Character Analysis - Midna

The Legend of Zelda series is known for many thing. It's known for challenging dungeons, a timeline that people have yet to figure out, unique characters and fantastic gameplay.

But these characters rarely evolve.

(Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess spoilers below)


When we meet Midna, she inspires fear, not confidence. Link has been captured, turned into a wolf, and is trapped inside a cell. When he wakes up, the first creature he (and the player) sees is Midna and her slasher smile waiting outside the cell. And that chain Link was having trouble with? She snaps it quickly. She very quickly makes it clear that she just wants some power that was taken from her and while she doesn't want to annihilate everything, if they lose some humans she's fine with that.

Plot goes on and we see her do something unknown to the Zelda series. Character Development.

By the time the third piece of fused shadow rolls around, she's seen enough of Link and his world to feel a bit sorry for him. When she is dying due to Zant, she begs Zelda to help Link and to ignore the fact she's dying. When they arrive at the desert, she openly shows affection for Link. (Which Link pays back later when he takes care of a fainted Midna after she used her abilities to open a pathway to Ganon)


In her world, Link is openly treated as an Equal. They now work as a team, not her ordering him around (though there is some of that, but it's due more towards Link ignorance then Midna exerting control)

When the time comes to take on Ganon, they are not only equals but a team tied together by hard work, sacrifice, and friendship. They know they could not do this on their own, and they embrace how they work much better as a team then on their own.




So, how does this come about? It's really simple. Human interaction.

Or, rather, Midna watching human interaction. She does most of the talking in the pair, but she spends her time watching Link interact with other people from the shadows. We know she's paying attention since she frequently comments on conversations and interactions. She sees how the humans are sincerely just trying to live their lives and how the Twili are manipulated by Zant. She knew of it to some extent before, she was banished from her rightful role as leader after all, but she does not allow revenge to consume her. This may be because she and Zelda have also known eachother for a while. Zelda, bearing the Triforce of Wisdom, assuredly must have talked to Midna about life and self sacrifice. We also see people sacrifice themselves for her. Link takes on Zant to save her, and Zelda transfers her triforce powers to Midna to save her life, even though she knows that she (Zelda) will probably die. While she okay with humans before Zelda's sacrifice, she is much more "human" after it... even if she doesn't lose her trademark snark.

Midna is easily my favorite Legend of Zelda character. I hope she can return some day.