps Link enter Vah Rudania by using it to become a cannonball powerful enough to disable the Divine Beast. In Age of Calamity, Yunobo can eat special Rock Roasts to change the effects of his Protection when he attacks.
In Tears of the Kingdom, Link encounters Yunobo as a drug kingpin and the boss of the Goron mining company, YunoboCo. After fighting Link, and breaking the mask being used to control him, Yunobo accompinies Link to the Fire Temple and becomes the sage of fire. He is able to perform a charged attack as his sage ability, which can be used to break ore and damage enemies.
Teba
Teba is a Rito archer known for his great skill in combat but also his intense focus and temper. He is voiced by Sean Chiplock (English) and Takuya Masumoto (Japanese).[191] With the Rito unable to fly freely for fear of getting shot down by Vah Medoh, Teba intends to attack the Divine Beast by himself with no regard for the consequences. Teba agrees to let Link join him on the attack after seeing his skill in midair archery, drawing the Vah Medoh's attacks away so Link can disable it and climb aboard.
Riju
Makeela Riju is the young chief of the Gerudo, having inherited the throne at a very young age.[192] In Breath of the Wild she appears as a child aged 12 years. She returns in Tears of the Kingdom as an older teenager.[193] Despite her young age, she is respected by the Gerudo. Link wins her support by retrieving the Gerudo's treasured Thunder Helm from the Yiga Clan.[194] Riju plays a major supporting role in the main quest line by helping Link to board the Divine Beast Vah Naboris, one of the four main dungeons in Breath of the Wild. She uses the Thunder Helm to create a protective barrier against Vah Naboris' lightning attacks while Link rides a sand seal and targets its feet in order to board it.[195] In battle, Riju rides on a shield pulled by her favorite sand seal named Patricia.[196]
In Tears of the Kingdom, Riju again plays a major role in the main quest line. Link encounters her practising her ability to perform lightning attacks near Gerudo Town and can use her area of effect lightning attack in battle. He must help Riju defend Kara Kara Bazaar and Gerudo Town from Gibdo attacks before she accompanies him to the Lightning Temple, one of the game's dungeons.[197] Upon completion, Riju bestows her vow as the Sage of Lightning, providing Link with her permanent support of using a lightning attack in combat.[198]
Master Kohga
Master Kohga is the leader of a group of assassins named the Yiga Clan in Breath of the Wild. He appears as a boss in the main quest line that enables Link to obtain the Thunder Helm. Lazy and egotistical, Kohga spends most of his time sleeping in the Yiga Clan's hideout, located in the desert through the Karusa Valley, while the rest of his clan scour Hyrule in search of Link. When Link infiltrates the Yiga hideout to confront him, Kohga summons a spiked ball that rolls over him and sends him falling into the depths.[199] He also appears with the Yiga clan in the spin-off game Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.[200] In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate he makes an appearance as a spirit.[201] Kohga returns in the main series in Tears of the Kingdom in the form of several boss fights that take place in the abandoned mines in the depths of Hyrule.[202] The initial Kohga boss fight is part of the main quest line that allows the player to unlock Autobuild, one of Link's core abilities in the game.[203] Kohga spends his time in the Depths absorbed in a revenge fantasy against Link. Jacob Linden writing for The Escapist described the Kohga boss quest line as "utter joy" and praised the character's expressive animation and cheesy dance routine that he performs each time as well as his creative and goofy boss fights.[204]
Magda
Magda is a Hylian woman who is encountered near Hila Rao shrine in Breath of the Wild. She is devoted to caring for her patch of flowers, which surround the shrine and block Link's path. If Link steps on the flowers she becomes increasingly enraged to the point where she physically attacks him, and if Link has only a few hearts, she can even cause his death. Magda achieved notoriety amongst players, with some attempting to take revenge on the character and giving her the nickname "Flowerblight Ganon" in reference to the game's boss names.[205][206] Writing for Kotaku, Narelle Ho Sang considered this moment to be hilarious, commenting on the irony that Magda is more obsessed with caring for her flowers than being concerned about Hyrule's destruction.[207] She makes a return appearance in Tears of the Kingdom, where she is encountered at the end of a side quest in the same location. Although she is still protective of her flowers, Magda is noticeably calmer and will no longer attack Link if he steps on her flowerbed.[208]
Purah
Purah is a Sheikah researcher who first appears in Breath of the Wild. She is the director of the Hateno Tech Lab and helps Link to upgrade the Sheikah Slate. Her physical appearance is that of a small child, after having conducted research that causes her to age backwards. Despite her young appearance, she is described in the book Creating a Champion as being about 124 years of age, older than her sister Impa. Alongside her research partner Robbie, she also appears as a young woman in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which is set in a different timeline. Purah also appears in Tears of the Kingdom as the head of Lookout Landing.[209] Her renewed appearance as a young woman gained attention from players across social media on the game's release.[210]Nintendo Life reported that players were "enamoured" by her redesign and that it had spawned numerous works of fan art.[211]
Robbie
Robbie is a Sheikah researcher and colleague of Purah who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He manages the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab and conducts research on ancient Guardian technology. After Link restores his machine called Cherry, he trades Guardian parts for various items. In Tears of the Kingdom he takes over the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab and works with Purah to develop the Purah Pad.[212] Robbie plays an integral role in the story by setting up the Purah Pad for Link to use at Lookout Landing and then sending him on a quest into the Depths, which results in the player unlocking the camera function and Hyrule Compendium.[213] He also upgrades the Purah Pad with additional functions, including the Shrine Sensor, which can track nearby shrines, and the Travel Medallion, which sets a travel return point.[214] In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Robbie was introduced as a playable character alongside Purah.[215]
Paya
Paya is a young Sheikah who first appears in Breath of the Wild. She is Impa's granddaughter and is encountered at Impa's house in Kakariko village. Paya is a dutiful assistant to Impa and is typically found performing her household duties during the day or praying to deities at night. In Tears of the Kingdom, Impa has retired as the village elder and has passed the role of Sheikah chief onto Paya who willingly takes on her new position.[216] Paya has a quiet personality and is especially shy when interacting with Link, but her dialogue shows that she harbours a secret crush for him. VentureBeat highlighted that with every follow up interaction with Link in Breath of the Wild, she displays an attraction towards him and reveals intimate details, in particular she tells him that she is named after her birthmark which has the shape of a papaya seed, but is too shy to reveal to him where it is located on her body.[217]
Hestu
Hestu is a large, music-loving korok who makes his first appearance in Breath of the Wild. He is first encountered en route to Impa near Kakariko Village, where Link must retrieve his stolen priceless maracas. Hestu's function is to upgrade Link's weapon inventory slots. Each time Link brings enough korok seeds, he cries, "Sha-lah-kah!", then shakes his maracas and performs a dance. Allegra Frank of Polygon described Hestu as the "true star" of Breath of the Wild, commenting that he is a familiar and comforting presence in the game's enormous world and highlighting that he is a fan favourite amongst many players who had responded positively to the character's appearance.[218] Hestu returned to fulfil the same function in Tears of the Kingdom. In both games, if the player can retrieve all of the game's Korok Seeds, he will reward the effort with "Hestu's Gift". Hidemaro Fujibayashi confirmed that the Korok Seeds are actually Korok poop and said that the development team "thought it would be funny to make that a big joke".[219] Hestu is also a playable character in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.[56]
Hudson
Hudson is a builder who first appears in Breath of the Wild. Link can aid Hudson as he works to found a new settlement called Tarrey Town in a lengthy side quest that involves meeting various minor characters around Hyrule. In Tears of the Kingdom, Link again encounters Hudson and his Gerudo wife Rhondson at Tarrey Town. They own Hudson Construction, a building company known throughout Hyrule. Link meets their young daughter Mattison, who embarks on her own journey to reach Gerudo Town. Caleb Pistoni writing for Paste considered that the side quest to help Hudson build Tarrey Town was a highlight of Breath of the Wild and praised the story continuity in Tears of the Kingdom, which shows the existing characters thriving and rebuilding Hyrule after its destruction.[220] After helping Mattison achieve independence, Link can purchase a plot of land from Rhondson, giving him the opportunity to build his own home.[221]
Kass
Kass is a Rito bard who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He plays a major supporting role in guiding Link throughout his adventure by playing distinctive tunes on his accordion to reveal hidden shrines. Kass also guides Link throughout the Champion's Ballad DLC, as his songs provide the clues to the remaining shrines. IGN highlighted that Kass is noticeably absent from the game's sequel Tears of the Kingdom despite being a beloved character amongst fans. Rebekah Valentine considered it strange that the bard is not mentioned by name even by his Rito family and that fans are hoping that he will return in the game's DLC.[222] Writing for VG247, Oisin Kuhnke considered Kass to be an "incredibly iconic character from Breath of the Wild" as his soothing accordion can be heard all over Hyrule.[223]
Kilton
Kilton is a merchant in Breath of the Wild who trades monster parts for masks and other items. His patchwork balloon shop can only be found around Hyrule at night. When Link trades monster parts with Kilton, he can obtain various masks that disguise him amongst certain monsters by mimicking their appearance and movements. The masks allow Link to enter monster camps without being attacked. Narelle Ho Sang of Kotaku counted Kilton and his masks as one of the weirdest moments in the game and noted the similarities to Majora's Mask, where Link wears a variety of masks that give him power ups and transform him into a Goron, Deku Scrub or Zora. She also highlighted that Kilton's patchwork balloon mimics the colours of Majora's mask and considered this to be an obvious callback to the earlier game.[207] In Tears of the Kingdom, Kilton's brother Koltin fulfils a similar function but trades Bubbul Gems that Link has collected from Bubbulfrogs in Hyrule's caves.[224]
Satori
Satori is a glowing ghostly creature that appears in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. It is also called the Lord of the Mountain. In the earlier game, Satori can be found on particular nights on Satori Mountain near a blossoming cherry tree surrounded by glowing bunny spirits called Blupees. The creature can be ridden by Link if tamed successfully and is the fastest mount in the game with infinite stamina.[225] In Tears of the Kingdom, the character can be summoned at eight cherry trees scattered around Hyrule by offering an apple to reveal nearby caves.[226] Satori is widely considered by critics to be the development team's tribute to Satoru Iwata, the fourth president of Nintendo who died during Breath of the Wild's development.[227][228] Oscar Dayus of GameSpot highlighted that this is illustrated by a character named Botrick who he believes bares a striking resemblance to Iwata. The game's director Hidemaro Fujibayashi said: "When he passed away, there were moments we'd come up with an idea which we'd be excited to talk to Iwata about. Then we'd remember he was no longer here".[229]
Rauru
Rauru is a Zonai in Tears of the Kingdom and a major supporting character. In the English dub he is voiced by Chris Hackney. At the beginning of the game he saves Link after he is hurt by Ganondorf's power beneath Hyrule Castle by attaching his own arm, which bestows various abilities. He is the Sage of Light and his name references Rauru, the Sage that appears in Ocarina of Time. In the game's cutscenes, Zelda meets him in the distant past where he is revealed as the founding king of Hyrule alongside his wife Sonia.[166] Rauru plays a critical role in The Imprisoning War, which takes place in the game's distant past, where he battles against Ganondorf's army. When Ganondorf betrays Rauru to transform himself into the Demon King using the power of Sonia's Secret Stone, Rauru brings together the Sages to defeat him and ultimately sacrifices himself to seal Ganondorf away.[230] Cody Perez writing for Destructoid considered Rauru to be one of the most important characters in the game, as he is the source of Link's arm and plays an integral role in battling Ganondorf in the past.[231] Hope Bellingham of GamesRadar noted that many players had reacted positively to the character's design.[232]
Sonia
Queen Sonia is a major supporting character in Tears of the Kingdom. She is the wife of Rauru and the first queen of Hyrule. She appears in the game's cutscenes, which reveal Hyrule's distant past through a series of memories found at a number of geoglyphs. Sonia possesses the power to manipulate time and, being the ancestor of Zelda, is the origin of Zelda's power, alongside Rauru.[233] When Zelda is catapulted into Hyrule's past, she meets Sonia and Rauru, who try to help her to find her power and return to her own time. Sonia recognises Zelda's strength and they develop a close connection. Although Ganondorf swears an oath of peace to the Zonai, he betrays them to gain power over Hyrule. He strikes and kills Sonia, taking her secret stone to transform himself into the Demon King. Her death leaves Zelda and Rauru heartbroken and motivates them to plan Ganondorf's defeat.[234][235]
Tulin
Tulin is Teba's son and plays a major role in helping Link to fight off the source of a blizzard threatening the Rito in Tears of the Kingdom. Initially making a minor appearance as a young Rito chick in Breath of the Wild, he returns in its sequel as one of the Sages who bestows an ability on Link, specifically the power to create a gust of wind that allows him to travel further on his paraglider.[236] Link must complete the Wind Temple dungeon alongside Tulin before the player can use the Vow of Tulin, which creates a permanent spiritual avatar of Tulin to fly and fight alongside Link by shooting enemies with his bow.[237]GamesRadar reported that players reacted positively to the character, describing him as "adorable", particularly because the two feathers that hang from his Great Eagle Bow are a display of love for his parents.[238]
Mineru
Mineru is a Zonai who appears in Tears of the Kingdom. After Zelda is transported to the distant past, she meets Mineru alongside her brother Rauru, who are the last two remaining Zonai. Mineru helps Zelda to return to her own time by explaining the power of the Secret Stones and the forbidden act of swallowing one of the stones to become an immortal dragon. Mineru is the Sage of Spirit, which gives her the power to separate her spirit from her body. After the Sages battle against the Demon King Ganondorf, she succumbs to her injuries and her spirit remains in the Purah Pad.[239] Mineru appears again in the game's present as the fifth Sage who vows to fight alongside Link. In the Depths, he can build a Zonai mech to house Mineru's spirit and then must enter the Spirit Temple to obtain her Secret Stone. After defeating the boss, Mineru is permanently unlocked to aid Link using the mech as her body.[240]
Josha
Josha is a major supporting character who first appears in Tears of the Kingdom. She is a young Sheikah researcher who has developed her knowledge by researching the Depths. She works alongside Purah and Robbie at Lookout Landing and has a passion for cave exploration.[241] As the Head of Depths Research, Josha plays a critical role in sending Link into the Depths as part of the main quest line, which leads him to unlock the camera function and Hyrule Compendium on his Purah Pad. Josha is unable to go down to the Depths herself, so she asks Link to find evidence of an ancient race that she believes can be found there.[242] Returning to her at Lookout Landing also begins a quest that sends Link back into the Depths to follow a trail of statues that lead to an old mine. Josha's request eventually leads him to a series of boss fights with Master Kohga, the leader of the Yiga Clan, which involves unlocking Autobuild, one of Link's core abilities.[243]
Penn
Penn is a tall, white Rito who first appears in Tears of the Kingdom. He works alongside editor Traysi as a journalist for the Lucky Clover Gazette, a newspaper that is commonly found around Hyrule. His energetic character is reflected in his dialogue, which he typically ends with the catchphrase "Soar long!"[244] Working with Penn, Link can take on the role of reporter and earn rupees by investigating various sightings of Princess Zelda around Hyrule in a series of 12 side quests.[245] Penn sets high standards for his journalism, stating with enthusiasm the importance of only publishing things that are true. This positive stance on journalism is reflected in the response of many minor characters who read the Lucky Clover Gazette. Luke Winkie writing for Slate highlighted that players responded positively to Penn's side quests and considered his high standards to be a commentary on the positive nature of old-fashioned journalism.[246]
Addison
Addison is a supporting character that appears in numerous locations around Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom. His job is to promote his boss Hudson, who is the president of Hudson Construction. Hudson supports the rebuilding of the kingdom by depositing caches of building materials in various locations, where Addison can be found trying to support a sign bearing Hudson's face. The player is tasked with creating a construction using the Ultrahand ability to keep Addison's sign from falling down. Polygon's Olly Welsh chose Addison as his favourite character in the game, commenting that he is one of many minor characters who demonstrate that The Legend of Zelda series is about real life as well as the fantastical. He also opined that Addison's eagerness to support his boss, who is motivated by his own self interests, is a satire on Japanese work culture and that, even when catastrophe hits the world of Hyrule, the mediocre aspects of life continue.[247] Jim Norman of Nintendo Life wrote an entire "love letter" to the character, describing him as "hilarious" due to him being "terrible at his job" and commented that he felt unable to walk past the character in-game without helping him out.[248]
Yona
Lady Yona is a green Zora who appears in Tears of the Kingdom. She has a head that resembles a manta ray. Link encounters her while investigating the phenomenon of a strange muck appearing in Zora's Domain. She appears alongside her fiancé Prince Sidon, a returning character from Breath of the Wild and the heir to the Zora throne. Her in-game character profile states that she has been Sidon's best friend from early childhood and that she dedicates her life to helping her fellow Zora. Yona's presence in the game caused a generally negative reaction. Polygon described the character as "public enemy No. 1" and reported that many fans of Sidon had expressed their dismay on social media upon discovering that their favourite Zora prince was officially betrothed to another Zora.[249]IGN also noted the angry fan response to the character, stating that Yona was "tearing apart Sidon's fans" and reported on the possibility that Nintendo had introduced the character in an attempt to put an end to shipping of Sidon and Link.[250]
↑ Skull Kid: You know Saria's Song! We should be friends! Here, take this!
↑ Tael: The power of the mask made him do it. It was too much for the Skull Kid to handle.
↑ Skull Kid: Eh-hee-hee...You have the same smell as the fairy kid who taught me that song in the woods...
↑ Tingle Trophy Description: "Tingle is a mysterious middle-aged man who thinks he's 'the very reincarnation of a fairy'. His bizarre behavior and unique speech are just little pieces of his vibrant personality. Tingle travels by way of a small hot-air balloon, making maps of the lands below him. Pop his balloon, and Tingle will fall to earth to sell his maps".[116]
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