Armos

Armos Statues, also called Armos and Armos Knights, are stone statues which appear often in The Legend of Zelda series as enemies. Despite being a common sight amongst Zelda games, their weaknesses, attack methods, and habitats vary significantly between games.

Most games featuring Armos do adhere to a few basic traits. They tend to look like stationary statues from a distance, but activate and attack when Link gets close or touches them. In several games, they are indistinguishable from ordinary statues, and are likewise indestructible until they start to move. This can complicate puzzles in which Link must pull a statue onto a floor switch. In all of their 3D incarnations, they seem to malfunction for a moment and then explode when defeated. Most, if not all, Armos appear to be mechanical in nature, and in The Minish Cap they can even be deactivated.

Armos frequently look like armored knights and can be confused with the Iron Knuckle and Darknut.

The Legend of Zelda
Armos appear exclusively and commonly on the overworld, never once making an appearance in any labyrinth. Unlike other enemies, these will not attack unless Link touches them. Until bothered in this manner, Armos will be impervious to all forms of attack. By touching a dormant statue, Link will cause the monster to suddenly spring into movement. These Armos will walk slowly or charge madly towards Link once awakened; which speed they choose appears to be random. Armos can only attack Link by ramming into him and do not have any form of ranged attack.

They can be defeated with any number of weapons once awakened from their dormant state. It can take up to two hits from the Wooden Sword, but can be killed with a single strike from the White Sword or Magical Sword. Candles, Arrows, Bombs, and the Magical Rod can also kill Armos, although these methods are usually wasted on the nonthreatening slow versions. When dealing with a fast Armos, it's easiest to disable it with a Boomerang throw, then strike with the White Sword or Magical Rod.

Due to what is presumably a glitch in the game, Armos will strike Link immediately if he approaches them from the south side. When approached from other angles, these enemies will give their adversary a few moments to get out of range.

Once removed from their dormant state, some Armos will reveal a hidden staircase underneath them. One such hidden stairway leads to a shop selling the ever-coveted Blue Ring.

The Adventure of Link
Although Armos do not make a real appearance in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, there are many Iron Knuckle statues and some Fokka statues in the Palaces. Attacking some of these statues will sometimes reward you with a Magic Jar, but there is also a chance that the statue will come to life and become a deadly Iron Knuckle. This trait of remaining entirely still until attacked was later used for Iron Knuckles in Ocarina of Time, but Zelda II was the only game where they start as statues before coming to life, giving them some connection to Armos.

A Link to the Past
Armos make their second true appearance in A Link to the Past. Their statues have a different design, this time armed with swords instead of spears. They also no longer walk, showing no actual movement aside from hopping towards Link on their pedestal, a trait later used in many future games. They can be defeated with any number of weapons. They are more aggressive than their first appearance, coming to life if you come near them rather than having to touch them, and pursue Link constantly. They are weaker than before though, taking fewer hits with the sword. Bombs and other weapons also deal damage to Armos, but this is the first game to introduce a specific weakness to the Bow, which will defeat them in one strike.

Armos specifically appear in fairly large numbers in the area around the Eastern Palace, although not inside the dungeon itself. Within the dungeon you will find Eyegores and the Armos Knights boss, both variations on typical Armos, which also make their first appearance in this game.

Link's Awakening
The trait of only attacking when touched starts in Link's Awakening, where Armos make their third appearance. Unlike in previous games, these monsters can now only be damaged by Bombs, Arrows, or Bomb Arrows. Although Armos must be moved in order to access several important areas of the game, Link can slowly push these enemies out of the way without having to awaken them by using his shield.

An Armos Knight mini-boss, somewhat similar to its A Link to the Past counterpart, can be found in the Southern Face Shrine.

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask


For the first time in the series, Armos appear exclusively in dungeons. They make their 3D polygon debut in Dodongo's Cavern of Ocarina of Time where Young Link faces them for the first time. As has become typical, most Armos will only attack after being touched. However, a select few will not budge when bothered and can be moved around by hand to cover up ground-bound switches. Armos are much more common in Ocarina of Time when compared to Majora's Mask, but they still make a few appearances in the latter.

Armos in these two games can be temporarily stunned with Deku Nut flashes. While he is a child, Link can defeat an Armos through two Bomb explosions or with a sword strike while it's stunned. As an adult, Link can also defeat one with a single swing of his sword even if the monster hasn't been stunned. No matter how they are given the final strike, Armos will hop around madly and eventually explode, effectively defeating themselves. The final explosion can usually be blocked with a shield or evaded by running away.

A variation on Armos, the Death Armos, appears exclusively in Majora's Mask in Stone Tower Temple.

Oracle of Seasons/Ages
As with many enemies in Oracle of Seasons, the Armos carries the same sprite it did in Link's Awakening. Their attack strength and movement patterns have also remained the same, but this time around, they can be damaged with regular sword strikes. They can also be easily defeated with two hits of the boomerang.

These monsters are quite rare in Holodrum, as they only make limited appearances near Tarm Ruins and Northern Peak. Armos only appear in Oracle of Ages in Moonlit Grotto. They only attack after Link activates a switch and can be destroyed with bombs.

The Wind Waker
Contrary to their counterparts in other games, Armos in The Wind Waker will move on their own without waiting for Link to approach. To defeat one of the monsters, Link must fire an arrow into the small green target on the statue's chest, which will halt its tracks and reveal a glowing gem on its backside. Link can strike this gem with several weapons, defeating the monster. (Alternatively, Link can move behind the Armos and strike without shooting an arrow, though this is a little more difficult). Like its counterparts in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, these Armos will hop around madly after their own defeat, eventually exploding and damaging Link if he's nearby. They can only be found in Tower of the Gods, Wind Temple and The Savage Labyrinth.

Armos Knights appear mainly in the Wind Temple as common enemies with similar appearances and weaknesses to Armos found in Ocarina of Time. These variations will hop towards Link much like their more standard brethren. but occasionally stop suddenly and open their mouths. If Link throws a bomb (or Bomb Flower) into its open mouth, the monster will be defeated instantly, and hop and explode like regular Armos. If Link doesn't throw a bomb in, the monster will close its mouth and continue chasing after him. Eventually, it will re-open its mouth, providing Link another chance to strike. These Armos variations will also hop madly about when they have been vanquished, but unlike their average brethren, they will not chase Link. Instead, they hop in a straight line towards where he stood last.

The Minish Cap
Armos in The Minish Cap can be killed like regular monsters, but can also be disabled. To do this, Link must become Minish-sized and climb into the statue while he's too small to detect. Once inside, he can flip a switch which will cause the Armos not to attack when touched. Armos must be activated and deactivated to solve several puzzles and can only be found in the Wind Ruins area.

Twilight Princess
Armos in Twilight Princess wield hammers and look very different from those in previous incarnations. They have a more tribal look, partly resembling the Moai statues on Easter Island. When animated, their facial features are clearly outlined by a glowing blue color. They can be defeated the same way as in The Wind Waker by striking the weak spot on its rear. They are easiest to kill using the Mortal Draw skill or by striking them with the Ball and Chain before they fully animate. They can also be killed with a bomb arrow before they wake up, if hit in the correct spot.

Armos Titan
A beta version of Twilight Princess included an enemy called the "Armos Titan". However, this enemy was never included in the final version of the game. These Armos look a little more like traditional Armos statues but have no weapons and attack with their hands. Unlike the other Armos, this one's diamond is placed on its chest and can be successfully hit by shooting two arrows or one bomb arrow at it. It appears to have been replaced by the hammer wielding Armos seen in the final version of the game that shares the same gem-like weak point.

Phantom Hourglass
In Phantom Hourglass, a single bomb explosion will immobilize Armos, allowing Link to push and pull them like blocks. Because of this, these monsters are generally only found around switch-based puzzles.

Spirit Tracks
Armos appear yet again in Spirit Tracks, usually with Miniblin riding them.

Trivia

 * In Ocarina of Time, the Goron Emblem appears on Armos' foreheads.