River Zora
from Zeldapedia, the Legend of Zelda wiki
| River Zora | |
|---|---|
![]() Artwork of a River Zora from The Legend of Zelda | |
| First appearance | The Legend of Zelda (1987) |
| Appearances | The Legend of Zelda The Adventure of Link A Link to the Past Link's Awakening Oracle of Ages Oracle of Seasons Four Swords Adventures |
| Location(s) | Bodies of water |
| Weapon(s) | Energy ball |
| Effective weapon(s) | Sword Bow |
River Zoras, also known as the Zola in The Legend of Zelda, are recurring enemies in the Legend of Zelda series. They are a subspecies of the Zora race. Except for the Zora King in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, this sub-species of Zora does not communicate with other races, nor do they appear to have any sort of society. They will attack Link on sight. They attack by popping out of the water and spewing a ball of energy at Link.
Contents |
[edit] Appearances
[edit] The Legend of Zelda
In the original Legend of Zelda, River Zora appear in lakes as random monsters. Little is known about this race other than they take a disliking to humans. They are, supposedly, a separate species of Zora which came to be in later games. The fireballs that are shot by these creatures can only be blocked by a Magic Shield.
[edit] Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
River Zoras in Zelda II behave much differently than other Zoras. They are land-dwelling and heavily armored, although they still attack by shooting energy balls at Link. They can be found in eastern Hyrule in caves, deserts, roadways, and bridges. Though they are primarily quadrupedal, they are capable of standing up on their hind legs to shoot fireballs at Link. Their armor is strong enough to withstand sword attacks; the Fire Spell is necessary to defeat them. Even then, they are extremely tough, requiring three sword attacks at Link's full strength.
Although they are called Zora in the Japanese release of Zelda II, they are never officially named in the North American version of Zelda II. They are frequently unofficially referred to as "Basilisks".
[edit] The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
River Zora pop up from the water and shoot fireballs at Link, which can be blocked with the Red Shield or Mirror Shield. They play their largest role when Link visits the Zora King at the waterfall at the end of Zora's River. Although the King aids Link in his quest, the normal River Zora continue to harass Link throughout the rest of the game. They can also be found in various streams and in Lake Hylia. They can be destroyed with a wide variety of weapons, including the Bombos Medallion and other long-range weapons.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The River Zora of Koholint play the same role as in the original. However, one friendly Zora can be found in the Animal Village. He can only be seen using the Magnifying Lens, and when talked to acts surprised that Link can see him, and will take a picture with Link in the DX version.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
River Zoras perform their usual antagonistic function in this game. In Oracle of Ages, a Zora in the Zora Village provides the first link between the civilized Zora and the enemy River Zora, saying "Don't think us noble sea Zora the same as those savage, vulgar river Zora! You're in the wrong place if you want to complain about being attacked by a river Zora."
Notably, if Link wears the Blue Holy Ring, he will not take any damage from a River Zora's attacks.
[edit] The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures, a River Zora can be spotted in a water hole in Kakariko Village. He is friendly, unlike other River Zora, and asks you to help him catch ten fish and put them in his mouth in sixty seconds. Also, some River Zora appear as random monsters in the Coast levels.
[edit] Behind the scenes
The name "Zola" is actually a transliteration error. In Japanese, the "R" and "L" phonemes are indistinguishable and as such only register as one phoneme. The standard way to transliterate this phoneme into Romaji (roman letters that stand for Japanese syllables) is with the "R", not the "L". Thus, names like "Lara" and "Zelda" become "Rara" and "Zeruda" respectively. In the original Legend of Zelda the Japanese word was clearly "Zora". The translators, however, put in the nonstandard "L" in place of the "R". The name "Zola" appears in no source other than the manual for The Legend of Zelda.
The official English web site explains the discrepencies between Zoras and River Zoras by defining a Zola as a female Zora that left society behind and turned to a life of violence. This is contradicted by Oracle of Ages, however, and is thus not considered canon.
[edit] See also
| Characters |
| Ganon · Link · Old Man · Princess Zelda —Full list of characters |
| Bosses |
| Aquamentus · Dodongo · Manhandla · Gleeok · Digdogger · Gohma · Gannon |
| Locations |
| Lake Hylia · Lost Hills · Lost Woods · Death Mountain · Graveyard · Spectacle Rock —Full list of locations |
| Dungeons |
| First Quest |
| Level 1 · Level 2 · Level 3 · Level 4 · Level 5 · Level 6 · Level 7 · Level 8 · Level 9 |
| Second Quest |
| Level 1 · Level 2 · Level 3 · Level 4 · Level 5 · Level 6 · Level 7 · Level 8 · Level 9 |
| Equipment |
| Bait · Blue Candle · Blue Ring · Wooden Boomerang · Bomb · Bow · Ladder · Letter · Magic Book · Magical Key · Magic Wand · Magical Boomerang · Power Bracelet · Raft · Red Candle · Red Ring · Silver Arrow |
| Items |
| Wooden Sword · White Sword · Magical Sword · Small Shield · Magical Shield |
| Quest Items |
| Triforce of Wisdom |
| Races |
| Fairy · Gerudo · Hylian |
| Characters |
| Dark Link · Ganon · Link · Princess Zelda —Full list of characters |
| Bosses |
| Horsehead · Helmethead · Rebonack · Carock · Gooma · Barba · Thunderbird · Dark Link |
| Locations |
| North Castle · Mountain Town of Darunia · Kasuto · New Kasuto · Harbor Town of Mido · Town of Nabooru · Town of Rauru · Town of Ruto · Water Town of Saria —Full list of locations |
| Dungeons |
| Parapa Palace · Midoro Palace · Island Palace · Maze Island Palace · Ocean Palace · Hidden Palace · Great Palace |
| Equipment |
| Items |
| P Bag · 1-up Doll · Sword · Shield · Candle · Handy Glove · Hammer · Raft · Boots · Whistle · Magical Key · Cross |
| Spells |
| Fairy Spell · Fire Spell · Jump Spell · Life Spell · Reflect Spell · Shield Spell · Spell Spell · Thunder Spell |
| Quest Items |
| Trophy · Water of Life · Kidnapped Child · Six Crystals · Triforce of Courage |
| Races |
| Fairy · Gerudo · Hylian |
| Characters |
| Main Characters |
| Link (x4) · Princess Zelda · Six Maidens · Vaati —Full list of characters |
| Bosses |
| Phantom Ganon · Helmaroc King · Stone Arrghus · Jalhalla · Dagtail · Frostare · Big Dodongo · Vaati · Ganon |
| Levels |
| Whereabouts of the Wind · Eastern Hyrule · Death Mountain · Near the Fields · The Dark World · The Desert of Doubt · Frozen Hyrule · Realm of the Heavens —Full list of locations |
| Equipment |
| Weapons |
| Bomb · Bombos Medallion · Boomerang · Bow · Fire Rod · Four Sword · Lamp · Magic Hammer · Quake Medallion · Shield · Slingshot |
| Items |
| Blue Bracelet · Carrot · Force Gem · Force Fairy · Heart · Heart Container · Moon Pearl · Pegasus Boots · Power Bracelet · Roc's Feather · Shovel · Small Key |
| Quest Items |
| Jewel (x4) · Knight Mark · Letter · Magic Book · Vaati Barrier |
| Races |
| Gerudo · Goron · Hylian · Zuna |

