Despite the release of the timeline for the Zelda series, some fans stick to the theory that each game is just a retelling of the same story in a different way. Their evidence has one huge main ingredient: recurring characters.
The hero, the princess, and the villain are often the same: Link, Zelda, and Ganon. The lore pushes that these three essential characters are basically constantly reincarnated. Things got even more complicated when Ocarina of Time created three separate timelines for these reincarnations.
There are more than 20 Legend of Zelda games, each consisting of its own miniature brain explosion when it comes to fitting it into the lore and explaining the appearance of familiar characters.
If there are those who think Link, Zelda, and Ganon are the only characters who appear in different games, they would be very wrong. There are actually a ton of minor characters that appear in multiple games. With that in mind, maybe the same story told differently theory is not so crazy sounding after all.
Are these recurring minor characters really the same person? Do they keep reappearing? Is it the same rebirth that Link, Zelda, and Ganon constantly go through or do these people keep up the exact same look and identity as their parents and the parents before them?
Maybe it depends on the character. Let’s find out.
20 Tingle
This fairy-obsessed Hylian has appeared in many Legend of Zelda games, including Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, The Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Sword.
It’s unfortunate he’s in so many games, since he’s one of the most ridiculed characters in the Legend of Zelda series for being annoying, creepy, and, in one case, a possible slave-driver (in Wind Waker)!
I mean, look at him. He looks like the sort of guy who exists to annoy you. His fetch quests drove gamers up the wall and they have written public posts begging for future games to not have Tingle. This happened before Twilight Princess, so I suppose their wish has come true so far.
Interestingly enough, most negativity towards Tingle comes more from Western gamers.
In Japan, Tingle is actually popular! He even got his own spin-off games there like Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, Tingle's Balloon Fight DS, Too Much Tingle Pack, and Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love.
So what does a Tingle game even have in it? Well, one tells the story of a 35-year-old man who ends up becoming a Tingle after meeting a character known as Uncle Rupee. The game explains why all of Tingle's incarnations have been so obsessed with Rupees, as well as why he wears his “fairy suit.”
19 Happy Mask Salesman
A favorite among Legend of Zelda theorists, the Happy Mask Salesman has appeared in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Oracle of Ages. He is known as possibly one of the creepiest Legend of Zelda characters due to his many hints of having a temper beneath this calm demeanor and knowing more than he shows. Many theories believe him to be some kind of ancient one or deity. With that kind of reputation, it’s a wonder why he has not appeared in even more games.
His greatest known appearance was his major role in Majora’s Mask because the game centers around his craft. This much differs from how he is in Oracle of Ages, where he is just hungry and you give him food for a mask in return and that’s it.
As for other appearances, he is in the Majora’s Mask manga, where he seemed far more sinister than he does in the games. He’s also featured as a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Though the salesman himself does not appear in Hyrule Warriors, there is a recolor for the standard outfit based on the Happy Mask Salesman’s clothes.
I really hope he will appear in future games!
18 Beedle
It’s kind of comforting that you could be in a different story and a different kind of Hyrule, but can still count on the same shopkeeper! Having appeared in The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild, Beedle is the most dedicated person I’ve met in retail.
This shopkeeper has had shops in the sky, the sea, and the stables of Hyrule.
In Wind Waker, he has a shop boat. His shop is in the form of a stand in The Minish Cap. In Phantom Hourlgass, he has a boat shop again. In Spirit Tracks, his shop is a hot air-balloon. In Skyward Sword, he has a flying shop as well. In Breath of the Wild, he gets a little more campy and sells his wares on foot.
There is a rumor that his name is a reference to The Beatles since he has that same “mop top” hairstyle that the members of the band had. Or maybe it’s just because he loves beetles. He gets super excited when you have certain kinds of beetles in Breath of the Wild. Not to mention he has a beetle backpack in that game and has a beetle motif on his shorts in Wind Waker.
17 The Postman
This dedicated mailman has been on the run delivering mail in Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, The Minish Cap, Twilight Princess, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks. He is always busily running around in the games to try to get people their mail in a timely fashion. He is also always doing it by foot! No one will get this poor man a horse!
In Majora’s Mask, he does his rounds every day in Clock Town under his supervisor, Mayor Dotour. In Oracle of Ages, he is Lynna City's only postman and he often fails to deliver mail on time due to the fact that he has no clock (so Link can get him one). In The Minish Cap, the postman often runs around Hyrule Town. In Twilight Princess, the postman runs around and deliver letters to Link personally. In Phantom Hourglass, he gives Link cards from other characters. Guess what he does in Spirit Tracks? He gives you more letters!
The Postman's clothing and possessions frequently bear a symbol representing a rabbit. He probably aims to be as fast as one. He also always wears things that are red, probably so people looking for him can notice him easier. He always has played a small role in The Legend of Zelda, but he’s so dedicated to it that he makes his role almost seem big.
16 Linebeck
Known most of all for his big role in Link’s Phantom Hourglass adventure, Linebeck is a treasure-pursuing sailor who is a coward at the beginning of the game. He is the captain of the S.S. Linebeck steamboat, which Link uses to travel the World of the Ocean King for the full course of the game. Linebeck starts off as such a coward, he even goes as far as to make up excuses to stay on the ship when Link goes out. Many gamers got attached to him because he has positive and sweet character development that makes him more courageous and good-natured. One such example is by the end of the game, he gets to have a wish. Instead of treasure (which everyone was expecting him to wish for), Linebeck's only wish is to have his previously sunken boat fixed.
Linebeck appears again in Spirit Tracks. While he has moved on from the mortal plane, he has a grandson who is basically him all over again, Linebeck III. Linebeck III, owner of the Linebeck trading company, looks exactly like his grandfather, with the same hair, same face, and same demeanor. You know what the biggest difference between him and Linebeck is? Just that Linebeck III wears a hat!
15 The Scarecrow
The Scarecrow is a very minor character in Ocarina of time and Majora's mask. In both games, it teaches you the "Scarecrow's Song" which is the only song you make yourself and have to remember without any reminders. The song did have a couple rules: it can only be up to eight notes long, can't be a duplicate of one of the game's other tunes, or be the same eight notes in a row. It’s not a song required to beat the game, but it does help the player get otherwise out-of-reach items, create shortcuts, and avoid some traps.
Bonooru and Pierre are scarecrows you meet in Ocarina of Time and you learn the song from meeting them. Then in Majora’s Mask, you meet a “Stylin’ Scarecrow” who you do the exact same thing with. Of course. there are tons of scarecrows that are just inanimate objects in the series as well. Next time you play a Zelda game, maybe examine the scarecrows a little bit more to make sure they aren’t alive (especially the training dummies in Twilight Princess).
In Color Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip, one of Tingle’s three companions is a scarecrow named Kakashi. Also in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland a talking Scarecrow resides in Lon Lon Meadow.
14 The Old Man
This character has appeared in The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, Four Swords Adventures, and Breath of the Wild.
The Old man is known for the iconic line when he gives Link his sword, "IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS."
“Old Man” serves almost like a title to a couple different characters that look similar and share a similar destiny in the series. They are often there to help Link. I mean, who better to deliver cryptic advice than old men?
In The Legend of Zelda, the Old Man is sometimes unpredictable, occasionally gambling with Link for Rupees and even mugging him. Other times he will demand Link to either pay a sum of rupees, or permanently forfeit a Heart Container if he wants to continue through the dungeon. So they can be helpful but also total jerks.
In Breath of the Wild, the old man turns out to not just be a ghost, but a ghost of the King of Hyrule himself. Before the game’s release, everyone wondered who this old man would turn out to be since we’ve ran into so many old men in the past in Link’s many adventures.
13 Fi
If you are more technical minded, you would probably argue that Fi only appears in Skyward Sword and you’d be right. Fi is a spirit that resides within Master Sword, which was made by Hylia to help the chosen hero on his quest to defeat Ganon.
Since Skyward Sword is game number one in the Zelda timeline, Fi has likely always been in the Master Sword throughout the series without us knowing. At the end of Skyward Sword, Fi entered a deep slumber once Link put the Master Sword back into its pedestal, thus explaining her absence in other games. This means she is lying dormant within the Master Sword during all the adventures of the various future incarnations of Link who wielded it.
In Breath of the Wild, there are passing references to her as well. Zelda speaks of the sword being able to speak to her and it’s very likely that the voice is Fi.
Fi also is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors. Her fighting style is based on her dancing moves from Skyward Sword. She also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Legends. Outside of that, Fi appears as a Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U.
12 Skull Kid
Known for his role in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, Skull Kid is one of Legend of Zelda’s more memorable antagonists. He did not become an antagonist until Majora’s Mask and was more innocent when he first appeared in Ocarina of Time. You get to sell him a skull mask from the Happy Mask Salesman for a price less than the price you bought it at!
His name is also his race, who are rumored to be children who have gotten lost in the Lost Woods. While Skull Kids tend to be friendly toward children, they fear adults and will attack them on sight. This is evidenced by Adult Link in Ocarina of Time getting attacked while Young Link has a far better time.
Outside of the canon story, Skull kid has made other appearances. In Hyrule Warriors, his outfit and Majora's Mask is an alternate costume for the character Lana. He also appears in Young Link's Focus Spirit Attack. In Hyrule Warriors: Legends, Skull Kid is an actual playable character. Of course he also appears in the Majora’s Mask manga. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the kid appears as two different stickers. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Skull Kid appears as an assist trophy.
Art was done by CharlieRomeo.
11 Maple
Maple has appeared in A Link to the Past, Four Swords, Oracle of Ages, and Oracle of Seasons. She does the same sort of activity in all the games she appears in, which is flying around via broomstick (though sometimes it’s a flying vacuum cleaner). Maple only appears exclusively in the Game Boy Advance port of A Link to the Past.
Maple is a witch apprentice to her grandmother, Syrup. Yes, that means the girl’s full name is in fact Maple Syrup.
In the other games, you can purposefully try to crash into flying Maple to receive rare items. Odd way to do it, but fun! If you get more items than her as there is a scramble for her dropped items, she gets pretty ticked at you. If she gets more items though, she gloats.
With Link bumping into her on purpose, I wouldn’t blame her for her somewhat rude and headstrong personality. Then again, I feel like being headstrong is practically a necessity for being a witch.
While she appears in all these games, she also bears a resemblance to Irene from A Link between Worlds who is also a witches apprentice.
Maple has also appeared in the Oracle of Seasons manga. She was going to be in The Legend of Zelda: Mystical Seed of Courage, but that game was scrapped.
Art was done by tran4of3.
10 Syrup
With Maple appearing in multiple games, so did her witch grandmother and teacher, Syrup. Syrup has appeared in A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, and The Minish Cap. The witch is always brewing and selling magic potions and powders in the games she appears in. Even her hut looks the same in the multiple games she appears in. She is also usually standing over a cauldron like the classic witch she is. In the multiple games, you can also bring her various mushrooms to help her with her potions and powders.
Maple is constantly flying around mostly to do errands for Syrup. In-game evidence has shown that Syrup is not the most appreciative of Maple’s work, as Maple says "Take this (Magic Oar). It's the first one I made. Syrup never gave me any compliments on it," to Link.
Syrup’s hut does bounce around with each game. In A Link to the Past, her Magic Shop is near Zora's River. In Oracle of Ages, her hut is located in the north-eastern corner of the Yoll Graveyard. In Oracle of Seasons, Syrup resides in the Sunken City. In The Minish Cap, she lives in the south-west corner of South Hyrule Field.
Art by MoonyMina.
9 Mutoh
Mutoh the carpenter boss appears in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, and The Minish Cap. He is known to be short-tempered and grumpy, but you can’t blame him since all his employees are rather lazy and incompetent.
I remember the workers try to join the Gerudo thieves in Ocarina of Time and the Gerudo are like "this is a females only party, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT" and put them in jail and you have to save them. Good times.
In Majora’s Mask, they are a little more mature and are busily preparing for the festival, even if it ends them (which it does, if Link fails to stop the moon falling). Mutoh as like two animations in that game, standing and yelling.
In Oracle of Ages, Mutoh and his carpenters have been hired to build a bridge connecting the Nuun Highlands to Symmetry City but the lazy carpenters have abandoned their boss to hang out across the highlands. Link has to gather them to get the bridge up. In The Minish Cap, the carpenters build various houses in Hyrule Town.
He can be confused with King Mutoh, a ghost character in Phantom Hourglass. Instead of carpenters, King Mutoh has four knights.
8 The Great Deku Tree
While The Great Deku Tree has been in various locations with various designs in Hryule, he has always served the purpose of protecting the forest spirits. He appears in Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Breath of the Wild. He usually serves as a symbol of renewal. He often perishes at the beginning of the story and you find him replaced by a sapling later in the game.
There is a theory that he appears in Twilight Princess as just a stump. but it hasn't been confirmed.
This is partly speculated because there is a huge stump located to the south of the Great Bridge of Hylia in the Lanayru Province. Due to its size, maybe it was the Great Deku Tree? There is also a theory about the Great Deku Tree appearing in the original The Legend of Zelda where fans believe that all of Level One is a dead Deku Tree.
The Great Deku Tree also appears in Hyrule Warriors. He serves both as a location and as a summon Lana can use. Lana's spear weapons are described as branches from the Great Deku Tree imbued with its power. The tree appears again (sort of) in Hyrule Warriors: Legends as a skin for Darunia with the Master Wind Waker DLC.
Art was done by jbrown67.
7 Dark Link
Despite appearing in The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Four Swords, Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Ages, Twilight Princess, and Spirit Tracks, Dark Link still has no backstory or dialogue. He is simply known as Link’s dark reflection and is often a boss fight where the hero’s own strength is turned against him.
In his first appearance in the series during The Adventure of Link, Dark Link is known as Link's Shadow and serves as a final test before Link gets the Triforce of Courage. In Ocarina of Time, he is a mini-boss in the Water Temple. In Oracle of Ages, Veran creates four clones of Dark Link that mimic Link's movement in reverse. In A Link to the Past, in the Palace of the Four Sword, the Dungeon Master is four Dark Links.
Dark Link appears more as a cameo in Twilight Princess, as he is shown during a cut-scene in Twilight Princess that tells the tale of how the Twili race was banished to the Twilight Realm. In Spirit Tracks, Dark Link only appears in a mini-game.
As you can imagine, there are tons of theories to fill in the mysterious lack of backstory this character has. What hurts my head is that you sometimes see multiple Dark Links at once, making him more of a group of beings rather than an individual.
Art was done by Finni.
6 Impa
Usually existing as Zelda’s nursemaid or bodyguard, Impa has appeared in The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild.
Her design changes a ton in the games in body shape, size, and age. We see her as a little old woman, a large and heavy woman, a muscular young woman, and a tall and sleek assassin type woman.
In The Legend of Zelda, Impa is just a loyal nursemaid. In The Adventure of Link, she is still a nursemaid, but seems more knowledgeable and explains Link’s destiny to him. In Ocarina of Time, she is a young and fit bodyguard for Zelda. In Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, Impa is a nursemaid again and has the unfortunate experience of getting possessed. Skyward Sword Impa is far more of a bodyguard than nursemaid and is hard on Link for not protecting Zelda well enough. In A Link Between Worlds, she’s more of Zelda’s attendant. In Breath of the Wild, we see her as a very old woman who helps guide Link.
She’s also known as one of the few Sheikah, a clan of warriors sworn to protect the Hyrulian royal family. They are mostly known for fading away after the Hyrulean Civil War to the point that they are almost considered extinct. Her main Sheikah trait is that Impa has red eyes.
Art was done by SOZOMAIKA.
5 Anju
Appearing in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and The Minish Cap, Anju is a polite and well-meaning girl who gets unfortunate luck when it comes to her career. She is also the daughter of Mutoh in Ocarina of Time.
She’s just known as the “Chicken Lady” in Ocarina of Time and has an allergy to the very animals she works with.
In Majora’s Mask, she works at the Stock Pot Inn in Clock Town. Her bad-luck in this game was that she's running an inn, as both a terrible cook and with a terrible memory for faces. Link can do a quest to reunite her with her fiancé, Kafei, who was turned into a kid by the Skull Kid. In The Minish Cap, Anju is back to taking care of chickens.
Outside of the canon storyline, believe it or not, Anju sort of makes an appearance in Animal Crossing of all things. There is a shirt based on Anju's dress from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask that can be purchased and worn by the player. There is also one for Kafei fans.
She’s also in the Majora’s Mask manga. Though she herself doesn’t appear in Hyrule Warriors: Legend, her wedding dress appears as two fairy clothing options.
4 Biggoron
This huge Goron has appeared in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, The Minish Cap, and Phantom Hourglass. In Ocarina of Time, he is a blade smith. In Majora’s Mask, he's a guard for the Snowhead Temple. In Oracle of Seasons, he is sick and can only be cured with lava soup. In The Minish Cap, he helps Link by turning his shield into the mirror shield. In Phantom Hourglass, Biggoron is chief of Goron Island.
His most well-known quest is the one for his sword, the Biggoron’s Sword. You go on quite a journey in Ocarina of Time. You have to know Epona’s song, have planted a magic bean, talk to the Cucco girl in Kakariko Village, get a Pocket Egg, get an odd mushroom, trade mushroom for a potion, trade potion for a poachers saw, trade the saw for a broken sword, and then maybe you are halfway there.
It’s okay, the sword isn’t necessary to beat the game, but it's pretty useful.
Gorons are already big, but Biggoron is typically much bigger than the average Goron. Due to his size, you can usually find him outside any settlements and/or on top of a mountain. His name may be the most un-creative one I’ve seen in the series. It’s just big and Goron put together.
3 Dampé
If how he looks isn’t enough of a hint, Dampé always works as a gravedigger. He has appeared in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Four Swords, The Minish Cap, and A Link Between Worlds. Despite his intimidating look, he’s a good guy!
In Ocarina of Time, he works in the Kakariko Village Graveyard and you get to even see him as a ghost after Link disappears for seven years. You even get to play a mini-game with him called “Dampé's Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour.” While he’s a ghost, he challenges Link to a race and rewards him if he wins. In Majora’s Mask, he works on the Ikana Graveyard. It’s kind of funny because the graveyard is haunted and Dampé is scared of ghosts (though he was a ghost in the last game!).
As you may notice, he’s a character who is fate-bound to his job.
In Four Swords, Dampé lives in a graveyard found to the far north in The Swamp. In The Minish Cap, he lives in a house in the Royal Valley and tends to the graveyard there. In a Link Between Worlds, he’s an accomplished chef. Just kidding! He’s a grave digger again, except now he refers to himself in third-person!
2 Guru-Guru
Is it ironic that Guru-Guru is obsessed with things that go round and round and the Zelda series has this way of going round and round with the same characters and story?
Guru-Guru has appeared in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Oracle of Seasons. In Ocarina of Time, he teaches Link the Song of Storms. In Majora’s Mask, he is part of the Gorman Troupe and is the music player for the Rosa Sisters. In Oracle of Seasons, he hangs out by a windmill and is part of a trading quest.
His name, Guru-Guru, refers to the Japanese onomatopoeia "kuru kuru" which is a sound used when something goes round and round. He certainly owns up to the name since he has that large instrument he plays by spinning it round and round, and he is well known for his phrase, "go around, and around."
He sort of reminds me of the Happy Mask Salesman for his face changing trait. Like the salesman, his face becomes really different and spooky when he gets mad. I guess the happiest looking characters all hide a dark side.
He is also the source of a time paradox! The adult Link learns a song from him and then young Link goes back in time and teaches him the song!
Art was done by JohnnyCago.
1 Malon
Malon has served as a farm girl in Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Seasons, Four Swords Adventures, and The Minish Cap. In Ocarina of Time, she teaches Link Epona’s Song. She is part of a trading quest in Oracle of Seasons. Link helps her in Four Swords Adventure and then gets to use horses from her ranch. In The Minish Cap, her dad loses they key to their house and Link has to find it. As for other appearances, she is in the Ocarina of Time manga and appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
There is a theory that Malon is a possible love interest. Through speaking to gossip stones and her own father, Talon, you can find out she wants to marry a knight in shining armor and Talon is interested in marrying her off to Link. Since the Hyrule Historia, we know Ocarina of Time Link is an ancestor of Twilight Princess Link. Since Twilight Princess Link is a rancher, maybe Ocarina of Time Link settled down with Malon?
A second theory is that she is part Gerudo since she has reddish hair. Also when Link wears a Gerudo mask in front of Talon, he says that mask looks like his wife.
Art was done by HeroLinkTriforce.