Paya
Paya is a Sheikah woman appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The granddaughter of the Kakariko Village elder Impa and the grandniece of Purah, she initially serves as a gentle, attentive village girl assisting her grandmother. In Tears of the Kingdom, she succeeds Impa as the leader of Kakariko Village, working earnestly to guide and develop the settlement.
Overview
Paya is a Sheikah woman appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The granddaughter of the Kakariko Village elder Impa and the grandniece of Purah, she initially serves as a gentle, attentive village girl assisting her grandmother. In Tears of the Kingdom, she succeeds Impa as the leader of Kakariko Village, working earnestly to guide and develop the settlement.
Appearance
Paya has long white hair with blunt bangs and hair tubes, paired with brown eyes and pointed ears. She bears distinctive facial and forehead markings unique to her lineage within the Sheikah tribe. She wears a hair ornament, and upon becoming the leader of Kakariko Village in Tears of the Kingdom, she dons a large woven hat passed down from her grandmother Impa.
Personality
Paya is kind-hearted, considerate, and profoundly timid. Unaccustomed to interacting with men, she quickly develops romantic feelings toward Link, though her bashfulness causes her to easily flush with excitement around him. Upon being named village leader, she takes her responsibilities seriously and exhibits notable personal maturity, while retaining her soft-spoken, modest nature.
Abilities
Paya does not engage in combat. Instead, her capabilities lie in leadership and administrative governance. As village chief, she recognizes the cultural significance of the Ring Ruins that fell from the sky onto Kakariko Village, bringing in the Zonai Survey Team to promote research and village advancement.
Background
Raised in Kakariko Village, Paya spent her days performing chores, praying, and writing in her private journal. During Breath of the Wild, she is distraught when a sacred heirloom under her care is stolen by the Yiga Clan, though the crisis is resolved with Link's assistance. By the events of Tears of the Kingdom, Impa passes the leadership of the village to her, prompting Paya to step up and manage the village during the Cataclysm, including overseeing the investigation of the fallen Ring Ruins.
Relationships
Paya is the granddaughter of Impa and the grandniece of Purah. She harbored admiration for Link through her grandmother's stories and fell in love with him upon meeting. In Tears of the Kingdom, she relies on Dorian as her personal attendant and collaborates closely with Tauro of the Zonai Survey Team to study the Ring Ruins.
Trivia
Her name originates from a birthmark resembling a papaya seed located on her left buttock, a fact her grandmother Impa reveals despite Paya's extreme embarrassment about it. In Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the young Impa from 100 years prior physically resembles Paya to a striking degree.
