Zora

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This article refers to the friendly Sea Zora race. For the enemy variety, see River Zora.

Template:Species Zoras (pronounced /ˈzɔːɹə/ ZAW-rə),[1] or Sea Zoras, are a race of hospitable ocean-dwelling creatures who are common in the 3D Zelda games. Zoras are normally found near or in large bodies of water. Their skin color lies in the white-blue-gray area, although brown/red also is a possible, though seemingly rarer variant. Most individuals (but not all) have fins attached to their arms and a tail at the back of their head (making their head alone look like a fish). The females have breasts, even though the species was shown to lay eggs in Majora's Mask,[2] though this could simply be a design tool to help distinguish between the sexes.

More commonly, the Sea Zoras are simply called Zoras. This name was taken from an older aquatic race, the River Zora, who also are more commonly called Zora. In fact, the name Zora was the original name of both races. Because the two races each have their own domain within the series (the River Zoras almost solely appear in the 2D games, while the Sea Zoras almost solely appear in the 3D games), there was no need to distinguish between the two races by name for a long time. Oracle of Ages is the first and only game to feature both species and as such introduced the races' more specific names.[3]

Appearances

Ocarina of Time

A Zora as seen in Template:OOT
A Zora as seen in Template:OOT

Template:OOT was the first appearance of the Sea Zoras. All of the Zoras live in Zora's Domain and have easy access to Lake Hylia.[4] Lord Jabu-Jabu serves as their patron deity[5] and the Hyrulean Sea Zoras are led by King Zora. The latter has a daughter, Princess Ruto, who is in charge of preparing Jabu-Jabu's meals. As a child, Link visited the domain and saved her from inside Jabu-Jabu's belly, where she had ended up due to Jabu-Jabu being cursed by Ganondorf. As a reward, he received the Zora's Sapphire, a special stone that the Zoras protected.[6] The Sea Zoras have been allies to the Royal Family for years.[7]

Seven years later, Morpha caused Zora's Domain and almost all of its residents to become covered in ice.[8] Sheik managed to rescue Princess Ruto,[9] but it was Link who destroyed the evil inside of the Water Temple and thus saved Zora's Domain. However, Zora's Domain never recovered in-game. Only during the ending can it be seen that the Zoras indeed are safe.

Majora's Mask

File:Indigo-gos.png
The Indigo-Go's

Majora's Mask is the first and only The Legend of Zelda title that allows the player to take control of a Sea Zora. By using the Zora Mask, Link can assume the form of Mikau, a now deceased sea Zora, and become Zora Link.[10] Many biological aspects of the Sea Zoras were revealed this way, such as that those Zora who possess magic are capable of creating an electric barrier around them and that some are capable of using their arm fins as Boomerangs.[11] It was also revealed that Sea Zoras lay eggs. These eggs hatch one to three days after they are laid,[12] provided that the water they lie in is of a proper temperature[13] and that the eggs that were laid at the same time are together.[14] The Zora in this game are also notably more technologically advanced than in the other games, having built the Great Bay Temple, a huge waterworks factory[15] and having a famous Jazz band called The Indigo-Go's.[16] They also have their own writing system.[17] Their home is Zora Hall in Zora Cape of Great Bay.

Oracle of Ages

File:King Zora Present.png
File:Old Zora.png
File:Zora OOX.png

The Sea Zoras have a village in the western areas of the oceans south of Labrynna. One Sea Zora in the village mentions the evil River Zora, making clear the two races have no social connections to each other.[3] Like in Template:OOT, the Sea Zora have a patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. In the Present, the King Zora is deceased. Unfortunately, Link cannot enter Lord Jabu-Jabu without the King's consent. In the Past, the King is mortally ill. He can be cured with a Potion, found either by bumping into Maple, through a Gasha Seed, or by purchasing one from Syrup. When Link gives the King Zora the potion, he becomes well, and he survives to the Present. Jabu-Jabu is too small to enter in the Past, so Link must go there in the Present.

File:TWW Laruto.png

The Wind Waker

Main article: Rito

The only actual Zora that makes an appearance in The Wind Waker is Laruto, the deceased Sage of Earth.[18] It had been a long time since Laruto was alive and Link only meets her spirit, who tells her to find her descendant, Medli.[19] Zoras evolved into the Ritos, thus they are absent in The Wind Waker.[20]

Princess Ruto does not appear in The Wind Waker, but one of the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's basement depicts her.

Twilight Princess

A Zora Soldier as seen in Twilight Princess
A Zora Soldier as seen in Twilight Princess

In Twilight Princess, Sea Zoras appear once again. When Wolf Link arrives at Telma's Bar in Hyrule Castle Town, he finds Ilia with a Zora boy who is facing death. Upon arriving in Zora's Domain, Link finds that it is frozen (much as it was during Template:OOT), with all the Zoras visible in the ice. During a conversation there with the spirit of the Zora Queen Rutela, Link is told that if he can help her find her son, Prince Ralis, and bring him back to the Domain, she will aid him in his quest.[21]

After restoring light to Lanayru Province, Link helped Telma and Ilia to take the Zora prince to Kakariko Village, where Renado would heal him. After Ralis was saved, the Zora Queen made another appearance. She guided Link to her husband's grave and he received the Zora Armor, which has a similar function to the Zora Tunic in Ocarina of Time, but actually enables Link the ability to swim underwater similar to Majora's Mask's Zora Mask.

After completing the Lakebed Temple, Sea Zoras can be found in Death Mountain's hot springs, in Lake Hylia, and of course Zora's Domain and River.

Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks

There are no sea Zoras in Phantom Hourglass, but there are a couple Treasures that make reference to the Zoras of Ocarina of Time: the Ruto Crown and the Zora Scale.

Likewise, Spirit Tracks does not feature any sea Zoras as characters. The Ruto Crown is also present as a treasure item, although the Zora Scale is no longer available.

Ambiguously Canon Appearances

Madame Scratchcard's scratchcard featuring a Zora in the center
Ambiguously Canon Information

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

While the sea Zoras do not appear in person in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, there is a reference to their existence. The landmarks Fish Head (Cape Treasure) and Muddy Fish Head (Gooey Swamp) both are statues resembling a sea Zora's head.

A Zora is also depicted on Madame Scratchcard's scratchcards.

Non-canon Appearances

Non-Canon Information

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Zoras appear as a Trophy and a Sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Trophy Information

Game Image Description How to Unlock
Super Smash Bros. Brawl File:Zora Trophy.png An aquatic creature. Most of a Zora's life is spent in the water but the creatures also can live on land for limited time periods. In Twilight Princess, King Zora is already dead and succeeded by Prince Ralis. Clothing made by the late King Zora allows non-Zoras to breathe underwater. Random

Sticker Information

Name Image Artwork from Effect in The Subspace Emissary Usable by
Zora File:Zora Sticker.png Ocarina of Time Launch Resistance +31 All

Trivia

  • The role of the sea Zoras in Ocarina of Time is based on the role of the river Zoras in A Link to the Past, suggesting the friendly Zoras were originally meant as a reinterpretation of the enemy version. As in A Link to the Past, the Zoras are led by a significantly larger Zora by the title of King Zora, who provides Link with a Zora item designed to make water-based terrain accessible to non-Zoras. Zora's Lake had been planned to be included, but has probably been converted during production in Zora's Domain and/or Zora's Fountain, which are still home to the Zoras and provide water to Zora's River and Lake Hylia.
  • The names "Sea Zora" and "River Zora" are apparently only accurate in Labrynna, as "River" Zoras have been seen in the sea (in The Legend of Zelda and Link's Awakening, although the latter is dubious due to the nature of Koholint Island) and "Sea" Zoras have been seen in freshwater (in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess).

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Template:Cite web
  2. ↑ "Isn't this... a Zora egg?" — Tatl (Majora's Mask)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Don't think us noble sea Zoras the same as those savage, vulgar river Zoras!" — Zora (Oracle of Ages)
  4. ↑ "Beyond this point lies Lake Hylia. It is full of deep, pure water. The Zoras, who live all the way upstream, guard the sunken temple at the lake's bottom, as well as Zora's Fountain." — Kaepora Gaebora (Ocarina of Time)
  5. ↑ "Lord Jabu-Jabu is the patron deity of the Zoras. Princess Ruto is in charge of preparing his meals, morning and night." — Zora (Ocarina of Time)
  6. ↑ "You obtained Zora's Sapphire! This is the Spiritual Stone of Water passed down by the Zoras!" — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
  7. ↑ "The Zoras come from Zora's Domain in northeast Hyrule. An aquatic race, they are longtime allies of Hyrule's Royal Family." — Kaepora Gaebora (Ocarina of Time)
  8. ↑ "I'm sure you've already seen it! Zora's Domain--totally frozen!" — Princess Ruto (Ocarina of Time)
  9. ↑ "A young man named Sheik saved me from under the ice..." — Princess Ruto (Ocarina of Time)
  10. ↑ "Wear the mask with (C) to inhabit the body of a Zora. Press (C) again to return to normal." — N/A (Majora's Mask)
  11. ↑ Majora's Mask Manual; Page 26-27
  12. ↑ "It takes about one to three days from the time Zora Eggs are laid for them to hatch." — Old man at Great Bay (Majora's Mask)
  13. ↑ "Zora eggs are very sensitive to changes in the temperature." — [[Old man at Great Bay]] (Majora's Mask)
  14. ↑ "Zora eggs won't hatch unless all eggs that were laid at the same time are brought together." — Old man at Great Bay (Majora's Mask)
  15. ↑ "And they say when that happens, something bad will befall the Zora descendant who's been protecting the temple." — Tijo (Majora's Mask)
  16. ↑ "You came to see the Zora band, The Indigo-Go's, didn't you?" — Zora (Majora's Mask)
  17. ↑ "Can you read Zoran script?" — Tatl (Majora's Mask)
  18. ↑ "I am a Zora sage. For an age, I offered my prayers here in the Earth Temple, praying that the power to repel evil would ever remain within the Master Sword." — Laruto (The Wind Waker)
  19. ↑ "You must find the one who carries on my bloodline... The one who holds this sacred instrument..." — Laruto (The Wind Waker)
  20. ↑ Template:Cite person
  21. ↑ "Please... Would you save my dearest, Prince Ralis? If you do this thing, I will bestow upon you the protection of water." — Queen Rutela (Twilight Princess)
Names in Other Regions
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese Template:Japanese Sea Zora
Canada FrenchCA Zora Template:ExpGame
France FrenchEU Zora des mers Zora of the Seas
Germany German See-Zora
Italy Italian Zora di mare
Spain SpanishEU Zora de mar
Latin America SpanishLA Zora Template:ExpGame

Template:Races

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