The Zoras from The Legend of Zelda series have always been popular with fans, and their incarnation seen in Breath of the Wild is no expectation. Thanks to their elegant and striking physical features, natural and powerful abilities, and gorgeous home region, these latest Zoras stand out as one of the most memorable races seen in any Zelda game.
With the Zoras being so prominent, it makes sense that there would many details about them, some very subtle, that some fans would not know about. Much of the details about them can only be learned by exploring multiple Zelda games.
6 Zoras Are Related To The Rito
Though it is unknown where the Zoras living in Hyrule before and during the events of Breath of the Wild originated from, it is known that Zoras and the Rito people share a common heritage. The Rito evolved from a group of Zoras thousands of years prior to the Breath of the Wild. The first Rito came to be after the Great Flood and before the events of The Wind Waker.
When the seas overtook the land of Hyrule, the Zoras living there at the time evolved into the Rito and were given the power of flight by their guardian deity, Valoo. Sometime after that, when the sea receded and left behind the continent that would become Hyrule, a new group of Zoras either devolved from the Rito or moved to the land from an unknown location.
5 Zoras Mature Slowly
Full-grown Zoras are large when compared to the average Hylian, but that is not the case at every step of a Zora’s development. Zora children and adolescents remain small, about the same size as a human child, and they do not reach full maturity till much later than the Hylians do, comparatively.
A good example of this is the Zora youth, Finely. This young Zora female wanted to travel to the Bank of Wishes to see who had been receiving the bottle-stored messages she’d been sending downriver, but her mother wouldn’t let her go. Her mother feared for her safety, concerned about how small she was. But Finley mentioned to Link that she was almost an adult and simply hadn’t gone through her growth spurt yet.
4 Zora Are One Of The Longest Lived Species In Hyrule
When Link reaches Zora’s Domain, having been searched out by Prince Sidon to help deal with a crisis, he is surprised to learn that many of the Zoras recognize and remember him. Even the youngest of the adult Zoras remarked on how it had been more than 100 years since they had seen Link.
This moment was a shock for Link, as he had no memory of his past, but it was also a shock for players, who did not know that Zoras could live so long. And though the elder Zoras’ ages were not mentioned, they are known to be significantly older than the other adults. The only other race in Hyrule that rivals their longevity is the Koroks, who are also able to live at least 100 years without appearing to age significantly.
3 Zoras Are Incredibly Weak To Electricity
Though it might seem like their tough bodies and scales should offer them great durability, the Zoras have almost no resistance to electricity. A downside of their physiology, the Zoras’ bodies retain a high amount of moisture even when on dry land. This of course means that an electric current can do serious damage to them.
2 Zoras Are Passionate About History
Zoras are incredibly proud of their culture and heritage. They admire their ancestors and leaders and love to learn all they can from their achievements. That is why they go to great lengths to record their history for future generations to study and be inspired by.
One of the sidequests that Link can complete while exploring Zora’s Domain is “Zora Stone Monuments.” An elder Zora named Jiahto knew that many stories from his people’s past were inscribed on 10 monuments that were erected in various spots around the domain. He was worried that the monuments and their stories will be lost to the ravages of decay and time, so he asked Link to locate all of the monuments and record what they say so Jiahto could preserve the stories in a book.
1 Zoras Can Thrive In Both Freshwater And Saltwater
Despite their serious weakness to electricity, The Zora people are highly adaptable and can thrive in regions other than their freshwater domain. Rare for even real-world aquatic creatures, Zoras have the useful ability to survive in both freshwater and saltwater.
The player can learn this fact while they are completing the “Zora Stone Monuments” quest. Most of the monuments feature history from more than 100 years prior to Links adventure, but one of them tells a tale of Prince Sidon’s bravery, meaning the story must have taken place within the past century. The monument tells of how Sidon traveled to Hateno Bay to slay a massive Octorok that was wreaking havoc on the villagers in the area. With the creature living in the sea, the only way Sidon could have helped was if he could survive in saltwater.
NEXT: The Legend Of Zelda: 10 Most Interesting Things About The Zora
