Mothula

Mothulas are a species of enormous moth. Their exact appearance and abilities vary drastically with their appearances, but they usually fill the role of a boss or miniboss.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Mothula appears as the boss of Skull Woods, the third Dark World dungeon. It flies around, occasionally diving at Link or shooting three rings of energy. Mothula itself is not much of a threat, but the room it is in is made up of moving floor and surrounded by Traps that will occasionally shoot out. The most effective weapon against Mothula is the Fire Rod, but due to the amount of magic using it consumes, the Master Sword can also work, albeit being harder to hit it with. Unlike other bosses, captured bees can also hurt it. After enough hits, Mothula explodes and the floor and Traps stop moving.

In the Palace of the Four Sword in the Game Boy Advance enhanced port, a green Mothula appears. In its battle, it splits into three, with one real one and two weaker copies. When split, each only fires one ring of energy, and defeating the copies causes them to turn into four bees. Mothula will make more copies when both are defeated, and defeating it causes any remaining copies to also vanish.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, Mothula is the third boss, being in Poison Moth's Lair. It is the only returning primary dungeon boss in the game to not be from the first game. It now has one large eye, a trait that continues in later appearances. It is fought in a room with two platforms separated from the rest of the floor by a thin pit, creating a large rectangle split down the middle. If Link falls in the pit, he must start the whole battle over. Mothula shoots fireballs and, when still, spawns baby moths that make a half-loop outwards before flying off-screen or shoots a flurry of projectiles that rapidly circle outward from it. After staying still around the platforms for a while, Mothula begins to fly in rapid loops around the floor surrounding the pit while shooting its fire. It can be hit at any time, though it is safest to do this when it returns to the center. Upon being defeated, Link obtains one of the Essences of Nature, the Bright Sun.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
In The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Mothulas often do not have wings, but are always armed with a pair of powerful pincers. The pincers deflect Link's blows, though the eyes and abdomens are vulnerable They can also spawn hordes of parasitic larvae called Morths to help. Ones with four large wings, also known as Winged Mothulas, also tend to launch themselves horizontally back and forth across the room at Link, though attacking them enough will clip them, typically one at a time. Certain items will destroy their wings in one hit, though these Mothulas also have more health in general than wingless ones. Each of their wings must be clipped to render them flightless, as they can even fly with only one of them remaining. Sometimes, defeating a Winged Mothula gives Link a Golden Feather, which can also be gained through the grappling hook.

A wingless one can be found in the forest on Outset Island sometimes, but most are encountered in the Forbidden Woods, where along with wingless ones being enemies, a winged one is the primary miniboss. Later, both types can be found in the optional Savage Labyrinth as well as a secret cave at Horseshoe Island. Link can parry against wingless ones while they prepare to chop their pincers together, and against winged ones when they rocket towards him.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
In The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Mothulas are rare and always considered minibosses, having particular music associated with them only shared by a few others. While they primarily resemble their appearance in The Wind Waker, they are portrayed more wizard-like than previously, with their wings resembling a cloak. They slowly hover near Link, and if he slashes at one, it vanishes in a cloud of dust before reappearing elsewhere. If he tries to use the whirlwind on one, it sends it back with its wings. Occasionally, they spawn a Bubble they launch straight at Link, which he must return with the whirlwind to stun the Mothula. After getting hit with the sword they come to, but it takes a very small amount of hits to defeat them. Later, two appear behind the first door of Take 'Em All On! Here, it can be seen that if they have not noticed Link, they move in an aimless looping pattern, and can be defeated in one hit from an arrow.