The Legend of Zelda franchise focuses on the titular princess and the knight of Hyrule, Link, but there is a lengthy roster of charming side characters dotted along the hero's path that colors the kingdom throughout every title.
Tears of the Kingdom is no exception returning many beloved personalities from Breath of the Wild and introducing a few new faces to sweeten gameplay. Here are some of the best side characters in the sequel.
10 Beedle
In tenth place is the lovable and hardworking merchant Beedle, who travels the length and breadth of Hyrule buying and selling goods — and he usually appears in the nick of time to save your inventory from drying up.
Appearing in seven main Zelda titles, and even presenting a cameo in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Cadence of Hyrule, Beedle’s incessant “Yaya!” may be annoying for some, but he’s a resourceful character and a treasured one in the franchise at that.
9 Impa
Impa may be small and hard to spot sometimes within the colorful expanse of the kingdom, but her invaluable wisdom and guidance make every encounter with her seem like a long-overdue visit to see your grandmother.
In Tears of the Kingdom, she will introduce you to the various Geoglyphs around Hyrule and ask you to investigate them. You’ll also be able to take an unforgettable hot-air balloon ride with her, and then abandon her in one fell swoop. Nevertheless, she’s a worthy ally on this list of side characters.
8 Tauro
The Zonai Survey Team Leader, Tauro, is perhaps the coolest-looking side character on this list, sporting a rugged explorer’s style with a surfer-meets-emo hairstyle that makes him look like he belongs in the current Pokémon world.
You’ll first encounter Tauro at Lookout Landing when he offers to explore the Depths for Josha., then later on in Kakariko Village. Tauro’s design is immaculate and a testament to the sequel’s flawless concept art, awarding this side character a place in the ranks.
7 Sidon
Making a grand return after his first appearance in Breath of the Wild, the Zora and descendant of the Water Sage, Prince Sidon, is a welcomed comeback while Hyrule is threatened once again. His award-winning smile alone is enough to secure him a place in the low ranks.
Sidon’s avatar frequently lets Link tap into his Lightscale Trident attack power and offers a watery shield for Link to hide behind in defense. Sidon’s positivity and encouragement are enough to keep your spirits high throughout the many trials in Hyrule.
6 Tulin
The first intended avatar for you to acquire in Tears of the Kingdom will be the power of Tulin, the fledgling son of Teba from Rito Village who assists you in completing the Wind Temple and offers his wit and determination to the cause.
Tulin is a young, headstrong ally to Link and a fantastic character to develop in this Zelda sequel. Despite being a kid, the fledgling is never annoying, and instead, his unique Gust power is a great asset to have during your plight and a solid character just missing out on the top spot.
5 Teba
Moving on to Tulin’s father, Teba was first introduced in Breath of the Wild as a Rito Warrior who has since become the next elder of the Rito, appointed by Kaneli, alongside training his son in the art of becoming a warrior.
Teba's striking appearance, color palette, and leadership qualities make him a worthy and loyal ally to Link in the game, alongside being a strict but fair father to Tulin, that awards him fifth place in the ranking.
4 Purah
The Zelda community nearly lost its mind after seeing Purah’s extreme transformation in Tears of the Kingdom, where she has returned to her ideal age after experimenting with the aging invention that initially made her appear like a little girl instead of her 124-year-old Sheikah self.
As the older sister of Impa, Purah is looking good for her age and is in charge of investigating the remnants of The Upheaval at Hyrule Castle. As another side character with an eye-catching design combined with her penchant for calling the protagonist “Linky,” Purah is a worthy fourth-place entry.
3 Hestu
If you’re looking for full completion of Tears of the Kingdom, then collecting all 1000 Korok seeds will be necessary, and consequently, tedious. Something to alleviate this endeavor is your numerous encounters with the large Korok, Hestu, who has a musical bone in his body.
After exchanging your Korok seeds for more inventory space to store your weapons, you will be rewarded with a short song and dance from Hestu who uses his maracas to liven the atmosphere. This returning character is always a joy to encounter and is lovable enough to slot into third place.
2 Rauru
One of the first side characters you meet in the sequel is Rauru, who is a friendly, soft-spoken Zonai and the first king of Hyrule who offers you his magical right arm in order to harness various Zonai abilities, including Ultrahand, Fuse, and Ascend.
Married to Sonia, Rauru is your guide through the tutorial and appears regularly in cutscenes, proving his expertise and loyalty as a fearless king. Encountering his statue at every Zonai Shrine is always a haunting but comforting experience that grants this figure second place.
1 Penn
Taking first place is everyone’s new favorite Rito, Penn, who some consider to be Kass’ replacement in Tears of the Kingdom. Writer for the Lucky Clover Gazette, Penn has an aviator look about him and is an absolute joy to team up with on side quests.
He quickly proves himself to be one of the hardest-working journalists at the paper. If you complete the Lucky Clover Gazette quests and miss shooting the breeze with Penn, then you’ll still be able to find him at Washa’s Bluff.