Zelda: Difference between revisions

| image = [[File:Zelda - TotK key art.png|400px]]

| caption      = Key art of Zelda from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|Tears of the Kingdom]]''

Zelda is the ruling princess of [[Lesser Hyrule]] in ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''. When [[Ganon]] and his army marched into Hyrule and seized the [[Triforce of Power]], Zelda took the [[Triforce of Wisdom]] and broke it into [[Triforce Shard|eight fragments]]. She then told her servant, [[Impa]], to find someone with enough courage to find the pieces and use it to destroy Ganon; the evil king found out about this and imprisoned Zelda. She is ultimately rescued by [[Link (The Legend of Zelda)|Link]], after he reunites the Triforce of Wisdom and defeats Ganon.

One day, Princess Zelda awakens from a dream. In her dream, she sees dark clouds in the sky, covering Hyrule in darkness, but then a light shot out of the forest, cleared the sky, and a figure appeared. It turned into a person, holding a stone, and followed by a [[fairy]]. Since she had studied prophecies, she thought somebody would come from a forest with a stone and a fairy and take down some kind of evil form just as in her dream. When Zelda tells her father, he doesn't believe her, but her servant, Impa, the last [[Sheikah]], does, and so tries to protect her. Then, a man from the desert named [[Ganon]]dorf visits the king. Zelda believes that this man is the evil darkness that surrounded Hyrule in her dream. She tried to warn her father, but he doesn't believe her, so he sends her out of the room so he can talk privately with the Gerudo king. She goes into the garden and looks inside one of the windows to the Throne Room, where her father and Ganondorf are, and spies on them.

When Link, charged by the [[Great Deku Tree]] with finding the princess, sneaks though the [[Castle Courtyard]] to meet her; Zelda recognises him as the boy from her dream. She tells him of the dream, Ganondorf, and the legend of the Triforce. The Triforce can grant a wish to anyone who obtains it, but to get it you need four things: the three [[Spiritual Stones]], one of which Link has; and the [[Ocarina of Time]], which Zelda has. Using these in the [[Temple of Time]] opens the [[Door of Time]] which leads to the [[Sacred Realm]], where the Triforce is hidden. She believes that Ganondorf wants the Triforce for himself. She tells Link to find the other Stones so they can beat Ganondorf, and he is led out by Impa.

Fearing Ganondorf, however, Zelda and Impa ultimately flee the castle, riding out into Hyrule Field as Link returns with the third stone. She throws the Ocarina of Time into the Castle Town moat for Link to retrieve. When he fishes it out, he has a vision of Zelda, telling him they couldn't wait, and teaching him the [[Song of Time]].

The following morning, Zelda notices the Triforce of Wisdom on her hand. She remembered part of the legend that she forgot to tell Link. When a person with an unbalanced heart makes a wish on the Triforce, it splits ito three. The part that mostly represents that person will go to him/her, and the other two will go to other people who are represent those parts. She believes that Ganondorf got the Triforce after Link opened the door, made his wish, and got the Triforce of Power, while Zelda got the Triforce of Wisdom. For the next seven years, with Impa's help, Zelda disguises herself as a [[Sheikah]] boy called "[[Sheik]]", aiming to hide from Ganondorf while waiting for Link's return.

When seven years later, Link appears on the [[Pedestal of Time]], all grown up and equipped with the Master Sword. Sheik appears before him, and tells him who he is, where the other sages are located, and where to get a useful item for the first dungeon. Sheik appears later in the game to teach Link the last 6 [[Ocarina Songs]] right before each dungeon: [[Minuet of Forest]], [[Bolero of Fire]], [[Serenade of Water]], [[Nocturne of Shadow]], [[Requiem of Spirit]], and [[Prelude of Light]] (the last one is not taught before a dungeon). Sheik appears several other times throughout the game: at the Temple of Time, after the [[Forest Temple (Ocarina of Time)|Forest Temple]], where he tells Link how to go back to the past,  how to fight beaten bosses again (3DS version), and teaches him the Prelude of Light; at [[Lake Hylia (Ocarina of Time)|Lake Hylia]], right after the [[Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)|Water Temple]], where he witnesses the lake's restoration and speaks with Link for a few seconds; and at [[Kakariko Village (Ocarina of Time)|Kakariko Village]], a bit after the Water Temple, where he tries to fight the Evil Spirit of [[Bongo Bongo]] sealed inside the [[Bottom of the Well|well]], and teaches Link the Nocturne of Shadows.

After all six sages are safe, Link goes back to the Temple of Time and finds Sheik waiting for him. He tells him about the legend where the Triforce separates during the wish, and that Ganondorf has the Triforce Power, Sheik has Wisdom, and Link has Courage. He also finally reveals himself to be Princess Zelda, and that she was hiding from Ganondorf by changing her appearance while she waited for Link. During this conversation, Ganondorf took the chance to capture the revealed Zelda and lures Link into his castle.

Zelda does not have an important role in Majora's Mask. She is only seen once, in a cutscene early in the game. After retrieving the [[Ocarina of Time]] from [[Skull Kid]], Link remembers meeting Zelda as he left Hyrule. Link is standing with Zelda and his horse Epona while Zelda teaches him the [[Song of Time]].

==''Oracle of Seasons'' & ''Oracle of Ages''==

The Royal Princess of Hyrule, Zelda is a sign of hope to the people of Hyrule. She has vivid dreams which allow her to foresee evil in the distance. Zelda sends her royal nurse Impa to the land of Labrynna in order to find Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, and bring her back to safety in Hyrule. However, Impa never quite completed that journey as planned and the evil power of Veran took control of Impa, and eventually the Oracle of Ages herself.

[[File:FSA-Princess-Zelda.png|200px|right]] In ''Four Swords Adventures'', Princess Zelda uses her telepathy to call her friend [[Link]] and ask him to come to [[Hyrule Castle]]. Link joins Zelda and the [[Shrine Maidens]] to investigate the seal on [[Vaati]] at the [[Four Sword Sanctuary]], due to the ominous clouds and darkness covering [[Hyrule]]. Before they can reach the Four Sword Sanctuary, [[Shadow Link]] appears and imprisons Zelda and the Maidens. Link gives chase to the Four Sword Sanctuary, where he draws the [[Four Sword]], splitting himself into four and releasing the seal on the Wind Mage Vaati.

After being sent to a remote area of Hyrule, the Links search the land for the Maidens and Princess Zelda. They eventually find Princess Zelda inside the [[Tower of Winds (Four Swords Adventures)|Tower of Winds]] and continue to the [[Realm of the Heavens]]. Once the Links find the [[Dark Mirror]], they are powerless to stop it from endlessly producing Shadow Links. Princess Zelda uses her power to stop the Mirror and end Shadow Link's presence.

Once the Links defeat Vaati, the Tower of Winds begins to collapse, forcing Link and Zelda to retreat to safety. During this phase, Zelda must be protected and certain puzzles must be solved to allow her to progress. Upon nearing the exit of the Tower, the floor begins to collapse, sending the Links and Zelda deep beneath the Tower.

While the four Links are incapacitated, Zelda attempts to seal away [[Ganon]] herself, but is imprisoned once again. The four Links wake up and fight Ganon together, and eventually weaken him enough to break the seal on Zelda. The Links must then protect Zelda from Ganon's attacks while she creates a ball of light intended to paralyze Ganon. Once the ball of light is ready, the Links then shoot a [[Light Arrow]] through it and into Ganon, stunning him momentarily. Princess Zelda and the Maidens proceed to seal Ganon away within the Four Sword, defeating Ganon and restoring peace to Hyrule.

Once again, Zelda takes on the role as the princess of Hyrule.

Zelda is Link's childhood friend. At the beginning of the game, Zelda takes Link to the [[Picori Festival]]. She takes part in a lottery competition and wins first prize. Although there were many fine prizes, Zelda chooses a [[shield]] and gives it to Link. However, when celebrating the winner of the sword competition that was held, the winner turns out to be the evil Wind Mage [[Vaati]] and he turns Zelda to stone. Thus Link sets out on a quest to find a way to save Zelda.

After Link retrieves the three [[Fused Shadow]]s for Midna, Zant appears and casts a curse on Link which prevents him from returning to Hylian form when not in Twilight. After Midna refuses to assist Zant in conquering the world of light, he mortally wounds her by exposing her to light. Immediately after this, the [[Light Spirit]] [[Lanayru (Light Spirit)|Lanayru]] transports Link and Midna from Zant's presence, and the injured Minda tells Link to hurry to Princess Zelda.

Zelda is the princess of the Royal Family of Hyrule and a descendant of [[Tetra]] from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]''.  Princess Zelda suspects that Chancellor Cole is involved with the recent disappearance of the Spirit Tracks that seal away the Demon King. After Princess Zelda slips Link a note so that the two could meet in private, they escape the castle and begin a journey to the Tower of Spirits.

Princess Zelda appears in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds|A Link Between Worlds]]'' and resembles her princess appearance from previous Zelda titles. Much like in ''Ocarina of Time'', [[Impa]] is her nursemaid.

[[Link]] first meets Zelda after he witnesses [[Seres]] being transformed into a painting by [[Yuga]]. At first, Zelda does not know who Link is, but she mentions that she saw him in her dreams. After being told about Seres, the princess takes the events seriously and gives Link the [[Pendant of Courage]], one of three crucial elements to obtaining the [[Master Sword]]. Zelda then tells Link to seek the elder [[Sahasrahla (A Link Between Worlds)|Sahasrahla]], who will be able to give him more information about what to do next.

[[File:Zelda-botw.png|x400px|right]]

Zelda appears in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild|Breath of the Wild]]'', once again as the princess of [[Hyrule#Breath of the Wild|Hyrule]]. From a young age, Zelda was scholarly and interested in research. This eventually transformed into a passion with the discovery of the [[Guardian (Breath of the Wild)|Guardians]] and the [[Divine Beast]]s early in her life. After her mother died when Zelda was six years old, the duty fell upon the princess to discover the power of the Goddess [[Hylia]] that slept within her. This proved to be difficult, however, for varying reasons. Zelda was often more interested in discovering the secrets of the ancient [[Sheikah]] technology found throughout Hyrule; and the "sealing power" eludes her, much to the displeasure of her father, [[King Rhoam|King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule]]. For some time, she took the frustrations of this out on her designated protector, the Hylian Champion [[Link (Breath of the Wild)|Link]], that Link's path as the chosen hero was of relative ease - but she began to warm up to him after he saved her life from a [[Yiga Clan]] attack in [[Kara Kara Bazaar]].

When Calamity Ganon finally returned, Zelda still had not awoken the power deep inside her. The plans she created as the leader of the [[Champion]]s began to rapidly unravel. All four Champions, many of Hyrule's residents, and her father died soon after Ganon's takeover. Ganon took control of the Divine Beasts and Guardians and used them to annihilate [[Central Hyrule]]. With nowhere left to turn, Zelda was on the run with Link, trying to recover any ground they could. The two were heavily outmatched, however, and were trapped by a [[Guardian Stalker]] on [[Blatchery Plain]] in [[West Necluda]]. With his last breaths, Link, still trying to protect Zelda, confronted the Guardian. Zelda however, managed to find the courage to confront the Guardian herself and protect Link in the face of evil. By doing so she finally unlocked her power and used it to destroy many Guardians within the nearby area.

All was not well though, as Link soon collapsed to the ground and died in Zelda's arms. When she had finally lost all hope, the Master Sword began to glow with a blue aura and spoke to the Princess. The voice speaking to her was [[Fi]], who indicated that Link could still be saved if he was taken to the [[Shrine of Resurrection]]. After Link began his slumber, Zelda traveled to the [[Korok Forest]] and placed the Master Sword in its pedestal to wait for its master to return in one hundred years. She then made her way back to Hyrule Castle, and used her newfound power to contain Ganon until Link's return.

Once one hundred years had passed, Link was awoken by Zelda's voice in the Shrine of Resurrection. She informed Link that her power to contain Ganon within the Castle was weakening, and soon she would no longer be able to contain the evil. After the King's spirit informed Link of how to approach the new world, Zelda watched over Link as he wrested the Divine Beasts from Ganon's control. Combined with the power of these beasts and the Master Sword, Link returned to Hyrule Castle as Zelda's power finally gave way and Ganon broke free of his prison.

Upon defeating Calamity Ganon's initial form, Ganon transformed into Dark Beast Ganon in a field in front of Hyrule Castle. To combat this pure form of malice and evil, Zelda presented Link with the [[Bow of Light]]. With Zelda's help to contain the Beast, Link used the Bow of Light to weaken Ganon as much as possible. Zelda then sealed Ganon away, allowing Link and Zelda to finally fulfill their roles in Hyrule's destiny. In a post-credits scene, Zelda is shown to be surveying the land of Hyrule with Link, hopeful that the two can restore the country to its former glory.

...reappearing thousands of years earlier, in the distant past of Hyrule, where she meets the Zonai [[Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)|King Rauru]] and his Hylian wife [[Sonia|Queen Sonia]], the first King and Queen of Hyrule. They take her in, and together with the king's sister [[Mineru]], explain the "secret stone" she found, and the time power she possesses - boosted by the stone - which sent her into the distant past. With no way back to the present - save the forbidden act of [[draconification]], which would turn her into an immortal dragon at the cost of identity death - she reluctantly settles into the past and becomes close to the ancient royals, especially Sonia, who helps guide her in the use of the [[Recall|time power]] she shares.

However, the Ganondorf of the past intercedes, and despite Zelda's warnings, Rauru accepts his vow of fealty, thinking it better to keep him close. He is proven wrong when a sting operation conducted by Zelda and Sonia, where a copy of Zelda controlled by Ganondorf attempts to kill Sonia and is exposed by the royals, ends in tragedy. Ganondorf kills Sonia and takes her secret stone, redubbing himself the "Demon King". Zelda uses the [[Purah Pad]] to warp herself, the dying Sonia and the angry Rauru away before the Demon King can kill them. As the Demon King's Army beats back Hyrule's army, and looks toward total triumph, Rauru recruits a group of [[sage]]s from the leaders of the major Hyrulean races, and gives them secret stones. Joined by Zelda as the Sage of Time, and Mineru as the Sage of Spirit, the group of six sages swears fealty to Rauru. In the final battle, Rauru sacrifices himself to keep Ganondorf contained for thousands of years, until the events which led to Zelda travelling back in time. While Zelda and most of the sages survive, Mineru is mortally wounded.

In the aftermath, Zelda finds herself drawn to the back of the [[Temple of Time (Tears of the Kingdom)|Temple of Time]], where the [[Decayed Master Sword]] appears from a time rift. The [[Fi|voice in the sword]] explains to her that Link survived Ganondorf's attack. Knowing this, and with the sword in hand, Zelda comes to a decision. She goes to Mineru and tells her she intends to draconify herself, so that her sacred power can allow the Master Sword to repair itself and increase its power, giving Link a chance in the present day when Ganondorf revives. Sick as she is, the Zonai sage objects, but relents when she sees she can't talk Zelda out of it and agrees to help. Zelda then travels to the other four sages, begging that they ensure their descendents help Link when the time comes.

Before Mineru's body dies, she uses her power as the sage of spirit to separate her ghost from her body, and enters the Purah Pad. Zelda then gives the Purah Pad to a [[Steward Construct]] for Link, and swallows the stone. She just has time to grab the Master Sword and wish for Ganondorf's destruction before transforming into the [[Light Dragon]], which travels high into the sky, the Master Sword embedded in its head, to pass the millennia.  As it does so, eleven [[Dragon's Tear]]s fall from its eyes, landing across Hyrule.

In [[Zelda (Game & Watch)|the ''Zelda'' Game & Watch LCD game]], Princess Zelda is [[Link]]'s "sweetheart", kidnapped by eight evil [[Dragon (LCD Games)|dragons]] who "refused to live in peace with man." Link intends to "destroy the dragons" in revenge and save Zelda.{{Ref|[[Zelda (Game & Watch)]] [[:File:ZG&W Manual 01-02.jpg|instruction manual]]}}

File:Zelda-LoZ-Art-2.png|Artwork of Zelda from ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''

File:Zelda-Ages-Sprite.png|Zelda sprite from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons|Oracle of Seasons]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages|Oracle of Ages]]''

File:Zelda-Minish-Cap-Sprite.png|Zelda sprite from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap|The Minish Cap]]''

File:Zelda Spirit Tracks Ghost.png|Key art of Zelda in Ghost form from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks|Spirit Tracks]]''