There’s a lot to love about the Legend of Zelda series: the challenging yet fair dungeon puzzle solving; the arcing narratives that are surprisingly heart-wrenching at times, and the never-ending list of tools and gadgets Link acquires across the many different timelines. Yet one aspect stands out: the cast. Even compared to the veritable icons in franchises like Super Mario and Pokémon, the series stands tall with the best Zelda characters comprising well-developed allies, townspeople, and enemies.
From the teasing, enigmatic, definitely-queer-coded villain Ghirahim to the quiet wisdom of the Great Deku Tree, it’s impossible to finish playing the best Zelda game without a brain filled with memories and theories about the diverse cast you’ve met throughout the adventure. While there are too many wonderful characters to include in just one article, here are a few of our personal favourite standouts from Hyrule and beyond.
Best Zelda characters
- Linebeck
- Vilia
- Bolson
- Sidon
- Tingle
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+ 51. Linebeck
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While sailing across the Great Sea, Link has the pleasure of encountering the sailor Linebeck, the sharply dressed captain of a ship named after himself who bears an absolute obsession with finding treasure. Initially, Linebeck seems to be one of the most pitiful characters in the series – his first interaction with Link has him begging for help after naively facing a temple alone, blaming a sprained ankle for his foolishness, and not even stopping to thank Link after being freed. His cowardly nature also means he stays comfortably on the ship while Link goes off to risk his life in dungeon after dungeon. Indeed, he only sails with Link in the hope of claiming the great treasure of the Ghost Ship for himself; upon his horror of discovering the treasure never existed, his instant response is to ban Link from his ship for wasting his time. Classy.
However, his cowardice and selfishness gradually melt away as the two sail together, eventually directly helping Link in his battle against the monstrous Bellum and apologising for attacking Link while possessed by a Phantom. His character growth even extends to forgoing the offer of treasure when granted a single wish by the Ocean King, instead humbly asking for his ship to be restored to his former glory. While Linebeck can be pathetic at times, his undeniable improvement over the course of Phantom Hourglass means you can’t help respecting his efforts.
click to enlarge + 52. Vilia
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Vilia is, to say the least, unique among the Zelda cast. She appears in the sands of Gerudo, somewhat hard to find on top of a tall building – as if she is hiding from the Gerudo people below. Being a woman dressed in customary Gerudo silk, it seems strange for Vilia to feel the need to hide from them – that is, until her veil is momentarily blown upwards, revealing her beard. As the first trans-feminine character in the series, Vilia is a wonderful expression of queerness amongst an isolated society. While Link can choose to accuse Vilia of being male, the better option of choosing to flirt with her is not only sweet, but also grants Link the resources to obtain his stunning Gerudo Vai outfit and enter Gerudo Town.
While Vilia’s representation of trans women has been criticised due to its sudden reveal, which some view as a nasty joke at her expense, Vilia’s certainty of being a woman and Link’s lack of questioning it (unless the player is deliberately rude to her) lets her simply exist as a trans woman in Hyrule. Plus, when Link happily tries on the Gerudo Vai outfit in front of her, she blushes and dotes over him – a very sweet moment for both Link and the player
click to enlarge + 53. Bolson
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Clad in vivid pink and responsible for the restoration of Link’s pretty little Hylian cottage, Bolson is one of the more memorable side characters found in the fallen Hyrule of Breath of the Wild. After a sidequest requiring Link to purchase a house of his own for the small price of 3,000 rupees, Bolson redecorates his house with mounts, torches, a flower bed, and even plants entire trees. Bolson also goes on to help his brother Hudson with building the interspecies Tarrey Town, providing housing for all people of Hyrule, no matter their race, and restoring Lurelin Resort in Tears of the Kingdom. Truly the landlord we could all dream of.
Bolson is also one of the most delightfully flamboyant characters in the series, what with his rosy clothing, his willingness to perform the Bolson Construction dance and song for Link whenever he asks, and his appreciation for flower petals, which he considers to represent the beauty of endless love. If that isn’t enough, his excitement upon seeing Link without torso armour should seal the deal. Like Vilia, Bolson’s happily queer nature is a lovely sight to see in Hyrule.
click to enlarge + 54. Sidon
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Prince of Zora, brother to Mipha and friend of Link – Sidon is loved by all. Upon meeting Link (and wondering if he may have known him, say, 100 years prior), Sidon’s tremendous politeness, confident smile, and instant understanding of Link’s status as a warrior cement him as the most charming fishman there is.
His relationship with Link is stronger than any of the other Champions’ descendants, eagerly working with Link to take down the Divine Beast Vah Ruta and free his sister’s spirit, even trusting Link enough to let him ride upon his back; when Link is confronted by an elderly Zora who believes Mipha deserved better than Link in the past, Sidon steps in to defend Link and Mipha’s love.
Amongst other macho male characters in the series, Sidon stands out as one, particularly in touch with his emotions. With Mipha’s spirit free, he takes a moment of silence to honour her and reassure Link that she would be proud of him. In the night, Sidon can be found paying his respects to Mipha at her statue, audibly wishing that she could still guide him as she did when they were children – if Link makes himself known, Sidon apologises shyly for showing weakness as a warrior. Despite his strength and confidence, it is his heart that makes Sidon so memorable. This is only cemented with his return in Tears of the Kingdom, working alongside Link to free Zora’s Domain of muck and sludge from the sky
click to enlarge + 55. Tingle
Appears in:
- Majora’s Mask
- Oracle of Ages
- Wind Waker
- Four Swords Adventure
- The Minish Cap
- Hyrule Warriors (DLC)
- Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
- Tingle's Balloon Fight DS
- Too Much Tingle Pack
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Super Smash Bros. 3DS / Wii U
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Quite possibly the most dividing character in the series, Tingle is…certainly something. The odd, middle-aged, self-proclaimed fairy shows up in several titles but primarily appears in Majora’s Mask and Wind Waker. Tingle’s main interests seem to be selling discounted maps to Link (due to their ‘friendship’) and disappointing his father, who cannot believe his immaturity. Wind Waker also introduces his brothers, Ankle and Knuckle, who are dead ringers for Tingle minus shifts in their jumpsuit’s hue, letting the player meet the whole fairy family.
Tingle is also responsible for an interesting one-off item in Wind Waker: the Tingle Tuner. It offers a unique experience allowing you to connect your Game Boy Advance to the Gamecube, granting Wind Waker an asymmetric multiplayer element. As a disembodied Tingle, you can ping places of interest or spend Link's hard-earned rupees on support items such as bombs, spirit shields, potions, and more. Sadly, the item doesn’t reappear in Wind Waker HD, instead replaced by the Tingle Bottle, allowing you to message other players through the Miiverse (may it rest in peace). Like his father, a large portion of the Western fanbase finds Tingle annoying, but his nature as a recurring oddity within the series makes seeing him in each new game like meeting an old friend.
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