Summary
In the fictional universe ofThe Legend of Zeldafranchise, Hylians, Gerudos, Zoras, Gorons, Ritos andmany other races coexist together in peace within the land of Hyrule. However, because of this vast diversity, sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are actualhumansin these games as well.
A good number the most fun, memorable, and important characters in the series are regular humans, just like the player who’s controlling Link, but they’re still nowhere near as common as some of the other races. This list will go over some of the most prominent examples, albeit it’s important to clarify that members of other humanoid races – like Hylians, Gerudos, or Sheikahs – will not be accounted for.
It’s not uncommon for iconic characters from theLegend of Zeldagames to be reincarnated into separate — albeit similar — versions of themselves in subsequent games. That’s why several important NPCs from the influential Nintendo 64 installments,Ocarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask, were featured in the Game Boy Color titles,Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons.
The main thing that makes these cameos stand out is the fact that these characters used to be Hylians but, in these two games, they appear as humans with round ears.The creepyHappy Mask Salesmanhas his own Mask Shop, the quirky carpenterMutohcan be seen fixing a bridge with his assistants, and the lovely father-daughter duo ofMalonandTalonlive on their own chicken farm. These are fun cameos that demonstrate how characters from previous games are not 100% tied to their original appearance.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princessis one of the few mainline entries in the series in which humans are at the forefront of the story, with almost every inhabitant of Ordon Village being a regular human with round ears. This doesn’t keep these villagers from being as bizarre and as eccentric as any other character from any other place though.
Malois one of the best examples of this phenomenon, becauseeven though he looks like a small child, he’s actually a hardworking, intelligent business personwho managed to create his own chain of Malo Marts throughout Hyrule. Players will have to interact with Malo & his workers pretty much any time they wish to purchase crucial items, making him an inadvertently crucial part of the adventure. Most fans won’t complain though, since he’s a truly fascinating character.
Link’s Awakeningis where regular round-eared humans make their first appearance in the series and, on top of that, a lot of these new characters have unique designs that are reminiscent of other Nintendo IPs.Tarinis one of the best examples of this phenomenon, because he looks a lot like Mario.
Tarin is not a beloved character just because of his endearing appearance; it’s also because of his role in the story.He’s the first person that Link interacts with after waking up from his slumber, and he keeps popping up all over throughoutLink’s Awakening, getting himself in trouble in different ways and forcing Link has to rescue him over and over. Furthermore, he’s also the father of Marin, which helps make him even more memorable.
SomeLegend of Zeldagames have fun but specific game mechanics that depend on the actions of a character to work properly.In the case of the multiplayer spin-offTri Force Heroes,the three Links need the assistance of the talentedMadame Couturein order to wear different outfits throughout their adventure.
This old lady is the founder and owner of Madame Couture’s, a clothing store in which the players can order different outfits for tailoring, and all of them have specific properties and abilities. The main gameplay loop ofTri Force Heroeswouldn’t be possible without Madame Couture, so her involvement in this adventure is of extreme importance. On top of that, she also reveals that she’s a part of a special tribe of humans who can wield powerful magic, and she uses her powers on the clothes she makes, which is a mind-blowing revelation for this universe.
4Ilia
Link’s Wild-Loving Childhood Friend
A recurring element of this franchise’s many different narratives is that Link usually has a childhood friend who is involved in the beginning of his heroic adventure. InTwilight Princess, players get to meetIlia, the daughter of the mayor of Ordon Village. She’s a kind, friendly girl who loves to spend time in the wild, especially when she’s taking care of Epona.
Tragically, Ilia gets kidnapped by Bulbins early in the game, which prompts Link to set off on his heroic adventure. He successfully rescues her, and even helps her restore her lost memories, which is an endearing moment in and of itself. Although Ilia’s role inTwilight Princessis already memorable enough, most players will most likely remember herbecause of her brief but disturbing appearance in the “Tale of the Fused Shadows” cutscene.
3Ashei
A Brave Member Of The Resistance
During the events ofTwilight Princess, Link comes across several members of the Resistance, a group of vigilantes who are trying to protect Hyrule from monsters & villains. One of the most significant members of this group happens to be a regular human woman namedAshei.
At first glance, Ashei’s design is immediately striking, as there are not many strong female warriors inThe Legend of Zeldaseries who are not part of the Gerudo or Sheikah races.She assists Link during his quest in Snowpeakand helps him discover the evil monster that was taking control of the mountain. Not to mention, Ashei also fights alongside Link and the rest of the Resistance in the final battle in Hyrule Castle, which proves how brave & strong she truly is.
When it comes to recurringLegend of Zeldacharacters, most people think of the usual suspects, like Link, Zelda, Ganondorf or Impa, but there’s another character who has had a prominent role in multiple games: None other thanBeedle, the eccentric merchant/business person with a fun design.
In games likeThe Wind Waker,Phantom Hourglass,Spirit TracksandSkyward Sword, Beedle will sell important items to Link, and he even establishes a membership program with him, which sets him apart from other characters with similar jobs. Beedle’s weird personality and mannerisms are what help him stand out, especially seeing as he was one of the very few characters in this franchise who had a voice way before actual voice acting was implemented in the modern releases. As expected,Beedle also appears inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom,but he’s classified as a Hylian instead of a human in both games.
1Marin
The Most Important Human In All Of Zelda
Most of the time, humans inThe Legend of Zeldaseries are relegated to minor roles or cameo appearances, while Hylians, Gerudos or Sheikahs are more likely to take the spotlight. The biggest exception to this rule, however, isMarin, who happens to be one of the main protagonists ofLink’s Awakening.
Marin is an adorable young girl who saves Link from his shipwreck, befriends him, and helps him on multiple occasions throughout his adventure on Koholint Island. With time, Marin and Link grow quite close, mostly thanks to her kind, ambitious, and adventure-loving personality. Unfortunately, she’s also the main reason that the ending ofLink’s Awakeningis so heartbreaking & poignant.The scene where Link wakes up the Wind Fish and all the inhabitants of Koholint Island disappearis very sad, but it’s made even sadder by the fact that Marin is affected by this action as well. Fortunately, she would later appear inHyrule Warriors, which further cemented her as an iconic figure of this legendary franchise.
