Twilight Princess: 10 unusual characters that stand out from the crowd

The Zelda series is full of colorful characters that leave a lasting impression on players. From hands coming out of toilets to pirate sailors who go on adventures with Link across vast seas, the games’ characters stay with us. Despite being more gritty and realistic compared to other Zelda games, even Twilight Princess is home to many of the series’ odd and memorable characters, and it’s exactly because the setting is more realistic that they stand out from the crowd. It was a great opportunity for the game’s writers and designers to portray some diverse and creative personalities. After all, weird is refreshingly wonderful. 

10. Mayor Bo

Mayor Bo is certainly not the oddest character on this list, but it’s his Goron sumo wrestling hobby that catches the player off guard and piques their interest. Given that he is the mayor of a humble village, it’s fun to learn about his penchant for Goron sumo wrestling. It reveals a playful, fun side of an otherwise stoic character. 

It’s also interesting because it opens up the window to an intriguing backstory, which is left mostly up to the player’s imagination. He clearly learned this style of sumo from the Gorons, and he tells Link that he could best them by wearing Iron Boots, which he passes onto Link. It would be interesting to learn the full story of Mayor Bo’s younger days of Goron sumo — how he met the Gorons, gained their friendship, and learned one of their sports.

9. Yeto

At face value, Yeto is a giant, terrifying Yeti-monster lurking dangerously in what is likely an abandoned Hylian mansion once owned by gentry or knights — or some family of wealth at least. But the player quickly learns he is a gentle, harmless being who loves his wife and a good hearty pot of Reekfish soup. He is a white-furred, humanoid creature who speaks with simple words and gestures — unlike anyone or anything the player meets in the game, aside from Yeto’s wife, Yeta, of course. 

His appearance and mannerisms make him stand out among the series’ other races. There are many unique ones — Zoras, Rito, Goron, Gerudo, Minish — and Yeto is from no race we have seen before or to date. It makes the player curious about whether there are more of his kind, and what a Yeto Village would look like — what their culture and traditions would be. Reekfish soup is no doubt one of them. 

8. Purlo

Purlo is the owner of the STAR Game in Castle Town and is the “realistic” version of Tingle, according to producer Eiji Aonuma. As Tingle is one of the most colorful characters in the Zelda series, this homage makes Purlo immediately stand out and stay in the player’s mind — especially because he is a real dirt bag in a generally friendly and honest town. The player can overhear him saying that he’s gonna “make a killing off this town,” which he aims to do with a nearly impossible challenge. 

He covers it up well though — his showmanship and eccentricity mostly disguise his frustration with Link actually managing to beat the STAR Game that he designed to rip people off. But he occasionally mutters under his breath and lets things slip that remind the player this oddball is a little more than what he shows his audience. He may be a con artist, but he’s certainly one of the more memorable Hylians.

7. Falbi

Falbi is a fabulous personality who runs a flight-based mini-game in Lake Hylia. He and his partner Fyer appear to be ex-circus workers who now run their own business at the lake. They’ve notably retained the circus apparel and makeup that make them appear so friendly and, more so Falbi than Fyer, so joyful. 

From the moment Link steps foot into that building high in the cliffs of Lake Hylia that houses Falbi’s Flight-By-Fowl mini-game, Falbi’s larger-than-life personality is contagious and exciting. Among a cast of characters that are mostly melodramatic or stoic, like those in The Resistance or in Castle Town and Kakariko village, Falbi leaves a lasting impression. He makes the player see the joy that those in Hyrule’s entertainment industry can have when the worries of the world aren’t weighing their shoulders. And when you’re not a con artist, like Purlo. 

6. The Hero’s Shade

The Hero’s Shade isn’t necessarily an unusual character — after all, we’ve seen walking and even talking skeletons before in the series, and the world is filled with magical aspects. However, what makes him unusual is the fact that he is clearly an ancient hero, and although people theorized about who he actually was, many players won’t have put two and two together at first. 

It was eventually confirmed by Nintendo in Hyrule Historia that the Hero’s Shade is in fact the Hero of Time, who presumably lost his way in the Lost Woods and turned into a Stalfos sometime between Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess. This makes the Hero’s Shade a fascinating character for many reasons. The biggest is that he’s the only Link to meet a descendant face to face (well, face to skull). Plus, his armor, shield, and sword aren’t recognizable from any race or region. His presence invites so many questions and leaves the player curious about what exactly happened and what the Hero’s Shade has been doing between now and his unfortunate demise. 

5. The Postman

There’s good customer service, and then there’s stalking. The Postman falls into a sweet spot somewhere between these two realms of behavior, because no matter where the player goes in Hyrule, he will find a way to deliver those precious letters to Link. Bokoblins and time of day be damned. 

In a rather dreary Hyrule, the Postman is refreshingly up-tempo and quirky. He’ll sprint across all the open fields of Hyrule to locate Link, unfazed by the speed and intense cardio workout required to keep up with him. He maintains a smile, hums a happy and familiar tune, and always shares a chuckle before running on his merry way — clearly pleased to have completed his delivery. It makes the player wonder whether he is this devout for all his clients or if Link gets special treatment as the hero. Either way, the Postman’s eagerness is admirable and memorable. 

4. Zant

It’s unfortunate that Zant was dethroned as the main villain, because it was refreshing to see an intimidating presence other than Ganondorf. But at least this paved the way for a transformation of his personality — albeit an unexpected one that has ended up making him infamous as an unusual character in the series.

Zant’s attire is striking: the overwhelming black fabric, lined with glowing green, reflects his Twili origins, while the intricate headpiece with bulging eyes and a retractable tongue-like face covering warn the player of his powerful presence. As the game progresses, this presence sadly dwindles and is replaced by one that reflects him losing his power and desperately grasping at straws for control. His frenzied laughter and movements when the player fights him, as well as his significantly less intimidating pale and cat-like face, signal that he is no longer a significant threat. Though, it also leaves a lasting imprint in the mind alongside all the odd characters in this world.  

3. Malo

How did this baby-faced child get to be so sassy and business-savvy? As one of the children in Ordon Village, Malo comes from a humble background but goes on to own one of the most prolific businesses and catchiest theme tunes in all of Hyrule. Seeing his baby-face profile plastered all over the side of a Castle Town building is both terrifying and hilarious. 

His entrepreneurial endeavors are not accomplished without the help of the player, of course, but his quiet confidence and sarcastic attitude will leave the player feeling like it was really all Malo; they just sped up the process by donating some rupees. Along the way, Malo makes sure to leave a lasting impression on the player — no doubt a clever branding strategy — with his sassy lines and indifferent attitude that makes him, ironically, stand tall among his dramatic siblings and even the whole cast of the game. 

2. Agitha

Malo may be unusually sassy for a child, but Agitha is unusually anime for a Zelda game — it really makes her stand out. And that’s what makes her a fascinating and memorable character. In a world where characters lean toward realism and traditional medieval fantasy-inspired appearances, Agitha’s oversized dress, colorful makeup, parasol, knee-high socks, elbow-high gloves, and large, blonde hair instantly evoke a kawaii Japanese aesthetic straight from an anime, like Card Captor Sakura. Only she’s collecting bugs rather than magical cards. 

For many players, Agitha sets a precedent of daring to be different and being yourself in an otherwise rather ordinary world (setting aside the magic and evil creatures, of course). She loves bugs and is a self-proclaimed princess of insects, showing exceptional delight every time the player delivers one to her. She pursues her unusual hobby with complete passion and commitment — something everyone can admire. As the player will no doubt visit her “castle” many times while completing her bug collection sidequest, it’s hard to forget such a colorful character. 

1. Ooccoo

The Oocca are terrifying. Supposedly part human and part bird, this race occupies the City in the Sky. They defy gravity by walking up walls (adding to their unsettling presence), and sometimes speak an incomprehensible language. They also presumably have teleportation abilities, given that the first one the player encounters, Ooccoo, can warp the player out of dungeons. 

They’re such an unusual race, apparently inspired by an odd painting titled “Another World” by M. C. Escher, which depicts similar-looking creatures walking up the sides of structures in outer space. As Ooccoo permanently sits in the player’s inventory, she is a constant reminder of these otherworldly creatures that invite a plethora of questions about what they are, where they came from, and whether or not players will ever see Ooccoo or her race return. After all, one of Zelda’s best qualities is its various races, and all it took was the appearance of Ooccoo to make this one forever stay in the minds of many fans.