Best Nintendo Characters Who Are Canonically Dead

Highlights

Nintendo games feature many canonically dead characters, adding depth to usually lighthearted stories.
Dark themes like death are present in Nintendo games like The Legend of Zelda, adding emotional depth.
Characters like Mikau and the Four Champions have tragic backstories of sacrifice and heroism.

As someone who grew up with a GameCube controller in my hands and countless hours spent exploring the vast universes of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises, I can’t help but feel a deep connection to the stories of these brave heroes and their unyielding determination.

Nintendo is frequently perceived as a company that creates innocent and cheerful games with minimal dark elements, such as death. However, this perspective is inaccurate as many Nintendo game characters have met their end and have stayed deceased.

As a longtime fan of Nintendo games, I’ve come across numerous unforgettable and endearing characters throughout my gaming journey. Some of these beloved figures have tragically met their ends in the richly-imagined worlds of first-party Nintendo franchises like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and others. It is crucial to distinguish that this list will strictly feature characters from games developed in-house by Nintendo itself.

1 Mikau

A Parent’s Heartwarming Sacrifice

Best Nintendo Characters Who Are Canonically Dead

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is undoubtedly one of the darkest Nintendo games ever made so, as a result, its storyline features a lot of death and even the end of the world itself. However, the most prominent deceased characters in the entire game are those whose souls were trapped in the masks that Link can wear to transform himself. Mikau is one of them, and his backstory is surprisingly tragic.

Zora musician Mikau, who was in a band with his companion Lulu, was highly accomplished. However, their valuable eggs were stolen by pirates, leading Mikau on a desperate mission to infiltrate their fortress and reclaim them. Regrettably, he failed, sustaining fatal injuries at the hands of the pirates. Just before his demise, Link managed to locate Mikau and performed the Healing Song, ensuring Mikau’s spirit would be enshrined within the Zora Mask.

2 The Four Champions

Died Protecting Hyrule From Calamity Ganon

In “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” it comes as a surprise how much history there is, as if countless significant events transpired before Link embarked on his latest quest. The reality is that for centuries, the world had been battling Calamity Ganon in a relentless war, and sadly, numerous brave warriors lost their lives in the attempt to keep it at bay.

Revali, Daruk, Mipha, and Urbosa were the famous Champions that fought alongside Link 100 years in the past. But, sadly, they were all trapped inside their own Divine Beast, where they were forced to fight a different incarnation of Ganon until their final breath. However, despite their demise, their spirits lived on inside each Divine Beast, and they managed to help Link one last time before moving into the afterlife.

3 King Rauru & Queen Sonia

The Founders Of Hyrule Were Victims Of Ganondorf

Just like its previous installment, “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” includes a significant backstory that unfolds multiple years ago. In this narrative, Princess Zelda journeys through time and encounters her forebears, King Rauru and Queen Sonia, who established Hyrule as we know it.

Tragically, Zelda discovered that Sonia and Rauru had lost their lives during their battle against Ganondorf. Sonia met a violent end at the hands of the wicked Ganondorf as he attempted to seize her Secret Stone. In an act of self-sacrifice, Rauru gave up his own life in order to contain Ganondorf’s power as long as possible. All that remained of him was his arm, which subsequently connected itself to Link, enabling the hero to use it against the revived Ganondorf in the present.

4 Portrait Ghosts

A Bunch Of Charming Bosses With Dark Backstories

It’s quite unexpected that the “Ghosts” in Luigi’s Mansion aren’t really the spirits of the departed, but rather sentient paintings brought to life by artist Vincent Van Gore. However, it’s important to note that Van Gore himself is classified as a “Portrait Ghost,” which are the game’s bosses. Contrary to these painting-ghosts, the true spirits of the deceased people are the ones Luigi confronts during his journey.

The Portrait Ghosts are the essence and charm of Luigi’s Mansion, as each one boasts unique designs and personalities that bring delight during interactions. Take Neville, whose passion for unreadable books still shines through in death; or Biff Atlas, the sporty ghost with agility to spare. These captivating characters are not just intriguing figures but also portraits of their former selves, which can be found throughout the mansion, providing strong evidence that these are indeed their spectral counterparts.

5 Rosalina’s Mother

She’s Part Of The Saddest Moment In A Mainline Mario Game

Long-term Nintendo enthusiasts often remember the heart-wrenching story of Rosalina from “Super Mario Galaxy” as one of the most surprising and emotional moments in the history of the “Mario” series. The background of Princess Rosalina is both touching and sad, adding depth to an otherwise joyful game.

As a gamer, I once encountered a character named Rosalina in an intriguing game story. At some point, she shared a heart-wrenching tale about her mother who sadly passed away under mysterious circumstances. Before her final breath, Rosalina’s mother revealed that she would always be with her daughter as a guiding star – a beautiful twist aligning with Rosalina’s celestial theme.

6 The Baby

Samus’ Adopted Child Had To Sacrifice Itself

In “Super Metroid,” the focus is on Samus Aran’s mission to save her adopted Baby Metroid, who was taken by Space Pirates. The entire story revolves around this central theme. Towards the game’s end, Samus makes a shocking discovery – the baby has grown immensely after absorbing energy from various organisms. In the final battle against Mother Brain, the Baby Metroid plays a crucial role, displaying bravery and heroism.

When all hope seemed lost, an unexpected infant emerged, reviving Samus, and assaulting Mother Brain. Regrettably, this wasn’t sufficient to vanquish the wicked matriarch. However, before disappearing, the baby bestowed upon its mother a powerful new weapon: the Hyper Beam, which she employed effectively to finally destroy Mother Brain.

7 Ridley

Samus Eventually Managed To Kill Her Longtime Rival For Good

Without a shadow of a doubt, Ridley, a notorious Space Pirate chief, poses the greatest threat to Samus Aran. He is responsible for the tragic death of her parents, and has relentlessly pursued her throughout various missions, as depicted in games such as Metroid, Zero Mission, and Samus Returns.

In Super Metroid, the longstanding feud between Ridley and Samus reaches a climax when Ridley attempts to abduct her adoptive baby. Following a fierce confrontation, Samus ultimately defeats him. However, her relief is short-lived as she learns that Ridley’s DNA was highly prized, resulting in two clones. Thankfully, Samus overcomes these new adversaries and eliminates them, bringing an end to the menace of this relentless Space Pirate.

8 Andross

His Defeat Put An End To The Chaotic Lylat Wars

In the Star Fox series, Andross serves as the notorious arch-nemesis: a once-respected scientist transformed into a cruel tyrant, waging war against the entire Lylat System. His actions are also suspected to have led to the disappearance or demise of James McCloud, Fox McCloud’s father. Andross is an unyielding adversary, both intriguing and terrifying, providing an excellent contrast to Fox McCloud.

In the “Star Fox” series, including “Star Fox” and “Star Fox 64,” the primary focus is on the fierce battle against Andross and his devastating army. This villainous character underwent self-experimentation, resulting in a massive mechanical head with robotic limbs. Ultimately, Fox succeeded in eliminating Andross, and together with his father’s spirit, he escaped Venom. In “Star Fox Adventures,” it was disclosed that Andross’ soul had moved into a new form, but he was terminated permanently by Fox and his colleagues. Since then, he has made only occasional appearances in various “Star Fox” revivals.

2024-07-19 08:34