Highlights
- Ricky, Dimitri, and Moosh are animal companions in Oracle of Seasons with unique abilities, adding fun and usefulness to the gameplay.
- Navi may have been divisive but she provides crucial guidance to Link in Ocarina of Time, making the game easier and becoming an iconic character in the series.
- Linebeck in Phantom Hourglass starts as a treasure-hungry sailor but develops a heartfelt arc, making him a well-rounded and memorable character in the Zelda universe.
While each TheLegend of Zelda game is packed full of unique and quirky characters who help make the world feel alive and lived in, most of these releases also feature a key individual who accompanies Link throughout his journey to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule. Although some aren't exactly beloved by fans, there are others who are always a lot of fun to be around and incredibly memorable.
Of course, while all The Legend of Zelda companions will help keep Link moving in the right direction, it can be easy for them to become a little annoying and repetitive if they don't also have a lot of personality and charisma to go along with them. They must also be important to the overall plot, which is why there are a few Zelda companions that stand out from the rest that many longtime fans will always look back on fondly.
7 Ricky, Dimitri, & Moosh
During the first few hours of Oracle of Seasons, players will be presented with the choice of one of three animal companions who will become Link's main partner throughout the game. While they're vastly different in appearance and abilities, they are all still incredibly useful for navigating the world.
Ricky the boxing kangaroo can leap over walls with ease, Dimitri the dodongo can swim up waterfalls, and Moosh the flying bear can hover across small gaps to reach platforms. Each of their designs is incredibly whacky and memorable, and even though they are featured in some of the less popular Legend of Zelda titles, they're still a joy to have as a companion and very handy for progressing through certain areas.
6 Navi
Undoubtedly the Zelda character who has been memed the most, Navi was admittedly a divisive companion when Ocarina of Time was first released. As time has gone on, the tiny blue fairy has become a lot more favored by fans, even if she does chatter a little too much at certain points.
Without Navi, the game would be so much more difficult considering she gives Link clues on how to traverse through certain areas and take down certain enemies. It is also hard to deny that her simple design has become synonymous with The Legend of Zelda series, so much so that a few future characters were even inspired by Navi, including Ciela from Phantom Hourglass.
5 Linebeck
Most of Link's companions are wholehearted individuals who genuinely believe in the plight of the hero of Hyrule; however, when it comes to Linebeck who accompanies Link in Phantom Hourglass, his intentions aren't quite as clear. Being the greedy treasure-hungry sailor that he is, Linebeck initially follows Link in the hopes of reaping some rewards from journeying with the young adventurer, but as the story progresses, he starts to gain respect for the hero and even talks to him about his own past with Jolene, a close friend who he betrayed due to his greed.
Linebeck stands out for having a genuinely heartfelt and captivating arc that makes him an incredibly layered and well-rounded character. He proved popular enough to pop up as a trophy in Super Smash Bros 3DS and a Master Spirit in Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
4 Crimson Loftwing
In order to hop between the many Sky Islands that make up much of the world in Skyward Sword, Link must use his beloved Crimson Loftwing to carry him across the skies. In the first few hours of the game, many Skyloftians actually comment that Link shares a very special and unique bond with his own Loftwing, and this relationship only grows as the story goes on.
Controlling the Crimson Loftwing with the Wii Remote was actually a very fun way to navigate the world that always made hopping on the bird's back so much fun, and the animal actually plays a very important role in the campaign with it being the key to defeating the Bilocyte parasite. Link's Crimson Loftwing truly feels like a part of his family, and its vibrant design only helps to make it even more memorable to fans.
3 King Of Red Lions
Considering players spend a lot of their time venturing across the vast open seas in Wind Waker, it helps that Link's boat, the King of Red Lions, is actually possessed by the ghost of King Daphnes that will talk with the adventurer as he sails to the next island.
Gameplay-wise, he generously keeps Link up to date with the events ongoing in the world. Alongside the fact that he is literally a speaking boat, Daphnes' wise and stoic personality certainly makes him intriguing, but it is not until near the end of the game that he is revealed to be the King of Hyrule and his place in the story becomes fully realized. The final moment of the king going down with Hyrule, similar to a captain going down with his ship, is an incredibly heartfelt sendoff.
2 Midna
Midna is one of the most layered and fascinating Legend of Zelda characters since she actually goes through a lot of development throughout the course of Twilight Princess. She starts off acting fairly hostile toward Link, who she consistently mocks about his brand-new wolf form. Midna soon realizes though that she can't break the curse placed on her by Ganondorf and Zant alone, realizing that she actually needs to depend on Link to restore her.
As the game nears its end, and Midna realizes that she must return to the Twilight Realm, it results in one of the most tear-jerking scenes in the entire series. Thankfully, that wasn't the last fans saw of Midna as she briefly re-appeared in Hyrule Warriors and as a cameo in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, proving just how popular she became to those who played Twilight Princess.
1 Fi
There's so much to love about the humanoid spirit that resides in the Master Sword known as Fi. Not only is she a lot more patient and forgiving with Link's actions when compared to many of his other companions, but she's actually an extremely important figure in the story of Skyward Sword. She is tasked with guiding the hero toward his destiny of defeating Demise.
What really makes Fi stand out is the fact that, from the very start of the game until the end, her role is nothing more than a servant whose entire being is dedicated to helping Link; however, as the game progresses, she begins to show that she actually has a lot more emotion tied to Link and his courageous efforts, making for one of the most beautiful and captivating character arcs in The Legend of Zelda.
This is actually confirmed just before Fi disappears near the story's end when she says to Link that her journey with him had been the first time she was ever truly happy, before then falling into a deep slumber. Luckily, it seems like Fi isn't actually gone for good since she can still be heard residing within the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom, and even speaks to Zelda at certain points in that game.