Lana

LANA

Fighting back against the oncoming hordes, Link and Impa band together, learning of another individual leading a resistance to the north, heading up that way to enlist her aid.

This resistance leader is Lana, a mysterious mage with strong control over light magic and nature. She is soon revealed to be the good half of the being behind all of this, forced from her body when she turned to evil.

As a fighter, Lana’s moveset will pull from all three movesets available to her in the game, most especially from her spell book/barrier magic moveset. Her stats will be similar to those of Hyrule Warriors, with strong magic attacks making up for a lack of physical strength.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Wizzro

WIZZRO

The second of these generals was a ghostly, eerie figure with all sorts of macabre, nightmarish abilities coming from a magic ring on his finger.

This is Wizzro, a sort of amalgamation of numerous horror-themed enemies, including Poes, Wallmasters, and Wizzrobes. He is a demonic being formed from the evil spirits that had been trapped in the ring over the centuries.

Like Volga, he became playable for the players as well. His moveset will pull from that moveset, using lots of trickery and deception rather than brute strength.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Volga

VOLGA

Now, typically, The Legend of Zelda was not prone to spinoffs, multiplayer or otherwise, the way the Mario series was, sticking almost strictly to its well-established formula of an action adventure set in a medieval fantasy setting that rewarded you for curiosity and exploration. One of the biggest departures from this standard, however, came with Hyrule Warriors, a crossover with Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise that used characters and settings from the Zelda series. The series saw a Link, Zelda, and Impa, in a standard Zelda story setup, facing an invasion led by two generals.

One of these two generals is a proud warrior capable of transforming between a human and dragon form, similar to Onox and other draconic enemies of the series. He was recruited by the game’s main villain Cia when she overpowered him in battle and forced him to serve her.

Though an original character to the game, Volga came with his own moveset and was equally available as a playable fighter once he had been unlocked. His moveset will pull directly from that moveset, coming with a lot of power and ferocity.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Demise

DEMISE

Link, Zelda, and Ghirahim carry on their own respective quests, working against each other to stop or bolster the release of Ghirahim’s imprisoned master. Ultimately though, Ghirahim will manage to get the upper hand and an ancient god of destruction will be resurrected.

This demonic being is Demise, the ancient nemesis of the Goddess Hylia, who had sealed him away and reincarnated herself into the mortal form of Zelda, with Link as her chosen hero. An epic battle ensues, ultimately ending in Demise’s defeat. Before he dies, he lays a curse on Link and Zelda, swearing that an inheritor of his spirit will rise again and again, dooming their own successors to fight an eternal battle against him.

As a fighter, Demise will be similar in many stats to Ganondorf, if most likely much stronger magically and physically, given that Ganondorf is more of a diluted inheritor of his sheer power. His moveset will pull from his final battle with Link.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Ancient Robot

ANCIENT ROBOT

Link’s third destination will take him to a vast desert called Lanayru. As he explores, he will find evidence of an ancient civilization that had once lived there, when it had been a lush jungle area bordering on a sea. This area’s primary inhabitants had been a race of ancient machines that spent most of their time mining for Time Stones.

Striking the mined Time Stones causes them to activate, sending the surrounding area and everything in it back in time, waking these ancient robots and allowing Link to interact with the distant past. One of these robots will even become an ally to Link, helping him deliver large items between the different locations in the game.

As fighters, the Ancient Robots will be small but powerful, with strong aerials owing to their propellers that allow them to fly. Their moveset will pull from all of their demonstrated abilities and the technology that they had once made use of.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Mogma

MOGMA

After defeating Ghirahim, Link must then travel to the Earth Temple in a volcanic province to the north. While there, he stumbles across a race of friendly mole people who live and work around the volcano.

These are the Mogmas, the current residents of the Eldin Province, who I assume went extinct prior to the previous games to make room for the Gorons. They like to dig and spend most of their time half-buried in the ground, though they can walk around when needed.

As fighters, they will be heavily ground-based fighters with sorely lacking aerials, but with the ability to dig into the ground to evade harm. Their movesets will pull from their own demonstrated abilities and the power-ups Link receives from them, as well as a few features of their volcanic home.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Ghirahim

GHIRAHIM

Armed with his new sword and companion, Link heads down with his Loftwing to the surface world far below the clouds, where he will encounter a vast forest and a spiraling pit guarded by a strange old woman. He will learn from her Zelda’s destiny and his fate to assist her. His first step in the journey is to travel to the nearby Skyview Temple, which will act as his first dungeon. At the end of that dungeon, he encounters a strange flamboyant man likewise pursuing Zelda.

This is Ghirahim, the villain of this game and the spirit of the sword that would become Ganondorf’s sword. He spends the game working to break the seal on his master, held at the bottom of the spiral pit, and pursues Zelda to use her power to do so.

As a fighter, Ghirahim will be fast and agile, with quick devastating strikes and good defense. His moveset will pull from his multiple boss battles throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Fi

FI

Despite Groose’s best efforts, Link comes out on top every time, eventually winning the title of champion to participate in their village’s festival and share a special moment with Zelda. Flying on their Loftwings after the ceremony, Link and Zelda suddenly find themselves caught up in a hurricane that knocks out Link and sweeps Zelda away. Waking up back on Skyloft, Link follows a strange voice to a secret chamber hidden under the village’s goddess statue, where he encounters a sword inhabited by an angelic blue-and-purple spirit.

This spirit is Fi, the soul of the titular Skyward Sword that would someday become the Master Sword. She acts as Link’s guide throughout his adventure, and likewise being the source of all his sword-related powers, for obvious reasons.

As a fighter, she will be graceful and floaty, dancing her way across the battlefield as she does in both Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors. Her moveset will pull from her own abilities and the abilities of the Skyward Sword as demonstrated in game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Groose

GROOSE

Along came the Nintendo Wii era, complete with its motion controls, leading to several great games and other games that were held back from greatness by their wonky controls. Sadly, Skyward Sword fell into that second camp, with beautiful graphics and great stories but sorely lacking controls. The story was set thousands of years prior to every other game in the series, set on an island floating high in the sky, where young knights trained to fly around on giant birds called Loftwings. Our new Link was one of these knights, a childhood friend of this game’s Zelda, constantly competing for her affections with a big pompous bully with a pompadour.

This is Groose, a thug and an idiot when you first meet him, who you will see grow into a hero in his own right as he learns to work alongside Link to find Zelda and protect the land that would become Hyrule from an ancient evil sealed beneath the ground.

As a fighter, he will have a lot of muscle behind him, but he will also be light and floaty, making great use of his Loftwing, being the natural choice to inherit everything connected to them. His moveset will also pull from his patented Groosenator machine built to fight the Imprisoned.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Twili Midna

TWILI MIDNA

Link and Midna reassemble the mirror, enter the Twilight Realm, and take down Zant, only to learn the true identity of his ancient benefactor, the one and only Ganondorf. They and Zelda take him down in a final climactic battle, his defeat finally restoring Midna to her true form.

As a Twili, Midna is far more human-like than she was before, tall and elegant but still bringing that mischievous nature back with her. She isn’t shown to do much in this form, mostly just interacting with Link and Zelda in the closing cutscenes, but Hyrule Warriors took the time to truly flesh out just what she could do on the battlefield.

As a fighter, Twili Midna will be far more graceful in her fighting style than she was in her imp form, with intense magical attacks backing her up. Her moves will pull straight from those presented in Hyrule Warriors, centering heavily on the Mirror of Twilight itself.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Yeta/Yeto

YETA/YETO

Upon clearing Hyrule of its invading Twilight, Link and Midna make their way to the Mirror Chamber, the only true gateway between their two worlds, only to find that the mirror has been broken into pieces by Zant. They head out again to find the scattered pieces, heading first to a place called Snowpeak, where they encounter a pair of yetis.

These are Yeto and Yeta, largely friendly snow monsters who live together in an old frozen palace, happy and in love. At least, that was until a piece of the Mirror of Twilight landed in their home and slowly started twisting Yeta’s mind to evil, turning her into the final boss of the dungeon.

As fighters, Yeto and Yeta will be color swaps of each other, Yeto being the more active initially, but Yeta bringing a lot to their moveset with her boss battle. They will both be strong and durable, able to survive the harsh conditions of the place they call home.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Agitha

AGITHA

Eventually, Link manages to return to his human form and clear out the twilight covering Hyrule by awakening four spirits, slowly but surely gaining access to more and more of Hyrule. Once he gains access to the town surrounding the castle, he gains the ability to interact with the NPCs there, including one odd little girl with an obsession for bugs.

This is Agitha, the self-proclaimed queen of bugs and your go-to point to complete your bug-collecting sidequest. That’s pretty much all there is to her, and yet somehow she found a slot in Hyrule Warriors, endowing her will legitimate magic over bugs and allowing her to fight with all manner of insects at her disposal.

As a fighter, she will be light and floaty, making good use of the butterflies she rules over. Her moveset will pull entirely from her appearance in Hyrule Warriors, which in turn was inspired by the bugs appearing throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: For sure a Piranha Plant clause.

Hero's Shade

HERO'S SHADE

Escaping from the Twilight Realm, Link returns to ordinary Hyrule but finds himself unable to change back into a human. As he explores his former home as an animal, he encounters a strange golden wolf that suddenly leaps at him and pulls him into a shadowy mirror realm.

Within that realm, Link is greeted by a skeletal warrior in ancient decrepit armor. This is the Hero’s Shade, the spirit of the Link from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, returning from the dead to pass on his combat knowledge to the successor of his hero’s spirit.

As a fighter, he will be predominantly a sword-wielder, his moveset pulling from the moves that he specifically teaches to this new Link. He will have similar stats to the regular Link, naturally, though he will be older and slower than he was in life.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Zant

ZANT

Midna helps Link to escape, and together they make their way up through the castle to the chamber of the captured Princess Zelda, who tells them that Hyrule was invaded by beings from the Twilight Realm, led by a mysterious knight in strange armor.

This being is the usurper king Zant, the man who overthrew Midna and transformed her into an imp by striking a bargain with a sealed ancient evil. Though he presents himself as stoic, he is secretly far more chaotic and childish than he lets on.

As a fighter, Zant is full of quick, zany movements primarily designed to confuse and befuddle his enemies while getting powerful strikes in. His moveset will pull from his major boss battles, as well as his other demonstrated abilities.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Midna

MIDNA

Transformed into a wolf, Link wakes up in a prison cell, a shackle around his new paw. As he struggles to understand what has happened to him, he hears a mischievous laugh from the shadows as an imp makes herself known.

This is Midna, Link’s companion and guide for the game. She will help him escape and aid him with her Twilight Realm-based abilities, eventually revealing herself to be the true princess of the Twilight Realm, cursed into her impish body by the usurper Zant.

As a fighter, she will be tricky and slippery, strong enough to toss you around with her hair/hand thing but just as likely to slip into shadow and make a quick getaway. Her moveset will pull from her demonstrated abilities in game.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Wolf Link

WOLF LINK

Left behind, Link tries to go after the Bulblins and his friends, only for them to disappear into a strange barrier of darkness. Link hesitates, but a strange hand lashes out and drags him inside. The moment he enters this strange twilight world, he undergoes a painful transformation into a wolf.

This form is the form Link takes every time he enters the Twilight Realm, his mortal human body unable to survive in the realm normally. He will be stuck that way for a little while, but he will soon be able to switch back, and then learn how to switch back and forth to make the most of both forms.

As a fighter, he will basically be a vicious wolf, with the strength and the speed that comes with that. His moves will pull from all the abilities he demonstrates throughout the game.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

King Bulblin

KING BULBLIN

Ilia knocked out and most of the other kids carted off by the Bulblin horde, the leader of the band rides in, an enormous, corpulent Bulblin riding on the biggest boar there. This Bulbin stops, picks up Ilia’s body, and rides off with her in tow.

This is King Bulblin and his steed Lord Bulbo. They are the leaders of the Bulblin horde, who allied their forces to Zant in the belief that might means right, and the forces of Twilight were the strongest fighters. Over the course of the game, Link duels King Bulblin multiple times, developing a rivalry with him, until eventually, the king develops a respect for the warrior and concedes to his might.

As an echo fighter of the regular Bulbins, King Bulblin will be riding Lord Bulbo constantly, and the two together will be a powerhouse duo with a good amount of speed, if a little unwieldy. Their moveset will pull from all of their various battles.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Bulblin

BULBLIN

You start out in Twilight Princess just hanging out in Ordon Village and interacting with your fellow villagers. The real plot begins when Link, Ilia, and most of the other kids are gathered at a nearby spring when they are suddenly attacked by a band of brutal green creatures.

These creatures are the Bulblins, a race closely related to the Moblins and Bokoblins, but a bit more like roguish bandits and marauding pillagers, who like to ride around on giant boars and set things on fire. They don’t appear very often, but when they do, they generally fill the role of bandits.

As fighters, they will ride around on the boar mounts for most of their game play, granting them speed and power, and their moveset will pull from their clubs and arrows and other items they use to attack while mounted.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Ilia

ILIA

With the initial poor reaction to the cartoonish style of Wind Waker, the next game pulled a full one-eighty and went for a hyper-realistic style. A little too hyper-realistic sometimes, but still a good game. This one had a more adult Link, living in a small village alongside several children, a father figure, a little brother figure, and a female childhood friend.

This childhood friend is Ilia, kind of your basic hometown girl archetype that Link probably has a thing for, who acts as a bit of a damsel in distress for most of the game. As the most prominent member of the village, she is the best pick to represent everything related to the village and its citizens, though Rusl, Colin, Beth, Malo, or Talo could easily be used as well.

As a fighter, she will be very average in terms of stats, though with some surprising strength a la Malon, considering her father can sumo wrestle a charging cow, and she scares him. Her moveset will pull from everything related to herself and her fellow villagers in Ordon Village.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Makar

MAKAR

Next, Link and the King of Red Lions visit the Forest Haven, where they find the Great Deku Tree’s son, still alive after all this time, and the Korok race, tiny wood creatures descended from the Kokiri. Before Link can receive the Tree’s pearl, word comes that one of the Koroks has gotten lost in the forbidden woods.

This wayward Korok is Makar, one of the only two musicians among the Koroks and later revealed to be the descendant of the last Kokiri sage, making him the new sage of the wind temple. Just like his companion Medli, he serves as a strong representative of his species as a whole.

As a fighter, Makar will be small and light, with decent aerials and some strong nature magic behind him. His moveset will pull from all of his Korok siblings as well as his own demonstrated abilities.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Medli

MEDLI

In order to have the strength to combat Ganondorf, Link and the King of Red Lions must travel to three distinct locations to seek out the Pearls of the Goddesses. Their first destination is Dragon Roost Island, the home of the birdlike Ritos. Unfortunately, the Rito prince and bearer of the pearl has shut himself away due to a traumatic event, and Link is forced to seek out the prince’s caretaker.

This caretaker is a young Rito girl named Medli. She bears a golden harp that she uses to calm the prince and the dragon that rules the island, and is later revealed to be the descendant of the last Zora sage, making her the new sage of the earth temple. Much like Darunia and Ruto before her, this makes her a key pick to represent the Rito race as a whole.

As a fighter, she will be one of the best in terms of aerials. She won’t be particularly strong, but her maneuverability will make up for that. Her moveset will pull from her entire race as a whole as well as her own specific abilities.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Beedle

BEEDLE

With a personal boat at your disposal, you are now free to roam the open ocean, visiting various islands and looking for treasure. Here and there you just might find a small submarine carrying an enthusiastic merchant looking to sell some stuff.

This is Beedle, a merchant sailing the seas looking for profit. He would reappear again and again through the series, mostly in games with a slightly cartoonish bent to them, often in vehicular shops befitting the game’s world and theme, such as a flying contraption in Skyward Sword, a hot air balloon in Spirit Tracks, and simply a large backpack in the hiking-heavy Breath of the Wild.

As a fighter, he will not have much in the way of brute physical strength himself, instead using his wares and his shops themselves to cause damage. His moveset will pull from all of his shops and the various things he often sells.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

King Daphnes

KING DAPHNES

With a flick of his hand, Ganondorf orders his avian minion to toss Link away, sending him flying miles away over the open ocean. When Link reawakens, he finds himself unharmed and in the company of a talking red ship who offers his help.

This is the King of Red Lions, Link’s personal ride between the various islands and his guide character for the game. As he learns the history of his heroic predecessor, the drowned kingdom of Hyrule, and Ganondorf’s true motivation, Link also discovers the boat’s true identity as King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last king of Hyrule whose spirit has persisted to help the next hero against Ganon’s return.

As a fighter, King Daphnes will be light and floaty, held aloft by his ghostly essence. He will be primarily in his kingly form, though his boat self will emerge with certain attacks. His moveset will pull from the boat’s abilities throughout the game and his moveset in Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Toon Ganondorf

TOON GANONDORF

While Link manages to rescue Tetra, the bird returns and grabs Aryll, confusing her for the pirate. Determined to get her back, Link joins Tetra and her crew on their ship, following the bird out to its fortress where she and other girls are being held. Link works his way through the fortress, even finding Aryll’s cell, only to be interrupted by the bird again and brought before the fortress’s master.

It is here players get their first full look at Ganondorf in this new cel-shaded animation style. He’s a bit rounder, and wields a pair of longswords rather than his usual single sword and dark magic, which heavily re-defines his boss battles.

As a fighter, Ganondorf in this toon style will be a bit slower, at least when walking, but will require a little more skill than the brute force of his more realistic counterpart. His moveset will pull from his battles with Link, making heavy use of his twin swords.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Bokoblin

BOKOBLIN

As Toon Link and Aryll look on, the giant bird is shot out of the sky by cannons from Tetra’s pirate ship, causing the bird to drop her into the forest at the far end of the island. True to his inherited spirit, Link heads up there to find her and make sure she’s okay, coming face to face with his first assortment of baddies.

These enemies are Bokoblins, new variations of the Moblin designed to be smaller and smarter than their larger cousins. Bokoblins would quickly become a staple, forming a big and small dynamic with the Moblins, and almost ending up replacing them as the core enemy type.

As fighters, they will be much smaller and faster than their counterparts, but with still a good deal of strength behind them. While you might think they’d be echoes, both the Moblins and Bokoblins do enough on their own to be fully separate.

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Tetra

TETRA

Our new Toon Link’s adventure begins as he and his sister Aryll hang out on a lookout tower, looking through their spyglass, when they see a giant bird flying over their island, carrying in its claws an unconscious young girl in pirate’s clothes.

This girl is Tetra, the fierce and sassy captain of a pirate crew passing by the island, who had been kidnapped by the bird to take to a strange dark fortress for unknown reasons. It is soon revealed that she is the long-lost descendant of Princess Zelda, making her the rightful Zelda of her time.

As a fighter, she will be quick and nimble on her feet, well trained on how to get around on a rocking vessel. She will have access to her magical abilities as Princess Zelda, but she is far more a pirate than a princess and will make far more use of the tools of that trade.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Toon Link

TOON LINK

As Nintendo moved into its Game Cube era, so too did The Legend of Zelda. With it came a brand-new game, set on a vast ocean over a long-submerged Hyrule, complete with a distinct cel-shaded cartoon style that wasn’t well received at first but has since gone on to be celebrated by the fanbase.

With it came a cartoonish new take on Link. With big cat eyes, shrimpy little legs and arms, and a hyper-expressive face, this cartoon Link was positively . . . cute. Coming hundreds of years after the Link of Hyrule, this hero of winds takes up his predecessor’s mantle to save Hyrule once again.

As a fighter, Link will be a bit less agile on his stubby legs, but quicker with more cartoonish movements. His moveset will pull from his abilities across Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks, similar to regular Link’s but with a few features unique to him.

Likelihood rating: Already in.

Majora

MAJORA

Having visited all the temples and awakened the four giants, Link returns to Clocktown to stop Skull Kid and prevent the moon from destroying all of Termina. Upon Skull Kid’s defeat, the mask decides it doesn’t need its host anymore and abandons him, coming to life and revealing its true form.

This is Majora, an ancient sorcerer that had terrorized Termina and the Ikana people centuries before, having been locked away inside a mask until it fell into the hands of the Happy Mask Salesman and then onto the face of the unwitting Skull Kid.

As a fighter, Majora will likely spend most of its time in its basic Mask form, floating with tendrils dangling, with its Incarnation and Wrath forms emerging for certain attacks. Its moveset will pull from all three of its major form battles.

Likelihood rating: Probably not (More likely to just be consolidated into Skull Kid).

Garo

GARO

Rather than having a new transformation mask for the fourth region of Termina, Link instead learns the tale of the ancient Ikana Kingdom and their fateful war with a band of secretive ninja-like beings, the fallen warriors of both sides still haunting the entire battlefield.

These enemies of the Ikana Kingdom were called Garos, whose spirits still linger in places where a thirst for blood is strong. Link can summon their spirits into a duel with the mask of their master, their spirits dissipating into flames upon their defeat. They would not appear again, but they were memorable here.

As fighters, they will be quick and deadly, using underhanded attacks to get their way, with a good amount of defense as well. Their moveset will pull from their own duels and the boss fight with their master once they’re all defeated.

Likelihood rating: Probably not

Mikau

MIKAU

This trend will continue, with Link traveling next to Great Bay to find a lone Zora drifting near death in the water, having attempted to rescue his lover’s eggs from a band of pirates and losing his life in the process.

This is Mikau, whose mask Link must wear to rescue Lulu’s children and access the Great Bay Temple. Through him, players are able to play as a Zora for the first time, placing him in a similar position to Darmani for the Zora race.

With Ruto, Mipha, and Sidon all having their own movesets laid out, Mikau takes up the mantle of general Zora rep. As a fighter, he will be lithe and agile as is typical of Zoras and his moveset will pull from all demonstrated Zora abilities, primarily his own.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Darmani

DARMANI

Freed from his Scrub form and having saved Woodfall from its poisoned waters, Link heads up to Snowhead, where a winter blizzard has frozen over the entire mountain. A heroic Goron attempted to find and stop the cause of the blizzard only to be killed in the attempt.

This Goron was Darmani, whose mask Link must wear to carry on his mission and bring peace to his soul. Through Darmani, this gives players the ability to play as a Goron for the first time.

With Darunia, Daruk, and Yunobo all having more specialized movesets available through the Hyrule Warriors series, this gives Darmani the chance to represent the Goron race as a whole as presented in the regular games. As a fighter, he will be strong and durable, with decent speed, as is usual of Gorons, with his moveset drawing directly from his own abilities.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Gekko

GEKKO

As the Scrub child, Link will first head to Woodfall, the home of the Deku Scrubs, to find that the Deku Princess has gone missing. This will lead him to the Woodfall Temple, his first temple of the game. About halfway through, he will encounter his first mini-boss, a giant angry frog riding around on a turtle.

This is a Gekko, two of whom will act as minibosses throughout the game, later revealed to be members of the frog choir transformed by the Skull Kid. This particular enemy will never appear again, but its one and only appearance was enough to warrant a spot.

As a fighter, it will be in its monstrous form the entire time, rather than its frog form. It will be quick with good jumping abilities and some intensity to its attacks. Its moveset will pull from both of its major battles.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Chuchu

CHUCHU

Ocarina of Time proved a rampant success, perfectly cementing The Legend of Zelda’s place in the future of 3D gaming and prompting a quick sequel produced two years later with all the same graphics and engine and a lot of reused character models. This time, we saw Link, fresh off his Ocarina adventure, wandering the woods in search of Navi, only to be attacked by a possessed Skull Kid, chasing him to a new land called Termina, and getting turned into a Deku Scrub. As Link works to return to human form and stop whatever the Skull Kid is up to, he wanders out of Termina’s central city and onto a sprawling field where he encounters his first new enemy.

These are the Chuchus, amorphous blobs that act basically like your typical slime from Dragon Quest, with a few differences. Similar enemies have appeared throughout the series, including Zols, Gels, and Buzz Blobs, and I’m really not sure what the difference is besides their name. Either way, this was the first time Chuchus by that name appeared.

As fighters, they will be basic and weak for the most part, but will be able to take a hit well. Their moveset will pull from all of their various appearances and variants, which come in more varieties than you might expect.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Beast Ganon

BEAST GANON

With the help of the Seven Sages, Link will make his final campaign on Hyrule Castle, now transformed into Ganon’s castle. He will work his way up to the top, rescue Zelda from her crystal prison, and defeat Ganondorf in one on one combat. Upon the dark lord’s defeat, the castle will crumble to the earth. In the aftermath, Ganondorf rises from the rubble, tapping into the Triforce of Power’s magic and transforming himself into a monstrous pig-like beast.

This is Beast Ganon, the version of Ganon most often seen in the 3D games, but far more feral and bestial than the well-armored sorcerer pig seen in the 2D games. Ganondorf will take on this final form for many of his final battles, most notably here, in Twilight Princess, and in Hyrule Warriors.

Beast Ganon will be big and heavy, with a lot of sheer raw power but very little control or nuance. His moveset will pull from his various boss battles and his playable moveset in Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Twinrova

TWINROVA

As Nabooru gives Link the silver gauntlets to get through her temple, a pit of quicksand suddenly appears under her feet, dragging her down inside it. This pit was summoned by a pair of Gerudo witches, sisters who serve Ganondorf faithfully.

These are Kotake and Koume, Ganondorf’s nursemaids and loyal henchwomen. They act as the primary bosses of the Spirit Temple, using fire and ice magic respectively. When they can’t take down Link separately, they will combine into a single, more powerful sorceress called Twinrova. The pair will appear again as major players in the Oracles games, manipulating Veran and Onox in order to resurrect their king.

As fighters, Kotake and Koume will fight either as a tandem pair or combine into Twinrova, changing up their stats but not their moveset. Their moves will be drawn from their abilities as demonstrated in-game.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Nabooru

NABOORU

Emerging from the Temple of Time into a post-apocalyptic Hyrule, where Castle Town has been entirely overwhelmed by zombies called ReDeads, Death Mountain is perpetually erupting, and Zora’s Domain has been frozen over, Link must set out to five different temples scattered throughout Hyrule and awaken the seven sages, including his friends Saria, Darunia, Ruto, and Impa. Finally, he journeys to the Gerudo Desert, the home of Ganondorf himself, where he finds a tribe of warrior women holding a construction crew captive.

These are the Gerudo, once proud warriors now thieves under Ganondorf’s rule. Ganondorf’s right hand woman is Nabooru, who has been secretly undermining him for years and helps Link by giving him the tools he needs to get through the spirit temple. She is later revealed to be the temple’s sage. Given all of this, she is the best representative of the Gerudo race as a whole.

As a fighter, Nabooru will be lightning fast and strong, standard among her people. Her moveset will pull from the abilities demonstrated by herself and the rest of her people as Link fights his way through their compound.

Likelihood rating: Could happen.

Sheik

SHEIK

Having collected the sacred stones from both Darunia and Princess Ruto, Link heads back to the castle only to find he is too late. Ganondorf has taken over the castle and killed the king, Zelda and Impa fleeing with their lives. As the princess passes Link outside the gate, she throws him a strange Ocarina. Taking refuge in the nearby Temple of Time, Link places the stones and plays the ocarina to open the door to the Master Sword. Drawing it from its pedestal sets off a time warp, sending him seven years into the future and into the body of an adult. He is greeted almost immediately by a strange individual wearing Sheikah garb.

This individual is Sheik, a mysterious ally who will aid Link frequently throughout his quest, teaching him songs that will unlock the magic of the Ocarina. Toward the end of the game, Sheik’s true identity will be revealed as the Princess Zelda, who had taken on the identity to hide from Ganondorf. This character’s popularity would be even further boosted by her appearance in Super Smash Bros. and has since become a fan favorite from the series.

As a fighter, Sheik will be quick and agile, utilizing stealthy moves for easy strikes. Her moveset from Smash currently pulls very little from the original game, more just based on the premise of a ninja than anything else, but many of those moves will still be incorporated, alongside the magic of the songs she teaches as presented in Ocarina and Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Already in.

Ruto

RUTO

Having freed the Gorons’ food source and received the ruby from Darunia, Link then travels to Zora’s Domain under the nearby waterfall, an idyllic watery paradise inhabited by friendly blue fish-people. Link heads to talk to the Zoras’ king only to learn that his daughter has been swallowed by the giant fish they worship as a God.

This daughter is Princess Ruto, one of the most prominent members of the Zora race and soon-to-be sage of the water temple. Much like Darunia, this puts her in a good place to represent the Zoras as a whole, if it weren’t for Hyrule Warriors giving her a more distinct moveset of her own.

As a fighter, Ruto, like most of her species, will be quick and agile, practically swimming around the stage with lithe movements. Her moveset will pull from the Zora race in general as well as her own moveset from Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Lizalfos

LIZALFOS

Darunia will be distrusting of Link at first, and will ask Link to prove himself by heading down to a nearby cave, which was once the main source of their food until Ganondorf blocked it off and filled it with monsters to starve them into giving up the ruby, and clearing it out.

One of the monsters filling this cave are loud squeaking lizard creatures brandishing swords. These are the Lizalfos, who will go on to be regular players in the Zelda series, appearing in almost every major installment alongside their slightly bigger cousins, the Dinolfos.

As fighters, Lizalfos will be quick and agile, with great jumping abilities and decent strength. Their moveset will pull from all of their major appearances, incorporating moves from the Dinolfos as well and the wings of their aerial cousins, the Aeralfos.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Darunia

DARUNIA

When Link arrives in the Goron city in the caves of Death Mountain, he finds that the ruby he needs to collect is being held by the Goron chief, who has holed himself up in his chamber to protect it from Ganondorf.

This chief is Darunia, arguably one of the most famous members of the Goron race, and would later be revealed to be the sage of the fire temple. This alone would make him the most obvious choice for Goron rep as a whole, if it weren’t for Hyrule Warriors giving him a distinct moveset that was entirely his.

As a fighter, Darunia will be large and heavy, with a lot of strength and some decent speed, at least when he’s rolling. His moveset will pull from Gorons in general but will also be heavily influenced by his Hyrule Warriors appearance.

Likelihood rating: Strong

Happy Mask Salesman

HAPPY MASK SALESMAN

Link, Zelda, and Impa will discuss the situation and the danger Ganondorf presents to the kingdom. Zelda will send Link to gather two spiritual stones from the neighboring Goron and Zora races. However, the way to Death Mountain where the Gorons live will be blocked by a soldier, so Zelda gives Link a letter of recommendation so he can pass through. Upon giving the soldier the letter, Link will be able to return to Castle Town to find a new shop has opened up.

This shop is run by the Happy Mask Salesman, a creepy, perpetually smiling man who sells strange masks. While he is little more than a sidequest provider in Ocarina, this salesman will play a significantly larger role in the game’s sequel, being the owner of the titular Majora’s Mask that the Skull Kid steals. He will provide Link with the various masks used in the game, meaning he has access to all of them himself.

In game, his moveset will pull from all of the masks Link uses in Majora’s Mask and the abilities they provide. As a fighter, he won’t have much in the way of strength or skill without those masks.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Impa

IMPA

Getting back to his quest, Link will try to get into the castle to talk to the Princess Zelda, but will find his way barred by the security guards around the gates. Sneaking in through a back way, he will come to a courtyard where he will find the young Princess Zelda and her maid.

This maid is Impa, a warrior of the nearly extinct Sheikah Tribe and Zelda’s loyal protector. This is not the first appearance of Impa, as a version of her appears in the backstory of the original game and its sequel, but only in the booklet and not the actual game. This is her first in-game appearance, so I’ll be treating it as her true debut. The character of Impa will appear again and again, one of the few characters with almost as many appearances as Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. In Ocarina specifically, she will eventually be revealed as the sage of the shadow temple.

As a fighter, Impa is a skilled warrior trained in the ninja-like arts of the Sheikah Tribe, and will have well-honed strength and speed. Her moveset will pull from most of her major appearances, especially Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword, as well as her moveset from Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Epona

EPONA

After finding Malon’s sleeping father and waking him with a Cucco, you will be able to visit the pair of them at their ranch out in the middle of Hyrule Field. There, you will find Malon standing out in a paddock full of horses, singing a song known to charm one specific horse of the bunch.

This horse is Epona, who soon becomes Link’s faithful steed throughout the game. Epona would appear time and time again throughout the series, being the go-to name of Link’s horse whenever he is able to get one. Though a pretty basic horse, she does gain enough abilities distinct to the series to edge her a spot in.

As a fighter, Epona will, of course, have the strength, speed, and stamina you should expect of a horse. Her speed will come with a meter though, dictated by three carrot icons beside her face, that will cause her to slow down after a while. Her moveset will pull from across the series, but most especially Hyrule Warriors.

Likelihood rating: Never gonna happen.

Malon

MALON

Link manages to find and defeat the evil inside the Deku Tree, a Gohma, but is sadly too late to save him as the tree withers and dies. Link and Navi honor his dying wish and head out, leaving the Kokiri forest behind and venturing into Hyrule proper. After traveling for some time, he arrives at the castle in the center and the town surrounding it. In the marketplace, he encounters a young redheaded girl looking for her father.

This is Malon, the daughter of the local ranch’s owner Talon, who helps her father run the ranch and provide supplies to the rest of Hyrule. When Ganondorf takes over, her father’s ranch hand Ingo betrays them, taking over the ranch but keeping Malon on as a servant girl. She and her father will go on to be recurring characters in later games.

As a fighter, Malon will represent Lon Lon Ranch as a whole and everything on it. She will use Cuccos, Lon Lon Milk, and, of course, her horses for her moveset, and she will have more or less average stats, but with surprisingly high strength. She does work on a farm after all.

Likelihood rating: Probably not.

Deku Scrub

DEKU SCRUB

Link arrives at the Great Deku Tree, where the old oak tells him of the danger approaching Hyrule and his own impending demise, as something evil has burrowed its way into his trunk and roots and is rotting him from the inside out. Link heads inside to investigate the evil, encountering more enemies waiting for him.

Among these are the Deku Scrubs, little Octorok-like creatures that like to hide in the ground under flowers before poking their heads out and firing seeds at oncoming enemies. While they would act as enemies, many of them would also take on the role of allies, first as merchants selling various ware, then later as NPCs in Majora’s Mask, where Link himself would be transformed into one, using the mask of a dead Scrub child.

As fighters, Deku Scrubs will be very light and floaty, light enough to hop across water, one might say. Their moveset will pull from their abilities displayed as enemies as well as the abilities of Link when inhabiting the body of the Scrub child.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause.

Deku Baba

DEKU BABA

Link sets off after Navi, heading down the forest trail to where the Great Deku Tree grows. Along the path, he encounters some of his first enemies, living man-eating plants that sprout from the ground and snap at him.

These are the Deku Babas. I suppose if Piranha Plant could make it, they could too, but they’re not here simply for that. Rather, over the course of the series, Deku Babas have appeared in many forms, most of them basically identical to their original incarnation, but just enough variance here and there to warrant a moveset.

As fighters, they will be similar in most stat aspects to Piranha Plant, if maybe a little stronger and heavier. Their moveset will pull from across the series, and every major variant of note.

Likelihood rating: Piranha Plant clause, practically the defining example.

Skull Kid

SKULL KID

Although he has a quest to perform, if Link heads into the Lost Woods above his village and turns right, he will come to a clearing where a shy creature with a strange face will be hanging out, looking for a friend to play with.

This is the first appearance of the Skull Kid, trickster characters who cause trouble because they like to play. One member of this species will rise to prominence in the game’s sequel where he will attack a traveling salesman and don a cursed mask that will poison his mind and lead him to commit several atrocities including the near genocide of the entire region of Termina.

As a fighter, the masked version of this character will, of course, come front and center, though the maskless variants from Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess will have color swaps as well. He will be constantly floating with a good amount of speed and magical power behind him. His moveset will pull from his abilities under the mask’s influence, his fairy friends Tatl and Tael, and his abilities in other appearances, such as the puppets from Twilight Princess.

Likelihood rating: Strong.

Saria

SARIA

When Link finally wakes up and Navi tells him of the Deku Tree’s request, he hears someone calling his name from outside his hut. He looks out to see his best friend, a young Kokiri girl with bright green hair.

This is Saria, the most prominent named member of the Kokiri race and their representative as a whole. They are small woodland folk with nature magic and a strong connection to fairies. They stay perpetually young forever, a trait that alienates Link from them slightly. Saria will eventually be revealed as the sage of the forest temple.

As a fighter, Saria will be light and small, quick with a lot of nature magic backing her up. Her moveset will pull from her own abilities, the abilities of other Kokiri, common features of forests in Hyrule, and Lana’s spear moveset from Hyrule Warriors (a moveset that would absolutely have gone to Saria had she been in the game).

Likelihood rating: Good possibility.

Ganondorf

GANONDORF

The story begins as the mystical and wise Deku Tree senses a great evil approaching Hyrule and sends his fairy Navi to find the boy destined to defeat it. Navi finds the boy, but has some trouble waking him as his dreams are filled with terrible visions of a tall imposing man in dark armor.

This is Ganondorf, the only male born to the desert-dwelling Gerudo tribe in a century, and thus their rightful ruler. Rather than using his birthright to lead the Gerudo into prosperity, he instead turned them into a coven of thieves, stealing and killing those around them. He set his sights on the kingdom of Hyrule and the triforce they possess, intending to steal it and overthrow the royal family. His quest for power eventually turned him into the monstrous pig demon Ganon.

As a fighter, he will be a bit lighter and faster than his porcine form, but not by much, and he will still wield a lot of power. His moveset will pull from his various boss battles across the series, everywhere he appears.

Likelihood rating: Already in.

Young Link

YOUNG LINK

Now that we have the 2D game out of the way, let’s go back in time to 1998, when the Nintendo 64 had launched and all of the major game franchises attempted to make the leap to 3D. The Legend of Zelda was one of those that made the leap with flying colors by releasing Ocarina of Time, still widely regarded as not only one of the best Zelda games but also one of the best video games of all time as a whole.

Now, one could argue that, in some of the games that came before it, Link was “Young Link,” but this game was the first to make a distinction between an adult Link and a young Link, so his “premiere” is here. The plot started with Link as a plucky young ten year old, only to be sent seven years into the future with a taller, more mature body.

This version of Link will follow that logic and stick to the differences between the two as displayed in game, Young Link being far quicker and lighter than his adult counterpart. His moveset will pull mainly from the items he could use as a child but not as an adult, as well as a few distinct mechanics from the game’s sequel Majora’s Mask.

Likelihood rating: Already in.