Nabooru

Lore & Background

In the secluded western desert, the Gerudo population consists mostly of women serving their king, a man born once every century. Nabooru rises as the de facto leader while Ganondorf is away, yet she refuses to support his quest for the Triforce. Her opposition leads to her imprisonment within the Spirit Temple, where she waits for Link to free her. As a child, Link befriends her before her capture; as an adult, he must navigate the temple's new puzzles and increased difficulty in Master Quest releases to reach her. Upon awakening, she reveals her identity as one of the seven Sages who protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. Her spirit joins with those of Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, and Zelda to imprison Ganondorf after he transforms into the beast Ganon.

In Their Own Story

Link first encounters Nabooru during his childhood in the Spirit Temple area, though her full role is revealed later. In the adult timeline, she is found captive inside the temple's inner chambers, guarded by a formidable foe. Once Link defeats this guardian and frees her from confinement, she immediately acknowledges their shared goal. She explains that Ganondorf's heart was unbalanced, causing the Triforce to split into three pieces: Power for him, Wisdom for Zelda, and Courage for Link. As the de facto leader of the Gerudo in Ganondorf's absence, she had tried to stop his plans but failed until Link arrived. After placing her spirit within the Sacred Realm alongside the other six Sages, she helps seal Ganondorf away. This act ensures peace for Hyrule, though Ganondorf vows revenge on their descendants using the Triforce of Power.

Reader's Guide

To reach Nabooru in Ocarina of Time, players must progress through the Spirit Temple as adult Link, navigating dungeons that feature new puzzles and increased difficulty if playing Master Quest. The temple requires solving music-based puzzles using the twelve melodies learned on the ocarina. This awakening is crucial for the game's climax; it allows the seven Sages to seal Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm. The guide emphasizes that only adult Link can access this temple, fitting his larger stature and ability to wield specific weapons like the Fairy Bow required for certain sections.

Did You Know?

• Nabooru serves as the de facto leader of the Gerudo tribe while their king, Ganondorf, is absent.
• She was imprisoned within the Spirit Temple by forces loyal to Ganondorf before Link freed her.
• As one of the Seven Sages, she helps seal Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm after he becomes the beast Ganon.
• Link can travel freely between his childhood and adult timelines after completing certain tasks at the Temple of Time, which is necessary to awaken Nabooru.
• The game Ocarina of Time was the first Legend of Zelda title with 3D graphics and introduced context-sensitive buttons.