Spirit Tracks: Characters
True to tradition, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks introduces a large array of characters that contribute to the storyline and gameplay. Below is a full list of all the characters Link and Zelda encounter during their quest.
Link
The player controls Link, a young apprentice engineer living in Aboda Village. He's on his way to Castle Town to undergo a royal ceremony, lead by Princess Zelda, and to get his Royal Engineer Certificate. After a turn of events, Link finds himself in the middle of a mystery involving the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks. He and Zelda find Anjean, a Lokomo who guards the Tower of Spirits. Anjean insists that Zelda join Link on his mission to retrieve the missing Rail Maps. With her blessing and the Spirit Train, Link and Zelda embark on a journey to restore the Spirit Tracks.
Princess Zelda
The crown princess of New Hyrule and a descendant of The Wind Waker's Tetra. Zelda meets Link during the Royal Enginnering ceremony. After an unforunate turn of events, Zelda finds herself without a body to call her own. Anjean insists that Zelda join Link on his mission to retrieve the missing Rail Maps. Without her body, Zelda cannot communicate with anyone but Link and Anjean. However, she makes herself useful by inhabiting the bodies of Phantom Guardians and helping Link through the various floors of the Tower of Spirits. The player can control Zelda through these Phantom Guardians, but only in the Tower.
Zelda is hyperactive and full of energy. She's eager to help and a bit of a tomboy. She is, however, terribly afraid of rats and will shriek at the site of them.
Chancellor Cole
One of the main antagonists of the game and the first the player will encounter. He is a high-ranking official in the New Hyrule government and displays authority over Princess Zelda herself. Cole wishes to rid Hyrule of the Spirit Tracks entirely and he has enlisted the help of Byrne to do so. He appears to have some magical power, as he can levitate and use the mysterious power he used to separate Zelda from her body.
He plans to release Malladus's power on the world of New Hyrule.
Byrne
Chancellor Cole's servant and one of the main antagonists. Byrne is first seen after Zelda and Link's escape to the Tower of Spirits. He and Alfonzo engage in a fight before knocking both Link and Alfonzo out. He's responsible for capturing and keeping Zelda's body. A mysterious strength dwells within his single metal arm.
Anjean
A wise old woman living in the Tower of Spirits as its guardian. She shows admirable wisdom and is one of the only characters who can see Zelda without her body. Through telepathic communication, Anjean keeps in contact with Link and Zelda throughout their journey. She and Tetra were very close friends, and Anjean gave the Spirit Flute, which soon became a family heirloom to the royal family, to Tetra to protect the land of New Hyrule.
Anjean serves as the player's source of background and story information. She explains the threat of the Demon King and the importance of the Spirit Tracks on the land. She's also the one who sends Link and Zelda through the Tower of Spirits and the four regions of New Hyrule.
Alfonzo
Link's mentor and successful engineer. He is a skilled swordsmen in the Hyrulean army, but left the profession to train young Link to become a Royal Engineer. Essentially, he has taught Link everything he needs to know to be the hero of New Hyrule, from swordplay to engineering. Later on, Alphonzo equipts the Spirit Train with a snazzy cannon, allowing Link to attack while on the rails.
Malladus
The number one antagonist of the game. Before the events of Spirit Tracks, Malladus had waged a war on the Lokomos and the land of New Hyrule. He was finally sealed away into the alter at the end of the war. However, Cole plans to release his power unto the world once again.
Where Chancellor Cole is conniving, Malladus is senseless and beastly. Malladus has pure power and strength, while Cole acts as his steersman. His true form is amorphous and gaslike, with a bright LoZ-Ganon-esque color scheme.
Niko
An old friend of Link. He appeared in The Wind Waker as a low-ranking pirate on Tetra's ship. Because he was around during the events of WW and PH, Niko is easily over 100 years old. Still alive and influencing young heroes, Niko tells Link of the story of the creation of the land of New Hyrule in the very beginning and sends him off to travel to Zelda for the Royal Engineering ceremony.
After you beat the Forest Temple, Niko gives you the Stamp Book for you to collect stamps around the world of New Hyrule.
Ferrus
A professional train photographer and enthusiast living in Wellspring Station. Link comes across Ferrus multiple times, often on the side of the rails snapping pictures of trains that ride by. He helps you through the snowstorm on the way to the Snow Temple by giving you the direct route.
Later, Ferrus reveals that he is Alphonzo's number one fan and asks for an autograph.
Beedle
A travelling merchant who sells useful items to Link throughout his journey. Similarly to the Beedle of TWW, he travels around the overworld in a hot-air-balloon. In order to call the Beedle down, blow the train whistle and slow to a stop next to his shop. He offers a Membership Card at his shop, which nets you all kinds of neato discounts.
Wise One
A clairovoyant and elder of Papuchia Village. She has no official name. She serves as the town fortune-teller and advisor, and the village looks to her for guidance. When Link is sttempting to find the guardian of the Ocean Sanctuary, Carben, he goes to the Wise One for advice.
Speaking with her is a small mini-game of sorts. The player must answer the questions out loud, into the microphone of the Nintendo DS. Her questions are often unrelated to the task at hand, especially in the case of searching for Carben.
Bridge Worker
A hard-working recurring character throughout the game. Link encounters the Bridge Worker first when he comes to a broken bridge at the Trading Post. Without the Bridge Worker's help, Link could not travel to the Ocean Realm. Later, the Bridge Worker proves himself further useful during sidequests.
Linebeck III
A descendant of the Linebeck of Phantom Hourglass, though with a much more minor role than his grandfather. He operates a trading post on the edge of the Forest Realm, selling and buying rare treasures with a greedy attitude reminicent of his ancestor.
He insists that Link retrieves the Bridge Worker, and then pushes the cost of the repair on Link rather than paying the bill himself. The Bridge Worker takes the Regal Ring that Link sniffed out for Linebeck III as payment. After this fiasco, Link is able to sell his treasure for train parts at the Trading Post.
Teacher
Princess Zelda's advisor. His first appearance is in the chamberroom during the engineering ceremony, where he provides Link's official certificate of graduation. Later on, he nurses Link and Alfonzo after their encounter with Byrne. He's genuinely concerned about Zelda's whereabouts, and even goes so far as to disguise himself and ask to be escorted to various stations in order to look for his charge.
Russell
The guard captain of the Hyrulean Castle guards. After Link proves himself to be a decent swordsmen, Russell gives him the first sword of the game, the Recruit's Sword. Later on, Link can return to the guard room to test his swordsmen skills with Russell once again for various prizes and treasure.
The Postman
The beloved mailman is back! His mannerisms and appearance strongly resemble Phantom Hourglass's Postman, but there are two key differences. Now, he imitates a train, chugging along, when he delivers mail to Link. He also no longer reads the mail aloud to you - instead, he gives you the parcel and chugs off in his way.
Rabbitland Rescue Man
An eccentric man living at a station in Northwest Forest Realm. He lives alone, with his growing collection of rabbits. He sends Link off on a mission to go collect the 50 lost rabbits around New Hyrule. Later on, Link meets with the Rabbitland Rescue Man's Wife and brings her back to reunite with her husband once more.
Take 'Em All On Proprietor
The woman in charge of the Take 'Em All On Challenge in Castle Town. She's tough at heart and has no mercy for a failure - so make sure you get it right the first time. She resembles Jolene from Phantom Hourglass, but no connection is canon.
Gage
The guardian of the Forest Sanctuary and the Lokomo of the Forest Realm. Once Link arrives in the Forest Sanctuary, Gage teaches him the first Lokomo song. This duet restores the Spirit Tracks leading to the Forest Temple.
Gage's sacred instrument is the cello.
Steem
The guardian of the Snow Sanctuary and the Lokomo of the Snow Realm. Once Link arrives in the Snow Sanctuary, Steem teaches him the second Lokomo song. This duet restores the Spirit Tracks leading to the Snow Temple.
Steem's sacred instrument is the pipa.
Carben
The guardian of the Ocean Sanctuary and the Lokomo of the Ocean Realm. Carben is not in the Ocean Sanctuary when Link arrives in the Ocean Realm. Instead, he's in Papuchia Village flying with the sea birds. One convincing argument and one pirate battle later, they arrive in the Ocean Sanctuary and Carben teaches him the third Lokomo song. This duet restores the Spirit Tracks leading to the Ocean Temple.
Carben's sacred instrument is the flute.
Embrose
The guardian of the Fire Sanctuary and the Lokomo of the Fire Realm. Once Link arrives in the Fire Sanctuary, Embrose teaches him the fourth Lokomo song. This duet restores the Spirit Tracks leading to the Fire Temple.
Embrose's sacred instrument is the timpani.
Rael
The guardian of the Sand Sanctuary and the Lokomo of the Sand Realm. Once Link arrives in the Sand Sanctuary, Raek teaches him the fifth and final Lokomo song. This duet restores the Spirit Tracks leading to the Sand Tample.
Rael's sacred instrument is the oboe.