Impa

Impa is the family name of several female members of the Sheikah, a mysterious tribe that has served and protected the Royal Family of Hyrule for many generations. Every member of the Sheikah tribe so far has been associated with and taken on the role of taking care of an incarnation of Zelda, being a nanny and a bodyguard of sorts in some games. As well as this, every Impa has given extensive information and guidance to the various incarnations of Link they encounter in their time.

Role
The earliest known Impa in the chronology of the Zelda series, the Impa in Skyward Sword was, as a member of the Sheikah tribe, the chosen guardians of the goddess Hylia, a loyal and dedicated guardian and servant to Her Grace in the Era of the Goddess Hylia.

In the final days of her life following a fierce battle with the Demon King Demise, the goddess ordered Impa to go through a Gate of Time to the far future to protect her eventual mortal incarnation and to help her future incarnation remember her former life. When Hylia is reborn on the floating island of Skyloft as Zelda, she falls to the the Surface. Impa then meets with the former goddess while saving her from a group of Bokoblins near the Earth Temple, later protecting her from Ghirahim's grasp as he is chasing after the young girl. Shortly afterwards, she voices concerns during her first encounter with Link at the fiery temple, believing that he is unworthy of being Hylia's chosen hero, as she was forced to intervene to protect the goddess incarnate during the young hero's absence. Later, at the Temple of Time in Lanayru Desert, she faces Ghirahim in short battle while Zelda escapes through a Gate of Time at the temple and is saved by Link when her magical defenses are overwhelmed by her opponent's powers. She is thus able to proceed through the Gate of Time with Zelda and tells Link to tell "the old woman" in the Sealed Grounds the recent events so that Link may know where to go. Impa then escapes into the past, destroying the gate as it closes behind them to prevent Ghirahim from pursuing them.

Link follows Impa's advice and returns to the old woman, who explains that Link will need to strengthen the Goddess Sword with the power of the three Sacred Flames in order to awaken the Gate of Time in the Sealed Temple. She also teaches the young hero how to play the Goddess's Harp as well as the "Ballad of the Goddess" to help him on his quest.

The young Impa remains in the distant past, her own time period, with Zelda and watches over her as she enters a deep slumber in the Temple of Hylia to keep the seal on Demise, who had only recently been sealed by her goddess incarnation, strong in that period of time. After the eradication of Demise outside of the temple in present, a very aged Impa witnesses Zelda finally awaken from her ancient slumber and briefly reunite with Link. The short-lived reunion is interrupted by an aggravated Ghirahim, who then kidnaps the newly awakened Zelda and proceeds through the second Gate of Time that is located in center of the temple, going to the temple's distant past. There, young Impa, still guarding the sleeping Zelda from earlier in their timelines, is attacked and wounded by the demon lord. Once Demise is successfully revived and sealed once more by Link, the young Impa congratulates him on his world-saving accomplishment. Much to the present Zelda's tearful wishes, Impa explains that she is a being of that age and must stay behind to take care of the Gate of Time and the Master Sword. She tells Zelda not to despair and promises that they will surely meet again one day, to which Zelda gives Impa one of her bracelets as a token of their friendship and the time they spent together before returning the present.

Once again in the present, an aged Impa awaits the return of the young heroes. As they step out of the Gate of Time, it closes behind them and disappears, revealing her to be behind it. As the heroes approach her, the bracelet given to her by Zelda many years earlier is visible to them, revealing she is indeed the same young, tanned and slender woman they had left behind in the past. She smiles at Zelda, telling her that they indeed did meet again. She then falls silent, steps backwards slightly and fades away into light, passing away. The bracelet given to her by Zelda falls to the floor and Zelda moruns her passing, thanking her for everything she did to help them.

Appearance and Characteristics
As a young woman, Impa appears tall and lithe. She has straight light blonde hair, very tanned skin and the standard red eyes of the Sheikah tribe. The Sheikah eye symbol is tattooed in red on her forehead, and her left eye is tattooed with the three white marks above and a white teardrop below in the form of the same symbol. She also dresses in blueish purple clothing marked with yellow lines, an orange belt around her waist, and briefly wears a black cloak also marked with yellow lines. She lives to be very ancient for a mortal being, hailing from the Era of the Goddess Hylia and living for thousands of years through to the Era of the Sky. Whether this is a natural Sheikah ability or the work of divine interference is unknown, as she she disintegrates into particles of light and fades away when her mission in life is done. As an old woman, her hair is greyish blonde and has become very long, now braided and wrapped around her eyes and forehead; it hangs down on one side for use as a pendulum. The white teardrop is still visible, but elongated on her wrinkled cheek. She stands quite short and wears a pointed red hood and cape with a variation of the Sheikah eye symbol on the back.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, Impa was born and raised in Kakariko Village, the village of the Sheikah. She was selected as Princess Zelda's attendant and likely left her village around that time, giving it to the people of other races. Though Hyrule Castle became her new home, she still kept a watching eye over Kakariko though, but most of her attention went to the young princess. Until Link came along, Impa was the only one who believed her visions.

Link met Impa for the first time in Hyrule Castle, where she taught him Zelda's Lullaby. She then helped him leave the castle. Outside, she advised Link to head to Death Mountain to find the next Spiritual Stone and returned to the princess. Unfortunately, while Link was searching for the remaining Spiritual Stones, Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. Impa took Princess Zelda and fled the castle with her. She only barely managed to escape Ganondorf and stayed into hiding with the princess for seven years. It is likely that she was the one who raised Zelda during those years and taught her what she had to know to pass off as a Sheikah. Impa also kept protecting Kakariko Village to her best effort.

When Zelda was old enough to take care of herself, Impa started focusing on her old village again. An old evil that had plagued Kakariko Village in the past and that was locked up by Impa, had returned. Impa went to the Shadow Temple in order to lock the creature up again. When Link went to Kakariko Village after his seven year slumber, Sheik greeted him and told him about Impa. Link followed Impa into the Shadow Temple and was able to kill the creature, awakening Impa as the Sage of Shadows. As her new duty as a Sage prevented her from being at Princess Zelda's side, her final words to Link were a request to protect the princess on her behalf. Before leaving, Link received the Shadow Medallion from her.

When Link defeated Ganon, Impa and the other Sages bundled their powers to seal away Ganon. During the ending, she could be seen overlooking a celebrating Hyrule on Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
Impa is the trusted nursemaid of Princess Zelda in Oracle of Ages. Impa, sent by Zelda to bring Nayru back to Hyrule for protection, meets Link when she finds she cannot move a large rock with the Mark of the Hero upon it: Link moves this with ease. However, Veran, Sorceress of Shadow, had possessed Impa. Veran transfers herself into Nayru, leaving Impa's body. After Nayru is kidnapped, she puts all her trust in Link to save Labrynna.

Impa is the trusted nursemaid of Princess Zelda in Oracle of Seasons, and she has been sent to bring the Oracle of Seasons away from the dangers that threaten her in Holodrum, and take her back to Hyrule. After Din is captured by Onox, she puts all her trust into Link, as he bears the mark of a Hylian hero. In a non-Linked Game, Impa is nothing more than the cook of the Troupe of Performers accompanied by Din at the beginning of the game.

The Legend of Zelda
In both The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, Impa only appears in the game manuals. When Hyrule was under attack by Ganon's forces in The Legend of Zelda, Princess Zelda ordered her old nursemaid Impa to secretly flee and find the one who could save them. Ganon soon found out and sent his men after Impa. Though she managed to stay out of their reach for a long time, she was eventually captured. However, she was saved by a strange boy who managed to chase away Ganon's henchmen. Knowing that this was the one she had been looking for, Impa told him the whole story and asked him to go save Princess Zelda.

The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, several seasons passed since Ganon was defeated by Link in The Legend of Zelda and Impa had resumed her normal duties. One day, Link came to her because he worries about a strange mark that had appeared on his hand. When Impa saw the mark, she was initially startled, but quickly regained her composure. She then took Link to a door in North Castle that only the members of her family knew how to open. In the room behind the door lay a princess of Hyrule from ancient times and before Link could ask any questions, Impa told the princess' story. When she was done telling, she picked up six crystals and a scroll lying on a stand next to the altar and gave them to Link. She explained that these items were handed down in her family for generations while waiting for the one who was chosen by destiny to save the princess. She implored Link to follow his destiny and save the princess, to which he agreed.

The Wind Waker
While no Impa appears in the flesh during the events of The Wind Waker, one of the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's basement depicts the image of the Impa from the events of Ocarina of Time, along with the other sages associated with her. A variation of the Sheikah eye is depicted directly above her.

The Legend of Zelda comic
Impa's appearance in the Legend of Zelda comic is very similar to that of her The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link depiction, and she only briefly appears in three stories out of the twelve featured in the comic, including He Also Serves, Day of the Triforce, and Choices. She is Princess Zelda's nursemaid and is wise in all things concerning the land of Hyrule and the Triforce. Because of this, her advice to Link and Zelda is crucial in their quest to protect the kingdom from Ganon. In He Also Serves, Impa is the one that warns Link, through the prophetic words of the  Triforce of Wisdom, that Hyrule could fall at the hands of Ganon if the  young hero leaves the North Palace to accompany the princess to another town in the kingdom. She also explains to Zelda that the Triforce of Wisdom cannot be used as a weapon, but instead as guidance to be able to wield the sacred Silver Arrow. When Zelda goes to Impa and worriedly tells her that the Triforce of Wisdom has disappeared, Impa explains to her that it is because the Day of the Triforce has arrived, which causes all three Triforce pieces to disappear for one day every decade.

The Shadow Prince
In The Shadow Prince, Impa appears once again serving as Princess Zelda's nursemaid, portrayed as an elderly woman. She plays a major role in the book since it is through her wise words that Link is able to discover Charles's true identity. She is first introduced in the book when Link and Charles are having the archery match. Just as Link is choosing the arrow that he will use for the match, Impa walks towards him and tells him to use the Green Arrow that she puts in his hand, saying it is enchanted with magic. After the Green Arrow lands way off the bulls-eye, Impa warns the young hero that Charles is in possession of strong magic.

Throughout the book, Link often goes to Impa for advice to consult about his next step. At one point, Impa suggests to him that he should have patience and not defy Charles before he learns of his true identity. She then sends him off to the Water Town of Saria to retrieve the Mirror of Truth and gives the young hero the Golden Whistle in case he may need it, the former being the item that will ultimately help lead to Charles's defeat.

Oracle of Ages manga
In the Oracle of Ages manga, Impa is shown to possess almost superhuman strength, being able to carry a cow over her head with relative ease, despite it annoying her greatly.

Trivia

 * While the Impa who appears in the manual of the first two games did not have the Sheikah red eyes, this is a retcon, it having been confirmed by Hyrule Historia that she is indeed a Sheikah.
 * Their name comes from the word "impart" since the original Impa imparts the legend of Sleeping Zelda in the second game.