Lynel

Lynels (ライネル) are recurring enemies in the Legend of Zelda series. They are usually portrayed as centaur-like beasts, with the body of a horse, the torso of a human and the head of a lion, complete with a mane of long hair.

The Legend of Zelda
Lynels inhabit the mountainous terrain surrounding Death Mountain. They come in two varieties, red and blue, with the latter being stronger. Lynels are depicted in artwork as wielding a sword and a shield, however, the in-game sprites appear to dual-wield swords. They can shoot beams from their swords in the same way Link can at full health. These sword beams do significant damage and can only be blocked with the Magical Shield.

One specific blue Lynel is found guarding the cave where the Old Man who gives Link the White Sword resides.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Similar to their earlier installment appearance, Lynels are considered to be among the hardest enemies in the game. There are, however, only three encountered in the entire game. Lynels spew fireballs at Link rather than throwing swords at him, and they also maintain their distance. The sword and the Magic Hammer are two of the few items able to damage them, and only the Mirror Shield can block their fireballs. Lynels can be killed with a single Silver Arrow, however.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
They are very similar to their The Legend of Zelda counterparts, with minor discrepancies in their appearance. Once again, they appear in the blue and red variety, with the blue variety being more powerful than the red. Their main methods of attack are charging at Link and firing sword beams in his direction that can only be blocked with the Mirror Shield. Among the common enemies in the game, they are generally considered the most dangerous along with Ball & Chain Troopers. There is a special Lynel in Oracle of Seasons known as the Golden Lynel. It is one of the four golden beasts Link must defeat in order to obtain the Red Ring. The Golden Lynel appears only in the Tarm Ruins during the winter.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
They are very similar to their The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past counterparts, appearing in only the red variety. Their main methods of attack are blowing streams of fire at Link, for which the Hylian Shield is an effective defense. The damage dealt by the fire is very heavy, especially in Hero Mode. The Fire and Ice Rods are good tools for avoiding Lynels.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
They are found in various places in the overworld. Lynels are equipped with different weapons and are able to move very fast, being able to keep up with Link even on horseback.