List of The Legend of Zelda characters
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This is a list of characters from The Legend of Zelda video game series. This list only covers those that appear in more than one game or in games which do not have their own character pages; for any others, please see the page for the appropriate game in the
Agahnim
Biggoron
A very big Goron who will forge a sword for Link if he brings Biggoron certain items dependent on the game. Biggoron's Sword is stronger and larger than the Master Sword but Link must hold it with both hands, so he cannot hold a shield at the same time. There seem to be other Biggorons in other locations, such as Holodrum, but it may actually be the same Biggoron traveling. Biggoron has a (comparatively) little brother called Medigoron. Medigoron is not nearly as good as Biggoron when it comes to making swords, since it took him 7 years to make a very frail Giant's Knife in Ocarina of Time. However, he has mastered the art of making powder kegs, which are huge barrels of gunpowder that can blow up giant boulders. Powder kegs are only found in Majora's Mask. In The Minish Cap, Biggoron appears on the top of the mountains of Veil Falls and will give Link the Mirror Shield in exchange for the regular shield. He also appears as one of the collectible figurines in the same game.
Dampé the Gravekeeper
A mysterious, old man whose likenesses and/or descendants play similar roles in the storylines of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Minish Cap and Four Swords Adventures. In The Minish Cap, he enjoys collecting Kinstones, and is isolated by his terrifyingly ugly face. In Ocarina of Time (in which he was first introduced) he will dig around the graveyard at night for a small fee. In Majora's Mask, Dampé (or his alternate universe counterpart) also tends Ikana Graveyard in Termina, but during the day, so as to avoid the Stalchildren. In the future as presented in Ocarina of Time, he dies and his ghost resides at his grave just outside Kakariko Village.
Epona
Link's horse, a light sorrel mare with flaxen mane and tail. In Ocarina of Time, Epona was born and raised at the Lon Lon Ranch. After the ranch was taken over from Talon and Malon by the cruel Ingo, Link saved Epona from being given to Ganondorf by winning her in a race. Later, in Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid stole her, and Epona ended up at the Romani Ranch in Termina. Link reobtained her there. Epona also makes a brief appearance in The Minish Cap, however, this time she's only seen pulling a cart of Lon Lon Milk. Although she isn't available to ride, it's possible to fuse Kinstones with her. Epona also appears in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure mostly in one level where you can obtain her after saving Malon, although there are four horses that are ridden, as there are four Links. In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Link rides a horse that looks very similar to Epona; however, players are able to name Link's horse in this new adventure. ("Epona" is the horse's default name, just as "Link" is the main character's default name.) Epona plays a much larger role in this game, even being used by Link in a horseback battle against Ganondorf. Epona has her own song, which is often used as a way to tame and/or summon her. Epona is named after a Celtic goddess of horses.
Error and Bagu
In the game Zelda II: The Adventure of Link "Error" has become especially popular with the Zelda fanbase for the perceived absurdity of his initial line of dialogue. Inside a house within the town of Ruto, a male NPC will simply exclaim “I AM ERROR” when spoken to upon the player's meeting him for the first time. Another NPC will later tell the player to speak with Error: "ASK ERROR OF RUTO ABOUT THE PALACE", after which Error will deliver further dialogue "SOUTH OF KINGS TOMB IN MIDO IS A TUNNEL", proving that Error is indeed his name, and that this is not merely a mistake. This is correctly translated from the Japanese word for error (エラー). The character name Bagu is likely a misinterpretation of the Japanese word for bug (バグ), which would connect the two characters with computing terms.
Ganon
Ganon, or Ganondorf, is the primary villain of the series.
Great Deku Tree
The Great Deku Tree, appearing in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker, is the 'Father of the Forest' charged with watching over the Kokiri who live in Kokiri Forest and the Korok who live in the Forest Haven. He is an exceptionally large tree with a human-like face.
When Ocarina of Time begins, the Deku Tree is suffering from a curse cast upon him by Ganondorf in an effort to gain the Spiritual Stone of Forest which is in the Deku Tree's possession. Knowing Link's destiny, the Deku Tree sends Navi the fairy to retrieve the boy and asks him to destroy the curse spider named 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 out The Princess of Destiny at Hyrule Castle. After adult Link completes the Forest Temple, however, 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 member of the Kokiri, but rather a Hylian who was given to them by his mother, who died soon after. This is possibly the same tree Link comes across in The Wind Waker, and that the Korok, the leaf-masked tree creatures, are evolutions of the Kokiri that the Great Deku Tree once fathered. Though the Deku tree is visible above land, the story in The Wind Waker states Link's and Tetra's ancestors took everyone to refuge on the mountaintops. This suggests they somehow moved the Deku tree. It is also likely the Tree encasing the Deku Tree from The Wind Waker is the original from Ocarina of Time, or maybe he created that in order to protect himself and the Koroks from the great flood. A theory about the original The Legend of Zelda is that the first dungeon, the Tree Dungeon, is a dead Deku Tree. This could also be related to the first temple in Twilight Princess as it consists in a giant lifeless tree.
The Great Deku Tree is not to be confused with the two Maku Trees in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages.
It is unknown where The Great Deku Tree along with the Kokiri were during the events of Twilight Princess and how they may have been affected, but it is possible that Twilight Princess doesn't feature the exact same areas as previous games. Even though the Lost Woods and the Forest Temple (complete with Kokiri symbols) were present in the game, the only reference to the Kokiri were their symbol on the temple doors and Saria's song playing in the Sacred Grove. If the Kokiri Woods still existed at this time in the game, they might have been even deeper in the woods, as the Lost Woods were only the outer fringes of the Great Deku Tree's domain.
Happy Mask Salesman
The bizarre man known as the Happy Mask Salesman first appeared in Ocarina of Time, offering to let Link work for him as a Happy Mask Salesman. After selling all the masks, Link receives the Mask of Truth, allowing him to understand what the Gossip Stones say.
In Majora's Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman played a major role, as it was his mask, dubbed Majora's Mask, that the Skull Kid had stolen and was planning to use to destroy Termina. Asking the transformed Link for help and returning him to his original form, he teaches the hero the Song of Healing, one of the songs used several times throughout the game. When Link finally returns the mask to him, he simply vanishes. The Happy Mask Salesman is best known for his volatile temper, his wacky theme tune (which is in fact a remix of the Song of Healing) and his ability to change position without moving ie. without occupying any intervening frames. In a particular scene, the Happy Mask Salesman plays on a massive organ that appears seemingly out of nowhere. This organ is used to teach Link (still in his Deku Scrub form) the Song of Healing. This scene is considered by many fans to be one of the more comical scenes in the Zelda series. It is interesting to note that in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, walking behind the Happy Mask Salesman reveals masks resembling the faces of Mario, Darth Maul, the face on the Mirror Shield, and a sad Elvis Presley on his large backpack.
His most recent appearance was in Oracle of Ages. He owns a shop on the outskirts of Labrynna Town, and is very hungry, and will give the player a Mask in exchange for something to eat.
His origins are unknown, as he may either be from Hyrule or the parallel universe Termina, and it is never established which. A theory is that he, a supposed Ocarina of Time character, does not have a Termina double. He was introduced in Ocarina of Time when he gives you the Keaton mask from his shop in Hyrule, but he also knows how to travel from Hyrule to Termina, which could mean that he is native to either land, or possibly somewhere else.
Near the end of Majora's Mask, Link travels to the moon and meets kids who resemble the mask salesman. One of them even hints that all of them are destined to become mask salesmen. This adds many questions to the origin of the Mask Salesman. The Mask Salesman, knowing of the apocalyptic nature of the Majora's Mask, hints that he has experienced it firsthand. Further with this evidence is if the Moon falls, it will show you with The Mask Salesman, and he will say, "You have met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" Given this shows hints of a type of immortality, or an ability to reset things to the way they were, as perhaps he has had to do this before, or deal with Majora himself. Some fans have speculated that he represents the series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, due to his eccentricity and his similar appearance.
It should also be noted that there is a masked salesman in The Wind Waker, but he's not happy.
Impa
Jabu-Jabu
Jabu-Jabu (jä'boo jä'boo), called Lord Jabu-Jabu by the Zoras, first appeared in Ocarina of Time. He is a giant whale-like creature (his tail is that of a whale), worshipped by the Zora race as their patron deity and guardian.
In Ocarina of Time, he lives in Zora's Fountain where the Zoras care for him and bring him food. Ganondorf places a curse on him, causing him to act strangely and swallow his Zora caretaker, Princess Ruto, while she is bringing him food. Link must then enter Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly to rescue her and break the curse. Sometime during the seven years Link is trapped in the Sacred Realm, Lord Jabu-Jabu disappears from Zora's Fountain, and is never seen or mentioned in the game again.
He also appears in Oracle of Ages in the underwater Zora Village. In this game there is also a dungeon in his belly. In the past age, the player can encounter a younger and significantly smaller Jabu-Jabu (too small for the player to enter and explore), while in the present the player sees him at his more well-known size. The filthy water from Veran's curse in the Zora Seas leaves Lord Jabu-Jabu fatally ill when a baby, and it is Link's quest to clean the waters of the impurities in order to access to his innards.
In The Wind Waker, there is a giant fish named Jabun who is similar to Jabu-Jabu, and is the protector and overlooker of Greatfish Isle. He is a giant, supposedly holy fish worshipped by its residents. Due to his rising power, Ganondorf was able to destroy Greatfish Isle, forcing Jabun to hide in a cave behind Outset. He is the one who gives Link the final key to raise the Tower of the Gods from the sea, Nayru's pearl. Like Valoo and the Great Deku tree, his main language is Hylian, of which only the King of Red Lions (and, apparently, Tingle) can understand.
In Link's Awakening, it is revealed the entire island of Koholint to be the dream of a sleeping deity known as "The Wind Fish" who has some passing resemblance to Jabu-Jabu.
In the Lakebed Temple of Twilight Princess, sculptures that heavily resemble Jabu-Jabu can be seen.
Kaepora Gaebora
Kaepora Gaebora is a wise owl that assists Link throughout various Legend of Zelda games. One of the gossip stones in Ocarina of Time (found in the Sacred Forest Meadow) says that he is the reincarnation of an ancient Sage. In addition, in the Gamecube version of Ocarina Of Time, another gossip stone in the same area tells Link that Kaepora Gaebora "may look big and heavy, but its character is rather lighthearted." He is sometimes presumed to be the reincarnation of Rauru, the Sage of Light, or at least his physical manifestation in Hyrule realm. It is also possible he is the reincarnation of an entirely different ancient sage. Despite him being pretty much right behind Link throughout his childhood in the Ocarina of Time, he isn't encountered while an adult except near the end. He is seen in shadows when Link learns the Requiem of Spirit, but other than that he makes no appearance until Link completes the child half of the Spirit Temple.
It is interesting to note that he claimed (during his meeting with young Link in the Desert Colossus) to not have believed in the Hero of Time, making him the only person in the game to do so. He also appeared in Majora's Mask, first appearing in the swamp area to teach Link the Song of Soaring, and in Snowhead to help Link cross a large abyss. He has statues to his likeness spread across Termina, mainly used to warp to with the Song of Soaring, but also as an alternative of the Song of Time to save the game. By saving this way, you would keep all of your items and rupees but you would not go back in time. In Link's Awakening, a similar owl guides Link on his quest - but seeing as Link's Awakening was developed before Ocarina of Time, it is unlikely that it is Kaepora Gaebora, although it shares his wisdom. In Four Swords Adventures, he is a very loyal friend who gives instructions.
In Twilight Princess, ancient flat-topped owl statues are spread out across Hyrule. Perhaps a homage to Gaebora, Link must use the Dominion Rod to move the statues off their bases, on which is inscribed a letter of an ancient language. Upon Link collecting all these letters, Link can complete the ancient incantation needed to gain access to the Oocca cannon, subsequently needed to access the City in the Sky. Their ability to interact within the Dominion Rod suggests that the statues may be of Oocca design themselves.
Link
Link's relatives
Link's blue-haired uncle appeared in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Link got his first sword and shield from him when his uncle was struck down in an attempt to rescue Princess Zelda. Link, who received a telepathic message from Zelda, rushed to the castle as well, where he found his dying uncle. Hoping that Link could save not only Zelda, but all of Hyrule, he gave his trusty sword and shield to Link. Later in the game when Link uses the legendary Triforce to restore peace to the land, it is shown that his uncle recovers. It is believed that this was part of the wish Link made with the Triforce. Link's uncle has only been seen in A Link to the Past.
Link's mother is mentioned in Ocarina of Time when the Deku Tree tells Link he's in fact a Hylian not a Kokiri, explaining that she left him in the Deku Tree's care in the height of the fierce interracial civil war.
In The Wind Waker, Link lives with his grandma and sister, Aryll. He inherits a family shield passed down through the ages, although it appears to be a fake Hylian Shield, made of wood. This Link is also said to be the descendant of the Hero of Time, presumably Link of Ocarina of Time.
In the The Minish Cap , Link lives with his grandfather, Smith, who is the royal blacksmith.
Link's parents are mentioned briefly in Twilight Princess revealing that Link was orphaned. Link recalls these events even if he does not know what happened to them.
Malon
Majora
Sahasrahla
Sahasrahla is a wise old man A Link to the Past, and is the elder of Kakariko Village. According to the official Zelda website, Sahasrala is "a descendant of the Hyrulean people who forged the Master Sword. He fled when Agahnim's forces gained control of Hyrule Castle and instructed Link on how to find the Master Sword."[1] He is one of two wise men in the game, along with Aginah. They are descendants of the Seven Wise Men (or Sages) referenced throughout the game. This would make them related to two of the seven maidens that Link rescues in the game.
Sahasrahla previously lived in the northeast house in Kakariko Village, but fled to a house east of Hyrule Castle and just west of the Eastern Palace. He assists the protagonist, Link, with advice to complete the game. He wears a green-yellow robe and is seen without a hat in the game, but with a pointed hat in the manual, and a long white beard. He tells link the location of the palaces that contain the Pendants of the Triforce. When Link wins the first such Pendant, Sahasrahla awards him with the Pegasus Boots (an item passed down by his ancestors). Throughout the game, Link can touch tiles in dungeons and caves which telepathically link him with Sahasrahla. Sahasrahla can then give Link hints and tips to beating the game, or overcoming a hard puzzle. Sahasrahla also telepathically communicates with him once he acquires the Master Sword, and again when Link is sent to the Dark World. When Link defeats Ganon, there is a celebration in Kakariko for Sahasrahla's homecoming.
The Buzz Blob enemies in A Link to the Past and several other Zelda games will say "Tra la la, look for Sahasrala!" or "Yay! You found Sahasrala!" when transformed with magic powder.
In BS The Legend of Zelda: Stone Tablets of Antiquity, a narrator playing the part of Sahasrahla gives tips and hints during play. His statements become more demanding and forceful as time runs out.
Sahasrala is probably named for Sahasrara, the highest primary chakra in the Hindu tradition.
Tingle
The Old Man
The Old Man is a character found in the original The Legend of Zelda for the NES, and also in BS Zelda for the Satellaview. The Old Man was a bald character who wore a red gown and had a white beard in the game. The player could usually find the old man in dungeons or inside caves, usually between two torches (if the player attacked the old man in a dungeon location, the two torches would defend him by shooting fireballs). The Old Man was used for several things in the game, ranging from giving the player items to help him in his quest to giving the player advice on how to move forward in the game. He also gambled with Link for rupees, and at times would demand that Link pay a "door repair charge;" a slightly humorous reference to the fact that in order to access him, Link had either burned down a bush or bombed a wall. There is speculation that the old man who teaches spells to Link in the various villages of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is this same old man, or at least based from him. This is somewhat backed up by a translated quotation of the Old Man in the first cave location in the remake in which he says "Heed my words", referring only to himself. He also refers to the Old Woman as 'the' Old Woman, meaning there might be one of her as well.
The Old Man is known for his vague and/or badly translated advice in the original version. (One of his most famous pieces of advice is "Dodongo dislikes smoke," meaning that the Dodongo enemy had a weakness to bombs.) It should be noted that nearly all of the game's text resembled this, not just the Old Man's quotations. In the version on the GameCube promotion disc, the GBA version and the Virtual Console version, the translation was corrected.
The Old Man is an infamous character from the point of view from some Zelda fans - especially his appearance in the original NES Legend of Zelda. This is mainly because of his short sentences that he speaks, which makes him mysterious.
He makes a return appearance in the Oracle games, though finding him can be good or bad for the player.
The Three Goddesses
Din
Din is the Goddess of Power. According to legend (told by the Great Deku Tree), she used her strong flaming arms to sculpt the land and create the red earth. She also helped create the sacred and legendary Triforce, along with fellow goddesses Nayru and Farore. That being the case, she is often associated with the Triforce of Power, wielded by Ganondorf. She is generally linked with the colors red and orange, and the element of fire.
In Ocarina of Time the Great Fairy in the fairy fountain outside of Hyrule Castle can grant Link the knowledge of "Din's Fire", a magic attack that creates an expanding globe of flame, starting from his fist as he drives it into the ground, and expanding for a limited distance around him. In addition to killing enemies, it can light torches. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Princess Zelda wields this in a modified form. She can shoot a ball of fire out of her hand and can control it for a distance, targeting the opponent.
In Oracle of Seasons, Din is the name of the character you must rescue. Her counterpart in Oracle of Ages was named Nayru after one of the other goddesses. In Minish Cap, a character named Din appears alongside two others of the names of the other goddesses. When Din's figurine is won, the description reads that she is a dancer from the land of Holodrum, another reference to the character of the same name in Oracle of Seasons.
In The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Din's Goddess Statue is similar in appearance to the Din from Oracle of Seasons.
The Eldin Province, an area in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, is a reference to Din.
Nayru
Nayru is the Goddess of Wisdom. According to legend, she used her wisdom to give the spirit of law to the world. She also helped Din and Farore create the sacred and legendary Triforce. She is often associated with the Triforce of Wisdom, wielded by Zelda, and the key to being able to control the Triforce of Power. She is generally linked to the element of water, the colors blue and purple, and love.
In Ocarina of Time, the Great Fairy at the Desert Colossus can grant Link the knowledge of "Nayru's Love", a magic defense that created a force field around his body in the form of a crystal similar to the one Princess Zelda is later imprisoned in by Ganondorf, yet he is fully able to attack while using it. While active, he can still be knocked by enemy attacks, but will take no damage from them. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Zelda uses this as an active defense which also damages her attacker and reflects things.
In Oracle of Ages, Nayru is the name of the character you must rescue. Her counterpart in Oracle of Seasons was named Din after one of the other goddesses. In Minish Cap, a character named Nayru appears alongside two characters with the names of the other goddesses. When Nayru's figurine is won, the description reads that she is a singer from the land of Labrynna, another reference to the character of the same name in Oracle of Ages.
In The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Nayru's Goddess Statue is similar in appearance to the Nayru from Oracle of Ages.
Lanayru Province, an area in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, is a reference to Nayru.
Farore
Farore is the Goddess of Courage. According to legend, with her rich soul, she created all the life forms who would uphold the spirit of law. She also helped create the sacred and legendary Triforce, along with Din and Nayru. She is often associated with the Triforce of Courage, wielded by Link. She is generally linked with the colors green and yellow, and the elements of wind or air.
In Ocarina of Time the Great Fairy inside a cave in Lord Jabu-Jabu's lair in Zora's Domain can grant Link the knowledge of "Farore's Wind", a magic ability that can teleport him to a warp point previously created. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Princess Zelda uses this as her third jump, a form of horizontal, vertical or diagonal teleport. Recovers great distances, but does not move around terrain.
Farore is also the name of a certain woman in the Oracle games: in both Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, Farore lives inside the Maku Tree and is the Oracle of Secrets, the keeper of all your secret passwords that unlock new events in the linked game. She was originally set to appear as an oracle in a third game (The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Courage) in the Oracle series.
In The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Farore's Goddess Statue is similar in appearance to the Farore from Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Instead of two eyes however, she has two flowers.
The Faron Province and the Ordona Province, both areas in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, are references to Farore.
The Oracles
Princess Zelda
See also
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening characters
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time characters
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask characters
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Seasons characters
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker characters
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess characters
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