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List of The Legend of Zelda characters
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The Legend of Zelda[a] is a high-fantasy video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool and Grezzo; as well, Monolith Soft has assisted in the production of some mainline titles. The series' gameplay incorporates elements of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving games.
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The series centers on Link, the playable character and protagonist who is often tasked with rescuing Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon, who is the series' primary antagonist; however, other settings and antagonists have appeared in several games. The plots commonly involve the Triforce, a relic that is a set of three omnipotent golden triangles.
Since the original The Legend of Zelda's release in 1986, the series has expanded to include twenty entries on Nintendo's major game consoles, as well as several spin-offs. An American animated TV series based on the games aired in 1989. Individual manga adaptations commissioned by Nintendo have been produced in Japan since 1997. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most prominent and successful franchises, and many of its games are considered by critics and fans alike to be among the greatest video games of all time.
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Main characters
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Link
Link is the silent protagonist of the series and the main playable character. He is a Hylian youth of varying age who has traditionally been depicted wearing a green cap and tunic.[1] He has appeared as the hero of every game in the series, each time as a new iteration of the same character. Although each game stars a new variation of Link, he typically embarks on a journey across Hyrule to defeat evil, usually in the form of Ganon, and save Princess Zelda. To defeat his enemies, he typically obtains and wields the legendary Master Sword.[2] Each incarnation of Link is humble, brave, and worthy to bear the Triforce of Courage, one of the three pieces that form the Triforce.[3] As protagonist, Link has appeared in related media, including spin-off games such as Hyrule Warriors,[4] comics and manga,[5] and other video game series, such as Mario Kart 8 and the Super Smash Bros. series.[6][7] Although he is mainly silent in the video games, he does speak in the Legend of Zelda cartoon series and the CD-i games from The Legend of Zelda series produced by Philips.[8] Link was recognised as the second greatest video game character of all time behind Mario in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2011.[9] Nintendo Life describes Link as "one of gaming's most iconic heroes",[10] while GamesRadar describes him as, "one of the most enduring heroic archetypes".[11] Time named him as one of the most influential video game characters of all time.[12]
Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda is Hyrule's princess and the guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom.[13] While older titles portray her as a "princess in peril" who Link needed to save from Ganon, since Ocarina of Time she has been developed as a more fully realized character, particularly in Breath of the Wild.[14] Zelda is the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia in mortal form and is therefore capable of using various magical powers to aid Link, including light magic to seal away Ganon.[15] She has also wielded the Bow of Light as a recurring weapon in the series.[16] Zelda occasionally has aliases and alter egos, including Sheik in Ocarina of Time and Tetra in The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.[17] Despite being the titular character, Zelda is a playable character only in the games Spirit Tracks and Echoes of Wisdom in the main series and the CD-i games, but is playable in spin-offs such as Hyrule Warriors, or other games, such as the Super Smash Bros. series.[18][19] She was named as one of the most iconic female game characters of all time by Digital Spy.[20] Along with Link, she was counted as one of the greatest video game characters of all time by the 2011 Guinness World Record Gamer's Edition.[9]
Ganon
Ganon is the series' primary villain and final boss. His specific motives vary across games, but general themes include seeking the Triforce for power and destruction and to conquer Hyrule, and kidnapping Princess Zelda as a means to this end. Like Link and Zelda, he is the bearer of one third of the Triforce: the Triforce of Power.[13] Ganon was introduced as the main antagonist of the original The Legend of Zelda in the form of a blue boar and his role and appearance has since evolved over time.[21] Over the course of the series, he has generally appeared in two forms: Ganon, a monstrous, demonic pig-like form, and Ganondorf, a humanoid Gerudo form first introduced in Ocarina of Time. In Breath of the Wild, he appears in two forms in the final boss fight as Calamity Ganon and Dark Beast Ganon.[22] In Tears of the Kingdom, Ganondorf is known as the Demon King.[23] His portrayal varies across each game in the series, ranging from a mute beast to a powerful warlock with formidable sword skills, but generally he is so powerful that only Link and Zelda are capable of defeating him.[21] In addition to the main Zelda series, Ganon/Ganondorf appears as a playable character in spin-off games, including Hyrule Warriors[24] and the Super Smash Bros. series.[25] Ganon was recognized as one of the greatest video game villains of all time in a 2013 poll for Guinness World Records 2013 Gamer's Edition.[26] In 2022, GamesRadar named him as one of the most iconic gaming villains of all time.[27]
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The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, and Link's Awakening
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Impa
Impa[b] was introduced in the game manual for the original The Legend of Zelda as an elderly woman and member of the Sheikah who acts as caretaker to Princess Zelda and seeks out Link to save her from Ganon. She returns in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, where she acts as a guide to Link. In Ocarina of Time, she plays a major role as a young warrior and Zelda's guardian. Her character design is similar in Skyward Sword, where she appears in both a young and elderly form.[28] Breath of the Wild depicts her as a Sheikah elder in Kakariko Village, where she is about 120 years old. She is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors[29] and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity as a young warrior.[30] In Tears of the Kingdom, she has retired and is investigating the Geoglyphs that have appeared around Hyrule, tasking Link with finding the Dragon's Tears and the memories they hold.[31] Impa's characterisation was praised by Jenni Lada of Siliconera, who admired her for being an intelligent warrior and a respected character.[32]
Impa's character design has evolved significantly over the course of the series, having been depicted in various forms and ages to fulfill various roles in the games. In her first appearance, Impa was created as an elderly woman for the instruction manual of The Legend of Zelda.[33] In Ocarina of Time, she appears as a slimmer, younger character with a sturdy build and hair tied back in a ponytail.[34] By contrast, she was designed as an overweight woman for Oracle of Seasons.[35] In Skyward Sword, she appears as younger and older versions of the same character due to the storyline shifting in time and is dressed in Sheikah attire.[34] The younger version of Impa was given an androgynous appearance, while her older version wears a costume designed to reflect the passage of time, including a pendulum braid and a triangular robe that becomes a sundial.[36] In Breath of the Wild, she appears as a much older village elder with a short, shrunken stature.[37] In Hyrule Warriors, she is depicted as an athletic warrior, which is similar to her appearance in Ocarina of Time and her younger form in Skyward Sword. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which features the younger self of her Breath of the Wild incarnation, she is portrayed as a powerful fighter and strongly resembles her future granddaughter, Paya.[34] Impa's design, abilities, and gestures in Age of Calamity drew heavy inspiration from Naruto Uzumaki.[38]
Throughout her many incarnations, she bears the typical traits of the Sheikah tribe, having white hair and red eyes. She also typically displays the Sheikah symbol, an eye with three triangles above and a teardrop below, on her forehead or clothing.[39] As a representative of her people, she wears the unique garments of the Sheikah, which take inspiration from historical Japanese clothing.[40] As a member of the Sheikah, Impa is highly skilled in combat and the use of magic.[39]
Dark Link
Dark Link (also known as Shadow Link) is a recurring boss and doppelgänger of Link with a black color scheme and red eyes, who first appeared as the final boss of The Adventure of Link.[41] He is a mini boss in the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time and is capable of mirroring his movements in combat.[42] Dark Link appears in A Link to the Past and Four Swords in the optional dungeon Palace of the Four Swords, which requires the player to defeat four versions of him. He makes recurring appearances in Four Swords Adventures, and also appears in Oracle of Ages, where multiple Shadow Links are summoned by the sorceress Veran during the final battle. He also appears in a mini game in Spirit Tracks and the Den of Trials in Tri Force Heroes.[43] The Dark Set, an obtainable armor set in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is based on his appearance.[44][45] He is also a downloadable costume in the spin-off Hyrule Warriors[46] and an optional costume for Link in most entries of the Super Smash Bros. series.[47] Game Informer considered Dark Link in The Adventure of Link as one of the top ten best Zelda boss fights, describing it as, "a notoriously difficult battle".[48] Den of Geek praised Dark Link in Ocarina of Time as one of the series' most creative battles as his counter moves force the player to try different methods to defeat him.[49] In 2010 IGN ranked Dark Link as 77th on its list of the Top 100 Video Game Villains for being a "formidable opponent, mirroring your moves and putting up a seemingly impenetrable defense".[50]
King of Hyrule
The King of Hyrule is the title given to the various ruling monarchs of Hyrule, who are generally the father of Princess Zelda in most incarnations. He appears in many entries, but his presence is often relegated to cameos, backstory, or lore. In The Minish Cap, Link must rescue King Daltus after Vaati turns him to stone and imprisons him. In The Wind Waker, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule is later revealed to be the true identity of The King of Red Lions, the sentient red sailboat that accompanies Link and leads him to the Triforce of Courage, also helping Tetra to uncover her true identity as Zelda, ultimately usurping the Triforce to sink Hyrule.[51] He later appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors Legends.[52] In Breath of the Wild, the Old Man guides Link throughout the Great Plateau and helps him obtain the paraglider and is eventually revealed to be the spirit of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.[53] In the game's backstory, he prepared for the return of Calamity Ganon and put pressure on his daughter Zelda to awaken her sealing powers, but his efforts ended in failure and his death.[51] King Rhoam returns as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.[54]
Great Fairy
Great Fairies appear in almost every game in the series, residing in springs called "Great Fairy Fountains". They first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda. Their designs have varied across the series, but they usually appear as voluptuous women. Their function is generally to help Link by bestowing hearts and upgrades.[55] Ocarina of Time's Great Fairy designs moved away from traditional winged depictions and feature them with bright pink hair worn in braids and ivy across their body, with similar designs later being used in Majora's Mask. Visiting these fairies allows the player to replenish health and magic and receive upgrades that can be used in boss fights. In The Wind Waker, the Great Fairies resemble dolls with blank expressions, and upgrade Link's item inventory.[56] Four Great Fairies, Cotera, Kaysa, Mija and Tera appear in Breath of the Wild; they are scattered across Hyrule, and will upgrade Link's armor in exchange for materials.[57] They return in Tears of the Kingdom, where they are found in different locations and can only be unlocked after being serenaded by a musical group called the Stable Trotters.[58] In Hyrule Warriors, one of Link's unlockable weapons allows the player to control a Great Fairy, with Link held in a bottle that she carries with her.[59] In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Great Fairies are secret characters that can be unlocked by completing four Fairy Fountain challenges.[60]
Marin
Marin is a young girl who appears in Link's Awakening. She finds Link washed ashore on Koholint Island and nurses him back to health, after which she spends her time in the village with her father Tarin. Marin is loved by the villagers for her singing, specifically her favorite song, the Ballad of the Wind Fish. If the player does not die during the game, a secret ending is revealed after the credits, where the Wind Fish grants her desire to fly away from Koholint by reincarnating her as a seagull.[61] Jenni Lada of Siliconera considered Marin to be one of the most charming aspects of the game because, rather than being a one-note character, she grows as a person and plays a major role in the story.[62] Timothy Monbleau of Destructoid opined that Marin's close relationship with Link marked a change in the series that resulted in more personal character stories in subsequent games, changing Zelda's role, and revealing more information about Link's character.[63] Marin appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee and as a playable character through downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors Legends.[64]
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Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask
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Tingle
Tingle is a eccentric middle-aged man who is obsessed with fairies and believes himself to be the reincarnation of one.[note 1] He first appears in Majora's Mask, where he wears a green body suit and floats around on a balloon selling maps. He reappears in Wind Waker, first in a jail room located on Windfall Island, and then in a tall wooden tower, where he acts as a map maker. He also appears in Oracle of Ages, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. He makes cameo appearances in Phantom Hourglass as a poster, in Spirit Tracks as a shop figurine, and in Skyward Sword as a doll in Zelda's room at the Knight Academy.[66] Tingle has gained notoriety due to being disliked by American players and has not appeared in the main series since Twilight Princess.[67] He ranked first on IGN's list of the weirdest Zelda characters.[68] IGN staff expressed their disdain for the character with a 2004 "Die, Tingle, Die! Die!" Campaign", describing him as a "nutty clown freak" and stating, "we hate Tingle, we want him dead, and we're not going to stand for him in another Zelda game".[69] He has starred in his own games, including Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and Ripened Tingle's Balloon Trip of Love.[70] He is also a playable character via downloadable content in Hyrule Warriors.[71] His suit is an obtainable armour set in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.[72]
Anju and Kafei
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The Minish Cap and The Wind Waker
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Vaati
Vaati (Japanese: グフー, Hepburn: Gufū) is the antagonist of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap. His most common appearance is a black orb with a single eye, though he was originally a human sorcerer. In Four Swords, Vaati is initially sealed in the Four Sword, but escapes and captures Princess Zelda, only for Link, who was split into four by the sword's power, to return him to it. In the sequel, Four Swords Adventures, he escapes with Princess Zelda with help from Ganon, forcing Link to be split up again to defeat him. Before the events of The Minish Cap, Vaati was a Picori that became corrupted by the evil in the hearts of mankind. He used the Wishing Cap created by his master, Ezlo, to transform into a Hylian sorcerer and curse him into his current hat-like form, now seeking the power of the Light Force.
Beedle
Beedle, also known as Terry in other localizations,[73] is a traveling merchant who sells Link items. He also values his consumers with rewards discounts. He first appears in The Wind Waker, where he can be found on islands in the Great Sea on his boat shop. In The Minish Cap, he appears in Hyrule Town selling Picolyte after Link fuses kinstones and clears the area with the Gust Jar. In Phantom Hourglass, he sells boat parts. In Spirit Tracks, he is seen soaring above in a balloon across New Hyrule. In Skyward Sword, he travels from his island home to Skyloft in a pedal-powered wooden shack with helicopter-type propellers, which also serves as his shop. In Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, he travels on foot with a large backpack, and is often seen at stables.[74] IGN ranked him number 14 on its list of the weirdest Zelda characters.[75]
Medli
Medli is a young Rito girl and the Sage of Earth as well as the apprentice attendant of Valoo, a powerful dragon and the Sky Spirit. When not serving Valoo, she tends to the young Prince Komali and practices her harp, the symbol of the Sage of Earth.[76] Her ancestor Laruto, a Zora, was the original Sage,[77] and teaches Link the Earth God's Lyric and appears to Medli in a vision to inform her of her sacred duty.
Medli then travels to the Earth Temple with Link and helps him navigate it.[78] She eventually begins offering up her prayers, which partially restores the energy and edge of the Master Sword. She also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors through downloadable content.[79] Josh Max of Nintendo World Report named Medli as his favourite Zelda character, describing her as "a little bird girl with a heart of gold". He praised her responsibility and kindness and noted that although she is unprepared to take on the role of sage and Valoo's attendant, she always tries her best and is a valuable ally in the game.[76]
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Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and Phantom Hourglass
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Midna
Midna[c] is the titular character of Twilight Princess. She is an imp-like creature and the princess of the Twili race, who serves as Link's companion and guide, like Navi in Ocarina of Time. She initially shows contempt for Link and uses him to further her own goals, but over time grows to like him as she helps him on his quest, as they share a common goal in defeating Zant, who invaded Hyrule and usurped the Twilight Realm's throne. When Link is transformed into a wolf in the Twilight Realm, she rides on his back and acts as his counterpart in battle. She is eventually revealed to be the true ruler of the Twilight Realm, the titular "Twilight Princess", who Zant overthrew and cursed into an impish form. At the end of the game, Midna's true form is revealed and she severs the connection with Hyrule by breaking the Mirror of Twilight.[80] Midna returns in Hyrule Warriors as a playable character in both her imp and Twili forms.[81] Destructoid listed Midna as one of the top ten best companions in gaming history, citing her cheeky character, her ability to help Link destroy enemies, and her emotional moments in the game.[82] Jeff Levene, writing for The Escapist, also chose her as the best companion, describing her as a fully realized character with more layers than other companions.[83]
Zant
Usurper King Zant[d] is a sorcerer and the antagonist for the majority of Twilight Princess. He is the enemy of the Twili, who willingly offered himself to Ganondorf, whom he saw as a god, to dispose of their princess Midna and invade Hyrule. He dresses in an oversized robe with his head enclosed in a large silver helmet that resembles a chameleon's head. Rob Crossley of GameSpot remarked that Zant's personality "descends from composed usurper king to a confused, overpowered adolescent" as he becomes increasingly desperate, and described his story arc as "fascinating and overbearing and weird and brilliantly imaginative".[84] The final battle against Zant involves fighting him in the arenas of other bosses and sub-bosses before fighting him in front of Hyrule Castle. Destructoid expressed a "hatred" for the character due to him being set up as the main villain, only to be reduced to a puppet of Ganondorf with no real power of his own.[85] Zant also makes an appearance as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors.[86] Zant's helmet is an obtainable armour piece in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.[87][88]
Ghirahim
Demon Lord Ghirahim[e] is a boss encountered throughout Skyward Sword. He seeks to kidnap Zelda to break the seal of the goddess Hylia so that the ancient evil Demise can be released, forcing Link to battle him to save her.[89] Eiji Aonuma said that he wanted to include a different type of antagonist for the game in place of Ganon, so Ghirahim's delicate appearance was designed to contrast with Ganon's "very masculine, powerful, evil" image.[90] In the final boss battle, Ghirahim is revealed to be the spirit of Demise's sword, given life so that he can resurrect his master. He returns to his sword form, but is ultimately defeated by the Master Sword during the climactic battle with Link.[91] Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku described him as a "queer-coded menace" and noted that despite all of his theatricality and cockiness, him resorting to brute force in the final battle reveals his true character.[92] Nintendo Life described Ghirahim as, "one of Nintendo's most edgy, downright creepy creations", noting his intimidating character and strange mannerisms.[93] Outside the main series, Ghirahim appears in Hyrule Warriors and both Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an Assist Trophy.[94]
Demise
Demon King Demise[f] is an evil deity and the final boss in Skyward Sword. He is presented as the origin of the evil that manifests throughout the history of Hyrule. Despite not being the first game in the series, Skyward Sword was designed to be the beginning of The Legend of Zelda timeline. In the ancient past, Demise invaded the world with his forces seeking to steal the Triforce from the goddess Hylia and have ultimate power over the world. To protect the Triforce, Hylia sealed him away in the Sealed Grounds. However, he takes on a monstrous form called The Imprisoned and attempts to escape by breaking the seal. His sword, which assumes the form of the Demon Lord Ghirahim, tracks down Hylia's reincarnation, Zelda, and eventually uses her lifeforce to resurrect Demise.
Impressed to see a Hylian like Link willing to stand up to him, Demise decides to battle him out of amusement, setting up a specially made arena where they can fight with no distractions.[95] After Link mortally wounds him and restores Zelda's soul to her body, Demise's remains are sealed within the Master Sword. Before his end, Demise curses the future incarnations of Link and Zelda with the promise to manifest repeatedly throughout history.[96] Within the history of the series, this is widely considered to be Ganondorf's origin as Demise's reincarnation.[97] In Hyrule Warriors, Demise reappears in his Imprisoned form.[98]
Fi
Fi[g] (/faɪ/) is a female humanoid representation of the Goddess Sword, which later evolves into the Master Sword, who appears in Skyward Sword. She serves as Link's logical-minded companion and assists him throughout the game. Her design is based on the Master Sword. In the end, after Demise is sealed within the Master Sword, Fi reveals her last order from the goddess is to let Link put her into an endless sleep within the weapon, which he does after encouragement from her and Zelda.[99] She also appears in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, where she informs Zelda that Link can be saved by bringing him to the Shrine of Resurrection.[100] Fi also appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors. Fi is voiced in Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors by Ayumi Fujimura.[101]
Fi was first revealed at E3 2009 in concept art for Skyward Sword alongside Link.[102] The designers created Fi to serve as a counterpart to the silent protagonist in order to provide hints, navigation and storytelling.[103] Fi is a humanoid spirit that resides within a sword called the Goddess Sword, which eventually becomes the Master Sword.[104] She has a metallic appearance and her voice is robotic, which gives the impression that she displays no emotion. She wears a cape, which opens up when she spins. Her appearance is predominantly blue and purple in colour. Beneath her cloak Fi appears to have no arms, though when she dances the cloth moves as though it were her limbs. She is revealed in Hyrule Historia to have arms hidden within her cloak.[105] She wears a blue gem on her chest, a purple miniskirt and black tights with criss-crossed teal stripes. In the game she appears to wear heeled shoes that blend seamlessly with her tights but in early concept art she is described as barefoot.[106] The shape of her cloak mimics the design of the sword's crossguard, the pattern on her legs mimics the cross grid pattern on the sword's hilt and her blue and purple colour scheme also reflects the sword's prominent colours. Fi's figure is feminine in appearance but the character is officially genderless. Her original function was different than it is in the final game, though the function was not specified.[103] They used 1980s anime as a source of inspiration for Fi's design, with them saying that anime from that era would have the protagonist accompanied by a "beautiful personal assistant." They also intended for her design to resemble the Fairy Queen's from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.[107] Despite the use of female pronouns, Fi is genderless.[107]
Fi has been met with mostly negative reception. Critics and gamers considered her frequent interjections in gameplay to be annoying, comparing her unfavourably to Navi from Ocarina of Time.[108] She has been criticized for hurting the pace or making the game more annoying to play by critics.[109][110][111][112][113] Due to her repeated interruptions in the gameplay of Skyward Sword, she has been the subject of various internet memes.[114] Venture Beat writer Sebastian Haley, however, felt she was less annoying, and considered her the best aspect of the game.[115] The change of her hints to be optional was well-received by critics.[116][117]
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Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
See also
- Linkle, a character from Hyrule Warriors, a Legend of Zelda spinoff game
- Characters in the Mario franchise
- Lists of Nintendo characters
Notes
Language notes
General notes
- Tingle Trophy Description: "Tingle is a mysterious middle-aged man who thinks he's 'the very reincarnation of a fairy'. His bizarre behavior and unique speech are just little pieces of his vibrant personality. Tingle travels by way of a small hot-air balloon, making maps of the lands below him. Pop his balloon, and Tingle will fall to earth to sell his maps".[65]
References
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