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00:00Where you fight, the winds follow. I would expect nothing less from my descendant. You make me proud.
00:10Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're looking in detail at every race that has populated Hyrule throughout the Legend of
00:17Zelda.
00:18We're only looking at actual races of people, though, so no gods or any other deity-like guardians.
00:24If I may be so bold, what is it that you are planning to do next, princess?
00:32Now, before we dive in, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the
00:38bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:42Hylians are obviously the most commonly recurring people in Hyrule, counting Link, Zelda, and a ton of other characters among
00:49their numbers.
00:50Although humanoid, the most notable physical feature is their large, pointed ears, making them resemble elves from more traditional fantasy.
00:58Their origins were explained in Skyward Sword.
01:07After the three golden goddesses created all life, they left the world, entrusting its safety and that of the Triforce
01:14to a different deity, Hylia.
01:15But when demons began to attack, she placed both on a landmass and sent it into the sky.
01:28The descendants of these people are those we see living in Skyloft during the game.
01:33And after the story's events, Zelda and Link become the first of their kind to return to the surface world,
01:38which is then named after the goddess who protected them and which Zelda was the mortal reincarnation of.
01:48Since then, Hylians have been at the forefront of Hyrule's power.
01:52Not only does Zelda's mystical bloodline carry on through members of the royal family,
01:56but other Hylians have shown magical prowess over the years, seemingly either due to the race's connection to Hylia,
02:03or because of some long-forgotten link to the original Zelda on their family tree.
02:08Some magical feats other Hylians have shown over the years include the ability to send psychic messages,
02:13witchcraft like potion making, and the gift of prophecy through dreams or use of a crystal ball.
02:28Sheikah.
02:29The Sheikah tribe is an evolutionary step in Hylian genealogy.
02:33Long ago, they weren't all that different.
02:35In Skyward Sword, we're shown through Impa that her tribe stayed on the surface while the future Hylians were sent
02:40into the sky,
02:41preparing for when the goddess Hylia would be reborn.
02:50Her blonde hair and tan skin is unlike her other appearances,
02:54but in every other game, Impa and her people are much more distinct.
02:58Although they also have long pointed ears, the Sheikah have much paler skin, stark white hair, and often red eyes.
03:05Despite Hylians having different skin tones in other games, the Sheikah have always stuck to this appearance.
03:11More important to their characterization is their dedication to the royal family.
03:22Even in games where the only Sheikah shown is Impa, which is many,
03:27the Sheikah are described as fierce protectors who use shadow magic to defend the kingdom.
03:32Curiously, before Breath of the Wild, their civilization was usually shown to be on the brink of collapse,
03:37with no definitive answer given as to why.
03:39This, along with their general secretiveness, has made them a race surrounded by more mystery than the others.
03:46It has been quite a long time, Link.
03:49Pre-Hyrulean Races
03:51There were a handful of new races introduced in Skyward Sword who lived on the surface stretching back to Hylias
03:58time.
03:58However, they only appeared in this game, meaning that they must have either migrated away from Hyrule,
04:04evolved, or gone extinct sometime between this game and the next chronological entry, the Minish Cap.
04:15Although they are still forest, mountain, and water-dwelling creatures like the traditional Koroks, Gorons, and Zoras,
04:21there's no indication that they're related.
04:24First up are the Kikwe of the Farren region, a flightless bird race that uses their bush-like tails as
04:30camouflage to hide from predators.
04:31Also found in the Farren region are the Parella, resembling a jellyfish-seahorse hybrid who served the water dragon.
04:38In the Elden region, Link meets the Magma, humanoid moles who mostly live below ground and have a strong penchant
04:45for hunting treasure.
04:53We'd be remiss if we also didn't mention the ancient robots.
04:57Their existence is a mystery, though presumably created by Hylia.
05:01You could argue that they're not a race, but they play a big role in the Lanayru region's storyline,
05:06and you actually get more of their society as miners and builders than any of the others.
05:11And since Link must activate timeshift stones for them to function,
05:14it's at least obvious why this group never returned.
05:26The Sheikah aren't the only evolutionary branch of the Hylian tree.
05:30As described in Twilight Princess history, the Twilight began as a group of sorcerers long ago,
05:36who plotted to break into the Sacred Realm and steal the Triforce.
05:39To stop them, the goddesses sent spirits of light, who banished them to another realm.
05:44Over time, and in the darkness of the Twilight Realm, these Hylians evolved into the Twilight.
05:56They developed black and blue skin with glowing green markings and bright yellow eyes.
06:02Being that they originated in Hyrule, they also developed into a monarchy,
06:06and a peaceful one grown happy with their new realm.
06:10That is, until the power-hungry Zant meets Ganondorf, usurps Midna of her throne, and invades Hyrule.
06:16Midna and her people were eventually restored with Link's help,
06:19but sadly, with the way into the Twilight Realm destroyed,
06:22the Twilight have never made another appearance.
06:34Although we aren't including gods, the Zonai are more like an in-between step.
06:39Teased in Breath of the Wild, only two were then explicitly shown in Tears of the Kingdom,
06:45Rauru and Minoru, characterized by their large, floppy ears,
06:49somewhat sheep-like features, and grey skin, and a third eye in their forehead.
06:58The Zonai were an extremely advanced society of sky people living above Hyrule,
07:03who developed all kinds of technological wonders, including a variety of constructs to serve them.
07:08Since they were descended from the gods,
07:10and had been given powerful secret stones to enhance their powers,
07:13many ancient Hylians worshipped them.
07:15We all, gathered here, swear on our lives, to serve Rauru, the King of Light.
07:24The Zonai were also shown to live on the surface of Hyrule, as well as below it,
07:29with vast mining systems seen throughout the depths.
07:33Although much of Zonai history is shrouded in mystery throughout Tears of the Kingdom,
07:37including what happened to the remaining members,
07:39Hyrule Warriors' Age of Imprisonment sheds more light.
07:42The very constructs they had built to serve them wound up wiping the majority of them out,
07:47a classically tragic fate long before Rauru became King of Hyrule.
07:51A forbidden technology that delivered ruin upon this world.
07:58And now threatens to do it again.
08:03Goron.
08:04The Goron race is one of the oldest in Hyrule, both canonically and chronologically.
08:09Although they debuted in Ocarina of Time, they've been shown to be much older.
08:13They're shown in the prologue of Skyward Sword,
08:16and Link does meet a couple of them throughout his journeys on the surface.
08:26The Gorons have appeared in more games than most other races outside of Hylians.
08:31A race of incredibly strong rock people, they're usually found in warm mountainous locations.
08:36But they've also shown they can adapt to other environments,
08:40and some communities appear in games that lie outside of Hyrule's boundaries.
08:44In several games, they've been shown to be adept at mining, smithing, and metalworking,
08:49befitting of where they call home.
08:51Of course, things like mining for good ore probably comes naturally to a race of people that eat rocks,
08:56and can spot a difference in quality.
08:58Additionally, they're one of the friendlier races across the series.
09:01Other than a few moments dictated by the plot, they're often very warm and welcoming to all.
09:06I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing, but mark my words, I'll protect this land
09:14of ours to the death.
09:16Right, little guys?
09:18Zora
09:19The Zoras, like many other races in Hyrule, have a bit of a complicated history.
09:24They debuted in the original game as green, creature-from-the-black-lagoon type enemies that hid in the rivers
09:31and shot Link from afar.
09:32They were reimagined and redesigned for Ocarina of Time, looking a bit more humanoid with light blue skin.
09:39More importantly, they were made into a friendly community, living under a king and watching over Hyrule's water supply.
09:53However, Nintendo didn't get rid of the classic enemies either.
09:57In Oracle of Ages and Seasons, both are shown to exist, with the friendly versions being called Sea Zoras and
10:04the enemies being called River Zoras.
10:06This way, Nintendo could keep using both.
10:09Sea Zoras have certainly played a bigger role, especially in the 3D games,
10:13as they are allies to Hyrule, they play crucial roles in Twilight Princess and the era of Breath of the
10:19Wild.
10:20If anyone ever tries to do you harm, then I will heal you.
10:24River Zoras, on the other hand, stayed enemies until A Link Between Worlds.
10:29While some still do attack Link, a community of them in Zora's domain are friendly, with their queen even being
10:35one of the sages.
10:37This went a step further in Echoes of Wisdom.
10:39Both types of Zoras exist here, and constantly feud with each other, until Zelda steps in to fix things.
10:56Korok. A race that needs no introduction, if only because so many of us hunted for them throughout Breath of
11:02the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
11:04Even my patience has limits, you know.
11:07The cheerful children of the forest live under the peaceful, watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree.
11:13Wooden in features, curious in nature, these little guys are also seemingly obsessed with puzzles.
11:19Koroks made their debut in The Wind Waker.
11:22A small group of them lives on the forest haven with this era's Great Deku Tree.
11:35As that game explains it, they were once the Kokiri, the forever children that Link lives among at the beginning
11:41of Ocarina of Time, before evolving after the Great Flood.
11:45Interestingly, the Kokiri also have origins that are stated in The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia, first published in 2017.
11:52At one point, Kokiri were Hylians, but when society began to grow, building cities, and moving away from nature, a
12:00group of them chose to stay in the forest.
12:02And over time, and through the magic of the Great Deku Tree, these Hylians adapted to be children forever.
12:17Sabrosian.
12:18Sabrosians are technically not a race of Hyrule, as they only appear in Oracle of Seasons, which takes place in
12:24the neighboring location, Holodrum.
12:26But we figured we should touch on them.
12:29This is the native race of Sabrosia, a land deep beneath the surface, surrounded by lava.
12:34They are another one of the franchise's more secretive races.
12:38The only way to enter Sabrosia is through a handful of portals whose locations they are not eager to give
12:44out.
12:50Sabrosians thrive in the immense heat of their home.
12:52They even wear heavy, hooded cloaks, so we never see what they truly look like.
12:57And the heat of their home isn't the only thing they have in common with Gorons.
13:02That's the only race Sabrosians really connect with, particularly over their love of dancing.
13:14Gerudo.
13:15First seen in Ocarina of Time, the desert-dwelling Gerudo were introduced as an all-woman race of thieves.
13:21Every child born to the Gerudo is female, with the exception of one male every 100 years, who then gets
13:28to be their king.
13:29Which is unfortunate, because the only Gerudo king we've ever seen is Ganondorf.
13:34Allow me to offer you my deepest apologies on behalf of the Gerudo.
13:42Whenever there isn't a king, the Gerudo follow a chief, a position typically passed from mother to daughter.
13:47And the race survives by finding boyfriends and husbands from surrounding areas.
13:52Although the Gerudo were introduced as thieves and loyal to Ganondorf, both of these elements have long since changed.
13:58Future Gerudo would resent their connection to the evil king.
14:02And they've since put their thieving days behind them, being a nation of warriors and merchants.
14:07Another element that has slightly changed is their look.
14:10In the Wilds era, most Gerudo still have dark skin, likely from untold centuries of living in the desert.
14:17But some others take features from non-Gerudo lineage having different skin tones and hair colors.
14:30Minish
14:31Long before the Minish Cap takes place, yet ages after Skyward Sword,
14:36a small, mouse-like race that the Hylians would dub Picori came down from the sky to save the kingdom.
14:42They gifted a hero of men a special sword in the Golden Light Force, with which he drove evil out
14:48of Hyrule.
14:48Centuries later, Link gets to meet the descendants of those miniature saviors.
15:01The Minish are an adorable, helpful, yet very shy race of people as they don't show themselves to anyone but
15:08children.
15:08They can live in a variety of different environments.
15:11Link meets communities of them in the forest, within the homes and establishments of Hyrule Town,
15:16and deep within Mount Krennel.
15:18Moreover, they're adept at a variety of skills,
15:21from weapon smithing to helping Hylians make shoes, to actual wizardry.
15:31Uka
15:32Our final race from the heavens in the series, for now.
15:36The Uka from Twilight Princess definitely stand out visually.
15:40This is thanks to their bird-shaped bodies, elongated heads, and human-like faces.
15:45The first members Link meets are Uku and her child, Uku Jr.,
15:49which also shows us what Uka children look like, just a head and two tiny wings.
16:02Despite having one of the most unsettling designs in the series, the Uka are extremely technologically advanced.
16:09Somehow, without hands, they built a massive city floating in the sky,
16:13and designed a completely safe cannon for people to travel to it.
16:17They're also extremely helpful in nature.
16:20Uku teleports Link out of dungeons, and groups of them in the city in the sky let Link use them
16:25to glide across gaps.
16:27They're also theorized in-game by researcher Shad to have founded Hyrule before departing on their floating city.
16:33The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia lists another theory that the Uka are the ancestors of Hylians,
16:39and are the closest people to the goddess Hylia.
16:43Which seems sillier the longer you look at them.
16:52Introduced in the Wind Waker, the Rito are a humanoid, bird-like race that are now a bit of an
16:57oddity.
16:57Back then, they were said to have evolved from the Zora after the Great Flood,
17:02which is a much bigger stretch than Kokiri evolving into Koroks.
17:06Regardless, they were still distinctly characterized as a unique race.
17:11Beyond their avian features, they were led by a chieftain and were renowned for their mail delivery system.
17:24They also lived among a sky spirit, the dragon Valoo, who was key to their society.
17:29Although bird-like, for a Rito to grow their wings,
17:32they must obtain a scale from Valoo at the top of their mountain when they come of age.
17:37Nintendo made a few changes when the Rito came back for Breath of the Wild.
17:41Their bird features were enhanced with prominent talons and wings without need of a dragon scale.
17:46They had grown to be renowned for their archery rather than their mail delivery.
17:50However, a curiosity that has confused players since the game's release is how Rito and Zora are able to co
17:56-exist.
17:57This is the Sheikah Slate, eh?
18:01It is.
18:03Anuki.
18:03The Anuki have appeared in two games so far, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks,
18:09which means they might not even technically qualify as a race of Hyrule.
18:13Still, like the Subrosians, it would feel weird to leave them out.
18:17Definitely on the cuter side of things, the Anuki are found in cold locations.
18:21They have rotund, penguin-shaped bodies, human faces hooded like the Inuit,
18:26and reindeer antlers, an amalgamation of details associated with snow-covered environments.
18:39As cute as they are, there isn't much history or culture to explore.
18:44In Phantom Hourglass, the Anuki live on the Isle of Frost under a strenuous century-old peace treaty with another
18:50tribe, the Yuk.
18:51In Spirit Tracks, their appearance in New Hyrule is explained by their tribe having migrated from the world of the
18:57Ocean King.
18:58And they play an even smaller role here.
19:05The final race introduced in Ocarina of Time, the Deku Scrubs appeared as mostly antagonistic.
19:11While many were enemies, they were clearly sentient.
19:14Some of them speak to Link, others will sell him their wares, and he can even meet a group who's
19:20very passionate about his masks.
19:22They were evolved further in the sequel, Majora's Mask.
19:26Although that technically doesn't take place in Hyrule, they lived in a monarchy within Termina's swamp.
19:37But since their debut, there have been two things about the Deku Scrubs that have stayed pretty consistent.
19:43One is that they are always found in either dense forests or swamps, and the other is that they're fairly
19:49simple-minded.
19:51From holding an innocent monkey captive for thinking he kidnapped the princess in Majora's Mask,
19:56to almost causing their own downfall in Echoes of Wisdom, they don't seem to think much through.
20:01Even the business scrubs attack before trying to sell you something, which is a horrible business model.
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20:40Fairy.
20:41Rounding out our list of Hyrule's races is the Fairy Folk.
20:45Fairies have been in the series since the original game, where they appeared in Link's time of need, healing him
20:50so he can keep on fighting.
20:51But, as we all know, they fill far more roles than that of the healer.
20:57Hello!
21:03Several fairies have assisted Link on his journeys.
21:06Navi and the others like her from Ocarina of Time were created by the Great Deku Tree to be guides
21:11for each of the Kokiri.
21:13Fairies can also come in many forms, in a hierarchy of sorts that come with different power levels.
21:18Great Fairies, which take on a more humanoid form, can not only heal Link, but can grant him special abilities,
21:25increase the carrying capacity of certain items, or strengthen his armor depending on the game.
21:30In some games, there is even a Queen Fairy who bestows upon Link something far more valuable than the Great
21:36Fairies offer.
21:45Although no games have gone that in-depth to their history, they remain welcome allies, boosting Link from the sidelines
21:52in his fight against evil.
21:59Which of Hyrule's races would you like to know more about, or see again in a future game?
22:04Share your thoughts in the comments, and we will see you next time.
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