Zora


 * This article refers to the friendly Sea Zora race. For the enemy variety, see River Zora.

Zoras (pronounced ), or Sea Zoras, are a race of hospitable ocean-dwelling creatures in, and are especially common in the 3D console Zelda games.

Prior to their debut in, River Zoras were present in the older titles as an enemy, and similarly also lived in a flooded domain. The name Zora was the original name of both races. Because the two races each have their own domain within the games they appear (the River Zoras almost exclusively appear in the 2D games, while the Sea Zoras almost solely appear in the 3D games), there was no need to distinguish between the two races by name. is the first and only game to feature both species and as such distinguished the two with more specific names.

Characteristics
Zoras are normally found near or in large bodies of water. Their skin color lies in the white-blue-gray area, although brown/red is also a possible, though seemingly rarer variant. Most individuals (but not all) have fins attached to their arms and a tail at the back of their head (making their head alone look like a fish). The females have breasts, even though the species was shown to lay eggs in, though this could simply be a design tool to help distinguish between the sexes.

Ocarina of Time
In, all of the Zoras live in Zora's Domain and have easy access to Lake Hylia. Lord Jabu-Jabu serves as their patron deity and the Hyrulean Zoras are led by King Zora. The latter has a daughter, Princess Ruto, who is in charge of preparing Jabu-Jabu's meals. As a child, Link visited the domain and saved her from Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly, where she had ended up due to Jabu-Jabu being cursed by Ganondorf. As a reward, he received the Zora's Sapphire, a special stone that the Zoras protected. The Sea Zoras have been allies to the Royal Family for years.

Seven years later, Morpha caused Zora's Domain and almost all of its residents to become frozen in ice. Sheik managed to rescue Princess Ruto, but it was Link who destroyed the evil inside of the Water Temple and thus saved Zora's Domain. However, Zora's Domain never recovers in-game, as it will take time to thaw. Only during the ending can it be seen that the Zoras indeed are safe.

Majora's Mask
In, the Zoras live in the Great Bay region of Termina, where they congregate in the Zora Hall as their home. The Zora Hall is also the home to The Indigo-Go's, a famous Zora band. The band was planned to play at the Carnival of Time in Clock Town, but suddenly had to cancel when Lulu, the band's lead singer, lost her voice when she laid some eggs. Zora Eggs hatch one to three days after they are laid, provided that the water they lie in is of a proper temperature and that the eggs that were laid at the same time are together. However, the eggs were shortly stolen by the Gerudo Pirates. Mikau, the band's guitarist, had tried to recover the eggs, but was beaten by the Pirates and left gravely injured in the coast. Link eventually found Mikau and pushed him to shore, but he had passed away, and after being healed, his soul was encased into the Zora Mask.

Wearing the Zora Mask allows Link to transform into Zora Link in the appearance of Mikau. In this form, Link is able to possess new magic and attacks, such as creating an electric barrier around him or using his arm find as Boomerangs. Under the guise of this form, Link had retrieved the Zora Eggs, allowing Lulu to recover her voice and to subsequently open the way to the Great Bay Temple.

The Zora in this game are notably more technologically advanced than in the other games, as the Great Bay Temple is a large waterworks factory, as well as having a Jazz band. They also have their own writing system.

Oracle of Ages
includes both Zora races, and distinguishes the two as Sea and River Zoras. The Sea Zoras live in a Village in the Zora Seas of Labrynna. One Sea Zora in the Village mentions the evil River Zora, making it clear that the two races have no social connections to each other. Like in Ocarina of Time, the Sea Zora have a patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu.

In the present, the King Zora is deceased as the result of a sickness caused by the polluted waters in the past. Unfortunately, Link cannot enter Lord Jabu-Jabu without the King's consent. The King can be cured in the past with a Potion, found either by bumping into Maple, through a Gasha Seed, or by purchasing one from Syrup. When Link gives the King Zora the Potion, he becomes well, and he survives into the present. As Jabu-Jabu is too small to enter in the past, Link must return to him in the present.



The Wind Waker
In, the only actual Zora that makes an appearance is Laruto, the deceased Sage of Earth. It had been a long time since Laruto was alive and Link only meets her spirit, who tells him to find her descendant, Medli. Zoras evolved into the Ritos, thus they are absent in The Wind Waker.

Princess Ruto does not appear in The Wind Waker, but one of the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's basement depicts her.

Twilight Princess
In, the Zoras live in Zora's Domain near Lake Hylia. When Wolf Link arrives at Telma's Bar in Hyrule Castle Town, he finds Ilia with a Zora boy who is facing death. Upon arriving in Zora's Domain, Link finds that it is frozen (much as it was during Ocarina of Time), with all the Zoras visible in the ice. During a conversation there with the spirit of the Zora Queen Rutela, Link is told that if he can help her find her son, Prince Ralis, and bring him back to the Domain, she will aid him in his quest.

After restoring light to the Lanayru Province, Link helps Telma and Ilia take the Zora prince to Kakariko Village, where Renado heals him. After Ralis is saved, the Zora Queen makes another appearance. She guides Link to her late husband's grave and he receives the Zora Armor, which has a similar function to the Zora Tunic in Ocarina of Time, but actually enables Link the ability to swim underwater similar to Majora's Mask's Zora Mask.

After completing the Lakebed Temple, the Zoras can be found in Death Mountain's hot springs, in Lake Hylia, and Zora's River.

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
In, while the Zoras do not appear in person, there is a reference to their existence. The landmarks Fish Head (Cape Treasure) and Muddy Fish Head (Gooey Swamp) both are statues resembling a Zora's head. A Zora is also depicted on Madame Scratchcard's scratchcards.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In, Zoras appear as a Trophy and a Sticker.

Trivia

 * The role of the Zoras in Ocarina of Time is based on the role of the Zoras in A Link to the Past, suggesting that the friendly Zoras were originally meant as a reinterpretion of the enemy version. As in A Link to the Past, the Zoras are led by a significantly larger Zora by the title of King Zora, who provides Link with Flippers designed to make water-based terrain accessible to non-Zoras, which the Zora Tunic in Ocarina of Time would be similar to. Zora's Lake was once planned to be included, but was possibly converted during production to either Zora's Domain or Zora's Fountain, which are still home to the Zoras and provides Hyrule with a water source.
 * The names "Sea Zora" and "River Zora" are apparently only accurate in Labrynna, as "Sea" Zoras and "River" Zoras have been seen in freshwater and in the sea in other games, respectively. The names were likely only chosen as a distinction between the two, rather than a means of referring to their habitats.
 * While Zoras do not appear in and, several treasures make reference to them, including the Ruto Crown and the Zora Scale, the latter of which only appears in Phantom Hourglass.
 * The Tadtones from SS undefined strongly resemble the Zora hatchlings seen in Majora's Mask, both physically and in their gameplay and story role. Along with resembling both tadpoles and musical notes, the Tadtones must also be collected and also form a musical score when they are brought together.
 * Both the Zora hatchlings and the Tadtones are likely a visual pun on the Japanese word おたまじゃくし (Otamajakushi), which means "tadpole" but can also mean "musical note".