Recurring characters in The Legend of Zelda series

This is a list of fictional recurring characters in the video game series The Legend of Zelda.

Agahnim

Agahnim is a mysterious wizard (priest in the Japanese version) who came to Hyrule Kingdom not long before the beginning of A Link to the Past. Although his motives were at first unclear, he gained a favorable reputation with the royal family by ridding them of a number of problems plaguing the kingdom using magic. He later developed an interest in the Sages who sealed off the Golden Land long ago, and cast a spell to control the royal knights, ordering them to find the descendants of the sages, one of which is Princess Zelda herself. After murdering her father, the King of Hyrule, Agahnim places Zelda in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle to wait until he sends her to the Dark World. Before he can, Link rescues Zelda and hides her away at the Sanctuary. However, as Link seeks the Master Sword to vanquish Agahnim, Agahnim's soldiers manage to recapture Zelda. Link arrives at Agahnim's lair too late to do anything but watch as Zelda is imprisoned in the Dark World. Though Link soon defeats him in battle, Agahnim manages to escape to the Dark World. Link follows, and eventually finds him to the top of Ganon's Tower, where he defeats him again. Agahnim is then revealed to merely be the "alter ego" of Ganon, who escapes Agahnim's body and flies to the Pyramid in bat form.

Agahnim appears in Link's Awakening as a form of the shadow boss inside the Wind Fish Egg.

Agahnim also appears as the sub-boss of the Dancing Dragon Dungeon in Oracle of Seasons. He is able to create two clones of himself who assist in attacking by shooting magical projectiles.

Anju

Anju was first introduced in Ocarina of Time as an unnamed character. She takes care of the Cuccos, and requires Link's assistance in retrieving the escaped birds, as she is allergic to them. In the adult section of the game, she is found tending to Pocket Cuccos, a new breed of Cucco that she is not allergic to and that fit into a pocket. Her father is the carpenter, Mutoh, her grandmother is the old woman who runs the Potion Shop, and her brother, named Grog in Majora's Mask, is the pale man who sits under a tree in Kakariko Village at night and who disappeared in the lost woods located in Kokiri area and it is hinted that he turned into a Stalfos. Every member of her family plays a part in the Biggoron Sword trading quest.

She received a considerably larger role in Majora's Mask, where she is Kafei's fiancée, and the main employee of Clock Town's Stock Pot Inn. She is forgetful, too apologetic, a procrastinator, and such a bad cook that her grandmother refuses to touch anything she makes. Anju's grandmother stays at the inn, telling stories, and her mother does the work at the inn when she's busy. Her father, Tortus, died before the events of the game.

Unfortunately, Anju and Kafei's wedding was postponed when Kafei was turned into a child by the Skull Kid and ran away because the thief Sakon stole his Sun's Mask. Anju is desperate to find him, and receives help from Link once she learns that he knows information about Kafei. Kafei gives Link the Pendant of Memories for Anju, and Anju takes it as sign that Kafei is still going to marry her. She waits in the Stock Pot Inn for Kafei, who arrives just before the moon crashes into Termina. The two combine their engagement masks, the Mask of the Moon and the Mask of the Sun, to create the Couple's Mask, which they give to Link as thanks for his help. Despite knowing that the moon is about to crash, the two remain at the Stock Pot Inn, and tell Link to get to safety. During the end credits, their wedding is shown; Kafei's adult form is not clearly seen, but he and Anju are now roughly the same height.

Anju reappears as a Cucco caretaker in The Minish Cap, living in Hyrule Town. Her house is filled with Cucco chicks, and the Cucco catching game, now with a time limit, also has Golden Cuccos, which are harder to capture but somewhat easier to get into the pen. As an allergy to Cuccos is not mentioned, it appears that she is simply unable to catch her Cuccos.

Beedle

Beedle is a peddler of the Great Sea in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, and is implied to actually be many separate but identical characters. He travels in a boat and usually sells finite items such as arrows, bait, and bombs as opposed to permanent items like the bow. His multitude of boats cover much of the Great Sea, so the nearest store generally isn't too far away if Link requires an item for a task. During the game, the player receives a letter which turns out to be a map that discloses the general location of Beedle's boats. One square of this map is marked differently from the others, by a golden-helmeted image of Beedle. In this anomalous boat, Beedle wears a large golden helmet and pretends not to know Link, yet offers the purchase of a Piece of Heart, an empty bottle, and a treasure chart at a far greater price than his other wares. These items are one-of-a-kind (as sold in Beedle's shop), and when they are all sold out, will be replaced by generic renewable items again like in all his other boats.

The patrons of Beedle's shop are rewarded with points that work in conjunction with a points system, in which the customer acquires a point after each transaction. When a particular amount of points is reached, the customer receives a discount which works in tiers, but reaching the highest level of discount requires a superfluous level of patronage for most players. When Link enters the store, he receives a high-pitched audible greeting from Beedle. In Phantom Hourglass, the point system is instead based on the amount of money spent.

In The Minish Cap, Beedle appears selling Picolyte once Link cleans a mat in the market of Hyrule Town.

In Phantom Hourglass, the sequel to The Wind Waker, Beedle again roams the Great Sea selling various goods. The UK English instruction manual erroneously refers to Beedle as "Terry", his Japanese name.

Biggoron

Biggoron is a very large 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 he is wielding Biggoron's Sword (but while the sword is in its sheath, Link can defend himself with the shield). There seem to be other Biggorons in other locations, such as Holodrum, but it may actually be the same Biggoron traveling. Biggoron has a younger brother called Medigoron. Medigoron is not nearly as good as Biggoron when it comes to making swords, since it took him seven years to make a very frail Giant's Knife in Ocarina of Time. However, Medigoron's Termina counterpart seen in Majora's Mask has mastered the art of making powder kegs, which are huge barrels of gunpowder that can blow up giant boulders. Majora's Mask is the only Zelda game to date to feature powder kegs. Biggoron's Termina counterpart also appears in Majora's Mask. Apparently under the influence of Skull Kid's magic, he blocks the way to Snowhead Temple until you play the Goron Lullaby. Biggoron also appears in Oracle of Seasons as part of the trading sequence for the Noble Sword; he will trade a vase for lava soup to help his cold. He may also present to you Biggoron's Sword depending how you link the game to Oracle of Ages and if you tell him the correct secret password. 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.

In Phantom Hourglass, the Goron's leader is named Biggoron, but he more closely resembles Darunia from Ocarina of Time than the Biggoron of other games.

BowWow

BowWow is a pet Chain Chomp. He appears in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, where he needed to be rescued from a gang of Moblins. He later reappeared in Four Swords as an equippable item, where he would eat enemies and knock rupees out of other players.

Dampé

Dampé is a mysterious old man whose likenesses and/or descendants play similar roles in the storylines of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. He was introduced in Ocarina of Time as the gravekeeper who, for a small fee, digs around the graveyard at night. When Link is an adult, Dampé has died, and his ghost resides at his grave just outside Kakariko Village. He offers to race Link in a lengthy tomb area below his grave. Link cannot win this race, but by finishing without being shut out by one of the timed falling doors Dampé rewards him with the Hookshot. If Link makes it to the end in a minute or less, he is also rewarded with a Heart Piece.

In Majora's Mask, if you wear the Captain's Mask and talk to him when he is in the graveyard, he panics and runs back to his house. On the third day, he is wandering around under one of the graves searching for treasure and asks Link for help.

Dark Link

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. With the exception of four Dark Links that wear green, red, blue, and violet tunics in the Game Boy Advance version of A Link to the Past, Dark Link is usually solid black with red eyes. 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.

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 four 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.

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.

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.

Epona

Epona is Link's horse, and is used mainly by him for faster travel across the overworld. Epona is named after a Celtic goddess of horses, and has a unique song, which is often used as a way to tame and/or summon her.

In Ocarina of Time, Epona was born and raised at the Lon Lon Ranch and was personally handled by Malon herself. According to Malon, Epona is shy toward everyone else, but after Malon teaches Epona's Song, a song used to summon Epona, Link is able to befriend her. After the ranch is taken over from Talon and Malon by the farmhand Ingo, Link saves Epona from being given to Ganondorf by winning her in a race, and is from then on in possession of her. In Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid steals her, and Epona ends up at the Romani Ranch in Termina, where Link reclaims her.

In Four Swords Adventures, multiple horses similar to Epona serve as steeds for the players, mainly in the Lon Lon Ranch level. They are also summoned by picking up a carrot in multiplayer play.

Epona makes a cameo appearance in The Minish Cap, where she is only seen pulling a cart of Lon Lon Milk for Malon. Although she isn't available to ride, it is possible to talk to and fuse Kinstones with her.

In Twilight Princess, the player is able to name Link's horse, with "Epona" as its default name. As a wolf, Link is able to talk to her. Epona plays a larger role in this game, as she is used by Link in multiple horseback battles, including the final battle with Ganondorf.

Golden Goddesses

The three Golden Goddesses are responsible for the creation of Hyrule, as well as the creation of the Triforce, which houses a fraction of their divine power.

Din

, created and sculpted the landscape of Hyrule. She is associated with the color red and the elements of earth and fire. (Despite this, in the story sequences of Ocarina of Time telling about the three Goddesses, the aura that surrounds Din is a shade of purple.) The fragment of the Triforce imbued with her power is known as the Triforce of Power.

In Ocarina of Time, Link can obtain the magic spell Din's Fire, which creates an expanding globe of fire that will set nearby enemies and torches alight. In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a modified version of Din's Fire is used by Princess Zelda. The attack consists of Zelda throwing a ball of fire, the path of which she can control from a distance.

Din's goddess statue in The Wind Waker resembles Din, the Oracle of Seasons, who is named after her. The Light Spirit Eldin, from Twilight Princess, is named after Din as well. In The Minish Cap, Din is a traveler staying at the Inn in town who seeks a permanent residence. In Oracle of Seasons Din also is a dancer, who gets kidnapped by Onox.

Farore

, is the creator of all life that inhabits the realm of Hyrule. She is associated with the color green and the element of wind. The fragment of the Triforce imbued with her power is known as the Triforce of Courage.

In Ocarina of Time, Link can obtain the magic spell Farore's Wind, named after her. It allows Link to create warp points, so that when he exits a dungeon, he may return to where the warp point was made. In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a modified version of Farore's Wind is used by Princess Zelda. The attack consists of Zelda shrouding herself in green-tinted wind and teleporting a good distance away.

Farore's goddess statue in The Wind Waker resembles Farore, the Oracle of Secrets, who is named after her. The Light Spirits Faron and Ordona, from Twilight Princess, are both named after Farore as well. In The Minish Cap, she is a traveler staying at the Inn in town who seeks a permanent residence. In Oracle of Ages and Seasons she stays inside the Maku tree, helping you with secrets from linked games.

Nayru

, set in place the physical laws of the realm of Hyrule. She is associated with the color blue and the element of time. The fragment of the Triforce imbued with her power is known as the Triforce of Wisdom.

In Ocarina of Time, Link can obtain the magic spell Nayru's Love, named after her. It consists of creating a crystal layer around the user that prevents them from receiving damage from enemy attacks. In Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a modified version of Nayru's Love is used by Princess Zelda. The attack consists of Zelda shrouding herself in a crystal for a split second, allowing her to reduce or reflect enemy attacks. She can also use this move offensively.

Nayru's goddess statue in The Wind Waker resembles Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, who is also named after her. The Light Spirit Lanayru, from Twilight Princess, is named after Nayru as well. In The Minish Cap, Nayru is a traveler staying at the Inn in town who seeks a permanent residence. In Oracle of ages Nayru is a singer, and all kind of animals like her voice. She gets possessed by Veran at the start of the game, but gets free later in the game, when Veran possesses the queen. Her childhood friend is Ralph, who also seeks to free her. And they share some chemistry together.

Great Deku Tree

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 The Wind Waker, the Great Deku Tree is the guardian of Forest Haven and is a legendary forest/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 is not to be confused with the two Maku Trees in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages.

The Great Deku Tree, and its Sprout, also appear in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland.

Great Fairy

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. Most of those depicted wear dresses, full-length or knee-length, though in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess, they are almost completely nude. According to their figurine in The Wind Waker, they were born on the Angular Isles, and are destined to aid the "Great Hero", Link.

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.

Venus, Queen of Fairies

Venus is the Queen of the Fairies, and the most powerful fairy in the series. She was introduced in A Link to the Past, but it was not revealed how important she was until the ending credits. This is also the only game in which the name "Venus" is given. In both Link's Awakening DX and Twilight Princess, she rewards the player for completing optional dungeons.

She was given an actual role in the story in Oracle of Ages, as the "Protector of the Sea". She was cursed by Veran into the shape of an Octorok, so that Veran could pollute the sea without the Queen Fairy's interference. She asked Link to obtain Fairy Powder to remove the curse, and when he returned with it, she was returned to her true form and cleansed the seas, allowing free movement across them.

She had another appearance in The Wind Waker, and while visiting her was required to finish the game, she had no prominent role in the story. She has the appearance of a small glowing child, but she is much greater and more powerful than any other Fairy. She was born on "Fairy Island", which is not actually featured in the game.

The Fairy Queen appears again in Four Swords Adventures, this time cursed into the shape of a River Zora. After the Links find both halves and take them to the Castle's inner doors, the two halves combine and she obliterates all of the evil Soldiers. While she is never explicitly called the Fairy Queen, she shares the same design as The Wind Waker's Fairy Queen.

In Twilight Princess, the only Great Fairy that manifests to Link claims to be the Queen of the Fairies, and is presumably Venus. She rewards Link every time he completes ten floors of the Cave of Ordeals by releasing Great Fairies into the springs of the Light Spirits, and fills a bottle with Great Fairy's Tears each time he completes the entire dungeon. She appears much more human than in other games, excluding her multiple insect-wings.

Happy Mask Salesman

The Happy Mask Salesman first appeared in Ocarina of Time, as an eccentric man offering to let Link work for him as a "Happiness Salesman". After selling all of the required masks, the Salesman lets Link borrow any of his masks, including the Mask of Truth, allowing him to understand what the Gossip Stones say.

In Majora's Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman plays a larger role, as it is his "Majora's Mask" that the Skull Kid had stolen and is using to destroy Termina. He offers to remove the curse which the Skull Kid cast on Link in exchange for help with recovering Majora's Mask, and thus teaches Link the Song of Healing. When Link finally recovers Majora's Mask, the Salesman simply vanishes. The Happy Mask Salesman is best known for his volatile personality, his theme tune (a remix of the Song of Healing) and his ability to seemingly teleport around a room. In one scene, the Salesman plays on an organ that seems to appear out of nowhere. On the Salesman's pack are masks resembling Mario, Darth Maul, Doctor Doom, the face on the Mirror Shield, the face that is shown on the mayor's chair, but with a frown, a sad Elvis Presley, a character that resembles a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and a Snifit.

In the last part of the game, Link travels to the falling moon and meets several children who resemble the Salesman—one of them claims that they will eventually become Mask Salesmen. The Mask Salesman, knowing of the apocalyptic nature of Majora's Mask, hints that he has experienced it first-hand, and if time runs out and the Moon falls, Link is shown with the Salesman, who asks him, "You have met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

He appears as a part of the Trading Quest in Oracle of Ages, in which he runs a mask shop on the outskirts of Lynna City. He is apparently in poverty, as he demands food from Link, and he has the same volatile personality as in Majora's Mask.

Impa

is a caretaker to Princess Zelda. There are multiple versions of the character named Impa throughout the Zelda series, just as there are multiple Link and Zelda characters. As with Link and Zelda, all versions of the character share 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. 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. The Impa from The Legend of Zelda is also supposed to be the same Impa who appears briefly in the Phillips spin-offs Link: The Faces Of Evil and Zelda: Wand Of Gamelon.

Ingo

Ingo (ēn'gō) is a tall, lanky man with a large black moustache who bears striking resemblances to fellow Nintendo characters Luigi and Waluigi. When child Link first meets Ingo in Ocarina of Time, he is working as a farmhand at Lon Lon Ranch. He is a hard worker but complains about how he must do all the work while Talon, the ranch's actual owner, just lies around and sleeps. When Link returns to Lon Lon Ranch seven years later as an adult, he finds that Ingo, with the assistance of Ganondorf, has taken over the ranch and kicked Talon out. Once Link wins Epona from Ingo and awakens Talon in Kakariko Village, Talon returns to the ranch and takes back ownership. Ingo, apparently regretful of his actions, and fearful of being punished by Ganondorf for losing Epona to Link, returns to working as a ranch hand. Malon says, "he must have been tempted by evil powers". Ingo makes a second appearance in Oracle of Seasons as a pottery collector. Also, a man bearing his likeness appears on the Lon Lon Meadow in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and another man bearing his likeness appears in Link's Awakening as a Cucco handler obsessed with the myths of the extinct flying rooster. Another character similar to Ingo, named Gorman, appears in Majora's Mask, as three triplets, (one of whom leads the Gorman Brothers circus act, the other two as thieving horse trainers living at Romani Ranch), and as a landlord in The Minish Cap.

Jabu-Jabu

Jabu-Jabu (jä'boo jä'boo), referred to as Lord Jabu-Jabu by the Zoras, first appears in Ocarina of Time. It is a giant whale-sized fish worshiped by the Zora race as their patron deity and guardian. Its name most likely comes from ジャブ (jabu), the Japanese onomatopoeia for splashing.

In Ocarina of Time, it lives in Zora's Fountain, where the Zoras care for it and bring it food. Ganondorf places a curse on it, causing it to act strangely and swallow its 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 not seen or mentioned in the game again.

A Jabu-Jabu also appears in the Zora Village of Oracle of Ages, its belly again acting as a dungeon. In the past age, Link encounters a younger and smaller Jabu-Jabu (only half his size), while in the present, Jabu-Jabu is its normal, whale-like size. The filthy water from Veran's curse on the Zora Seas leaves Lord Jabu-Jabu fatally ill in the past age. Link must clean the waters in order to save the Jabu-Jabu of the future and for King Zora to allow him permission to enter Jabu-Jabu's belly once he has grown.

In The Wind Waker, there is a giant fish named Jabun, who is the protector and overseer of Greatfish Isle. Due to his rising power, Ganondorf was able to destroy Greatfish Isle, forcing Jabun to hide in a cave behind Outset Island. Jabun gives Link Nayru's Pearl, the final key to the Tower of the Gods. Like Valoo and the Deku Tree, Jabun speaks ancient Hylian, which only the King of Red Lions, Valoo, the Deku Tree, Medli and Tingle can understand. After the player completes The Wind Waker and starts the Second Quest, the player is able to read ancient Hylian as normal, on-screen text when it is spoken in the game. It is also of note that the music that plays as Link speaks to Jabun is a remix of inside Jabu-Jabu's belly from Ocarina of Time.

In the Lakebed Temple of Twilight Princess, sculptures that resemble Jabu-Jabu can be seen. Some of the Zora guards also wear masks that resemble Jabu-Jabu as he appeared in Ocarina of Time.

Kaepora Gaebora

Kaepora Gaebora is a wise owl that 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 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.

He claims to not have believed in the Hero of Time, making him the only character in the game to do so. A counterpart of him also appeared in Majora's Mask, first appearing in the swamp area 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, used as warp points that can be teleported to with the Song of Soaring, as they are discovered by Link, and a way to temporarily save the game.

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. At that point it is revealed that the owl is actually a part of the Wind Fish's spirit and the guardian of his dream world. He vanishes when the Wind Fish awakens from its dream.

King of Hyrule

King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule is the last king of the long forgotten land 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 throughout the series. In A Link to the Past, the king only appears during the ending credits, and is infrequently referred to during the game proper. In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is seen approaching and kneeling to the King of Hyrule when Link and Princess Zelda first meet, although the king is never shown. 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. The designs of both are modeled after King Daphnes.

Malon

has appeared in several games in the series, and is almost always found at Lon Lon Ranch with her father Talon. 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. Malon is also similar to the character from Link's Awakening. She is a girl who finds Link on Koholint's shore and begins developing a romantic relationship with him. 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. In Four Swords Adventures, the four Links must guide Malon to her father, Talon, when her path is blocked by castle knights. Upon reuniting her with Talon, he gives you permission to use his horses, which appear when one of the Links touch a carrot. She also makes an appearance in The Minish Cap that involved Link helping her and Talon back into their house by finding a key. In Ocarina of Time, if looked at closely, her broach can be seen with Bowser, from the Mario series, on it.

Maple

Maple is Syrup's apprentice, a witch in training. She will sometimes crash into Link on her broom (though she later upgrades to a vacuum and a flying saucer), sending their respective belongings flying in every direction. She will then attempt to grab anything on the ground, while Link is given an opportunity to do the same. She will go for the rarer items first (Gasha Seeds, Seed Rings, Potions, or even a Piece of Heart), and then for the common ones (Recovery Hearts, Rupees, Bombs, and Mystical Seeds). In both Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, she serves as part of the game's trading quest; in Oracle of Ages, she gives the player a Magical Oar in exchange for a Touching Book, and in Oracle of Seasons, she will give up a Ghastly Doll for a Lon Lon Egg. In the Game Boy Advance remake of A Link to the Past, she is again the old witch's apprentice, and every time Link talks to her, she heals him with a sample of Red Potion.

Old Man

The Old Man is a character in The Legend of Zelda and BS Zelda. He is bald, and wears a red gown and 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. He also runs a gambling shop where Link can win Rupees, and at times will demand that Link pay a "door repair charge"; a reference to the fact that to access him, Link has to either burn a bush or bomb a wall. The Old Man is known for his vague advice, such as "DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE", meaning that Dodongos have a weakness to bombs. Some of this text was corrected in later releases of the game. He can be attacked, but like the cuccos, is invincible, and the torches around him will shoot fire at Link until he is killed or exits the cave.

Similar Old Men teach magic to Link in the various villages of The Adventure of Link. Many people who resemble the Old Man also appear in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. This time, they wear hooded robes that are either green, blue, or red and have long white beards, giving them a wizard-like appearance. They always dwell in out of the way chambers, most of which are below burnable bushes like in The Legend of Zelda. When Link talks to them, they may either give him money, take money to repair the burned door, give him a valuable treasure, or give him hints to proceed in the game. Many Old Men appear in the Eyeglass Island Library in Labrynna's past world.

Postman

The Postman is a frantic man in red or white clothes that moves at speeds faster than most other characters in the series. He is based on the unnamed marathon runner from Ocarina of Time who races across Hyrule Field. During a sidequest, Link gives him the Bunny Hood which increases his running speed, and in return Link is rewarded with as many Rupees as his wallet can carry. As an adult, Link can challenge him to a fake race which the runner always wins.

He is introduced in Majora's Mask, where he plays a part in the story as the delivery man for all of Clock Town. He is commonly seen running around Clock Town, checking the mailboxes and delivering things. When not delivering, he usually trains himself in order to be prepared for a delivery. He is so dedicated to his work that he needs direct orders from Madame Aroma, the mayor's wife, to leave the doomed Clock Town. When he does leave, he gives Link the Postman's Hat.

In the "Past" world of Oracle of Ages, the Postman has lost track of time due to Veran's curse on Labrynna, and cannot punctually deliver mail. However, he will trade stationery for Link's Poe Clock so that he can continue deliveries.

In The Minish Cap, the Postman is always running around Hyrule Town, and will fuse Kinstones with Link.

In Twilight Princess, the Postman chases Link down to deliver him letters. He is also found in several places crouching down, looking at a slip of paper and muttering.

In Phantom Hourglass, the Postman is a small man with a red hat and cupid wings. Whenever he has a letter or parcel for Link the red mailbox will sway and the Postman will appear.

The Sages

The Sages are frequently recurring characters, and in most games must be rescued by Link from the game's antagonist. They usually represent the elements of Light, Forest, Fire, Water, Spirit, and Shadow. Princess Zelda is often considered one of their number, though her element is unconfirmed. The Wind Waker added the Sages of Earth and Wind. In some games, other characters are known as Sages, though they are not associated with a particular element—for example, Sahasrahla in A Link to the Past. Shigeru Miyamoto revealed in an interview that he originally planned for there to be an Ice Sage in Ocarina of Time, but decided against it. Five of the sages of Ocarina of Time were named after towns in The Adventure of Link.

The Sages were introduced in the backstory to A Link to the Past as the Seven Wise Men (which was renamed the "Seven Sages" in the GBA remake as Ocarina of Time revealed that only two of the Sages were actually men), in which they are claimed to have long ago sealed away Ganon and his evil in the Dark World. During the events of the game, the Seven Maidens, are kidnapped and imprisoned in the Dark World by Agahnim, in order to break the seal on Ganon. The second half of the game focuses on rescuing them from the Dark World, where they were sealed within crystals. Once they are all rescued, they help Link break into Ganon's Tower.

One set of Sages is fully introduced in Ocarina of Time, and is comprised of Rauru, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru, and Princess Zelda. With the exception of Rauru and Zelda, each of them is initially introduced as a non-sage ally of Link's, and are "awakened" to their destiny during the adult Link section of the game, in which they each help Link to remove the curse on their respective temple. Once they are all awakened, they help Link to enter Ganon's Castle, and at the end of the game they seal Ganon in the Sacred Realm. The sages (again, minus Rauru and Zelda) are also seen during the credits, watching the sun rise from Death Mountain.

In The Wind Waker, all of Ocarina of Time's sages (minus Zelda) are depicted on stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's Master Sword chamber. Two new sages are introduced, Laruto of Earth and Fado of Wind. Their duties are to pray to the Goddesses to bless the Master Sword and keep its power intact, and to assist the Hero in protecting Hyrule. However, both Laruto and Fado had been killed by Ganon's forces, and need to be replaced by their descendants, Medli and Makar. Fado states in the game that he knew the Hero of Time and lived alongside him. It is unknown what happened to the spirits of Laruto and Fado afterwards, although Medli and Makar are shown to be on Tetra's ship during the ending.

In Four Swords Adventures, the Sages return as seven "Shrine Maidens", similar to the Maidens of A Link to the Past. They are captured by Dark Link, who then forces Link to draw the Four Sword and release Vaati, and they are imprisoned at the end of dungeons, similar to A Link to the Past. The Shrine Maidens help Link by summoning the Tower of the Winds and sealing Ganon inside the Four Sword. They are also shown to be able to transform themselves into the shape of a fairy.

In Twilight Princess, the Sages are portrayed as spirit-like old men using Ancient Greek theater-style masks as faces. They attempted to execute Ganondorf with a magical blade in the Mirror Chamber of Arbiter's Grounds, but the malice emanating from the mirror reactivated his powers and he broke free, apparently destroying the Sage of Water with his bare hands (though he is seen again later in the game). In their desperation, the Sages activated the Mirror of Twilight and sent him into the Twilight Realm, thus setting off the chain of events that led to the story. They mainly appear above six pinnacles surrounding the chamber, which bear the symbols of the six medallions from Ocarina of Time. They made their final appearance in the game when the Mirror of Twilight was fixed. They revealed to Link that Midna is the Twilight Princess.

Skull Kid

The Skull Kid is a character first seen in Ocarina of Time. There are a few of them that can be found in the Lost Woods, a maze-like forest near the starting location of the game. The main one that Link can interact with is in the area immediately left of the entrance to the Lost Woods playing a flute whilst standing upon a tall stump. Link can play "Saria's Song" for him in return for a piece of heart and sell him a "Skull Mask" to hide his face (or lack thereof). Afterwards, he shows friendship towards Link when Link is a child; however, he also tends to show fear or hatred toward adults, as he attacks adult Link on sight by shooting darts out of his flute. Link is told that he was once a child that became lost in the woods. The Skull Kids also show the ability to appear out of and disappear into thin air.

In the direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, the Skull Kid that Link befriended returns as the main antagonist in the storyline. He was somewhat of a bully and always played tricks, hence he could never make any friends. Four of his closest friends, the Four Giants of Termina, also got angry at him for this reason, and he believed when they left Clock Town to live with their races, they were leaving him behind, much to his sorrow. One day after that, he was taking shelter from the pouring rain, all alone and very unhappy. He then met Tatl and Tael and was quickly befriended by them. He continued to play tricks, eventually scaring the Happy Mask Salesman. Looking through his masks, he stole his favorite: the cursed artifact, Majora's Mask. As he donned the mask, it took at least some degree of control over him as his mischief turned to malevolence.

Under its influence and with the help of the mask's power, he cursed many people in Termina (including Link), sealed away the Four Giants into evil masks and cursed the moon, forcing it to abandon its orbit and crash into Termina, threatening to annihilate its inhabitants. Link eventually summons the Four Giants again, who then catch the moon before it hits Termina, causing the Skull Kid to collapse due to a great emotional surge combined with the mask's attempt to keep control. At the end of the game, after the mask has been sealed again, the Skull Kid regains his friendship with the Giants. The Skull Kid also sniffs Link and says to him, "You smell like the fairy kid who taught me that song in the woods", revealing that he was the same Skull Kid from Ocarina of Time. At the end of the game's credits, a drawing of Link is seen on a tree in the forest, and an ocarina is heard playing Saria's Song.

The Skull Kid's appearance generally revolves around his dark, bark-colored skin and glowing orange eyes. The rest of his face is obscure, save for a beak-like appendage. One description says that Skull Kid is unhappy "not to have a face". There is more than one Skull Kid in the Lost Woods in Ocarina of Time (three altogether), but only the one that Link became friends with is featured in Majora's Mask.

A Skull Kid also makes an appearance in Twilight Princess. He is much shorter and has blue skin, giving him an imp-like appearance. He lacks the beak of other Skull Kids and has a stitch-like mouth. Link is required to play hide and seek with him and attack him before he flees, while dodging the dangerous wooden puppets he summons with his horn. He also has the ability to open doors in the Sacred Grove, in order to guide the player to the Master Sword (which lies within the ruined Temple of Time). He treats the entire chase as if it were a game, even stating that it was fun after Link attacks him for the final time.

The Legend of Zelda manga tells of how the forest tricks human hearts into wandering the same paths over and over, and if the poor soul loses sight of the exit, he or she will never return again. A Bagu tree, a rival to the Great Deku Tree, for whom the Skull Kid works, is also mentioned in this. A side story in the manga also tells of Link making a mask for a Kokiri festival, which is, in turn, stolen by the Skull Kid, who later instead takes the mask of the festival's "monster" (which, ironically, is portrayed by Link). The Legend of Zelda manga, however, is usually not considered canonical.

Syrup the Witch

Syrup the Witch serves as an elderly potion maker in various Zelda games, concocting various potions and other items depending on the game. In all the games in which she appears, Syrup is always seen brewing a potion of some sort.

She first appears in A Link to the Past, where she makes magic powder for Link if given the "Sweet Smelling Mushroom". She reappears playing an identical role in Link's Awakening, where Link must give her the "Sleepy Toadstool" for her to create Magic Powder.

In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, she is finally given a name and is seen selling Bombchus and Gasha Seeds in her shop. She is revealed to have a granddaughter and apprentice named Maple.

Similarly, in Ocarina of Time there is a potion maker who runs a shop in Kakariko Village and is of close relative age. Though this character is not given a name, the potion shop is called Granny's Potion Shop. This woman also has a Terminian counterpart in Majora's Mask, Anju's Grandma.

In The Minish Cap, she sells Link a "Wake-Up Mushroom", which wakes the shoemaker in Hyrule Town.

Talon

Talon is a fat, rather lazy man who bears a striking resemblance to fellow Nintendo character Mario and wears similar clothes. He wears a pendant that resembles Bowser, Mario's arch-enemy. He is the father of Malon and the owner and operator of Lon Lon Ranch. When Link first encounters Talon, he is asleep beside a shipment of milk he had been delivering to Hyrule Castle. After Link awakens him, he returns to Lon Lon Ranch. At some point during the seven years Link spends in the Chamber of Sages in the Sacred Realm, Ingo, Talon's ranch hand, takes over the ranch and kicks Talon out. Once again, Link can find him asleep, this time in Kakariko Village. If Link participates in the Biggoron's Sword side-quest, he can also be awakened by the sound of Link presenting the Pocket Cucco to him. When Talon discovers that Ingo has turned over a new leaf (after Link ruins his business), Talon decides to do so as well. In the ending festival of Ocarina of Time, Talon and Ingo have apparently become friends and are seen shambling in a drunken state.

In Majora's Mask, Talon's double is Mr. Barten, the owner and bartender of the Milk Bar in Clock Town.

Talon also appears in The Minish Cap, where he once again runs Lon Lon Ranch.

Talon is similar to the character Tarin (タリン Tarin?) from Link's Awakening. is the father of Marin. He shares Mario's love of mushrooms. At the beginning of the game, Tarin gives Link the shield back that he lost due to his being shipwrecked. He is often seen getting himself into wacky situations on his expeditions into Koholint Island's forests. Throughout the course of the game, a magic mushroom he eats transforms him into a mischievous raccoon who hides an important item from Link, and later on gets stung by bees while poking at their honeycomb with a stick. He can sometimes be found in bed at his house in Mabe Village recuperating from these events shortly after they occur. Near the end of the game you see a scene of him holding yet another mushroom/toadstool, indicating that he certainly does not learn from his previous experiences.

Tingle

'' debuted in Majora's Mask. Since then, he has been a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series, taking part in most games and even starring in two video games, titled Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and Tingle's Balloon Fight. He is a short, paunchy 35-year-old man who is obsessed with "forest fairies" and dresses up in a green costume with tight red shorts and a necklace with a clock that is permanently stuck at four o'clock. Tingle is normally seen floating around on his red balloon, drawing and selling maps for his father, who sees him as a fool. In Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, he is shown to sell his maps due to a need for Rupees to survive, although it is unclear if this is the case in other games in the series.

Tingle's siblings

Ankle

Ankle is Tingle's younger brother and Knuckle's twin. In The Wind Waker, he is found turning the grinding wheel at Tingle Tower with David Jr.. The reason he does so much work is to support his brother, Knuckle. He also had a love of gardening. He also makes a small appearance in Four Swords Adventures, and later in The Minish Cap, where he fuses Kinstones behind Lon Lon Ranch.

Knuckle

Knuckle is a brother of Tingle and Ankle's twin. In The Wind Waker, he is largely a side-quest character, requiring use of the Tingle Tuner to find. By doing so, Link can gain the Hand-Me-Down Tuner which has more options. He also makes a small appearance in Four Swords Adventures and later in The Minish Cap where he fuses Kinstones in the Trilby Highlands.

David Jr.

David Jr., although similar in appearance to Tingle and his brothers, is actually from Windfall Island and is unrelated to Tingle. After getting shipwrecked on Tingle Island, he was set to work turning the wheel. Unenthusiastic about his role, he does it anyway, although he is prone to complaining. He also makes a small appearance in Four Swords Adventures, and later in The Minish Cap, where he fuses Kinstones in Lake Hylia. When reading his inscription in the Nintendo Gallery, it infers that his father was the one who made the ghost ship chart, but died immediately after doing so.

Twinrova

and , collectively referred to as the , 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", where their combined power is much deadlier. The brooms the sisters use to fly become scepters through which Twinrova channels her power.

In Majora's Mask, however, the two sisters play a much more benevolent role in the swamps. Koume manages the swamp-based boat ride, while Kotake brews potions for a modest profit.

In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, the Evil Gerudo Witches Twinrova enact a plot to resurrect Ganon by casting the world into sorrow, destruction, and despair. However, they appear infrequently throughout the games, and leave most of the work up to Veran and Onox. After defeating the main boss in a linked game, Kotake and Koume appear and kidnap Princess Zelda, and it is left to Link to rescue Zelda and defeat both Twinrova and the resurrected Ganon.

Vaati

, the Wind Mage, is the main antagonist of Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. His most common appearance is a black orb with a single eye. Before the events of The Minish Cap, Vaati was a Minish 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. As part of his search, he changes Zelda into stone to prevent her interfering with his efforts to find the Light Force. He eventually learns that the Light Force resides within her, and starts to draw it out. Once confronted by Link, Vaati uses what power he has obtained to transform into a greater sorcerer. Once defeated, Vaati is forced to assume the forms of two one-eyed demonic beings, is ultimately dispelled, and later sealed into the Four Sword. In the manga, Vaati realizes his mistakes and turns good at the end.

In Four Swords, the seal on the sword is weakening, so a later Princess Zelda goes to repair it, taking Link as her bodyguard. Vaati manages to break free and kidnaps Zelda with the intention of forcing her to marry him. Link draws the Four Sword and eventually seals Vaati with it, rescuing Zelda. In the sequel, Four Swords Adventures, the seal is once again weakening, so Zelda and the other Shrine Maidens go to repair it, and again take Link as protection. However, they are attacked and kidnapped by Dark Link, sent by Ganon to force Link into drawing the Four Sword and releasing Vaati. Once Link reaches Vaati at the top of the Tower of the Heavens, he apparently destroys him, though it is revealed that Ganon was only using him as a distraction.

References