Three central characters dominate The Legend of Zelda landscape - the brave and heroic Link, the wise Zelda, and the villainous Ganon. Oftentimes, an Impa will appear, serving as a guide or protector for some of Hylia's many incarnations.
The ing characters in Zelda, however, are just as important in the Zelda mythos as the main leads. Some characters encountered during Link's many travels such as the ethereal Princess Ruto or haughty Groose are often more engaging and memorable than Link himself through their unique character designs and dynamic personalities.
Malon
Malon is a girl who lives on Lon Lon Ranch with her dad, and she's always constantly smiling. She is the one who teaches Epona's Song to Link, giving him the ability to call over the horse whenever necessary. (Although acquiring Epona is actually a side quest in Zelda: Ocarina of Time.)
Malon is a good friend of Epona, having raised the horse on the ranch prior to meeting Link. It's also implied that this farmer girl has a crush on Link, as evidenced when she called him "fairy boy." A Gossip Stone does say that Malon wishes for a knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet - and Link certainly fits the bill.
Agitha
Agitha is the self-proclaimed princess of bugs, having a major obsession with the insects that Link often collects in Twilight Princess. She owns a perky house in Hyrule Castle Town and is known for her gothic-style clothes, which happen to be butterfly-themed.
When she's not holding balls for bugs, Agitha will collect the creepy crawlers from Link in exchange for fifty rupees each. Her obsession with bugs sometimes gives her a creepy vibe (especially if Link refuses to give her bugs), and also makes her say some pretty oddball stuff from time to time.
Medli
This adorable Rito girl from The Legend of Zelda's best game Wind Waker is the personal assistant to Valoo, the dragon god who reigns over Dragon Roost Island. She's quite diligent and hard-working given her job, but can also be very considerate to others.
At times, Medli will doubt herself, whether it's due to her responsibilities as Valoo's assistant, or because of her teacher ing before completing her training. Regardless, she is a very formidable ally to Link - and is even revealed as the Sage of Earth later on. The harp that she plays happens to be an heirloom of the former Earth Sage, Laruto.
Kass
Kass is quite the helpful companion in Skyward Sword. He travels around Hyrule playing his accordion, and he'll even play a tune that directs Link to a shrine after he has been found.
A very friendly traveling musician, Kass typically finds himself in a happy mood whenever he sees Link in good health. He shows up in many different spots throughout Hyrule, sometimes even arriving at a destination before Link does. This can be justified due to him being able to fly, but perhaps he just enjoys seeing a friendly face every now and then.
Ruto
A childhood friend of Link, Ruto serves as the princess of the Zora. She is a tomboy who was once saved by Link and has fallen in love with the Hylian ever since. She even arranged to have herself married, to which Link had unintentionally agreed.
Ruto becomes ruler of the Zora after the seven-year time skip, growing much wiser over time. Yet despite being much older, she still has some romantic feelings for Link. Of course, with her duties as a Sage of Water, her dreams of tying the knot Link don't have as much priority anymore.
Sidon
Not only is Sidon a Zora prince, but he also happens to be the little brother of the late Zora champion, Mipha. He is well-loved and respected by the Zora, and is known for his charm and confidence. Let's also not forget about his iconic grin.
Sidon is a positive force, pushing for positive relations between the Zora and other races. Even with the Divine Beast Van Ruta ravaging the Zora domain, this prince manages to stay as upbeat as possible. He even assists Link in subduing the mechanical titan, proving to be quite the big help.
Groose
Perhaps the most notable trait about Groose is his funny-looking pompadour, which garners him scathing comments from many. Eccentric hair aside, this Skyloft hunk is one of the best instances of character development in the Zelda series.
Groose starts off as a bully in Skyward Sword, terrorizing his rival Link while also harboring a crush on Zelda. He later mellows out after learning that he's not exactly hero material, and even helps Link by protecting the Sealed Grounds with Impa. Granted, he was soundly defeated by Ghirahim after trying to play the hero, but at least he saved Zelda from falling to her death.
Tingle
Tingle likes to convince others that he is a reincarnation of a fairy, but that is pretty far from the truth. In actuality, this tiny 35-year old man is just a weird fellow who likes dressing in green and flying around on a balloon. His own father is disappointed in him - and it's kinda hard not to see why.
Flamboyancy aside, Tingle is quite the cartography expert, drawing up maps on a whim. He is always willing to help out Link during his adventure, and he has quite a child-like charm about him that some will find endearing.
Saria
Saria, a fairly underrated character in The Legend of Zelda series, is another one of Link's childhood friends and is a member of the Kokori living in the Kokori Forest. Like many of her peers, she is destined to remain a child forever, while Hylians such as Link have to grow up.
Eventually, she and Link are separated, and the goodbye scene involving the two is one of the more poignant scenes in a Zelda game. Link meets Saria later but in the Chamber of Sages, where Saria is one of the Sages needed to keep Ganondorf sealed in the Sacred Realm. Which, unfortunately, only keeps Link and Saria even more separated.
Old Man
The man who started it all, the Old Man is known for bequeathing the Master Sword to Link. Although he has a pretty minimal presence in the first Legend of Zelda game, he plays a huge role in the grand scheme of things.
Had this Old Man not given the Master Sword to Link, there would be no one else to kickstart Link's epic journey to save Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda series never would've started in a sense, which would mean that the many adventures over years never would've transpired.
