Stalchild

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Stalchildren,(Series)[3] also known as Stalchilds,(LatPoD)[2] are recurring Enemies in The Legend of Zelda series.[name references needed]

Characteristics

Ocarina of Time

Stalchildren appear in Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time. They spawn only at night while Link is a child and disappear at sunrise. They will not appear if Link is wearing the Bunny Hood or if he walks on the Road. Stalchildren attack in pairs, and if one falls before the other, another Stalchild may spawn in its place if Link takes too long to destroy the other. Each time 10 Stalchildren are defeated, a larger one will spawn alongside a regular sized Stalchild. Stalchildren can be defeated with two hits, regardless of size. If Link attacks a Stalchild from the front, it will lose its head and begin wandering around blindly.

Majora's Mask

Tatl's Commenthide ▲
Tatl says:

It's a Stalchild. They were the cursed soldiers of the Kingdom of Ikana...What are you gonna do?

Stalchildren are of the Ikana race in Majora's Mask. They haunt the Ikana Graveyard and are the fallen soldiers of the Ikana Kingdom.[4] Their general is Captain Keeta, but they will mistake anyone that wears the Captain's Hat for their leader.[5] By wearing the Captain's Hat, the Stalchildren will ask Link whether they should open or guard the grave, mentioning that they already had an order from Captain Keeta to guard it.[6] In the Oceanside Spider House, Stalchildren will reveal the solution to the house's puzzle, ultimately leading to a Piece of Heart.[7]

Four Swords

Stalchildren act similarly to Stalfos in Oracle of Seasons and have four distinct behaviors, albeit without color variations to differentiate between them. Stalchildren may simply walk around like Blue Stalfos, throw bones like Red Stalfos, throw bones and dodge attacks like Orange Stalfos, or attempt to crush the Links like Green Stalfos.

Purple Stalchildren appear in the Hero's Trial as part of the silver door levels. While they may have any of the behavior patterns of normal Stalchildren, they cannot be outright defeated. When hit, they will instead crumble into a pile of bones and revive a short time later.

Twilight Princess

Stalchildren appear in the Arbiter's Grounds and the Cave of Ordeals in Twilight Princess. They emerge from the ground in large groups and attack with small spears. They can be destroyed with almost any weapon, though Link's Sword is the most effective, especially when the Spin Attack is utilized.

Other Appearances

Link's Crossbow Training

Stalchildren appear in the "Gerudo Stalfos: Defender" Stage of Level 1 and "Hyrule Castle: Defender" Stage of Level 4 in Link's Crossbow Training. They rise from the ground to attack Link with their spears, along with Stalfos. Stalchildren can be taken out with one hit, but will swarm in massive numbers as time runs out.

Ocarina of Time (Himekawa)

A Stalchild makes a brief appearance in the Ocarina of Time manga by Akira Himekawa, being burned to a crisp by a young Volvagia before it became a follower of Ganondorf.

Link and the Portal of Doom



Sonic Lost World

Stalchildren appear in The Legend of Zelda Zone, attacking Sonic by slowly wandering toward him. They can easily be defeated by any of his moves, such as the Homing Attack.

Hyrule Warriors

Stalchildren appear as foot soldiers that group in large numbers in Hyrule Warriors. In Legend Mode, they appear in the Scenarios "The Sheikah Tribesman", "The Water Temple", "Liberation of the Triforce", and "Darkness Falls".

Helmeted Stalchildren with broken armor appear in occupied Keeps and Outposts. Summoner Stalchildren also appear as a variant that summons reinforcements, and wear purple hoods and carry staves. Unit troops are led by Stalchild Captains, which are actually Stalfos in appearance. The same type of Captain also appears as a Keep Boss variant that guards Keeps and Outposts. Stalchild Captains occasionally drop the Monster Tooth Bronze Material when defeated.

Trivia

  • The laugh of Stalchildren in Ocarina of Time is actually a sped up version of Phantom Ganon's laugh.[8]

Nomenclature

ZW Nomenclature Asset.png Names in Other Regions ZW Nomenclature Asset 2.png
LanguageNamesMeanings
Japan
Japanese
スタルベビー (Sutarubebī) (OoT)[13]Stalbaby
The Italian Republic
Italian
Stalfosso (OoT | OoT3D | MM | MM3D | FS)[9][10][11][12]Portmanteau of Stalfos and osso (bone)
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Other Names

These names, though from official English sources, are not considered Canon by Zelda Wiki as they contradict a name or names from a higher-priority source.
Name
Stalchid[14]
Applies to
Source
Superseded by
Name
Stalchid[14]
Applies to
Source
Superseded by
Name
Stalkin[15]
Applies to
Source
Superseded by

Gallery

See Also

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 102
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Link lunged at the Stalchilds with a series of quick cuts, but they had him surrounded now." (Link and the Portal of Doom, Scholastic, pg. 14-15)
  3. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 206 (OoT | OoT3D | MM | MM3D | FS | TP | TPHD)
  4. "It's a Stalchild. They were the cursed soldiers of the Kingdom of Ikana...What are you gonna do?" — Tatl (Majora's Mask)
  5. "Huh? Oh, Captain! E-excuse me, sir!" — Stalchild (Majora's Mask)
  6. "Aah! Captain, sir!!! Excuse me, sir! Everyone, give the captain your attention! We haven't seen you in some time, captain, sir! As per your orders, sir, we've been guarding these graves closely. We have all been expecting your next order, sir." — Stalchild (Majora's Mask)
  7. "Ah! Captain, sir! It's been a long time since we've seen you! As you have ordered, sir, we are investigating the secrets of this place." — Stalchild (Majora's Mask)
  8. SavestateYT, Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Stalchild Laugh Slowed Down , Youtube (Video), published August 14, 2013, retrieved November 28, 2018.
  9. Enciclopedia di Hyrule, Magazzini Salani, pg. 205
  10. "Stalfosso" — Navi (Ocarina of Time 3D, Italian localization)
  11. Enciclopedia di Hyrule, Magazzini Salani, pg. 206
  12. "Questo è uno stalfosso." — Tatl (Majora's Mask 3D, Italian localization)
  13. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Shogakukan, pg. 144
  14. 14.0 14.1 "Stalchid
    Stalchidren are skeletal creatures who were never flesh and bone. They hunt their prey in large packs, and will only appear once the sun has set."
    The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia , Zelda.com (archive), retrieved July 30, 2023.
  15. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess—PRIMA Official Game Guide, Prima Games, pg. 20