Daily Debate: Rank Your Top Three Guide Characters from The Zelda Series
Posted on May 16 2021 by Andrew Millard
As unique as each entry in the Zelda franchise can feel, there are more themes and features that unite them than I often remember. In my case, I always have to be reminded how far back Shadow Link goes. Enemy types that seemed fresh in Breath of The Wild have ties all the way back to the original. Most recently, I got whiplash from being shocked at Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity featuring time travel. Then suddenly remembering, “Oh, yeah. Tons of Zelda games do.”
To a lesser extent, the series history with guide characters escapes me, too. As fun and vital as they can be, they often fade into the background of my memory of the games they feature in. Maybe that’s good game design because it makes me, the player, feel more accomplished since the nudges the guide gave me were less perceptible? Maybe it’s bad because it means they weren’t memorable characters? Maybe I just have a crummy memory? Who knows? Some of all three probably.
At any rate, the guide characters I do remember have really stuck and become some of my favorite entities throughout the years. Among them, three rival Link, Zelda, and Ganon as my favorite personalities across the series:
3. Midna – Her sharp tongue and tragic story have made her a fan favorite for sure. That she does right by people despite having every reason herself to break bad makes me like her even more. My appreciation for her was solidified when I noticed how Hilda of Lorule (another favorite character of mine) is something of a spiritual successor to her, story-wise.
2. The King of Red Lions – The guide character in my favorite console Zelda. This one’s probably not surprising since he and Midna share similar royal tragedies and story arcs. The King is a great cheerleader and probably had the lightest touch when it came to giving the player tips and hints. And the way he plays into The Wind Waker‘s ending is perfect.
1. Ezlo – And now the guide from my favorite handheld Zelda takes top billing! The bright, witty tone of The Minish Cap was just the best. Ezlo did the most to sell that vibe in an already-cohesive world and game. From his terrific animations to his evolving quips at Link as the player seeks his advice, he is number one on a walk for me.
So how about you? Who are your top three guide characters in the series? If you feel like it, tell us why. Can’t stand my top three? Let me hear it down in the comments!
Andrew is a writing teacher in the American Upper Midwest. He has been playing Zelda games since 1990.
