User:Cukie Gherkin/BotW

Concept and creation
Many of the non-playable characters in Breath of the Wild were made using the Mii Maker.

Mipha
Mipha is the Zora Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. She is voiced by Amelia Gotham in English and Mayu Isshiki in Japanese. She is the pilot of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta and the first of the Champions to master her Divine Beast. Mipha, alongside the other three Champions, died during the battle with Calamity Ganon. In the game's backstory, Mipha and Link were once childhood friends. In the Memory "Mipha's Touch", Mipha reminisces with Link about their past and promises to always heal him. Mipha is shown to have romantic feelings for Link, to the extent that she makes Zora armor for him to wear. However, it is not revealed whether Link returns her affections. Her spirit is set free in the present day after Link awakens 100 years later and helps to reclaim control of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Afterwards, she bestows a powerful healing skill, Mipha's Grace, upon him. She apologizes to her father for not returning safely and wishes that she could see her family again. Link honors her memory by wearing the Zora armor that she made for him and by aiding the Zora people.

Mipha also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. She wields the Lightscale Trident or Zora Spear in battle and has the ability to heal herself and her allies on the battlefield. She also uses her ability to manipulate water to create water-based attacks. Mipha plays a major role in the storyline as one of the four Champions. During a cutscene, she accepts her role as the Zora Champion, although her father King Dorephan says that it is only on the condition that she returns safely.

Lead artist Hirohito Shinoda stated in development notes that he based her design off of a dolphin. Cinematic designer Naoki Mori said that Mipha's relationship with Link was intended to be different to his relationship with Princess Zelda, commenting that "it almost ended up being too intense. I tried to balance things by making her into a quieter person".

Daruk
Daruk is the Goron Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Rudania. He is voiced by Joe Hernandez in English and Koji Takeda in Japanese. Although usually calm, he becomes ferocious during battle and believes in Link's fighting capabilities. He grants Link "Daruk's Protection", which protects Link from attacks. His signature weapon is the Boulder Breaker. Daruk also appears as a playable warrior in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Cinematic designer Naoki Mori stated that Daruk is reminiscent of Darunia from Ocarina of Time because he calls Link "little guy", which serves as a homage to Darunia calling him "brother". He designed him to have a straightforward nature like the other Gorons while being the elder spiritual leader of the Champions. Lead artist Hierohito Shinoda added that he wanted Daruk to feel like an experienced leader that anyone can count on, with his hair looking like armour. He also focused on his body shape to ensure he is bulky and muscular.

Revali
Revali is the Rito Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Medoh. He is voiced in English by Sean Chiplock and Noboru Yamaguchi in Japanese. Revali is skilled in aerial battles and has exceptional sight and archery skills. He believes himself to be superior to Link, but changes his views after Link frees his spirit from Calamity Ganon. He grants Link "Revali's Gale", a powerful vertical wind column that blows Link into the air. In Creating a Champion, cinematic designer, Naoki Mori stated that the Champions were designed as a throwback to characters in earlier games. He thought it would be interesting to create a character that does not accept Link as a hero like the other Champions, but wanted to ensure that he was not disliked for his overconfidence. The lead artist of NPCs, Hirohito Shinoda, stated that Revali was the first Rito character to be created for the game and defined the other Rito designs. Various bird motifs were considered for his design, including swallows and woodpeckers, before the team chose birds of prey. Shinoda also stated that it took a lot of experimentation to create a character that sees Link as his rival, but is unable to be honest about it. He also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character. VG247 reported that players lamented the absence of Revali's Gale in Tears of the Kingdom, describing it as the most useful of the four Champion abilities.

Urbosa
Urbosa is the Gerudo Champion and pilot of Divine Beast Vah Naboris. She is voiced by Elizabeth Maxwell in English and Rei Shimoda in Japanese. Urbosa is a strong and courageous leader who showcases care and concern for Princess Zelda's well-being, as she was good friends with Zelda's mother, the deceased Queen of Hyrule. Urbosa still feels bitter about her failure as a Champion one hundred years before. However, she is happy to be able to make up for her people's shame, as one of Ganon's previous incarnations was a Gerudo. She grants Link "Urbosa's Fury", a devastating electric attack. She also appears in Age of Calamity as a playable character. She was generally well-regarded, as she was considered one of the best characters of 2017 by Paste Magazine and Destructoid.

Sidon
Sidon is Mipha's younger brother and heir to the Zora throne, who is admired by the Zora for his strength and optimism. He is voiced by Jamie Mortellaro in English and Kosuke Onishi in Japanese. He aids Link in stopping Vah Ruta from flooding Zora's Domain and causing damage to the surrounding regions, as the Zoras, being weak to electricity, are unable to use the Shock Arrows needed to disable it. Sidon also helps Link win the support of the prejudiced Muzu by proving Mipha's love for him with the Zora Armor. A younger version of Sidon appears in the Memory "Champion Mipha's Song" during the Champion's Ballad DLC, and again in Age of Calamity. He also appears in Age of Calamity as a playable character.

In Tears of the Kingdom, Sidon assists Link in purifying Zora's Domain of sludge by entering the Water Temple and defeating Mucktorok. Subsequently, he becomes the Sage of Water and king of the Zora after Dorephan abdicates the throne. He and Link are now depicted in a statue in Zora's Domain, which depicts Link riding on Sidon and honors them saving Zora's Domain from Vah Ruta.

Yunobo
Yunobo is a young Goron and a descendant of Daruk. He is voiced by Joe Hernandez in English and Miyuki Kobori in Japanese. Despite being cowardly, Yunobo possesses Daruk's power of protection and helps Link enter Vah Rudania by acting as a cannonball to disable it. In Age of Calamity, Yunobo can eat special Rock Roasts to change the effects of his Protection when he attacks.

In Tears of the Kingdom, Yunobo is mind controlled by Ganon, becoming a drug kingpin and leader of a marbled rock mining operation. After fighting Link and breaking the mask being used to control him, Yunobo accompanies Link to the Fire Temple and later becomes the Sage of Fire, gaining the ability to create a spirit avatar who assists Link using powerful rolling attacks.

Teba
Teba is a Rito archer known for his great skill in combat, as well as his focus and temper. He is voiced by Sean Chiplock in English and Takuya Masumoto in Japanese. With the Rito unable to fly freely for fear of getting shot down by Vah Medoh, Teba intends to attack the Divine Beast by himself while disregarding the potential consequences. Teba aids Link in the attack on Vah Medoh, drawing its attention so Link can disable it and climb aboard. In Tears of the Kingdom, he becomes the new leader of the Rito following Kaneli's retirement.

Riju
Makeela Riju is the young chief of the Gerudo, who inherited the throne at a very young age. She is twelve years old in Breath of the Wild, and returns in Tears of the Kingdom as an older teenager. She is respected by the Gerudo despite her young age. Link wins her support by retrieving the Gerudo's treasured Thunder Helm from the Yiga Clan. Riju plays a major supporting role by helping Link board Divine Beast Vah Naboris, using the Thunder Helm to protect Link from Vah Naboris' lightning attacks while he injures its feet to immobilize and board it. In battle, Riju rides on a shield pulled by her favorite sand seal, Patricia.

In Tears of the Kingdom, Riju again plays a major role in the main quest, aiding Link in defending Kara Kara Bazaar and Gerudo Town from Gibdo attacks and accompanying him to the Lightning Temple. She later becomes the Sage of Lightning, gaining the ability to create a spirit avatar to aid Link in combat.

Master Kohga
Master Kohga is the leader of the Yiga Clan, who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He appears as a boss in the main quest line, as Link fights him to obtain the Thunder Helm. He is lazy and egotistical, as he spends most of his time sleeping in the Yiga Clan's hideout, which is located in the desert through the Karusa Valley, while the clan goes after Link. When Link infiltrates the Yiga hideout to confront him, Kohga summons a spiked ball that rolls over him and sends him falling into the depths. He also appears with the Yiga Clan in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Kohga returns in Tears of the Kingdom, which reveals he survived following his supposed death in Breath of the Wild , and appears as a reoccurring boss in the Depths' abandoned mines. His first boss fight is part of the main quest and allows the player to unlock the Autobuild ability. He also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit. Jacob Linden, writing for The Escapist, described the Kohga boss quest line as "utter joy" and praised the character's expressive animation, as well as his boss fights.

Magda
Magda is a Hylian woman who is encountered near Hila Rao Shrine in Breath of the Wild. She is devoted to caring for her patch of flowers, which surround the shrine and block Link's path. If Link steps on the flowers, she becomes increasingly enraged to the point where she physically attacks him. Magda achieved notoriety amongst players, with some attempting to take revenge on her and giving her the nickname "Flowerblight Ganon" in reference to the game's main bosses. Writing for Kotaku, Narelle Ho Sang considered this moment to be hilarious, commenting on the irony that Magda is more obsessed with caring for her flowers than Hyrule's destruction. She returns in Tears of the Kingdom, where she is encountered at the end of a side quest in the same location. Although still protective of her flowers, she is noticeably calmer and will no longer attack Link if he steps on her flowerbed.

Purah
Purah is a Sheikah researcher who first appears in Breath of the Wild. She is the director of the Hateno Tech Lab and helps Link to upgrade the Sheikah Slate. Her physical appearance is that of a small child, after having conducted research that caused her to age backwards. Despite her young appearance, she is described in Creating a Champion as being about 124 years old, older than her sister Impa. Alongside her research partner Robbie, she also appears as a young woman in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Purah returns in Tears of the Kingdom as the head of Lookout Landing. Her renewed appearance as a young woman gained attention from players across social media upon the game's release. Nintendo Life reported that players were "enamoured" by her redesign, which spawned numerous works of fan art.

Robbie
Robbie is a Sheikah researcher and colleague of Purah, who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He manages the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab and conducts research on ancient Guardian technology. After Link restores his machine Cherry, he trades Guardian parts for various items. He returns in Tears of the Kingdom, where he takes over the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab and works with Purah to develop the Purah Pad. He plays an integral role in the story by setting up the Purah Pad for Link to use at Lookout Landing and sending him on a quest into the Depths, which allows the player to unlock the Camera and the Hyrule Compendium. He also upgrades the Purah Pad with additional functions, including the Shrine Sensor, which can track nearby shrines, and the Travel Medallion, which sets a travel return point. He also appears in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a playable character alongside Purah.

Paya
Paya is a young Sheikah who first appears in Breath of the Wild. She is Impa's granddaughter and is encountered at Impa's house in Kakariko Village. Paya is a dutiful assistant to Impa and is typically found performing household duties during the day or praying to deities at night. She returns in Tears of the Kingdom, where she has taken on village elder following Impa's retirement. Paya has a quiet personality and is especially shy when interacting with Link, but her dialogue and diary entries show that she harbors a secret crush on him. VentureBeat highlighted that her interactions with Link in Breath of the Wild show an attraction towards him and reveal details about her character.

Hestu
Hestu is a large, music-loving Korok who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He is first encountered near Kakariko Village, where Link must retrieve his stolen maracas. In both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, he upgrades Link's weapon inventory slots using collected Korok Seeds. In both games, collecting all Korok Seeds will reward the player with "Hestu's Gift". Allegra Frank of Polygon described Hestu as the "true star" of Breath of the Wild, commenting that he is a familiar and comforting presence in the game's enormous world and highlighting that he is a fan favorite amongst many players, who responded positively to his appearance. Hidemaro Fujibayashi confirmed that the Korok Seeds are actually Korok poop, stating that the development team "thought it would be funny to make that a big joke". Hestu also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

Hudson
Hudson is a builder who first appears in Breath of the Wild. Link can aid Hudson as he works to found a new settlement called Tarrey Town in a side quest that involves various minor characters across Hyrule. In Tears of the Kingdom, Link again encounters Hudson and his Gerudo wife Rhondson at Tarrey Town. They own Hudson Construction, a building company known throughout Hyrule. Link meets their young daughter Mattison, who embarks on her own journey to reach Gerudo Town. Caleb Pistoni, writing for Paste, considered that the side quest to help Hudson build Tarrey Town was a highlight of Breath of the Wild and praised the story continuity in Tears of the Kingdom, which shows the existing characters thriving and rebuilding Hyrule after its destruction. After helping Mattison achieve independence, Link can purchase a plot of land from Rhondson, giving him the opportunity to build his own home.

Kass
Kass is a Rito bard who first appears in Breath of the Wild. He plays a major supporting role in guiding Link throughout his adventure by playing distinctive tunes on his accordion to reveal hidden shrines. Kass also guides Link throughout the Champion's Ballad DLC, as his songs provide the clues to its shrines. IGN highlighted that Kass is noticeably absent from Tears of the Kingdom despite being a beloved character amongst fans. Rebekah Valentine considered it strange that he is not mentioned by name and that fans hoped that he would return in the game's DLC. Writing for VG247, Oisin Kuhnke considered Kass to be an "incredibly iconic character from Breath of the Wild", as his soothing accordion can be heard all over Hyrule.

Kilton
Kilton is a merchant who appears in Breath of the Wild. He runs a shop called Fang and Bone, which only appears at night. There, Link can trade collected monster parts for a currency called Mon, which can be exchanged for masks and other items. These masks allow him to disguise himself amongst certain monsters by mimicking their appearance and movements. Narelle Ho Sang of Kotaku counted Kilton and his masks as one of the weirdest moments in the game and noted the similarities to Majora's Mask, where Link wears various masks. She also highlighted that Kilton's patchwork balloon mimics the colors of Majora's mask and considered this to be an callback to the game. In Tears of the Kingdom, Kilton's brother Koltin fulfils a similar function, trading collected Bubbul Gems obtained from Bubbulfrogs in Hyrule's caves.

Rauru
Rauru is a Zonai who appears in Tears of the Kingdom as a major supporting character. He is voiced by Chris Hackney in English and Riki Kagami in Japanese. At the beginning of the game, he saves Link after Ganondorf attacks him with Gloom beneath Hyrule Castle by attaching his own arm, which gives him various abilities. He is the Sage of Light and his name references Rauru, who appears in Ocarina of Time and has the same title. In the game's story, Zelda meets him in the distant past, where he is revealed to have been the king of Hyrule, founding it alongside his wife Sonia. Rauru plays a critical role in the Imprisoning War, which takes place in the game's distant past, where he battles against Ganondorf's army. When Ganondorf betrays Rauru and kills Sonia to transform himself into the Demon King using the power of her Secret Stone, Rauru gathers the Sages to defeat him, ultimately sacrificing himself to seal him away. Cody Perez, writing for Destructoid, considered Rauru to be one of the most important characters in the game, as he is the source of Link's arm and plays an integral role in battling Ganondorf. Hope Bellingham of GamesRadar noted that many players had reacted positively to the character's design.

Sonia
Queen Sonia is a major supporting character who appears in Tears of the Kingdom. She is voiced by Cherami Leigh in English and Yūko Kaida in Japanese. She is Rauru's wife and the first queen of Hyrule. She appears in the memories of the Dragon's Tears, which are found at geoglyphs and reveal Hyrule's distant past. Sonia possesses the power to manipulate time and, being the ancestor of Zelda, is the origin of her power alongside Rauru. After Zelda is transported through time to Hyrule's distant past, she meets Sonia and Rauru, who try to help her understand her newfound power and return to her own time. Sonia recognizes Zelda's strength and they develop a close connection. Although Ganondorf swears an oath of peace to the Zonai, he betrays them to gain power over Hyrule. He then kills Sonia, taking her Secret Stone to transform himself into the Demon King. Her death motivates Zelda and Rauru to defeat Ganondorf.

Tulin
Tulin (voiced by Cristina Vee) is Teba's son, who initially made a minor appearance as a child in Breath of the Wild and returns in Tears of the Kingdom, where he helps Link traverse the Stormwind Ark and stop the blizzard threatening the Rito. Afterward, he becomes the Sage of Wind, gaining the ability to create a spirit avatar who assists Link by creating gusts of wind that allows him to quickly travel horizontal distances. GamesRadar reported that players reacted positively to the character, describing him as "adorable", particularly because the two feathers that hang from his Great Eagle Bow are a display of love for his parents.

Mineru
Mineru is a Zonai and Rauru's elder sister, who appears in Tears of the Kingdom. She is voiced by Heather Gonzalez in English. After Zelda is transported to the distant past, she meets Mineru and Rauru, who are the last two remaining Zonai. Mineru helps Zelda to return to her own time by explaining the power of the Secret Stones and the forbidden act of draconification; swallowing a stone to become an immortal dragon. She is the Sage of Spirit, which gives her the power to separate her spirit from her body. After the Sages' battle against the Ganondorf, she succumbs to her injuries and her spirit remains in the Purah Pad. In the present, Link encounters Mineru in the Depths and builds a Zonai mech to house her spirit before helping her recover her Secret Stone from the Spirit Temple.

Josha
Josha (voiced by Maya Tuttle) is a major supporting character who first appears in Tears of the Kingdom. She is a young Sheikah researcher who developed her knowledge by researching the Depths. She works alongside Purah and Robbie at Lookout Landing and has a passion for cave exploration. As the Head of Depths Research, Josha plays a critical role in sending Link into the Depths as part of the main quest, which leads him to unlock the Camera and the Hyrule Compendium. Due to being unable to go down to the Depths herself, she asks Link to find evidence of an ancient race that she believes can be found there. Returning to her at Lookout Landing begins a quest that sends Link into the Depths to follow a trail of statues that lead to an old mine. Josha's request eventually leads him to battle Master Kohga, which unlocks Autobuild, one of Link's main abilities.

Penn
Penn is a Rito who first appears in Tears of the Kingdom. He works alongside editor Traysi as a journalist for the Lucky Clover Gazette, a newspaper in Hyrule. His energetic character is reflected in his dialogue, which he typically ends with the catchphrase "Soar long!" While working with Penn, Link can take on the role of reporter and earn Rupees by investigating sightings of Princess Zelda around Hyrule. Penn sets high standards for his journalism, stating with enthusiasm the importance of only publishing facts. This positive stance on journalism is reflected in the response of many minor characters who read the Lucky Clover Gazette. Luke Winkie, writing for Slate, highlighted that players responded positively to Penn's side quests and considered his high standards to be a commentary on the positive nature of old-fashioned journalism.

Addison
Addison is a supporting character that appears throughout Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom. His job is to promote his boss Hudson, who is the president of Hudson Construction. Hudson supports the rebuilding of the kingdom by depositing caches of building materials in various locations, where Addison can be found trying to support a sign bearing Hudson's face. The player is tasked with creating constructions using Ultrahand to support Addison's sign. Polygon 's Olly Welsh chose Addison as his favorite character in the game, commenting that he is one of many minor characters who demonstrate that The Legend of Zelda series is about real life and the fantastical. He also opined that Addison's eagerness to support his boss, who is motivated by his own self interests, is a satire on Japanese work culture and that, even when catastrophe hits the world of Hyrule, the mediocre aspects of life continue. Jim Norman of Nintendo Life wrote an entire "love letter" to the character, describing him as "hilarious" due to him being "terrible at his job" and commented that he felt unable to walk past him in-game without stopping to help him out.

Yona
Lady Yona (voiced by Lauren Mayfield) is a Zora who appears in Tears of the Kingdom and resembles a manta ray. Link encounters her while investigating the phenomenon of strange muck appearing in Zora's Domain. She appears alongside her fiancé Sidon. She has been Sidon's best friend from early childhood and dedicates her life to helping her fellow Zora. Yona's presence in the game caused a generally negative reaction. Polygon described the character as "public enemy No. 1" and reported that many fans of Sidon expressed their dismay on social media upon discovering that he was officially betrothed to another Zora. IGN also noted the angry fan response to the character, stating that Yona was "tearing apart Sidon's fans" and reported on the possibility that Nintendo had introduced her in an attempt to end shipping of Sidon and Link.