Sages are recurring characters in The Legend of Zelda series.^[1] Serving as a bridge between the Sacred Realm and Hyrule, guarding the Master Sword's power and executing those who pose a high threat to Hyrule are included with their duties, leaving their purpose to best be described as protectors of the kingdom. This puts them among the most important of its heroes' allies, however rarely without price. The Sages often only take on these roles upon being "awakened" during a time that they are required, their role predetermined through a spiritual lineage or bloodline connecting them to a past Sage. Throughout Hyrule's history, Sages have been abducted and killed to prevent them from uniting their powers against evildoers. In such cases, only the Hero has what it takes to save them or find and awaken the new Sages to aid him in return.

There are currently 10 types of Sages known to exist. Sages of Fire, Water, and Spirit appear in Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess,^[2] and Tears of the Kingdom. Sages of Light, Forest, and Shadow appear in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess.^[2] Sages of Wind appear in The Wind Waker^[3] and Tears of the Kingdom. Sages of Earth are only known to appear in The Wind Waker,^[4] and Sages of Lightning and Time are only known to appear in Tears of the Kingdom. Princess Zelda, who is the Sage of Time in Tears of the Kingdom, has no known elemental crest associated with her in Ocarina of Time.^[2]

Ocarina of Time introduces seven Sages, which includes their leader, Princess Zelda herself. Six Sages, with the same symbols on their clothing as those associated with six of Ocarina of Time's Sages, appear in Twilight Princess.^[2] Two sages appear in The Wind Waker, whose function is to take care of the Master Sword's Power to Repel Evil.^[3][4] Tears of the Kingdom features six Sages led by King Rauru, a Zonai and not a Sage himself. Zelda is one of the Sages. Their functions do not involve the Sacred Realm, but they do attempt to protect Hyrule.^[5][6] A group of seven Sages, none of whom are Princess Zelda, appear in A Link Between Worlds.^[7]

Appearances[]

The Legend of Zelda[]

The three Old Men who provide Link with Swords in the original The Legend of Zelda are Sages. Despite this, they have no direct role for helping Link defeat Ganon.^[8]

The Adventure of Link[]

In The Adventure of Link, a Sage keeps the Triforce of Courage. When Link enters the chamber of the Triforce at the end of the game, the Sage stands atop a pillar and summons Link's Shadow out of Link's body for a final battle. When Link defeats his dark counterpart, the Sage hands him the Triforce of Courage to help him awaken Princess Zelda from her deep slumber.

A Link to the Past[]

Long before the events of A Link to the Past, the Seven Sages, known in-game as the Seven Wise Men, joined forces with the Knights of Hyrule to seal Ganon away in the Sacred Realm and prevent him from taking over the Light World.

Prior to Link's quest, Agahnim, the late King's right-hand man and now-servant of Ganon, used his power to find and capture the seven Maidens, who themselves were descendants of the Seven Sages. While not as powerful as their ancestors, the Maidens had inherited their magical abilities, which would prove helpful for Link.^[9] Agahnim planned to send them to the Dark World one by one in order to destroy the seal that kept Ganon locked up in said land.^[10][11]

Princess Zelda was to be the seventh and final sacrifice, but she managed to telepathically send a message to Link, requesting him to rescue her.^[12] Succeeding in bringing her to safety, Link was told to meet Sahasrahla, the Kakariko Village elder and another descendant of the Seven Sages,^[13] to find a permanent solution to the threat hanging over Hyrule. Sahasrahla in turn provided Link with information on his next course of action, the Pegasus Shoes - a treasure passed down by the families of the Sages - and the notion he would keep in telepathic contact with him. On his quest to obtain the Master Sword, Link also met Aginah, yet another descendant of the Seven Sages, who like Sahasrahla, went into hiding. He informed Link about the Book of Mudora, while the grandfather of one of the Maidens later gives him the Magic Mirror and details on the whereabouts and use of the Moon Pearl.

Through all this, Link could find and claim the Master Sword, at which point Zelda sent him a telepathic message once more that the soldiers had found her.^[14] Despite the young hero's best efforts, he could not reach Zelda in time to prevent her becoming the seventh sacrifice and being sent to the Dark World. All was not lost though, as Sahasrahla told Link that victory was still in reach if he could rescue all the Maidens, including Zelda, obtain the Silver Arrows, defeat Agahnim and Ganon himself, and claim back the Triforce.^[15]

Ocarina of Time[]

In Ocarina of Time, the nature of the Sages is further elaborated on. Each Sage (bar the seventh) is established to have their own associated element, an accompanying symbol and appropriately themed temple. At times of peace, there are no Sages, only those who could become them if evil takes control over Hyrule. If that happens, the Sacred Realm sends out a call to them, awakening the destined ones as Sages.^[16] Usually, the Sages-to-be have no knowledge about their status until they are awakened. An exception to this is the seventh Sage, who is always a member of the Royal Family of Hyrule, keepers of much of Hyrule's history.

As revealed by Rauru, the original Sages were the ones who built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce against those who would use it for evil.^[17] The Triforce was hidden in the Temple of Light, the only Sage-temple to be built in the Sacred Realm. While each of the Sage-temples seems to grant access to it, only the Temple of Time is meant to do so for non-Sages. Therefore, it was protected with a seal controlled by the Master Sword, which evil cannot touch, and the Door of Time, which could not be opened unless one possessed the three Spiritual Stones, the Ocarina of Time and knowledge of the "Song of Time."^[18]

Ganondorf managed to bypass all this by manipulating Link into doing the work for him. After seizing the Triforce, specifically the Triforce of Power, and corrupting the Sacred Realm, he caused that corruption to seep into the temples of the Sages, which became infested with all kinds of monsters,^[19] so that the Sages-to-be would not be able to fulfill their duty and aid Link.^[20] Led by Rauru's and Sheik's instructions, Link managed to cleanse the temples across Hyrule and help each Sage to gain their power (and gave some to him as Medallions), which the Hero of Time ultimately found that five of the six are his friends from his childhood, one of which has grown up alongside him (Ruto). When all are awakened, upon Rauru's advice, he, the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, then returns to the Temple of Time, where he found Sheik waiting. His mysterious ally revealed himself to be none other than Princess Zelda, now an adult like himself, keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom and the seventh Sage, leader of them all. Although Zelda was happy to see Link again in person after hiding for seven years, the reunion was cut short when Ganondorf came and abducted the princess, leaving Link with one final reason to take him head-on.

The six Sages helped Link first by creating a magical bridge for the Hero of Time to use to get to the entrance of Ganon's Castle. Rauru used the moment to inform Link of the barriers Ganondorf had put up to protect himself against the Sages, which somehow captured themselves.^[21] Link destroyed them, freeing them, and clearing the path to Ganondorf. When the Hero of Time ultimately defeated him in the form of Ganon, all seven Sages joined their powers together and sealed the King of Evil into the Evil Realm. Finally, Zelda uses her power as a Sage to send Link back to his original time after saying goodbye.

The seven Sages include:

Rauru[]

Rauru is an ancient Hylian and the Sage of Light. Unlike the others whom Link must awaken, he is not a new Sage. Rather, Rauru is one of the ancient Sages, and possibly the only remaining one. He seems to act as the leader in the absence of Princess Zelda, therefore second-in-command.

Rauru made his appearance after Link opened the Door of Time and drew the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. Recognizing the destined hero, he took his chance and kept Link sealed within the safety of the Temple of Light for the seven years he needed to mature. Upon Link's eventual awakening from suspend animation, he summarized the events that had taken place during his slumber and informed him of his role as the Hero of Time. Then, he instructed him to find and help the other Sages so that they could assist him in taking on Ganondorf, handing Link the Light Medallion to resume his quest. After that, it wasn't until all the five other Sages had been awakened that Rauru contacted Link again, telling him that the time of the final confrontation had come. He fulfilled his role as Sage during that final fight and was the only one of the group not to return to Hyrule once Ganon had been defeated, presumably opting to stay in the Sacred Realm.

The wise owl Kaepora Gaebora, who has kept track of Link since the start of his quest, is actually a form taken by Rauru.^[22]

Saria[]

Saria is a Kokiri and the Sage of Forest. She is the second of the Sages who lend their power to the Hero of Time. She is Link's close friend during the events of his childhood in Kokiri Forest. Being a Kokiri, she does not grow up when Link becomes the Hero of Time, unlike Princess Ruto, the Sage of Water, as well as Princess Zelda, their leader.

Deciding that something had to be done about the evil emanating from the Forest Temple that brought danger to Kokiri Village, she left to give it her best. When Link arrived in the Forest Temple some time later, he defeated the monsters infesting it and thereby awakened Saria as Sage. She and Link had a conversation thereafter on their childhood friendship, after which Saria bestowed her powers on Link in the form of the Forest Medallion. When the time to face Ganondorf came, she fulfilled her role as Sage and could later be seen traveling to Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Darunia[]

Darunia is a Goron and the Sage of Fire. He is the third of the Sages who lend their power to the Hero of Time. During Link's childhood, he saved his people from starvation and Darunia declared him his "Sworn Brother".

In the future years, Ganondorf wanted to make an example out of the Goron race by feeding them all to Volvagia, an ancient dragon. Darunia was one of the few to escape this fate, but as the leader of his race, felt the obligation to go free his people who were locked up in the Fire Temple. There, he met his Sworn Brother Link again after seven years. Although he is proud to see Link grown into a young man, he knew this wasn't the time for reunion. As such, he gave Link instructions to free the Gorons, while he would attempt to take on Volvagia. Link followed into the dragon's lair later and killed the beast with the Megaton Hammer, thereby awakening Darunia as Sage. The two had a talk about their old brotherhood, followed by Darunia giving him the Fire Medallion. During the final stages of the Hero of Time's quest, he fulfilled his role as Sage and could later be seen traveling to Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Princess Ruto[]

Ruto is a Zora and the Sage of Water. She is the fourth of the Sages who lend their power to the Hero of Time. During Link's childhood, he rescued her from death inside Lord-Jabu-Jabu, and she herself grew smitten on the young hero, and deemed him her husband when Link obtains the Zora's Sapphire from her. Like Link and Zelda, Princess Ruto herself grows into an adult when the former becomes the Hero of Time.

Like many races, the Zoras doesn't want Ganondorf as their king, and as revenge, they and their domain were locked away under a very thick ice by the King of Evil. After being freed from the Red Ice by Sheik, Ruto obeyed her obligations as princess and went to the Water Temple to save her people. There she met her fiancé Link again after seven years, whom she is very happy to see him, but is aware it is not the time to talk about love, and requested to help her save Zora's Domain once again. Link lost track of her in the temple, but managed to find his own way to the monster that kept the curse intact and destroys it. Ruto awakened as a Sage. But because of that, the Zora princess tells the Hero of Time although she still loves him dearly, their childhood engagement vows could not be kept at this point due to her duty. Instead, she gave him the Water Medallion as a symbol of her support and their love. When Link went to defeat Ganondorf, she fulfilled her role as Sage and could later be seen traveling to Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Impa[]

Impa is a Sheikah and the Sage of Shadow. She is the fifth of the Sages who lend their power to the Hero of Time. It is hinted that she, like Princess Zelda, was aware of her status as Sage before becoming one. During Link's childhood, she informs him that she is the guardian of Zelda.

When the evil spirit she had locked away in the well of Kakariko Village years ago broke free, Impa immediately headed for the Shadow Temple to seal it away again. When Link followed after her and defeated the spirit for good, she awoke as the Sage of Shadow. She told Link her point of view on the day she and Princess Zelda fled Hyrule Castle and ensured him he'd do fine as a hero. Then she gave him the Shadow Medallion, staying quiet until Link took up arms against Ganondorf himself; then she fulfilled her role as Sage and could later be seen traveling to Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Nabooru[]

Nabooru is a Gerudo and the Sage of Spirit. She is the sixth of the Sages who lend their power to the Hero of Time. During Link's childhood, she and Link had a conversation of overthrowing Ganondorf, as they both hated the villain, and this made her trust the young hero to forfill this goal.

Nabooru tried to infiltrate the Spirit Temple in the past years to thwart Ganondorf's plans, but got captured and brainwashed by his surrogate mothers to be a servant of Ganondorf for seven years. Her mental imprisonment ended when Link defeated her Iron Knuckle form, but she was recaptured shortly thereafter. Link permanently freed her and awakened her as a Sage when he defeated Twinrova. For that, she gave him the Spirit Medallion, but not before she complimented him on the results of seven years aging. At the battle with Ganondorf, she fulfilled her role as Sage and could later be seen traveling to Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Princess Zelda[]

Zelda is a Hylian and the leader of the Sages. No known elemental crest is associated with her.^[2] Link during his childhood agreed to help the princess of Hyrule ultimately stop and defeat Ganondorf once and for all and save Hyrule, and of course the two gained a close friendship.

Zelda waited for Link at the Temple of Time to reveal herself as the seventh Sage, leader of them all, and speak with Link about the battle ahead. However, Ganondorf found her and abducted her to his castle. Link, with the help of the six Sages, stormed the stronghold and freed her after a duel with the King of Evil, causing Ganondorf to change into his true form, Ganon. While Link took him on again, Zelda prepared for her role as Sage from the sidelines. When Ganon ultimately fell by Link's hand, she united her powers with the rest of the Sages to lock him away into the Evil Realm. After that, she and the Hero of Time had a private conversation about all that had happened since they met, and Zelda revealed that she wished to use her powers as a Sage to return Link to his original time, so time itself could flow as it should've done.^[23] Goodbyes were made shortly thereafter.

The Wind Waker[]

The number of Sages is changed in The Wind Waker. The Earth Sage and the Wind Sage are responsible for powering the Master Sword with their musical prayers. Carrying on on Ocarina of Time's revelations, the newly introduced Sages also have an element and such themed temple assigned, but they lack an identifying symbol. Instead, they have musical instruments and songs, which they use to pray to the gods. In the pre-flood days, their music was conducted by the head of the Royal Family of Hyrule, who wielded the Wind Waker.^[24] The songs additionally can be used to awaken the next Sages.^[25][26]

After Ganondorf reached the surface of the sea, he killed off the sages Fado and Laruto.^[27][28][29] Upon his travel to their temples, Link met their still-lingering spirits, who were either unable or unwilling to move on until they were succeeded. They instructed Link to find the new Sages if he wanted to have the Master Sword's power restored and stand a chance against Ganondorf. Thus, the Hero of Winds traveled the Great Sea to find them in the identities of Makar and Medli. After awakening his friends as Sages, he helped them reach the sanctuary of their respective temples. There they performed the ceremony to restore power to the Master Sword, granting the former Sages peace at last.

The Master Sword fueled once more with the Sages' powers, Link went on and defeated Ganondorf, with the help of Tetra in the form of Princess Zelda. He and Tetra were then brought to safety by Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, and later picked up by Tetra's crew, who had also already picked up Makar and Medli.

The Wind Waker also references the six Sages from Ocarina of Time, displaying their likenesses in stained-glass windows in the submerged Hyrule Castle basement where the Master Sword is kept.

• 

  Rauru

• 

  Saria

• 

  Darunia

• 

  Princess Ruto

• 

  Impa

• 

  Nabooru

Laruto[]

Laruto is a Zora and the previous Sage of Earth. She is Medli's predecessor.

Prior to the Great Flood, Laruto had been awakened as Sage to pray for the Master Sword's power. Ages later, she was murdered by Ganondorf to remove the threat the Master Sword posed to him. As a ghost, Laruto remained in the Earth Temple until Link traveled to Headstone Island to visit the Earth Temple. She told the Hero of Winds about the events of her death, and that if Link hoped to defeat Ganondorf, he'd have to find the new Sage to replace her and play them the Earth God's Lyric. When Link played for Medli, she went into a trance in which Laruto appeared to the new Sage, motivating her to play as well. Not long thereafter, Medli and Link came to the Earth Temple to perform the ceremony to restore power to the Master Sword. Laruto made her final appearance then to perform with them, passing on finally.

Medli[]

Medli is a Rito and Laruto's successor as the Sage of Earth. She is the first Sage awoken to help restore power to the Master Sword.

A friend of Link, Medli was practicing on her harp when she was visited by the Hero of Winds, who offered to conduct for her. She accepted and played the Earth God's Lyric. Upon hearing the melody, something in her mind stirred and she went into a trance. In her vision, she was visited by her predecessor Laruto, who motivated her to play her harp again. This caused Medli to realize her status as Sage and she requested Link to bring her to the Earth Temple immediately. Link sailed her to the temple and helped her get to its sanctuary, guarded by Jalhalla. There, they performed the ceremony to restore power to the Master Sword, bringing Link another step closer to his goal. Medli remained in the temple until Tetra's crew picked her up once the battle was won.

Fado[]

Fado is a Kokiri and the previous Sage of Wind. He is Makar's predecessor.

Prior to the Great Flood, Fado had been awakened as Sage to pray for the Master Sword's power. Ages later, he was murdered by Ganondorf to remove the threat the Master Sword posed to him. As a ghost, Fado remained in the Wind Temple until Link traveled to Gale Isle to visit the temple itself. He told him about the events of his death, and that if Link hoped to defeat Ganondorf, he'd have to find the new Sage to replace him and play them the Wind God's Aria, much like how Laruto told for Medli. When Link played for Makar, Fado's spirit appeared out of the new Sage and played in his stead. Not long thereafter, Makar and Link came to the Wind Temple to perform the ceremony to restore power to the Master Sword. Fado made his final appearance then to perform with them, passing on finally, just like with the Sage of Earth.

Makar[]

Makar is a Korok and Fado's successor as the Sage of Wind. He is the second Sage awoken to help restore power to the Master Sword.

Another friend of the Hero of Winds just like Medli, Makar was practicing on his "cello" when he was visited by Link, who offered to conduct for him. He accepted and was made to play the Wind God's Aria. Upon hearing the melody, Makar enthusiastically began playing. While he did, Fado's spirit appeared out of him and replaced the Korok in his performance. When the song ended, Fado faded out for Makar to realize his status as the new Sage and request Link to bring him to the Wind Temple immediately. Link sailed him to the temple and helped him get to its sanctuary. There, after overcoming the dangerous obstacles like in the Earth Temple, they performed the ceremony to restore power to the Master Sword, bringing Link another step closer to his goal. Makar remained in the temple until Tetra's crew picked him up once the battle was won.

Four Swords Adventures[]

In Four Swords Adventures, the Shrine Maidens serve a function similar to that of the sages. They are responsible for keeping the powers dormant in the Four Sword Sanctuary under control. It is they who control the gate to its sacred grounds, preventing anyone from taking the Four Sword and from freeing Vaati.^[30] The Royal Jewels that belong in the Four Sword Sanctuary to open the path to the Realm of the Heavens are left in the care of the Knights of Hyrule, only to be gathered and used through the Shrine Maidens' power if the path were to close.^[31]

Four Swords Adventures does not incorporate the elemental system introduced by Ocarina of Time, but features an identification system akin. Each of the Shrine Maidens has an associated color after which they are titled, alike to the colors that defined the elements that made for the Ocarina of Time Sages' titles. The color rings are not the same though, as the White Maiden's white replaces the Sage of Spirit's orange. The colors of the Shrine Maidens rather match that of the Lokomo from Spirit Tracks who also turn into glowing orbs at the end of the game, like the Maidens do when freed from their crystals. Moreso, while the Shrine Maidens all look after a part of Hyrule, not quite unlike the Ocarina of Time Sages, the color-area associations differ greatly between the two "Sage" generations.

Kaepora Gaebora returns to guide Link through his quest. There is no mention made of him being the reincarnation of an ancient Sage this time, but he is both known and respected by the Shrine Maidens.^[31]

Twilight Princess[]

In Twilight Princess, the Sages (excluding Princess Zelda) appear as ethereal forms of old men. However, when one of the Sages turns his head, it is clearly seen that they are wearing masks and that they do not have faces underneath.^[32]

The Sages reside in the Mirror Chamber in Arbiter's Grounds. Prior to the events of Twilight Princess, Ganondorf was put to trial by the Sages in the Mirror Chamber.^[33] However, despite having been struck by the Sword of the Sages in an attempt to execute him, Ganondorf was able to break free of his Sage-given shackles using the Triforce of Power.^[34] He then killed one and the survivors quickly proceeded to send Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm via the Mirror of Twilight, located at the rear of the chamber.

After Link and Midna find the incomplete Mirror of Twilight in the Mirror Chamber, the Sages make their appearance and explain that Zant has fragmented the mirror with the help of Ganondorf's "mighty magic," not having been able to completely shatter it due to him being the false king of the Twilight Realm.^[35] The Sages then reveal the location of the three missing shards: Snowpeak, Sacred Grove, and the City in the Sky.^[36] Following the Sages' advice, Link and Midna find the Mirror Shards and use them to complete the Mirror of Twilight once again, where the Sages reveal that Midna is the true Twilight Princess and ruler of the Twili race.^[37]

Although the American version of the game states that the Sages were Zelda's tutors,^[38] the Japanese version of Twilight Princess says that Auru tutored her instead.^[39]

Phantom Hourglass[]

In Phantom Hourglass, there is a Graveyard on the Isle of Ruins where nine sages were laid to rest. In order to traverse Brant's Tomb, Link would first need to find a way into the graveyard. The graveyard contains a set of directions on six of the sages' gravestones. The other three Sages' tombstones are unreadable. If these directions are not followed, Link will wander helplessly through Brant's Tomb, much like in the Wind Fish's Egg or the Lost Woods.

Spirit Tracks[]

Spirit Tracks features the Lokomo, a tribe of wise people that serve as the Seven Sages. The colors of the glowing orbs the Lokomo turn into at the end of the game match the colors of the Shrine Maidens who can turn into glowing orb fairies in Four Swords Adventures.

Skyward Sword[]

Although the Sages do not physically appear in Skyward Sword, the symbols associated with them are etched into the entrance dome of the Sealed Temple. The Light, Forest, and Spirit symbols appear within the half of the dome at Skyloft, while the Fire, Shadow, and Water symbols can be found on the half built into the Sealed Temple.

A Link Between Worlds[]

In A Link Between Worlds, the Seven Sages are said by Sahasrahla to be the descendants of the Sages who had sealed Ganon in darkness long ago. One by one, Yuga captures them by turning them into paintings. Once he has captured all seven, he uses their power to resurrect Ganon, after which each sage's painting is sent to a different dungeon throughout Lorule. When each sage is rescued, they appear before Link within the Chamber of the Sages, and once he has rescued them all, they use their combined powers to grant him the Triforce of Courage, which is necessary to enter Lorule Castle and confront Yuga for the final time.

Interestingly, this iteration of the sages has a total of seven excluding Princess Zelda, whereas in other games Zelda was the seventh sage, with there being only six without her.

Osfala[]

Osfala is a headstrong young man, and Sahasrahla's apprentice. He is the second descendant of the original Seven Sages who gets kidnapped by Yuga.

When Link first encounters Osfala outside the Eastern Palace's entrance, Osfala recognizes Link as the blacksmith's apprentice and asks him why he is at the palace.^[40] The hero proceeds to inform Osfala about Yuga and the events that recently occurred within the Sanctuary, warning him about the peril he's in.^[41] However, Osfala doesn't believe he's in danger, stating that although Yuga is a cause of concern, his master shouldn't be worried about him because he's a descendant of the Seven Sages.

Gulley[]

Gulley is the son of the Blacksmith and the Blacksmith's Wife, and is one of the Seven Sages.

Prior to events of A Link Between Worlds, Gulley visits Link frequently to wake him up in the morning, because Link is often late for work at the Blacksmith's Forge.^[42] He eventually disappears after Yuga attacks and turns him into a painting, unbeknownst to his parents. His mother tries to look for him in his absence.

Rosso[]

Rosso is a miner and one of the Seven Sages.

Rosso lives north of Kakariko Village at the base of Death Mountain, and owns Rosso's Ore Mine at the top of Death Mountain. He gives Link the Power Gloves after noticing that the hero cannot lift Rocks. If Link picks up all of the rocks around Rosso's house, he will reward him with Rupees.

Oren[]

Oren is the ruler of the Zora population living in Hyrule, and is one of the Seven Sages.

As Queen of the Zoras, she resides in Zora's Domain, where she is served by the Zora Underlings. When Link first encounters Oren, she is stuck in an increasingly bloated state because the Shady Guy stole her Smooth Gem. Once Link returns the Smooth Gem to her pool, she returns to normal and gives the hero the Zora's Flippers as a sign of her gratitude, though she warns him that the Zoras living in the rivers and lakes are highly territorial.^[43]

Impa[]

Impa is a Sheikah and is one of the Seven Sages.

An aged Impa is once again Princess Zelda's nursemaid and is well known to be the descendant of the previous Sage Impa.^[44] Impa goes missing some time after Link clears the Eastern Palace, having been kidnapped by Yuga and turned into a portrait. She was the last Sage to be captured by Yuga before Princess Zelda herself was taken.^[45] Yuga eventually uses Impa and the rest of the Sages' power to release Ganon from his seal, in order to merge with the Demon King. Yuga then hides Impa's painting within Turtle Rock, a magma-filled prison located in the middle of Lorule Lake.

Irene[]

Irene is the apprentice of the Witch who lives near Zora's Domain, and is one of the Seven Sages.

Befriending Link early in his adventure, she offers to transport him to any weather vane he has activated. She gives Link a bell that he can ring at any time to call her. Irene offers her assistance after receiving an alarming fortune from the Fortune Teller in which she is told to "take care of green" in order to avoid the worst outcome.

Irene is later attacked by Yuga and turned into a painting while at the Witch's House, sometime after Link has collected both the Pendants of Power and Wisdom. When Link visits the Witch's House, the Witch tells him how she was powerless to stop Yuga from taking Irene.^[46]

Seres[]

Seres is a nun and is the daughter of the Priest of the Sanctuary.^[47] She is also one of the Seven Sages.

After greeting Link and learning he is looking for the Captain, Seres enters the Sanctuary to call him, only for the doors to the Sanctuary to close suddenly and lock, preventing any from entering. After hearing Seres scream from inside and at Dampé's urging, Link makes his way to the graveyard to use the secret passageway connecting it to the Sanctuary. Once inside, Link witnesses Seres' abduction and transformation of Seres into a painting, having already turned the Captain into a drawing on the wall. Though he complains that the Captain's portrait is unattractive, he praises Seres as "perfection".^[48][49] Although Link attempts to stop Yuga, the sorcerer outsmarts the hero, turning temporarily into a drawing to cause Link to crash into the wall. With Link knocked out, Yuga swiftly kicks him aside and leaves with Seres despite her father's protests.

Tears of the Kingdom[]

The Six Sages in Tears of the Kingdom are individuals bestowed with a Zonai Secret Stone to fight against the Demon King Ganondorf. Following the assassination of Queen Sonia by Ganondorf to steal her Stone, King Rauru formed the group as a desperate attempt to rout his nemesis during the Imprisoning War. The leaders of the Gerudo, the Zora, the Rito, and the Goron gathered at King Rauru's behest and were awoken as Sages by the Secret Stones. The four leaders joined Princess Zelda and Mineru in forming the Six Sages, the latter two having their stones prior to the incident.

Despite the Secret Stones' amplification of their powers, King Rauru and the Six Sages were unsuccessful in their attempt to defeat Ganondorf. King Rauru sacrificed himself to seal Ganondorf deep below Hyrule Castle while the Sages went their own ways to prepare for the Demon King's return. In light of Zelda's tales of the future, the Sages vowed to assist Link in slaying Ganondorf more than 10,000 years later. Four of the Sages returned to lead their races' homeland and hid their Secret Stones. The Sage of Spirit, Mineru, embedded her spirit into the Purah Pad and is stored within a Zonai Construct to wait for Link. Meanwhile, Zelda transformed herself into the immortal Light Dragon to restore the broken Master Sword with her sacred power over centuries.

Long after the two Great Calamities and the defeat of Calamity Ganon, Link and Zelda finds a mummified Ganondorf with Rauru's right arm in the Imprisoning Chamber. The seal suddenly breaks and Ganondorf is reanimated in the two's presence. Link attempts to protect the Princess to no avail and the Gloom corrupts the Master Sword along with Link's right arm. Zelda is then sent back in time to become a Sage after obtaining Rauru's Secret Stone while Rauru's arm attaches itself to Link to save his life. After Link awakens on the Great Sky Island, he obtains the Purah Pad housing Mineru's spirit from a Zonai Construct and the Master Sword transports itself back in time.

Returning to the surface, Link reunites with his friends from the four races to solve the regional phenomena caused by Ganondorf. Throughout the journey, Link and his four trusted allies were beckoned by the deceased Sages to retrieve the Secret Stones from the hands of the monsters. The four are found to be descendants of the original Sages and inherits their vow to Zelda. They awaken as the new Sages and pledge their powers to Link, allowing him to summon manifestations of them to fight alongside him. After the four's awakening, Mineru's spirit regains consciousness and tasks Link to construct a new body for her. She reveals Zelda's whereabouts and the past to Link after regaining her Secret Stone. Knowing the truth, Link seeks out the Tears and finds the restored Master Sword on the Light Dragon's head. With the Master Sword in hand, Link and the five Sages head to the depths to fight Ganondorf. Though they manage to defeat him, Ganondorf transforms himself into the Demon Dragon as a last resort. Sensing the transformation, the Light Dragon returns to finish her duty as a Sage and helps Link to defeat Ganondorf once and for all.

The Six Sages include:

Tulin[]

The son of Teba, the Rito Elder, and a descendant of the original Sage of Wind. He awakened as the new Sage of Wind after retrieving the Secret Stone of the Stormwind Ark.

Yunobo[]

The President of YunoboCo and grandson to Daruk, the Goron Champion. He is a descendant of the original Sage of Fire and inherited the title after obtaining Gorondia's Secret Stone.

Sidon[]

The King of the Zora and brother to Mipha, the Zora Champion. He becomes the new Sage of Water after gaining his ancestor's Secret Stone at the Great Wellspring.

Riju[]

The young Chief of the Gerudo. She is a descendant of both the original Sage of Lightning and the Gerudo Champion, Urbosa. Riju has inherited their lightning powers and awakens as the new Sage of Lightning after defeating the Queen Gibdo plaguing the Lightning Temple.

Mineru[]

A Zonai and the sister of King Rauru, she descended to the surface to support her brother in the founding of Hyrule. As the Sage of Spirit, she lives on as a spirit long past her physical death to fulfill the vow of slaying Ganondorf.

Zelda[]

The Hylian Princess and the Sage of Time who traveled back to the age of Hyrule's founding. Her power is bestowed upon Link in the form of the Recall ability.

Other Appearances[]

Trivia[]

• The Seven Sages were known as the Seven Wise Men in the English translation of the original Super NES version of A Link to the Past.^[50] Their name was re-translated to "Seven Sages" in A Link to the Past & Four Swords.^[51]
• Five of the Sages from Ocarina of Time share the same name as a town in The Adventure of Link. These sages are Rauru, Saria, Ruto, Darunia and Nabooru.
  • According to Encyclopedia, Kasuto and its predecessor are also named after a Sage, but Sage Kasuto has yet to make and appearance in the main series.^[52]
• Removed text of Four Swords Adventures seems to imply that it was originally going to feature Sages instead of Shrine Maidens.^[53]
• In Breath of the Wild, each of the Divine Beasts are named after a Sage from earlier The Legend of Zelda titles. Medoh is named after Medli from The Wind Waker, Ruta is named after Ruto from Ocarina of Time, Rudania is named after Darunia from Ocarina of Time and Naboris is named after Nabooru from Ocarina of Time.
• In Breath of the Wild, the Lord of the Mountain, Satori, is said to be a reincarnation of a Sage.^[54]
• It is possible that in Breath of the Wild, the Seven Heroines are related to the Sages or Maidens. Described as divine protectors of the Gerudo people, the Heroines each represent a unique power—skill, spirit, endurance, knowledge, flight, motion and gentleness—which possibly are related to the elements of the Sages in Ocarina of Time. This is alternatively suggested by the Heroine statues' associated orbs, whose colors (red, orange, yellow, grey, green, blue, purple) roughly correspond to the colors of the seven Maidens in Four Swords Adventures (blue, yellow, green, white, red, purple, and Zelda herself).
• In Tears of the Kingdom, the original Rito, Goron, Zora, and Gerudo sages wear masks that resemble their respective region's Divine Beast in Breath of the Wild. The Rito sage, for example, wears a mask similar to the head of Vah Medoh, and so forth.
  • Largely because of the Gerudo's direct ties to the Demon King's background, the Sage of Lightning is the only one of the Sages other than Mineru to give additional details about the Demon King beyond his arrival and his unfathomable power (more specifically, the Sage of Lightning states that the Demon King had originally been their chieftain before he changed via his ruthless pursuit of power^[55]).

Nomenclature[]

Names in other regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	賢者 (Kenja) (ST)[56]	Wise Man
	German	Magischer Weiser (TAoL)[57]
This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

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  Artwork of the Sage guarding the Triforce of Courage in The Adventure of Link

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  Link talking to a Sage from The Adventure of Link

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  The Seven Sages artwork from A Link to the Past

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  Artwork of the Seven Sages sealing the Dark World from A Link to the Past

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  Rauru, the Sage of Light in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Saria, the Forest Sage in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Darunia, the Sage of Fire in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Ruto, the Sage of Water in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Impa, the Sage of Shadow in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Nabooru, the Sage of Spirit in the Chamber of Sages in Ocarina of Time

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  Zelda, leader of the sages in the Temple of Time in Ocarina of Time

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  Ruto and Nabooru during the ending scene of Ocarina of Time

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  Darunia and Saria during the ending scene of Ocarina of Time

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  Laruto and Medli playing the "Earth God's Lyric" in The Wind Waker

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  Medli fulfilling her role as Sage in The Wind Waker

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  Fado appearing to awaken Makar as a Sage in The Wind Waker

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  Makar fulfilling his role as Sage in The Wind Waker

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  The Sages in the Mirror Chamber in Twilight Princess

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  Temple of Time carving depicting the Seven Sages in Twilight Princess

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  The Sages in the Chamber of Sages in A Link Between Worlds

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  The Sages gathered around Zelda and Link at the end of A Link Between Worlds

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  The Sages during the Imprisoning War in Tears of the Kingdom

See also[]

• Champion
• Lokomo

References