Thanks to Slink for the header and help with edits.
If you care enough about Smash Bros. to read this, you already know how eager fans are to see a newcomer from The Legend of Zelda. The last one we got was in Brawl, and you’d have to go even further back to Melee for something better than a clone. Our entire Hyrulean lineup only features Links, Zeldas, and Ganondorf; as popular as they are, there’s nothing wrong with expecting more from Nintendo’s artsiest series. Though, since the Triforce wielders are accounted for, our only options are one-hit wonders and a few recurring NPCs. Luckily, today’s “Dream Smasher” ticks these boxes and more, coasting under people’s radars despite being a fan favorite with a decent resume. But I’ve wanted him for a while, so let’s rein in the Switch 2 by spotlighting Sidon, the Zora monarch and Sage of Water!
Who Is Sidon?
(Courtesy of @EchoSaefir)
Zelda: Breath of the Wild sees Link traversing the most ambitious take on Hyrule to date, and with it comes new members of the series’s staple races. The rock-hard Gorons, desert-dwelling Gerudo, feathered Rito, and fish-like Zora all need the hero’s aid to calm the Divine Beast mechs and save their corners of the kingdom. And he has history with all these factions, thanks to the four Champions he teamed up with a century ago. Although they’re long gone, Link finds new allies in their kin, which help him infiltrate the Beasts and prime them for his inevitable trip to slay Calamity Ganon. My first stop on this journey was Zora’s Domain, where we meet the affable merman Prince Sidon. He was there when Ganon’s forces killed his sister, the beloved Zora Champion Mipha, so he has scales in the game when he works with us to quell her former Beast Vah Ruta. His role is small, admittedly, but this debut won fans over and made them hopeful for an encore…
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Sidon’s next showing is in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which sees him and his allies traveling to the past and saving the Champions from their deaths. I get why this was such an infamous moment, given the way it confirmed AoC never planned to depict the doomsday it advertised. But broken promises aside, I can’t help but love Sidon in this game! He deserved a playable role, and his fun moveset does a good job making up for the botched story. Speaking of botched stories, that brings us to Tears of the Kingdom! The soon-to-be Zora king reprises his role as Link’s guide, but does more to save the day than last time. He personally takes part in the dungeon crawl, gives Link a handy ghost of himself to adventure with, and even joins the fight during TotK’s climax. These games’ emphasis on freedom means he shares much of these feats with his fellow Sages, but that hasn’t stopped him from remaining one of modern Zelda’s most beloved faces.
Importance to Nintendo & Series
I’ll start this section by admitting Zelda cares way more about gameplay than characters. It’s no surprise Ultimate repped BotW with just a retooled Link and scenic stage, since those embody the game just fine. In turn, I’d argue a fighter like Sidon isn’t necessary, even after AoC and TotK gave him more to do. But simply put, it’s satisfying when a game you like gets a genuine newcomer, rather than a reference or two in a veteran’s kit. And despite the simplicity of Zelda’s Switch-era characters, they’re charming and would bring plenty to Smash. Rauru could act as a makeshift home for TotK’s abilities, Revali or Tulin could stand out with their high-flying archery, Master Kohga could make for a really fun anti-Sheik, and that’s not even mentioning Echoes of Wisdom. Long story short, whether Zelda “needs” a new rep or not, there’s some untapped potential.
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Okay, so it’s not hard to garner support for a new Zelda character, but would Sidon be the best choice? I just named a few options with greater pushes than our subject, so it’s fair to assume he has stiff competition. Fortunately, there’s enough in his favor to at least justify my pitch, such as his atypical weapon. The Lightscale Trident wouldn’t be Smash’s first polearm, but it’d be the first to take center stage! Fans are interested in the idea of an old-school Ganon bringing this weapon type to the playable cast, but I also think it’d be cool if a Zora did so. The race is among Hyrule’s most iconic elements, after all. And as luck would have it, Sidon just scored himself an overpriced amiibo; he’s far from irrelevant. But since that relevance won’t last forever, I’m here to give him his long-overdue “Dream Smasher” before it’s too late…
Colors & Design
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On top of his flamboyant personality, Sidon’s cool design definitely played a role in his popularity. As a hulking fishman with bright-red scales, he stands out wherever he goes, even among his subjects. The jewels along his body display his royalty, his hammerhead-shaped fin implies he’s a fighter, and the Lightscale Trident evokes his dear sister. Moreover, his sharp teeth add to his signature smile, which he’d often crack in Smash. By the way, although his BotW and TotK designs are similar, I’d make it a point to go with the latter (crown not included). There’s no reason to exclude the Secret Stone embedded in his glove, and while we’re at it, we’ll have it glow whenever he uses water-based moves. You won’t be surprised to hear the Sage of Water is a hydromancer, but ideally we’d make his techniques feel stronger than Squirtle’s or Greninja’s. Beyond all that, a reprise from English voice actor Jamie Mortellaro, and maybe an extra-bright model to reference his games’ art style, what you see is what you get.
Lots of fighters just don’t have potential for true alternate costumes, but at least Sidon’s recolors are bound to look great! Characters known for a single color often get the most mileage out of palette swaps, after all. So, after the red default, let’s go with a dark blue (based on King Dorephan), then green (based on Yona), then orange (based on certain Zora NPCs), then ghostly white (again, based on members of his race), then dark gray (it’s cool how colorful the Domain’s denizens are), then purple (somewhat based on Majora’s Mask’s Lulu), then light blue (based on the Zora designs seen in Ocarina of Time).
How Would He Play?
Sidon’s stats and properties:
- Weight: ∼ Incineroar (115)
- Height: ∼ Ganondorf
- Overall Speed: ∼ Charizard
- Walk Speed: 0.945
- Initial Dash: 1.92
- Run Speed: 1.86
- Air Speed: 1.103
- Fall Speed: 1.52
- Jump Height: ∼ Ridley (34)
- Multi-jumping? No
- Crawling? No
- Wall jumping? No
(A closer look at the stats)
So, I’ve been playing Marvel Rivals a ton since launch, which I bring up since it features an aquatic royal of its own. Watching Namor toss his trident around and use octopi as gatling guns, I realized Sidon could do something similar! Though, instead of cephalopods, we’ll go with something he’s more used to summoning: the avatar he gives Link. Two Sidons sound like a nightmare to fend off, but the faker’s only good for tossing its own trident forward and taking minimal damage. Basically, it’s a turret designed to help its creator fend off enemies and interact with his other specials in interesting ways. Above all, Sidon’s fancy weapon and spectral sentry embody his knack for disjoint zoning and stage control. What I’m going for is a fighter unlike Smash’s existing waterbenders; more a raging river than a graceful fountain.
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That being said, Sidon still borrows tricks from said waterbenders, such as stirring up windboxes and conjuring weapons from water. His whole deal is making the stage as treacherous as possible, then punishing his quarry when they fall in range of his trident. But as an avid Steve hater, I’m making sure our subject’s traps aren’t too good at obstructing foes’ movement. Instead, they’re here to synergize with other parts of his kit in ways that call back to Zelda’s sense of discovery. Put two things together and feel like a genius when they power each other up! But to compensate, it takes mastering these setups or striking with the tipper to hit as hard as other superheavies, so Sidon needs to play smart if he wants to take stocks efficiently. Hopefully, this mix of unique spear techniques, nautical warfare, and charisma adds up to a Zelda newcomer worth the agonizing wait!
Boxing Ring Title: “Sage of Water”
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| Series Icon |
Stock Icon |
Kirby Hat |
| Move Type |
Description |
| On-Screen Appearance
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The Lightscale Trident appears from a BotW-styled portal, then plunges into the ground. Afterwards, Sidon emerges from the rift, grabs his weapon, and squares up. |
| Stance
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Sidon stands with a slight hunch and his trident in both hands. Even with his buckled knees, he’s one of the tallest fighters in the game. |
| Idle #1
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Sidon relaxes his stance and surveys the area, probably looking for whatever summoned him. |
| Idle #2
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As the Secret Stone starts glowing, Sidon takes one hand off his weapon and inspects the relic. |
| Walk
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(Source)
Sidon maintains his battle-ready stance and slowly paces ahead. With how stubby his legs are, it’s no surprise he can’t move very quickly. |
| Dash & Run
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(Source)
Sidon makes like a fish and swims forward, moving about as fast as others’ hover-based runs. Although the watery effects do little to offset its goofiness, the king really appreciates the lower profile this gives him. |
| Crouch
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Sidon takes a knee and rests the safe end of his trident on the floor, but since the thing is so tall, it reaches comically high. |
| Jump
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Sidon’s grounded jump is fairly stilted, but he makes up for it with an aerial one that’s more elegant and like a dolphin. In practice, this means his double jump outshines the other in height and mobility. |
| Damage
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Sidon grits his teeth and takes one arm off his spear, then regains his composure. |
| Shield
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Sidon holds the trident’s handle to his chest, using it to block incoming attacks. Upon perfect parrying, he confidently smirks. |
| Dodge
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Sidon’s grounded dodges see him sidestepping in a given direction, while his aerial ones look as though he’s swimming through the air. |
| Floor & Edge Attacks
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As he returns to his feet, Sidon skillfully spins his weapon and strikes both sides. As for his ledge attack, he simply stabs ahead before fully pulling himself back up. |
| Neutral Attack:
Fin Swipe
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(Source)
Sidon does a straight punch with one arm, curves that arm inward to slap forward with its fin, then finishes with a two-handed stab from his trident. This kinda resembles Shulk’s melee-based jab, which I know people don’t like, but sometimes wielders of big weapons need to throw hands. |
| Forward Tilt:
Tube Spear Typhoon
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After thrusting the spear forward, Sidon uses water to cast and recast it at blinding speeds, all while subtly angling it up and down. Inspired by “kudayari” tube spears, this multi-hitting beast of a disjoint is reined in by its long cooldown and poor knockback growth. |
| Up Tilt:
Arm Blade Slice
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Sidon covers the aforementioned fin on his arm with water, then whacks it upward. As one of few normals to not involve his polearm, this move comes out especially fast and helps prime enemies for combos. |
| Down Tilt:
Spear-Fish Poke
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(Source)
Sidon thrusts the trident toward the ground in front of himself, reaching farther than any other (non-sliding) down tilt. Most of the hitbox knocks foes outward, but the tipper drags them toward the Zora and leaves them at his mercy. |
| Dash Attack:
Wave Break
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Sidon finishes his swim with a superhero landing, forming a wave that travels a ways ahead. Although this attack’s sweet spot is near the user’s cool pose, the wave acts as a windbox to repel enemies and make it safer. |
| Forward Smash:
Six-Pronged Assault
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Sidon forms a second trident out of water, then holds both at his sides as he charges up. With the input’s release, he uses them to perform a rising cross slash, launching foes especially far if he gets them where the spears intersect. Overall, this attack’s range outshines other forward smashes, but it’s slow and hard to hit with more than just the lame sour spot. |
| Up Smash:
Deep-Sea Vortex
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(Source)
Sidon raises the Lightscale Trident overhead, then uses both hands to rapidly spin it in place. As he does so, it emanates glowing water to extend its hitbox and ensure anyone near the Zora’s airspace gets pulled into the multi-hits. That being said, since he’s so tall, this launcher doesn’t have much horizontal reach. |
| Down Smash:
Tail Fin Spiral
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(Source)
Sidon readies himself as watery energy covers and elongates the back of his head fin. Upon releasing the input, he swings his head to strike foes at his front and back with his weaponized fin. Although this move’s coverage isn’t anything special, it helps with making distance due to the strong windbox beyond its hitbox. |
| Neutral Aerial:
Full Moon Spin
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Sidon straightens his body and angles his head toward the camera, then holds his trident out and spins like a paint roller. Far-reaching and flashy, this technique is kept in check by its slow startup and end lag. |
| Forward Aerial:
Hylian Combo
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Sidon stabs the trident diagonally downward, pulls it back and stabs straight forward, then finally stabs it diagonally upward. On top of referencing one of Link’s moves in BotW, this long-lasting disjoint does a great job making space in the neutral. |
| Back Aerial:
Seaside Skewer
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Sidon turns around and uses one hand to thrust his weapon diagonally downward. It’s a lot like Byleth’s back air, but due to its lower angle, it helps with poking grounded foes and launching them horizontally. |
| Up Aerial:
Lanayru Pierce
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Sidon aims his back toward the ground (as if he’s laying on the air), then dramatically stabs the trident skyward. Although it’s too slow to just toss out, this far-reaching up air excels at killing off the top. |
| Down Aerial:
Lightscale Comet
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Sidon readies his spear and tosses it at a diagonally downward angle, through anyone in its way. If it hits a floor, it stays there for a moment and surrounds itself with a puddle, then finally flies back to its owner (and if it doesn’t reach the stage, it comes back after going its full distance). Like with Pyra’s Blazing End, Sidon can’t attack until the weapon returns. Oh, and about the puddle, we’re putting a pin in it… |
| Grab:
Webbed Grip
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Although Sidon could ape Greninja’s grab and use water to seize his foes, we’ll go with a simpler one involving a one-handed snatch. This moveset shouldn’t have a standout grab game, so something mediocre feels right. |
| Pummel:
Fin Whack
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Having put his trident on his back, Sidon bludgeons his enemy with the fin on his free arm. Admittedly, it’s more likely he’d knee them, but I’ll take any chance I can to avoid that overused pummel in these concepts! |
| Forward Throw:
Red Torpedo
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Upon tossing his prisoner forward, Sidon points his arms in front of himself and rapidly swims through the foe. This throw isn’t all that great for killing, but it can pave the way for its user’s strong aerials. |
| Back Throw:
Trident Slam
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After catching the enemy on his trident (in a way that doesn’t look too brutal), Sidon hoists them overhead and slams them into the dirt behind himself. As far as horizontal kills go, this is his best throw. |
| Up Throw:
Royal Geyser
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Sidon lifts both arms up to summon a powerful geyser beneath his victims. Since it sends them straight upward, this acts as a consistent kill throw, but it takes a while to get the job done. |
| Down Throw:
Whirlpool
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Sidon swims in a circle around his foe, forming a small whirlpool to eject them skyward. Coolness and damage output aside, it doesn’t launch at too good an angle. |
| Neutral Special:
Sage’s Avatar
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Sidon clenches his Stone-holding fist, spawning an all-green avatar in front of himself that starts tossing chilling, amorphous tridents. Specifically, these travel in a completely straight path, don’t stop coming until the clone despawns, and interact with the other specials in fun ways… As for when the forks are on their own, think Fox’s non-flinching Blaster, but with the firing rate of Falco’s. Basically, this hulking specter is all about forcing approaches and subtly messing with foes’ movement (sorta like Pac-Man’s Hydrant). It’s a crucial part of Sidon’s game plan, but it retreats after taking a bit of punishment or staying out too long. Oh, and when spawned in the air, it flips downward and won’t begin firing until it hits solid ground. |
| Side Special:
Lightscale Arrow
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(Source)
Sidon raises his trident over his shoulder, then lobs the weapon at a diagonally upward angle (think Kirby’s Spear Throw, including the option to charge the move for better reach). Unlike the avatar’s weaker projectiles, this one’s journey sees it descending after going its full height, covering a wider distance, and launching anyone in its path. And upon reaching the floor, it functions just like the down air, complete with puddle and Blazing End-esque hold on Sidon’s other moves. What’s cool about this puddle is the way it interacts with Sage’s Avatar: if one of its replica tridents hits the real deal, the puddle becomes an icy surface for a while—a good few seconds after the trident’s already been recalled. This trap lowers traction and makes foes trip, reinforcing Sidon’s whole “treacherous stage” thing. |
| Up Special:
Dolphin Dive
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After placing his weapon on his back, Sidon aims his arms diagonally upward and spirals in that direction. Courtesy of some water, he goes farther than most other heavyweight recoveries can, but suffers from how rigid and predictable its angle is, as well as the downward plummet that follows (which can only be interrupted with a ledge grab). Really, this loose reference to Zora Link’s swimming is like a weaker and less maneuverable Super Dedede Jump, but with decent speed. That being said, there’s still a way to empower it with another special… |
| Down Special:
Zonai Bubble
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After a good bit of startup, Sidon plunges his relic’s forked end into the floor, which summons a massive bubble to his front (assuming he’s grounded, since otherwise the weak trident plunge is just that). This green-tinted water sphere spends a moment lingering in midair, where it nullifies all but the strongest projectiles and decelerates foes in its radius. But after a few seconds, it slowly rises through the air, ascending all the way to the upper blast zone if left uninterrupted. What makes the move especially useful is all the interactions it has with the other specials: if a foe overlaps with the bubble as an avatar’s trident hits it, they’re in for an icy blast; aim your Lightscale Arrow through the bubble to power it up; hit the bubble mid-Dolphin Dive to make your landing as strong as a smash attack! All things considered, this multifaceted trap is the greatest example of Sidon’s knack for stage control. If any Smash move were to try replicating the feel of Switch-era Zelda, I think it’d work something like this! |
| Final Smash:
Sage’s Will
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Sidon raises his Secret Stone as it emits a blinding flash, trapping anyone in his vicinity. As the light clears, victims find themselves in a Zonai-themed pocket dimension, where they’re bombarded by attacks from Sidon’s fellow Sages. Tulin fires at them with arrows, Riju slashes them with electrically charged scimitars, Yunobo crushes them with his massive club, and Mineru’s Construct hits them with all the Zonai weaponry she’s got. Bringing the finisher to an end is Sidon, his trident, and a whale-shaped typhoon, descending from above and washing the mirage away as they hit the ground. Although this super move doesn’t launch all that far, its ability to insta-kill enemies over 100% echoes Zelda’s Triforce of Wisdom. |
| Up Taunt:
Secret Smirk
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Sidon flexes his Stone-holding arm to his chest and gives his signature smile. As he does so, both the Stone and his teeth briefly glint. |
| Side Taunt:
I Must Not Fail!
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Sidon performs a few practice swings with his trident, gives a determined glare, then says, “I must not fail!” |
| Down Taunt:
Mipha’s Grace
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Mipha’s ghost appears behind Sidon and reinvigorates him with some bubbly energy. Although he doesn’t notice her, it’s clear her efforts are appreciated. Oh, and needless to say, this has no effect on gameplay. |
| Victory Pose #1
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Sidon rides into view atop a wave, then gets off with an impressive frontflip and landing. As he does so, he confidently declares, “That, as they say, is that!” |
| Victory Pose #2
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Sidon spins his trident overhead with one arm, then dramatically aims it forward. The camera’s way of following the forked end makes things more exciting, but simpler poses like this need to exist for team games. |
| Victory Pose #3
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Sidon holds his spear near his face (forked end pointing upward), solemnly leans his forehead against it, then says, “Sister, guide me!” |
| Victory Fanfare
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I say this all the time, but Smash ought to make more fanfares for existing series. It’s crazy how all the Zelda reps, villain included, share a single theme; you won’t be surprised to hear I’m giving our subject something unique. “Sidon, Sage of Water” is a recent version of the theme that’s stuck with him since BotW, so of course we’re going with it. |
Closing Thoughts
Throughout my many “Dream Smashers,” I’ve covered reps from Mario, Metroid, Kirby, Pokémon, Fire Emblem, and Xenoblade. I knew it’d eventually be time to add Zelda to the pile, but given my massive delay, I can see why Smash seems so timid to do the same. Since all the cool stuff in Hyrule tends to go to Link, you’d need a real hook to justify adding one of his humbler friends. In Sidon’s case, I was hung up on his Warriors self’s sheer speed and use of two tridents. How could I make a fighter like that feel fun or fair? Thankfully, TotK showed us he doesn’t mind using just one weapon, so pairing that with avatar spawning and a few other inspirations finally gave me an angle. Although the Zora king doesn’t grow or develop much in his games, he’s always stood out to me as a fun and comforting face in a fun and comforting world. I fondly remember my time vibing in BotW’s Zora’s Domain and playing as the big guy in AoC; it’s no wonder I got genuinely emotional when his theme played during TotK’s credits. He embodies much of what made Zelda’s Switch outings so special, and I’d love to see him bring all that history to Smash someday.
