Sheik

Sheik is an alter-ego of Princess Zelda that first appears in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It is a disguise where Zelda assumes the form of a Sheikah and with the characteristics of a. Sheik wears a form-fitting blue suit with a red Sheikah eye in the center. Sheik has blonde hair, which overlaps the left eye, and a red eye color. Sheik has a harp for a signature instrument. Sheik's build is typically androgynous, but varies between looking slightly more masculine or feminine depending on the game.

Despite only appearing in one The Legend of Zelda game, Sheik is prominent in the Super Smash Bros. series, starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, where Sheik is a playable transformation of Zelda. Starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Sheik became a standalone playable character, as well as in Hyrule Warriors, in which Sheik resembles a red-eyed Zelda in different clothing.

Due to the androgynous appearance, Sheik has been referred to as both male and female by other characters as well as in certain descriptions, but is overall female. Following Ocarina of Time, Sheik is generally treated as female.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sheik is the first character that Link encounters in his adulthood, barring Rauru in the Chamber of Sages. Sheik is a mysterious character with a large role during Link's adulthood. Link does not encounter her during his childhood. She frequently reminisces on life when talking to Link. Sheik's wisdom and intelligence is likely because her true character, Princess Zelda, bears the Triforce of Wisdom.

Link has several brief encounters with Sheik throughout his adventure. Most of these encounters end with Sheik teaching Link to play a certain melody on the Ocarina of Time. Every melody taught by Sheik is capable of warping Link to an area near a certain dungeon. Whenever Link learns to play one of Sheik's new melodies, Sheik plays the melody on her harp alongside Link. Sheik has the ability to vanish, and she does so by throwing a Deku Nut in front of her. Sheik usually leaves right after teaching a melody to Link. Most of the time, Link runs to Sheik right before she vanishes.

Link first encounters Sheik immediately after leaving the Sacred Realm and becoming an adult. Sheik appears at the Pedestal of Time just as Link starts walking from it. Link senses Sheik behind him, so he takes out his Master Sword and turns around, pointing his sword at Sheik. She tells Link that she had been awaiting him. Sheik tells Link about a legend from her race, the Sheikah, where the Sages awakened from five temples and the Hero of Time will bind evil and restore peace to Hyrule. Sheik then introduces herself to Link, whom she believes to be the Hero of Time. She instructs Link to go to each temple and awaken its Sage because the evil is drowning the awakening call to the Sages. Lastly, Sheik notes that Link is unequipped and tells him to visit Kakariko Village, suggesting that Link can find an item there (later revealed to be the Hookshot). For most of Link's adventure, Sheik waits for him in the Temple of Time.

Link encounters Sheik again at the Sacred Forest Meadow, which is near the Forest Temple. It is where Sheik teaches a warping melody to Link, the Minuet of Forest. After awakening the Sage of the Forest, Saria, Link can return to the Temple of Time, where Sheik informs him that returning the Master Sword back into the Pedestal of Time allows Link to return to the past, when he was a child. Sheik then teaches the Prelude of Light to Link, a melody that allows him to quickly warp to the Temple of Time. Another time Link encounters Sheik is at the Death Mountain Crater, near the Fire Temple. As Link walks across a wooden bridge, Sheik drops from above, on the other side of the bridge. She approaches Link while briefly describing true friendship. This is to introduce the Bolero of Fire melody to Link, allowing him to easily warp to Death Mountain Crater. According to Sheik, the melody is dedicated to the power of the heart. Sheik says goodbye to Link, but as he approaches her, she briefly leaves behind a short wall of fire, then steps back, and throws a Deku Nut to vanish. In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the wall of fire is not shown.

Another encounter with Sheik is within the Ice Cavern, after Link obtains the Iron Boots. Sheik informs Link that the Zoras are trapped beneath a thick layer of ice. She tells Link that the ice is from the monster of the Water Temple and further explains that the ice cannot melt unless the source is destroyed. Sheik then teaches the Serenade of Water melody to Link, allowing him to easily warp to the Water Temple's greater location, Lake Hylia. She describes the melody as a reflection of growth and maturity over time. After teaching the melody, Sheik vanishes. After Link defeats the Water Temple's boss, Morpha, he leaves the dungeon and finds Sheik, who congratulates Link and says that the water is returning to Lake Hylia because the monster was defeated. Sheik then finds out that the Sage of Water, Ruto, wanted to express thanks for saving her from the ice. As they admire the lake, Sheik says that both Link and Ruto destroyed the Water Temple's monster together. After silently staring at the water for a moment, Sheik steps back to leave before Link turns around. As Link looks for Sheik, she jumps off a nearby tree and vanishes into the water.

Another place that Link encounters Sheik is outside the Spirit Temple. When Link first enters the area, Sheik mentions the past, present, and future, and reminds Link of the Master Sword's time-traveling capabilities. Sheik metaphorically describes a ship sailing upstream and downstream on time's river before arriving at a port. The "ship" is the Master Sword, which can travel forward or backward in time. The "port" is the Temple of Time. Sheik tells Link that he can only restore the Desert Colossus by returning to childhood and entering the Spirit Temple. Sheik then teaches Link to play the melody, Requiem of Spirit, which warps Link to the Spirit Temple (and is the only means for him to access it as a child). Right after Link learns the song, Sheik puts a temporary sand barrier in front of her, similar to her placing a temporary fire barrier in Death Mountain Crater, and immediately leaves without saying anything. Sheik then vanishes behind the sandstorm.

Another encounter is at Kakariko Village, where a building was set on fire. Sheik is standing at the Well of Three Features, urging Link to step back. An invisible, evil shadow spirit emerges from the well, shakes Sheik around, and then throws her on the ground. The shadow spirit then knocks into Link, making him unconscious. Sheik did not become unconscious from the fall because she is seen reaching out her right arm just before Link gets knocked out. Later, Link wakes up and sees Sheik looking at him. She explains to Link about the released shadow spirit, who was once sealed in the bottom of the well by Impa, but the seal broke because the force of evil became too powerful. Sheik believes that Impa has returned to the Shadow Temple to seal the shadow spirit but is worried that she is in danger. Sheik instructs Link to destroy the spirit within the Shadow Temple and rescue Impa. She then teaches Link to play the Nocturne of Shadow, a melody that allows access into the Shadow Temple. According to Sheik, the Nocturne of Shadow is capable of absorbing Link into infinite darkness that even absorbs time. Sheik says that she will take care of Kakariko Village and then vanishes again.

After completing all the temples, Rauru telepathically communicates to Link. He tells Link to return to the Temple of Time, where someone (Sheik) is waiting for him. When Link enters the Temple of Time, Sheik tells Link that he has overcome several hardships and that his final challenge is to defeat Ganondorf. Sheik tells Link about the Sheikah legend of the Triforce and the Sacred Realm. After telling the story, Sheik mentions that when Ganondorf touched the Triforce seven years ago, he only retained the Triforce of Power because of his lust for power over the other two characteristics, wisdom and courage. Since then, Ganondorf went searching for the other two parts to conquer the world. Sheik reveals that Link has the Triforce of Courage, previously unbeknownst to him. Sheik tells that the seventh Sage bears the Triforce of Wisdom, then she removes her disguise and is revealed to be Princess Zelda, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. After a brief reunion, Zelda is kidnapped by Ganondorf, and this event reveals that Zelda disguised herself to hide from Ganondorf, who wanted to steal the Triforce of Wisdom from her. Zelda's Sheik alias is not featured in the rest of Link's adventure.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Sheik does not appear in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, although Link can assume Sheik's appearance by wearing the Stealth Chest Guard, Stealth Tights, and Sheik's Mask.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (manga)
In the manga adaptation of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sheik is portrayed differently and is explicitly male. While still an alternate form of Zelda that mysteriously aids Link, Sheik has no memory of his previous life and is also secretly allied with Ganondorf.

Sheik is first seen hearing Link play the Ocarina of Time on his way to the Forest Temple after Navi suggests that its tune might reach Princess Zelda. This, however, causes Ganondorf to be aware of the fact that the Fairy Ocarina he took from Link seven years ago is not the Ocarina of Time, so orders his forces to destroy the Hero of Time before he can master the Master Sword and steal the Ocarina of Time. Later, at Death Mountain, Link awakens to the sound of Sheik's harp after hesitating to slay Volvagia. Sheik introduces himself as the survivor of the Sheikahs who tended to Link's wounds while he was knocked out, saying that he would not have survived had he not been wearing the Goron Tunic, and reminds him that he is the only one who can stop volcano's eruption by killing Volvagia. Link reveals to Sheik that Volvagia was a baby pet dragon he bought for 70 Rupees at Hyrule Castle Town Market seven years ago. Volvagia nearly causes Death Mountain to erupt, leaving Link no choice but to swiftly decapitate it, and with one final look at Link, it remembers its master fondly and calls out his name. Sheik reports to Ganondorf that Link is emotionally vulnerable after destroying Volvagia. Ganondorf tells Sheik to resume his search for Zelda to ensure that she and Link do not meet.

After Epona joins Link at Kakariko Village, the Twinrova sisters brainwash Ingo to destroy the Hero of Time. Sheik remarks that with Impa's training, it would be impossible for Link to be stopped by someone like Ingo. Intrigued by a subordinate questioning his authority, Ganondorf asks why Sheik serves him when the Sheikah tribe have traditionally served Hyrule's Royal Family, and wonders if it is some form of revenge. Sheik responds that the only reason he serves Ganondorf is because the shadow folk have no substance without a master, and Ganondorf simply happened to appear at a time when he had no master. Sheik then obliges that he will lure Link to Lon Lon Ranch and takes his leave. Link soon finds what appears to be Talon in Hyrule Field, who is crying that since Ganondorf did not receive his offering of Epona, he will instead take his daughter Malon. Unbeknownst to Link, as he rides away on Epona, Talon is revealed to be a magical illusion of Sheik. While Link rescues Malon, Sheik appears before them and reveals that Ingo changed because he was brainwashed by Twinrova, the elderly witch sisters who brought up Ganondorf. Link asks how Sheik could know of this, to which he responds that he hears many things as a traveling minstrel. He plays a melancholy melody on his harp, tells Link of a supposed rumor that Zelda has been spotted in the Haunted Wasteland, and leaves Link with the insight that Ingo is being manipulated by a gem in his ear.

At a desert village, Link meets two hooded fortune tellers who claim that he will find what he is looking for in the Spirit Temple. As Link and Epona walk there, the hooded fortune tellers are shown to be the Twinrova sisters, who insist that Sheik play his part. Sheik resists at first, but then Twinrova blackmails him by saying there is a rumor that he has been helping Link, and ask if he truly is a member of the Sheikah tribe. He dismisses them and sets off to prove his loyalty to Ganondorf. As Sheik leaves, Twinrova instructs Nabooru to watch over him, then summons a sandstorm to impede Link's progress. Sheik pulls Link out of it and offers to be his guide, and while he is grateful for his help again, Link wonders how Sheik always happens to be on step ahead of him and if he can really be trusted. Link gets no response when he asks why Sheik masks his face, so he changes the subject and asks if there is a meaning to the eye symbol on his clothes. Sheik says that a long time ago, the Sheikah symbol was previously just an eye and that the Sheikah were protectors of Hyrule's Royal Family from the shadows, but after an act of betrayal from the Royal Family, a tear was added to the symbol in remembrance. As they set camp for the night, Link expresses his anxiousness at the possibility of meeting Zelda again, as seven years have passed for her and everyone else. Link awakens at the sight of visions in the form of the Deku Tree, Stalfos, and Volvagia. Sheik calmly says that as it is the Haunted Wasteland, the nightmares of travelers take shape as mirages, and says that he does not see anything. The fact that Sheik does not see illusions keens Link to the idea that Sheik might not have a past. At daytime, Link and Sheik see the Spirit Temple in the distance. Gerudos suddenly surround them on horseback and Link tells Sheik to get ready to defend themselves, but Sheik takes the opportunity to knock Link unconscious.

Awakening at the Gerudo's Fortress, Link realizes that Sheik was a spy for Ganondorf. Link, however, is able to escape as his chains were loose enough to slip out of and he took Navi's advice to destroy the manipulating jewel on Nabooru's forehead, which was apparently passed along by an informant while Link was sleeping. Link's Hookshot is dropped into his chamber, and outside, Sheik appears with the confiscated Master Sword and Hylian Shield. He throws the Master Sword to Link and draws his own blade without a word, and Link prepares to duel. However, Sheik turns around and strikes the two Gerudo behind him, who turn out to be the Twinrova sisters. They yell out that they knew Sheik was a traitor, to which he renounces his allegiance by saying he was never fully on their side. Sheik tries to guide Link away and apologizes for hitting Link earlier, but gets hit by a magical blast by one of the Twinrova sisters, knocking him unconscious. The back of Sheik's right hand is exposed and Link recognizes the Triforce symbol as the crest of the Royal Family, revealing that Sheik is not a Sheikah. Nabooru covers Link's escape as he rides away with Sheik on Epona.

Link and Epona stop at the Desert Colossus, and Link rushes to go get water from the oasis as he nervously wonders why tending to Sheik makes him feel flustered. Meanwhile, Sheik awakens with the mask slipped off, asking for Impa, then suddenly remembers the past in shock. Link drops the pouch of water as he senses familiarity from seeing Sheik's face and, using the royal crest, Sheik's true form is regained as Princess Zelda. Before she can explain, the Twinrova sisters reveal themselves and attack. The attack is unsuccessful as Nabooru eventually finds them and tosses Link the treasure of the Spirit Temple, the Mirror Shield. Afterwards, Zelda explains that when she and Impa fled Ganondorf seven years ago, the situation grew more dire as he obtained the Triforce of Power. Realizing that it would be impossible to run forever, Zelda persuaded Impa into evading Ganondorf's capture under his nose by making her one of his underlings as a boy, rationalizing that while she was wise enough to foresee Ganondorf's assault on Hyrule Castle she lacked the physical power to stop it. Impa reluctantly agreed to put Zelda's consciousness into hibernation until the return of Link as the Hero of Time would cause it to awaken, choosing a Sheikah boy as a suitable form to avoid suspicion as the tribe was once betrayed by the Royal Family and banished from Hyrule.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
Starting with Super Smash Bros. Melee, Sheik has been a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series, although in her debut Super Smash Bros. appearance, Sheik is the B-down move of Princess Zelda. Sheik has separate attacks from Zelda except the B-down move, which transforms her back into Sheik. Sheik's design for the game is straight from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Unlike other characters, when using the Home-Run Bat, Sheik sends opponents flying vertically rather than horizontally. Because of this, in the Home-Run Contest mode, Sheik must change back into Zelda in order to get any significant distance.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Starting in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Sheik started using a tweaked, more feminine design inspired by the aesthetic of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Like Super Smash Bros. Melee, Sheik is a transformation of Zelda and can only hit vertically with the Home-Run Bat.

In "The Subspace Emissary" mode, Zelda turns into Sheik and leads Princess Peach through the battleship Halberd after they are restored by Samus Aran. Later, Sheik gets into a fight with Fox McCloud, but stops after Peach suddenly offers them tea. Sheik is one of the characters in The Subspace Emissary that does not transform into a trophy, along with Zero Suit Samus, Squirtle, and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Starting with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Sheik was made a separate fighter from Princess Zelda. A tip suggests that this decision was because Zelda's identity as Sheik was a major plot point in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. As a result, a different B-down move was introduced for both fighters.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sheik wears the Sheikah outfit from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and her body has similar muscle tone as in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time artwork. Additionally, the official website refers to Sheik with a masculine pronoun, although feminine pronouns are used elsewhere such as the in-game tips and moveset. As Sheik is a redesigned character, she has new guidance dialog in which Palutena and Viridi jokingly refer to her with masculine pronouns, to which Pit responds, "Good advice! But...you guys do know Sheik is just Zelda, right? In disguise? Wait, is there a new timeline?!"

Hyrule Warriors
In Hyrule Warriors, Sheik acts as a separate warrior to Zelda from a gameplay perspective, but they remain the same character. Her design looks almost identical to the game's iteration of Zelda wearing a different outfit. Sheik uses her harp as a weapon by playing various songs with different elemental abilities on it. Most are the warping songs from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, though electricity is represented by the Song of Storms.

In the story, Sheik meets the group in Eldin Caves, with Impa immediately being suspicious of her due to "Sheik" not being the name of anyone in her tribe. When the group splits up while traveling through time, Impa goes with her to keep watch on her. Once the portal in Lake Hylia is closed, Sheik reveals herself as Zelda to Impa.

Super Mario Maker
In Super Mario Maker, one of the 8-bit costumes that Mario can receive from a Mystery Mushroom is Sheik, which can be unlocked either with a Sheik amiibo or by clearing 100 Mario Challenge on Normal difficulty. All of Sheik's sounds are from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The costume's transformation sound is the sound clip that plays when collecting an important item. Pressing will have her turn into Zelda (using a sprite based on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess), which briefly plays Zelda's Lullaby in an ocarina sound. The sound that plays when Sheik jumps is her voice clip of throwing a Deku Nut before disappearing. The death tune is Sheik's theme, and when clearing a level, the theme in which Link initially meets Zelda plays.

Profiles and statistics

 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U amiibo: "Sheik is a mysterious, masked warrior who played an important role in Link’s quest in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time game. Disguised as part of the Sheikah tribe that populates Hyrule, Sheik taught Link essential ocarina melodies and then vanished in an instant. Why does Sheik look so familiar?"

Trivia

 * In the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color versions of Mario Golf, Sheik's name is shown on the game scoreboard in Tournament mode.
 * Former artist Sammy Hall revealed that a “cancelled Zelda project” starring a male version of Sheik was in pre-production from 2005 to 2008. The early storyline was set after a dark outcome to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and featured Sheik as the last male Sheikah after an  on a journey across a ruined Hyrule while a Dark Gerudo tribe prepare for the 100-year birth of Ganon, which would have involved a possible origin of the Master Sword. Sketches include a Dark Valoo race, petrified Deku Tree, Hyrule Castle during a drought, spirits, reimagined Clocktown, Helmasaurs, and other creatures and settings. The posts, along with Sammy Hall's “Haunt” post for a “cancelled Boo project” for the Mario franchise, were taken down from ArtStation on May 7, 2020. Sammy Hill later clarified that the cancellation of both projects was due to ex-leads Mark Pacini, Todd Keller and Kynan Pearson leaving Retro Studios.