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 A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Minish Cap and Spirit Tracks.

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. At the beginning of the game, various friendly soldiers wearing golden armor can be seen prior to them losing their minds as a result of Agahnim's magic. These soldiers all disappear after Link rescues Zelda from the castle dungeon, and Link never encounters the ones wearing the golden armor as hostile soldiers after their disappearance. 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. One of the most commonly missed scenes in the game takes place in the Back Alley of Hyrule Castle Town. He tells Young Link of the overthrow of the Royal Family, and Ganondorf's takeover of the palace, and passes away. This scene is only available before Link goes into the future, and after he collects all 3 Spiritual Stones, and sees the scene involving the obtaining of the Ocarina of Time.

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 four 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 Hylian 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 grants him the ability to be invisible to enemies. There is also another guard seen with Captain 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. Guards are classified by weaponry and they include the archer, ball & chain trooper, bomber, and swordsmen varieties.

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, the vassal guards 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 shaman 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 initial 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
In Spirit Tracks, the Castle Guards are seen donning a forest green outfit, and a spear or melee weapon in one of their hands. There are two types of Castle Guard in Spirit Tracks: the rudimentary guard, and the new recruit, the latter of which is dressed in garb similar to the Hero of Winds. Since the game takes place one century after the arrival of the Hero of Winds and Tetra's pirates in the region, it can be concluded that Tetra honored the Link of her time period by making his uniform the equipment necessary to protect the royal family. Very similar to the guards of Ocarina of Time, Link must avoid them using stealth to reach Princess Zelda during their escape to the Tower of Spirits from the courtyard of Hyrule Castle, while wearing his trademark green tunic; ironically, this tunic, though the staple for Link, also is used to distract the Guards into thinking Link is a new recruit while Zelda slips past them in the courtyard. After this event, the Guards regard Link as they would each other and allow him to pass freely through the castle at his leisure.

In the same vein as Orca in The Wind Waker, a few selected guards train Link in the art of swordfighting in the captain's chamber at the castle's rear, rewarding him in the same fashion dependent on the amount of hits he is able to land on them while keeping steady the three blows he is able to receive.

Notable Guards

 * Captain Krin is a Soldier Captain who appears in the Valiant Comics.
 * Link's Father was a loyal castle guard who died trying to defend the king from rebels, according to a comic based on Ocarina of Time.
 * After Link witnesses Zelda and Impa being chased by Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time, if he goes to Hyrule Castle Town's Back Alley, he can see a Wounded Soldier who tells 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..."
 * Death Mountain Trail Guard is the guard at the gate to the Death Mountain Trail in Ocarina of Time. Link can sell him the Keaton Mask.
 * Captain Viscen is the Captain of the Clock Town Guards in Majora's Mask. On all three days of the cycle, he can be seen in the Mayor's office arguing with the carpenters.
 * Shiro is an injured Guard in Ikana Canyon in Majora's Mask. Link must give him a red or Blue Potion to heal him.
 * Guard Captain Russell is the captain of the Guard during the time of Spirit Tracks. He teaches Link how to use a sword and also gives Link the sword he would use for the majority of the game.