Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is full of characters that breathe life into the world to make it more believable. Many players fall in love with these various characters no matter how insignificant they may seem, like Magda, who the fanbase calls the “crazy flower lady.” She will get mad at Link if he tramples the flowers that she has been taking care of around a shrine.
Another example is Sidon, the Zora prince that everyone instantly fell in love with. In Kakariko Village, one character became the center of attention for many players because of her unique way of speaking and the mysterious location of her birthmark. This character is no other than Paya, a Sheikah and Impa’s granddaughter.
This meek girl does the chores for Impa since her grandmother is too old to do anything. She is also incredibly studious, evident from her attic room.
Her name is interesting because it contains a mystery and made a question that players became thirsty for. If you want to know more about Paya, her appearance, her locations, and more, then you are in the right guide.
Bottom Line Up Front
Paya is a female Sheikah in Hyrule who lives with her grandmother Impa in Kakariko Village, West Necluda. Even though she is a minor character and does not have much impact on the story’s progression, she assists Link in talking with Impa, who has been waiting for him for a hundred years.
She is a big fan of Link, and her diary heavily implies that she has romantic feelings for Link.
Who is Paya in Breath of the Wild?
Paya is a character only appearing in Breath of the Wild, and she is the granddaughter of Impa, a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda franchise. She belongs to the Sheikah race, an ancient and advanced civilization residing in Hyrule.
She spends her time burying her face in books and her diary, praying at the shrines of the guardian deities, and doing the chores around the house.
She is incredibly shy and has a hard time speaking with Link. She covers her face when talking and suffers from a stuttering issue. She refers to Link as Master Link and looks up to him as “the very picture of a hero [she] always imagined.” The game hints at Paya secretly crushing on Link as she writes about him in her diary.
Her name comes from the word “papaya” because she has a birthmark shaped like a papaya seed. If Link asks her where he can find this birthmark, she becomes immediately embarrassed, and Impa tells Link to drop the question and change the subject at hand.
Later on, players found out that you can know where it is. After completing the quests in the village, Impa will reveal that the mark is on her left butt cheek.
What does Paya Look Like in Breath of the Wild?
Paya is a Sheikah, so she has the long and pointy ears that their race has. She has fair skin and white hair, and she has a tall stature. She bears the Crest of the Sheikah, also known as the Sheikah Eye, on her forehead, running down to the bridge of her nose.
The Sheikah Eye is tattooed on her face as customary of the Sheikah tradition. She has brown eyes and circular marks on the upper eyelid’s end.
She ties her white, long hair into a bun that splits into two parts. Sticking out from the buns are a pair of hair sticks. She also ties the hair on both sides of her face, but she lets the long hair on her back hang freely.
Her outer garbs are primarily white and red, while the inner garments are dark blue. She wears white trousers and a white coat with red linings on the shoulders and the placket.
She ties her coat with a dark blue sash, and underneath the coat is a long dark shirt of some kind. She also seems to wear a large necklace that hangs low, reaching to the middle of her chest, although it is unclear if the ornament is part of her shirt.
She wears a Japanese geta for her feet accompanied by white, long socks. However, it may also be traditional Japanese boots with split toes.
It is notable that her appearance is similar to how the young Impa looks in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity since the game’s setting is a hundred years before Link awakens in Breath of the Wild and before the Great Calamity occurred.
Where is Paya in Breath of the Wild?
When you visit Kakariko Village for the first time, you can find her scrubbing on the porch’s wooden deck. She will become alarmed as you approach her yet slowly recognizes you to be the legendary hero that her grandmother has been waiting for.
She will tell Link that he must hurry inside and talk with her grandmother. She also stutters while talking with him.
What is Paya’s Schedule in Breath of the Wild?
After Link talks with Impa, which finishes the “Seek Out Impa” quest, Paya will do her routine around the house. She wakes up at 9 AM and goes downstairs to guard the Sheikah Heirloom, which is an Ancient Orb used for shrines and shrine pedestals.
Later on, you may find Paya crying over the heirloom as it got stolen by the Yiga Clan through the aid of the extorted Dorian.
She spends most of the day guarding it and would often advise Link to be mindful of the Yiga Clan as they have been up to mischief recently.
She also advises Link to seek out the Great Fairy Cotera, located a few feet beyond the Ta’loh Naeg Shrine on the hill overlooking the village. She says that the Great Fairy would be happy to see and aid Link in his quest.
At 7 PM, she goes outside and polishes the guardian deities right by the stairs to their house. She informs Link that the deities guide the living through their lives and that everyone must follow in the footsteps of Link’s bravery and adventure.
Because of the recent murder of Dorian’s wife at the hands of the Yiga Clan, women are advised to stay inside at night.
Still, Paya is outside praying at the deities while being guarded by Cado, one of the family’s guards. When it gets incredibly late, she would warn Link of the Yiga Clan’s dangerous activities and that he should be careful when traveling at night.
When it rains, she will run back inside despite her saying that the rain is a blessing one should not hate.
At 1 AM, she goes back inside and retreats to her room in the attic. There, she squats on the floor and writes down notes in her journal. On her table are several books piled up.
She expresses that even though she does her tasks like polishing the deities and writing her notes, she does not mind because she performs these chores for the community’s sake.
If you try to talk to her this late, she will be surprised and frightened that Link sneaked up on her. She also tells Link to get some adequate sleep for his health, and at 6 AM, she goes to sleep.
If Link is still in her room at this hour, she will tell him to leave and give her some privacy in her room. She will often say out loud Link’s name while she sleeps, implying that she is thinking about Link even in her dreams.
Paya’s Relationships with Others in Breath of the Wild
Paya and Impa in Breath of the Wild
Impa is Paya’s grandmother, and as such, she views her with the utmost respect. The game implies that Impa taught Paya the traditions of the Sheikah Tribe at a young age since Paya is the clan’s future leader.
Paya also tends to the needs of her grandmother since she is too old to do anything. She takes care of the house for her and even guards the Sheikah Heirloom for her.
Impa knows Paya’s embarrassing secret, which is her birthmark that is shaped like a papaya seed. She tells Link of its location after doing the tasks in the village, although she is also protective of her granddaughter.
She tells Link to change their conversation if he asks Paya about her birthmark’s location when he has not done much for the village.
At one point, Paya got a headache from imagining Link and Zelda being a couple. So, she went to her grandmother, explained the reason for her headache, and asked her for medicine. However, Impa simply smiled at Paya. Later on, Impa reveals to her that what she is feeling is romantic love for Link.
Paya and Purah in Breath of the Wild
Because Purah is Impa’s older sister, she is Paya’s great aunt. However, it is unknown if Paya interacted with her since Purah lives in Hateno Village, which is a great distance from Kakariko Village.
Also, Purah is in her six-year-old body due to the side effects of an age-reversal serum. The fact that a six-year-old girl is Impa’s sister and Paya’s aunt may confuse her. However, Paya knows her aunt based on her diary.
Paya and Link in Breath of the Wild
Paya adores Link and looks up to him as the hero that will save Hyrule from the Great Calamity. She is incredibly shy when she is around Link, often stuttering upon directly addressing him.
She even becomes flustered when Link comes extremely close to her. She calls him “Master Link” all the time and becomes protective of him, reminding him that the area is dangerous at night due to the Yiga Clan.
Her journal hints that she likes him. In her diary, she describes Link as gallant and the very picture of a hero. She compares his blonde hair to a golden waterfall crashing towards his pointy ears.
She also admires how his hair is perfectly parted to the side, which is a clear indication that she really likes Link’s hairstyle. She also writes down that seeing him makes her feel happy and joyous.
Another thing that Paya likes about Link is his blue eyes. She admits that she struggles in speaking with young men like Link. As she imagines Link and Zelda as a pair, she gets a headache.
Later on, she realizes that what she is feeling is romantic love for him, and even though her love may never be reciprocated, she is still happy that she feels that way.
Paya, Cado, and Dorian in Breath of the Wild
Cado and Dorian serve as the family’s guards. Thus, they protect Paya and Impa from harm’s way. They stand guard at the stairway’s base leading to the house.
At night, Cado protects Paya, who comes down to polish and pray at the guardian deities. Later in the game, Dorian steals the Sheikah Heirloom due to the Yiga Clan’s extortions, but he still acts as part of the family’s guard after Link retrieves it.
A moment of closeness also shows when, according to Paya’s diary, she explained to the pair about her headache from thinking about Link and Zelda being a couple. She then asked for medicine from both of them, but Cado and Dorian simply smiled.
Paya and Kakariko Village in Breath of the Wild
Although there are no direct interactions between Paya and the residents of Kakariko Village, she is the tribe’s future leader, and as such, its inhabitants should respect her even at an early age.
She takes her duties seriously as the heir, and she believes that the exhaustion she feels from her work is worth it because she does it for the village’s sake.
Paya’s Quotes in Breath of the Wild
Paya is a quirky and shy character, especially when she is around Link. Here are some memorable lines from Paya that shows her personality pretty well.
- “AHHHH! Master… Master Link! You… you’re very close to me right now! I just… My…my grandmother is waiting for you at her abode. Please hurry to her!”
- “You… I… Me… You want to know my st-story? Well… My name is Paya. Th-the reason I was named Paya is because I have a birthmark shaped like a papaya seed.”
- “Wh-wh-what?! There’s something on my face? What are you speaking of… Oh! Are you perhaps referring to this crest? This symbol is a sort of talisman for the Sheikah. It wards off evil. It is customary for those with a long Sheikah lineage to have this crest inked onto their skin to honor their past.”
- “This… This priceless artifact here? Is that what you want to know about? This is a Sheikah heirloom that we have long protected. ‘The hero, as chosen by the Sheikah heirloom, will be gifted the blessing of antiquity.’ With these words as our guide, we have watched over this sacred artifact since my grandmother’s grandmother’s time… And even since HER grandmother’s grandmother’s time before that! I cannot say that I entirely know the meaning of these words. But now that I think about it… ‘The hero, as chosen by the Sheikah heirloom…’ Could it be…”
- “Master Link himself looks so gallant… He is the very picture of the hero I always imagined. His blond sideburns flow like a golden waterfall over his dignified, pointy ears. And the way his hair is so perfectly parted to the side, wow! I don’t know why, but my heart won’t stop beating a mile a minute… (…) I spoke to Grandmother about what’s been weighing on my mind lately. For the first time… my heart knows what it means to love. Though it may be a love that is never shared or returned, just having it for myself is gift enough. Seeing him brings me great joy… I bet he has that effect on everyone. I have only gratitude toward him for showing me what it’s like to feel this way about someone.” – Paya’s diary from pages two to six.
Fun Facts about Paya in Breath of the Wild
Do you find her stuttering problems when around Link amusing? Are you curious to find out more about Paya’s life outside her duties in Kakariko Village? Here are some fun facts about Paya in Breath of the Wild.
- According to the “Creating a Champion” book, the developers originally meant Paya to be a little girl. However, they changed her age after seeing that there are not many girls the same age as Link in the world.
- Paya’s name comes from the word “papaya” because of her birthmark resembling a papaya seed on her left butt cheek.
- In the Journal of Various Worries, a book used by the inhabitants of Kakariko Village to air out their grievances anonymously, she uses the alias “Papaya.”
- In the Journal of Various Worries under the alias “Papaya,” she states that she has heard voices from the Sheikah Heirloom telling her that it has an important destiny.
- Link cannot read Paya’s diary if she is awake and in her room. She will become embarrassed and tell him that he should not read it. Link can only read her diary while either she is asleep at night or she is outside by the guardian deities.
- In Paya’s diary, she writes down that thinking about Link and Zelda being together as a couple makes her head hurt. She explains to her grandmother about her headache and tries to get medicine from her, but Impa simply smiles. She also tried to ask for a medicine from Cado and Dorian, but they also smiled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: According to some sources, Paya is 5’9”, or 175.26 cm. However, Nintendo, the game’s developers, nor the director have not disclosed official information about the heights of the characters in Breath of the Wild. It is possible that the players deduced her height thanks to other elements in the game, like Link’s height.
Answer: Paya is a young Sheikah girl aged somewhere between 18 to 20. The developers made her be the same age as Link.
Answer: No, you cannot date Paya in Breath of the Wild, as there are no dating mechanisms implemented in the game for Link. However, it is notable that Paya seems to have a crush on Link, so there is a small chance that the sequel will introduce a romantic aspect to the story.
Answer: It is heavily implied that Paya likes Link romantically in Breath of the Wild. She gushes over Link’s appearance and presence in her diary, and she becomes extremely flustered when talking with Link. She stutters her words while speaking with him, and in her diary, she says that she becomes happy at the sight of him.
Conclusion: Paya in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Paya is a minor character in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild who lives in Kakariko Village located in West Necluda. She takes care of her grandmother Impa, and she is the future leader of the Sheikah Tribe.
Her name comes from the birthmark on her left butt cheek that resembles a papaya seed. She is around the same age as Link, and it is heavily implied that she has romantic feelings for him.
She first appears on their house’s front porch cleaning up the deck, and as Link talks to her for the first time, she slowly recognizes him as the champion her grandmother was waiting for.
She tells Link that Impa is waiting for her inside. During this conversation, she stutters a lot, even when she introduces herself. This mannerism of talking became a staple of her character that the fans love.
She follows a schedule of the following activities: waking up at 9 AM to guard the Sheikah Heirloom, going outside and downstairs at 7 PM to polish and pray to the guardian deities, goes back inside and up to her room in the attic at 1 AM to write on her diary and read books, then finally sleeping at 6 AM.
According to her diary, she adores Link. Fans can expect her to show up in the upcoming sequel.
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