Summary

Although theLegend of Zeldaseries centers on the eponymous Princess Zelda and her stalwart companion and defender of the realm Link, there are many memorable and very important side-characters of Zelda who as well as being well-loved by fans, play important roles in the game series - sometimes even across several games.

Although these side characters can’t hold a candle to the main characters of the series, they’re well-loved and serve to flesh out the rich and expansive world of theLegend of Zeldaseries in a major way.

Updated July 27, 2025, by Blaise Santi: While many fans may think it’s been too long since the last Zelda game, they might’ve forgotten about the recent release of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which released in September 2024. This new entry to the series is the first in which Princess Zelda is the main protagonist, having to rescue Link from the Still World. This update takes a look at five additional important side characters from the Zelda franchise, including Rauru, Purah, Midna, and more. Additionally, new tables displaying the characters' various Zelda franchise appearances have been added, as well as the locations you can encounter them in their respective games.

Hyrule’s Smartest Sheikah

Titles

Purah, Director of Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, Head of Lookout Landing

Sheikah

Appearances

Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Locations

Hateno Ancient Research Lab (BotW), Lookout Landing (TotK)

Players who first encountered Purah inBreath of the Wildwere probably very surprised to discover that, despite her childish looks, she’s actually hundreds of years old as a result of a de-aging experiment. She’s the sister of Impa, the elderly chief of Kakariko Village, and an associate of Robbie, a fellow scientist who resides in Akkala Ancient Tech Lab in Hyrule.

While Purah plays a supporting role inBreath of the Wildas a way for players to upgrade their Sheikah Slate, inTears of the Kingdom,she’s risen through the ranks to become the head of Lookout Landing, investigating the mysterious disappearance of Princess Zelda and serving as the players' main point of contact throughout the main story.

Statue of the Goddess

Few sidekicks in theZeldafranchise have been as controversial as Fi, who debuted inSkyward Swordas the living embodiment of the Master Sword. Created by the goddess Hylia as a spirit meant to guide the Chosen Hero, Fi’s guidance inSkyward Swordwas criticized by many fans for being annoying, drawing unfavorable comparisons to the “Hey, look, listen” of Navi inOcarina of Time.

Gameplay nuisances aside, Fi is incredibly integral to theZeldafranchise, given that she supposedly resides in the Master Sword used byeach incarnation of Link throughout the timeline. No matter how you feel about her, there’s no doubt she’s completely changed how fans view the iconic weapon.

Twili

Twilight Princess, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. 4, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Castle Town Sewers

On the opposite side from Fi, Midna is one of the most beloved supporting characters in theZeldafranchise, despite only appearing in the main series once inTwilight Princess. Cursed to take on the appearance of an imp, Midna was a princess from the Twilight Realm who is usurped by Zant, a goon of Ganondorf, and teams up with Link to reclaim her throne.

However, the reveal of her true form at the end ofTwilight Princessmight be one of the biggest plot twists in any Nintendo game, up there with the reveal of Samus Aran’s gender at the end of the firstMetroid. Not only is she one of the most powerful sidekicks of Link, but ever since her debut, fans have only ever wanted to see more of the character, but that has yet to come.

Toronbo Shores

Despite making her debut early in theZeldafranchise withLink’s Awakeningfor theGame Boy, Marin isn’t often remembered as fondly as the likes of Princess Zelda or even Impa. However, her introduction into the series as a female companion for Link was game-changing for the franchise — and may have even influenced portrayals of Princess Zelda for decades to come.

As a supporting character, Marin has more personality than any character in theZeldafranchise up to that point, not only criticizing the players' choices as Link but offering a more grounded draw to the world of Koholint Island. Especially given the ambiguousness of Zelda’s relationship with Link, players still love Marin to this day for her more implied romantic storyline with Link.

Chamber of Sages (OoT), Great Sky Island (TotK)

The name “Rauru” has been given to two different characters in theZeldafranchise, but they both serve similar purposes in their respective games. The mysterious talking owl inOcarina of Time, Kaepora Gaepora, is revealed in the game’s midpoint to be Rauru, the Sage of Light, who ends up being Link’s guide through his adventures in recovering the other six sages as his adult self.

However,inTears of the Kingdom, Rauru is the name given to a mysterious Zonai, who turns out to be the first king of Hyrule. Link interacts with Rauru a lot during the game’s tutorial, but otherwise, Rauru’s story is revealed through flashback sequences in which he single-handedly stops Ganondorf from taking over Hyrule, albeit at the cost of his arm.

A Talking Boat With A Secret Identity

King of Red Lions, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, Daltus, Gustaf King of Hyrule, Old Man, His Majesty

Hylian

The Wind Waker,The Minish Cap, Breath of the Wild,Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Hyrule Castle (WW, MC), Royal Crypt (MC), Great Plateau (BotW)

The King of Red Lions makes its first appearance inWind Wakerbut has appeared in various other games including spin-offs such asHyrule Warriors.What makes King of Red Lions interesting is that he’s both a mode of travel for Link and a companion, because he can talk.

King of Red Lions ferries Link from island to island inWind Waker’sGreat Sea setting, providing him the means to travel the world and do his thing. It provides a vital service to Link and keeps him company across long sea journeys too.

Not Just a Really Big Tree

Great Deku Tree, Guardian of the Forest, Great Spirit of the Korok Forest

Deity

Ocarina of Time,The Wind Waker,Breath of the Wild,Tears of the Kingdom, Echoes of Wisdom, Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland, Cadence of Hyrule

Kokiri Forest (OoT), Forest Haven (WW), Korok Forest (BotW, TotK), Eternal Forest (EoW), Deku Temple (FPTRR), Deku Village (CoH)

The Great Deku Treeis a giant talking tree. That’s cool already, but it’s also a giant talking tree with massive relevance to the nation of Hyrule and the world of theLegend of Zeldagame franchise. With appearances across the franchise, from mainline games such asWind WakerandBreath of the Wildto spin-offs likeHyrule WarriorsandFreshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland, the Great Deku Tree is a stalwart of the franchise.

The Great Deku Tree is the guardian of the forest and takes care of the creatures that live within it, including the Kokiri or the Koroks. He even sets Link on his journey duringOcarina of Time.

Majora’s Mask, Oracle of Ages, The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Hyrule Warriors, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland

Termina (MM), Forest of Time (OoA), Windfall Island Jail (WW), Tingle’s Tower (FSA), Link’s House (MC), Mercay Tavern (PH), Great Bay (SSBM), Rupeeland (FPTRR)

Tingle is one of theZeldacharacterswith the biggest polarizing reaction among fans. Some fans love Tingle and his unusual appearance and approach to life, while others hate him and wish he’d never existed as a character. So it would be a stretch to call him a beloved character.

But Tingle is quite important in some of the games in which he appears, and his character has even starred as a playable character in someZeldaspin-off games too. Tingle is well known for selling important and useful maps and charts. So despite his polarizing personality and overall vibe, Tingle is absolutely one of the most important side characters in theZeldaseries.

Human

The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom

Beedle’s Shop Ship (WW, PH), Hyrule Town (MC), Beedle’s Air Shop (ST, SS), Stables (BotW, TotK)

Making his first appearance inWind Waker,Beedle is a merchant who buys and sells many items, including quest items. Unlike some other merchants, Beedle doesn’t stay in one place. Instead, he’s a traveling character who can be encountered in many different locations in the games he appears in, making him a very useful merchant for Link on his journeys.

Beedle sometimes travels by ship or by airship, although notably inBreath of the Wildhe’s always encountered travelling on foot. But Beedle aids Link on his many journeys and has sold many essential items to Link over the years.

Link’s Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, A Link Between Worlds, Echoes of Wisdom

Tal-Tal Heights (LA), Kakariko Village Graveyard (OoT), Ikana Graveyard (MM), The Swamp (FSA), Royal Valley (MC), Sanctuary (ALBW), Dampé Studio (EoW)

Although at firstDampé seems like an ordinary old manwith a slightly macabre job as a gravedigger, a little digging into his history and actions shows that he understands a lot more than he lets on. Dampé has a range of appearances, including inOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask. He even makes an appearance inLink’s Awakeningfor the Nintendo Switch.

Dampé has many useful interactions with Link, challenging him to games or providing him with powerful items and at times, hidden knowledge.