The different races found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are diverse and fascinating. Gorons, Hylians, and Zoras are examples of iconic fan-favorites that stand at the center of the story in any game they appear in. And a lot of that notoriety comes from how much has been revealed about those races and their history. But when it comes to fame by way of pure intrigue, no group of people in the Zelda series is as renowned as the Sheikah.
The Sheikah are a ninja-like tribe of people who accel at a wide range of activities. Many of them are warriors, scientists, farmers, and much more. And while they are known to be loyal servants of the royal Hylian family, much of their culture and history is shrouded in mystery, with only a handful of beings outside of their society being allowed to know their inner workings.
6 The Sheikah Live Longer Than Most Humans
While not as long-lived as races such as the Zoras or the Koroks, the Sheikah have impressive lifespans. When Link arrived at Kakariko Village after awakening 100 years after the fall of Hyrule and the return of Ganon, he sought out the village elder, Impa. Impa, as he learned, was someone he knew 100 years ago. She was now a diminutive, elderly woman, but at nearly 120 years old, she still had an impressive amount of vitality.
Link also met two other elderly Sheikah on his travels: Purah and Robbie. Both were scientists who served Hyrule before its fall, and they were even older than Impa. Though, Purah's body had reverted back to a prepubescent state thanks to an age-reversing experiment she had performed on herself.
5 The Sheikah Wear Specialized, Custom Garments
As players will see once they cross the border into the secluded Kakariko Village for the first time, the Sheikah people wear unique clothing that makes them stand out among the other humans living in Hyrule. The beige, red, and blue color patterns and heavy inspiration from historical Japanese clothing make the Sheikah a memorable group of people for Breath of the Wild fans.
But their clothes are not only meant to make them visually distinct. In conversations with both Sheikah and Hylian NPCs, the player can learn that the Sheikah's clothing is specially crafted to be both completely waterproof and highly resistant to electricity. These features serve them well when they are out in the wild on spying missions. Also, Sheikah will not sell these clothes to Hylians, as only members of the Sheikah tribe are allowed to wear them.
4 The Sheikah Have Always Served The Hyrule Royal Family
Though the king of Hyrule had been killed by the Calamity long ago, the Sheikah still pledge their loyalty to Princess Zelda and the Kingdom of Hyrule as a whole. It is their sworn duty to protect and serve the royal family at all costs.
This role has been there's since the founding of Hyrule. Its origin can be traced back to the events that took place in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The first Impa was the one who protected the first Zelda and guided her to her destiny. Since that time, the Sheikah people have followed a command given to them by the goddess Hylia to protect Zelda's bloodline.
3 The Sheikah Developed All Of The Ancient Technology In Hyrule
Evident by the Sheikah Slate, the Sheikah tribe were at one time advanced people who created complex and nearly unimaginable technologies. At their peak, which occurred 10,000 years before the events of Breath of the Wild, the Sheikah were responsible not only for the creation of the Sheikah Slate, but every technological marvel in Hyrule.
These accomplishments include the Divine Beasts, the Sheikah Towers, the Ancient Shrines, and even the Guardians. Their accomplishments and influence over Hyrule were so great that the Hylians actually grew to see the Sheikah as a serious threat to their rule over the kingdom.
2 The Sheikah Were Exiled At One Point
Despite what they had done for Hyrule, the ancient Sheikah eventually came to be seen as dangerous. The Hylians, especially the king at that time, believed the Sheikah might threaten their dominance, and sought to prevent any potential shift in power.
If the player speaks to the NPCs Cado and Rensa, they can learn that when the Hylians turned against the Sheikah, the tribe was actually forced into exile and became outcasts for a time. While in exile, some of the Sheikah chose to abandon most of their technological advancements to pursue normal lives and to reenter life with the Hylians. These people became the modern Sheikah seen in Breath of the Wild.
1 The Yiga Clan Originated From The Sheikah
While some of the Sheikah people did choose to abandon their technology and give up any resentment toward the Hylians, this was not the case for a large number of them. A group of Sheikah chose to abandon their heritage completely and swore allegiance to Ganon in hopes of getting revenge against the Hylians.
When the signs of Calamity Ganon's return began to appear in Hyrule, these former Sheikah banded together and officially founded the deadly Yiga clan to act as a countermeasure to Hyrule's attempts to prevent Ganon's return. Their only mission was to seek out and destroy anyone who opposed Ganon.