Princess Zelda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article's tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (December 2007) |
| Princess Zelda | |
|---|---|
 Princess Zelda, as she appears in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess |
|
| Game series | The Legend of Zelda |
| First game | The Legend of Zelda (1986) |
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Voiced by (English) | Cyndy Preston (TV series) Bonnie Jean Wilbur (Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon) |
| Voiced by (Japanese) | Mariko Kōda (BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban) Jun Mizusawa (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) Hikari Tachibana (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass) |
Princess Zelda (ゼルダ姫 Zeruda-hime) is a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. She is a member of Hyrule's royal family and plays an integral role in Hyrule's history. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link. Zelda is usually kidnapped or imprisoned by Ganon, also known as Ganondorf. In some games, she appears as one of the sages. In Ocarina of Time and The Minish Cap, she displays other magical powers, such as energy blasts and force fields. Creator Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that her name was inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Attributes
 |
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2009) |
 |
Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2009) |
Like Link, Princess Zelda has multiple incarnations in the series, portrayed between childhood and adulthood. She has blue eyes and her hair is usually blonde, and she often wears brown boots, pearl-colored gloves, a white kirtle, a pink or purple bodice and a golden diadem. She is associated with the goddess Nayru and the Triforce of Wisdom. Most iterations of Zelda also have psychic or magical powers, such as teleportation, telepathy and precognition; for example, she can cast spells and create or undo barriers and seals. Her alter egos also have their own abilities. Zelda is usually depicted as a right-handed person, except in the Wii version of Twilight Princess, where the game world is mirrored to the Nintendo GameCube version.
[edit] Incarnations
Princess Zelda appears in most The Legend of Zelda games, often as a central focus of Link's quests. To date, she has appeared in every game except Link's Awakening, in which she is briefly mentioned, and Majora's Mask, where she is only shown in a flashback.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda
Zelda is kidnapped by Ganon, who hides her in his lair on Death Mountain. Before she was kidnapped, she shattered the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and had them scattered throughout Hyrule to hide them from Ganon, then sent her nursemaid Impa in search of a hero. Zelda is not actually seen in this game until after Ganon is defeated. Like several character sprites in the game, her dress color reflects the tunic color Link is wearing.
[edit] The Adventure of Link
The Princess Zelda featured in The Adventure of Link is not the same character as the Zelda in the original game, but a predecessor from long ago. According to the backstory, the power of the Triforce had belonged to one man alone, a great king of Hyrule. When he died, the artifact was divided, and the heir to the throne could inherit only part of it. Before his death, the king had told only the prince's younger sister, Zelda, where the missing parts of the Triforce could be found. The princess would not give away her precious secret, even under threats from the prince and one of his counselors, an evil magician. In his anger, the magician put a powerful sleeping curse on the princess, despite the objections of the prince. The spell was successful, but the magician died in exhaustion after its casting. The devastated prince ordered that every female born into the royal family would be named Zelda in memory of the tragedy. Princess Zelda was placed in the North Palace and lay there for untold ages until Link (on his sixteenth birthday, years after the events of the original The Legend of Zelda) learned of her fate and set out to break the curse.
[edit] A Link to the Past
Princess Zelda is one of the seven maidens descended from the sages who sealed Ganon away during the Imprisoning War. At the beginning of the game, she is imprisoned in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle by Agahnim, who plans on sacrificing her along with the other six maidens in order to break the seal between the Light and Dark World. This would free Agahnim's alter ego, Ganon, from the Dark World and allow him to wreak havoc on Hyrule. Zelda telepathically calls for help, contacting Link's uncle and then Link himself. After his uncle dies while attempting to save Zelda, Link rescues Zelda and takes her into the Sanctuary, where she remains, safe, for part of the game. After Link retrieves the Master Sword from the Lost Woods, Zelda is kidnapped by Agahnim's henchmen and sent to the dark world in his final ritual, breaking the seal. She is not seen again until she is rescued by Link from Turtle Rock (the seventh dungeon in the Dark World). Saving her and the other six maidens opens the entrance to Ganon's Tower, the final dungeon of the game.
[edit] Ocarina of Time
Zelda is the Princess of Hyrule, and later becomes the Seventh Sage and holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. Her destiny is tied with Link, possessor of the Triforce of Courage, and Ganondorf, possessor of the Triforce of Power. Zelda, the true heir to the royal family, is of the Hylian race. She begins the game as a young girl blessed with prophetic abilities. In a dream, she senses Ganondorf's treachery and predicts Link's arrival before either event occurs. When Link meets her for the first time in Hyrule Castle Courtyard, she sends him on a quest to collect the three Spiritual Stones and protect the Triforce from Ganondorf. When Ganondorf attacks Hyrule Castle, Zelda and her attendant Impa, a Sheikah, flee the castle on horseback. The princess throws the Ocarina of Time into the moat for Link to retrieve. When Link returns seven years later, he encounters a disguised Zelda, who gives her name as "Sheik, the survivor of the Sheikah". In this guise, Zelda gives Link clues to the locations of the various temples and teaches him special songs that enable him to warp to them. After all six sages are rescued, Zelda reveals herself to Link, and explains that she is the seventh sage and that both she and Link hold pieces of the Triforce. She then gives him the magical Light Arrows, but is immediately captured by Ganondorf and imprisoned in a pink crystal at the top of his tower. After Link defeats Ganondorf, Zelda is freed, and she assists Link in escaping the collapsing fortress. After the tower is destroyed, Ganondorf uses the Triforce of Power to revive as Ganon. Once he is weakened by Link, Zelda uses her magic to hold him in place while Link finishes him, and then she and the other sages banish him to the Sacred Realm. Afterwards, Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to return Link to his childhood to "regain [his] lost years".
Afterwards, between the events of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, she gives Link the Ocarina and wishes him a safe journey; she is later shown teaching Link the Song of Time after he first regains the Ocarina.
[edit] Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
Impa tells Link she has been sent by Zelda to guard Din, the Oracle of Seasons, and Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, and escort them back to Hyrule. The plans go awry when the Oracles are kidnapped, and, partway through the second game, Zelda has a disturbing vision and comes to find Link. She is briefly captured, but Link rescues her. Once both games have been completed, Twinrova kidnaps her in a plan to sacrifice her to revive Ganon. They ultimately fail and are defeated by Link, who rescues the captive princess.
[edit] Four Swords
In the beginning of the game, Zelda goes to the Sanctuary of the Four Swords with her friend Link, to check on the seal containing the Wind Mage, Vaati. The seal has weakened, however, allowing Vaati to escape. He then kidnaps Zelda and takes her away to his palace where he intends to force marriage upon the princess. Drawing the Four Sword from its resting place, Link journeys to rescue Zelda and reseal the Wind Mage.
[edit] The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass
An adventurous young girl named Tetra leads her band of pirates across the Great Sea in search of a legendary treasure. Her destiny becomes entwined with Link's, and eventually, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule explains that Tetra is actually Princess Zelda. During the final battle, Zelda helps by slowing down Ganondorf with the Light Arrows she borrows from Link. This is the second time a Zelda participates in a battle in the series, playing a more active role than the Zelda of Ocarina of Time.
Though Tetra reappears in Phantom Hourglass, and her lineage is mentioned in the opening scene, she asks to be considered simply as Tetra until they find a new land. Afterwards, no mention is made of her being Princess Zelda.
[edit] Four Swords Adventures
Worried about the seal on Vaati, Zelda goes with six other mystical maidens to check on the Sanctuary of the Four Sword, with Link accompanying her, only for a dark shadowy copy of Link to attack, and kidnap the maidens and Zelda. Link is forced to draw the Four Sword to fight Dark Link, allowing Vaati to escape. At the end of the game, Zelda helps the four Links fight Dark Link, and after Vaati is dispatched, the five quickly flee the collapsing Tower of Winds. Finally, the Links face Ganon, with Zelda again participating in the battle.
Near the end of the game, Zelda is led by the four Links through swarms of monsters and obstacles in order to escape the collapsing Tower of Winds, mirroring the similar element from Ocarina of Time where she and Link escape from the collapsing Ganon's Castle. However, in this game, Zelda has a four piece heart meter which, when depleted, will kill her along with all four Links, requiring the latter to defend her.
In this game, like a few others, Link is referred to as Zelda's "childhood friend".
[edit] The Minish Cap
Princess Zelda is the daughter of Hyrule's King Daltus. She and Link are good friends, as Link's grandfather is Hyrule's Master Smith. One day, Zelda gets Link to take her to the Picori Festival in Hyrule Town. During the ceremony following the festival's swordfighting tournament, she is turned into stone by the winner, Vaati. Vaati is an evil mage searching for a legendary Light Force, and knowing Zelda has mystical powers of her own, he wants to keep her out of the way. Later, discovering that her power is the Light Force, Vaati invades the castle and kidnaps the petrified princess, planning to sacrifice her and become a god. When Link defeats Vaati, Zelda uses the Light Force to heal the damage that Vaati caused to Hyrule.
[edit] Twilight Princess
Zelda was the young ruler of Hyrule until its invasion by Zant, the Twilight King, when she surrendered to him upon his prompt of "Life? Or death?" in an effort to protect her people. From then on, she is imprisoned inside a tower in Hyrule Castle, although she does not become a spirit under the influence of the Twilight King's magic like her people. It is here that she meets Link, transformed into a wolf by the Twilight Realm's power. Later, she apparently gives up this power, and her physical form, to aid a purified and dying Midna. Zelda regains her body later, only to be possessed by Ganondorf, but his influence is purged from her body by Midna. Ganondorf charges Link and Zelda, but she summons the Light Spirits of Hyrule, who grant her the Light Arrows to assist Link in part of his final battle, making this her third participation in the final battle. The last time she is seen in the game is when she and Link say goodbye to Midna at the Mirror of Twilight. In Twilight Princess, Zelda, despite retaining her "Princess" title, is the matriarch of Hyrule. Other incarnations of Zelda have featured her as the daughter and possible heiress to the king of Hyrule, as opposed to the land's ruler.
[edit] Alter egos
[edit] Sheik
Sheik is a character in Ocarina of Time, and is an alter ego of Zelda. In the game, Zelda passes herself off as a young Sheikah male known as Sheik. With voice muffled and face concealed, as well as wearing a form-fitting blue suit, black boots with the red Sheikah eye in the center, the character is essentially unrecognizable as Zelda.[2]
Sheik plays the harp and teaches Link new songs to help him on his quest. When Link arrives at the Temple of Time near the end of the game, Sheik uses the Triforce of Wisdom and reverts to Zelda. It is claimed by the character's trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee that Zelda uses her magical skills to change her skin tone, hair length, eye color, and clothing. However, when Link encounters Princess Ruto in the Water Temple, she refers to Sheik as "a man", and in the non-canon licensed manga for Ocarina of Time it says that Zelda used the Triforce of Wisdom to actually become male while disguised as Sheik, and sealed away the consciousness of Zelda.
Sheik appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, in which Zelda can change into Sheik as one of her abilities. According to "Smash DOJO", Sheik's new design in Brawl is based on a model created for consideration in Twilight Princess.[3]
[edit] Tetra
Tetra is a young female pirate who, in The Wind Waker and The Phantom Hourglass, causes Link to start his journey. Her mother died a few years before the events of The Wind Waker, and she was left to lead the group of pirates. She is the one whom Ganondorf intended the Helmaroc King to kidnap, instead of Aryll. Initially, she does not like Link, unimpressed by his sadness owing to the kidnapping. Later, however, she notices Link wielding the Master Sword as he advances to slay the Helmaroc King.
She periodically helps Link in his quest, and, later, her true identity is revealed in Hyrule Castle: she is Princess Zelda, the last heiress in the Hylian Royal Family bloodline. Before this, Tetra did not know she was Zelda, yet knew of Hyrule, the legend of the Hero of Time, and the Master Sword, and wore a large piece of the Triforce of Wisdom around her neck as a necklace. When reunited with her ancestor, the King of Hyrule, their Triforce pieces unite, triggering her physical transformation into the fair-skinned, blonde Princess Zelda.
Tetra also appears in Tetra's Trackers, a part of the Japanese version of Four Swords Adventures, as well as Phantom Hourglass, where she is taken by the Ghost Ship, from which Link must rescue her. Link then learns that he must also defeat Bellum to restore her from being transformed into stone.
[edit] Relationships
[edit] Impa
In several games, Zelda has a nursemaid named Impa, a faithful servant who is largely responsible for raising her and cultivating her abilities. In The Legend of Zelda, Impa is her most trusted servant, the one whom she entrusts with the task of finding a hero to defeat Ganon. In The Adventure of Link, it is Impa who brings Link to the North Castle and recounts the story of the ancient curse on the sleeping Zelda. The Impa from Ocarina of Time is a survivor of the mysterious Sheikah race. She protects and cares for Zelda, teaching Zelda and Link the royal tune known as Zelda’s Lullaby, and fleeing the castle with Zelda when Ganondorf threatens the princess in an attempt to obtain the Ocarina of Time. Impa then teaches Zelda the ways of the Sheikah, allowing her to hide in plain sight for seven years, awaiting Link's return. In the end, she rounds out Zelda's group of sages in her role as the Sage of Shadow. In the Oracle games, Impa is an agent operating in Zelda’s interest, sent to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna to bring the oracles to safety in Hyrule.
[edit] Family
Not much is known about Zelda's family; they are rarely mentioned or seen in-game. The king and the prince who were related to the cursed Zelda in The Adventure of Link are never even named; their actions merely provide an explanation for her fate and the Triforce's condition. The return of the king to Hyrule Castle is seen briefly in the A Link to the Past end sequence. In Ocarina of Time, young Zelda briefly mentions her father, and while Ganondorf is seen kneeling before the king, the king is not actually shown.
In The Wind Waker, Tetra's relations include her deceased mother, who was the previous leader of the pirates, and Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the ancient King of Hyrule.
In The Minish Cap, she has a significant relationship with Daltus, King of Hyrule and her father. When Zelda is turned to stone, he is desperate to find a way to save her, and asks Link's help in doing so. Link's quest at one point involves getting help from the spirit of another royal ancestor, Gustaf.
[edit] In other media
Although information is only considered series canon if it comes from the games or instruction booklets (and where there is conflict between the two, the games themselves are the accepted source), or occasionally other Nintendo materials, there are a number of other officially licensed Zelda stories. Many of these explore a possible romantic relationship with Link in greater depth than the actual games. For example, in the Ocarina of Time manga, after Zelda tells Link to retrieve the three spiritual stones, she kisses his cheek saying "Be careful, ok?". Link blushes and dashes off. Also, at the end of the Adult Saga of that manga, when Link has been returned to his original time, Zelda's voice is heard through the master sword saying "Link...I Love you, Link...". Link smiles and later returns to the castle to see Zelda again.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda TV series
A set of Zelda cartoons aired on Fridays from 1989 to 1990 as a part of DiC's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. The series loosely followed the original NES Zelda, mixing settings and characters from that game with original creations. Zelda is depicted as a warrior princess with a fiery temper who wears more comfortable and practical garb than the Zelda from the game. In addition to running the kingdom part-time for her father, King Harkinian, she often accompanies Link on his adventures and is quite skilled with a bow. The series exemplifies a romantic relationship between the two protagonists. Link is always begging Zelda for a kiss; however, even when she agrees to indulge him, it never occurs. They are interrupted by monsters, or Spryte (a fairy princess with a crush on Link), or any number of unfortunate circumstances such as something making Zelda so mad she no longer wants to kiss Link. It is directly revealed by Ganon that Zelda was indeed in love with Link in one episode, and there is no doubt of their romantic relationship in this series. Thirteen of these cartoon episodes were produced before the cancellation of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Zelda was voiced by Cyndy Preston in the TV series. In the show, she was wearing a purple sweater, a light blue shirt, pink pants and brown thigh boots.
[edit] Captain N: The Game Master
A slightly altered version of this cartoon Zelda (with messier hair and a slightly more revealing version of the same clothing) appeared in assorted episodes in the second season of Captain N: The Game Master. In this crossover fiction, Zelda and Link befriend Kevin Keene and Princess Lana as they all attempt to restore peace to Hyrule. These appearances function as a follow-up to the original Zelda cartoon, however only containing elements from the second Zelda game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda comic books by Valiant
Featuring characters and settings from the TV series, this comic by Valiant Comics ran for five issues. Although Zelda's feelings for Link are made quite clear, there is another element at play here: her duty to the Triforce, which must come before her own needs and desires. When Link is corrupted by the Triforce of Power in one story, this Zelda briefly possesses his Triforce of Courage, which will not reside with one who uses Power without Wisdom. This comic reflected characters and elements from both the original The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past graphic novel
Created as a serial comic for Nintendo Power magazine by acclaimed manga author Shotaro Ishinomori, and later collected in graphic novel form, this tells an alternate version of the events from A Link to the Past. Zelda calls to Link and he must rescue her, first from Agahnim, and then from imprisonment at Turtle Rock in the Dark World. She is also instrumental in storming Ganon's floating castle and destroying him. Link and Zelda definitely develop a strong connection, but the relationship is ultimately portrayed as tragic. At the end of the story, Zelda has become queen, and Link is head of the Royal Guard and the Knights of Hyrule. This success is bittersweet, as their duties keep them apart, even though they were once so close, sharing an adventure and even coming together in dreams.
Stories from several Zelda games have also been converted to manga format in Japan. These publications greatly expand parts of each game's back-story.
[edit] In other games
[edit] CD-i games
Zelda is featured in three games made by a third party for the Phillips CD-i system. In Link: The Faces of Evil, she is kidnapped by Ganon again and has to be rescued. In Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure, Princess Zelda is the protagonist (both games involve Link's kidnapping). Although the games are noteworthy as the first time Zelda has been a playable character, the series is generally immensely criticized by fans and not recognized by Nintendo as canon. In the first CD-i Zelda games, Zelda is wearing a purple sweater, a light blue shirt, a pink skirt and brown boots.
[edit] Super Smash Bros.
The adult form of Zelda from Ocarina of Time also appears as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. She was first shown in the guise of Sheik, but it was later revealed that Sheik was one of two forms. These forms each have their own unique moves, effectively doubling her repertoire. In the game, both Zelda and Sheik are voiced by Jun Mizusawa. Zelda also appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[4] Like Link, her character design is more subdued than in Super Smash Bros. Melee,[4] and is based on her appearance in Twilight Princess.[5] In an interview, Eiji Aonuma said that character models for Sheik, along with Ganondorf, were submitted for possible use in Super Smash Bros. Brawl[6] and on January 16, 2008, Sheik was confirmed as a returning character in Brawl, again as Zelda's alternate form. An alternate color of Zelda with an appearance similar to that of Super Smash Bros. Melee is also available.[7] Both of these characters have the same Final Smash, which is the light arrow from Twilight Princess, although there are a few differences depending on which character uses it.[3]
[edit] References
- The following games and their instruction manuals: The Legend of Zelda; Zelda II: The Adventure of Link; The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time; The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask; The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons; The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords; The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures; The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
- Books
- Nintendo of America. Official Nintendo Power the Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-05-4.
- Prima Development. Super Smash Bros. Melee: Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games, 2002. ISBN 0-7615-3790-2.
- Notes
- ^ In the Game: Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto by Todd Mowatt, Amazon.com, last retrieved March 12, 2006
- ^ The Legend of Zelda database - letter S Zelda.com. URL Accessed April 30, 2006.
- ^ a b Sakurai, Masahiro (2008-01-16). "Smash Bros. DOJO!!—Sheik". Nintendo. http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/characters/sheik.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
- ^ a b "Zelda". http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/characters/zelda.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
- ^ Nintendo Power, Vol 219, Brawl Evolves: "The diva of Hyrule will sport a new look in Brawl based on her Twilight Princess duds."
- ^ "Eiji Aonuma Talks DS Development And More". Game Informer. 2001-08-02. http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200708/N07.0802.1741.54921.htm. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ "Smash Bros. DOJO!!—Colour Changes". Nintendo. 2007-11-21. http://www.smashbros.com/en_uk/howto/technique/technique08.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
