Soldier

"A fervent sense of duty runs through the veins of every Hyrulean Soldier, as it is their calling to protect the royal palace and maintain order."

- Zelda.com encyclopedia

Castle Guards are a recurring group in the Zelda series, in almost any game that has Hyrule Castle there are Guards, often seen patrolling or guarding populated areas such as towns and castles. Their main purpose in-game is to prevent Link from getting into an area he needs to go such as in, , , and.

A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, Castle Guards act as the basic Enemies for the Overworld. Agahnim took control of these Soldiers and used them to do his bidding around Hyrule. There are different variants of the Guards ranging from some of the weakest enemies Link will face to an opponent that could be the end of the young hero.

They come in several varieties; the weakest wear green armor and wield a sword, dagger or bow. Those with bows usually hide in bushes and assault Link when he gets close. Stronger soldiers are blue and wield swords or bows. Red soldiers are the strongest and wield spears. Stronger varieties of soldiers include Knights and Bomb Knights, and even more powerful are the Ball and Chain Troopers. There is also a Golden variety which appear at the beginning of the game during the rainstorm, there purpose is to stop Link from straying too far away from the castle, they are Guards that have not yet been put under Agahnim's power.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time they guard Hyrule Castle and Kakariko Village. They are first met when Link enters Castle Town, they are quite helpful, giving warm welcomes and advice. However, these traits disappear when Link confronts them in Hyrule Castle. They stop Link from entering the castle and Link must sneak past them to get inside. Some of the guards find their job to be boring, and one can even be bribed into opening the castle doors. The guard in Kakariko Village plays a part in the quest for the Mask of Truth, as he is the first customer to buy the Keaton Mask for his son.

After Link travels seven years into the future, the Guards are almost nonexistent, having been either slaughtered or released from their posts in Ganon's reign. However, it is implied that one of the town guards became the Poe Collector in the future, since he expressed interests in studying ghosts.

Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, there are soldiers that guard each exit of Clock Town. They will not let any children get past them. Link may only pass in Goron form and Zora form. Deku Link may not exit as he is seen as a child. In human form, Link may exit as they notice his sword and assume that he is an experienced swordsman. Using the Lens of Truth, Link can locate an invisible soldier that has been injured. If Link gives him a potion he will reward Link with the Stone Mask, the mask that granted him the ability to be invisible. There is also another guard seen with Viscen.

Oracle of Ages
Guards play a very minor role in the Oracle of Ages. They are seen guarding the flower garden just outside of Ambi's Palace. If Link is caught by the guard, he is kicked out of the garden. After entering the palace, however, the guards inside become hostile whenever Link is spotted by them. They do one heart damage and will not stop until the room is left.

Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures the soldiers appear to have been possessed once more, being one of the most populous foes in the game. They resemble their A Link to the Past counterparts greatly. A massive soldier known as Chief Soldier is powerful enough to serve as the boss of two stages: Lake Hylia and Death Mountain Foothills.

Guard types as sorted by weaponry:
 * Archer
 * Ball & Chain Trooper
 * Bomber
 * Swordsmen

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, they are found guarding Hyrule Castle and Hyrule Town. In the town, they would block Link from straying to places that were unsafe. In the castle, they would try and prevent Link from entering the castle. This triggers a segment reminiscent of Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Castle Courtyard segment.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, There many soldiers that patrol in Hyrule Castle Town. They are very cowardly and many townspeople complain of their uselessness. Due to their cowardly ways, a group of vigilantes take it upon their own hands to restore and preserve peace in Hyrule. Ashei, a member of that group, once apologizes to Link for thinking that he was "one of those sorry excuses for Hyrule soldiers". At one point, Telma asks if anyone will escort Prince Ralis, Illia and herself to Kakariko in order to find the shamen capable of healing Prince Ralis, but once Telma mentions the path is infested with monsters the once-eager soldiers flee. If Link enters Castle Town as a wolf, the soldiers will surround him, looking as if they are trying to attack him, but if Link then uses the spin attack, they will run away screaming, often leaving behind rupees or arrows.

However, it is to be considered that during Zant's invasion of Hyrule Castle, there is a group of soldiers who bravely held their ground against the shadow beasts, protecting Princess Zelda. They fought gallantly, but the soldiers were all slain. Some possible explanations for the cowardice of the current soldiers is that many of the courageous soldiers were killed in Zant's intial attack on Hyrule, and therefore the need for more soldiers may have led to a draft of less brave men. It is also theorized that since Zelda was a symbol of peace and courage, her surrender would have been a devastating blow to morale.

In the Hyrule Castle stage in Twilight Princess, ghostly, skeletal spirits wearing Hyrulean Soldier outfits guide Link over floor pieces that fall away, to safe pieces and finally to the next room. Their real identity is never revealed. These ghosts can only be viewed with Link's wolf senses, and often help guide him or point to clues or hints. They can also be found in a few other places, such as the hidden graveyard in Hyrule Castle.

Spirit Tracks
The Castle Guards appear yet again in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks donning a suit very similar to the Hero of Winds's tunic. Their role so far is very similar to Ocarina of Time's Guards in that Link must avoid them using stealth to reach Princess Zelda.

Dying Soldier
After Link witnesses Zelda and Impa being chased by Ganondorf, if he goes to the back alleys of the Market, he can see a soldier surrounded by bottles. The soldier will tell Link that Ganondorf has betrayed the King of Hyrule, and that he tried his best to stop Ganondorf from chasing them, but was injured. If Link tries to speak to him again, Navi will say, "He's not moving anymore..."

Captain Viscen
Captain Viscen is the Captain of the Clock Town Guards in. On all three days of the cycle, he can be seen in the Mayor's office arguing with the carpenters.

Shiro
Shiro is an injured Guard in Ikana Canyon. Link must give him a red or Blue Potion to heal him.

Krin
Captain Krin is a Soldier Captain who appears in the Valiant Comics.

Link's Father
According to a comic based on Ocarina of Time, Link's Father was a loyal castle guard who died trying to defend the king from rebels.