Gold and black illuminate the world, and the sky is awash in hues that belong to neither day nor night. They say that the twilight hour is one of magic and wonder, and yet darkness and danger are all that seem to fill this world. Shadows rise from the ground, shifting the world from one of light to one of darkness. Souls become lost, monsters roam freely, and a hero is born. But watching from the shadows, waiting for an opportune moment, is a small imp. She may seem just as sinister as the strange realm that has consumed Hyrule, but beneath that grin and diminutive form is hidden beauty and a soul just like any other.
In Twilight Princess, Midna first appears to Link after he has been transformed into a wolf and captured by the creatures of the Twilight Realm that are appearing across Hyrule. Midna is one such creature, but unlike the Shadow Beasts, she can communicate with Link. She offers to help free him from his prison, but of course, she only does this to use him for her own purposes. These two need each other, so, naturally, Midna ends up serving as the companion who accompanies Link throughout the journey.
That is not to say that Midna is just another annoying help system implemented into the game. Yes, she does act as a guide to the player, but unlike the little fairy Navi or the sword spirit Fi, Midna is more directly involved in the ongoing narrative. She shifts and grows as a character, proving important to the main beats of the story and even assisting Link during the final battle. When it comes to companion characters, Midna is one of the best, leaving a mark that makes it difficult to say goodbye after that final boss is conquered.
At the beginning of Midna’s character arc, she is rather condescending toward Link and only seems to care about her own well-being. Link is her little pet (or little wolf, to be more specific) who is helping her achieve her ultimate goal of defeating Zant. She even manipulates Link by shapeshifting into the children of his home village in order to convince him to fight against Zant. It may seem like she wants to stop the spread of Twilight around Hyrule, but in reality, she cares little for the World of Light and only wishes to lift the curse that has been placed on her form.
At one point, Midna reveals that Zant transformed her into the imp that we see for the majority of the game. She hopes that defeating Zant will break the curse and restore her magic to its full potential. Considering the fact that Midna already demonstrates a high level of magical ability, her true power must be something terrifying.
Her exact powers are never quite explained, but many little magic tricks are shown, both through cutscenes and through gaming mechanics that help Link solve puzzles and traverse new lands. She creates a ball of dark energy in order to break Link’s chains, passes through walls, shapeshifts, and performs other minor acts of shadow magic.
Her most prominent ability is that she can warp herself, Link, and other objects to different locations; one puzzle even requires her to warp a bridge across the land. But while these powers may seem great and powerful to a Hylian like Link, they are superficial in the long run and lack the strength needed to defeat Zant. That’s why she needs Link’s help.
With Link, Midna retrieves the Fused Shadows, relics full of ancient power that will give her the strength to fight Zant. However, Zant takes them away from her before she even has the chance to try. Midna demonstrates that she has no loyalty to or care for the usurper, prompting Zant to call her a traitor for refusing her king. And even when he claims he’s trying to help their people after years of oppression, Midna ignores him and worriedly tends to Link’s fallen body. This is the first major moment where we see Midna’s shift in character. Even Zant takes notice of her sudden fondness for the creatures of the World of Light and decides to use it against her, wounding her by taking control of the great Light Spirit Lanayru.
Accompanied by one of the best songs on the Twilight Princess soundtrack, Link rushes to save her. Midna is moved by Link’s choice to put her life before his own as she lay dying on his back, as well as Princess Zelda’s choice to sacrifice her own essence to save the imp. At that moment, Midna vows to save both the Twilight Realm and the World of Light.
As she travels astride Link in wolf form and hides in his shadow while he’s human, Midna watches Link courageously fight monster after monster, save soul after soul, and always put others before himself. These acts of heroism are what inspire Midna to try and protect the realms of Light and Dark rather than act out of selfishness. It shows that a little bit of kindness and courage can go a long way. From that point on, Link and Midna’s bond continues to flourish. She begins asking Link to do things instead of demanding them, and she opens up, letting her vulnerable side show. Instead of pulling on Link’s fur, she softly touches his face, and he smiles.
But Midna still has one more secret that she is hiding from Link: Contrary to what she claimed early in the game, the Twilight Princess is not Zelda, but is, in fact, the imp herself. The reveal of her true identity is a moment filled with shame. The sages apologize to her for failing in their duties, and she replies, “As a ruler who fled her people, I’m hardly qualified to forgive you.” Little does Midna know that her vulnerability and admission of shame, in addition to the growth that she has undergone throughout her journey, will all help her to become a better leader for her people. And it will also lead her to make the biggest sacrifice of them all by putting her own life on the line.
In the final hour, the battle against Ganondorf takes a bad turn, and Midna sees hope dwindling. Without any hesitation, she summons the Fused Shadows and warps Link and Zelda away to safety before they can stop her. The Midna from the beginning of the game would not have made the same decision. She would not have thrown her life on the line to save the Princess of Hyrule or a young boy. This moment shows just how much Midna has grown over the time she has spent with Link.
Although Midna’s sacrifice is in vain, it’s the thought that counts. As Ganondorf crushes the last remnant of the Twilight Princess, Link is filled with a desire for vengeance, and perhaps the player is as well. We’ve had to say farewell to many companions before — the King of Red Lions, Fi, and Ezlo, just to name a few — but these partings usually occur after the battle is already won. Not until now have we ever had to see our companion destroyed before our very eyes. But fortunately, this is not the end of Midna’s tale.
Ganondorf’s defeat summons the Light Spirits from across Hyrule, and beneath them we see a diminutive form, alive and sitting up. Link runs to her, to the companion who has stood by his side, protected him, and become his dear friend (or maybe even something more). But when he reaches the top of the hill, he doesn’t see the imp anywhere. Instead, a tall Twili woman of serene beauty stands up and faces Link. At last, the curse has been broken.
