Cole

Chancellor Cole is a government official in the kingdom of Hyrule and one of the antagonists of Spirit Tracks. He is also a servant of Princess Zelda, the country's matriarch.

Biography
Chancellor Cole is a small man dressed in green attire befitting a member of the kingdom's government and is revealed to wear two green top-hats on top of his head (which are later revealed to hide two horns). The Chancellor appears to be an adviser of sorts to the princess and seems to act as a sort of guardian to her as well (not too unlike Minister Potho in The Minish Cap), as it is revealed that he does not like her leaving Hyrule Castle unattended. This creates problems when Zelda wishes to leave the castle due to her distrust of Cole's intentions. Zelda secretly slips Link a note with directions to her private quarters and warning him to beware of Cole. In her quarters, Zelda confides her suspicions of Cole in Link and requests that he take her in secret to the Tower of Spirits to investigate the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks.

On their way there, the Spirit Tracks vanish beneath them, causing the train to come to a halt in the field separating Hyrule Castle from the tower. The trio then witness the fragmentation of the Tower of Spirits before being confronted by the mastermind behind this: Cole himself, accompanied by Byrne. Cole, who reveals his non-human nature, has Byrne knock Link and Alfonzo out cold before using his dark magic to separate Zelda's spirit from her body and having Byrne carry the princess's vacant body to the Tower of Spirits.

After Link and Zelda reunite all of the floors of the Tower of Spirits, they climb to reach the Altar of the Demon King, where they encounter Cole and Princess Zelda's body, now overtaken by Malladus. Cole succeeds in the resurrection of the Demon King, and after betraying Byrne, the evil duo escape to the Dark Realm via the Demon Train.

In the final battle, Cole attempts to help Malladus defeat Link and Zelda in battle, but this effort ultimately fails. Once Zelda reclaims her body with the help of Link, Malladus chooses to take possession of an unwilling Cole's body, transforming him into a gigantic, boar-like beast. Although Cole's body is incompatible with Malladus' spirit and begins to reject it, Malladus nonetheless vows that he will be able to control Cole long enough to bring the world to ruin. However, Link and Zelda thrust the Lokomo Sword into the crystal on the possessed Cole's head and shatter it, killing both Cole and Malladus for good and restoring peace to the land.

Personality
According to the game creators of Spirit Tracks, Chancellor Cole seems to be the embodiment of the so-called "crooked politician" stereotype. He appears to do things for the greater good that really are only being pursued to further his own personal agenda.

Etymology
The Chancellor's latter name Cole is thought to perhaps be a play on the word "coal".

His name in Spain, Makivelo, is a reference to Niccolò Machiavelli, a politician from sixteenth-century Florence. Machiavelli was infamous for his ruthless and unscrupulous governing style. The modern term "Machiavellian" is used to describe politicians with a cunning and deceitful approach to politics.

Strategy
In the short time Link has to fight Cole, he needs to help defend Zelda from ghost rats that Cole creates in the course of the battle between Malladus in Zelda's body and Cole. If one of these rats gets into Phantom Zelda's armor, then Cole will be able to use Phantom Zelda as a puppet. The strategy to "defeat" Cole is to help Zelda by attacking Cole's puppet strings with the Boomerang and defeating any ghost rats from entering Zelda's armor by using any item that can deal damage on them. After Zelda manages to grab onto Malladus, Cole will stop attacking and freak out while Link can deliver the "final" blow to Malladus.

Trivia

 * Cole's name comes from the word "coal", a fuel for steam engines. This name could also represent his evilness: coal being black and dark, and that Santa is said to give coal to bad children on Christmas.
 * Cole's true race is heavily debated amongst fans of the series, as he makes clear that he is not human when revealing the true reason for his two top-hats. Though he does have a humanoid body, the horns he sports atop his head and his own admission make it clear he is of another race entirely, though just what race this is presently is not clear. Some believe that Cole may be a demon himself, as he addresses the Demon King as "Your Majesty", a title typically used by a monarch's subjects.