When it comes to The Legend of Zelda franchise, there are a few things fans can always hold to be true. There will be some combat. There will be some puzzle solving. Link will show up in some fashion to save the day. And, of course, no Zelda game would be complete without an appearance from it’s series namesake — Princess Zelda. Across the more than 35 years of the franchise’s history, Princess Zelda has varied in her appearance and role in the story wildly, going from the traditional “damsel in distress” to a much more important character with plenty of agency. In the latest games in the series, one could even make the argument that she is the main character and not our hero Link.
Like Link, Zelda’s appearance and age fluctuate from game to game. Additionally, her relationship with Link is one that is always kept intentionally vague. While there are some games where it appears that Link and Zelda have romantic feelings for eachother, ultimately the relationship that they share is one of their fates being inextricable. Princess Zelda is the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, and as a result she is the defender of the Triforce. This makes her a target for the forces of evil that seek to claim the Triforce as their own, and her sworn hero Link appears time and again to protect both Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule.
Skyward Sword
The first chronological appearance of Zelda is one where she’s not technically a princess, but instead the daughter of Gaepora, the headmaster of Skyloft’s Knight Academy. She shares a special bond with Link, which some of Link’s classmates at the academy (specifically, Groose) view with some jealousy. Like Link, this version of Zelda is a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, and she is eager to see Link become a full-flesged knight so that he can spend more time with her as her protector. On the eve of an important ceremony, the evil Girahim kidnaps Zelda and holds her prisoner until both Zelda and Link can thwart his schemes. Ultimately, she receives the same curse as Link from Demise, sharing their destiny of reincarnation throughout time in an endless cycle of conflict.
The Minish Cap
Along with The Minish Cap‘s version of Link, the game’s version of Princess Zelda is still in her pre-teen years. She and Link are childhood friends, and on the eve of the ceremony celebrating 100 years since the saving of Hyrule by the Picori, Link sets off to deliver her the legendary Picori Blade. Unfortunately, Vaati’s attempt to steal the sword later that evening ends with Princess Zelda being turned to stone. In order to both stop Vaati and save Princess Zelda, Link takes up the Picori Blade and sets off an adventure. The game concludes with this version of Princess Zelda donning the Mage’s Cap and restoring Hyrule to peace.
Four Swords
Just like in The Minish Cap, the version of Princess Zelda in Four Swords is one of Link’s childhood friends. She holds the duty of protecting both the Four Sword Sanctuary and the sacred blade that lies within, placing her in harm’s way or any forces of evil seeking to claim it. After the seal on Vaati weakens and he escapes, the evil sorcerer kidnaps Zelda and holds her as his prisoner. Thankfully, Link is able to use the Four Sword to stop Vaati and prevent his dastardly scheme of marrying Princess Zelda against her will.
Ocarina of Time
The Princess Zelda from Ocarina of Time is one of the first in the timeline to take an active role in the fight against evil, helping Link to fulfill his destiny after a fateful childhood encounter in the Hyrule Castle courtyard. Believing Ganon to be feigning peace in order to steal the Triforce, the child Princess Zelda (who the Great Deku Tree refers to as the “Princess of Destiny”) tasks Link with finding the three Spirit Stones so that he can open the door to the Temple of Time and stop Ganon. When he does, the Master Sword places child Link in a deep slumber until he is ready to wield the blade and stop Ganon. Link emerges from the Temple of Time to discover a world where Ganon has the Triforce of Power in his possession and Princess Zelda is missing.
Taking disguise as the mysterious Sheik, Zelda continues to help Link in secret while protecting her true identity. Once Link successfully completes collecting the Sage Medallions and is ready to face off against Ganon, Sheik reveals herself to be the adult Princess Zelda and assists Link in his final battle against Ganon. Ultimately, this Princess Zelda is the most important character in the entire Zelda timeline as her choices impact the future of Hyrule. In the version of events where Link is successful in defeating the Demon King, she either returns Link to childhood to restore his lost 7 years of allows him to stay as an adult. This ultimately shatters the Triforce of Courage and causes a massive flood to submerge Hyrule under a vast ocean.
The Hero is Defeated – A Link to the Past/Oracle of Ages & Seasons
The version of Zelda who appears in the first three games of the Fallen Hero timeline is a maiden that descends from one of the Seven Sages. After the sages imprison Ganon in the Sacred Realm, his twisted heart transforms it into the Dark World, causing the Sages to seal away the entrance to the realm and hide away the Master Sword. After a mysterious wizard appears going by the name of Agahnim, Zelda is imprisoned beneath Hyrule Castle along with several other maidens who are descendants of the Sages. She communicates telepathically with Link to have him come to her rescue, and after successfully stealing Zelda out of Hyrule Castle, helps her go into hiding in Hyrule’s sanctuary. After Link restores the Dark World to the Sacred Realm, this Princess Zelda works with the other Sage Maidens to restore peace to Hyrule.
A Link Between Worlds
The next reincarnation of Zelda is another child princess, although she now rules Hyrule alone. After meeting Link and gifting him the Pendant of Courage, the evil sorcerer Yuga confronts Zelda and turns her into a painting. Yuga escapes with the painting of Zelda and keeps her held in Lorule Castle, an alternate version of Hyrule Castle. Link is able to both free the sages and restore the Triforce, using it to restore Lorule and free Princess Zelda from her painted prison.
The Legend of Zelda
After years of peace in the kingdom of Hyrule, the Princess Zelda of the original game begins to hear word of evil forces creeping into the land. In an effort to protect the Triforce, she splits one of the sections (the Triforce of Wisdom) into 8 pieces and scatters them across Hyrule. Before her capture, she tasks her handmaiden Impa with finding the hero who can restore the Triforce, defeat Ganon, and save Hyrule. Link is ultimately successful, and the rescure of Princess Zelda (as well as the defeat of Ganon) restore peace to the kingdom.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
By the time of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, both Princess Zelda and Link are now 16 years old. While Princess Zelda rules the kingdom of Hyrule and protects the Triforce, Link is a wandering adventurer. On the eve of his 16th birthday, the image of the Triforce mysteriously appears on his hand, causing Link to seek out Impa. Impa informs Link of the Tragedy of Princess Zelda I, who still rests in an eternal slumber thanks to a curse placed on her by an evil sorcerer. Link sets off to obtain the Triforce of Courage and restore Princess Zelda I (the Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda‘s distant ancestor) to consciousness. Link is successful and awakens the slumbering princess, restoring both the royal line of Hyrule and ensuring a lasting peace in this timeline’s version of the kingdom.
The Hero is Triumphant (Child Era) – Twilight Princess
Princess Zelda as she appears in Twilight Princess is the young adult monarch of Hyrule. When the evil sorcerer Zant threatens to destroy Hyrule and everyone in it, Zelda gives in to his demands to prevent the kingdom’s destruction. As a result, she imprisons herself within Hyrule Castle until fatefully meeting Link while in Wolf form. She uses her powers to help save Midna, placing herself into suspended animation as a result. Ganon takes advantage of this and forces Link to fight Zelda, after which Midna restores her to her true self. This version of Zelda is a gifted sorceress and a capable leader, making tough decisions for the betterment of all in her kingdom.
Four Swords Adventures
Although this version of Zelda is identical to the version in Four Swords, this reincarnation appears hundreds of years later and at the conclusion of the Child Hero timeline. Fearing that the seal on Vaati is weakening, she contacts Link to come help her investigate. While attempting to repair the seal, Shadow Link appears and captures Zelda, setting Vaati free in the process. Link rescues Zelda and she hides in the Tower of Winds. Unfortunately, Ganon uses his power to lure both her and Link to the bottom of the tower where he imprisons Zelda. Link battles Ganon and successfully weakens the seal on Zelda, allowing her to aid him in the fight and use her Light Arrows to stun the Demon King.
The Hero is Triumphant (Adult Era) – The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass
In the Adult Hero timeline, the flooding of Hyrule leads to a deposed monarchy, with Princess Zelda sailing the seas under the alias of Tetra. When Ganon resurrects and begins kidnapping young girls in hopes of finding Zelda and the Triforce, Link’s younger sister is taken. Princess Zelda, as Tetra, agrees to help Link in his search for his sister, and the two eventually confront Ganondorf, causing her true identity as Princess Zelda to be revealed to all. She is one of the few versions of Zelda who actively helps Link in his final battle against Ganon. Following Link’s victory in Wind Waker, Zelda resumes the identity of the pirate Tetra and sets off in sail looking for land to establish a new kingdom of Hyrule.
Spirit Tracks
100 years after the founding of the new Hyrule, the kingdom exists in peace. Zelda, the child ruler of the new Hyrule, needs to investigate the strange happenings at the Tower of Spirits and enlists the help of a young engineer named Link. This Zelda is the only one that is playable in all of the official Legend of Zelda games, making her unique in that regard. After uncovering the source of the strange occurrences and realizing that the demon Malladus is responsible, the entity possesses Zelda. Link saves her by shooting her with one of her own light arrows and then she assists Link in the final battle. Following this confrontation, peace returns to Hyrule and this Princess Zelda successfully maintains a lasting peace.
The Age of Calamity – Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
Out of all the games in The Legend of Zelda series, perhaps no other entries have as important a role for Princess Zelda as in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. This Pricness Zelda, a young adult ruler and aspiring historian for the kingdom of Hyrule, appoints the young knight Link as her protector and as an aid to the four Champions of Hyrule. When Calamity Ganon turns the Divine Beasts and their Champions on the kingdom itself and is able to assume control of the realm, Zelda makes haste to protect both Link and the Master Sword, placing one in a restorative slumber and the other in the care of the Great Deku Tree.
Link succeeds against Calamity Ganon and rescues Princess Zelda, with the two immediately setting off on a peacekeeping mission around Hyrule. One day, when searching beneath Hyrule Castle for clues regarding the presence of a new malady called Gloom, Princess Zelda discovers that the Zonai once lived side-by-side with the people of Hyrule. This discovery encourages her and Link to continue digging deeper beneath the castle, where they unfortunately awaken the sleeping Demon King Ganon. Zelda then travels through time itself to help Link stop Ganon and restore peace to the kingdom of Hyrule.