The Zelda Series Has a Strange Relationship with One Classic Fantasy Race

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home March 13, 2025 48 Views 6 Min Read
The Zelda Series Has a Strange Relationship with One Classic Fantasy Race



The Legend of Zelda is, in many ways, rooted in traditional fantasy tropes. The loosely defined nature of Zelda lore, aided by several distinct timelines, and the series’ long-running history, have allowed it to play with these tropes and evolve its own distinct narrative identity, developing its own versions of fairies, mermaids, and the like.

For example, Hylians are inspired by classically written elves: they live in harmony with humans, looking just like them but with pointed ears, and have a vague connection to the divine. Blin, which is a category encompassing the likes of Moblins and Bokoblins, is another manifestation of this classic fantasy inspiration, clearly influenced by traditional depictions of goblins. But while these high fantasy conventions are more or less consistent throughout The Legend of Zelda, there’s one race that’s decidedly less well-defined: Dwarves.

Legend of Zelda Kakariko Tier List

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Kakariko Village is among the most iconic repeating locations in The Legend of Zelda, though some of its iterations are better than others.

Do Dwarves Exist In the Zelda Universe?

Heading to Kakariko Village in A Link to the Past, Link will be able to connect with a Dwarven swordsmith, whose brother is trapped in the Dark World. Once the brother is rescued, these swordsmiths will be able to improve Link’s weaponry. These Dwarves, which reappear in A Link Between Worlds, are shown to be stout, bearded, and hardy, adhering to all the physical characteristics of the fictional race.

But these are the only instances of Zelda directly referencing Dwarves, which has left fans scratching their heads. On the one hand, it would appear that these particular characters are indeed Dwarves similar to those from Lord of the Rings, sharing all the same traits, right down to their affinity for blacksmithing. On the other hand, the absence of other Dwarves in subsequent games suggests that these characters may just have a form of dwarfism, which is what drives their label.

The dwarfism theory would put the Zelda franchise in conversation with A Song of Ice and Fire, wherein characters with dwarfism, such as Tyrion Lannister and Penny, are treated like members of a different race, despite simply having a poorly understood medical condition.

Dwarves May Have Been Replaced by Gorons

Another plausible explanation for the aforementioned Dwarf references is a more metatextual one. A Link to the Past was released in 1991, when the Zelda franchise was still relatively young, and it’s quite possible that Nintendo was simply experimenting with different fantasy tropes during this time, including Dwarves almost unconsciously, as they are so prominent in the genre.

Years later, Ocarina of Time introduced Gorons, and while these rock-like people are far more proprietary in their design, they actually have a good bit in common with the de facto Dwarves of fantasy pedigree. Gorons are stouthearted, hardy, good-natured warriors with a natural tendency toward mining and blacksmithing, not unlike traditional Dwarves. Dwarves are often depicted as living in cavernous environments and being especially loyal to their kind, which are even more traits shared with Gorons. It’s possible that the Zelda series was in need of this archetype, and Gorons were devised as a more unique alternative to Dwarves.

How Dwarves Could Come Back to Zelda

Having said all that, the inclusion of Dwarves in ALttP and ALBW does leave the door open for their return at some point. It wouldn’t need much explaining, especially if Zelda undergoes another stylistic change following TOTK, but Nintendo could find clever ways to work them into the lore. For instance, Dwarves could be descendents of the Minish, which are well-defined as an ancient race in Zelda. There’s also Tingle, who, at least in Majora’s Mask, believes he is descended from the Kokiri. This can’t be true, as he clearly has mature features, but perhaps he actually carries some Dwarf blood, which would explain his small stature.

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