Deku Scrub

Deku Scrub

Artwork from Ocarina of Time

Games	Ocarina of Time Majora's Mask Four Swords Adventures Tri Force Heroes Echoes of Wisdom
Location	Ocarina of Time Kokiri Forest Inside the Deku Tree Lost Woods Majora's Mask Deku Palace Woodfall Caves
Threat
Attacks	Ocarina of Time Deku Nut
Effective Weapons	Deku Shield Sword

Deku Scrubs are recurring enemies in The Legend of Zelda series. They are plant-like creatures that appear as both friends and enemies.

Ocarina of Time

		Deku Scrub ... It will hide in the grass if you get close to it. Bounce the nuts it spits back at it!

Deku Scrubs in Ocarina of Time are found Inside the Deku Tree. Upon entering the rooms they appear in, they come out of the ground and start spitting Deku Nuts at Link. These are easily deflected using Link's shield, which sends the Deku Nuts back at the Deku Scrubs and damages them. The Deku Scrubs run around the room until Link catches up, at which time they give out some useful information. If Link gets too close to Deku Scrubs while they are still in their flower shrub, they will burrow under the ground.

Mad Scrub

Main article: Mad Scrub

Mad Scrubs are like Deku Scrubs in the way that they attack by spitting nuts at Link; however, unlike the Deku Scrubs, they spit three nuts in a row. They can be defeated by either deflecting their nuts back with Link's shield, or simply using the Slingshot. Once Link has done this, he can go ahead and slash them with his sword. These Deku Scrubs inhabit the Lost Woods in the past, and Kokiri Forest in the future.

Business Scrub

Main article: Business Scrub

Business Scrubs are found all over Hyrule in Ocarina of Time. They attack the same way as regular Deku Scrubs, except they won't run away when Link defeats them. Instead, they'll sell Link something. The things they sell vary from Deku Shields to upgrades to a Piece of Heart.

Forest Stage

The Forest Stage is a secret underground location in Ocarina of Time. It is found in a hole in the Lost Woods, in which Link wears masks to present to the Deku Scrubs, and they'll give Link certain prizes for them. Different masks give different prizes. If Link wears the Skull Mask, they will love him, and crowd around him. If Link wears the Mask of Truth, they will be scared of him, and burrow underground if he gets close.

Majora's Mask

Deku Scrubs in Majora's Mask are friendly creatures that inhabit the Deku Palace within the Southern Swamp. When Link first enters the Deku Palace, the Deku Scrubs are threatening to torture a Monkey who they thought had kidnapped the Deku Princess and taken her to the Woodfall Temple. No matter how much the monkey pleaded though, the Deku King and all the Deku Scrubs wanted to torture the innocent monkey.

At the beginning of the game, Link is transformed into a Deku Scrub himself.

Business Scrub

There are five Business Scrubs in Majora's Mask, and they are found in all major regions of Termina (Clock Town, Southern Swamp, Goron Village, Zora Cape, and Ikana Canyon), and they all serve the same purpose: Getting a Piece of Heart. Although the one in Clock Town does lead Link to a Piece of Heart, it is also crucial to get into the Clock Tower before Link gets the Zora Mask.

Mad Scrub

Mad Scrubs return once again in Majora's Mask, except there are many more ways to defeat them than in Ocarina of Time. They are particularly annoying in Woodfall because they can knock Link off the ledge if he is too busy dealing with the Hiploops.

Deku Mask

Main article: Deku Mask

The Deku Mask is a unique item, exclusive to Majora's Mask. It houses the spirit of the Deku Butler's Son, giving Link the ability to transform into a Deku Scrub at will. It is first acquired after the Skull Kid transforms Link into a Deku Scrub. Link spends the first three days as a Deku Scrub until finally confronting the Skull Kid at the Clock Tower. Here, Link uses a bubble blast to get the Ocarina of Time back from him, where he learns the Song of Time in a memory. Link plays this song to return to the First Day. Link talks to the Happy Mask Salesman who teaches him the Song of Healing. With this song played, Link gets to keep the Deku Mask.

Four Swords Adventures

The Deku Scrubs inhabit the Lost Woods in Four Swords Adventures, and they worship Ganon.

Echoes of Wisdom

In Echoes of Wisdom, Deku Scrubs appear within the Faron Wetlands. The scrubs appear friendly and love snacking on sweet food, including Cotton Candy, and later smoothies. The Deku Scrubs in this game are obsessed with trends and are constantly chasing the next new thing to take part in.

Business Scrub

Business Scrubs in Echoes of Wisdom fulfill the role of barista's at the seven different Smoothie Shops across the game. They make Smoothies for the player, and recruit Zelda as a Smoothie Designer for them in the Side Quest Recipes, Please!.

The Business Scrub near Crossflows Plaza has trouble opening due to snacking on the Bubble Kelp he needed to open, and Zelda helps him open by collecting Bubble Kelp for him. The Business Scrub on Hebra Mountain went there to seek Twisted Pumpkins and open up shop there, but he found nothing but snow. Zelda helps him open by giving him Twisted Pumpkins.

Trivia

• Octoroks from Skyward Sword share many of the same characteristics with Deku Scrubs from Ocarina of Time.

Gallery

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  A Mad Scrub from Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask

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  A Business Scrub from Majora's Mask

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  Artwork of Deku Link from Majora's Mask

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  A Deku Scrub from Ocarina of Time

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  The Deku Royal Family from Majora's Mask. From left to right: the Deku Butler, the Deku Princess, the Deku King, and two Deku Scrubs.

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  A Deku Scrub from Oracle of Seasons