Nintendo Character Profile | Epona

Epona
Trusty Steed or Silly Mare?

Profile by Adam Riley [ jesusraz :: Senior Editor ]

Introduction
Epona is a horse. Yes, Epona is Link's very own stallion. Hmm, Epona also appears to be very drunk at times, often having trouble turning around or just running straight into walls, trees, fences or basically anything. Perhaps Link should think about a possible trade-in…

Statistics

Age: When asked how old she was all she did was show her scary teeth and almost snarled, not even accepting a yummy, delicious carrot to placate her. Must be quite a touchy subject then, obviously...

Species: Horse (not to be mistaken with that word beginning with a 'W' at the start and the 'S' and 'E' switched round, of course, despite the pronunciation being very similar…!).

Location: Hyrule, usually struggling to run in a straight line and avoid any obstacles.

Birth: Messy, very messy. Screams, moaning, sticky substances...and that was just Link and Zelda in the background! Hehe...

Main Features: Long white mane, rustic brown in overall colour, hooves...Look, do you honestly expect me to believe you have never seen a horse before?! Come on...

Clothing: A saddle to make sure poor Link's bottom does not chafe…and there are rumours of Epona donning a special pink, cushioned saddle for when Zelda decided to go bare-back riding. But you never heard that from me…

Concept
When the production of Ocarina of Time began, it became apparent that the playing field was so large that running across on foot would have been extremely unlikely for anyone, let alone little Link, to do in a short time. So, rather than have players sit and wait for ages as they try to get from area to the next, Nintendo included an equestrian mode of transport for our Hylian Hero. Not many people realise, but the name Epona stems from a primary totem deity of people from Eastern, Central and Western Europe. Horses were vital in the past for wandering people around those areas, you see…The only matter of contention is that Epona is normally associated with white, pure horses �" whereas Link's partner is reddish brown, with just a white mane to symbolise the White Beauty.

Appearances
So far she has only appeared in the one game, and that is Ocarina of Time, since she was actually stolen in Majora's Mask. There is speculation, though, that we might see her return in next year's realistic The Legend of Zelda for the GameCube:

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, GC)
• Majora's Mask (N64, GC)
• Four Swords Adventures (GC)
• The Legend of Zelda (GC, possibly)

Best Appearance
Well, the 'best' appearance would probably have to go to Ocarina of Time since that is the only game where we have seen Epona in a main role. But, as already talked about, the crazy mare tended to be quite a hindrance at times with her manic trotting, aeroplance-like turning circles and constant whinnie-ing, rearing up unexpectedly. Oh, the memories...

Do Not Mention...
Horse jokes. The amount of times Epona has had to endure the old 'Why the long face?' puns drive her crazy and the next person to assume her favourite TV programme is 'Neeeeiiigh-bours' will promptly get a hoof to the face...

In closing...
Okay, a horse is not likely to be the first choice for a memorable character, at least not in the Western Hemisphere anyway, but Epona managed to leave quite an imprint on Zelda fans' minds so she should definitely not be overlooked...and it is probably for this very reason that we could be seeing Epona's return in next year's Zelda extravaganza.