10 Zelda Characters Inspired by Mythology And Folklore
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
"The Legend of Zelda" draws from mythology and folklore for many characters and creatures. For this list, we'll be looking at some of our favorites to be based on those larger-than-life stories. Our list includes the Great Deku Tree, Keaton, the Picori, Epona, and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re breaking out our History books to showcase 10 Zelda Characters Inspired by Mythology & Folklore. “The Legend of Zelda” has drawn from real-world myths and folktales since its inception. For this list, we’ll be looking at some of our favorite characters and creatures to be based on those larger-than-life stories. Know of any other similar instances in “Zelda?” Share them with us in the comments!
First introduced in “Ocarina of Time,” Epona has acted as Link’s steadfast steed in several major entries. She was a great addition to early 3D “Zelda,” considering how much bigger “Ocarina” was from previous entries. Originally, Nintendo was going to give players the option of naming her, just as they always have with Link. But that option was removed during development, with the team instead opting to give her the same name as the Celtic Goddess of Fertility. More importantly, the real-world Epona was a protector of horses and other similar animals, like donkeys. Given her connection to horses, she was also adopted by the Roman Empire as a patron of horseback cavalry.
“Majora’s Mask” is filled with all sorts of oddities, including, surprisingly, an alien invasion. After reuniting with Epona, Link is asked to defend Romani Ranch against mysterious assailants. While Romani never refers to them as aliens, only ‘Them,’ they descend from the sky and abduct cows via a tractor beam. Their appearance bears a striking resemblance to the Flatwoods Monster, a figure from West Virginian folklore. In the town of Flatwoods, on September 12th, 1952, some citizens reported seeing something bright streak across the night sky before landing on a farm. Upon investigating, they saw a large, hooded figure with eerie, glowing eyes, which hissed and glided towards them, causing them to flee in fear. Sounds pretty spot-on to us.
Every “Zelda” fan knows the franchise’s creation story…partially because it’s been hammered into us so many times. Din, Nayru, and Farore created the world from nothing and poured their power into it. While “Zelda’s” creation story doesn’t seem to take from any specific myth or folktale, some of the Goddess’ actions are. Many tales from mythologies from all over the world feature a hero of men tested by the Gods. Link just so happens to be that constant hero of man. Moreover, in one of the branching timelines, the Goddesses flooded Hyrule rather than see Ganon rule over it. For many Christians, that instantly brings to mind Noah and his ark. But there are also instances of cleansing floods in multiple mythologies, including Greek and Mesopotamian.
Oracles are seen constantly throughout stories in numerous mythologies. Although, given the popularity and prominence of Greek myth in pop culture, that might be how most of us are familiar with them. They’re usually messengers of the Gods, receiving and interpreting visions and wisdom to guide their community. However, the Oracles in “Zelda” are much more closely linked to their deities. Din, from “Seasons,” is named after the Goddess of Power. Instead of interpreting her namesake’s messages, she herself has divine power. When she’s kidnapped, the seasons of Holodrum go all out of whack. Similarly, Nayru from “Ages,” named for the Goddess of Wisdom, causes time to be disrupted when she’s taken.
In “Ocarina of Time,” the first item in Young Link’s trading sequence is the Keaton Mask. It’s said to be based on a popular children’s character. But in Termina, its basis is far more mystical. Link gains the Keaton mask through the Anju & Kafei side quest. In order to find a real Keaton, he has to wear it while chopping certain moving patches of grass. The character model of Keaton will be familiar to anyone who has seen Ninetales from “Pokemon.” That’s because they both have the same basis in Japanese mythology: the kitsune. These multi-tailed fox spirits are said to be more powerful the more tails they have. There’s also a Keaton enemy in “Minish Cap.” But other than being an anthropomorphic fox, it doesn’t have anything else in common with this version.
Fairies are some of the most commonly recurring figures in, well, just about every European mythology you could think of. Across many classic tales, fairies can either be tricksters or helpful. Those in “Zelda” obviously fall into the latter category, whether they’re guiding Link on his journey or healing his wounds. The series also took inspiration from the underground locales they’re commonly found in, with Link often stumbling on them in holes or caves. Additionally, some games will include a Fairy Queen of sorts, with the one in “Wind Waker” perhaps being the most memorable. These powerful leaders are seen in British and Irish folklore, though notably, there is often more than one. Perhaps Fairy Queens also served as inspiration for the Great Fairies.
For enemy design, Nintendo seems to draw from Greek mythology more frequently than any other. Lynels are really just lion centaurs. Sometimes, the inspiration is even more blatant, like fighting Medusa’s Head in “Oracle of Seasons”. However, one of the enemies seen most often across the series is the Hinox. Other than its name, Nintendo didn’t really do anything to differentiate its creature from the Cyclopes we all know from Greek myth. I mean, they look identical. But there are also some nice, small touches that, if not purposeful, were happy coincidences. When Hinoxes first appeared, they’d toss bombs at the player, while in “Breath of the Wild,” some wear weapons around their necks. Many old stories have them as weapon crafters, with some even being assistants of the smith God, Hephaestus.
No matter which game he appears in, the Great Deku Tree is always a wise and invaluable ally to Link. But even he isn’t a wholly original creation. In Japanese folklore, kodama are spirits that reside in trees, garnering respect and threatening a curse should their tree be cut down. In the traditional sense, a kodama’s appearance is that of a normal tree. However, when Studio Ghibli released “Princess Mononoke,” the movie’s take on kodama showed them as adorable, humanoid spirits that filled a forest. In this way, the Koroks from “Zelda” could have also drawn inspiration from kodama. These woodland folk seem to be a mix between Ghibli’s version and the traditional spirits. And they’re intrinsically connected to the Great Deku Tree, acting as his subjects.
There are many players who would love to see the Picori of “Minish Cap” make a return. The existence of a miniscule world and people inside the larger Hyrule was fascinating. Of course, a miniature land within ours isn’t a new concept. For the Minish, Nintendo drew from the Koropokkuru, small people seen in folktales of the Ainu, a race native to Northern Japan. These helpful people were often too shy to show themselves to humans, but were nice enough to leave out goods for trade. In “Minish Cap,” no one has seen one of the Picori in ages as they’re said to only show themselves to good children. “Zelda” isn’t the only series to use the Koropokkuru; you can also find them in the “Shin Megami Tensei” and “Persona” franchises.
While not necessarily a character itself, Link does transform into the Fierce Deity when he wears its mask. And there’s ample evidence of its real-world inspiration. In the Japanese version, Fierce Deity is named ‘kishin,’ a term used in various sects of Buddhism to identify wrathful forms of once-enlightened Buddhas. It’s said they take on the form of a fierce deity to destroy any and all barriers on your path to enlightenment. Director and longtime producer Eiji Aonuma has explained the Fierce Deity’s Mask as a collection of the memories of Termina’s citizens. In a way, Link is taking on the form of a kishin to annihilate the final thing standing in the way of their enlightenment, Majora’s Mask.
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re breaking out our History books to showcase 10 Zelda Characters Inspired by Mythology & Folklore. “The Legend of Zelda” has drawn from real-world myths and folktales since its inception. For this list, we’ll be looking at some of our favorite characters and creatures to be based on those larger-than-life stories. Know of any other similar instances in “Zelda?” Share them with us in the comments!
Epona
First introduced in “Ocarina of Time,” Epona has acted as Link’s steadfast steed in several major entries. She was a great addition to early 3D “Zelda,” considering how much bigger “Ocarina” was from previous entries. Originally, Nintendo was going to give players the option of naming her, just as they always have with Link. But that option was removed during development, with the team instead opting to give her the same name as the Celtic Goddess of Fertility. More importantly, the real-world Epona was a protector of horses and other similar animals, like donkeys. Given her connection to horses, she was also adopted by the Roman Empire as a patron of horseback cavalry.
Them
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)“Majora’s Mask” is filled with all sorts of oddities, including, surprisingly, an alien invasion. After reuniting with Epona, Link is asked to defend Romani Ranch against mysterious assailants. While Romani never refers to them as aliens, only ‘Them,’ they descend from the sky and abduct cows via a tractor beam. Their appearance bears a striking resemblance to the Flatwoods Monster, a figure from West Virginian folklore. In the town of Flatwoods, on September 12th, 1952, some citizens reported seeing something bright streak across the night sky before landing on a farm. Upon investigating, they saw a large, hooded figure with eerie, glowing eyes, which hissed and glided towards them, causing them to flee in fear. Sounds pretty spot-on to us.
The Golden Goddesses
Every “Zelda” fan knows the franchise’s creation story…partially because it’s been hammered into us so many times. Din, Nayru, and Farore created the world from nothing and poured their power into it. While “Zelda’s” creation story doesn’t seem to take from any specific myth or folktale, some of the Goddess’ actions are. Many tales from mythologies from all over the world feature a hero of men tested by the Gods. Link just so happens to be that constant hero of man. Moreover, in one of the branching timelines, the Goddesses flooded Hyrule rather than see Ganon rule over it. For many Christians, that instantly brings to mind Noah and his ark. But there are also instances of cleansing floods in multiple mythologies, including Greek and Mesopotamian.
The Oracles
“The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages” (2001) & “Oracle of Seasons” (2001)Oracles are seen constantly throughout stories in numerous mythologies. Although, given the popularity and prominence of Greek myth in pop culture, that might be how most of us are familiar with them. They’re usually messengers of the Gods, receiving and interpreting visions and wisdom to guide their community. However, the Oracles in “Zelda” are much more closely linked to their deities. Din, from “Seasons,” is named after the Goddess of Power. Instead of interpreting her namesake’s messages, she herself has divine power. When she’s kidnapped, the seasons of Holodrum go all out of whack. Similarly, Nayru from “Ages,” named for the Goddess of Wisdom, causes time to be disrupted when she’s taken.
Keaton
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)In “Ocarina of Time,” the first item in Young Link’s trading sequence is the Keaton Mask. It’s said to be based on a popular children’s character. But in Termina, its basis is far more mystical. Link gains the Keaton mask through the Anju & Kafei side quest. In order to find a real Keaton, he has to wear it while chopping certain moving patches of grass. The character model of Keaton will be familiar to anyone who has seen Ninetales from “Pokemon.” That’s because they both have the same basis in Japanese mythology: the kitsune. These multi-tailed fox spirits are said to be more powerful the more tails they have. There’s also a Keaton enemy in “Minish Cap.” But other than being an anthropomorphic fox, it doesn’t have anything else in common with this version.
Fairies
Fairies are some of the most commonly recurring figures in, well, just about every European mythology you could think of. Across many classic tales, fairies can either be tricksters or helpful. Those in “Zelda” obviously fall into the latter category, whether they’re guiding Link on his journey or healing his wounds. The series also took inspiration from the underground locales they’re commonly found in, with Link often stumbling on them in holes or caves. Additionally, some games will include a Fairy Queen of sorts, with the one in “Wind Waker” perhaps being the most memorable. These powerful leaders are seen in British and Irish folklore, though notably, there is often more than one. Perhaps Fairy Queens also served as inspiration for the Great Fairies.
Hinox
For enemy design, Nintendo seems to draw from Greek mythology more frequently than any other. Lynels are really just lion centaurs. Sometimes, the inspiration is even more blatant, like fighting Medusa’s Head in “Oracle of Seasons”. However, one of the enemies seen most often across the series is the Hinox. Other than its name, Nintendo didn’t really do anything to differentiate its creature from the Cyclopes we all know from Greek myth. I mean, they look identical. But there are also some nice, small touches that, if not purposeful, were happy coincidences. When Hinoxes first appeared, they’d toss bombs at the player, while in “Breath of the Wild,” some wear weapons around their necks. Many old stories have them as weapon crafters, with some even being assistants of the smith God, Hephaestus.
The Great Deku Tree
No matter which game he appears in, the Great Deku Tree is always a wise and invaluable ally to Link. But even he isn’t a wholly original creation. In Japanese folklore, kodama are spirits that reside in trees, garnering respect and threatening a curse should their tree be cut down. In the traditional sense, a kodama’s appearance is that of a normal tree. However, when Studio Ghibli released “Princess Mononoke,” the movie’s take on kodama showed them as adorable, humanoid spirits that filled a forest. In this way, the Koroks from “Zelda” could have also drawn inspiration from kodama. These woodland folk seem to be a mix between Ghibli’s version and the traditional spirits. And they’re intrinsically connected to the Great Deku Tree, acting as his subjects.
The Picori
“The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap” (2005)There are many players who would love to see the Picori of “Minish Cap” make a return. The existence of a miniscule world and people inside the larger Hyrule was fascinating. Of course, a miniature land within ours isn’t a new concept. For the Minish, Nintendo drew from the Koropokkuru, small people seen in folktales of the Ainu, a race native to Northern Japan. These helpful people were often too shy to show themselves to humans, but were nice enough to leave out goods for trade. In “Minish Cap,” no one has seen one of the Picori in ages as they’re said to only show themselves to good children. “Zelda” isn’t the only series to use the Koropokkuru; you can also find them in the “Shin Megami Tensei” and “Persona” franchises.
Fierce Deity
“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)While not necessarily a character itself, Link does transform into the Fierce Deity when he wears its mask. And there’s ample evidence of its real-world inspiration. In the Japanese version, Fierce Deity is named ‘kishin,’ a term used in various sects of Buddhism to identify wrathful forms of once-enlightened Buddhas. It’s said they take on the form of a fierce deity to destroy any and all barriers on your path to enlightenment. Director and longtime producer Eiji Aonuma has explained the Fierce Deity’s Mask as a collection of the memories of Termina’s citizens. In a way, Link is taking on the form of a kishin to annihilate the final thing standing in the way of their enlightenment, Majora’s Mask.
