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This is a list of notable and recurring fictional characters in The Legend of Zelda, a series of video games developed by Nintendo.
The protagonist of The Legend of Zelda series, Link, is name of various Hyrulian youths who characteristically wear a green tunic and a pointed cap. Each Link is described on the series' official website as humble, hardworking and brave, and therefore appropriate to bear the Triforce of Courage. The various Links each have a special title, such as "Hero of Time","Hero of the Winds" or "Hero chosen by the gods". Link is left-handed, with two exceptions. In the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Link is right-handed due to the "mirroring" used to accommodate the right-handed control scheme,[1] which flips the entire game world's layout from that of its Nintendo GameCube counterpart. Link is also right-handed in the title Skyward Sword. Also in the manual for the original game, he is depicted as being right-handed, and in the game itself, Link is seen as ambidextrous because whether he is facing left or right his sword is in the "down screen side".
Link does not usually speak, and only produces grunts, yells, or similar sounds. One exception is The Wind Waker in which he says "Come on!" to make other characters or objects follow him, like the statues in the Tower of the Gods, or Medli and Makar, the sages of the Earth and Wind Temples. When Link is asked questions, the player answers by choosing options from a list, with the exception of a few times in Spirit Tracks, where the microphone is used to speak; Link usually does not give any oral or visual indication that he has answered, however he sometimes nods his head in The Wind Waker. Link does speak in the cartoon series and the CD-i games produced by Philips, though these are not canon materials in the series. However, he does "speak" two lines in The Adventure of Link; when he locates a mirror under a table, the text, "I found a mirror under the table" appears on screen, and later on, if he examines a fireplace that he can enter, "Looks like I can get in the fireplace" is displayed. Link normally has a companion that speaks for him.
In most games, the player can name Link before the start of the adventure, and he will be referred by that given name throughout by the NPCs.[2]
Princess Zelda is the princess of Hyrule and guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom, her name present in many of her female ancestors and descendants. While most titles require Link to save Zelda from Ganon, she is sometimes shown to be quite capable in battle, using magical powers and weapons such as Light Arrows to aid Link. With the exception of the CD-i games (which were not official Nintendo games), she was not playable in the main series until Spirit Tracks, where she becomes a spirit and can possess a Phantom Knight that can be controlled by the player. Zelda also appears under various other aliases and alter egos, including Sheik (in Ocarina of Time) and Tetra (in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass).
Ganon (or Ganondorf as he is more commonly known in his human form) is the final boss of most games in the series. In the games, Ganondorf is the leader of a race of desert brigands called the Gerudo, and the evil archenemy of Link. His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often they include him kidnapping Princess Zelda and planning to achieve domination of Hyrule and presumably the world beyond it. To this end, he seeks the Triforce, a powerful magical relic. Currently, he already possesses a portion of the Triforce called the Triforce of Power, which gives him great strength but not enough to accomplish his ends, leading him to hunt the remaining Triforce pieces. Unlike Link and Zelda (and most of the characters), he is agreed to be the same character in every game, but the battles with him are different.
Agahnim was a wandering wizard who assisted the Royal Family at a time when Hyrule was plagued by flood, famine and disease. Agahnim played the role of trusted advisor for a time, but soon he displayed his true colors and seized power for himself. After imprisoning the Seven Sages and Princess Zelda, Agahnim used his magic to break the seal which imprisoned Ganon in the Dark World. Agahnim was defeated by his own dark magic thanks to Link's quick thinking.
In Link's Awakening, Agahnim's Shadow was one of the Shadows of Link's former foes that attacked Link in the final battle in Koholint Island's Wind Fish Egg.
Bellum is an evil life force and the main antagonist of Phantom Hourglass. Bellum feeds off the life energy of other beings and as well created the Phantom Guardians. With his powers he fed off the Ocean King's powers till he was too weak to fight, as well brought Link, Tetra and Linebeck to the World of the Ocean King when they boarded the Ghost Ship. He resided in the Temple of the Ocean King on Mercay Island where after fully powering the Phantom Sword, Link went down to defeat him. However later, Bellum is able to fuse with the Ghost Ship which then Link has to defeat with the help of Linebeck and the S.S. Linebeck using it's cannon. Although thought to be defeated, Bellum attaches itself unto Linebeck and turns him into the Phantom Guardian-like Bellumbeck which Link defeats to free the pirate and restore the Ocean King.
Dark Link (also known as Shadow Link in Oracle of Ages and Four Swords Adventures) is a recurring boss in the series, and is a doppelgänger of Link. Dark Link is usually solid black with red eyes but is white with purple hair in the Four Swords manga plus. In general, Dark Link just copies Link's swordplay, but in some games he is able to use Link's full arsenal of weapons. He is formed in various ways between the games, though always involving some sort of magical summoning. When he first appears in The Adventure of Link, he is the final boss of the game, and was created by a mysterious wizard as a test for the Triforce of Courage.
In Oracle of Ages, in the final battle against Veran, she's able to summon multiple Dark Links to help her defeat Link.
Shadow Link's largest appearance is that of a main character, a recurring boss, and respawning enemies in Four Swords Adventures. These Shadow Links are created by the Dark Temple's Dark Mirror, and one tricks Link into drawing the Four Sword from the Four Sword Shrine, which releases Vaati and splits Link into three clones. They plague the Links throughout the game by both directly attacking him, and impersonating him while they attack Hyrule's citizens, causing them to be suspicious and mistrusting of the Links. The Links eventually eradicate them in a final battle in which they destroy them while Zelda undoes the seal on the Dark Mirror and takes it into her possession. However, in the manga, Shadow Link destroys the mirror, and ultimately himself, to save the Links from Vaati.
Dark Link also appears in both Ocarina of Time and its manga, but only serves as a character in the manga. While Link is in Kakariko Village, a shadowy substance emerges from the well, grabs a child, and then manifests as Dark Link. It attacks Link and initially has the upper hand, due to Link's overall lack of skill, but Link eventually manages to hit it. At this point, it re-manifests riding a horse, and so Link and Epona engage it in a horse-battle and soon defeat it. His role in Ocarina of Time itself is merely as a sub-boss in the Water Temple. He copies almost all of Link's attacks and is hard to hit. When you hit Dark Link, he falls through the floor and pops back up behind Link, trying to slash at his back.
Dark Link appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl as an enemy in one of the Event Matches, as well as an alternate costume for Link and Toon Link in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[3] The design of the Brawl alternate color incarnation is similar to a shadowy Link seen in Twilight Princess, and the Dark Link in the events, in both games, have no color depth.
Dark Link was also found briefly in Zelda: Spirit Tracks at the end of the mini game "Take 'Em' All On" and was again just a shaded out Link. In 2010 IGN ranked Dark Link as 77th "Top 100 Videogames Villans".
Demon King Demise (終焉の者 Shūen no Mono) is the primary antagonist in the Skyward Sword who was punished by the Goddess Hylia when he attempted to take the Triforce and was trapped within the form of a giant monster known as the Imprisoned. However, his sword assumes the form of the arrogant Ghirahim, tracking down Hylia's reincarnation Zelda so he can use her life force can restore Demise to his true form. Impressed to see a human like Link willing to stand up to him, Demise decides to battle him out of amusement. Mortally wounded as Link manages to restore Zelda's soul to her body, Demise's remains are sealed away within the Master Sword. However, Demise's final words speak of a new incarnation of his malice living on, alluding to Ganondorf and the bonds that tie him with Zelda and Link's descendants.
Demon Lord Ghirahim (ギラヒム Girahimu) is the secondary antagonist in "Skyward Sword," revealed to be Demise's sword given life for the sole pupose of restoring his master to his original form. Though delicate looking, Ghirahim is a sadist with a dangerous short-fused temper and determination to match. Though toying with Link in their first two battles, Ghirahim battled him in his full fighting form prior to Demise's release. With his mission accomplished, Ghirahim returns to his true form before being shattered during Demise's fight with Link.
Majora (English pronunciation: /ˌməˈdʒɔrə/) is the name of the mask that possesses the Skull Kid in Majora's Mask and serves as the main villain and final boss of that game. Majora's mask was used by an ancient tribe in their hexing rituals but the mask brought misfortune and catastrophe, resulting in the ancient ones hiding it away in shadow. In Majora's Mask the Happy Mask Salesman finds the mask and, sensing the evil within it, keeps it for himself to prevent it from falling into evil hands but the Skull Kid steals it and the mask possesses him to do evil things, ending with him attempting to use the Moon to destroy the World, with himself included. The Salesman asks Link to retrieve the mask.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, a trophy of Majora's Mask is given to the player after the complete Event Match: Trophy Tussle 3. The Trophy basically summarizes the plot of Majora's Mask. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a sticker of Skull Kid wearing Majora's Mask increases the player's attack power in the Subspace Emissary mode.
Malladus, the Demon King, is the primary antagonist in Spirit Tracks who was sealed away by the spirits when he terrorized the first settlers of New Hyrule with the Lokomo serving to maintain the seal around the Tower of Spirits. Through the aid of his lacky Cole, who posed as a chancellor to the New Hyrulian royalty, Malladus manages to break free from his bonds and enter the souless body of Zelda. However, when Zelda gets her body back, Malladus is forced to devour Cole and turn him into a new demonic body for him to inhibit. Though the possession would not last long, Malladus intended to destroy everything before being rejected from Cole's body. However, Link and Zelda defeat Malladus with the Lokomo Sword.
Onox, The General of Darkness, makes his appearance in Oracle of Seasons as the game's primary antagonist. He starts the game by kidnapping the Oracle Din, and takes her away to his castle and imprisons her in a giant crystal. He then faces off with (and is later defeated by) Link in two grueling battles; the first of which in his human form, and the second in his true form, that being The Dark Dragon. Unbeknownst to everyone, he is merely a pawn of Twinrova in a scheme to resurrect Ganon. His stage is Onox's Castle, and as stated before, he possesses two forms, the first being that of a heavily armored knight, and the second being that of a massive dragon. His first form's main method of attack is swinging his ball and chain weapon. In his dragon form, his main weapons are his massive claws and fire breath. It should be noted that Onox may share some relation with the Iron Knuckles, as they share similar armor designs.
Kotake (コタケ) and Koume (コウメ Kōme), collectively referred to as the Twinrova Sisters (双生魔術師ツインローバ Sōseimajutsushi Tsuinrōba, lit. "Twin Magicians Twinrova") (English pronunciation: /ˌtwɪnˈroʊvə/), are a pair of Gerudo witches who play an important role in a few games in the series. They are both the surrogate mothers of the Gerudo King, Ganondorf, being somewhat his more devoted servants. They can brainwash others to serve Ganondorf (they do so to Nabooru in the Spirit Temple of Ocarina of Time) and merge to form the stronger witch Twinrova. The brooms the sisters use to fly become scepters through which Twinrova channels her power. They portray the same characters in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, though they are more benevolent than their Ocarina of Time counterparts. In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, the Evil Gerudo Witches Twinrova enact a plot to resurrect Ganon. They are also found in a potion shop in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, from which you must save Koume in the Lost Woods.
Vaati (グフー Gufū), the Wind Mage, is the main 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 being. 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 yet 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 in the game he begins seeking out the power of the Light Force. He eventually becomes his black orb form in this game.
Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, is the primary antagonist of Oracle of Ages who is used by Koume and Kotake to spread the land of Labrynna as well as its past and present with darkness. By doing so she first possesses Impa which Link helps save her from being attacked. Later when they meet Nayru, she's able to possess her so to be able to travel back in time. Once 500 years in the past she manipulates Queen Ambi to build the Black Tower to help search for her love but instead possessing her uses it for her own means. Later once Link reaches her, Veran during the battle transforms into multiple giant forms including a Bee, Spider, Turtle, and Fairy (which she says is her true form). She's also able to summon multiple Dark Links to help her.
Usurper King Zant is the secondary antagonist in Twilight Princess who was originally a Twili whom Ganondorf tricked into serving him by giving him the means to conquer the Twilight Realm and begin an invasion of Hyrule. However, gathering the Fused Shadows, Midna hoped to defeat Zant to regain both her original form and her birthright as the Twili's ruler. Though mortally wounded in his battle with Link, Zant reveals his curse to be dependent on Ganondorf and is killed by a furious Midna soon after.
Link's Horse who helps Link in Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask and in Twilight Princess. She comes to Links aid when called by her special song.
Fi (ファイ Fai) is the humanoid representation of the Goddess Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It serves as Link's companion and assists him throughout the game, much like Navi in Ocarina of Time, Tatl in "Majora's Mask", Princess Zelda in "Spirit Tracks" and Midna in Twilight Princess. It has been announced that Fi is genderless, but feminine.
The Four Giants are four magical giants who exist in the land of Termina. They are orange-colored, have beards and are basically large heads with long legs and arms. They are responsible for the creation of the four regions that surround Clock Town in Termina and were very close friends with the Skull Kid but got angry at him when he played tricks on others. After the giants made the four regions they left Clock Town to live with their races that lived in those regions. In Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid under the influence of Majora's mask seals away the Four Giants into evil masks which make them into monsters and harm their own regions leaving Link to free them so they can stop the moon from crashing into Termina. At the end of the game, they reveal that even though they left the Skull kid, they hadn’t forgotten about him.
The three Golden Goddesses, Din, Farore and Nayru, are responsible for the creation of Hyrule, as well as the creation of the Triforce, which houses a fraction of their divine power. Din is the Goddess of Power, associated with the color red and the elements of earth and fire; Farore is the Goddess of Courage, associated with the color green and the elements of wind and forest; and Nayru is the Goddess of Wisdom, associated with the color blue and the elements of water and time. Each Goddess is also associated with a fragment of the Triforce—Din with the Triforce of Power, Farore with the Triforce of Courage, and Nayru with the Triforce of Wisdom. Each Goddess has a spell that Link may acquire from a Great Fairy—Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, and Nayru's Love. These three spells are used by Princess Zelda in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Statues appear in The Wind Waker, depicting the three Goddesses. These statues are arranged in a triangle shape.
Three humanoid women of the same name exist in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. Din is the Oracle of Seasons and Nayru is the Oracle of Ages. Din has red hair, and is a dancer. Earlier in the game, she is captured by a knight named Onox, who uses her to disrupt the seasons. Nayru has blue hair, and is a singer. She is possessed by the witch Veran, who uses her to disrupt time. Farore has green hair, and lives inside of the Maku Tree, an entity in both Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. She has no relevance to the plot. The Minish Cap uses the same design for the three Oracles. In The Minish Cap, they are travelers who are staying at an Inn in town who are seeking permanent residence. Later in the game, Link may only pick two who get to live in their own homes, and, depending on who the player pick, they will give him special potions.
In Twilight Princess, they do not appear, though allusions to their names are found in the names of 3 of the Light Spirits and their respective provinces: Faron (Farore), Eldin (Din), and Lanayru (Nayru)and the three of them can be seen as statues surrounding a carving of the triforce on top the hylian throne in hyrule castle.
In Skyward Sword, they are collectively referred to as the "old gods", in contrast to the goddess Hylia.
The Great Deku Tree is considered the 'Father of the Forest', and his first appearance is in Ocarina of Time. In it, he is charged with watching over the Kokiri, a child-like race of forest spirits that live in the Kokiri Forest. He is an exceptionally large tree with a humanoid face.
When Ocarina of Time begins, the Great Deku Tree is suffering from a curse cast upon him by Ganondorf in an effort to gain the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, which is in the Deku Tree's possession. Knowing Link's destiny, the Deku Tree sends Navi the fairy to retrieve the boy (who is, at this time, living among the Kokiri as one of them) and asks him to destroy the cause of the curse, a spider called Queen Gohma, within him. Although Link defeats Queen Gohma, the Deku Tree was doomed before Link had begun; before he dies, the Deku Tree gives Link the Kokiri Emerald and tells him to seek Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle. After adult Link completes the Forest Temple and returns to the site of the Deku Tree, he discovers a little sprout, which grows into the Deku Sprout. It is this sprout who tells Link the truth about his past, and reveals that Link is not a Kokiri, but rather a Hylian who was entrusted to the Deku Tree by his mother, who died soon after.
In Oracle of Ages, the Great Deku Tree is the protector of Hyrule until he dies, but then another sprout comes and throughout the story he grows. He is also where the secret keeper lives.
In The Wind Waker, the Great Deku Tree is the guardian of Forest Haven and is a legendary forest and earth spirit. He is at first plagued by ChuChus and, after Link assists in removing the ChuChus, the Deku Tree tells Link about Forest Haven and the Koroks who live there. He confesses to Link that his energy is actually waning and that he has become feeble with age. It is assumed that this is the same Deku Tree that was a sprout in Ocarina of Time, as he speaks Hylian and remembers old times when he sees Link's green tunic. He gives Link the Deku Leaf to help him on his quest, and later Farore's Pearl after Link rescues Makar from the Forbidden Woods. Like Valoo and Jabun, he speaks Hylian, but he can also speak the modern language of the Great Sea.
The Great Deku Tree and its Sprout also appear in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland.
The Happy Mask Salesman (お面屋 Omen'ya, Mask Shop Owner) is a mysterious man who specialises in masks, which Link can use for different purposes. He is almost always happy, with very few exceptions. He first appears in Ocarina of Time. He is found in his Happy Mask shop located in Hyrule Castle town during present day. Here, Link can borrow masks from him so to sell to different people who want them. However, if Link returns to him without enough Rupees to repay the Happy Mask Salesman, he will become vey angry and kick Link out of the Happy Mask Shop. Once Link sells all the masks, he may borrow any of them, as well as a few extras, which are used merely for humorous purposes. The exception is the Mask of Truth, which Link can use to talk to Gossip Stones.
In Majora's Mask, he plays an extremely significant role in the plot. On his travels to find powerful masks, the Skull Kid and his two fairies, Tatl and Tael (Tatl later aids Link), ambushed him and stole Majora's Mask, a very powerful, but very evil, mask, who becomes the main antagonist. Later, when he meets Link inside the Clock Tower, in Termina, he asks Link, who the Skull Kid (wearing Majora's Mask) cursed into a Deku Scrub to try to get back the mask and Link's Ocarina of Time. Once Link returns with the Ocarina, the Happy Mask Salesman teaches Link the Song of Healing, which transforms Link back into his normal form. Later, once Link finally destroys Majora, the entity inhabiting the mask, the Happy Mask Salesman regains the now-powerless mask, and leaves Link with some advice, before walking away, then simply vanishing. It is unknown if he is the same character that appears in Ocarina of Time, as most inhabitants of Termina correspond to inhabitants of Hyrule (though there are exceptions), though considering that he can teleport and that he was in the Lost Woods, it is possible that they are indeed the same Happy Mask Salesman.
In Oracle of Ages, he's found in his mask shop in Nuun Highlands, in present-day Labrynna. Here, he's suffering from hunger. To help him, Link can give him the Tasty Meat. In return, he gives Link the Doggie Mask, which is part of the trading quest for the Noble Sword.
IGN ranked him number 4 of the top 20 weirdest Zelda characters.[4]
Impa (インパ Inpa) is a caretaker to Princess Zelda. There are many incarnations of the character named Impa throughout the Zelda series, just as there are multiple incarnations of Link and Zelda. As with Link and Zelda, all incarnations of Impa share certain personality traits.
The original Impa (appearing in The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link instruction manuals, but not in the actual games) is portrayed as an old woman who calls for Link to save Zelda from Ganon and his henchmen. The Impa of Ocarina of Time is a Sheikah, and the guardian of Princess Zelda, as well as being a descendent of the tribe that founded Kakariko Village. It is later revealed that she is in fact the Sage of Shadow, one of the seven sages in the Zelda universe. She is also a main character in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. In Twilight Princess, a character named Impaz dwells in a village which Hylian text suggests is called "Old Kakariko Village", and claims both that she is serving the Royal Family and that she was named after the founder of the village. In the Skyward Sword, Impa is a member of the Sheikah assigned to protect Zelda during her time on the surface. She appears as both a young woman and as the elderly overseer of the Sealed Grounds. The Impa from The Legend of Zelda is also supposed to be the same Impa who appears in the Philips spin-off Zelda: Wand of Gamelon. With the voice of Impa in Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon is Eve Karpf.
Kaepora Gaebora (ケポラ・ゲボラ Kepora Gebora) is a wise owl who guides Link throughout various games in the series. One of the Gossip Stones in Ocarina of Time (found in the Sacred Forest Meadow) says he is the reincarnation of an ancient sage. Another Gossip Stone in the same area tells Link that Kaepora Gaebora "may look big and heavy, but its character is rather lighthearted." Despite him guiding Link throughout his childhood in Ocarina of Time, he is not encountered while an adult except near the end. He is seen flying over Lon Lon Ranch when Link learns Epona's Song and in shadows when Link learns the Requiem of Spirit, but makes no other appearance until Link completes the child half of the Spirit Temple; after that, he is seen flying away during the credits. Kaepora Gaebora remarks, "Even I thought that the tales of a boy who traveled back and forth through time were merely a legend," when Link meets him for the last time. He also tells Link, "The future of all the people in Hyrule is on your shoulders. Maybe it's not my time anymore."
He also has a Terminan counterpart (though they may be one and the same) appearing in Majora's Mask, who first appears in the Southern Swamp to teach Link the Song of Soaring, and in Goron Village to help Link cross a large abyss. There are statues of his likeness spread across Termina, which have two functions: they are used as warp points that can be teleported to with the Song of Soaring, though only after they are discovered by Link, and can be used to temporarily save the game and quit.
In Four Swords Adventures, Kaepora Gaebora serves a similar purpose as in the other games.
In Link's Awakening, a similar owl guides Link, and arrives at certain points to give hints and back-story. He believes in a prophecy that says Link will wake the Wind Fish. In the game's ending, it is revealed that the Owl is a part of the Wind Fish's spirit (rather than just another part of his dream), and, once the Wind Fish awakes, the Owl vanishes.
In Twilight Princess, Link must travel Hyrule to find Owl Statues, found at points marked on the map, in order to complete the Ancient Sky Book, which was missing some of its letters.
In Skyward Sword, Zelda's father is named Gaepora, and bears a strong resemblance to Kaepora Gaebora.
King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule is the last king of Hyrule in The Wind Waker. To meet with Link, he remotely operates the King of Red Lions, a talking boat, using magic. By the end of the game, the King wishes to the Triforce for Hyrule to be destroyed, and stays with the kingdom as it is flooded.
Other Kings of Hyrule appear or are mentioned in the series. In A Link to the Past, the king only appears during the intro and ending credits. In Ocarina of Time, it is stated that Princess Zelda's father is the king and Ganondorf is seen approaching and kneeling to him when Link and Princess Zelda first meet, although the king himself is never shown and his ultimate fate is never revealed. In The Minish Cap, the current ruler, King Daltus, is a major character during the game, and his ancestor King Gustaf appears to help Link enter the fifth dungeon. King Harkinian also plays a major role in Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon.
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 very greedy and self-centered. For the first half of the game, he is hoping to obtain the Ghost Ship's treasure, and he and Link team up to find the Ghost Ship (though for different reasons). After the Ghost Ship's "treasure" is revealed as merely a rumor put out by Bellum to attract people to the Ghost Ship, who Bellum then consumed, Oshus, now revealed as the Ocean King, promises Linebeck one wish if he continues to sail Link across the oceans, to be granted after Bellum is defeated. In the endgame, Linebeck saves Link and Tetra from Bellum by stabbing him, showing a rare burst of courage. 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, and 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. After Link and Tetra are returned to their world, Link looks off into the distance, where Linebeck's ship can be seen sailing away.
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 Link retrieves from the resting place of the original Linebeck.
Marin (マリン Marin) is a girl and one of the main characters in Link's Awakening. She finds Link washed up on Koholint's shore. As the game begins, Link awakens in Marin's house after she brings him back from the beach. Groggily, he mistakes her for Princess Zelda, but soon learns what has happened. Marin teaches Link the "Ballad of the Wind Fish", and also takes Link as an escort to the Animal Village, where she helps him enter Yarna Desert. If the player completes the game without losing a life, the Wind Fish grants Marin's wish to fly to other lands. In the original version, she is given wings, while in the DX version, it is implied that she was transformed into a seagull. Marin and her father Tarin bear a striking physical resemblance to Malon and Talon from Ocarina of Time. Marin appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a Trophy awarded for unlocking every character and level.
Navi (ナビィ Nabi) (voice actress: Kaori Mizuhashi) is a fairy who is Link's "sidekick" throughout The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. She is instructed by the Great Deku Tree in Kokiri Forest to assist Link in his quest to stop Ganondorf. All Kokiri have companion fairies, but because Link is actually a Hylian, he never received one until Navi joins him near the beginning of the events in 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 on enemies in the game, items and other characters. She is one of the few characters with any voice-acting in the series, and the only character who (aside from Link in The Wind Waker) actually uses English words, such as "Hey", "Look", "Listen", "Watch out" and "Hello".
Cracked editor ranked Navi the eighth most annoying video game character from an otherwise great game, describing her as a naggy, clingy spouse.[5] GamesRadar editor Mikel Reparaz ranked Navi as the most irritating female character, stating that she would have been bearable if she did not interrupt the game with "Hey!" and "Listen!" constantly. Fellow GamesRadar editor Tom Goulter listed her as the second most annoying sidekick ever,[6] while in another article, GamesRadar ranked Navi second place in the list of cutesy characters they want to beat the crap out of, citing similar reasons but describing her as a "tactless Tinkerbell".[7] The web site also listed her "Hey! Listen!" quote as one of the 40 most repeated game quotes.[8] GameDaily listed her as one of the characters they wanted to kill, but couldn't, describing her as irritating.[9] In the book "Game writing: narrative skills for videogames", author Chris Mark Bateman described Navi as the "most famous, and most famously annoying, instance of an explicit funneling companion".[10] In the book "The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy", author Luke Cuddy describes Navi as the "most insipid" character next to the character Tingle, she is seen by the in-game characters as a necessary stage in a Kokiri's life.[11] The VG Cats web comic has featured Navi multiple times in its web comic; in an early comic, one of the comic's characters, Leo, is seen dressed as Link dressed in a straight jacket in a padded room with "Hey! Listen!" scribed on the walls.[12] A later comic would parody The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, showing the same character yelling out in terror once he sees her.[13] In the character's defense, Brendan Main writing for The Escapist argues that while Navi is undeniably annoying, she is also indispensable in the game and extremely useful, citing her role in the Z-targeting system and her role as a gameplay prompt through physically changing colours near secrets and danger. He even goes as far as claiming, "I think Navi is the greatest partner ever to grace a videogame."[14]
The Old Man is a character in multiple titles in the series, particularly the original title. He is bald, and wears a red gown and has a white beard. Link can usually find the old man inside dungeons or caves, often in an off-map location, standing between two torches. The Old Man has several functions, commonly being giving Link items or advice. The Old Man is known for his vague advice, such as "DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE". Some of this text was corrected in later releases of the game. He later appears in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. A character with a very similar design to the Old Man appears in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, however, whether or not this individual was meant to have been the same old man has never been confirmed by the game's creators and/or designers.
IGN ranked him number 5 of the top 20 weirdest Zelda characters.[15]
The Sages first appear in the intro to A Link To The Past, but they are only mentioned as part of the back story. In Ocarina of Time, Link must save the seven sages, an Old Man named Rauru (Sage of Light), the Kokiri girl Saria (Sage of Forest), the Goron patriarch Darunia (Sage of Fire), the Zora Princess Ruto (Sage of Water), Gerudo thief Nabooru (Sage of Spirit), Impa (Sage of Shadow), and Zelda (the Seventh Sage and leader of them all).
The Sages also appear in Twilight Princess, this time as five bright, spirit-like men with disembodied faces (which resemble masks) and hands. In Twilight Princess the Sages are described as guardians over the Mirror of Twilight and the ancient prison it resides in and are once mentioned as the mentors to Princess Zelda. The sages in the game were responsible for sending Ganondorf into the Twilight Realm after a futile attempt to execute him (and after he killed one of them in the process) and inform Link and Midna where to find the pieces of the Mirror of Twilight.
The Sages make a cameo in Wind Waker. When Link goes to retrieve the Master Sword, stain glass windows of the all of the sages from Ocarina of Time (except for Zelda) are seen. In Wind Waker two more Sages are also introduced, a Zora Sage named Laruto (Sage of Earth) and a Kokiri named Fado (Sage of Wind), whose spirits were stolen by Ganon in ancient times and ask Link to find their descendents/successors, Medli and Makar, respectively, to help them restore power to the Master Sword.
Tingle is a happy elf "boy," who is actually in his mid 30's. He wears a tunic like Link's and can often be seen floating around on a balloon selling maps in Majora's Mask, or standing in certain places in The Minish Cap.
Tatl is a character from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. She is Link's fairy companion throughout the game. She is the sister of Tael. As a fairy companion, Tatl is not as informative as Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and has somewhat of an attitude, however, her intentions are good. At first, she is cold and callous towards Link, but eventually grows fond of him, much like Midna. Unlike Navi, who tells Link about enemies in an encyclopedic manner, Tatl often interjects her own opinions into her information (when telling Link about the Stalchildren, she says that they are cursed and adds "What are you going to do about it?"). She also seems surprised about Link's lack of knowledge when asked about enemies that appeared Ocarina of Time as well as Majora's Mask.
Many minor characters in the games have returned multiple times throughout the series, having Link in some form perform minor tasks for them.
Anju first appears in Ocarina of Time but is unnamed and generally referred to as the ‘Cucco Lady’. She resides in Impa's old house in Kakariko Village. She says that she is allergic to Cuccos, and hers are always escaping from their pen; the first time that Link rounds them up for her, he receives an empty bottle in return.
Majora's Mask is the first of the Zelda series in which Anju is named. She is troubled over the disappearance of her fiancé, Kafei. In a lengthy side-quest resulting in the reunion of those betrothed, Link can acquire several masks: the Keaton Mask, the Kafei Mask, the Postman's Hat, and the Couple's Mask.
Anju reappears in The Minish Cap, wherein she again employs Link's help to retrieve her Cuccos, compensating with rupees and a Piece of Heart.
Beedle, also known as Terry in different localizations of the games, is a travelling 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 Gust Jar.
In Phantom Hourglass, his role is the same as that in The Wind Waker as well 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. Link has to bring the boy from Aboda Village to Beedle to fulfill his dream of flying which Beedle agrees to have him on board and as well to obtain a Force Gem.
In Skyward Sword his role is the same but instead of a boat or balloon, he is seen floating above Skyloft in a wooden shack with helicopter-type propellers.
IGN ranked him number 14 of the top 20 weirdest Zelda characters.[16]
Biggoron, like his name suggests, is a Goron who is approximately the size of a mountain. He first appears in Ocarina of Time, where he can be found sitting atop Death Mountain, scratching at his dry eyes. At the close of a time-centric trading sequence, Link gives the giant special Tear Drops; in return, Biggoron repairs Link's broken Goron's Sword, which is then made unbreakable and renamed Biggoron’s Sword. He has a brother half of his size named Medigoron who resides in the second level of the Goron city and will sell Link a (breakable) Goron’s Sword for a steep price.
In Majora's Mask, Biggoron has been cursed with invisibility by the Skull Kid, and sits at the far end of the narrow ridge which leads to Snowhead Temple, blowing gusts of wind to prevent anyone from traversing the path (which caused the Goron Darmani to fall off and die). Once Link learns the Goron's Lullaby, he uses this to lull Biggoron to sleep, thus making the giant fall off the cliff and allow access to the temple.
In Oracle of Seasons, Biggoron can be found at the top of Goron Mountain, where he is suffering from a terrible cold. Link gives him some Lava Soup for this illness in exchange for the Goron Vase. (Through a linked game with passwords, Link can tell Biggoron a password which then gives Link Biggoron's Sword.)
In The Minish Cap, he resides in the mountains near Veil Falls, only appearing once Link fuses kinstones with a Goron in a cave near Lon Lon Ranch. The giant is hungry, and asks Link for a shield to eat; when Link returns, after Biggoron has eaten, he presents Link with the Mirror Shield.
In Phantom Hourglass, Biggoron isn't his usual monstrous size, but of normal Goron height—though he remains the largest on Goron Island. Here he has a son named Gongoron. Link is required to answer his questions in order to be allowed further exploration of the island; when he responds correctly, he is then titled Goro-Link.
Dampé is an old mysterious friendly gravekeeper who appears in multiple games. He can be recognised by his pale skin and haunched back. He first appears in Ocarina of Time where he can be found in the Kakariko Village graveyard. As child Link he's usually inside his hut sleeping and just sunset for a few hours he appears outside where he provides a mini-game for Link to try to win a piece of heart. As Adult Link, Dampé is dead and Link has to enter his grave in order to claim the hookshot. Once inside, Dampé's ghost challenges him to a race which Link has to follow him so to obtain it without failing.
In Majora's Mask, he can be found in Ikana Graveyard where during the day he walks around outside however takes an entire day for him to go back to his hut. If Link wears the Captain's Hat whilst talking to him, he gets scared and quickly rushes inside. On the final day, he can be found underground of the graveyard looking for a treasure which Link helps him find.
In Four Swords Adventures, he is found at the graveyard in the swamp area. Link can talk to him which he warns Link that he shouldn't be out late and tells about the Forest of Light.
In The Minish Cap, he is found in the Royal Valley in western Hyrule where Link can fuse with him kinstones and even gives Link the Graveyard key.
Great Fairies appear in all of the games as giant fairies that reside in springs called "Great Fairy's Fountains". They are much older than other fairies, and are thus much more powerful.[17] Most of those depicted wear dresses, full-length or knee-length, though in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess, they are more risque. In Twilight Princess, there is only one Great Fairy and all she wears is a skirt with her hair covering her breasts. According to their figurine in The Wind Waker, they were born on the Angular Isles, and are destined to aid the "Great Hero", Link.[18] In all games, they will completely refill Link's health. In some of their appearances, they will reward Link with new items or upgrades of his items or meters, usually for merely visiting them, though sometimes he must complete a task. These tasks usually involve some selflessness on the part of the player.[19]
Guru-Guru is a bald bearded man who's always seen playing what looks like an organ grinder and a phonograph strapped to him and is always heard playing the "Song of Storms". He first appears Ocarina of Time where he's found inside the Windmill in Kakariko Village where during the present day he's seen happily playing away however as adult Link he's angry which he tells how 7 years ago a young boy played the Song of Storms which messed up the windmill. However unaware Link's that boy, he teaches him the song anyway and Link needs to play it back as a child so to drain the well outside to access the Bottom of the Well mini dungeon.
In Majora's Mask he's part of the Gorman Troupe to play at the Clock Town Carnival. During the day he's found playing in the troup's room which they're staying in at the Stock Pot Inn, however during the night he's found in the Laundrey Pool since he was kicked out of the room for playing too loud. Additionally he's angry about as well about how he was part of an animal troupe where the leader of it was a dog. He stole from the group the Breman Mask which he later confesses to Link about it and gives him the mask feeling relieved. Link can use the mask to make animals follow him.
In Oracle of Seasons, he's found beside the windmill in the Eastern Suburbs of Holodrum. Here if Link gives him the engine greese, in return he'll give Link a phonograph as part of the trading quest for the Noble Sword.
IGN ranked him number 13 of the top 20 weirdest Zelda characters.[20]
Malon (マロン Maron) has appeared in several games in the series, and is almost always found at Lon Lon Ranch with her father Talon.[21] Like the series' protagonist, Link, and its namesake, Princess Zelda, Malon is depicted with many varying incarnations. Her largest appearance is in Ocarina of Time, where she interacts with Link on various occasions when he visits the ranch. Link helps her and her father with their ordeals while Malon mainly raises Epona, and teaches Link Epona's Song, which can call the horse to Link at any time. In other games, she has smaller roles, involving Link helping her and Talon.
In Majora's Mask, there are Terminan counterparts of Malon, Romani and Cremia, living at Romani Ranch, who respectively resemble her child and adult forms and who are both sisters.
In Link's Awakening she appears as "Marin", the daughter of "Tarin", who finds Link shipwrecked on the beach and takes him to her home. She can sing and usually attracts the attention of animals around her who will sit and listen to her song.
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'll 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, in which Link helps her and Talon back into their house by finding a key, later moving to the town to sell Lon Lon Milk.
Though Malon and Talon don't appear in Twilight Princess, allusions to the characters can be found in the names of two of the youths from Link's home village: Malo and Talo. The music that plays in Hyrule Field during the nighttime has Malon's singing voice through most of it.
Mamamu Yan is a large hylian woman who loves dogs and likes to show off. She can be recognized by her large hairdo and usually has a dog with her. She first appears in Ocarina of Time where she can be found in Hyrule Castle Town where she's playing with her dog Richard during the day and gloats about him when talked to. During the night if Link visits her in her house located in the back alleys, she asks him to find her dog who's wondering the streets. Once Link brings him back to her she rewards him with a piece of heart. Seven years later after escaping to Kakariko Village with the rest of the townspeople, by now her dog is deceased in which if Link talks to her she's much friendlier.
In Majora's Mask, she lives at Romani Ranch and runs the doggy racetrack. Here Link can bet on her races to win rupees as well a piece of heart with the help from wearing the Mask of Truth.
In Oracle of Ages, she can be found in Lynna City during the present where she tells Link that her dog is shy. Here Link gives her the Doggie Mask for her dog and in return obtains the Dumbbell.
Mutoh is an old and short-tempered boss of a group of carpenters who are responsible for building structures around Hyrule and other lands. However his employees are always lazy or either lost to which he has to yell at them. He first appears in Ocarina of Time where during the present he's busy constructing a building in Kakariko Village. Seven years later in the future, they're found in Gerudo Valley where all the carpenters except for Mutoh are captured by the Gerudo after a failed attempt in joining them. Link later has to help free them so they can escape. In this game only, he has two children, Anju and Grog.
In Majora's Mask, his carpenters are busy getting ready for the Clock Town carnival however Mutoh is busy arguing to the mayor to keep the carnival running whilst the guards are arguing to close the fair in fear that the moon will fall from the sky. On the Final Day he's the only one found outside the clock tower as everyone has fled. However, in the final scene, he is seen running towards Stone Tower.
In Oracle of Ages, here he is responsible for building the bridge connecting Nuun Highlands to Symmetry City in Labrynna. However all the carpenters have scattered across the highlands and he asks Link to find them so they can build the bridge.
In The Minish Cap, he is found in Hyrule Town where if Link fuses kinstones with him, the carpenters will construct houses for either Nayru, Din or Farore to live in. When not working, they're located in the sawmill in the town.
The Postman is an unnamed character who appears in multiple titles. A similar man appears in Ocarina of Time not as a postman but as a man running around Hyrule, copying an extinct race of rabbits. Link sells him the Bunny Hood, causing him to run faster. Seven years later he is living with the carpenters of Kakariko Village outside the Gerudo Fortress entrance, where Link is given the option of racing him; despite much speculation and frequent rumors to the contrary, it is not possible to win this race.
He first debuts as the Postman in Majora's Mask, where he runs around delivering mail in Clock Town. He always tries to be on schedule as well when the moon gets closer he's seen running quicker. Link can obtain the Postman's Hat after delivering the mail on the third day to which he then flees the town. Whenever he speaks, he says "Ya!" loudly, though this practice was discontinued in later games.
In Oracle of Ages he is a human (being Hylian/Terminian in the last two) again as a Postman at the Post Office in Lynna Village in Labrynna. Here he is unable to deliver the mail on time due to not having a clock. Link later gives him the Poe Clock, prompting him to rush out to deliver the mail. In his haste, he leaves behind Stationery, which Link takes.
In Minish Cap he's seen running around Hyrule Town making deliveries. He works together with another post office worker named Stamp, the two of whom start a newsletter once Link and the Postman fuse Kinstones.
In The Wind Waker Koboli is a Rito mail sorter who is said to have descended from a postman long ago. He has a striking resemblance to the postman in "Majora's Mask" and it is likely that he is the descendent of that postman.
In Twilight Princess, he appears whenever Link walks into a certain area, and delivers mail from other characters and unknown sources. He's also found in certain places at certain times, such as in Telma's bar where he wonders what food to buy, or in the Zora's domain wondering which exact Zora his mail is to be delivered to. When Link is in his wolf form, he automatically transforms into human form to receive the mail.
In Phantom Hourglass when Link approaches a wiggling mailbox, the Postman flies over to him with a winged backpack and reads the mail aloud.
In Spirit Tracks he looks similar to the Phantom Hourglass mailman, but has no wings. He gives people their mail, and is depressed by the fact that he can only hand out letters.
Skull Kid, known in Japan as Stalkid (スタルキッド, Sutaru Kiddo), is a character who first appears in the Nintendo 64 video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He is dressed in a red cloak and hat covering an underlayer of clothing. There are a few Skull Kids that can be found in the Lost Woods, a maze-like forest. They play a memory game with Link as a child, and reward him if he plays a particular song for them on his ocarina.[22] However, if Link, as an adult, meets Skull Kid, he shall attack him out of fear. In the direct sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid is seen cavorting with a pair of fairies named Tatl and Tael. He serves as the main antagonist in the storyline after stealing a mask called Majora's Mask, which grants him great power but corrupts him.[23] Under its influence of its power, he cursed many of the inhabitants of Termina, Link included, and caused the moon to fall toward Clock Town. He also treats Tatl and Tael poorly. He is thwarted when his old friends, the Four Giants of Termina, stop the moon from falling, and Link defeats Majora. Afterward, Skull Kid befriends Link and reunites with his fairies, as well as the Four Giants. At the end, the Skull Kid notes that Link "smells a lot like that fairy kid who taught me that song in the woods," suggesting that he is the same Skull Kid as seen in Ocarina of Time.[24]
Skull Kid also makes an appearance in the Nintendo GameCube/Wii game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Chronologically a century after the events in Majora's Mask,[25][26] Skull Kid is the sage or keeper of the Lost Woods. He has the ability to open doors in the Sacred Grove, to guide Link to the Master Sword and the Temple of Time on two different occasions. For that, the Skull Kid challenges him by playing a game of hide-and-seek with him. Like before, the Skull Kid still plays musics with his instrument, which he uses to summon his puppets. Skull Kid made a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a pair of stickers.[27] He also appears in The Legend of Zelda manga, under his Japanese name, Stalkid. Soon after the events of Ocarina of Time, Link met the Skull Kid in the Lost Woods, who was one of the Skull Kids who work for the Bagu Tree, the evil rival of the Deku Tree.
IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas listed Skull Kid as a good addition for the video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl, when he was the first likely included amongst the other characters listed.[28] UGO Networks editor Marissa Meli listed him 27th out of 50 in "The Best Kids in Video Games", criticizing him and calling him an "...ugly looking scarecrow who hates Link and uses a flute as a weapon."[29]
Syrup is a friendly old witch who first appears in A Link to the Past. She's always seen brewing potions and magic powder which Link can purchase to use to help him. In A Link to Past she can be found in Eastern Hyrule outside her shop where inside her apprentice tends the shop. Link can find her a Mushroom from the Lost Woods which she can use to complete her potion and which Link can use.
In Link's Awakening, her shop can be found in Koholint Prairie on Koholint Island. She asks Link to find the Sleepy Toadstool so for to make some Magic Powder to give to Link and instructs him to use it on unlit torches.
She appears in both Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. In Oracle of Seasons her shop is found in Sunken City in Eastern Holodrum where it can only be accessed during winter. Also during the quest for the Noble Sword, Link has to trade with her a Mushroom for the Wooden Bird. In Oracle of Ages, her shop is located in Yoll Graveyard during the present in Labrynna. Link has to buy from her a potion so to cure the King Zora's illness. Both games also introduce Syrup's granddaughter Maple who later in the GBA port of A Link to the Past replaces the apprentice inside the shop.
In The Minish Cap, her shop is found in the Minish Woods. Link has to purchase from her the Wake-Up Mushroom for Rem the Shoemaker so to wake him up. At first she only sells Blue potions but later if Link fuses kinstones with a Minish in South Hyrule Field she will then start selling also Red potions.
Talon is the father of Malon and owner of Lon Lon Ranch who first appears in Ocarina of Time. Link first finds him sleeping outside Hyrule castle which Malon has asked to find him. Link uses a cucco to wake him up which then he hurrys back to find Malon. Later if Link heads to Lon Lon Ranch, he can participate in a mini-game to earn a bottle of milk. Also at the farm is his farmhand Ingo who seven years later is given the ranch by Ganondorf to take-over in which Talon is forced to stay at Kakariko Village however later return once Link defeats him in a horse race.
In Majora's Mask, in Termina which is set in a parallel universe, Talon is known as Mr. Barten and is the bartender of the Milk Bar in Clock Town. On the Final Day he doesn't leave the town over the falling moon and instead stays at the bar.
In Oracle of Seasons, his farm is found north of Horon Village where he's again with Malon where they raise Cuccos. Talon is found sleeping at Mt. Cucco in which if Link wakes him up with the Megaphone, he'll give him the Mushroom as part of the trading quest.
In Four Swords Adventures, he's seen briefly when Link returns Malon after rescuing her. He allows Link to use their horses by collecting carrots.
In The Minish Cap, he can be found at Lon Lon Ranch east of Hyrule Town where he's lost his keys to his house however Link is able to find the spare key by shrinking to help them get inside.
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