7 Best Zelda Characters That Aren’t Link, Zelda, or Ganon

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most storied series in video games. With dozens of mainline games and spin-offs, Nintendo has put together an extensive cast of characters to star alongside series’ regulars Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon. With all of those characters, there are a few that stand out from the rest, becoming fan favorites in their own right. Below, I’ve put together a list of the best Legend of Zelda characters ever, but decided to skip over Link, Zelda, and Ganon so that others can shine. With that in mind, here are the seven best Zelda characters ever, presented in alphabetical order.

7) Beedle- Wind Waker

Beedle has become the go-to merchant for the Zelda series. He first popped up in Wind Waker, where he ran a boat shop, but came back for Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom.

Resident Evil 4 proved that merchants can become major characters, and while Beedle doesn’t quite live up to that purveyor of goods, it’s always a delight when he reappears. And perhaps one day he will match the importance of Capcom’s version.

6) Midna – Twilight Princess

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There have been several iconic companion characters in Zelda, with the Ocarina of Time‘s Navi likely the most famous. However, Navi’s constant exclamations make her much more of an annoyance than a beloved character.

Midna starts out somewhat similar to Navi, but she slowly grows on players throughout Twilight Princess. She proves that she’s willing to put everything on the line for Link, and the reveal of her being Princess Twili was an unforgettable moment in one of Legend of Zelda‘s strongest games.

5) Purah – Breath of the Wild

With Breath of the Wild, Nintendo seemingly made a concentrated effort to introduce tons of new characters to fill out the open world. Purah is the director of Hateno Ancient Tech Lab and the creator of the Purah Pad, which you’ll use throughout the game. Not only did she develop the ingenious device, but she also serves as Link’s guide through BOTW and Tears of the Kingdom.

We also learn that she is actually 124 years old but appears as a child due to her reverse-aging tech. In TOTK, she ages back up, but keeps her child-like personality. After two games, she’s quickly become a fan favorite and seems like a shoo-in to stick around as a returning character moving forward.

4) Ravio – A Link Between Worlds

Ravio is the mysterious merchant from A Link Between Worlds who rents Link new equipment. I’ll be honest, part of his appearance on this list is my love of the rental system, but he’s also revealed to be Link’s counterpart in the Dark World.

The cowardly Ravio’s reveal helps paint Link in a new light, giving players another way to view the hero. Fortunately, Ravio makes amends with Princess Hilda, and the two work together to rebuild Lorule after A Link Between Worlds‘ final battle.

3) Skull Kid – Majora’s Mask

Skull Kids technically make their first appearance in Ocarina of Time, but I’m specifically referring to the main villain in Majora’s Mask. Well, Skull Kid isn’t really evil and is being influenced by the titular Majora’s Mask, but he’s still become one of the series’ best baddies.

While he’s never made another canonical reappearance (though some might argue the Skull Kid in Twilight Princess seems to be him), Skull Kid is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends, using the Ocarina as his main weapon.

2) Tingle – Majora’s Mask

I can see some fans not wanting Tingle on this list. The self-proclaimed fairy is one of the oddest characters not only in Zelda but in all of Nintendo’s long history. That said, I’m on the positive side of this divisive character and love to see this weirdo pop up throughout the series.

Unfortunately, he didn’t come back for BOTW or TOTK, which is a bit surprising given how important the Great Fairies were in both games, but I’m holding out hope we haven’t seen the last of Zelda’s resident weird little guy.

1) Urbosa – Breath of the Wild

All of the Four Champions in Breath of the Wild are memorable, but none stand out more than Urbosa. The leader of the Gerudo is a strong fighter, but also a mother figure to Princess Zelda. Plus, she might have the best abs in the series.

She quickly becomes one of Link’s best allies, giving him the “Urbosa’s Fury” attack, a devastating electric blast that stops many enemies in their tracks. On top of that, she’s one of the more powerful playable characters in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, making her a fan favorite in more than one Zelda game.