G33K LYFE: It's dangerous to go alone. Take us!

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Throughout the years, the Zelda franchise has given their main character, Link, many companions, but which one is the best?

Ever since Nintendo’s iconic Legend of Zelda franchise made the move to three dimensions with Ocarina of Time in 1998, Link, and by extension the player, has never been left to undertake their adventure on their own. That title, and the four successive console games that have followed each have introduced a unique companion with their own personalities and their own charms, and each are as unique as the game they feature in.

But which one was the best? Who was the most useful? Who was the most annoying? Having devoted more time to the Zelda franchise than is likely healthy over the years, I have come up with the answer to those questions. Without further ado, here is the ranking of the five Zelda companions in the 3D games.

5. Tatl (Majora’s Mask)

Poor Tatl. Separated from her brother, abandoned by her former friend is firmly rooted to the bottom of this list. Beginning the game as an antagonist, Tatl the fairy would reluctantly join up with Link shortly after aiding in the kidnapping of his horse and his transformation at the hands of Skull Kid. She would eventually come around, aiding Link in saving the world and earning herself some redemption. The second consecutive fairy companion, Tatl suffers from an unoriginal design and the lofty standards set by her predecessor, though she does stand out by actively disliking Link for a good portion of the game.

4. The King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)

Sailing a vast ocean in a sailboat that doesn’t even have the deck space for a chair sounds like one of the loneliest experiences that one could have. Fortunately for Link, the tiny sailboat that is his only transportation doubles as a travelling companion. After plucking the hero out of the ocean, he successfully guides the young hero on his quest to save his sister; it is revealed that the elderly vessel is none other than the last king of Hyrule. Throughout the quest he would serve as a translator of ancient languages, moral support and of course, a sailboat. His highness would end the game making the ultimate sacrifice, sadly leaving the boat’s figurehead just that.

3. Fi (Skyward Sword)

Chronologically the companion to the first Link, Fi is also the most recently created companion in the franchise. A friendly, analytical and coldly logical spirit, Fi makes herself known to Link shortly after the disappearance of Zelda, setting him along the adventure that would eventually shape the history, and the land, of Hyrule. Living in the hero’s sword, she dispenses advice, analysis and occasionally offers dismal odds of success, all while totally misunderstanding the actions and motivations of those who don’t live in swords. Interestingly enough, Fi could be considered to only recurring companion in the series. She resides in the Master Sword, forged throughout the course of the game, technically making her the silent companion to every incarnation of Link that has taken up the legendary blade.

2. Navi (Ocarina of Time)

Ask any gamer to name the most irritating vocal clip in video games, and nine out of 10 will mention Navi. The original fairy companion, Navi is a chipper, enthusiastic young fairy who is sent to travel with Link throughout his most iconic journey. Following Link back and forth through time, she is always at his side and ready to give advice when called upon, even if she does get a little annoying when you wander off of your main quest. Her status as the first companion in Zelda games, and the iconic nature of the game she features in would have been enough to put her high up on this list, but in the end that piercing, shrill voice is what she will always be remembered by.

1. Midna (The Twilight Princess)

Standing proudly on the top of the companion pile lays Midna, an impish little goblin with a terrifying amount of magical power at her disposal. Literally emerging from the darkest corner of the darkest cell, her initial motivations seem anything but benign as she orders around a wolf-shaped Link in a quid pro quo arrangement. Want to find your friends? She’ll help you, but only if you help her gather ancient magic. However, as is revealed later in the game, she is not truly what she seems, in either personality or form. Midna in fact is the titular character of the game, the exiled princess of the twilight realm, cursed and cast out by the same man now threatening Hyrule. The only companion with a proper story arc, Midna eventually proves herself to be just as brave and heroic as her partner, and the best companion to Link in franchise history.