Stalfos

Stalfos are recurring enemies in. They are skeletal knights or soldiers common to dungeons and tombs. Stalfos vary differently in appearance and behavior in each installment, but generally share similar traits as undead enemies wielding Swords and sometimes Shields, or as athletic skeletons that attack with their bones or even skulls.

In the 2D Zelda games, Stalfos are usually depicted as common, weak enemies. Often they will jump away to evade Link's Sword when he attempts to swipe at them with it, and others may even throw their bones at him to retaliate. In the 3D console Zelda games, Stalfos are instead depicted as elite enemies or even mini-bosses, who skillfully wield weapons they use to attack Link with. These Stalfos usually take much more effort to take down.

Numerous variants of Stalfos, and other similar skeletal enemies, have appeared throughout the series. Notable variants include the Parutamu, Stalfos Knights, Shrouded Stalfos, Stalchildren, Big Dark Stalfos, and Staltroop. Several Stalfos bosses have also appeared, including Master Stalfos, Igos du Ikana, Blue Stalfos, Stalmaster, and several others.

In many games, particularly the 2D-styled Zelda games, Gibdos can have their bandages burned away to reveal a Stalfos underneath.

The Legend of Zelda
In, Stalfos appear as common enemies in dungeons that wield dual swords. They appear in the Eagle and the Demon dungeons. In the Second Quest, they appear in the Eagle, Manji, and Lion dungeons. They are weak monsters that wander in a random path, and can be killed in a single strike with even the weakest of Link's Swords. The Stalfos in the Second Quest are slightly different as they can shoot Sword Beams.

The Adventure of Link
In, Stalfos appear wielding a sword and a basic shield. They use their shield to block Link's attacks from their upper body, however as they do not move their shields, their legs are vulnerable to attacks while crouching. Some Stalfos fall from above and attempt to attack Link with a Down Thrust. Red and blue Stalfos appear, with the blue variant being the stronger one. They appear in the Parapa Palace, Midoro Palace and Palace on the Sea.

An even stronger variant, called a Parutamu, also appears. These warriors look and fight identically to the Stalfos, but wear horned helmets. Red and blue Parutamu appear.

A Link to the Past
In, Stalfos appear in dungeons in both the Light World and the Dark World, with the earliest being the Eastern Palace. Stalfos differ from their previous incarnations as they no longer wield weapons, and instead, most are able to jump into the air whenever Link tries to swipe at them with his Sword, dodging his attack. Stalfos in A Link to the Past also vary with different characteristics, as indicated by the color of their skull. Blue Stalfos are the most simple, as they will only attempt to jump away from Link's attacks. They can be defeated with very quick Sword strikes, especially when they are cornered to a wall, although it usually takes a couple strikes to defeat them. They can also be defeated instantly by picking up and throwing a nearby pot at them, which they will not dodge.

Yellow Stalfos are much different as they detach and throw their skulls at Link to attack. These skulls fly through the air and cannot be destroyed, and must simply be avoided. These Stalfos will not attempt to jump away from Link's attacks, and will instead crumble to a pile of bones when hit. If let alone, their bodies will fly away. Red Stalfos behave similarly to blue Stalfos as they will jump from Link's attacks, but will also retaliate by throwing bones at him. Green Stalfos are nothing more but floating skulls. They will slowly float towards Link, but unlike the yellow Stalfos, their heads can be defeated. in Turtle Rock, their heads appear yellow.

A much bigger variant, known as Stalfos Knights, appear in the Ice Palace and the Palace of the Four Sword.

Link's Awakening
In, Stalfos appear in two distinct varities: normal Stalfos and Shrouded Stalfos, the latter which also comes in another variant known as Sword Stalfos. Ordinary Stalfos behave like the Stalfos of A Link to the Past, as they possess the ability to jump away. The most basic Stalfos will only dodge Link's attacks, but other types with different characteristics are later encountered. Other Stalfos will actively pursue Link and jump in an attempt to crash down on him from above. Another type throws their bones at him, in addition to jumping away.

In Catfish's Maw, a Stalfos called Master Stalfos appears as one of the dungeon's mini-bosses, and is encountered four times. This Stalfos moves to a different room each time it is defeated, and drops the Hookshot once it is defeated the fourth time.

Ocarina of Time


In, Stalfos appear as armored soldiers carrying a sword and a shield. They are skilled sword masters, who are able to block Link's attacks with their shield and retaliate with a powerful Jump Attack. Often they are encountered in pairs or small groups. Link can attack Stalfos by striking their unprotected backsides, especially after dodging their attack which leaves the Stalfos vulnerable. Stalfos are also susceptible to Deku Nuts, which will briefly stun them and allow Link an easy opportunity to strike. They typically take several hits of the Master Sword to defeat.

Stalfos appear in the Forest Temple, where Link faces a pair in one room, and later a group of three in another. This later group will crumble into a pile of bones once defeated, requiring that Link defeat all of them before they can regenerate. Stalfos also appear in the Shadow Temple, Spirit Temple, Gerudo Training Ground, and Ganon's Castle. In, they also appear in the Fire Temple, Water Temple, and the Ice Cavern.

According to Fado, anyone who gets lost in the Lost Woods becomes a Stalfos.

In addition to the Stalfos soldiers, Stalchildren also appear as enemies in Hyrule Field during the time that Link is a child.



Majora's Mask
In, Stalfos are the long-dead skeleton knights of the Ikana Kingdom. Link faces Igos du Ikana and his his inside Ikana Castle. Both knights fight similarly to the Stalfos of Ocarina of Time, however, when defeated, their bodies will crumble and eventually regenerate. To defeat both soldiers, Link must use Fire Arrows to burn away the curtains that blot out the light, and reflect that light with his Mirror Shield onto their remains. Once they are defeated, Igos du Ikana challenges Link himself.

Skull Keeta, the captain of the Stalchildren, served under Igos du Ikana.

Oracle series
In the, Stalfos, Shrouded Stalfos and Sword Stalfos all appear, and look and behave much like their Link's Awakening counterparts. The ordinary Stalfos are slightly more diverse, and are distinguished by their coloration.

Blue-colored Stalfos are the most basic Stalfos who simply walk around and pose little threat. Orange Stalfos, however, act more like their Link's Awakening counterpart as they will jump to avoid Link's attacks, and have the ability to toss bones at him. Red Stalfos will also jump to avoid Link, but do not throw bones. Green-colored Stalfos are more aggressive and will attempt to jump and land on top of Link. The red and green varieties exclusively appear in, which features all four colored Stalfos. Gibdos can have their bandages burned by Ember Seeds to reveal an orange Stalfos.

In, a unique Blue Stalfos appears as the mini-boss of the Ancient Tomb.

Four Swords
In, Stalfos appear in various stages. They attack by throwing their bones at the Links. Their movement is slow and their defenses are not particularly strong, but they are able to leap out of the way of the Links' attacks. They commonly appear in small groups and are particularly prolific in areas with lava, such as Death Mountain.

The Wind Waker


In, Stalfos appear as large skeletons wielding heavy clubs. Stalfos attack by swinging their clubs around, but because of how heavy they are, they are often left vulnerable while trying to lift it. After attacking them enough times with the Sword, they fall apart to pieces and their head jumps around. Eventually their body will regenerate, but if the head is struck enough times, it will be defeated. Once defeated, their club can be picked up and used against other enemies. Stalfos can be made to immediately crumble if a Bomb is detonated near them, and they can be instantly destroyed by smashing their head with the Skull Hammer.

These Stalfos first appear as the mini-bosses of the Earth Temple, where Link faces a group of three. They also appear inside the Wind Temple, Ghost Ship, Savage Labyrinth, and Ganon's Tower.

Four Swords Adventures
features two types of Stalfos: ordinary Stalfos, as well Big Dark Stalfos; the latter being a significantly larger Stalfos carrying a sword, which are fought as bosses. Like previous incarnations, ordinary Stalfos will jump from the Links' attacks. They can be cornered by the Links to make fighting them easier. Big Dark Stalfos are in actuality the Knights of Hyrule, who were cursed and transformed by Ganon. A smaller variety of the Big Dark Stalfos is also encountered, which are ordinary Stalfos warriors who are not the Knights of Hyrule.

The Minish Cap
In, Stalfos appear in blue and red varieties. The blue variety jumps to dodge Link's attacks, and will also attempt to jump onto him. The red ones throw bones as their primary weapon. If the Gust Jar is used on them, it will remove their heads and cause the Stalfos to walk blindly. They will stop attacking Link and jumping away from his attacks. If a Gibdo's bandages are burned with the Lantern, they are revealed to be Stalfos underneath.

Twilight Princess


Like Ocarina of Time, Stalfos in wield swords and carry shields. They use their shields to block Link's attacks, leaving only their unprotected sides vulnerable. However, Link can perform a Shield Bash to leave them open for an attack. Once vulnerable, Link can then perform a Helm Splitter to break them apart. When they are defeated, they become a pile of bones and will eventually regenerate if left alone. To completely destroy them, Link must place a Bomb near their remains to demolish them, or shoot a Bomb Arrow at them. It is also possible to destroy a Stalfos while it is whole by shooting a Bomb Arrow at it while it is open to attack. After the Ball and Chain is acquired, it can be used to destroy Stalfos instead of bombs. They are frequently encountered in Arbiter's Grounds, and later appear in Hyrule Castle and the Cave of Ordeals.

In addition to these Stalfos, several other skeletal enemies are encountered, including Stalhounds, Stalkins and Staltroops. Stallord is a giant, dragon-like skeletal beast that is fought as the boss of Arbiter's Grounds.

Phantom Hourglass
In, Stalfos appear in two variants. The common variety initially appear as a pile of bones on the ground, but emerge and become whole when Link approaches near. They attack by throwing bones at him, and will jump away when Link attempts to swipe at them. The Stalfos can be defeated by performing several quick Jump Attacks against them. Alternately, they can also be defeated instantly by throwing Bombs at them.

Stalfos Warriors are an armored variant carrying swords. Like the common variety, they rise when Link approaches. They are far more aggressive and attack Link by repeatedly swinging their swords at him. They will also jump away if Link tries to strike back. They can only be defeated by throwing Bombs at them.

Spirit Tracks
In, both common and Stalfos Warriors appear, and are the same as in Phantom Hourglass. They are especially common to the Sand Temple, where some of the Stalfos may rise from certain sand pits.

A giant Stalfos skull, Skeldritch, is fought as the boss of the Sand Temple.

Skyward Sword


In SS undefined, Stalfos appear as armed warriors wielding a pair of swords. Like the Stalfos of previous 3D console games, they are skilled swordmasters who, in absense of a shield, use their swords to block Link's attacks in addition to attacking him with powerful strikes and blows. Stalfos hold their swords either vertically or horizontally, which will block Link's sword if he attempts to strike them from adjacent angles. When held vertically, their swords will block attacks from the side, and when held horizontally, they block strikes coming up or down. The Stalfos will alternate between the two. They can be damaged by striking them from an angle between their blades where their fronts are unprotected. Stalfos can also be attacked by bashing into them with Link's shield as they move to attack, which will break off their arms and allow for several strikes. Their arms will soon regenerate, however. A Stalfos first appears as the mini-boss of the Skyview Temple. They also later appear in the Sky Keep, and are summoned by Ghirahim during the Horde Battle.

Stalmaster, a four-armed Stalfos carrying an assortment of weapons, appears as the mini-boss of Ancient Cistern and as one of the mini-bosses of Sky Temple. Scervo and Dreadfuse are robotic, skeletal-like enemies that are closely similar to Stalfos, and are fought in the Sandship and Sky Keep as mini-bosses, respectively.

A Link Between Worlds
In, Stalfos are closely based on those from A Link to the Past, however, only two types exist. Common Stalfos will repeatedly jump from Link's attacks. They are a little more aggressive than their past incarnation as they will also pursue after Link. In certain dungeon rooms where Link is required to fight them, they first appear as piles of bones and rise the moment Link enters. Red-colored Stalfos throw their bones at Link as well.

Tri Force Heroes
Stalfos in behave mostly the same as in A Link Between Worlds. They come in both the basic and the red-colored, bone-throwing variety, although the latter is less common. When they see the Links, they will charge after them. A Stalfos will evade the Links' attacks, but will jump over them and land behind them as opposed to away from them, in an attempt to attack from behind. They are able to evade most weapons, with the exception of the Fire Gloves, which deals minimal damage against them. Stalfos can easily be defeated when cornered by the Links. They are common enemies to The Dunes and The Ruins. The bandages of a Gibdo can be burned away with the Fire Gloves or pulled away with the Gripshot to reveal a Stalfos.

In the Den of Trials, a "dark" variant of the Stalfos appears in the Desert Zone, Shadow Zone and Baneful Zone. These Stalfos throw balls of dark energy, which will briefly curse the Links to prevent them from using their Sword or other items if they are hit. Some of these Stalfos also ride "dark" Totem Armos as well.

A giant Stalfos, Stalchampion, appears as the boss of the Desert Temple.

Game & Watch Zelda
In, Stalfos hide themselves beneath the platform Link is on and attack from below. However, their attacks are slow and in a sweeping motion, making them easy to dodge. Between one and four Stalfos appear on each floor. They cannot be attacked by Link.

Link's Crossbow Training
In, Stalfos appear in various Defender-type stages. Several of them hold shields much like their Twilight Princess counterparts. Their shields can be shot several times to be destroyed, allowing the Stalfos to be hit. The shield can also be destroyed with a single Bomb Arrow.



Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
In, the boss known as Captain Stalfos is the leader of a troupe of skeleton pirates. Although he shares his name with Stalfos, his crew members are not Stalfos, and are generally friendly.

Animated Series
In The Legend of Zelda animated series, Stalfos appear as one of Ganon's most common soldiers. For the most part, Ganon uses the Stalfos to carry him around on a platform since his teleportation powers are limited in the overworld. In "The Ringer," Ganon disguises several Stalfos in cloaks so that they may transport him to the Magician's Contest, and in "The Missing Link," Ganon arrives to North Castle with Stalfos carrying him once again. Unlike the games, Stalfos can be seen wielding a variety of weapons such as, , , , , and the usual , out of which they can shoot Sword Beams from. Stalfos seem to be able to withdraw Bombs from their chest any time they please, as seen in "The Ringer" and in "The Missing Link." They usually attack in groups, although Link easily defeats them with just one Zap from his Crissword.

Like all of Ganon's minions, Stalfos are capable of speaking and have a rough, raspy voice. They appear in seven episodes out of the thirteen total: "The Ringer," "Sing for the Unicorn," "Doppelganger," "Stinging a Stinger," "Hitch in the Works," "The Missing Link," and "The Moblins are Revolting."

Captain N: The Game Master
Stalfos appear in two episodes of Captain N: The Game Master. Like in the Zelda animated series, they are capable of speaking, although they are only heard in one episode. In "Quest for the Potion of Power," Link fights and defeats two Stalfos as he, Princess Zelda, and Kevin are making their way through the Parapa Palace. Stalfos also appear in "Having a Ball," where they confront Link, Zelda, Kevin, and Princess Lana while they are in the desert. However, they pose no real threat to the heroes since Kevin and Link easily dispose of them using the Zapper and the Sword, respectively.

The Legend of Zelda Comic
Stalfos make several appearances throughout the issues of The Legend of Zelda comic published by Valiant Comics. They first appear in "To the First Power" as one of the enemies that capture Link under the orders of a Wizzrobe. They appear again in "Queen of Hearts," where they battle against Link and Queen Seline to keep them from breaking the magic container that will give the queen her magical powers back. Stalfos are last seen as one of the monsters ambushing Princess Zelda after she fails in defeating Ganon in "Day of the Triforce."

The Shadow Prince
In The Shadow Prince, Princess Zelda, Link, and Charles of Moria encounter Stalfos when they accidentally fall into the Underground Tunnel, which is a maze infested with these skeletal warriors. After the fall, Link notices a piece of paper sticking out of a rock and tells Zelda and Charles he has found a map, hoping that it is not fake.

If Link thinks the map is fake, he will throw it away and tell Zelda and Charles to follow him. With the Stalfos pursuing them, Link tries to get the group out of the tunnel, but he trips on a Stalfos since the tunnel is so dark. The page ends with a Game Over as Zelda cries to Link saying that he picked the wrong path, claiming that they will die at the hands of the Stalfos.

However, if Link decides that the map is real, he will tell Zelda and Charles to follow him after examining the routes just as the Stalfos begin to approach them. Eventually, they safely exit back out to the woods, leaving the Stalfos howling at the end of the tunnel.

Philips CD-i Games
Stalfos appear as enemies wielding swords in, , and. Although armed, they are generally weak enemies. In The Faces of Evil, a stronger variant called Fire Stalfos also appears, which has the ability to shoot fireballs from their swords.

In The Faces of Evil, Goronu raises these skeletal warriors from the dead and sends them to find and kill the living. He calls them "Sleepy Bones", a term actually used to refer to someone lazy. They are given armor and swords to fight with as they reanimate.

In Zelda's Adventure, Stalfos are only encountered in the Shrine of Illusion.



A Link to the Past Comic
In the A Link to the Past comic, two Stalfos appear in the Ice Palace. When Link asks Kholdstare that he let him see the map of the Dark World, Kholdstare refuses and unleashes two Stalfos to attack Link. When the young hero sees that they keep re-spawning even after defeating them, he begins  to focus his power on the Master Sword, whose power causes for the Stalfos to be permanently defeated.

Ocarina of Time Manga
In the, a Stalfos warrior named Stallord appears, who commands an army of Stalfos belonging to Ganondorf. Link later combats Stallord seven years later as an adult and defeats him, reducing him to just a floating, disembodied head. Stallord then flies away to report to Ganondorf about the Hero of Time's arrival.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
In, Stalfos in their Ocarina of Time incarnation appear as enemies. In the Nintendo 3DS version of the game, they appear in the mode. In the Wii U version, shadowy Stalfos appear inside the. They are powerful enemies who can parry most attacks with their shields and deal heavy damage with sword slashes. They are vulnerable to attacks from above, below, and behind them. Stalfos can be grabbed in the Wii U version, but cannot in the 3DS version.

Stalfos also appear as a Trophy in the Nintendo 3DS version of the game.

Trivia

 * Stalfos in their Ocarina of Time incarnation appear as Captains in ; however, they are incorrectly referred to as Stalchild Captains.

Etymology
Stalfos is both singular and plural. Their name is a of "stal-" and "fos," meaning "skeletal humanoid."