Sheikah

"Have you heard the legend of the "Shadow Folk"? They are the Sheikah...the shadows of the Hylians. They say they swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule and guarded the Royal Family..."

- Old Man

The Sheikah (シーカー Shīkā), or Shadow Folk, are a secretive, magical race devoted to the Great Goddesses and the Royal Family of Hyrule. They are a warrior race known for their skill in magic, earning the epithet "Shadows of the Hylians." Much mystery surrounds this race, as only three of its known members are depicted in the games, leaving room for speculation regarding their race's history. It is known, however, that they were the founders of Kakariko Village and are implied to have constructed the Shadow Temple. In ancient times, the Sheikah tribe maintained contact with the Oocca. Zelda's nursemaid Impa is a Sheikah and the Sage of Shadow. Their race's Eye Symbol has constantly reappeared throughout the series, even in games which do not feature the Sheikah themselves, only adding to the mystery surrounding their race. The Sheikah are recognized by their distinctive red eyes, and the Sheikah emblem they usually wear.

Ocarina of Time


Ocarina of Time was the game in the series that introduced the Sheikah. The members of the race were considered outcasts in Hyrule, feared by the other denizens of the land. Ocarina of Time begins at a time when very few members of the Sheikah tribe remain. It is implied that they were nearly wiped out defending the Hylian royalty during the Hyrulean Civil War a short time before the events of the game. The primary member of the tribe featured in the game is Impa, the tall, athletic female attendant and guardian of Princess Zelda. She sports the characteristic red eyes and pointed ears that are identifying features of the Sheikah tribe. She is also shown to exhibit the ability to vanish in a flash of light literally in the blink of an eye, hinting at the agility and combative prowess of her tribe. Likewise, a Sheikah named Sheik (secretly the alter ego of Princess Zelda) is featured in the second half of the game, where the young shadow warrior boasts many of the same abilities and characteristics as Impa and assists the Hero of Time in locating each of the five temples located throughout Hyrule to awaken each of the Sages.

Sheik tells Link the legend of the temples, an ancient Sheikah prophecy about the Sages This legend may suggest that the Sheikah are more than the hidden protectors of the Royal Family, but the guardians of the whole realm of Hyrule. One of the Sages awakened by Link on his quest is Impa, who becomes Sage of Shadow.

Several Sheikah artifacts appear in the game, such as the Lens of Truth, the Mask of Truth, and the Gossip Stones.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess Impaz, who lives in Hidden Village (also known as "Old Kakariko") is implied to be Sheikah.

When Ilia was kidnapped, Impaz became friends with her and later helped Ilia to escape. Later in the game, Link comes to visit the Hidden Village and finds it overrun by Bulbins. At first she mistook Link for a Bulbin, but after Link had purged the village of the beasts she let him into her house. Impaz recognized Link by the stories Ilia had told her about him. Pleased by Ilia's safety, Impaz requested that Link return Ilia's Charm to her. Soon after delivering the charm, Link came back to the Hidden Village to ask Impaz about the Dominion Rod which had mysteriously lost its power. Impaz was thrilled to see Link in possession of the rod, meaning that Link was the "messenger to the heavens" and that Impaz would have done her duty and be free to leave the Hidden Villiage. Impaz gave Link the Ancient Sky Book, saying that her meeting with Ilia must have been "ordained by the gods."

The Hidden Village is likely an old Sheikah settlement. Impaz mentions that the village was once inhabited by a proud race that served the Royal Family, but fell into disarray and became infested with monsters. She is named for the founder of the village, Impa. A minor character, Madame Fanadi the fortune teller, is also implied to be Sheikah. She wears the Sheikah emblem on her forehead and has the race's characteristic red eyes. She is also skilled in magic, as the Sheikah were said to be.

Verified Sheikah
The only verified Sheikah is Impa, Princess Zelda's caretaker and the Sage of the Shadow Temple. Zelda also disguises herself as the faux-Sheikah "Sheik", but it is unknown whether she actually took the form of a Sheikah, if she has Sheikah heritage, or she merely used a conventional disguise. As "Sheik", she has dark blonde hair, red eyes, and wears a prominent Sheikah emblem.

Possible Sheikah
There are many characters throughout the series who have characteristics similar to the Sheikah.


 * Princess Zelda disguises herself as Sheik in Ocarina of Time, and wears the Sheikah emblem in Twilight Princess. Also, in The Wind Waker, it is said that her pirates conquered the Forsaken Fortress some time ago, and the Sheikah emblem is seen inside the room at the top.
 * The Happy Mask Salesman seems to have red eyes (when angered), but they appear to just be bloodshot.
 * Kafei, from Majora's Mask, has the distinctive red eyes.
 * Impaz, the caretaker of the Ancient Sky Book and Old Kakariko from Twilight Princess, specifically claims that she is a descendant of and is named after the woman who founded the town and protected the Royal Family. This seems to be a reference to Impa.
 * Baito, the human mailman from The Wind Waker, has the Sheikah emblem tattooed on his back.
 * Madame Fanadi, the fortuneteller from Twilight Princess, has the distinctive red eyes and wears the Sheikah emblem on her forehead.