King of Red Lions (The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker)

Mida and Navi are great, but easily Link’s best traveling companion over the years is the King of Red Lions. The dragon-like talking ship is intimately intertwined with every moment you spend in Wind Waker’s flooded version of Hyrule. He gets you where you need to go, provides meaningful commentary and perspective, and is a constant shoulder to lean on during the darkest times. His friendship with Link is the heart and soul of Wind Waker, but it grows into so much more, as it’s revealed that he is actually the long-lost king of Hyrule. He has watched his kingdom fall throughout Wind Waker, and though he’s haunted by its past, he does all he can,to help guide it to a better future. As an ally to Link, he is without peer. As a symbol of the cyclical nature of Zelda series seeking to free its heroes from the lives they’ve been forced to relive, he is a memorable figurehead within the franchise.