Old Man

Old Man is a title given to several characters serving different functions, appearing in The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages and Seasons, and Four Swords Adventures.

The Legend of Zelda
In The Legend of Zelda, there are several Old Men across Hyrule, each serving various needs, such as supplying Link with his first sword, or giving helpful advice regarding enemies such as the Dodongo. Many helpful items can be obtained from these old men, and a mini-game can be played with them called the Money Making Game. If he is found in dungeons and is stabbed, the torches around him will fire energy blasts at Link, similar to those of a Stone Statue.

Link can receive a Letter from the old man in a northeast cave of Hyrule. When Link shows the Letter to various Old Women, they will sell him Life Potions and 2nd Potions.

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Swords
The Old Man gives Link the three swords available in the game, the Wooden Sword, White Sword, and the Magical Sword.

Dungeon Quotes
These quotes are spoken when Link meets the Old Man in a Dungeon.

Overworld Quotes
Quotes spoken in random places such as caves around Hyrule.

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The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, also known as Wise Man, one Old Man resides in each town. They teach Link useful magic once he has achieved the necessary prerequisites. These magical abilities are usually required for access to the next area that Link must travel to.

In the Great Palace, a dwarven Old Man keeps the Triforce of Courage. When Link enters the chamber of the Triforce, the Old Man stands atop a pillar and summons Shadow Link out of Link's body. When Link defeats his dark counterpart, the dwarven Old Man hands him the Triforce of Courage.

Oracle of Seasons
In Oracle of Seasons, Old Men appear in caves that Link finds using by using the shovel or burning trees using Ember Seeds. Some bribe Link not to tell anybody about their secret caves by giving him a large sum of approximately 300 Rupees. Others will thank Link, and charge him a large sum of money in order to repair their doors.

There are three special Old Men in Holodrum who differ from the rest. The first (and only required one) lives in a house in Holodrum Plain, accessible after getting the Flippers. At first, the Old Man will only mutter to himself about someone he is waiting for. After getting the first five Essences of Nature, Link must visit and speak to him once more to recieve the Round Jewel.

The second is a gold-robed Old Man living in a cave on the bottom of the river just below the Gnarled Root Dungeon, only accessable in Summer. At first, he will simply instruct Link to find and slay all four Golden Monsters; once Link has done so, he will reward him with the Red Ring.

The last one can be found in a hidden underground cavern behind the Clock Shop after beating a non-Linked game. This Old Man asks for a secret, and if this secret is retrieved from a linked game and given to him, he will upgrade Link's Noble Sword to the Master Sword (or his Wooden Sword to the Noble Sword, if applicable).

In a linked version of the game, another Old Man can be found inside the Hero's Cave.

Oracle of Ages
Only one Old Man cave is present in Oracle of Ages and is found in Rolling Ridge Base. In the past it is inhabited by a generous Old Man, who would give Link 200 rupees. On the opposite, the Old Man inhabitating it in the present would charge him 50 rupees to repair the door.

Four Swords Adventures
Old Men return in Four Swords Adventures, as spirits who will assist the four Links by giving them hints in form of bizarre remarks. One appears in the Cave of No Return, jealous over Link for having friends, something he himself never had. He informs them that they can make it over the chasm by throwing themselves over. However, it is not a given that they'll give the four Links any hints or usable information, as sometime they will just give bizarre remarks, such as the old man found at the graveyard.

The Shadow Prince
In The Shadow Prince, Link can encounter mysterious Old Man if he chooses to take the Town of Ruto detour instead of going through the Midoro Swamp as he tries to reach the Water Town of Saria. Just as he is about to arrive to Ruto, he bumps into an Old Man, who gives the young hero a key. The old man goes on to say that he shouldn't go through Ruto on his way to Saria since there is a traffic jam, and the old man disappears before Link can ask any questions.

A Link to the Past comic
In the A Link to the Past comic, an Old Man lives in the Sanctuary, replacing the Loyal Sage from the game; however, he has a short role in the comic and only appears in the first chapter. Princess Zelda, after being rescued, suggests to Link that they go to the Sanctuary and see the old man living there so that he may help them with their next move. Upon reaching the Sanctuary, the Old Man explains the consequences of Agahnim's plan: if Agahnim succeeds in opening the way to the Dark World and breaking Ganon's seal, the King of Thieves would gather his army against Hyrule. He then warns Link that he should not underestimate Agahnim if he is going to fight against him, since he can sense that an evil force is guiding the wizard's actions. The Old Man is last seen in the comic after Princess Zelda is kidnapped by Agahnim in the Sanctuary. He tells Link to not worry about him and find the Master Sword since he is the only one who can defeat the evil wizard.

Other Similar Old Men

 * Sahasrahla, Aginah, and the Lost Old Man – in A Link to the Past.
 * Ulrira – in Link's Awakening.
 * Old Man in Kakariko Village‎ – in Ocarina of Time.
 * Lake Scientist – in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.
 * Old Man Ho Ho – in The Wind Waker.
 * Sturgeon – in The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap.

Trivia

 * The Old Men share many similarities with the Wise Men from A Link to the Past. In The Adventure of Link, the daughter of the Old Man Link meets in Rauru calls them "Wise Men". Also in The Adventure of Link, there are nine Old Men: one in each of the eight towns and one keeping the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace.