When you think of The Legend of Zelda, three names always come to mind: Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. But here’s the truth — some of the most unforgettable moments in the entire series don’t belong to them at all. They belong to the characters on the sidelines. The quirky merchants, the unlikely companions, the villains who broke the mold. These are the characters who stole the spotlight… and sometimes, they made us care about Hyrule more than the so-called ‘main characters’ ever could.

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Why Side Characters Matter in Zelda

Link has always been designed as a silent, almost faceless protagonist — a character who reflects the player more than he speaks for himself. That’s part of what makes Zelda special: we project ourselves into Link’s shoes. But the downside is that Link rarely carries the emotional weight of the story. That responsibility almost always falls to the characters around him — the companions, the rivals, the villains, and even the comic relief weirdos.

Think about it: Midna is the one who delivers the gut punch at the end of Twilight Princess. Linebeck is the one who makes you laugh through Phantom Hourglass. Groose is the one who changes the way you see Skyward Sword. Without them, these games would be perfectly fine adventures — but with them, they become unforgettable. Zelda’s side characters are often the real heart of the story, giving each game its unique personality.

The magic of Zelda isn’t just about dungeons and bosses — it’s about Hyrule feeling alive. Characters like Beedle, Tingle, or Agatha may not affect the main plot at all, but they flesh out the world. They’re the reason you feel like you’re stepping into a place that has history, culture, and humor. Without these strange and memorable faces, Zelda risks feeling like just another fantasy adventure.

That’s why fans often walk away remembering the side cast more than Link himself. As one fan put it: “Linebeck… all of his interactions get a good laugh and his musical theme is pretty catchy too.” Zelda thrives on these moments — when a supporting character steps out of the shadows and makes you laugh, makes you cry, or just makes the world feel alive.

The Companions that Outshined Link

Midna is the perfect example of a side character stealing the show. When she first appears in Twilight Princess, she’s mischievous, sarcastic, and almost cruel toward Link. She doesn’t exist to guide him so much as to use him for her own goals. But as the story unfolds, you start to see her vulnerability, her fears, and eventually her selflessness. By the end of the game, she’s no longer just an ally — she’s the emotional heart of the entire journey. As one fan put it, “Her arc, her motivations, her fears, her intensity, her quirkiness, her love for the characters we love… her self-sacrifice.” It’s no wonder so many players still call her their favorite Zelda character, even when compared to Link or Zelda themselves.

Linebeck, from Phantom Hourglass, is another character who completely hijacks the spotlight. At first glance, he’s a cowardly, selfish adventurer who only cares about treasure and staying out of danger. But the beauty of his character is how much he grows. By the end of the game, this reluctant companion transforms into someone who proves his bravery and earns your respect. His constant comedic banter and over-the-top cowardice make him unforgettable, to the point where fans often remember Linebeck more than the game’s actual story. As one fan said, “All of his interactions get a good laugh and his musical theme is pretty catchy too.”

Then there’s Tatl from Majora’s Mask, who often gets overshadowed by the more famous Navi. But unlike Navi’s simple “Hey, listen!”, Tatl actually goes through an arc. She starts off bratty and dismissive, reluctantly tagging along with Link. Over time, though, she softens, becoming a genuine partner who cares about his success and survival. Her growth mirrors the themes of Majora’s Mask — forgiveness, change, and second chances. That kind of subtle storytelling makes her far more than just another helper character.

Even Fi from Skyward Sword, though divisive among fans, stands out when you consider her role as a tragic companion. While her robotic demeanor frustrated some players, her parallel with Ghirahim — both beings created to serve as swords for their masters — makes her story bittersweet. By the time you reach her farewell, her emotional breakdown hits harder precisely because of how restrained she had been throughout the game. For some players, this shift turned Fi from a frustrating guide into one of the most memorable companions in the series.

The Villians That Stole Ganondorf’s Thunder

Ganondorf is the eternal villain of Zelda, the figure who looms over the series as Link’s ultimate rival. But every so often, Nintendo gives us someone different — a new face with a new style of menace. And sometimes, those villains end up stealing the thunder from Ganondorf himself.

Take Vaati, for example. He’s not just another dark sorcerer — he’s a character with a real arc, starting as a Minish apprentice before giving into his lust for power. His design, his tragic origins, and the fact that he actually carried multiple games on his own makes him one of the few Zelda villains who feels like more than just a one-off. Fans still talk about him to this day, wishing Nintendo would bring him back. As one fan put it, “I just found him really cool… I just like the concept of his story and how he actually became a villain.” Vaati proved that Zelda could thrive with a villain who wasn’t Ganon at all.

Then there’s Ghirahim from Skyward Sword. Flamboyant, dramatic, and unpredictable, he’s the polar opposite of Ganondorf’s stoic menace. Every time he’s on screen, he commands attention — whether he’s taunting Link with unsettling charm or showing off his deadly skill. His exaggerated personality made him entertaining, but he wasn’t just a joke; his role as the dark counterpart to Fi gave him surprising depth. As one fan said, “I really like his personality and how entertaining he is… and I love Fi, so I like to think the two of them are nice parallels of each other.”

Even characters with smaller roles, like Queen Rutela in Twilight Princess, manage to leave a lasting impression. She isn’t a main villain, but her presence adds a haunting beauty to the game’s world. Her story is tragic, her design elegant, and she stands out in a game full of memorable faces. It’s proof that Zelda’s strength isn’t just in its big three characters, but in the rogues’ gallery and side figures that make every entry unique.

These villains show that when Zelda dares to step outside the cycle of Ganondorf, it can deliver some of the most creative and memorable antagonists in the series. And for many fans, they’re the ones who stick with you long after the credits roll.

The Weirdo Who Became Legends

Not every Zelda character earns their place in the spotlight by being noble or tragic. Sometimes, it’s the weirdos — the strange, eccentric, and downright bizarre characters — who leave the biggest impact. These are the figures who make Hyrule feel less like a fantasy kingdom and more like a living, unpredictable world.

Groose in Skyward Sword is the perfect example. He starts as a loud, arrogant bully with a ridiculous pompadour and an ego even bigger than his hair. At first, he feels like pure comic relief, a character you’re meant to laugh at and ignore. But somewhere along the way, he transforms into something more. When he steps up to help fight alongside Link, building his own “Groosenator” to defend the world below, he earns the respect of players everywhere. His arc is so unexpected that it feels like he steals the game’s spotlight from Link himself. As one fan put it, he’s basically the Hercule Satan of Zelda — the underdog who proves he’s more than just a joke.

Then there’s Beedle, the wandering merchant with his massive backpack and unforgettable cry of “Thank you!” On the surface, he’s just a shopkeeper, but fans can’t stop speculating about him. How does he carry such a huge load? Why does he appear in so many different games across timelines? Exactly how rich is he? Beedle is more than a vendor — he’s a walking mystery, and his eccentric presence has turned him into a fan-favorite legend.

Tingle, of course, might be the most infamous of all Zelda’s weirdos. A grown man obsessed with fairies, floating around in his balloon and charging absurd amounts of rupees for maps, he’s one of the strangest Nintendo characters ever created. And yet, he became so popular — or perhaps so notorious — that he got his own spin-off games in Japan. Love him or hate him, Tingle is unforgettable, and that makes him one of Zelda’s most enduring icons.

And then you have Agatha from Twilight Princess, the self-proclaimed “Princess of Bugs.” She lives in her golden, insect-filled mansion, inviting Link to bring her bugs in exchange for rewards. She’s unsettling, whimsical, and completely unlike anyone else in the series. She barely interacts with the main story, yet she’s exactly the kind of oddity that fans never forget. As one player put it, she’s simply “Hyrule’s greatest princess.”

These characters may not be warriors or villains, but they give Zelda its color, its humor, and its unpredictability. They’re proof that in Hyrule, even the strangest side characters can become legends in their own right.

What this says about Zelda

The fact that so many Zelda fans point to side characters as their favorites says something important about the series. Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf may be the pillars of the franchise, but they’re often defined by their roles in the cycle of hero, princess, and villain. It’s the characters around them — the companions, the rivals, the oddballs — who give each game its unique identity.

In a way, this is by design. Link is intentionally left blank so that players can see themselves in him, but that means the emotional core of the story has to come from elsewhere. Midna’s sacrifice, Linebeck’s reluctant bravery, Groose’s redemption, or even Beedle’s eccentricity — these moments give players something to latch onto, something to feel. Zelda thrives not just on epic battles and dungeons, but on the personalities that make its world feel alive.

It also shows how versatile the series can be. One game’s most memorable character might be a tragic villain like Vaati, while another’s might be a ridiculous comic relief like Tingle. That range — from the heartfelt to the absurd — is what makes Hyrule so memorable. Every player walks away with a different favorite, and often it isn’t the hero holding the Master Sword.

In the end, The Legend of Zelda isn’t just the story of one boy in green fighting the forces of evil. It’s the story of a world, and the characters who fill it. And sometimes, those characters manage to steal the spotlight — reminding us that Zelda’s magic lies as much in its people as in its legend.

So while Link may hold the Master Sword, it’s often the people around him who give each adventure its heart. From Midna’s sacrifice to Groose’s redemption, from Beedle’s eccentric cries to Tingle’s bizarre obsession with fairies, these characters remind us that Zelda is more than just a hero’s journey. It’s a tapestry of personalities — some funny, some tragic, all unforgettable.

But of course, these are just a handful of the characters who’ve stolen the spotlight. Every Zelda fan has their own pick, the one NPC or companion who made their adventure stick in memory long after the credits rolled. So now I want to hear from you — who’s your favorite Zelda character outside of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf? Who do you think deserves more love, or maybe even their own game? Drop your answer in the comments, because I’d love to feature more fan perspectives in future videos.

And if you enjoyed this journey through Zelda’s unsung heroes and hidden stars, make sure to hit like and subscribe for more deep dives into the series we all love. I’ve got another Zelda video coming soon — one you won’t want to miss — so stay tuned. Until then, thanks for watching, and remember: in Hyrule, sometimes the side characters shine the brightest.