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Characters / The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Hylians and Sheikah

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A page for the Hylians and the Sheikah, the two main human races of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Beware of spoilers!

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The dominant race of humans that dwell in all parts of Hyrule running Stables in all provinces, but who live primarily in Hateno Village in West Necluda and Lurelin Village in Faron.

  • All Swords Are the Same: Actually averted: the Hylian people favor double-edged straight swords and they couldn't get used to the Sheikah-designed katanas being made for them, forcing the Sheikah craftsmen to adopt different sword-making techniques to compensate (of course, Link himself has no problem with either).
  • Divine Right of Kings: In the past, Hylians were the dominant race of the land due to being the chosen people of the Goddess Hylia.
  • Dramatic Irony: The old Hylians feared the Divine Beasts and the Guardians due to their destructive potential, so much that they banished their creators, the Sheikah, from the land after the first Calamity Ganon sealing. 10,000 years later, their descendants became enthralled by these ancient marvels and had them excavated to fight the Calamity Ganon again... only for Ganon to turn the machines against them, thus vindicating the old generation's fear.
  • Elaborate Equals Effective: The higher ranking the Hylian gear you find, the more ornate it becomes, from Rusted to Traveler to Soldier to Knight to Royal. The Flavor Text even mentions this, citing that even though the Royal weapons once wielded by the Praetorian Guard are very powerful, the elaborate ornamentation has mostly led them to become pieces for collectors.
  • Gold-Colored Superiority: The Royal weapons all have prominent gold ornamentation, and they are among the best weapons in the game.
  • Humans Are Average: Hylians are notably a lot more mundane then the other races, even compared to the other humans like the Sheikah and the Gerudo. That being said, they have the most diverse cultures because they are so numerous. This is even shown in their weapon sets, which offer no real bonuses but are reliable in terms of damage and durability compared to the weapons of the other races.
  • Humans Are Special: Although they are noticeably a lot more average then the other races, they are in fact the chosen people of the Goddess Hylia. The Hylians are adventurous and enjoy travelling abroad. They don't concentrate themselves to a single biome (Zora and Goron), and migrate from their homeland for reasons other than reproduction (Gerudo) or forced exile (Yiga Sheikah). While travelling across the breadth of Hyrule, Link encounters more Hylian travelers than any other civilized culture. Only monster species have greater environmental diversity, though it can be argued several are naturally invasive (such as the Bokoblins) or doing so on Ganon's behalf.
  • Pointy Ears: Although other races have them too, this has come to be the Hylians' defining trait.
  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Hylians banished the Sheikah and buried the Guardians below Hyrule because they feared that such powerful technology would be used against the kingdom, to which the Hylians had no defense against. Their decision proved disastrous for their descendants when Calamity Ganon came back 10,000 years later. Because the Sheikah gave up their advanced technology for a normal society, they did not have the skills to replicate their own feats, let alone update and upgrade the ancient Guardians. And since the Guardians remained unchanged since the last sealing, Ganon easily took control of them through his Malice. Thus the Kingdom of Hyrule fell to the very Guardians the Hylians feared thanks to the ignorance of their own ancestors.
  • Tiered by Name: Hylian equipment come in four tiers. From weakest to strongest, they are Traveler, Soldier, Knight, and Royal. In addition, there are Rusted Hylian weapons that can be found in several places. They're slightly stronger than Traveler Weapons but break easily, but if you feed a Rusted weapon to a Rock Octorok, it will spit out a corresponding Hylian weapon of random level. There's also the Royal Guard items, which are made in the same design as the Royal set but use Shekiah techniques. They're incredibly powerful but break quickly due to design flaws.
  • You ALL Look Familiar: Averted. While there are a handful of exceptions, each Hylian Non-Player Character townsperson has something that makes their appearance different from another: such as facial features, hair, or attire. Everyone even has their own name.

    The Old Man 

Old Man
Click to see his true identity 

Voiced by: Hiroshi Naka (Japanese), Bill Rogers (English), Octavio Rojas (Mexican Spanish), Domenech Farell (European Spanish), Reinhard Scheunemann (German)

"Me? I'll spare you my life story. I'm just an old fool who has lived here alone, for quite some time now."

A mysterious elder who lives on the Great Plateau. He gives Link as much information as he can when the young hero first awakens, and seems to know a little more than what he lets on...

  • Ambiguously Brown: He has a distinct greyish-brown skintone. Gets weirder when it turns out he's actually the father of the pale Zelda. Either his wife was very light-skinned or he tanned very easily.
  • Ambiguously Human: Though he appears to be a physical being, wisps of blue fire start to surround him after Link collects the Spirit Orbs at the Great Plateau and he has unexplained Offscreen Teleportation abilities. As it turns out, he is the ghost of King Rhoam.
  • Character Development: He was very strict and controlling in training Zelda, something that he gradually realized was not effective in helping her awaken her powers. One hundred years after his death due in part to her subsequent failure to seal Ganon at the time, he guides Link in a more indirect, hands-off, and even playful manner instead.
  • Dare to Be Badass: After chastising Zelda for shirking her duties and noting how courtiers have been gossiping about how much of a failure she is, he maintains that it's still her destiny to prove those gossipers wrong. Considering a lot of her perceived inadequacies came about because of him, it doesn't come across as nearly as encouraging as he would've liked.
  • Dead All Along: He reveals himself to be the spirit of King Rhoam, who lost his life to Calamity Ganon a hundred years ago.
  • Dramatic Irony: Finding his diary in Hyrule Castle reveals he had considered that maybe Zelda's powers will awaken in her own way, but couldn't take the risk. He commits to lightening up if she fails to awaken her power at Lanyru, as she would have officially done everything she could. The Calamity happened while she was away.
  • Fantasy-Forbidding Father: He was a very stern parent, harshly admonishing Zelda for her inability to awaken the divine power of Hylia and forbidding her from having anything to do with the Divine Beasts and Guardians until she had done so. Unfortunately, this only further slows her progress to the point where she wasn't able to awaken her powers until it was too late, and Ganon managed to devastate Hyrule and its citizens. In his journal, Rhoam laments that circumstances force him to be stern towards her, and after his death, his ghost expresses regret over how he treated Zelda.
  • Figure It Out Yourself: He tells Link to do this if asked for directions to the Great Plateau shrines (in stark contrast to most Zelda quest givers), pointing out that he already has all the tools he needs to do so: a map, beacons, a telescope, and a good vantage point.
  • First-Episode Spoiler: He reveals his true identity just as Link prepares to leave the Great Plateau.
  • Foreshadowing:
    • When he describes the Temple of Time to Link, he says it's "Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self..." Much like he himself is the old, forgotten ghost of the former king of Hyrule.
    • He carries a Poe lantern with him at all times.
    • The Great Plateau is largely cut off from the rest of Hyrule; it would be very difficult for someone to climb up its cliffs, and Link himself cannot leave without the Paraglider. The Old Man has both lived up there a long time but is also knowledgeable about the Great Calamity and the state of Hyrule in the subsequent century, implying that he isn't just some hermit living in such an isolated location. He's a ghost, so he wouldn't have to worry about physically getting up there, and he's the former king who was at ground zero of Ganon's return and lost his life there.
  • The Gadfly: Stealing food from him at the start has him call out the player on theft, only to turn around and say he was messing with you and couldn't help himself as he gives it to you anyway. Since he's a ghost, he probably doesn't need it anyway.
  • Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: He has the largest male Hylian body in the game and could probably lift his daughter Zelda with one hand.
  • It May Help You on Your Quest: Subverted at first, as at best he offers a baked apple rather than, say, a sword like in the original — although he does point you towards his axe and says that you can have it. Also, if you find his house in the southeast section of the Plateau and cook his Spicy Meat & Fish Fry note  for him, he'll give you a Warm Doublet to protect you from the cold on Mount Hylia. If you somehow make it to the very top of the mountain without it, he'll give you the Doublet anyway, amazed you made it up here without it.
  • Killed Offscreen: He was killed during the Great Calamity, though his death is not shown.
  • Legacy Character: Based on his title and role so far, he seems to fulfill the same role as the Old Man from the original The Legend of Zelda. He also fulfills the role of the Hyrule King, like Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.
  • Leitmotif: Hyrule's Castle theme, just like King Daphnes from Wind Waker.
  • Moving the Goalposts: He promises Link the Paraglider if he gets a special treasure (Spirit Orb) from a Sheikah Shrine. After Link completes one, the Old Man tells him to do the three remaining Shrines to get his Paraglider. Lampshaded by one of Link's possible response "That wasn't part of the deal."
  • Mr. Exposition: He tells Link of how Hyrule fell to ruin and points him in the direction of vanquishing the Calamity Ganon.
  • Musical Spoiler: Notice how his piano motif when you first meet him sounds like the opening fanfare of the Hyrule Castle theme?
  • My God, What Have I Done?:
    • By the way he calls himself an "old fool", he may have realized that his blind following of the ancient sealing plan to the letter, and his overly harsh parenting of Zelda, helped lead to the Great Calamity.
    • It may also be why when Link first awoke, he decided to let him get his bearings first at his own pace before bringing him up to speed to be sure that it wouldn't cripple him like his strict parenting did on Zelda.
  • My Greatest Failure: He failed to prevent the Great Calamity as the King of Hyrule, and it's implied that he blames it on his own harsh parenting of Zelda.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!: His insistence on following the ancient sealing plan to the letter, to the point where he forbids Zelda from studying in order to fulfill her role as the princess spoken in legends, came to bite him in the ass. Not only did it give Zelda unnecessary pressure on her training, but it also prevented him from realizing that Calamity Ganon would make sure the 10,000 year old plan that defeated him won't work this time around.
  • Not a Game: He uses this phrase when stressing to Zelda how important it is that she master her sacred powers. The person in question fully understands how important it is, and all saying that does is make Zelda feel more inadequate.
  • Offscreen Teleportation: Somehow this old man got from near the Shine of Resurrection to the top of a small, snowy mountain ahead of Link with a shirt ready for the poor freezing boy. Given that he is a ghost, it's likely he did indeed teleport.
  • Parents as People: He dearly loved his daughter, Zelda, but put a lot of pressure on her to fulfill her role. He admits that he was wrong for doing so.
  • The Reveal: He is the ghost of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the last king of Hyrule and Zelda's father.
  • Stealth Mentor: He does intend to help Link be prepared for his destiny, but his teaching methods are carefully framed as little errands to earn his Paraglider (which is the only way off the Great Plateau). It was likely as a means to avoid the mistakes he made with Zelda's training.
  • Stepford Smiler: The Old Man may be a hearty and easygoing fellow, but his jovial personality is a masquerade by King Rhoam, who is more melancholy and serious when he finally reveals himself. However, he did enjoy putting on a performance as the Old Man, which is perhaps one of the few times that he has ever been happy for the past 100 years.
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: When asked about his identity, the Old Man dismisses the question, saying that he is just an old fool who lived on the Great Plateau alone for a long time. Yet he is also quite knowledgeable about the events that happened 100 years ago, implying that he's not just some strange old man. Later on, the Old Man reveals himself to be the deceased King Rhoam, and he assumed the persona of a hermit to not overwhelm Link's mind.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: He's had a hundred years spent as a spirit to reflect on his failures, specifically how his overly strict behavior toward Zelda only hindered her efforts toward awakening her sacred power. As a result he's notably more mellow towards Link than he was in his lifetime. Even if his jovial old man persona was technically an act it's a stark contrast to how he treated his daughter.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: His favorite recipe is Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry, which keeps him warm in the snowy peak of Mt. Hylia. Lately, he has forgotten about the last ingredient. Link can help by catching him a fish.
  • Unfinished Business: Unlike the Champions, whose spirits physically could not escape the Divine Beasts they were trapped inside, nothing was forcing Rhoam to stay in the world of the living; nothing but his desire to see Link reawakened and guide him back to his identity.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Despite his best intentions and belief in Zelda, his strict parenting only made things worse for her and their kingdom when Ganon attacked, making her unable to access the divine powers of her bloodline until it was far too late.
  • Walking Spoiler: His backstory and true identity make most of his characteristics fall into spoilers.
  • Was Too Hard on Him: After his death, he admits he was too hard on Zelda and implores Link to save his daughter's life.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: While a harsh parent, he did believe that Zelda would prove his and their subjects' views of her as a Inadequate Inheritor wrong by awakening her powers. While he's technically correct, his methods of doing so, by suppressing her natural curiosity and interest in scholarly pursuits, actually seem to have hindered Zelda's ability to access her powers.

    Queen of Hyrule 

Queen of Hyrule

When Princess Zelda was a little girl, her mother filled the role of her teacher and encourager. The death of the queen would have a major impact on both her daughter and her husband.

  • Best Friend: She and Urbosa were this, which goes to explain the latter's relationship with Zelda.
  • The Lost Lenore: Her death left King Rhoam rather lost as to how to motivate Zelda to learn how to defeat Ganon. Had her encouraging personality still been a factor, he might have been easier on the Princess.
  • No Name Given: She is only ever referred to as "mother" by Zelda, "my wife" by her husband, and "the queen" or "my friend" by Urbosa. However, if King Rhoam's words were anything to go by, she was possibly also named Zelda as per the royal naming tradition given how she had enough of the "blood of the goddess" within her to qualify as a better teacher on Zelda's powers than the King of Hyrule did.
  • Posthumous Character: She is dead well before the events of even the first recovered memory.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: She was the blue one to her red husband, being calm and encouraging in contrast to him being strict and demanding.
  • Royalty Superpower: Here the divine sealing power is implied to be passed down through the women of the Royal Family, unlike Wind Waker where the king was also shown to have magical ability. The queen's death was likely as much a factor in Zelda's inability to use said power as King Rhoam's strict methods.
  • Sorceress Queen: She bore the divine blood of Hylia granting her powerful sealing magic like her mother before her and passed it down to her own daughter. It is her untimely demise that left Zelda without a teacher to teach her to harness this power as she passed a year before Zelda's lessons were meant to begin.
  • Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Implied, considering that the only recognizable trait Zelda got from her dad was the Big Ol' Eyebrows.

    Stable Workers 

Stable Workers

Across the plains of Hyrule are 15 stables, massive tents set up with roofs designed to look like the head of a horse. At these locations, the workers will let Link register wild horses, take out registered horses, sleep in the beds, and provide provisions and quests.

  • Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Their fur hats and clothes, love of horses, and yurt-like temporary buildings give them a strong resemblance to Mongolians and other traditionally steppe-based Central Asian cultures. Their skin tones and other physical features are more heterogeneous than Mongolians, but Central Asians are also quite heterogeneous.


"The name's Beedle, but you can call me— Actually, let's just stick with Beedle."

A traveling merchant who can be found moving between stables peddling his wares.

  • Adam Smith Hates Your Guts: Beedle will overcharge you for arrows compared to other merchants. But since he is the only merchant around for most of the places you find him, the convenience is probably worth it.
  • Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: If he sees you have a beetle on you, he'll immediately drop his sales pitch to try to negotiate an exchange for it instead. Any beetle will do, though he offers better elixirs and food items for rarer ones.
  • Awesome Backpack: His bag is probably as large as he is tall and has a built-in folding tray for doing business. Because of how heavy it is, he looks positively ripped as a result.
  • Beetle Maniac: Beedle is aptly named and will trade you food or elixirs for beetles that you find.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: If you ever happen to deny giving him a rare beetle, he will respond with some disdain... and under his breath plot to hire someone to steal it from Link so he doesn't stain his hands.
  • Bold Explorer: You can find Beedle in every major region of Hyrule, usually near one of the horse stables, though you'll occasionally see him on the road.
  • Didn't Think This Through: He travels everywhere wearing his shorts and a tank top, which isn't always a good idea...
    • You'll find him shivering in the Hebra Tundra. If you speak to him, he says he heard the region was cold, but hadn't expected it to be that frigid and says he wished he had packed warmer clothing.
    • Beedle also turns up at the Kara Kara Bazaar, which is an oasis settlement that borders the Gerudo Desert. He'll be fanning himself during the day and laments not having a chilly elixir with him.
  • Intrepid Merchant: He is the player's main source of supplies when visiting stables.
  • Legacy Character: He's been a recurring NPC since The Wind Waker, and has always been a merchant. Beedle offhandedly acknowledges the fact by joking he and Link must have been married in a past life.
  • Recurring Traveller: Beedle lampshades his status, pointing out how often he encounters Link.
  • Reincarnation Romance: It's used as a subtle Mythology Gag regarding Beedle's recurring role in the series, as a travelling merchant.
  • Took a Shortcut: Beedle will always be at the stable Link is visiting; no matter how fast Link got there, Beedle will have arrived there before him.


-Fang and Bone-
Come see ol' Kilton for the most monstrous deals in all of Hyrule!

"I just love the field of monster research so much that I decided to open a shop all about monsters!"

The eccentric and monster-obsessed owner of a travelling monster-themed shop called Fang and Bone. Initially found setting up his establishment in the middle of Skull Lake, he can subsequently be found near each of the villages at night.

  • Action Survivor: He claims to have had a nearly fatal encounter with a Lynel just to get the details for its respective disguise mask right.
  • Adam Smith Hates Your Guts: In rather odd way, as he made his own currency so Link has to trade him monster parts in order to buy any gear from him. The "Mon" the parts often trade for also tends to be for half of how many rupees you could get for them.
  • Admiring the Abomination: He is very enthusiastic about monsters, and he'll excitedly tell Link about the three types of boss monsters found across Hyrule when asked. Though he's at least smart enough to admire the monsters from a safe distance.
  • Ambiguously Human: Even in a world of humanoid birds and fish people, Kilton's status as a Hylian is questionable at best. He has a large triangular head and dark grey skin, traits no other race have. There's also his hands, which are blue and lizard-like, though they could just be gloves. The Creating a Champion claims he just dresses like a monster, and that his fangs are painted on.
  • Creepy Good: Despite his creepy appearance and monster obsession, he's still a nice character who provides Link with items that help in fights against monsters.
  • Fashion Designer: He makes costumes based off the various species of monsters found across Hyrule that, despite being of laughably poor-quality, can fool the genuine articles into thinking that Link is one of them. He also somehow managed to create a high-quality replica of Dark Link's outfit from Ocarina of Time, complete with jet-black skin, glowing red eyes, and white hair.
  • Gonk: He's easily the ugliest non-monster character in the game.
  • Mad Love: Towards all of Hyrule's monsters, but that doesn't stop him from asking you to kill some specific types for his research. If Link tells Kilton he also likes monsters, or in fact "adores" them, he gets rather aggressively defensive when claiming he "loves" them more than you do.
  • Meaningful Name: His name sounds rather like the word kilter, and a rather off-kilter person he is. It may also be a pun about how his shop requires you to kill a ton of monsters for currency for his store.
  • Nightmare Face: He has a rather unnerving-looking face. One guard in the Akkala region even requests a photo of Kilton's face to determine if he is a suspicious-looking individual.
  • Nightmare Fetishist: He loves all things monstrous and creepy, to point that he has fang-like markings on his bottom lip and clawed gloves to make himself look like a monster. When promoting the Lynel mask, he states that almost getting killed by a Lynel was one of the best moments of his life.
  • The Nose Knows: His obsession is to the point he can identify a monster based on how it smells, which leads to mistaking Link for one whenever he can't see him. Probably justified, considering how many monsters Link has killed and how many of their body parts he carries around on a daily basis.



A journalist for the "Rumor Mill" publication. Despite its somewhat tabloid-y nature, it actually contains plenty of useful hints about the surrounding area. While her writings can be found at most stables, the woman herself can be encountered in person in Gerudo Town.

  • Intrepid Reporter: She travels all across Hyrule investigating various rumors and folktales. She's so intrepid that she even goes by herself to investigate the appearance of the Molduking despite the obvious danger.
  • My Nayme Is: Her name is presumably an alternate spelling of the common English name "Tracy".
  • Not What It Looks Like: Much like with Pikango, she is subject to quite a bit of distrust from the Gerudo due to both her methods of asking about recent events and their paranoia about the Yiga Clan.
  • Secret Keeper: If you talk to her during her Molduking-researching expedition wearing anything other than the Gerudo garb, she'll deduce that you were actually the "cute vai" she met in town but promise not to say anything about it.

    Mina and Mils 

Mina and Mils

A brother-and-sister duo that roams Hyrule in search of treasure.

  • Adventurer Archaeologist: They search the rubble of ruined villages and outposts in hopes of finding lost treasure.
  • And Your Reward Is Edible: They'll offer a meal to Link if he saves them.
  • Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: If Link is only responsible for 50% or less of the damage on the Bokoblins, Mina might complain about him taking his time.
  • Cute Clumsy Girl: Mina has a trip and fall animation when she's panicking during a fight. It occurs repeatedly if you can maneuver a Guardian to her position.
  • The Drag-Along: Mils clearly doesn't want to go around raiding monster-infested ruins, but Mina won't listen to his complaints.
  • The Everyman: The siblings represent what ordinary Hylians with fighting experience are like in combat. They're survivors who can wield a sword and shield, but unable to handle anything stronger than a Bokoblin.
  • Greed: They are willing to travel through endless stretches of monster-infested territory in search of treasure. In "The Champions' Ballad," their first instinct upon hearing that a precious Shrine Orb has been stolen from the Gerudo is to try to retrieve it themselves and make a quick buck off it, and they're angry at Link for using it for its intended purpose of unlocking a Shrine.
  • Know When to Fold 'Em: Mina has ruled out the possibility of invading Hyrule Castle due to the Guardians that defend it.
  • Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Their fighting style is very defense oriented when opposing Bokoblins (most likely to give Link time to bail them out).
  • Reality Ensues: They're only equipped with Traveler's swords and shields, which is low-level gear. So they struggle with any enemy that's stronger than a red bokoblin, due to their increased defense and HP - just as the player would. It's still possible for Mina and Mils to eventually triumph, assuming you're patient enough to watch.
  • Robbing the Dead: What they call treasure hunting. Link encounters them at the ruins of villages and garrisons destroyed by the Guardians.
  • Those Two Guys: They appear at several locations, usually battling Bokoblins.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Averted if Link does at least 51% of the damage on the Bokoblins, in which case it becomes And Your Reward Is Edible.
  • Victory by Endurance: If you're patient enough to watch, you'll find that Mina and her brother can usually fend for themselves. The amount of time depends on the strength of the enemy they're facing, since Mina and Mils are armed with low-level weapons and shields.



A woman who has grown a flower garden around Hila Rao Shrine on the Floret Sandbar. She will get rather upset if you walk over or otherwise damage the flowers while trying to reach the Shrine.

  • Berserk Button: If you value your life, never trample her flowers.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Trampling her beloved flowers apparently warrants being violently attacked.
  • HP to 1: Angering her three times causes her to get so ticked off that she gives Link a massive beating that reduces his health to a single heart.
  • Hypocritical Humor: Her outburst against Link is preceded by her trampling the flowers herself in her blind rage.
  • Rule of Three: You'll have to step on or damage the flowers three times to trigger her violent retribution.
  • Skewed Priorities: She's grown a flower garden in an intricate maze pattern around the shrine along Hyrule's riverbank. And she'll get angry as all Hell if anyone steps on them, even if it's done accidentally. So apparently, she doesn't care what fate befalls the rest of the kingdom, so long as no one tramples her flowers.


"You're so ancient and special, Roscoe! YES, YOU ARE!!"

A woman found on Puffer Beach with her "sweet Roscoe," actually a ball-shaped key to a shrine.

  • Admiring the Abomination: She'll ditch Roscoe if Link can show her pictures of three types of Guardians. While she'll admire the Guardians with much of the same language she used with Roscoe, she'll still acknowledges that they're too dangerous to go anywhere near. Indeed, if you manage to lure the Guardian Stalker down the beach to her location, she'll run away in terror like any other NPC.
  • Companion Cube: She treats the inanimate Roscoe like it's her lover.



So yeah, hey, the name's Bozai. I'm 35, single, and I LOVE jogging. Especially on sand.

A young man who camps outside Gerudo Town, desperate for a girlfriend. He's the one who grants Link the snow boots and sand boots.

  • Amazon Chaser: He camps outside of the home of the Gerudo, many of whom are are tall, muscular and fierce warriors.
  • Butt-Monkey: To the player. After the Disguised in Drag Link completes his missions and gets the Snow and Sand Boots, the player has no choice but to reject him. He's not even allowed to finish his sentence.
  • Expy: Being 35 years old and single, there are a few parallels with Tingle.
  • Hopeless Suitor: The Gerudo aren't that desperate for husbands, they have certain criteria they must fill. They should either be healthy, have a good work ethic, and not be obviously desperate. Bozai loafs around, is rude to anyone not a woman, and camps outside a town full of single women. He's essentially the only compatible male in Hyrule who stands no chance with them.
  • Jerkass: To Link for not being a girl. Heck, even when Link is disguised as one, he's not that nice as he gives Link missions that seem impossible just in the hopes of getting a girlfriend should Link fail. Even Link doesn't like talking to him very much, as evident by the blunt dialogue options the player is presented while disguised as a woman.
  • Pet the Dog: In his own way of being nice, he seems to notice Link being upset and asks what's wrong.
  • Put on a Bus: After Link completes his final mission for Bozai, he disappears, never to be seen again in game.



Wait a minute! Please, think about what you're doing!
"I'll stay here and chat with you for a while, if you'd like."

A man with a spear that patrols the bridge near the Great Plateau alone, in order to keep it clear of monsters.

  • Breakout Character: He's just a friendly NPC and a bit character players will likely encounter early on and then rarely afterwards. However, he became rather popular on the internet after he endeared himself to fans with his small gesture of suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
  • Easter Egg: If the player climbs onto the ledge of the bridge, Brigo will think Link is trying to commit suicide and will try to talk him down.
    You won't change the world by jumping carelessly to your doom, don't ya know!
  • Meaningful Name: Brigo is spelled awfully similar to "bridge", and that's exactly where you can find him.
    • His name also may or may not be a reference to Kevin Briggs, a police officer that talked hundreds of people out of jumping from the Golden Gate bridge in real life. Indeed, that's exactly what Brigo tries to do if he sees Link standing at the bridge's ledge.
  • Nice Guy: He watches over a bridge so he can keep it free of monsters and safe for travelers. There's every implication that he does this in his own time, with no official pay, only because it's the right thing to do.
    • There's also the whole bit where he tries to talk Link out of jumping off the bridge.
  • Video Game Cruelty Potential: When he tries to talk Link down from the ledge, there's nothing stopping you from jumping anyway in front of the poor guy. If you do, he will chew you out and say he was scared out of his wits for you (the fall is actually quite survivable).



"We of the Sheikah tribe have long been heralded as a people of great wisdom. Our technology became the key to sealing Ganon away during the Great Calamity, some ten thousand years ago. At one point, our technology was praised as the power of the gods...but eventually the people turned on it. Turned on us. Our creations came to be viewed as a threat to the kingdom."

A race of mystical humans, of indeterminate connection to the Hylians, who have been friends to the Hylian people for generations. They hold one of the first major spots of civilization that Link encounters in the wasteland of Hyrule, in their mountainous village of Kakariko.

  • All Japanese Swords Are Katanas: Their native swords, the Eightfold Blade and Eightfold Longblade, are based on curved Japanese swords, with the Eightfold Blade being a wakizashi and the Eightfold Longblade being a nodachi. The Yiga Windcleaver is also based on a nodachi.
  • Ambiguously Brown: The Sheikah are universally light-skinned with the exception of Cado's wife Rola, who has dark brown skin and black hair. She looks more like the dark skinned Hylian inhabitants of Lurelin Village.
  • And Man Grew Proud: Invoked. Centuries ago, a King of Hyrule grew fearful of the mystical prowess of the Sheikah and banished them from Hyrule. Despite this betrayal, most of the Sheikah chose to simply give up most of their magitek and live a quiet life in Kakariko — those who rejected this idea became the Yiga Clan.
  • Animal Motif: Frogs. They have numerous statues of frogs surrounding their village. Some of them even have trays where Link can offer food tribute.
  • Ascended Extra: The Sheikah were notably obscure despite being around since their debut as a race in Ocarina of Time. Impa (or Impaz) was the only Sheikah that appeared in many games, and was often stated to be the last of her kind. In Breath of the Wild, not only does the lore of the Sheikah expand greatly, but the rest of the Sheikah tribe finally appear for the first time ever. They even get an Evil Counterpart in the form of the Yiga Clan.
  • Culture Chop Suey: They're mainly based on Jomon-era Japan, but one of their main crops is the pumpkin, a New World plant.
  • Edible Theme Naming: All of the present day members of the clan (with the exceptions of Impa and Robbie) are named after fruits. The Shrine Monks however don't follow this pattern at all.
  • Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Sheikah are very Japanese in theme this time around, their monks resemble Japanese Buddhist mummies, their swords resemble katanas, their bows resemble yumi, their spears resemble sasumata, and they favor eating their meals with Hylian Rice. Even the Guardians are made to resemble Jomon Pottery.
  • Flawed Prototype: The Sheikah-made Royal Guard set of weapons are noted to be more powerful than the traditional Hylian Royal weapons, but they were also built with critical design flaws, explaining their lack of durability.
  • Hidden Badass:
    • It's implied their techniques are similar or identical to the Yiga. You'd never imagine it from observing how peaceful and fun loving they are, but Maz Koshia can do all of the Yiga's tricks and then some.
    • The food store regularly stocks and sells Bokoblin Guts. This implies they can eat one of the most notorious monsters in Hyrule, and something not even Link can make a decent meal out of at that. Said store owner is an old lady, and if you buy her entire supply of Bokoblin Guts, will go out and restock after the next Blood Moon. Bokoblin Guts don't grow on trees.
  • Katanas Are Just Better: Averted. While their traditional swords are the curved Eightfold Blade (a one-handed wakizashi) and Eightfold Longblade (a two-handed katana), the former isn't much stronger than the common Soldier's Broadsword, and the latter, while a very good weapon, is still outclassed by several others, even the Hylian Knight's Claymore.
  • Laser Blade: Their Ancient tech produced laser-bladed swords, axes, and spears and even energy shields.
  • Long-Lived: Sheikah can live a lot longer than Hylians can, and there are a number of elders in Kakariko who were actually there when Calamity Ganon devastated Hyrule a century before. Even older still are the Shrine Monks, who go back ten thousand years to the time of the Great Calamity. Unlike with the Zora, though, it's considered relatively uncommon for them to live past 150.Kass's teacher is explicitly said to have been around Zelda's age (17 years) before the Calamity, yet he died of natural causes by the time Link meets Kass a century later.
  • Lost Technology: Although Impa explains that they chose to give up most of their magical technology, it's implied that even if they wanted to reverse that decision, the generations of technological absence before the rise of Calamity Ganon and the subsequent destruction of Hyrule has made it impossible for them to revive their old materials, although Purah and Robbie are striving to reverse that.
  • Mystical White Hair: While seen on incarnations of Impa before, this game reveals that most Sheikah have natural white hair, not just her.
  • Mythology Gag: The Sheikah Armor suit is almost the spitting image of Sheik's outfit from Ocarina of Time, just with a different hairstyle and face-mask (and you can get the classic face-mask with amiibo).
  • Neglectful Precursors: Subverted. Ten thousand years ago, they built an army of nigh-unstoppable, semi-autonomous robots, successfully defeating Ganon with them. They never installed any kind of supernatural antivirus measures on the Divine Beasts and Guardians, which leads to the Great Calamity when Ganon took over the machines the next time they were used millennia later. However, the Sheikah never got to work further on the Divine Beasts and Guardians, because, seeing the technology's power, the King of Hyrule banished the Sheikah and buried their machines for fear that they would be turned against Hyrule. Because of this, eons later, this very fear comes to pass, utterly devastating the kingdom.
  • Ninja: The Sheikah's armor set resembles ninja gear, complete with a Cool Mask. This set, of course, gives Link bonuses to stealth, and the complete suit, when the three parts have all been upgraded at least twice, increases Link's speed at night.
  • Precursors: The Sheikah created all of the magitek that Link discovers in the game, from Laser Blade and Energy Shield weapons to his Sheikah Slate to the Guardians and Divine Beasts. This was all made 10,000 years ago.
  • Shoddy Knockoff Product: The Royal Guard's Sword is a Sheikah-made replica of the Master Sword that has the same low durability of the other Royal Guard weapons.
  • Shrines and Temples: Impa's house is a cross between temple and town hall. At the base of the stairs leading to the building are a row of Sheikah prayer statues, and inside the house is a confession book the villagers write their concerns in. Though she doesn't wear the traditional outfit, Paya's daily routine is the same as an ordinary Miko and she has tattoo Facial Markings only seen on ancient Sheikah monks.
  • The Slow Path: Impa, Purah, and Robbie spent the past century setting things up for the final battle against Calamity Ganon while waiting for Link to emerge from the Slumber of Resurrection. So did Kass's teacher, though unlike those three he sadly died before he could see the fruits of his efforts.
  • Tribe of Priests: More so than in previous games. They have a large number of self-mummified monks who wait meditating in the Shrines to give Link a Spirit Orb while blessing him in the name of the Goddess Hylia. Paya is also the only character in the present besides retired priest Kapson to be depicted undertaking any sort of religious activities.
  • Unexplained Recovery: In previous Zelda games, the tribe was said to be dying out, with Impa herself often being the last of her tribe. Despite the massive Time Skip, said to be far after any current game in the series, the Sheikah tribe is fine and dandy for the first time in the series. The only possible explanation for the race's recovery may be interbreeding with the Hylians.
  • You ALL Look Familiar: Averted. While there are a handful of exceptions, each Sheikah Non-Player Character villager has something that makes their appearance different from another: such as facial features, hair, or attire. Everyone even has their own name.
  • Wutai: Kakariko Village resembles a feudal Japanese village.


"It's been a long time... Link. I am much older now, but you remember me, don't you?"

Voiced by: Showko Tsuda (Japanese), Andi Gibson (English), Yolanda Vidal (Mexican Spanish), María Luisa Magaña (European Spanish), Silke Matthias (German)

The elder of the Sheikah tribe, in her youth one hundred years ago, Impa was an adviser to the royal court of Hyrule. When Link was at death's door, it is Impa and her sister who sealed him within the Shrine of Resurrection under Zelda's orders.

  • Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Impa eventually gets fed up with Paya's bashfulness and Link pestering Paya to tell him where her birthmark is, and tells him where it is herself. Paya is utterly mortified.
  • Ancient Keeper: Impa plays the role well, guarding secrets meant for Link for the past hundred years; of course, this isn't even the oldest Impa in the series or even the oldest Sheikah in the game.
  • Facial Markings: She has the Sheikah eye tattooed on her forehead, much like the Shrine Monks and her granddaughter, although Impa's is the traditional Sheikah purple instead of red (Paya and Monks wearing face veils) or white (Monks with bare faces).
  • The Good Chancellor: She was adviser to the Royal Court back before Calamity Ganon struck a hundred years ago.
  • Legacy Character: She shares her name with various other women who have served as caretakers and advisers to their Zelda.
  • Miniature Senior Citizen: She is absolutely tiny, sitting on a large stack of pillows to even be eye level with Link, who is not very tall himself. Strangely, she's unique in this, as other ancients from the same period are still quite normal looking.
  • Ms. Exposition: As is traditional for Impa. She gives details about the backstory concerning Calamity Ganon, the Divine Beasts, and the Champions that the Old Man left out during his own bit of exposition on the Great Plateau. She's also the one who first points you in the direction of the spots where Link can recover his memories and get even more backstory.
  • My Greatest Failure: Being the leader of the Sheikah tribe who helped unearth and research the Divine Beasts and the Guardians, she feels responsible for the deaths of the Champions and all the others.
  • Ninja: Impa is the current leader of the Sheikah, an ancient clan of ninja-like warriors who serve the Goddess Hylia and the Royal Family, and in her youth was a skilled warrior herself.
  • No Doubt the Years Have Changed Me: How she greets Link, as seen in the quote accompanying her picture above. Link has lost too many memories to recognize her in any capacity, however.
  • Retired Badass: It is implied Impa was much mightier in her youth compared to her feeble appearance now, having fought in the Great Calamity and been the one who brought Link to the Shrine of Resurrection. True to form, if Link swings a weapon at her she will do a Non Chalant Dodge and call him a fool instead of cowering like most NPCs.
  • Shipper on Deck: Even though she's aware of Zelda's feelings for Link, it doesn't stop her from helping Paya gain a lead in the race.
    • Her revelation of Paya's birthmark location coincides after a diary entry where Paya asks Impa why thinking about Link causes her temperature to rise and heart to beat erratically. She's trying to get her granddaughter to shed the Shrinking Violet persona around Link. Before she knew of Paya's desire for Link, Impa would abruptly ask Link not to pry further about the birthmark.
    • She's the first to suggest that Link stay overnight and keep Paya company after her granddaughter suffered Break the Cutie from the Shrine Orb being stolen from their home.
  • Telepathy: She seems to have this ability, albeit to a much lesser extent than Zelda, as she is able to sense when the Champions and their Divine Beasts have been freed.



"You may already know this, but although Impa looks a looooot older than me, she's actually my little sister."

Voiced by: Kate Higgins (English), Lupita Leal (Mexican Spanish)

Impa's elder sister, a magitek researcher dedicated to reawakening the ancient technology of the Sheikah. Despite being chronologically older than Impa, a reverse-aging experiment has left her with the body of a little girl.

  • Adorably Precocious Child: Zigzagged. She looks and acts the part, but she's Really 700 Years Old.
  • Catchphrase: "Snap!"
  • Child Hater: The people in Hateno Village say that Purah really doesn't like kids, which is why they're understandably confused by the rumors that there is a young girl living at her lab now.
  • Edible Theme Naming: Harder to tell than most of the others but it's an odd pronunciation of the word "Pear".
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: She named the Sheikah Slate because it is just that, a tablet crafted by the Sheikah Tribe. Zelda even says in her research notes that it's a bit on the nose.
  • Fountain of Youth: She's over 120 years old, but an age-reversing Rune experiment Gone Horribly Right regressed her into a child.
  • Genki Girl: She's a very energetic and showy character with quite a few theatrical character tics, at several points chiding the stoic Link for not playing along with her sense of fun. It's implied, based on a brief bit of dialogue with Jerrin, that she retained this personality even as a centenarian pre-Fountain of Youth.
  • Gone Horribly Right: She wanted to create an age-reversing Rune that she could use to restore Hyrule's population of Old Soldiers back to their youthful vigor and health. It worked all too well, quickly reverting her to the physical form of a 6-year-old.
  • I Was Quite the Looker: Many the love-desperate Hylian speculates, while discussing the "beauties" in Hateno Village, that Purah was once a "looker" when she was younger. We never see Purah when she was a young adult, though.
  • Little Big Sister: She's actually older than Impa, but due to her Rune experiment, she resembles a child.
  • Mad Scientist: Purah is more than a little outrageous in her experimentation.
  • The Mind Is a Plaything of the Body: Subverted. She does keep her memories and mind from her older self, but her personality fits her new younger age. However, she always seemed to have that personality to begin with, as while she once quietly muttered "I wonder if this is what young girls do these days?" during her introduction to Link, several people say she was naturally energetic, despite having last seen them long before her accident. One of her former students, Jerrin, even does an impression of her including some of the same behavior. Lastly, her voiced dialogue in "The Champions' Ballad" as she coaches the Champions into better positions for the picture (i.e. back when she was in her 20s) is done in a very bubbly and energetic manner, and she also does her signature "Click, snap!"
  • Professor Guinea Pig: When she finally had her Age-Reversal Rune prototype done, she naturally decided she should test it on herself.
  • Rapunzel Hair: While she doesn't have it presently, according to her diary, she boasted a head of thick, floor-length hair when her anti-aging rune was first taking effect, reverting her to her early 50s.
  • Really 700 Years Old: More so than the other elder Sheikah, as she looks like a fresh-faced 6-year-old girl despite being over 120 years old.
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: While Impa is a fairly serious and reserved character who focuses on the spiritual traditions of Sheikah culture and who has a granddaughter, Purah is an energetic and showy character who focuses more on the scientific traditions of Sheikah culture and who doesn't seem to have started a family of her own (implied based on dialogue with people in Hateno Village to be because she is a Child Hater).
  • Smart People Wear Glasses: She's a really good scientist, and has the glasses to prove it. Mechanical glasses that can look in the same direction as her eyes. Combined with her 6-year old body, it makes her look really adorable.
  • Suddenly Voiced: The base game has her only speak in text, with Voice Grunting thrown in. However, she gets full voice acting in "The Champions' Ballad" DLC, but while we don't see her onscreen, her "Click, snap!" is a dead giveaway towards her identity.
  • Troll: She likes to mess with people's heads for kicks.
    • When Link is trying to find the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab's director, Purah points towards Symin and claims to be his assistant. When Symin clears up the confusion for Link, Purah proudly introduces herself and rhetorically asks if Link was surprised by her appearance.
    • Purah will know if Link read her secret diary upstairs and is not happy about it. She punishes Link by deleting all of the Sheikah Slate features... only to reveal that she didn't and was only making the sound of Slate's system update to make it seem she did just to get a rise out of Link.



Purah's assistant who helps you with the camera based features of your Sheikah Slate.


"Well... My name is Paya. Th-the reason I was named Paya is because I have a birthmark shaped like a papaya seed..."

Impa's granddaughter, she takes care of Impa's duties in her old age.

  • Adorkable: She has such a schoolgirl crush on Link that she can barely compose herself when he's near her. If he shows up without any clothes, or asks any questions about her, her extreme shyness causes to cover her face... while sneaking peeks at him.
  • Blush Sticker: She always has them whenever Link interacts with her.
  • Break the Cutie: The poor girl breaks down after the shrine orb was stolen by a Yiga Clan member. Once you use the ball to unlock the shrine, she's back to her shy self. The theft distraught Paya on multiple levels. The shrine orb was an artifact her bloodline safeguarded for 10,000 years. She was the first to lose it. Her research about the orb had just revealed it was the key to unlocking a hidden shrine near the village. That meant the loss negatively impacted the man she was hopeless in love with. Only someone in the village could have stolen the orb, as no one outside knew it existed, breaking her unwavering trust of the community. Last but not least, as a Sheikah she's presumably trained in Ninja techniques. For someone to steal something from her home put doubt on her abilities, and she begged Link to stay overnight in fear the thief would return.
  • Distinguishing Mark: She was named after her papaya-shaped birthmark, though if asked where it is, she'll stammer that she'll tell Link where it is someday but not that day. Impa claims it's on her left butt cheek.
  • Eating the Eye Candy: Everything about Link causes her to go weak in the knees. His hair and ears draw her attention, but she especially drowns herself in his eyes. If he talks to her without a shirt, she will hide her face and stammer he needs to dress himself, while sneaking glances at him every few seconds.
  • Edible Theme Naming: She was named Paya because she has a birthmark resembling a papaya. She uses 'Papaya' as an alias in the town's Journal of Various Worries.
  • Emotionally Tongue-Tied: She gets so flustered at Link's presence when they first meet that she can barely even tell him her name.
    Paya: "As for me, my name is Pa... Paaa... Paaay... Oh! My name is Paya! Phew! I got it out... I know I should be able to say that easily, seeing as how it's my own name and all. I'm so... sorry."
  • Establishing Character Moment: The first thing she exclaims when Link suddenly appears in front of her for the first time is, "A MAN?!", while bashfully hiding her face.
  • Everyone Can See It: It seems everyone in Kakariko Village except Paya can tell just how smitten she is with Link. When she tries to get some medicine after falling "ill" with love, Impa and the two guards outside their house simply chuckle knowingly.
  • Expy: Direct descendant of the elder of the clan? A ninja? Incredibly bashful? Massive crush on the blonde protagonist? She's clearly a homage to Hinata Hyuuga.
  • Facial Markings: Possessing unwavering piety for her ancestry, she has the Sheikah emblem tattooed upon her forehead and nose, imparting a subtle Third Eye motif.
  • Hair Decorations: She wears an ornamental pair of red hairpins in her bun.
  • Hereditary Hairstyle: She has her sideburns tied up in a way identical to her grandmother's.
  • Hopeless Suitor: Downplayed. Paya never attempts to court Link because she only has a vague understanding of her feelings for him. While, at the same, being keenly aware that Link and Princess Zelda are close to one another. One of her diary entries has her wonder if they're in a relationship and says she'd fine with it if they were.
  • Hypocritical Humor: She'll suggest that Link get some sleep if she is spoken to late at night, noting that "Staying up late can't be great for your health." She nevertheless does so herself, staying up until the pre-dawn morning hours and only sleeping about two hours.
  • The Ingenue: She's never interacted with a male her age (there isn't one in the village), and therefore has zero experience at romance. Her innocence at not understanding she's fallen in love with Link is adorable.
  • The Insomniac: She spends so much time fulfilling not only her own duties but Impa's as well that she rarely has any time to sleep.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Paya ponders in her diary if Link is in love with the Princess, and despite her feelings for him, admits it would be a good match and would make her happy despite the heartache.
  • Love at First Sight: From the moment Link appeared on her doorstep, she never understands why his appearance and heroics won't stop running through her mind. She even dreams about Link during the limited amount of sleep she finds.
  • Love Before First Sight: Downplayed. She was raised on tales of Link's heroism and his coming reawakening, and upon meeting him for the first time deems him "the very picture of the hero I always imagined," but it wasn't until actually seeing him in-person that she becomes truly enamored with him.
  • Parental Abandonment: Her parents are not present in Kakariko Village, and neither she nor anyone else mention them. She was presumably raised by her grandmother.
  • Shipper on Deck: Despite her own crush on Link, she ships him with Princess Zelda, seeing them as a good match.
  • Ship Tease: Her interactions with Link is dripping with it, as she can't contain her affections for him. She admits she can't get her mind off of the hero, and worries that Link is already in a relationship with Zelda.
  • Shrinking Violet: Oh so much. She gets embarrassed and shy incredibly easily for many reasons. For example, Link standing too close (or within ten feet of her), Link not wearing a shirt, being asked about the birthmark she was named after, the list goes on. It slightly goes away, in that she stops getting embarrassed at some of Link's more benign questions, after Link spends the day protecting her from the Yiga clan after they steal the Shrine Orb out of her and Impa's house, though she will still get flustered at the above instances.
  • Single Girl Seeks Most Popular Guy: She's a shy village girl with a schoolgirl crush on the legendary Hero of Hyrule. No pressure there.
  • Single Woman Seeks Good Man: As shown in her diary, she develops a big crush on Link.
  • Smitten Teenage Girl: She develops a crush on Link because of stories told about the legendary hero, and discovers he is exactly as handsome and competent as she hoped.
  • Statuesque Stunner: She's One Head Taller than Link, and she's adorable.
  • What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: When Paya is distraught over her crush on Link, she believes she has contracted some sort of illness.


"Well, my wife left me today. The last thing she said to me was, 'What's more important, the Cuccos or me?!' I chose the Cuccos."

A Sheikah bodyguard of Impa's household. On his time off, he also tends to a flock of Cuccos and has become so obsessed with that it led to an estrangement with his wife and owner of the Curious Quiver, Rola.

  • Archer Archetype: He is stated to be a skilled archer, and has bow and arrow with him. However, he is more preoccupied with his Cuccos than practicing his skills, a fact that his wife Rola despises.
  • Bow and Sword, in Accord: He is also equipped with a sword along with his bow and arrow, and he pulls out his sword should Link wildly swing his weapon around.
  • Edible Theme Naming: Avocado.
  • Foil: To Dorian. Cado is a guy who ruined his family life because of his Cucco obsession and has sharper facial features, while Dorian is a staunch family man with rounder facial features.
  • Mr. Exposition: Of all those who fills in Link about the Sheikah and Yiga Clan conflict, Cado offers the best details of that history.
  • Room Full of Crazy: Visit his house and you'll find his walls are plastered with Cucco posters and drawings.
  • Serious Business: He's so serious about taking care of the Cuccos that it has resulted in him being estranged from his wife.


Dorian and his two daughters, Cottla and Koko

A Sheikah bodyguard of Impa's house. On his time off he also takes care of his two daughters by himself.

  • Category Traitor: Because he left the Yiga Clan, he is considered as a traitor by them.
  • Defecting for Love: His wife is the reason why he decided to change his ways and leave the Yiga Clan.
  • Defector from Decadence: He was a former member of the Yiga Clan.
  • Edible Theme Naming: His name is only one letter off from Durian.
  • I Did What I Had to Do: He gave away information regarding Link and Kakariko Village in exchange to keep his children safe. Unfortunately, the Yiga thought otherwise, and sent a Blademaster to deal with him.
  • Papa Wolf: The main reason for his personal grudge against the Yiga Clan. They murdered his wife after his defection, and along these lines, he wanted to avenge her for his children's sake.
  • Regretful Traitor: Although he left the Yiga Clan, he still leaks information to them in order to protect his children (and later Impa and Paya) from their blades. After Link saves him from the Yiga Blademaster, Dorian regrets his spy stint and swears to sever all ties with the Yiga Clan.
  • Secret Keeper: He's one of three people who knows of the Great Fairy who protects their village, and actively tries to keep her fountain's location a secret from outsiders. On the flip side, Link becomes this to him after learning he's an ex-Yiga.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: He's a minor character, sure. But his backstory reveals how much of a threat and a Card-Carrying Villain the Yiga Clan is.
  • Walking Spoiler: Before completing "The Stolen Heirloom" quest, you are given the impression that he is just a simple guard NPC.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Yiga Clan considers him this.

    Cottla and Koko 

Cottla and Koko

The two daughters of Dorian and his deceased wife. Cottla prefers to play games with Link and while Koko is learning how to cook for her family.

  • Edible Theme Naming: Apricot and Coconut.
  • invokedHe's Just Hiding!: A particularly heartbreaking example with Cottla. Inspired by her father's stories and unaware that her mother is gone, she spends every morning playing hide-and-seek with her on the hill overlooking the village.
  • Identical Stranger: Cottla bears a certain resemblance to Cotera, the Great Fairy who lives near the village and a figure of whom her father is quite protective, in addition to both of them having similar names. If there's any meaning to this, it's not addressed in the game proper.
  • Promotion to Parent: Due to the death of Dorian's wife, Koko tries her hardest to act as a mother toward her younger sister.
  • Supreme Chef: Their mother apparently was. Koko is trying her hardest to follow in her footsteps, which Link can assist in by bringing the ingredients she needs for her recipes.
  • Third-Person Person: Koko, for whatever reason.


"I hear it's breathtakingly beautiful."

"As for me, I just looove art. In fact, I'm traveling in the world in search of beautiful landscapes."

A painter who's very well traveled; if you find the first Great Fairy Spring for him, he will help you find memory locations.

  • Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: He's an old painter who has his greying hair in a ponytail so that it looks like a large white paintbrush with some black ink on its tip.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: The people of Kakariko Village didn't trust him because he's an outsider. So he befriends Link for listening to his story about the Great Fairy fountain that was said to be hidden in the forest surrounding the village. Once Link helps him find it, Pikango returns the favor ten-fold by helping Link find the locations shown in Zelda's pictographs.
  • Birds of a Feather: He regards Link as a fellow traveler and for their mutual appreciation of beautiful landscapes, which is why Pikango says he became a painter.
  • Bold Explorer: Pikango travelled across much of Hyrule in his youth, which is why he's familiar with each of the vistas seen in Zelda's photos.
  • Cool Old Guy: Despite having already seen much of Hyrule, he still travels the continent in search of new vistas for his paintings. He also helps Link by pointing him toward each location associated with his lost memories.
  • Hero of Another Story: He's quite the traveler, able to go nearly anywhere Link can — even Death Mountain, and is traveled enough to help Link regain his memories.
  • Meaningful Name:
    • Pikango could easily be for "Pic and go", "Pic" being short for "Picture". He's a traveling artist who also gives you hints to where you should go to find memory locations based on the pictures you show him.
    • It may also be a play on Pablo Picasso's name, who was a world reknowned Spanish painter.
  • Not What It Looks Like: Invoked. When you first meet him at Kakariko Village, he laments that though he just wants to see the beautiful Great Fairy said to reside somewhere nearby, his methods of asking the locals about her (coupled with their paranoia about the Yiga Clan) fueled their existing distrust for him as a stranger, and so now nobody will tell him where she is. You have to find her for him before he will offer you his help.
  • Terrible Artist: You can view what he's painting on the canvas and it's rather unimpressive for someone who's been a painter his entire adult life. You'll see much better paintings hanging on the walls of various homes and within Hyrule Castle.
  • Took a Shortcut: He will always arrive at certain locations near memory spots before Link. Considering Pikango's introductory sidequest establishes him as having a hard time getting around due to old age, this trope stands out in his case.


"I am the lead Guardian researcher and director of the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. Doctooooor... Robbie!"

A Sheikah scientist, and one of Purah's former colleagues, who's set up home at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.

  • Absurdly Elderly Mother: Robbie was in his 90s when his son was born.
  • Aerith and Bob: Among a race with many exotic-sounding names, Robbie sticks out among the Sheikah for having a relatively mundane name.
  • Bunny-Ears Lawyer: As ridiculous as he is, his weapons are top-notch, with some of the best damage output of any weapon class and being able to tear Guradians to shreds. A well-placed shot from one of his arrows is enough to kill a Guardian instantly, and against any other (non-boss) enemy it seemingly sucks them into a black hole, instantly destroying them. According to his diary, he's also quite adept at dispatching hostile Guardians and put down several on the trek to establish his lab. He also makes Link prove his identity by stripping down to his undies to show off his scars.
  • Captain Ersatz: He looks bizarrely similar to Desty Nova, and his personality isn't too far off, either.
  • Cargo Ship: In-Universe, with an 'ancient oven' that can refine ancient weaponry and armor, and which was initially named after his first love. This bothered his wife Jerrin to the point he downgraded Cherry's abilities (and name) for her sake despite the fact that she initially built the upgrades herself to help him.
  • Large Ham: He frenquently EMPHASIZES certain important words in ALL CAPS as if he were SCREAMING them, and his INTRODUCTION has him shuffle a bit and POSE, with a guitar riff playing in the background.
  • The Lost Lenore: His original name for the ancient oven was Cherry, after his first love.
  • Mad Scientist: Maybe not mad, but he's certainly out there, and specializes in advanced technology. Some travelers even describe him as the trope name verbatim.
  • May–December Romance: There's at least a 50-year age gap between Robbie and his current wife.
  • Miniature Senior Citizen: Like Impa, he's old but tiny.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: His reaction when he realized how using "Cherry" as an assistant, in addition to considering her namesake, was hurting his wife by making her feel replaced and unwanted and his motivation behind downgrading the Ancient Oven to it's current state as he couldn't stand how he unwittingly caused Jerrin's hard work to cause her pain.
  • Named After Somebody Famous: His name is a short version of Robin, who was such a big fan of the series that he named his daughter "Zelda" after it.
  • No Hero Discount: Justified. The Hyrulean government's collapse 100 years ago cut Robbie off from the funding needed for his research, so to get by he needs Link to pay him for ancient weapons.
  • Reassigned to Antarctica: His lab is located in the deepest corner of Akkala, a wild and remote region. He's not there by choice: He and Purah drew straws and he lost, leaving him to take over research in the hostile wilderness while Purah stayed in the outskirts of cozy Hateno Village.
  • Ultimate Blacksmith: While not a blacksmith per se, Robbie's ancient oven allows him to create ancient weapons and armor for Link, only requiring raw materials (and research funds). This equipment is among the best in the game, especially the Ancient Arrows.
  • Wacky Parent, Serious Child: With his son Granté, who is much more laid back and awkward than he is, given Robbie's penchant for acting like a wannabe rock star Mad Scientist.

    Shrine Monks 

Shrine Monks
"May the Goddess smile upon you."

Sheikah monks serving the Goddess Hylia, entombed within the various shrines across Hyrule.

  • Ambiguous Situation: Neither the words "dead" nor "alive" are ever applied to them, leaving it unclear if they're still alive in very deep meditation, or spirits tethered to their dead bodies until they can pass on. This may be deliberate, as real Buddhist monks who practiced sokushinbutsu (self-mummification) are still seen as alive in meditation by their followers, despite scientifically being viewed as long past clinically dead. Maz Koshia makes this even more confusing by standing up and fighting like a master. Is he undead? Still alive and reawakened? A spirit with unique control over his old body? Never clarified.
  • Arc Symbol: Several of the monks are posed making triangular hand signs in reverence of the Triforce.
  • Body Horror: They're mummies that have, presumably, been living beneath Hyrule for over 10,000 years.
  • Creepy Good: They look kind of like dark-skinned; shriveled-up Yodas, but they're there to give Link what he needs in order to complete his quest.
  • Disappears into Light: When they finish talking with Link, they disperse into motes of ghostly light. Just like the centuries-old Impa did at the end of Skyward Sword.
  • Eyes Always Shut: The monks with visible faces have closed eyes, emphasizing a meditative state.
  • Facial Markings: All of them have the Sheikah sigil painted on their foreheads. Many other monks like Kalm Yu'ogh and Kaam Ya'tak take this further by having a white cloth with the sigil on it draped in front of their faces as well.
  • Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Sheikah continue their tradition of Japanese influence, this time resembling a sect of Japanese Buddhist monks who have undergone the Sokushinbutsu ritual to become living mummies in order to attain enlightenment.
  • Gadgeteer Genius: All of them designed and built the shrines they were entombed in, designing a number of magitek traps and tests.
  • Master Swordsman: Ta'loh Naeg, the monk of Kakariko Village, is stated to have been a great sword teacher before he was enshrined as a mummy. His trial consists of him teaching Link the more advanced aspects of combat through a Guardian Scout (i.e. Perfect Dodge, Flurry Rush, and Parrying).
  • Mummy: They resemble Buddhist mummies that have gone through ritual self-mummification.
  • Nice Hat: Some of the monks have large Japanese-style straw hats.
  • The Noseless: They are so desiccated that all that is left of their noses is the nasal aperture.
  • Nothing but Skin and Bones: They are shriveled to the point where they have no noses and their bones are clearly visible through their skin.
  • Religion Is Magic: In the grand Zelda tradition, the monks' connection and devotion to the gods, in this case, the Goddess Hylia, gives them magical powers.
  • Significant Anagram: Many of the monks' names are anagrams of the people involved in the making of the game. For example, Oman Au is an anagram of Eiji Aonuma's last name.
  • Theme Naming: All of the monks have two-part names of some common language, probably as a tradition of their order. While it's not stated, their names seem to be compound rather than a first-name last-name situation, given the general lack of last names in the series and the more religious tone of having one name.
  • Time Abyss: As revealed in the story, the Sheikah shrines were made during the era when the Guardians and Divine Beasts were made — ten thousand years ago.

    Maz Koshia
"Let us begin."

A powerful Sheikah monk who was entombed within the Final Trial. After giving Link a series of trials across Hyrule, he personally tests Link's mettle in a final duel to test if he is worthy of the Master Cycle Zero.

  • The Ace: All the Sheikah monks are extremely impressive, as they manage to continue meditating and retain the ability of telepathic speech even 10,000 years into the present day. But Maz Koshia is the only one who's so strong he can still use his physical body and even fight with it. Furthermore, while all the other monks hold on just long enough to give Link a Spirit Orb before passing on, Maz Koshia sticks around to meditate even after fighting Link at full power, and has enough strength left to rematch him whenever he wants. He's what you get when combine the full range of mystical abilities one develops through 10,000 years of meditation with a body so strong that it can still use them after all that time.
  • Bait-and-Switch: When you reach him at the end of the Final Trial, he gives the typical shrine monk spiel congratulating you for reaching the end goal. But when it gets to the part where he says "In the name of the Goddess Hylia," his fingers start twitching, he stands up, and he says he has one final test to offer before teleporting you both to an arena above the Great Plateau.
  • Badass Grandpa: He's among the oldest people still in Hyrule and the only one of the monks still capable of movement, speech without telepathy and even combat, all of which are incredibly improbable for a millennia-old mummy. His fight's difficulty also surpasses the Final Boss itself, and he oversees the strongest Divine Beast's ownership.
  • Bonus Boss: He is the final challenge of "The Champions' Ballad" DLC scenario. You are likely quite powerful by the time you fight him, and once the fight starts you're given back the upgraded Champion powers you got before his dungeon...and he's still the hardest boss in the game.
  • Bow and Sword, in Accord: He uses both a Phrenic Bow with the Fire, Ice, and Shock Arrows and a Guardian Sword.
  • Cool Old Guy: He's devoted to his cause, will rematch Link whenever he wants, and even takes time to enjoy some bananas during their fight if Link brings them. He's also faster and more magically-gifted than Link himself, not to mention able to cross blades with him. This in spite of Maz Koshia's body being totally emaciated and likely physically dead while Link is still physically 17.
  • Delicious Distraction: If Link drops Mighty Bananas on the ground, he will stop everything and go straight for them, hinting at where the Yiga's love came from. However, It Only Works Once.
  • Dishing Out Dirt: He can use the same spell the Yiga Blademasters use, conjuring a fissure of earth to attack Link. These ones are larger, and can only be escaped by riding the updraft they create.
  • Doppelgänger Attack: The second phase of his fight has him conjure up a large number of shadow clones to attack and distract you. While a Maz Koshia may break off to snipe you from above the rest of the group, it isn't even guaranteed to be the real one. The Camera rune will show which one is real, but surrounded by enemies, it's not the safest thing to use.
  • Eye Beams: A variant. The cloth that covers his face has the Eye of Truth symbol of the Sheikah on it, and he can use a spell to fire a laser from it like a Guardian.
  • Extra-ore-dinary: The third phase of his boss fight involves firing balls of spiked metal at Link.
  • Final-Exam Boss: He takes several elements from other battles in the game such as the Yiga Footsoldiers, Yiga Blademasters, Thunderblight Ganon, Master Kohga, Hinox, and the Guardians.
  • Giant Foot of Stomping: For the final phase of his boss fight, he will do this to Link as one of his primary attacks while tossing regular-size clones at him.
  • Go for the Eye: In addition to successfully countering his attacks during his giant phase, hitting the eye on his face veil three times can also stun him and bring him down to the ground.
  • Good Counterpart: There are parallels between Maz Koshia and Master Kohga. The two have similar names, both have face coverings that leave their eye symbols as the only "face" they present, each uses spiked balls in their attacks, and while each subverts expectations, they do so in opposite ways. Kohga is built up as a tremendous threat but turns out to be a comical joke and a very easy boss, while Maz Koshia presents himself as a humble monk like all the rest before turning out to be the trickiest boss in the game. Maz Koshia also serves as a counterpart to the general Yiga forces, being an agile Sheikah warrior with (among other things) the teleportation, archery, and earth mastery of Yiga Footsoldiers and Blademasters. Of course, the Yiga only have these techniques because they were devised by the Sheikah they used to be a part of, and Maz Koshia may well be one of the first to use them. In short, compared to the Yiga Clan and Master Kohga, he's the real deal.
  • Hand Seals: Maz Koshia does hand signs as a Magical Gesture to cast his spells.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: His two metal ball attacks during the giant phase echo previous bosses, backfires included. One will have him tossing spiked balls at you before electrifying them, but you can use Magnesis to hold one up to him, and he'll end up shocking himself, like Thunderblight Ganon and his metal rods. His other attack has him rolling spiked balls across the arena as he tilts it around, but grabbing one with Magnesis and beating him with it a few times can stun him, much like Master Kohga's fight.
  • I Choose to Stay: He is the only monk in the game that doesn't pass on after his duty is fulfilled, seeing fit to remain in meditation under the Shrine of Resurrection. In addition, speaking to him after finishing his trial will have him accept another battle with you, as many times as you like.
  • It Only Works Once: Like the Yiga Clan enemies, he can be distracted by dropping Mighty Bananas onto the arena. Unlike the Yiga Clan, however, this only works the first time you drop the bananas; try it a second time, and he'll ignore them.
  • Laser Blade: He wields a Guardian Sword in Reverse Grip for the beginning of the fight.
  • Leitmotif: His battle theme is based around the background of the Shrine Battle theme used for Guardian Scouts.
  • Levitating Lotus Position: He does this to move around for the third phase of his boss fight, and briefly does so to clone himself before the second phase.
  • Old Master: He's an ancient Shiekah Monk who built the Shrine guarding the Divine Beast: Master Cycle Zero. He also has access to a huge number of abilities including swordplay, laser beams, gigantification, duplication and steel orb projectiles. In the case of the orbs, it's actually a version of Master Kohga's attack from the Yiga Clan, implying Maz Koshia or his fellow Shiekah are actually the progenitors of the technique. And of course, Maz Koshia himself is far older than any of the characters in the game, explaining his intense mastery of his techniques.
  • Kung-Fu Wizard: He is accomplished in both martial techniques and sorcery, as well as being a master of Sheikah technology.
  • Me's a Crowd: In the second phase of his fight, he will begin to conjure copies of himself to fight you, forcing you to find the real one to damage him.
  • Not Quite Flight: In addition to his regular floating, if led off the battle platform he will walk on the air as if there is an invisible surface beneath his feet.
  • Not So Above It All: He is as vigilant as any of the other monks, but he will still get distracted if you drop bananas, eating them gleefully.
  • Paper Talisman: His teleportation has the same visual effect as that used by the Yiga, emblazoned with the eye symbol. However, since the two factions' symbols are the same but inverted, the talismans work for both— Maz Koshia's can just be seen as oriented the other way.
  • Power Glows: The Sheikah eye symbol on his face mask glows orange to signify how powerful he is, and goes out whenever he's stunned.
  • Religious Bruiser: He is an ancient mummified Sheikah monk dedicated to serving Hylia, but he is also a powerful warrior, able to reanimate with full strength centuries after his mummification.
  • Shock and Awe: He will use electric magic in several phases of his fight, including Shock Arrows and electrified spike balls.
  • Size Shifter: In the final phase of his fight, he will use his powers to grow to a tremendous size.
  • Smoke Out: Like the Yiga Clan members, he can vanish in a puff of smoke and Paper Talismans. Of course, it was a Sheikah technique first.
  • Suddenly Voiced: All of the Sheikah monks' speech was vocalized by ethereal moaning from the beyond, signifiying their spirits being greater than their bodies, Maz Koshia included. However, when he re-animates and starts to fight, he grunts and groans and the voice is clearly coming from his body.
  • Supernatural Floating Hair: As a signifier of his immense power and to emphasize the stark contrast of his motion vs. the 136 other monks' perfect stillness, his hair gently undulates.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Like the Yiga, he loves Mighty Bananas, and Link can distract him by dropping them onto the battlefield. According to Word of God, this is a trait that the Sheikah clan had ten thousand years ago.
  • Walking Spoiler: Up until he stands up in his chamber and challenges Link to a duel, you are lead to believe he is simply your Mission Control through "The Champions' Ballad" quest and will reward you just for reaching him like every other Shrine Monk.
  • Warrior Monk: He is a very powerful fighter, and unlike the other shrine monks, he challenges Link to single combat to test his worthiness.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: His cloning technique can be countered by simply taking out the camera rune and seeing which copy registers.
  • Worf Had the Flu: By the time he fights you, he's been meditating for 10,000 years straight, so like the other monks, his body has withered away. While one would expect him to have significant magical abilities after so much meditation, the fact he can physically outpace Link even with his worn-out body might imply that he was even stronger in his youth.

    Kass's Teacher (Spoilers
An unnamed Sheikah man who was a courtier around Zelda's age when the Great Calamity struck. He was in love with the Princess, but she only had eyes for Link, making the young Sheikah very jealous of the Hylian Champion. But Link's Heroic Sacrifice in defense of Zelda led to a change in attitude, and the Sheikah man spent the post-Calamity period collecting various songs about the previous hero from ten thousand years ago to help Link once the latter emerged from the Shrine of Resurrection. He managed to teach these songs to Kass before passing away.
  • The Atoner: In order to make up for the jealous attitude he held toward Link, he spent the rest of his life researching important songs about the Hero of Hyrule so that they could be of use to the latter. Furthermore, in "The Champions' Ballad", he had Kass pass on a photo he held of the Champions that he undoubtedly knew would have sentimental value for Link, showing that he truly wanted to bury the hatchet with the Hylian Champion.
  • Blue Blood: On account of him being a courtier. Indeed, a major reason he was so intensely jealous of Link was that the latter was neither nobility nor royalty.
  • Expy: His role closely mirrors that of Osfala from A Link Between Worlds. Both were haughty young men of high standing who disdained Link and were in love with Zelda but ultimately acknowledged that Link would be the one to win out in the end. Osfala may have even been a Sheikah like Kass's teacher if the Mystical White Hair was any indication.
  • The Ghost: By virtue of being dead since before the game begins, we never see what he looks like. However, Kass mentions he saw Link give his life for Zelda, suggesting he was one of the two Shiekahs who appeared in Link's final memory.
  • Graceful Loser: Ultimately becomes this in relation to Link following the Great Calamity.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: He was intensely jealous of Link due to the latter being Zelda's sole object of affection. He got over this following the Great Calamity.
  • Hopeless Suitor: Though he knew Princess Zelda wouldn't return his affections, he still fell in love with her.
  • Interspecies Friendship: With the Rito musician Kass.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: He was so impressed with the reports of Link's last desperate fight to protect Zelda that he finally realized that the Hylian was the better man for the Princess. He thus collects the songs for Link's future use knowing that it would be the last, best hope for rescuing Zelda from Calamity Ganon.
  • No Name Given: We never learn his name.
  • Posthumous Character: The first little bit of information we get about him is that he is Kass's late mentor.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: The bulk of story about him comes from Kass's final bit of exposition, but it manages to clarify a lot about the relationship between Link and Zelda.
  • Unknown Rival: He saw Link as competition for Zelda's affections, but Link has no memory of him and is never shown interacting with him in any flashbacks.
  • Unrequited Love: Had feelings for Zelda, but she was only interested in Link.

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