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Universe of The Legend of Zelda

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The universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru) /ˈhrl/, and was created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.

Contents

Hyrule

The kingdom of Hyrule (ハイラル, Hairaru), a medieval inspired fantasy land, serves as the main setting of the series. Making its first appearance in The Legend of Zelda, many of the designated areas in Hyrule have recurring appearances throughout the series, such as the Lost Woods, Kakariko Village, Death Mountain and Lake Hylia. Several games in the series are set in lands other than Hyrule, including Link's Awakening, set on Koholint Island; Majora's Mask, set in Termina; Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, set in Holodrum and Labrynna, respectively; The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass, both set on the Great Sea, a flooded Hyrule (although a large portion of Phantom Hourglass takes place in the World of the Ocean King, which is in another dimension); Spirit Tracks, in New Hyrule and Skyward Sword, set on Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds.

Hyrule was formed by three goddesses (三柱の女神, Mihashira no Megami) Din (ディン), Farore (フロル, Faroru), and Nayru (ネール, Nēru). According to Hylian legend as depicted in Ocarina of Time, Din created the physical geography of the realm, Nayru created the physical laws to govern the land, and Farore created the races to uphold the law and the flora and fauna that inhabit the world. Once the goddesses had completed their tasks, they departed for the heavens, and left behind three golden triangles. In these, they put their power to govern all things; this relic became known as the Triforce. The realm itself was eventually named after its dominant race, the Hylia.

Hylian is a constructed language that first appears in A Link to the Past, where it is identified as "the ancient language of the Hylians". In A Link to the Past, its written form is composed of symbols that have to be translated by Link to progress in the game. In The Wind Waker, three spirits, the angler fish-like Jabun, the dragon Valoo, and the Great Deku Tree, as well as the King of Red Lions, can speak it. In Japan, an explanation on the Hylian alphabet was printed on the back of the instruction manual, showing the language written with a phonographic writing system, or syllabary, like Japanese. Since then three more Hylian scripts have been developed and/or deciphered for the public: the Old Hylian Syllabary used in Ocarina of Time, the Modern Hylian Syllabary used in The Wind Waker, and the Hylian Alphabet used in Twilight Princess. The first two are used for transcribing Japanese, while the last is used to transcribe English.

The currency of Hyrule and other areas is called the "Rupee" (ルピー, Rupi), and the coins resemble hexagonal crystals or gems, and come in various colors that determine value. In Oracle of Seasons, the Subrosian race accepts only Ore Chunks as currency, and in Four Swords Adventures, Force Gems are used rather than Rupees. Rupees are also absent in The Adventure of Link, which has no apparent in-game currency system. The original The Legend of Zelda only has flashing Rupees, worth one, and blue Rupees, worth five. In the original, they were called "Rupies"; this was later changed. Subsequent games introduced more colors and sizes for Rupees, each denoting a specific value. Generally, green Rupees have the least value, while huge gold or silver Rupees have the most. Phantom Hourglass introduced black Rupees called "Rupoor" that would steal a certain quantity of Rupees depending on their size. Rupoors have since reappeared in Skyward Sword.

Hylian geography

  • Death Mountain (デスマウンテン, Desu Maunten) is a recurring area that first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda. It is often simply a mountain, though many other times it is an active or inactive volcano. In all its appearances, Death Mountain has many caves and dungeons, such as Ganon's lair in The Legend of Zelda, and the Goron City, the Fire Temple and Dodongo's Cavern (ドドンゴの洞窟, Dodongo no Dōkutsu) in Ocarina of Time. Spectacle Rock, two large rock formations next to each other, is another recurring trait.
  • Ganon's Castle (ガノン城, Ganon-jō) has acted as the final dungeon and battleground between Link and Ganon in several games.
  • The Great Sea (大海原, Ōunabara) is formed in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass after Hyrule has been flooded by a deluge. Only a collection of mountaintops are still visible above the water, and these form the 65 islands and archipelagos of the Great Sea. Due to the relatively small size of many of the islands, there are large expanses of ocean between each island. Due to the vast nature of the sea, most navigation requires the use of charts. On the islands of the Great Sea, local commerce is quite advanced. Most of the food is gathered from fishing and small farms, though there are also active merchant, salvage, and shipbuilding businesses. At least one continent resides out in the ocean on which the Kingdom of Hyrule was reestablished by Tetra, (which is sometimes referred to as "New Hyrule" to distinguish it from the original Hyrule that was destroyed at the end of The Wind Waker) which is where Spirit Tracks is set.
  • Hyrule Castle (ハイラル城, Hairaru-jō) is the home and seat of the royal family of Hyrule. The castle's first appearance was in A Link to the Past, the third game in the series. It is often a central area that Link must enter during his quest.
  • Kakariko Village (カカリコ村, Kakariko-mura) is a village that first appears in A Link to the Past and has since reappeared in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, Twilight Princess, A Link Between Worlds and Breath of the Wild. Kakariko is often portrayed as a prosperous small town with red rooftops and cuccos running around. However, in Twilight Princess, where the town is depicted with an 'Old West' type of look, almost all of the villagers have been kidnapped by Shadow Beasts, and the village appears similar to a ghost town. The Hidden Village, another location in Twilight Princess, has signs that translate from Hylian to say "Welcome to Old Kakariko".
  • Lake Hylia (ハイリア湖, Hairia-ko) is a large lake located in Hyrule. In most games, it is fed by a river coming from "Zora's Domain", which is where the Zora race live. In Ocarina of Time there is a shortcut to Lake Hylia found in Zora's Domain.
  • The Lost Woods (迷いの森, Mayoi no Mori) is a large, maze-like forest that appears in various titles. It is the resting place of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past, Twilight Princess, A Link Between Worlds and Breath of the Wild(which notably explains how the sword came to be there, a first for the series). It is also the location of the Sacred Forest Meadow and Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time. In Spirit Tracks, it is the location of the Forest Sanctuary. In many games, the Lost Woods is a maze that leads Link in circles, with the correct path indicated by a recurring melody.
  • Temple of Time (時の神殿, Toki no Shinden) The temple that houses the Master Sword in Ocarina of Time. It is one of the dungeons in Twilight Princess. To gain access to some areas such as the temple itself, the Master Sword is used as a key frequently throughout the dungeon. Another temple, also known as the Temple of Time, is a location visited in Lanayru Desert during the events of Skyward Sword.
  • Skyloft (とのんりらはか pronounced /ˈskaɪˌlɒft/) is a collection of large islands floating above the clouds in Skyward Sword. In the official timeline, the Goddess Hylia used the last of her power to raise what was left of the surviving Hylians along with a plot of land that was still free during the Great War with Demise. Below the clouds lies "the Surface". Found on the Surface is "Faron Woods", which is also found in Twilight Princess, "Ancient Cistern", "Lake Floria", and the "Skyview Temple", "Eldin Volcano", where Eldin is the land previously seen in Twilight Princess, the "Fire Sanctuary", the "Volcano Summit", which has ties to Death Mountain, and "Lanayru Desert", which was seen in "Lanayru Province" in Twilight Princess. The "Lanayru Mining Facility" has Time-Shift Stones that could be tied to The Temple of Time.
  • Master Sword

    The Master Sword (マスターソード, Masutā Sōdo), also known as "The Blade of Evil's Bane", the "Hyrule Sword", and the "sword that seals the darkness" is a magic sword that often acts as the ultimate weapon for Link as the chosen hero to defeat Ganon and doubles as a key to the Sacred Realm. First introduced in A Link To The Past, it has the power to "repel evil", which enables it to overcome powerful dark magic and evil beings and keep them from using the sword. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the blade originally began as the Goddess Sword, which has a sentient female avatar named Fi integrated into it. Eventually, the Goddess Sword transforms into its current state after being infused with the Three Sacred Flames with Fi's spirit form ceasing to be once the Master Sword absorbed Demise's remains.

    The sword traditionally rests in sacrosanct locations indigenous to Hyrule, such as the Temple of Time or the Lost Woods. Similar to Arthurian legend, the Master Sword is often first obtained by pulling it from a stone pedestal. The sword is often not at full power, leading it to need to be "recharged" in some way, or have its power increased beyond its standard level to fight Ganon. There are some situations when the blade, already at full power, can be further improved; in A Link to the Past, it was tempered to the Tempered Sword. It can later be upgraded to the Golden Sword. Similarly, in Twilight Princess, the sword's power is increased by the two Sols in the Palace of Twilight. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker establishes that the sword needs the power of two sages praying to the gods to keep its powers, or else it will no longer be able to prevent an evil person from gaining the Triforce. In the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild the Master Sword is the only unbreakable weapon in the game, though if it is used too often the sword's power needs to be recharged becoming temporarily unusable until it full recharges. The sword is located in the Korok Forest, which Link can only access by going through the Lost Woods, and the game is notable as the first time in the series to explain why it came to be located there. Zelda moved it there to be guarded by the Great Deku Tree and to protect knowledge of it's location from Calamity Ganon, while Link sleeps within the Shrine of Resurrection for 100 years. Link can travel to the Korok Forest at any point after receiving the Paraglider, though he can only remove the sword after obtaining 13 or more Heart Containers (temporary Yellow Hearts do not count) as removing it drains Link's hearts as a way to test his strength. In addition to its unbreakability, Link can also fire Sword Beams. Its true power glows when in the presence of pools of Calamity Ganon's Malice, Cursed Enemies, and all of Calamity Ganon's various forms.

    Once removed, Link sees a vision of Zelda entrusting the Master Sword to the protection of the Great Deku Tree 100 years ago. During her conversation with him, Princess Zelda reveals that the sword spoke to her (which is implied to be the sword's spirit, Fi who's consciousness apparently still exists within the sword though unable to manifest her spirit form) and told her that her destiny was not finished and that she still had something she must do, leading to Princess Zelda's sealing Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle for 100 years while Link slept. The weapon's in-game description reveals that the sword is delighted to be in Link possession, echoing Fi's words at the end of Skyward Sword. 100 years after Calamity Ganon was sealed in Hyrule Castle the sword became known across Hyrule as the Sword that Seals the Darkness and is sought by several travelers Link encounters despite the fact that only the chosen hero can wield its power. After obtaining the sword he can show it to these people. There is also a side-quest where Link must show it to a Hylian woman to prove he is the legendary Hero.

    The Master Sword is a double-edged one-handed sword. The blade cross-section is hexagonal with no fuller. On the flats of the blade near the hilt is a Triforce symbol, etched into the steel or emblazoned in gold. It has a blue or purple curved crossguard in the shape of a pair of wings with a small yellow jewel where it meets the hilt. The hilt is often padded red with a non-ornate blue pommel. Since The Wind Waker, the Master Sword's blade glows white when it is revived by the sages in the mid-game. In Breath of the Wild, this glow represents the True Master Sword's power. Breath of the Wild is the first game to depict the blade showing signs of wear and rust, when Zelda places it in its pedestal in Korok Forest, though 100 years later the Master Sword is shown to have been restored to its undamaged state, indicating that it can repair itself over time or that its physical condition is somehow tied to Link's as he had been heavily injured at that time and was placed in the Shrine of Resurrection to heal for 100 years. It may have also used Link's life force to repair itself explaining why it drains his heart containers while he is trying to remove it.

    Nintendo Power listed the Master Sword as one of the best weapons in gaming: citing that it is more than just a powerful sword, but also integral to Link's adventures and development as a character.

    Triforce

    The Triforce (トライフォース, Toraifōsu), also called "Power of the Gods" (神の力, Kami no Chikara) and the "Golden Triangle" (黄金の大三角, Ōgon no Dai-Sankaku) in Twilight Princess, is a triangular sacred relic that represents the essences of the Golden Goddesses. It is made up of three smaller triangles known as the Triforce of Power (力のトライフォース, Chikara no Toraifōsu), the Triforce of Wisdom (知恵のトライフォース, Chie no Toraifōsu), and the Triforce of Courage (勇気のトライフォース, Yūki no Toraifōsu). These embody the essences of their respective goddesses, and bestow certain boons on their bearers. In most of its appearances, the Triforce or its pieces manifest as a marking on the hands of their bearers. These markings resonate when near each other, and the Triforce pieces can emerge from their bearers.

    When united, the Triforce allows one who touches it to make a wish that usually lasts until he dies or the wish is fulfilled. If the one who finds it does not possess a balance of the three virtues it represents, however, the pieces split into its three components and the finder is left with the one that represents the characteristic he values most; the other two pieces do likewise with two other characters "chosen by destiny". Ganon makes it his goal to obtain the Triforce in various games, often having a single piece himself (the Triforce of Power) that he uses to further his goals.

    The Triforce of Power, which is positioned as the topmost of the three, holds the presence of Din, the goddess of Power, and radiates the physical, and magical power of its bearer. It is associated with Ganon, who is power-hungry. The Triforce of Wisdom, positioned on the lower left, embodies the essence of Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and amplifies the wisdom and mystical powers of its bearer. It is associated with Princess Zelda, whose great wisdom brings peace and prosperity to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage, positioned on the lower right, embodies the essence of Farore, the goddess of Courage, and seems to amplify the courage and adventuring skills of its bearer. It is associated with Link, the main protagonist of the series, who bravely defends Hyrule from Ganon and other malevolent forces.

    Termina

    Termina (かいすもにみち pronounced /ˈtɜːɹ.me.nə/ tur-MEE-nə) is the name of a parallel world, or alternate reality, to Hyrule in Majora's Mask. The land has very similar geography to that of Hyrule and many of the characters are identical to the characters in Ocarina of Time. Notably, the Lost Woods appears in both games. The differences are the names of the locations and in Termina, there are four distinct regions, one in every compass direction, and the main town, Clock Town, in the center. Death Mountain and Woodfall are a pair, Ikana Canyon and the Gerudo Desert are a pair, the Great Bay and Lake Hylia, and Snowhead Mountain corresponds to Zora's Domain.

    Lorule

    Lorule (ロウラル pronounced /loʊ.ɹuːl/ LOH-Rool) is a parallel world, or alternate reality, to Hyrule in A Link Between Worlds. It is similar to Hyrule in both geography, features Lorulean counterparts of many people found in Hyrule, and is ruled by Princess Zelda Lorulean counterpart, Princess Hilda. Like Hyrule, Lorule originally had its own Triforce (which appears as an upside down Triforce) and was the source of various conflicts. However unlike Hyrule, the Royal Family of Lorule decided to destroy the Triforce in an attempt to put an end to conflict, only to bring calamity to their world as a result. Desperate to save kingdom and her people, Princess Hilda conspired with her servant Yuga to steal Hyrule's Triforce, unaware that her actions were exactly the reason that her ancestors had destroyed Lorule's Triforce and that Yuga wanted the Triforce for himself. Eventually Yuga is defeated by Link and Hilda's former servant, Ravio manages to show her the error of her ways. Ultimately Link and Zelda decide to forgive Hilda for her misguided actions and use the Triforce to restore the Lorulean Triforce, which in turn restores the land of Lorule.

    Others

    Several other parallel worlds to Hyrule exist, such as the Twilight Realm, the World of the Ocean King, and the Dark World, from Twilight Princess, The Phantom Hourglass, and A Link to the Past, respectively. Several other lands also exist beyond the kingdom, in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, Link travels to Labrynna and Holodrum. Triforce Heroes is set in Hytopia, which is a kingdom connected to Hyrule.

    Anouki

    Anouki (ユキワロシ, Yukiwaroshi) are an Inuit-like race that appear to be a cross between reindeer and penguins. There are different variations of them with purple, red, blue, and yellow shirts and have either facial hair or small or big antlers. They are found on the Isle of Frost in the World of Ocean King and in Anouki Village in New Hyrule. In Spirit Tracks, the Anouki are the only race in the snow realm.

    Bokoblin

    Bokoblins are a race of human-sized Goblin-like creatures, that first appeared in The Wind Waker. Bokoblins come in a variety of colors such as red, blue, and green. They often appear as standard enemies and fight wielding Boko Sticks, machetes, and clubs. Though their appearance varies from game to game, the one thing that remains consistent is they wear loincloths with a single skull. In Twilight Princess, their appearance is less common and their role as standard enemies is largely taken over by Bulblins, which are more prevalent. In Skyward Sword, Bokoblins are revealed to have been around since ancient times and are common monsters that serve the Demon Tribe, under Demon Lord Ghirahim and his master, the Demon King Demise. The game also introduces different varieties of Bokoblin such as Technoblins, which lived in Lanayru Desert in the distant past and wield sophisticated ancient technology and Cursed Bokoblins, undead Bokoblins that possess the power to curse Link. The game introduces the bow wielding Bokoblin Archers and Bokoblin Leaders that can summon other Bokoblins using the Monster Horns they carry. Humorously, Link's companion Fi notes that Bokoblins are obsessed with their idea of fashion, particularly their unusual leopard-print underwear. Red Bokoblins are most commonly encountered on the game's overworld, while green Bokoblins are encountered in dungeons. Blue Bokoblins appear in later stages of the game and effectively replace red Bokoblins. In Breath of the Wild, Bokoblin are revealed to have an omnivorous diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. They also can occasionally be seen eating food and hunting wild animals for their meat, which they will consume after a successful kill. Bokoblins can wield a variety of melee weapons, bows, and shields though tend to favor their own crafted clubs, bats, spears, and bows the strongest of which are made from Dragonbone. Occasionally they will wield farming tools, soup ladles, and even Wooden Mops as weapons or Pot Lids as shields. Like in The Wind Waker, Link can equip their weapons though Breath of the Wild allows him to keep them in his inventory. The game also introduces another undead variant of Bokoblin called Stalkoblin, which raise from the ground at night and will continue to regenerate unless all Stalkoblin skulls in the area are destroyed as a single skull can reanimate its headless comrades. Link can pick up and wield Bokoblin Arms that are left behind by defeated Stalkoblin who may wield these as weapons themselves. The game also introduces stronger Black Bokoblins and Silver Bokoblins. Cursed Bokoblins return but are depicted in Breath of the Wild as floating Stalkoblin skulls corrupted by Calamity Ganon's malice and are spawned from mouths located in pools of Malice.

    Red Bokoblins and Stalkoblins drop Bokoblin Horns and Bokoblin Fangs, while Blue, Black, and Silver Bokoblins drop those along with Bokoblin Guts. These monster parts can be sold to shops and merchants for Rupees or to Kilton in exchange for Mon Fang and Bone shop, though Link can also cook them with bugs to make Elixirs or use them as materials by the Great Fairy to upgrade Link's armor and clothing. If Link cooks Bokoblin monster parts with the wrong ingredients it produces Dubious Food, which can restore hearts. Link can also obtain a Bokoblin Mask with Mon at the Fang and Bone, which allows him to temporarily disguise himself as a Bokoblin and blend in with them.

    Bulblin

    Bulblins (ブルブリン, Buruburin) are a green, horned race, resembling the orcs of classic fantasy. They are cowardly and always fight for the stronger side. They are led by King Bulblin (キングブルブリン, Kingu Buruburin), who unlike the rest has the ability to talk. Bulblins usually fight with heavy clubs or flaming arrows, and commonly ride on boars. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. At the end of the final battle between Link and King Bublin, he speaks to Link, and Midna responds to this, saying "Link... He spoke". King Bulblin appears as an obstacle in the Bridge of Eldin stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

    Cobble

    The Cobble are a race that appear in Phantom Hourglass. The Cobble once inhabited a prosperous land called the Cobble Kingdom. By the time the game takes place, the only Cobble that remain are ghosts of the soldiers and King Mutoh, who dress like Ancient Egyptians and reside within their respective temples, which are shaped like pyramids. The Isle of Ruins in the Northeastern Sea is all that remains of the once-mighty kingdom, and Link must visit there to retrieve the Aquanine, a pure metal entrusted to the Cobble by the Ocean King. There, he delves beneath Mutoh's Temple and destroys a corrupt Cobble war machine that has been disrupting the king's eternal rest. Also, Astrid, the fortune-teller living on the Isle of Ember, tells Link that she and her deceased assistant, Kayo, are part of the Cobble race.

    Deku

    The Deku (デクナッツ, Dekunattsu) are a race of plant-like creatures that are introduced in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. They appear mostly in the overworld and dungeons. Deku are generally short and have leaves sprouting out from their heads. They often have red, glowing eyes, and their mouths are short, hollow tubes that can shoot "Deku Nuts". Their bodies consist entirely of wood and leaves, and they perish quickly if set on fire. They can fly by using large leaves to glide, and some can use the leaves on their head to fly for indefinite periods after taking off from a "Deku Flower." There are four types of Deku depicted in the series: Deku Scrubs, Mad Scrubs, Business Scrubs, and Royal Scrubs. Deku Scrubs are the most common type, which have green leaves. They often give information when caught. Mad Scrubs are violent, have red and yellow leaves, and do not talk. Business Scrubs are traders who offer to sell their wares and services. Royal Scrubs have larger heads, bigger eyes, smaller mouths, and they also have extra leaves covering their body. In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of an unknown Deku Scrub (who is heavily implied to be the son of the Deku King's butler) and can fly for a limited time with use of a Deku Flower and can shoot bubbles from its mouth (once he receives the magic meter from the Great Fairy). The Deku Scrub cannot go into deep water but hops on top of it five times and then sinks.

    Dragon

    Dragons are a recurring race that appears in several titles. Dragons usually appear as either benevolent guardians or powerful enemies. In Ocarina of Time, after becoming the King of Evil, Ganondorf uses his power to resurrect the evil Goron-eating Dragon Volvagia, which had terrorized the Goron people in the distant past before it was defeated by a Darunia ancestor using the Megaton Hammer. When Ganondorf orders his minions to capture and feed the Gorons to Volvagia as a warning to those who would defy him, Darunia journeys to the Fire Temple to rescue his people and defeat Volvagia, though is defeated as he was unable to locate his ancestor's legendary Hammer. However, Link manages to free the Gorons and after finding the Megaton Hammer uses it to slay the Dragon and awaken Darunia as the Sage of Fire. In The Wind Waker, the Sky Spirit Valoo acts as the protector and patron deity of the Rito tribe, providing them with his scales that allow the Rito to grow wings. When Link arrives on Dragon Roost Island he discovers that Valoo was being tormented by Gohma, who he defeats to obtain Din's Pearl, which had been entrusted to Valoo, though he later entrusted it to the Rito. Valoo and the Rito later repay their debt to Link by rescuing him and Tetra from Ganondorf during their encounter with him in Forsaken Fortress. In Twilight Princess, Link encounters a species of dragon warriors called Aeralfos, which appear as enemies in the City in the Sky. He also encounters the massive Twilit Dragon Argorok, which appears as the boss of the City in the Sky dungeon. In Skyward Sword, Link is aided by the Three Dragons that guard the three regions of the Surface. Faron, the Water Dragon rules over the Parella and protector of Faron Woods, Lake Floria, and the Ancient Cistern that holds Farore's Flame. Eldin, the Fire Dragon who is the guardian of Eldin Volcano. Lanayru, the Thunder Dragon the creator of the Ancient Robots and protector of Lanayru Desert. Each dragon was entrusted with part of the Song of the Hero, which provides clues on the location of the Triforce. During his quest for Farore's Flame, Link aids Faron who had been injured while fighting Ghirahim and she leads him to the Ancient Cistern. During his quest for the Song of the Hero, Link encounters Eldin after he is captured and imprisoned by Bokoblins during an eruption. Link learns that the Fire Dragon had caused the eruption, and apologizes to Link for all the trouble it caused him. Unlike the other two who are alive in the present, Lanayru is shown to have died from an illness in the past, forcing Link to go back in time and cure him of his illness, thus preventing his death. After curing him and learning his part of the song, Lanayru will allow Link to take part in the Lightning Round, which allows him to face a boss battle challenge and a Silent Realm challenge for various prizes. If Link manages to complete 8 boss battles, Lanayru will reward him with the unbreakable Hylian Shield, the strongest shield in the game. In Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the three incarnations of Din, Farore, and Nayru are large dragons name Dinraal, Farosh, and Naydra respectively. Naydra must be freed from Ganon's control. You can shoot the dragons bodies for scales and their horns for a shard of her horn.

    Fairy

    Fairies (妖精, Yōsei) are a magical and benevolent race that aid Link during his quest in several games in the series. Fairies appear as small, winged humanoids, who are often obscured by emitted light. They can be found in many places, but usually reside in a Fairy Fountain or Fairy Spring, sometimes under the protection of a Great Fairy (大妖精, Ōyōsei), which are the size of humans or even larger. These Fairies from the fountains will heal Link when he approaches, and if he catches one in a bottle, Link can release the fairy to have it heal him, or it will resurrect him if he dies. In Ocarina of Time, Guardian Fairies travel with the Kokiri and give them advice. One of these is Navi, who serves as Link's guardian fairy, or Tatl in Majora's Mask. In Phantom Hourglass, Link's guardian fairy is Ciela, who is eventually joined by two more fairies, Leaf and Neri. In some of the games, such as The Minish Cap, players will be tested of their honesty and if they are, fairies give them gifts and upgrades.

    Gerudo

    The Gerudo (ゲルド) are a tribe of humanoid thieves who mainly are desert-dwellers. Distinguishing physical traits of Gerudo typically include bronzed skin, scarlet hair, aquiline noses, gold eyes and, unlike the Hylians, round ears (though Ganondorf is given pointed ears for the first time in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess). Evil Gerudo such as Ganondorf and the Twinrova Sisters possess a olive skin color. Apart from a single male born to the Gerudo every hundred years, the race consists entirely of women. By Gerudo law, this man must become king of the tribe. Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the series, is one such man and is king of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time and is the surrogate son of a pair of Gerudo witches, the Twinrova Sisters, Kotake and Koume. It is suggested that the Gerudo seek men from outside their tribe as partners. Although nothing is ever really confirmed, it is also thought that the Gerudo kidnap men when they need to reproduce. Gerudo appear as pirates in Majora's Mask, where they live in the ocean at Great Bay, and are ruled by a woman instead of a man, presumably because there are not any male Gerudo alive at the present moment, one that is alive is still a child, or the law itself does not exist among Termina's Gerudo population. These Gerudo are enemies of the Zoras. They search for treasures in the sea (usually ending in trouble and failure, as seen when they steal the Zora Eggs laid by Lulu following a hint given by Skull Kid to invade Great Bay Temple) and assault unaware Zoras and fishermen, although they do not approach Clock Town. In "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", only "vai" or women are permitted in the town. "Voe" or men are forbidden entry to Gerudo Town. Link has to dress up as a female in order to enter the town. After gaining entrance to Gerudo Town, Link has to speak with the Gerudo chief Riju. You have to retrieve a Thunder-Resistant Helmet from a clan of thieves called the Yiga, a traitorous formation who broke away from the Sheikah tribe. The helmet is used to board the Divine Beast of thunder, Vah Naboris, named after the Sage of Spirit, Nabooru, as stated by the spirit of former Gerudo Champion Urbosa, who was killed by one of Ganon's creations aboard the Divine Beast.

    Goron

    The Goron (ゴロン) are a race of strong but peaceful mountain-dwelling rock creatures who first appear in Ocarina of Time as friendly characters, also appearing in The Wind Waker as nomadic traders, and in Twilight Princess in a role similar to that in Ocarina. One Goron, an archaeologist studying ancient Hylian artifacts, appears in Skyward Sword as a guide to using these artifacts. Goron culture revolves around brotherhood and strength, usually referring to each other and those they deem strong as "Brother" or "Big Brother." Gorons show high regard for individuals who display great strength, and particularly enjoy matching their strength with others in sumo wrestling matches. While not all the games that feature Gorons include full tribes, those that do depict Goron policy as headed by a single patriarch, sometimes aided by one or more Goron Elders, who assume leadership of the tribe when the patriarch cannot. Darunia (ダルニア) is the patriarch in Ocarina of Time. The Goron elders in Twilight Princess are: Gor Coron (ドン・コローネ, Don Korōne), Gor Amoto (ドン・シーゲル, Don Sīgeru) Gor Ebizo (ドン・エビーゾ, Don Ebīzo), and Gor Liggs (ドン・レゲーヌ, Don Regūnu)

    For leisure, Gorons enjoy music and dance, rolling and racing, games, sumo wrestling, and bathing in hot springs. Gorons have taken on occupations such as crafting, blacksmithing, sculpting, demolition, and merchantry (usually explosives, which they are experts in producing). Gorons maintain a diet of rocks and iron. They also eat rock sirloin, amber, and metal shields as delicacies. Gorons enter the fetal position, similar to an armadillo, for several purposes, such as resting, crushing obstacles, assaulting enemies, launching others to higher places and transportation by rolling at great speed. Gorons endowed with fairy magic can grow metal spikes while rolling.

    Gorons appear Skyward Sword. Three Gorons are encountered in Skyward Sword, Gorko, Golo, and Gortram. At least two of them, Gorko and his assistant Golo are shown work as archaeologist, with Gorko traveling the land researching ancient artifacts and ruins, while Golo is busy excavating the Lanayru Caves. Unlike the other two, Gortram works as the proprietor of the Rickety Coaster mine cart ride at the abandoned Lanayru Shipyards. All three Gorons are encountered in the Lanayru Desert region at some point and the Lanayru Caves seems to serve as the base of operations for Gorko and Golo as there are signs on the wall that pertain to their research into various regions of the desert.

    Gorons are universally male humanoids with generally beige skin, long arms, short legs, hulking shoulders, and virtually unnoticeable necks. Gorons seen in the games have round, purple eyes as well as prominent, rotund bellies. Gorons lack external hearing organs; like reptiles, Gorons' ears are holes at the sides of their heads. By adulthood, Gorons appear to gain rock-like protrusions on their backs as well as in places where human hair would be on their faces. In Phantom Hourglass, they do grow hair. Most are the size of an average human, though some such as Biggoron (ダイゴロン, Daigoron) can grow as large as a mountain. Due to their great density, Gorons sink to the bottom of bodies of water and are thus helpless in such an environment. However, they do not require respiration to survive, as a Goron child proves by resting underwater, mentioning that he never feels the need to take a breath. Also, in Twilight Princess, a Goron becomes permanently submerged in the main pool in Zora's Domain, but rather enjoys the cold water rather than drowning. Gorons are exceptionally resistant to heat, to the point of being able to walk through shallow lava.

    In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link can inhabit the body of the deceased Goron hero Darmani and use the ability to roll and punch as hard as the Megaton Hammer from Ocarina of Time


    In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Gorons are encountered all over Hyrule, but they mostly appear in Goron City in the Eldin region. They live around Death Mountain, so special heat-resistant armor or elixirs must be used to enter the area. The Gorons will help you conquer the large Divine Beast Vah Rudania on the volcano. The Goron champion Daruk appears as a spirit after regaining control, as Daruk was killed by one of Ganon's creations in the Beast.

    Hylian

    Hylians (ハイリア族, Hairia-zoku) are an elf-like race that make up the main population of Hyrule. They were the first race to establish organized civilization in ancient Hyrule and are born with magic-infused blood, said to be a gift from the goddesses, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. Their long, pointed ears allow them to hear messages from these goddesses, though this may be simply folklore. Link and Princess Zelda belong to this race in all games of the series. In some games, such as Twilight Princess, Hylians are referred to as "humans". In Skyward Sword, Hylians live on a floating island known as Skyloft and are accompanied by bird-like species called Loftwings.

    In "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild", much of the Hylian race was wiped out after the strike of Calamity Ganon. Link and Princess Zelda are of the few Hylians who survived.

    Keaton

    Keaton (キータン, Kītan) are a generally benevolent, three-tailed fox-like race, mostly found in Termina. They normally stay hidden from sight, although they reveal themselves to Link and challenge him with a quiz if he wears a Keaton Mask. No known Keaton exist in Hyrule at the time of Ocarina of Time, although at least one of them is a well-known fictional character in Hyrule Castle Town. In the The Minish Cap, however, some rather thuggish Keaton roam the Hyrule countryside, walking on their hindpaws and having only one tail instead of three; if they injure Link, he loses some Rupees.

    Kikwi

    The Kikwi (キュイ族, Kyui-zoku) are a race in Skyward Sword who inhabit the Faron Woods region. They have the appearance of a black-and-white wingless bird wearing a mask. Their name, Kikwi, is a reference to both the kiwi bird and fruit - both of which they resemble. They have the ability to partially bury themselves underground and cause a plant to blossom from their backs for camouflage, though some are better at it than others. They have plant-like camouflage.

    Kokiri and Koroks

    The Kokiri (コキリ族, Kokiri-zoku) are a pixie-like race in Ocarina of Time who inhabit the Kokiri Forest. They are ageless, childlike elves created by the Great Deku Tree, and each has a guardian fairy that plays the role of friend, parent, guardian, and teacher. Cautious and secretive, these elven creatures believe that they will die if they leave the forest. This belief is either false, as Saria has been seen outside the forest near the end of Ocarina of time; or the forest actually keeps the Kokiri young and if they leave, they will grow old and die. It is also suggested that if they wander too deep into the forest and remain there for too long, they will turn into a Skull Kid, although this has not been proven definitively.

    A Kokiri named Saria is the Sage of the Forest. Another Kokiri, Fado, serves as the first Sage of Wind in The Wind Waker, although he is killed prior to the events of the game, leaving the player to interact with his spirit and locate a replacement (later revealed to be the Korok Makar). Link was raised as a Kokiri in Ocarina of Time, but is actually a Hylian whose mother entrusted the Great Deku Tree with his care when he was an infant.

    The Koroks (コログ, Korogu) of The Wind Waker are said to have been transformed from the Kokiri after the Great Flood. They are small creatures with bodies that look like wood and masks made from leaves. They are very light, which allows them to travel by using sprouts as propellers over wind currents. They leave their home, the "Forest Haven", to plant seeds from the Great Deku Tree all over the world, and only return once a year to hold a ceremony to obtain more seeds.


    In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Koroks can be found all over Hyrule, even at the top of Hyrule Castle, which is overflown by monsters, debris, weapons, and bones of monsters, including a Stalnox (Skeletal Hinox), who guards the Hylian Shield. Once you retrieve seeds from Koroks, you can trade it with Hestu, a large Korok, for more slots for swords, shields, and bows. In order to do that, you must retrieve Hestu's maracas from a group of Bokoblins in the Lanayru or Necluda region. Once that is done, he will retreat to Korok Forest, location of the Great Deku Tree and the Master Sword. Curiously, the Kokiri are absent in the game.

    Lokomo

    Lokomos (ロコモ, Rokomo) are a humanoid race first appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. All but one of the encountered Lokomo are sages who reside in the five realms of New Hyrule, as well as the Tower of Spirits. They are distinguishable by their pointed ears (similar to Hylians) and their short legs, forcing them to use motorized carts for transportation. However, a Lokomo named Byrne [Staven in the European version] is capable of walking on his legs and is exceptionally strong.

    Oocca

    The Oocca (天空人, Tenkūto, lit. "sky people") are a race of birds with long necks and human-like faces that appear in Twilight Princess. They live in the "City in the Sky" (天空都市, Tenkū Toshi), an airborne city that acts as the seventh dungeon in the Twilight Princess. An Oocca female named Ooccoo (おばちゃん, Oba-chan) is found in the game's dungeons, and can warp the player back to the entrance to the dungeon. Ooccoo's son, Ooccoo Jr (ぼくちゃん, Boku-chan), warps the player back to where Ooccoo was used to warp out. They bear a striking resemblance to the statue in M.C. Escher painting, Another World. In Twilight Princess, these creatures are mentioned to be closer to the gods than the Hylians. It is supposed that they were the race who created Hylians, and at the same time created a new capital in the skies for them to live in. In Twilight Princess, Link reaches this city by launching himself out of an enormous reconstructed ancient cannon.

    Minish

    Minish, also referred to as Picori (ピッコル, Pikkoru, inspired by the Koropokkuru), are small humanoid creatures similar in size of bugs that tend to be helpful, although Vaati (グフー, Gufū) was an example of an evil Picori. They are only visible to children and tend to live in forests, but also appear inside of buildings and holes in and around various spots of Hyrule. Three variations of the Minish, which can be distinguished by their attire: Forest Minish, Town Minish and Mountain Minish. They first appear in The Minish Cap.

    Mogma

    The Mogma (モグマ族, Moguma-zoku) are a mole-like race from Skyward Sword who live in the Eldin Volcano region. They appear to be anthropmorphic rodentine creatures with elongated arms, and each has their own distinctive hairstyle. The Mogma hide underground by burrowing with their claws. They are demolition experts known to never go anywhere without their bomb bag, and they like digging for treasure. Mogmas are found in all of the subregions of Eldin Volcano, and play major parts in the plot of the Volcano Summit, Eldin Volcano proper, the Fire Sanctuary, and the Earth Temple.

    Parella

    The Parella (パラゲ族, Parage-zoku) are an aquatic race from Skyward Sword who live in the underwater spiraling caverns of Lake Floria. They are a squid-like race, and look almost like the aquatic Octoroks from Ocarina of Time. Conical spirals seem to be a major part of their design, appearing as both their central body and the shape of their dwellings.

    Rito

    The Rito (リト), also known as the Bird-people, are a race of bird-like humanoids in The Wind Waker. Their main habitat is on Dragon Roost Island, an island on the Great Sea. They have a tribal elder, with numerous followers and elaborately dressed guards. No Rito is born with wings, and instead, must visit the tribes' guardian, the great Sky Spirit, Valoo, to receive one of his scales, which enables them to grow wings. It is a coming of age ceremony of the Rito, to journey to the great Valoo to receive their scale. Children without wings are called Fledglings.

    Rito are viewed upon by outsiders somewhat dubiously. Some have an inexplicable bigotry directed towards them, perhaps out of jealousy. Still, Rito are widely accepted as mail carriers, as only they can traverse the seas without cumbersome ships. Rito are capable of flying quickly, and full-grown members can carry humans for a short time.

    Rito resemble condors, and seem to have some relation with the Andean culture: males have dark skin and the main theme of the Dragon Roost Island contains some Andean instruments such as zampoña (or pan pipes) and charango.

    Rito have a mix of human and animal biological characteristics, with very distinctive traits. They appear to be covered by dark shaded skin or feathers. Most Rito have red colored eyes, although the Rito Chieftain has yellow eyes. They, like many other races in the series, have pointed ears. The Rito have bird-like feet as well, though oddly without talons. Rito also have some sort of beak where a human's nose would be found, though the shape and size of this beak varies through different Rito. Unlike normal birds this beak appears to be only used for smelling, and cannot be used as a mouth, the Rito have a more human-like mouth below this beak.

    Throughout a young Rito's childhood, he or she is called a Fledgling and is flightless without any wings. After a child reaches a certain age they can only receive their wings after they retrieve a scale from the dragon, Valoo. Their wings are unique in that they protrude from their forearms, similar to where a Zora's fins would be. These have an appearance similar to the sleeves of a cloak when the Rito is not in flight. While not in use wings of a Rito are mostly white with black colored plumage located along the ends. When in flight the top of a Rito's wings are colored brown with black along the edges while the bottoms of the wings contain white colored plumage along the wings interior. However Medli has pure white colored wings, possibly suggesting that female Rito have white wings or that her wings are not fully grown yet.

    Most Rito are able to fly over a great distance and can hover in place, but some like Medli have trouble flying for long periods of time. This is likely due to inexperience at flying, however. Like humans, Rito's heads are covered by hair that are of different colors and lengths for each person. Most males, however, seem to have white colored hair, even at a young age

    In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Rito reside in the Tabantha region in Northwest Hyrule. The Rito can't fly at a preferred height because the Divine Beast Vah Medoh, named after Medli, the Sage of Earth and Wind, will shoot down any Rito who fly at that height. Teba, a Rito warrior helps you board Vah Medoh, although being severely injured in the process by Medoh's cannons. The Rito Champion Revali appears as a spirit, as he was killed by one of Ganon's creations in the Beast. He regains control of Medoh and prepares to blast Ganon as soon as Link enters the Sanctum, the location in which Ganon appears, in Hyrule Castle. Notably, Revali resents Link, stating that he has many skills as an archer, and that he was only called to ASSIST Link because Link has the Master Sword.

    Ancient Robots

    The Ancient Robots (RS-301) are a mechanical race from Skyward Sword. They were created by Lanayru, the Thunder Dragon, though the land they lived in eventually succumbed to time and became a barren desert while they rusted away. By using a Timeshift Stone they can be brought back to life and are shown to serve three purposes. Some of them mine for Timeshift Stones, one group was banded together to serve as protectors of one of the Sacred Flames, and a small number act as servants of the Thunder Dragon. In addition there is a band of Ancient Robot Pirates, though only two of them are seen throughout the entire game, LD-002S Scervo on the Sandship, and LD-003D Dreadfuse in the Sky Keep. During Link's quest for Nayru's Flame, Link is aided by a robot named Skipper, who is captain of the Sandship and its crew that lost his ship to the Pirate Scervo. Like most Ancient Robots, Link can only interact with Skipper in the Timeshifted past. Skipper aids Link in traversing the Lanayru Sand Sea using his Timeshift Stone powered motorboat, which can transform the impassible sea of sand into the ancient sea of water that once existed in the past. Also, Gondo, one of the citizens of Skyloft, owns an Ancient Robot that he inherited from his grandfather; at one point in the game this robot, named Scrapper, is restored to full functionality, and assists Link by carrying cumbersome items up to Skyloft from the surface. Gondo reveals that the Ancient Robots require the oil produced by Ancient Flowers to function. As these flowers can no longer be found in the present day Lanayru Desert, it is implied that the flowers disappearance resulted in the decline of the LD-301 Series Ancient Robots, though Link is able to obtain an Ancient Flower from the timeshifted past and Gondo is able to use its oil to repair Scrapper. Most ancient robots are part of the mass-produced LD-301 Series, including LD-301S Scrapper and LD-301N Skipper, while Servo and Dreadfuse are part of the LD-002 and LD-003 series, which unlike the LD-301 Series remain functional in the present.

    In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, similar robots exist called Guardians and Divine Beasts. Divine Beast Vah Ruta represented Ruto and the Zora. Divine Beast Vah Rudania represents Darunia and the Gorons. Divine Beast Vah Naboris represents Nabooru and the Gerudo. Divine Beast Vah Medoh represents Medli and the Rito. The Guardians are ancient mechanisms with powerful sniper blasts. The robots were intended to be used to defeat Ganon, but Ganon used his power to turn the robots against Hyrule. Mipha, the Zora Princess and Champion, Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion, Daruk, the Goron Champion, and Revali, the Rito Champion, were killed by the Blight Ganons in the Divine Beasts. The Blight Ganons were Ganon's creations, representing the element of the Divine Beast i.e. Thunderblight Ganon for Vah Naboris of the Gerudo.

    Sheikah

    The Sheikah (シーカー, Shīkā) are an ancient clan of mysterious ninja-like warriors, often referred to as the "shadows" of the Hylians, sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family. As revealed in Skyward Sword, the Sheikah are servants of the goddess Hylia, whose reincarnation is Zelda, the ancestor of the Hylian Royal Family. The Shiekah have long life spans compared to Hylians. The Sheikah's symbol of a crying eye is commonly seen in the series, even in games where the Sheikah are not present. It is alluded that the tear was added after the Hyrule Civil War, which takes place some time before the events of Ocarina of Time. By the events of Ocarina of Time, the Sheikah are referred to as an extinct race with Impa, named after Zelda's protector in Skyward Sword, among the last few members. The Sheikah also built the Shadow Temple, for reasons unknown. It is said that the Sheikah people were fascinated by a search for truth as they created the Mask of Truth (sold by the happy mask salesmen of castle town in Ocarina of Time). In Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask, Sheikah Stones or Gossip Stones created by the Sheikah give Link information on where to go and what to do. In Breath of the Wild, Link possesses a piece of technology known as the Sheikah Slate, created by the Sheikah, which provides him with a map and allows him to create waypoints and investigate enemy stats. By discovering various runes, the Sheikah Slate can be upgraded with various powers, including creating bombs, controlling objects with magnetism, and stopping time around objects and enemies. During his adventure, Link encounters various Sheikah Monks who are devout worshippers of the Goddess Hylia and are gifted with Hylia's sight. They seek to aid Link with combating Ganon and each monk reside inside of their respective Shrines of Trials, which they have designed to serve as trials to test Link. Also, in Breath of the Wild, a clan known as the Yiga clan, led by the humorous Master Kohga, were once part of the Sheikah before the Great Calamity. A group of Sheikah swore allegiance to Ganon and formed the Yiga Clan. They would destroy all who oppose him. Their hideout is located in Karusa Valley in the Gerudo Highlands.

    Light Spirits

    There are four Light Spirits (光の精霊, Hikari no Seirei) throughout Hyrule. All of the light spirits are found in Twilight Princess.

    The first light spirit is Ordona (ラトアーヌ, Ratoānu), best described as an Ordon Goat. Ordona has a spiraling circular orb in between her antlers and first appears at Ordon Spring. She appears once Link has defeated the first Shadow Beast.

    The second light spirit, Faron (フィローネ, Firōne), is described as a monkey/ape. He is holding his golden orb with his tail eclipsed over his head. He appears in Faron Spring, and will fully appear when Link has completed the first collection of twilight bugs.

    The third light spirit, Eldin (オルディン, Orudin), is described as an eagle, with his orb between his feet. He appears in the lake near the shaman's house in Kakariko Village, and will fully appear once Link has completed the second collection of twilight bugs.

    The fourth and last light spirit, Lanayru (ラネール, Ranēru), is described as a serpent, with his orb inside his mouth. He appears in the cave at Lake Hylia. He fully appears when Link has completed the third and final collection of twilight bugs. But once Link is back to his human form, and after Lanayru tells him the story of the three goddesses and the three Fused Shadows, Zant appears. Zant will then embed the Shadow Crystal in Link's skull that will allow Link to transform into his human and wolf form. He will also expose Midna to Lanayru, causing her to become very ill, and sending Link on the quest for the Master Sword.

    Subrosian

    Subrosians (ウーラ, Ūra) are a mysterious race that live in the subterranean world of Subrosia. They have large glowing eyes and are always seen wearing either green, blue or red hooded cloaks. There are two exceptions. One Subrosian, Rosa, wears a yellow cloak with a ribbon, another unnamed Subrosian also wears yellow and gives you a Secret to use in Oracle of Ages. They are shy when around people of other races and prefer to be rarely seen. They can survive in lava and tend to relax in pools of lava, and use a currency made of metal rocks found in the ground called Ore Chunks. They first appear in Oracle of Seasons.

    Tokay

    Tokay (トカゲ人, Tokagejin) are a race of reptilian lizards with green scales and tails who reside on Crescent Island in Labrynna. They are known to search for valuable items that they can find and are known to be deceitful. They are also expert gardeners which are able to grow scent seeds from seedlings over a course of four hundred years. They have never seen anyone from other races so when they see Link, they think he's a Tokay without a tail and call him "Strange Tokay". They first appear in Oracle of Ages.

    Twili

    Twili (トワイライトの民, Towairaito no Tami) are a race that come from the Twilight Realm. They are the descendants of the Dark Interlopers, who were sent to the Twilight Realm by the Golden Goddesses (三柱の女神, Mihashira no Megami Three Goddesses) after trying to seize control of the Sacred Realm and later evolved to what they are now. Eventually, they abandoned their plans to rule the Sacred Realm and Hyrule and became peacefully adapted to their new lifestyle in the Twilight Realm. One member of their race is Midna (ミドナ, Midona). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Zant (ザント, Zanto) was also part of this race. He was granted the power to overthrow Midna by Ganon and then served Ganon in taking over Hyrule. It is possible that the Interlopers were either the Sheikah since there is a symbol on Zant's throne and they were allies of The Royal Family, or they were the Gerudo since the Twili were a tribe of thieves, in which the Gerudo are well known for, and due to the entrance of the Twilight Realm located in the Gerudo Desert. It is also known that the recurring villain, Dark Link, might be an Interloper or possibly a relative to them, for which it is unknown.

    The skin tone of the Twili is mostly black while their faces, necks, and chest tend to have gray and patterns in a marked contrast to the rest of their bodies. The Twili have a stretched, elongated appearance, with long limbs, necks, and heads, and great variances in overall height and girth.

    Wizzrobes

    Wizzrobes (ウィズローブ, Wizurōbu) are magician creatures that wear wizard's robes (hence their name) and often use fire and ice magic before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. In The Wind Waker they can also summon other enemies and wear toucan-like or bird-like masks and headdresses. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild introduced the Electric Wizzrobe, who used Lighting or Thunderstorm Rods. The can teleport to avoid attacks and shoot 1-3 balls of fire, ice, or electricity at a time.

    Yeti

    Yeta (マトーニャ, Matōnya) and Yeto (ドサンコフ, Dosankofu) in Snowpeak Ruins in the game Twilight Princess were Yetis (雪男, yukiotoko). Yeto helps Link by giving him soup that heal up to eight hearts of his health. Male yetis look like the 'real-life' Yeti only they have large, beaver tails, have saddles for hats and speak with poor grammar. The females, however, are smaller than the males and wear an armless sweater, showing no arms or tail.

    Zora

    The Zora (ゾーラ, Zōra}{ZOR-ah) are a race of aquatic piscine humanoids that appear in nearly every game of the series. In the original game and Link to the Past, Zoras were an enemy race that attacked Link from the water with projectiles, though the giant Zora King sells Link a pair of flippers in Link to the Past, allowing him to swim and to use the network of whirlpools that link far corners of Hyrule. By Ocarina of Time, their role in most stories had changed to a neutral or friendly race. Zoras rely heavily on water, in fact they can only live on land "for limited time periods," and reflect this dependency in their culture. Zoras are mostly seen gracefully swimming about and frolicking in water. Besides routine swimming and sports, Zoras also enjoy music.

    Most Zoras do not wear clothing, and they are generally covered in silver scales, which give them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Where humans sometimes have long hair, average Zoras have rear-hanging caudal extensions that resemble tails. These tails undulate periodically, which gives a Zora's head the unique semblance of a fish. They are sometimes depicted as having webbed feet (except for Queen Rutela from Twilight Princess who appears to have two flat mermaid-like fins that fall down like a skirt) and hands. They lack ears in the traditional sense, but do have pronounced noses and gills on their abdomen. Their fins can be used to fight by extending out to serve as sharp-edged weapons. Zoras lay eggs to reproduce. Zora eggs need to be kept in cold, clean water to develop healthily, and every egg from the same clutch must be kept together for them to hatch. Newborn Zoras are tadpole-like with a circular body and a long, skinny tail ending in a fluke.

    Zora government is apparently monarchical, either ruled by a king, King Zora (キングゾーラ, Kinguzōra), or queen, such as Queen Rutela (ルテラ, Rutera) from Twilight Princess. Two different tribes exist, "river Zora" are more violent and are able to shoot fire, while "sea Zora" make up the friendly Zoras. The Zora Royal Family is responsible for maintaining order among their people, overseeing care for Jabu Jabu (ジャブジャブ), whom they worship as a guardian god, and assuring that the waters upon which he and all creatures rely are clean and pure.

    The Zora appear to be an extinct race in The Wind Waker; a sage named Laruto (ラルト, Raruto) is encountered in spirit. They may be linked to the Rito (リト) race of bird people, along with the Princess Ruto (ルト). The Zora of Hyrule typically inhabit fresh water such as Zora River and Lake Hylia, while sea-dwelling Zora are known to appear in Termina (Majora's Mask) and Labrynna (Oracle of Ages)

    In The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Link is able to inhabit the body of the Zora Mikau, who was killed by Gerudo pirates, and can use his fins in the same manner as the boomerang.

    In Breath of the Wild, Zoras are a major part of the game. Link must head to Zora's Domain in the Lanayru region to meet with King Dorephan and Prince Sidon. The King called for a Hylian because Zora's Domain was in danger of being washed away by Divine Beast Vah Ruta, who was at the East Reservoir Lake. Prince Sidon brings Link without knowing that Link was the Hylian Champion himself. Muzu, a Zora elder and the King's assistant, resents Link, because him and most Zora elders blame Link for the death of the beloved Zora Champion and Princess, Mipha. After realizing that Link has had a special connection with the princess, he tasks Link with finding 20 shock arrows from Ploymus Mountain. At the top, a strong Lynel waits, guarding Shatterback Point. Link must either defeat the Lynel, and get all the shock arrows, which are jabbed in trees or rocks along the trail to Shatterback Point, on most of the trees in the place, or on the small cliff on the east side of Shatterback Point. After retrieving the arrows, Link heads for the East Reservoir Lake to board Vah Ruta. Once he regains control of the beast, Mipha appears as a spirit and grants you her healing ability. She then moves Vah Ruta to a location that isn't blocked so she can have a direct lock on Hyrule Castle.

    Creatures

    Note: Some creatures' outlook may vary in different titles of the series. An advanced list of recurring enemies in the series can be found here.

  • Armos (アモス, Amosu) are living statues or suits of armor that come to life and attack enemies when touched. The Minish Cap features them as guards created by the Wind Tribe. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Beamos (ビーモス, Bīmosu) are laser turret-like monsters that continually rotate on a pillar until it spots an intruder. They first appeared in A Link to the Past.
  • Biri and Bari (ゴーリア, Gōria) are electrified jellyfish that can live in or out of water. They often split into smaller duplicates after being attacked.
  • Blade Traps are actually not enemies, but indestructible metallic devices armed with spikes. Some sense intruders and fly towards them, while others move in a set pattern. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Bokoblin (ボコブリン, Bokoburin) are demonomic goblin-like enemies that wield bladed weapons or clubs. They have red skin, small horns protruding out of their heads, and are very aggressive to intruders. They first appeared in Wind Waker. Later, they reappear in Skyward Sword as a common enemy. Like Bulblins, they are prone to follow particular evil forces, mainly the Demon Lord, Girahim from Skyward Sword.
  • Bubbles (バブル, Baburu), also known as Anti-Fairies or Wisps, are flaming skull enemies able to sprout wings. Their flames come in many colors, but the most common are red and blue. Link is temporarily unable to use his sword after touching them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Buzz Blobs are mobile creatures made of goo. They are passive, but generate large amounts of static electricity when hit. Buzz Blobs cannot be defeated outright by swords, with the exception of the Golden Sword, requiring the use of various ranged weapons, which can either defeat them instantly or stun them, leaving them vulnerable to sword strikes. They are skinny down near the ground and widen at the top.
  • ChuChus (チュチュ, Chuchu) are jelly-like creatures with squat, translucent bodies, stalk-eyes, and a permanently smiling mouth that have a variety of colors. In The Wind Waker their appearance was changed to upright, opaque bodies and vibrantly colored faces. They first appeared by that name in Majora's Mask, but two similar blob-type enemies were in the original Legend of Zelda named "Bit" and "Bot", and a Bot became two Bits when Link slashed it, similar to the behavior of ChuChus in newer titles. Modern ChuChus come in Green, Red (the two most common colors), Yellow, Blue and dark Purple. They aggressively attack anything that invades their territory by tackling it, but will hide in puddles on the ground if no one is close. They mostly move by bouncing around, though the Green, Yellow and Blue ChuChus will occasionally melt and turn into small invincible puddles, and proceed to move around in their puddle forms until they can get close to Link, or until Link uses an item such as his Boomerang to stun and coax them out of their puddles. In Twilight Princess, after one is killed, Link can use their puddles as potions or lantern fuel, depending on the type of ChuChu. In Skyward Sword ChuChus come in a variety of colors: Green, red (fire), blue (underwater), and yellow (electricity). ChuChus' sizes also vary a lot, depending on their color. The smallest can be defeated with one sword strike, the medium-sized need to be hit multiple times, and the largest ones can be split into two smaller ones with a vertical slash.
  • Cuccos (コッコ, Kokko) are essentially chickens. They mostly come in white, although Minish Cap had gold Cucco and Twilight Princess had black, brown, golden, and grey variants as well. In Ocarina of Time there was a single blue cucco that was used in a trading sequence. Cuccos are not aggressive on their own, but if repeatedly attacked, they will crow, causing a swarm of cuccos to fly in and attack the violator until he or she dies or leaves the area (A behavior commonly known among fans as the "Cucco's Revenge Squad"). Cuccos first appeared in A Link to the Past. However, in Twilight Princess after a certain number of hits you get to control the cucco for several seconds. In Twilight Princess, there is a golden cucco that you must use to fly across gaps to enter to the Sacred Grove. On a few occasions, someone will tell Link to "not be such a cucco", a play on the phrase "don't be such a chicken", confirming the fact that cuccos are the Zelda universe version of chickens and not separate creatures.
  • Darknuts (タートナック, Tātonakku) are large armored knights armed with swords and shields. In The Wind Waker when their helmets are removed they are revealed to have jackal-like heads, which may indicate a relation to the Horsehead boss in Adventure of Link. Some Darknuts also have capes, which must be destroyed before they can be hurt. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda. They reappear in groups at Hyrule Castle. They appear also in Twilight Princess for the first time in The Temple of Time, and in several other dungeons thereafter.
  • Deku Babas (デクババ, Deku Baba) are carnivorous plants, with a Venus fly trap-like mouth, and sprout from the ground whenever their roots detect any potential prey. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time. They also appear in "Skyward Sword" in two different varieties. One is the regular type, and one has a mouth that changes its opening from horizontal to vertical if it is hit. They only way to slay the creature with a sword is to slash it according to the horizontal or vertical mouth opening.
  • Dodongos (ドドンゴ, Dodongo) are carnivorous dinosaurs (dragons in the Japanese version) that resemble gigantic iguanas, move slowly, and can breathe powerful blasts of flame. Other types of Dodongos include Baby Dodongos, which are infant, worm-like creatures that explode when attacked, and Big Dodongos, which are larger versions of normal Dodongos. A King Dodongo appears as a boss in Ocarina of Time. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Floormasters (フロアマスター, Furoamasutā) and Wallmasters are ghostly or zombified manifestations of giant hands that drag adventurers back to the entrance of a dungeon. Floormasters roam around the room and are visible at all times, while Wallmasters hide on the ceiling out of sight. Also, Floormasters split up into smaller versions when the original is attacked, whereas Wallmasters do not. Wallmasters first appeared in The Legend of Zelda while Floormasters first appeared in Ocarina of Time. Floormasters appeared in The Wind Waker as a spectral arm and hand that will transport Link to a jail-like holding area if he is caught. They do not split up when attacked.
  • Gargoyles are statues that appear in the Legend of Zelda and Adventure of Link. They shoot fireballs at Link in the underground dungeons.
  • Gibdos (ギブド, Gibudo) are undead creatures wrapped like mummies. They resemble ReDeads in regard to their slow and zombie-like movement; in some games, setting a Gibdo's bandages alight will reveal a Stalfos or a ReDead underneath. In Majora's Mask Link can use a Gibdo Mask to communicate with them. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Iron Knuckles are heavily armored knights with axes. While they are even slower than the Darknuts, they are the most powerful enemies in their games as they can take four hearts from Link with just one hit and because of that they are often used to guard treasures. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
  • Keese (キース, Kīsu) are bat-like monsters that often lurk in caves and dungeons, where they will fly around erratically, and occasionally stop to rest. There are fire, ice and electric variants, which can respectively use fire and ice to attack enemies. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Leevers (リーバー, Rībā) are cactus-like monsters that primarily live in sandy areas, such as deserts and beaches, and they live beneath the sand, burrowing to the top to attack in ambush. Leevers generally have a conical shape that tapers towards the top, and sharp leaves on top. They attack by spinning rapidly and slamming into whatever they are attacking. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Like Likes (ライクライク, Raikuraiku) are yellowish cylindrical monsters that can suck in creatures as large as humans and consume items they carry. They are known for swallowing the shields and tunics that Link uses. Like Likes dissolve into a puddle when killed, leaving the stolen items. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda, where they swallow the magical shield, but do not return it upon being killed.
  • Moblins (モリブリン, Moriburin) are humanoid monsters that usually reside in forests. In the original Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Moblins resembled bulldogs, but are pig-like in more recent games. They are sometimes accompanied by Pig Warriors, monsters with the same basic form but more porcine characteristics. Both types commonly wield spears, swords, bows, or occasionally massive clubs. They are one of the most common enemies within the games they appear, and are considered "mighty", but also "dumb". They are described as greedy, self-possessed creatures, and the major antagonist will commonly use them as mercenaries or summoned monsters. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons feature a larger, senior Moblin known as the Great Moblin, who terrorizes Holodrum and Labrynna. Moblins are common in The Wind Waker, which introduces two additional smaller creatures, impish Bokoblins and Miniblins, rodent-like beasts who carry pitchforks. In Spirit Tracks Miniblins were pirates usually led by a "Big Blin", a larger, muscled variation that wields a spiked club. In Skyward Sword, they are depicted as fatter and will use their weight in an final attempt to crush Link before dying. In Breath of the Wild, it is revealed that Moblins are carnivorous and require a diet of meat and fish to maintain their bulky frames.
  • Stalmoblin are the animated skeletons of Moblins that appear in Breath of the Wild. Like Stalkoblin, their skeletons continue to reanimated as long as a Stalmoblin skull is present. While just as powerful as their living counterparts, they are much easier to defeat by focusing on destroying their skulls.
  • Lizalfos (リザルフォス, Rizarufosu) are humanoid lizards that stand upright and wield a shield and either a spear or hammer. Lizalfos in later games are rapid-moving monsters that often attack in pairs or small groups. They first appeared in The Adventure of Link.
  • Octoroks (オクタロック) are land-dwelling, octopus-like enemies that attack by shooting rocks from their mouth. There are also aquatic and sea variations that shoot bombs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Peahats (ピーハット, Pīhatto}{PEE-hats) are helicopter-like enemies that take the appearances of plants. In Twilight Princess they are not enemies and can be used as a transportation method via the Clawshot. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Poes (ポウ, ) are lantern-carrying ghosts formed from concentrated hatred toward the world that freely roams graveyards and other haunted locales. They always carry their signature lanterns. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Pols Voice (ポルスボイス, Porusuboisu) are creatures with large rabbit-like ears that hop around rooms in erratic patterns. They hate loud noises. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • ReDeads (リーデッド, Rīdeddo) are undead creatures resembling zombies with a dark brown skin and flat mask-like faces that can paralyze enemies with a scream, and cling to them to drain health away. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
  • Skulltulas (スタルウォール, Sutaruwōru) are giant spiders, named for the white, bony plate in the shape of a human skull that forms its carapace. Skulltulas and giant Skulltulas hang upside down in an upright position, suspended by a strand of silk thread from a ceiling surface. In Ocarina of Time, there is also a smaller variant called the Skullwalltula, which are also encountered first before the Skulltulas.
  • Stalchild are smaller forms of the Stalfos. It is said that if a child or Kokiri gets lost within the Lost Woods, they will become cursed, and transform into a stalchild. They only appear in dark places and at night. Unlike Stalfos, they do not carry any weapons, usually swiping at their target with their arms. In Ocarina of Time, after a certain number is defeated, a larger one appears, supposedly their leader. They make their debut in Ocarina of Time.
  • Stalfos (スタルフォス, Sutarufosu) are animated skeletons mostly from the remains of dead warriors who still have a strong will to fight, and serve evil powers such as Ganon or Vaati. In Ocarina of Time, by using the Mask of Truth, the player learns from a Gossip Stone that any adult that enters Lost Woods without the protection of a Guardian Fairy will become a monster (although its only revealed that such monster is a Stalfos during the Biggoron Sword quest, when link trades in the Odd Potion for the Poacher's Saw). They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Tektites (テクタイト, Tekutaito) are human-sized four-legged insectoid creatures who use their powerful legs to leap upon and attack prey. The Blue ones are able to walk on water. And both Blue and Red can jump up cliffs. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Vire (バイア, Baia) are bat-like creatures that when hit with a weapon weaker than the Master Sword or equivalent, split into two Keese. They first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Wolfos (ウルフォス, Urufosu) are wolf-like creatures that appear in most Zelda games. They are usually found in grassy or snowy terrains, where their fur changes according to each. White Wolfos, usually found in snowy terrains, hit harder than the normal Wolfos, but its back is as fragile as a normal one's. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time.
  • Zols (ゾル, Zoru) are simple blob-like enemies with two eyes. They often hide between the tiles of dungeon floors, waiting to pop out and jump. Zols are much larger than Gels, and in many games, weaker attacks will cause a Zol to split into two Gels. Both Zols and Gels first appeared in The Legend of Zelda.
  • Lynels are large, strong creatures with the body of a man and a horse, a head of a lion, and horns. This creature multiple different variations. It's simplest form is red, stronger is blue, even stronger is white, and in Breath of the Wild, a rare and exclusive Silver Lynel appears in the Colosseum in Central Hyrule, close to the Great Plateau. Lynels in Breath of the Wild are the toughest non-boss enemies in the game and fight wielding a variety of powerful weapons, bows, and shields. Link can briefly mount them and attack their exposed back while riding on them. The weapons they wield are strong and can prove useful to Link if he manages to defeat them.
  • Reception

    In their January 2010 issue, Nintendo Power listed Hyrule as one of the greatest Nintendo locations, citing the vast number of areas to explore, as well as referencing players' first experiences with the Lost Woods and Death Mountain as highlights of the players' adventures.

    References

    Universe of The Legend of Zelda Wikipedia