Lizalfos
| |
| A Lizalfos as seen in Twilight Princess. | |
| Lizalfos | |
| Type | Reptilian |
| Debut | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time |
The Lizalfos are a race of bipedal lizardmen that have appeared as recurring enemies in the The Legend of Zelda series. They are known for their advanced combat abilities.
Information[edit]
These reptilian beings are warriors who tend to use swords and shields in battle, or sometimes spears and bows. They are very defensive creatures that are agile and quick in combat. Their habitat varies, but in particular they seem most fond of forests or volcanic areas, and they often appear within dungeons. In all of their appearances, they require skill in combat to overcome due to their swift and intuitive maneuvers.
They have also been known to bear special abilities, most commonly the ability to breathe out streams of fire. Lizalfos have also been shown to attack with long tongues or by spitting streams of water, and some have horns that can blast electricity. In several appearances, their stronger counterparts are known as Dynalfos.
Appearances[edit]
In Ocarina of Time, the Lizalfos were first encountered in the Dodongo Cavern. Although they were not the strongest melee-type enemies that Link encountered, they overcame their limitations by frequently attacking in pairs. Living in the hot volcanoes made them particularly adept at jumping from one platform to another. However, their method of attacking was clumsy and allowed for openings to strike. In the Master Quest version of the game, Link encountered the Lizalfos in additional locations, including the Water Palace, where Link could encounter the Lizalfos moving freely underwater. In Ganon's Tower, Ocarina of Time also introduced the stronger version of the creature, known as Dynalfos.
They appeared again in Twilight Princess with a more dinosaur-like appearance. These Lizalfos used bucklers for protection from melee blows, and some used helmets for additional defensive purposes. Their tails also had axes tied on for an additional advantage in fighting. They appeared in multiple locations in Hyrule, but again were secondary to the fully-armored Dynalfos, who were vastly superior in strength. A variation of their kind also appeared in the City in the Sky, the winged Aerolfos. In Skyward Sword, Lizalfos eschewed actual weaponry in favor of a powerful gauntlet worn on one arm and a spiked ball on the creature's tail. They still could breathe fire, and they were agile enough that they could only be attacked at certain points. The advanced version in this game was the Dark Lizalfos, which was generally stronger and instead of breathing fire, it had a "cursed" breath that would leave Link temporarily unable to use items. They would sometimes leave behind Lizardtails as spoils.
In Breath of the Wild, Lizalfos appeared throughout various areas of Hyrule with several different variations, and they sometimes used camouflage to blend in with their surroundigs. Green Lizalfos were the weakest and most basic type, while the stronger types, in ascending order, where Blue, Black and Silver Lizalfos, and in Master Mode there was an even stronger type known as the Golden Lizalfos. There were also several Lizalfos bearing special abilities: Fire-Breath Lizalfos lived in hot areas and were the only type in this game that could breathe fire; Ice-Breath Lizalfos live in cold environments and could spit out freezing blocks of ice; and Electric Lizalfos lived mostly in desert climates and could generate electricity from the horn on their heads. In this game, it was also possible to buy a Lizalfos Mask that could fool Lizalfos into not noticing Link. Wearing Majora's Mask would also have the same effect.
Other Appearances[edit]
Video Games[edit]
- They appeared as enemies in one level of Link's Crossbow Training, based on their Twilight Princess' appearance.
- Lizalfos appear as powerful enemy captains in Hyrule Warriors, bearing elements of their Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword appearances.
- In Cadence of Hyrule, Lizalfos appear as common enemies and are somewhat goofier than their usual appearances. Lizalfos wield swords or long spears, and whenever the player character enters their line of sight, they will charge blindly forward until bumping into something or hitting their target. This leaves them vulnerable to attack. They come in several differently colored varieties that denote their strength.
Trivia[edit]
- They are likely related to and/or inspired by the Geru, a reptilian race that appeared as enemies in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Fans have often assumed the Geru and Lizalfos to be the same in the past, but there has been no conclusive link as they have different Japanese names.
- The Dynalfos also appear in Majora's Mask, marking their only appearance without any Lizalfos.
- The mini-boss Darkhammer from Twilight Princess appears to be a Lizalfos (or Dynalfos) from his reptilian appearance.
- According to Breath of the Wild, Lizalfos never sleep. They do appear to sleep at points within the game, although it may simply be a resting state, as they are quick to spring to action from it.