Editing Poe

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{{about|the recurring lamp-wielding ghost|the fish-like ghost from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass]]''|[[Poe (The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass)]]}}
{{Species infobox
|image = [[File:TP Poe art.png|200px]]<br>Artwork of a Poe from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]''
|first_appearance = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past]]'' (1992)
|latest_appearance = ''[[Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda]]'' (2019)
|notable = [[Big Poe (The Swamp)]]<br>[[Composer Brothers]] ([[Sharp]] and [[Flat]])<br>[[Grim Repoe]]<br>[[Jalhalla]]<br>[[Phantom Guide]]<br>[[Poe sisters]] ([[Amy]], [[Jo]], [[Beth (Poe)|Beth]], and [[Meg]])
|variants = [[Big Poe]]<br>[[Hyu]]<br>[[Imp Poe]]<br>[[Key Bandit Poe]]<br>[[Lantern Poe]]<br>[[Prankster Poe]]
|comparable = [[Cubus Sisters]]<br>[[Ghini]]<br>[[Moa]]<br>[[Watcher]]
|expand=expandable
}}
'''Poes''' are ghost enemies that appear throughout ''[[The Legend of Zelda (series)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' series, and debut in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past]]''. They are encountered in [[graveyard]]s and other dark areas. Poes carry around a lantern which contains a [[Poe Soul]]. Their name may be a reference to the author {{wp|Edgar Allan Poe}}.

==History==
===''The Legend of Zelda'' series===
====''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past''====
[[File:Poe ALttP sprite.png|frame|left]]
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past]]'', Poes are found in the graveyard outside the [[Sanctuary]] starting at midway through the game. They fly back and forth in a wavy pattern. In the [[Dark World]], their counterpart, [[Hyu]], acts the same way but is found in the [[Thieves' Town|Village of Outcasts]] and [[Skull Woods|Skeleton Forest]].
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====''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'', Poes are depicted with purple and white frayed robes and black faces with beak-like noses, and have a much larger presence in the game. They are first found in the [[graveyard]]. When certain graves are moved, a lantern will appear underneath. It will then wiggle, and the Poe will form. Poes float around while a whooshing noise plays, and will charge at [[Link]] while spinning their lanterns. If they are hit, they will rapidly back away, and if they are targeted, they will turn invisible and invincible. When they are defeated, their whole bodies turn black and disintegrate, causing their lanterns to drop and releasing the Poe Soul, which looks like a sad, purple flame. In the future, Poes can be found in the graveyard even without moving graves. Also in the graveyard are the [[Composer Brothers]] (also referred to as '''Poes of the graveyard''') who act much the same, but offer advice regarding the [[Sun's Song]] when defeated.

In the future in [[Hyrule Field]], a different type of Poe appears, having a split, jester-like hood and skull necklace. These ones do not care if Link targets them, and instead circle him just out of reach, dropping fire from their lanterns. They release the same type of Poe Soul. Sometimes (most often while riding [[Epona]]), a [[Big Poe]] appears instead, and flees instead of attacking. In the [[Haunted Wasteland]], a [[Phantom Guide]] appears to direct Link across it. In the original, it resembles one of the fire-dropping type, but in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D|Ocarina of Time 3D]]'', it instead is a Big Poe. Four more Poes, the [[Poe Sisters|Poe sisters]], make trouble for Link in the [[Forest Temple]].

Solely in the future, Poe Souls can be sold to the [[Poe Collector]] at the [[Ghost Shop]] in the ruins of [[Hyrule Castle Town]]. He describes them as "spirits of concentrated hatred."

In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest]]'', graveyard Poes additionally appear in a grave-filled room of [[Dodongo's Cavern]]. In ''Ocarina of Time 3D'', the fire-dropping type lacks arms, causing its lantern to float.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask]]'', Poes' role has been reduced again. They are one of many types of wandering spirits found in the [[Ikana]] region. Normal Poes are only found in the inverted [[Stone Tower Temple]] in a single open-skied room (which contains infinite [[Dragonfly (Majora's Mask)|Dragonflies]] normally). Due to the large pit leading into the sky, it is harder to get the Poe Souls when they are defeated. As an additional note, it is actually possibly via a [[spin attack]] to defeat a Poe while in the adjoining [[Death Armos]]-filled room. Big Poes, the Composer Brothers, and the Poe sisters reappear as well.

In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D]]'', Poes' lanterns disappear along with them.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages''====
[[File:Poe OoA sprite.png|frame]]
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages]]'', a friendly Poe appears in the [[Yoll Graveyard]]. If Link uses the [[Power Bracelet]] to visit the Poe, he will thank him for freeing him and give Link the [[Poe Clock]], starting the game's [[trade sequence]]. Unlike previous Poes, he lacks a hood and has his facial features on the front of his body, like a Hyu.

====''The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'', Poes appear primarily in the [[Earth Temple (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)|Earth Temple]] and the [[Ghost Ship]]. Here, they appear in various different colors which all act identically, with most in the Earth Temple being dull blue, the two in the Ghost Ship being red, and the ones of the other primary and secondary colors appearing less. They each wear large masks with large toothy frowns and colorful patches that may be eyes or cheeks. They first appear patrolling rooms while transparent, attacking Link by charging at him and swiping with the lantern. When Link attacks them, all hits are directed to the lantern, which eventually falls to the ground and breaks in a large swath of fire. At this point, they will charge at Link to "possess" him, temporarily inverting his controls while he glows purple and the mask floats over him. When it wears off, the Poe also disappears.

If they are touched by light directed from [[Medli]]'s harp or the [[Mirror Shield]], they become tangible, and begin panickedly running around for a short period, allowing them to be attacked. After a certain amount of time, they become transparent and composed again. Upon defeat, they float up while shrinking and wavering, making a high pitched wail overlaid with a deep groan. The boss of the Earth Temple, [[Jalhalla]], is an enormous fat conglomeration of variously colored Poes with a mask. When damaged, he splits into all of the individual Poes, which must each be defeated to eventually defeat him.

In the game's coding, a prototypical model for a Poe can be found. It is slender, purple, and has a blue face texture, which is also assigned to its hands.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures''====
[[File:FSA Poe GBA.png|frame]]
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures]]'', a single, green Poe appears as the "soul" of the two Big Poe bosses, starting with [[Big Poe (The Swamp)|the one]] in [[the Swamp]]. After the Big Poe is defeated and it explodes, the small green Poe is shown frantically but slowly hopping away, but cannot be interacted with in any way. Later, when another Big Poe is found during the [[infiltration of Hyrule Castle]], the Big Poe will occasionally inhale some of the Links, bringing them to the same place as the green Poe, which appears on the [[Game Boy Advance]] screen. At this point, they can battle it directly, with it only being able to spit a fireball to attack. After enough damage is taken, the Big Poe will spit the Links out, and the process will need repeating. Eventually, the Poe will take too much damage and explode, followed by the Big Poe also exploding.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess]]'', four Poes appear, each found in the [[Arbiter's Grounds]], where they steal four torch lights, similar to the Poe sisters. They are treated as a larger version of the [[Imp Poe]] in this game, which are much more common. Like Imp Poes, they give [[Poe Soul]]s upon defeat. Appearance-wise, they are very tall and thin with fanged, blue, corpse-like faces. However, they are not visible, so [[Wolf Link]] must use his [[sense]]s to locate and battle them. The first one stays in the torch room to battle, but the rest scatter throughout the dungeon, generally hiding in rooms full of similar lanterns mounted to the walls. Every time a Poe is defeated, the lantern burns away and the flame returns to the torch, while the empty robe remains behind for Wolf Link to sniff and learn the [[Poe Scent]]. Once all four are defeated, the way further into the temple opens.

At first, they hold still in the air, observing Link until he Z-targets them. At this point, they begin pursuing him, though they are incorporeal aside from when they are attacking. When able to be attacked, they are bright purple. Any of Wolf Link's attacks can damage them, with the standard bite attack allowing him to latch on and bite repeatedly. The final one acts similar to [[Meg]] of the Poe Sisters, spawning three duplicates and circling around Link. Only the real one turns purple when they prepare to attack.

====''The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds]]'', Poes look and act as they do in ''A Link to the Past'' and are again found in the graveyard outside the Sanctuary, and can be encountered at the very beginning of the game by moving graves. A group of three appears as an encounter in the secret passageway between the graveyard and the Sanctuary. Another group of them guards the deepest reaches of the [[Lost Woods]], only reachable when Link has all three [[Pendants of Virtue]]. They direct Link through the woods with a series of challenges involving the group twisting among themselves to confuse him. It starts with a group of eight, though if he repeatedly fails, the number will drop. For the first challenge, he must follow a specific one, for the second, he must avoid going down the same paths as two of them, and in the third, must avoid going down the same path as three of them, with the correct answer being the path he came out from.

====''The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes''====
In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes]]'', Poes have a large presence in the [[Ruins]] area, as well as the floors of the [[Den of Trials]] based off that area. Normal white Poes can be defeated with two [[sword]] slashes from anybody, but the red, blue, and green types can only be damaged by the Link of their respective color. They commonly appear in areas around bottomless pits. There is also a Link-shaped Poe called a [[Prankster Poe]] that tries to pick up and throw Links and [[Doppel]]s into pits, meaning another Link has to attack it while it carries one to defeat it. [[Palace Noir]] contains a helpful type of Poe called a [[Lantern Poe]], which minds its own business while floating around, lighting the dark area with its extra-large lantern. The level also contains another Link-like Poe called a [[Key Bandit Poe]], which quickly floats through the library room carrying one key each, and respawns to steal it back if defeated. Finally, the level's miniboss is a huge Poe called the [[Grim Repoe]], which wields a huge scythe.

===''Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda''===
[[File:CoH Poe.png|frame]]
In ''[[Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda]]'', Poes appear in numerous colors, the most basic of which is orange. They appear transparent and holding still, but begin following the player character after being approached. They only appear solid when the player character is moving away from them, similar to [[Boo Buddy|Boos]] in the ''[[MarioWiki:Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' franchise. When a Poe is close enough, however, moving in its direction will damage it, though higher level Poes will swap their position with the player as this happens. Their primary behavior is taken from the Ghost enemy in the original ''{{wp|Crypt of the NecroDancer}}'', with the teleporting instead coming from the game's Warlock enemy.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths=180>
Poe OoT artwork.png|''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' artwork
Poe OoT pre-release screenshot.jpg|''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' pre-release screenshot of Link aiming his bow at a Poe
CoH Poe green.png|''[[Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda]]'' sprite
CoH Poe purple.png|''Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda'' sprite
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=ポゥ
|JapR=Pou
|JapM=Poe
|Fre=Esprit <small>(''Ocarina of Time'' and ''Majora's Mask'')</small><br>Fantôme
|FreM=Spirit<br>Ghost
|Ger=Irrlicht
|GerM=Will-o'-the-wisp
|Spa=Poe
|SpaM=-
|Ita=Poo
|ItaM=Poe
|Chi=妖婆
|ChiR=
|ChiM=
}}

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[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages characters]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures bosses]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds enemies]]
[[Category:The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes enemies]]
[[Category:Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring The Legend of Zelda enemies]]
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