Princess Zelda

Princess Zelda
is the titular character in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda video game series. She was created by Shigeru Miyamoto for the original 1986 game The Legend of Zelda. As one of the central characters in the series, she has appeared in the majority of the games in various incarnations. Zelda is the elf-like Hylian princess of the kingdom of Hyrule, an associate of the series protagonist Link, and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom.
Zelda's role has often been that of a damsel in distress or donor who assists Link. In many games, she is captured by the antagonist Ganon, necessitating Link to come to her rescue. In several games she is one of the Sages or Champions whose heroism is essential to defeating Ganon; in others, like Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker, she adopts alternative personas to take a more active role in the story. In Skyward Sword, she is established as the mortal reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, which gives her incarnations a range of magical powers.
Zelda is a widely recognisable character in video gaming and a popular character with gamers and cosplayers. In addition to The Legend of Zelda series, she has appeared as a playable character in a number of spin-off games and other game series, including Hyrule Warriors, Cadence of Hyrule and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. She also appears as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series. Critics have responded positively to her character development and have listed her as one of the greatest female video game characters of all time.
Concept and creation
Characterisation
According to Shigeru Miyamoto, co-creator of The Legend of Zelda series, Princess Zelda's name was inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald, an American novelist, dancer, and socialite, as well as the wife of fellow novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. Miyamoto had decided to name the first game "The Legend of X", but did not know what the X would stand for. He said that a public relations planner had suggested the name when proposing an illustrated story for the game involving the rescue of a princess who was defined as an eternal beauty. Miyamoto explained: "I couldn't really get behind the book idea but I really liked the name Zelda. I asked him if I could use it, and he said that would be fine. And that's where the title The Legend of Zelda was born".
Like Link, there are multiple incarnations of Princess Zelda in the series who are all connected by The Legend of Zelda timeline, which spans thousands of years of fictional history. Each version of Princess Zelda is a descendant of the first, which was established as the incarnation that appears in Skyward Sword. The instruction booklet for Zelda II: The Adventure of Link establishes that Zelda's name reoccurs because the prince of the kingdom orders that "every female child born into the royal household shall be given the name Zelda".
Character design
Illustrations created for the original game and displayed in the Nintendo book titled The Legend Of Zelda: Art And Artifacts present a detailed design for the character dressed in a long pink gown decorated with white bows and wearing a necklace and small tiara. Artwork for Zelda II: The Adventure of Link imitated Zelda's original appearance, presenting her wearing a similar long pink gown and red hair. For the development of A Link to the Past (1991), Zelda was originally designed wearing a sci-fi themed outfit to correspond with an early multi-world game concept, but this was eventually scrapped.
The 1998 video game Ocarina of Time introduced a radical development for the character as a result of the improved graphical capabilities of the Nintendo 64. Princess Zelda was rendered in 3D for the first time and her detailed character model was accompanied by a more intricate backstory and involvement in the game. The princess was created in two forms, as a child and an adult. Her royal dress was designed with greater detail and displays a tabard featuring the Sheikah coat of arms and the Hyrule royal family crest.
Zelda appeared in cartoon form in the anime-inspired 2002 video game The Wind Waker. The art style was a vast departure from previous entries, both in terms of the cel-shaded graphics and also in the presentation of the character. Zelda appears as Tetra, a pirate captain whose disguise is vastly different to her traditional appearance as princess. Tetra's hair was designed as a swirl to mimic the wind and smoke in the game. This contrasts with her more traditional appearance as princess in the game wearing long hair and royal dress.
For the release of Twilight Princess illustrator Yusuke Nakano tried to portray the princess as a pensive character, "as if she's wondering about something". He drew illustrations of Zelda with feelings of "hopelessness and anxiousness", but tried to avoid depicting her and Link "too full of gloom and doom".
For Spirit Tracks (2009), Zelda was given a more active role in the gameplay, adventuring alongside Link in spirit form, which made a sharp contrast to her damsel in distress role in earlier installments. Eiji Aonuma, the series' longtime manager and producer, explained that this decision reflected the desires of fans and developers alike. A survey conducted in the United States signified consumers preferred more independent female characters, including Zelda's alter-egos Sheik (from Ocarina of Time) and Tetra (from The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass). Director, Daiki Iwamoto, also expressed an interest in making Zelda "a more integral part of the game" during the development of Spirit Tracks.
In 2011, Zelda appeared in Skyward Sword as a student of the Knight Academy instead of her usual role as princess. The designers wanted her to look like a "typical village girl" and aimed to "establish her as a heroine". They removed the royal ornamentation from her head and designed her wearing sky blue and a red dress. They also created Zelda in her goddess form, in which she was designed, "dressed simply, and in white". Aonuma stated that his team had been "looking at how we can create a Zelda that's not just a princess that needs to be rescued, but as somebody who has an active role and has her own part in the story".
For the release of Breath of the Wild in 2017, a variety of concept art was considered for Zelda's character design. In a three-part series on the making of the game, director Hidemaro Fujibayashi commented that Zelda's character was the most difficult to define: "The planners started by thinking about what kind of person Zelda is, and why she's in a position that makes us want to save her... The designers, on the other hand, took a completely opposite approach, or perhaps I should say different approach compared to the planners. For them it was all about first impressions... about how Zelda's design could make you feel something deep inside". The team was so concerned about her design that they repeatedly made refinements to her design until the end of development. Alongside various dress designs, Zelda's image was updated to include outfits that showed her ready for combat, including the final blue blouse and pants that complemented Link's primary outfit. Aonuma said that in Breath of the Wild, Zelda was designed to be "complex and multifaceted". He went on to explain that he wanted players to "explore and see these different sides of Zelda, different emotions that she evokes".
Portrayal
Princess Zelda has been voiced by several voice actors, including Bonnie Jean Wilbur in Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, Brandy Kopp in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Stephanie Martone in Cadence of Hyrule. She is voiced by Canadian-American actress Patricia Summersett in Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and Tears of the Kingdom. Zelda has also been voiced by several Japanese actors, including Jun Mizusawa (Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros. Melee), Hikari Tachibana (Four Swords Adventures, The Wind Waker, Hyrule Warriors), Akane Omae (Spirit Tracks), Ayumi Fujimura (A Link Between Worlds and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), Saori Seto (Hyrule Warriors) and Yū Shimamura (Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Tears of the Kingdom). In Zelda's Adventure, she was portrayed by a receptionist at the Viridis Corporation named Diane Burns.
Characteristics
Zelda is a princess and member of the royal family of Hyrule. She is typically depicted with blonde or brown hair and blue eyes and wears a royal dress, tiara and jewellery. Her appearance bears the characteristic traits of the Hylians, a fictional people that are human in form with elfin features, such as pointy ears. Throughout the series her age has ranged from a child to a teenager and young adult.
In the early games, Zelda primarily takes the role of the damsel in distress for Link to save after she is kidnapped by the series main antagonist, Ganon. However, her role has evolved over the course of the series. She sometimes assists and guides Link during his adventures and aids him in battle. In Ocarina of Time, she appears dressed as a mysterious ninja named Sheik who helps Link on his journey. In The Wind Waker, she plays an active role in the game in the guise of Tetra and also takes part in the final battle to defeat Ganondorf. In Spirit Tracks she travels alongside Link in the form of a spirit and assists him in overcoming various obstacles. In Breath of the Wild, she plays a prominent role in the storyline, with a complete story arc that is revealed in the form of Link's memories and portrays her as an emotionally complex character.
In the lore of the series, the first incarnation of Zelda is the mortal reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, a prominent deity within the games. Each subsequent incarnation of Zelda possesses the blood of the goddess. Zelda also represents the physical embodiment of Hylia's struggle to protect the mortal world from evil and takes responsibility for protecting the kingdom of Hyrule. Most iterations of Zelda have magical powers, such as teleportation, precognition, and the ability to heal.
Zelda is also closely associated with Nayru, one of the three Golden Goddesses who are the creators of the fictional world of Hyrule. Like Link and Ganon, she is the bearer of one third of the Triforce, a mystical artefact and icon within the series. Zelda possesses the Triforce of Wisdom, which gives her the inherent qualities of intelligence and wisdom. In the original 1986 The Legend of Zelda, the Triforce of Wisdom is split into fragments, necessitating Link to retrieve it in order to defeat Ganon. In later games, it manifests itself within Zelda, giving her the ability to conjure light arrows.
Throughout the series, Zelda has wielded various weapons. In Twilight Princess she is depicted holding a sword and also fights with a sword in Hyrule Warriors. She is also skilled in the use of a bow, which she uses to shoot light arrows at enemies, such as Ganondorf. In addition to using the Twilight Bow in Twilight Princess, Zelda's signature weapon is the Bow of Light, a recurring legendary weapon in the series. In Breath of the Wild, it is the most powerful bow in the game and she gifts it to Link to help him defeat Ganon in beast form. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Zelda is able to unleash several powerful attacks using the Bow of Light, including creating rings of light around enemies to deal greater damage. She also uses the Sheikah Slate, a handheld tablet featuring several runes, to attack enemies remotely.
Relationships
In the mythology of the series, Zelda's role is directly connected to the other two main characters, Link and Ganon. The trio represent the three virtues of the Triforce, a mysterious artifact and prominent icon that is positioned at the heart of the series, with Link embodying Courage, Ganon representing Power, and Zelda possessing Wisdom. Zelda's relationship with Link is ambiguous, with some games, such as Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time and Spirit Tracks hinting at the possibility of a romantic relationship between the two characters. Skyward Sword placed greater emphasis on a romantic relationship in its storyline, illustrated by Nintendo releasing an official "Romance Trailer" for the game. Aonuma explained that originally he planned to cut out any elements of romance from the game but decided to keep it in: "it wasn't that we wanted to create a romance between Link and Zelda as much as we wanted the player to feel like this is a person who's very important to me, who I need to find".
Alter egos
Sheik
In Ocarina of Time, Zelda disguises herself as a surviving member of the Sheikah clan under the name of . With voice muffled and face concealed, as well as wearing a form-fitting blue unitard with the red Sheikah eye in the center, Sheik is unrecognizable as Zelda. Sheik plays the lyre 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, she uses the Triforce of Wisdom and reverts to Zelda. Zelda reveals that she disguised herself as Sheik to hide from Ganondorf, who wants to take the Triforce of Wisdom from her so that he can possess all three pieces of the Triforce and control its power. When she reveals her real identity to Link, she magically transforms into her traditional form wearing her princess attire. This reveal is foreshadowed by a Gossip Stone located outside Hyrule Castle that states, "contrary to her elegant image, Princess Zelda of Hyrule Castle is, in fact, a tomboy". Sheik's gender was the subject of debate, with some fans believing that Zelda transforms herself into a male character in Ocarina of Time. However, Nintendo senior product marketing manager Bill Trinen responded that Sheik is a woman — Zelda in a different outfit. In 2016, Miyamoto revealed in an interview that the development team had considered the possibility of producing a spin-off game with Sheik as the protagonist.
Tetra
is a young pirate captain who is the incarnation of Zelda in The Wind Waker and its Nintendo DS sequel, Phantom Hourglass. Like Sheik, she plays a major role in the storyline, by helping Link to find his sister, Aryll. However, rather than purposefully taking on the guise of Tetra, Zelda is unaware of her royal bloodline until the end of the game. Tetra is an orphan who inherits her position as pirate captain from her mother, who died when she was young. Throughout The Wind Waker, she is depicted as a strong but compassionate leader and like Sheik appears at various points in the storyline to help Link. When Ganondorf realises that Tetra is really Zelda, she only believes it is her true identity when it is revealed by the Triforce of Wisdom. Tetra's transformation into Zelda takes place when the long lost king of Hyrule attaches a small golden object to Tetra's necklace to form the Triforce of Wisdom. This surrounds Tetra with blinding white light that subsides and reveals Zelda in her true princess form. After this reveal, she spends the remaining part of the game in her traditional appearance of Zelda, but reappears as Tetra at the end of the game.
The Phantom Hourglass follows on from The Wind Waker with Link and Tetra exploring the sea. Tetra is captured on a ghost ship, and Link must defeat the monster Bellum to save her. In a 2011 interview with GamesRadar+, Eiji Aonuma commented on the possibility of Tetra reappearing within the Zelda series: "Personally, I really like the character, but the director on the DS games after that, Mr. Iwamoto, said he didn't really like her, so he didn't want to use her".
Appearances
The Legend of Zelda series
As the eponymous character of the series, Princess Zelda has appeared in most of The Legend of Zelda games. However, there have been several games in which she does not make an appearance, including Link's Awakening (1993), Majora's Mask (2000), where she only appears in a flashback, and Tri Force Heroes (2015).
In Zelda's first appearance in the original The Legend of Zelda (1986), she is kidnapped by Ganon, the series' main antagonist, who seeks to steal the Triforce of Wisdom from her. Before he is able to capture her, she divides the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and hides the pieces across the land. She is eventually rescued by Link, and the two of them reunite the Triforces of Wisdom and Power. Although Zelda has only a minor role in the game, she was established as a central character in the storyline.
Zelda reappears in the sequel, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987). According to the game's manual, this incarnation of Zelda has been put into an eternal slumber after refusing to give up the power of the Triforce. Link breaks the curse by retrieving the Triforce and using its power to awaken her. This is the first game showing a relationship between the two characters, as Zelda rewards Link with a kiss at the end of the game.
In A Link to the Past (1991), Zelda is given a prominent role in the storyline and is established as a major character in the battle between good and evil. She is described as one of seven maidens descended from seven sages who sealed away Ganon during the Imprisoning War, a battle fought against Ganon's evil army. She is kidnapped and telepathically pleads with Link to rescue her. After being rescued, she and the six other maidens assist Link in breaking the seal on Ganon's tower so that Link may defeat the villain.
In Ocarina of Time (1998), Zelda first appears as a child. Suspicious of the Gerudo King Ganondorf, she charges Link with the task of collecting the three spiritual stones to open the door to the Sacred Realm and obtain the Master Sword and Triforce before Ganondorf does. Just before Link pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal, Ganondorf reveals his wicked intentions and Zelda flees Hyrule Castle with her guardian Impa before he can capture either of them. Still in hiding seven years later, she poses as a young Sheikah boy named Sheik. When Link wakes up after seven years, she guides him on his quest to save Hyrule's Sages before revealing her true identity. With Zelda's help, Link defeats Ganondorf after he transforms into his beast form named Ganon.
In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (2001), Zelda only appears after inputting a secret code that is obtained upon completing one of the games. In the storyline, she senses danger in the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna and sends her handmaiden Impa to protect Din, the Oracle of Seasons, and Nayru, the Oracle of Ages. In the full linked game, Zelda is captured by Twinrova and it is revealed that they plan to sacrifice her in order to ignite the Flame of Despair and resurrect Ganon once again, but Link intervenes and takes on Ganon in the final boss battle.
Four Swords (2002) presents Princess Zelda as one of many descendants who protect the seal on the Four Sword. In the plot, she takes Link to the Four Sword Sanctuary, which seals the evil sorcerer Vaati. Sensing that the seal's power is diminishing, she tries to inspect it, but is captured by Vaati, who had already escaped and takes her to his Palace of Winds to marry her. She is again rescued by Link with the power of the Four Sword and together they seal Vaati away.
The Zelda character in The Wind Waker (2002) is unaware of her royal identity, living instead as the pirate captain named Tetra. She first appears in the clutches of a giant bird called the Helmaroc King, though she struggles and is dropped at the top of Link's home island of Outset. She then agrees to help Link rescue his younger sister Aryll, whom the Helmaroc King has subsequently captured. She decides to help Link confront Ganon at the Forbidden Fortress, but they are unsuccessful in defeating him. Ganondorf discovers Tetra's true identity as Princess Zelda when the Triforce of Wisdom is repaired. In the final boss battle against Ganondorf, she assists Link by using his bow to shoot arrows of light.
In Four Swords Adventures (2004), the storyline is set in motion when dark clouds cause Zelda to fear the return of Vaati. While attempting to reseal him, she and the six maidens are captured by Dark Link. To save them, Link uses the Four Sword but accidentally sets Vaati free. After Link rescues her, it is revealed that Ganon is behind the capture. After Vaati is defeated, Zelda helps Link to finally defeat Ganon by giving him the Magic Bow.
In The Minish Cap (2004), Princess Zelda is turned to stone by Vaati, who shatters the legendary Picori Blade and breaks the seal that prevents evil spreading across Hyrule. Link is tasked with saving the princess by restoring the Picori Blade in order to lift the curse.
Twilight Princess (2006) centres around the Twilight King Zant invading the kingdom of Hyrule. Zelda is forced to surrender to Zant in order to protect her people. This results in the kingdom being enveloped in Twilight and the people of Hyrule disappearing and becoming spirits. The game involves Link, who is transformed into a wolf by the Twilight Realm's power, and his companion Midna working together to free Hyrule from the Twilight before finally defeating Zant, who is revealed to be a devotee of Ganondorf. Towards the end of the game, Zelda appears as the ninth boss when she is possessed by Ganondorf and controlled like a puppet. In the final battle with Ganondorf, Zelda accompanies Link on horseback and offers support by stunning Ganondorf with Light Arrows.
Phantom Hourglass (2007) follows on from the storyline of The Wind Waker and reintroduces Zelda in her Tetra incarnation. When Tetra is turned to stone and kidnapped by a Ghost Ship, Link jumps overboard and is rescued by a fairy named Ciela. In order to save Tetra, he must set sail with Ciela and a sea captain named Linebeck to find the guardians of Power, Wisdom, and Courage.
In Spirit Tracks (2009) Zelda meets Link, who is a railroad engineer, at his graduation ceremony. She is attacked by villainous Chancellor Cole and her spirit is separated from her body. In this ghostly form, she agrees to accompany Link on his adventure. Spirit Tracks differs from other Zelda games by featuring Zelda as a playable cooperative character. In her spirit form, she is able to possess Phantom Knights in order to help Link restore the Spirit Tracks. Her character can perform various tasks to help Link, such as carrying him on her shield or distracting enemy Phantoms so that Link can sneak past.
Though not a princess in Skyward Sword (2011), Zelda is presented as the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia and the character's first incarnation within the fictional timeline. Zelda is a close childhood friend to Link who grew up with him in Skyloft, a city in the clouds. When she is spirited away in a tornado conjured by the demon lord Ghirahim, Link travels to the Surface to search for Zelda. He is eventually reunited with Zelda after opening the Gate of Time. Ghirahim drags Zelda to the past and uses her power to release the antagonist Demise in the past to change events. After Link defeats Demise in battle, he and Zelda remain on the Surface to establish Hyrule Kingdom.
In A Link Between Worlds (2013), Zelda entrusts the Pendant of Courage to Link when the sorcerer Yuga begins capturing the descendants of the Seven Sages. After obtaining the remaining two pendants and drawing the Master Sword, Link pursues Yuga but is made to watch when he turns Zelda into a painting and casts her into the dying world of Lorule. Pursuing them to Lorule, Link is nearly destroyed by Yuga when he uses the Sages to revive Ganon and steal his Triforce of Power, but he is saved when Zelda's Lorule counterpart Princess Hilda binds Yuga. On Hilda's suggestion, Link rescues the Sages and is given the Triforce of Courage, then returns to Hilda only to see her taking Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom. She reveals that everything that had happened in Hyrule was intentionally designed to gather the Triforce so that Hilda can steal it and use its magic to restore Lorule. Hilda orders Yuga to take Link's Triforce of Courage, but Yuga betrays Hilda and turns her into a painting alongside Zelda. After Yuga's death, Zelda and Hilda are returned to normal, but Hilda refuses to accept defeat until Link's own Lorule counterpart Ravio convinces her that she has no right to rob Hyrule of its Triforce. Taking pity on Hilda, Zelda and Link use their Triforce to restore Lorule's own, allowing Hilda's kingdom to flourish once again.
In the backstory of Breath of the Wild (2017), Zelda is at the forefront of the storyline, which is revealed through a series of cutscenes showing Link's memories. The cutscenes depict her struggles to awaken her sacred power and show her insecurities and initial resentment towards Link after he is appointed as her personal knight. Calamity Ganon appears and takes control of the Guardians and Divine Beasts, ancient Sheikah machinery used to defeat him ten millennia previously. Zelda finally awakens her sacred power while protecting Link from a fatal blow and sends him to be placed in stasis in the Shrine of Resurrection. She uses her power to seal Calamity Ganon and herself in Hyrule Castle. After 100 years she awakens Link so that he can finally destroy Ganon. In the final battle, she gives Link the Bow of Light to defeat Ganon in his dark beast form.
In Tears of the Kingdom (2023) Zelda plays a pivotal role in helping Link to defeat Ganondorf. After she and Link accidentally awaken Ganondorf beneath Hyrule Castle, she falls into an abyss and disappears thousands of years into the past to the time of the Zonai. There she meets the first king of Hyrule named Rauru and his wife Sonia who tell her that she has both sacred and time control powers. Having taken possession of the decayed Master Sword, her sacred power slowly restores it. Aware of Ganondorf's threat to Hyrule's future, she sacrifices herself by swallowing a Secret Stone, which transforms her into the Light Dragon and gives her the immortality to return the Master Sword to Link. After Ganondorf's defeat she is transformed back into a Hylian by the power of time and light. Fujibayashi, the game's director noted that her character development is a key aspect of the narrative: "She's going through growth, experiencing things, and ultimately figuring out what kind of a person she's going to be".
Spin-off games
Zelda appears in three CD-i games based on The Legend of Zelda series. In Link: The Faces of Evil (1993), she is kidnapped by Ganon and has to be rescued by Link. In Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon (1993) and Zelda's Adventure (1994), Princess Zelda is the protagonist and must save Link. Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon is noteworthy as the first time that Zelda appeared as a playable character. However, the series is generally criticized by fans and not recognized by Nintendo as canon.
Zelda is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors (2014). Her weapons include the light arrows, which have been associated with her in several previous Zelda games, a rapier, as well as the Wind Waker, the titular conductor's baton from the series' entry. The Dominion Rod from Twilight Princess appeared as downloadable content for the Wii U game and in Hyrule Warriors Legends (2016) for the Nintendo 3DS. In addition to her Hyrule Warriors incarnation, Tetra and Toon Zelda (her incarnation from Spirit Tracks) appear in Hyrule Warriors Legends and were added to Hyrule Warriors as downloadable content. Tetra fights primarily wielding a Cutlass and water magic-infused pistol, though like Princess Zelda can use Light Arrows during certain attacks. Toon Zelda uses her ghostly form to possess a Phantom and fights wielding its sword and shield known as Phantom Arms. In addition to her Phantom, Toon Zelda can also leave it briefly during certain attacks to unleash the power of her spirit. Tetra can be unlocked through the latter part of the main story of Hyrule Warriors Legends, while Toon Zelda appeared as part of the Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks downloadable content.
Zelda is a playable character in the rhythm game Cadence of Hyrule, which was released in 2019 for the Nintendo Switch. It is a crossover between Crypt of the NecroDancer and The Legend of Zelda series.
In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020), a prequel to Breath of the Wild, Princess Zelda is one of eighteen playable characters. The game tells the story of the Great Calamity that happened 100 years before Breath of the Wild.
Other game series
Zelda was introduced in the Super Smash Bros. series as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) and has appeared in every subsequent game, including Brawl (2008), Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014) and Ultimate (2018). In Melee and Brawl, Zelda possesses the ability to transform into Sheik. In 3DS and Wii U and Ultimate, they are separate characters. Her character moves mainly involve magical attacks, while Sheik is focused more on speed and physical attacks. In Brawl her design was based on her appearance in Twilight Princess. In a 2007 interview, Eiji Aonuma said that his design team had submitted initial character models for Sheik, Link and Ganondorf for use within the Brawl environment and Sheik was confirmed as a returning character. An alternate color variation for Zelda with an appearance similar to that of Melee was also included in Brawl. The Twilight Princess incarnation of Zelda and Sheik returned in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, this time as separate characters with no ability to switch between them in mid-battle. In Ultimate, Sheik's design took inspiration from the Sheikah Set in Breath of the Wild and Zelda's design is based on her appearance in A Link Between Worlds and A Link To The Past.
Television series
A set of The Legend of Zelda cartoons aired from 1989 to 1990 as a part of DiC's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. It was loosely based on the original game and centres on Link, Zelda, Ganon and a fairy named Spryte, and also features Zelda's father, King Harkinian. Thirteen episodes were produced before the cancellation of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Although Zelda is sometimes captured by Ganon, she is depicted as a smart, resourceful character. The series also emphasises a romantic relationship between Link and Zelda, in which Link is always begging Zelda for a kiss. Zelda was voiced by Cyndy Preston in the TV series. Writer Phil Harnage thought that Zelda's characterisation was ahead of its time and a role model for girls. He said: "We didn't want a Disney princess. We're not going to be selling princess dresses to six-year-olds. So yeah, she was an action hero in her own right, and that was kind of unique". Preston commented: "I don't think I was playing Zelda as a teenager. She was an independent woman — a young woman, but she was independent. She didn't need a hero to save her, and that was so cool".
A version of cartoon Zelda (with slightly more revealing clothing) appeared in assorted episodes in the second season of Captain N: The Game Master. In this crossover, 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.
Comics and manga
A comic series published in the early 1990s by Valiant Comics was based on the adventures of Zelda and Link. It ran for five issues, with a sixth story published under the Nintendo Comics System brand. The storyline echoes The Legend of Zelda animated television series, which was being aired around the same time. Like the animated series, it involves Link attempting to get a kiss from Zelda, but also depicts Zelda displaying affections towards Link. In the storyline for "To the First Power", Zelda trains to defend herself and eventually defeats a wizzrobe in order to save Link.
A serial comic by manga author Shotaro Ishinomori was originally published in 1992 in Nintendo Power magazine and later collected in graphic novel form. It was based on The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and tells an alternate version of the events. It was reprinted as a single volume in 2015 by Viz Media. Other manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda games have also been published, including Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, The Minish Cap and Phantom Hourglass, which are illustrated by Akira Himekawa.
Gamebooks
Alongside Link, Zelda appears in several Nintendo gamebooks. Two books titled The Crystal Trap and The Shadow Prince were published in 1992, which were written in the style of Choose Your Own Adventure books. In The Crystal Trap, the plot focuses on Zelda freeing Link from the trap, while The Shadow Prince involves Link saving Zelda.
Merchandise
Zelda has been reproduced in the form of figurines and plush toys. Various amiibo have been released since 2014 depicting her in several incarnations. Two amiibo of Zelda and Sheik were released for the Super Smash Bros. series in 2014 and 2015. Several amiibo of Zelda have been released for the Zelda series, including the Wind Waker incarnation, the Breath of the Wild incarnation and Zelda and loftwing from Skyward Sword. In June 2023, an amiibo for Tears of the Kingdom depicting Zelda holding the Master Sword was announced for release later in the year.
Reception and legacy
Due to being the titular character, it is a common misconception amongst new players and non-players that Zelda is the protagonist of the series. Actor and comedian Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda Williams after Princess Zelda, due to being a fan of The Legend of Zelda series. Critics and gamers consider Zelda to be a significant video game character in popular culture. In 2009, she was voted the third greatest female character in games on Nintendo systems by the Official Nintendo Magazine, which appreciated her as "a strong woman who, with her sword and bow and arrow, is capable of holding her own in a fight". In 2016, Digital Spy ranked her as one of the "most iconic female game characters of all time". In 2018, readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition voted her as one of the top video game characters of all time. Readers of the Japanese publication Famitsu chose her as their favourite Tears of the Kingdom character in 2023.
The book Female Action Heroes described Zelda as "perhaps one of the most well-known princesses in video game history", though acknowledged that her role in the games was to serve as a "damsel in distress". Alex Huebner of iMore said that she is a "badass", illustrated by her various alter egos as a fighter in disguise, a pirate leader and a goddess. Ozzie Mejia, writing for Shacknews, chose Zelda as one of the best characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, emphasising her increased speed and dash attack with additional knockback. He also praised her character development within the Zelda series for developing from a passive princess to a strong heroine.
Tetra was recognised by The Guardian as one of 30 "interesting female game characters", with the comment that "Tetra demands respect and gets it". When reviewing Spirit Tracks, Abbie Stone of GamesRadar praised Zelda's role as a ghost that can possess enemies, as it places her in the position of co-lead throughout the game, and opined that this proves "action and femininity aren't mutually exclusive". Oli Welsh of Eurogamer commented that for most of the game she fulfils a similar role to Navi or Midna by providing hints and comments, but praised the close romance between her and Link that replaces her usual position as a distant ideal.
Speaking for Nintendo Life, Alex Olney appreciated the human traits and flaws displayed by Zelda in Breath of the Wild and considered this to be her best incarnation, citing the pressure of her responsibilities, her determination to protect her kingdom and Link, her strength and power, and her ability to match Calamity Ganon and restrain him for 100 years. Gita Jackson writing for Kotaku considered her blue adventuring outfit to be a "cool departure from the norm" of the traditionally pink Hylian princess and illustrated her prominent story arc within the game. Steve Watts of GameSpot felt that the story in Tears of the Kingdom belongs to Zelda, not only because she is the focus of the main quest line, but also because the mystery of discovering her location slowly unravels throughout the game and leads to an "incredible, stirring revelation". He also praised the game for inverting the story trope of Link being the prophesied hero and making Zelda the strategist who makes him the hero by helping him in the distant past, thereby being the author of the prophecy. Zelda's story in Tears of the Kingdom was particularly praised by Matthew Byrd of Den of Geek, who described it as an "emotional and engaging arc", highlighting her sacrifice for those she loves and her memorable reveal as the Light Dragon. He praised her altruism for being dependable and aspirational, saying that it "doesn’t feel like some cheap emotional ploy designed to drum up sympathy".
Analysis
Brendan Main for The Escapist magazine commented that Zelda's alter-ego Sheik in Ocarina of Time broke the conventions of the character's role because "Sheik is everything Zelda is not". He commented that while Zelda's elegance and femininity had restricted her to being a captive, Sheik's ambiguous gender gave the character freedom, but noted that once Zelda is revealed to be Sheik, she is immediately returned to a captive again. Zelda's evolution from the "princess in peril" was noted by Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer who commented that in most games she is simply a goal for the player to acquire, but in more recent titles she has grown into a more fleshed-out character. Jason Guisao of Game Informer said that although Zelda has the potential to be equal to Link, "Nintendo is attached to tired scenarios where she is captured or immobilized". He opined that she had been sidelined in Breath of the Wild and should instead be leading a new era of fully integrated co-operative play. Jacob Kastrenakes for The Verge opined that switching Link's and Zelda's roles could be possible without requiring Link to be absent, but highlighted that Aonuma confirmed that this idea had been rejected because, "if we have Princess Zelda as the main character who fights, then what is Link going to do?" Sara Gitkos of iMore opined that Zelda deserves her own game due to being "a scholar, a leader, and a fierce princess who takes charge of her own destiny", but noted that this would be difficult because her role is so embedded within the lore of the series that the entire concept would need to be changed. Jay Castello writing for Polygon described the ending of Tears of the Kingdom as a tragedy for perpetuating the status quo of Zelda's repetitive role in the series, commenting that the gendered elements "appear to skate by simply because this has been going on so long that mentioning them feels blasé". Heather Wald of GamesRadar highlighted that Tears of the Kingdom had reignited the longstanding debate about the possibility of Zelda becoming a playable character in the series: "It speaks to just how much demand there is to have the opportunity to be Zelda in a mainline adventure".
See also
Characters of The Legend of Zelda
Notes
References
External links
Princess Zelda page at Play Nintendo
Animated television characters
Child characters in video games
Deity characters in video games
Female characters in anime and manga
Female characters in video games
Female soldier and warrior characters in video games
Fictional archers
Fictional characters with alter egos
Fictional characters with precognition
Fictional cross-dressers
Dragon characters in video games
Fictional female ninja
Fictional female pirates
Fictional female swordfighters
Fictional goddesses
Fictional hostages and kidnapped people
Fictional humanoids
Fictional swordfighters in video games
The Legend of Zelda characters
Ninja characters in video games
Nintendo protagonists
Princess characters in video games
Super Smash Bros. fighters
Teenage characters in video games
Telepath characters in video games
Video game characters introduced in 1986
Video game characters who can teleport
Video game characters who use magic