Hero's Shade

The Hero's Shade is a character in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The Shade is a wise spirit who teaches Link new sword techniques. He is heavily implied to be the original Link from Ocarina of Time.

The Shade is a skeletal being in golden armor. In Hyrule, the Shade takes on the form of a golden wolf. Link summons him through the use of Gossip Stones. In wolf form, Link must howl a tune from Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask through a stone to summon him. Once summoned, his wolf form will appear in Hyrule, and Link must find it. Once he finds Shade, Shade bites on Link's head and sends his mind into another world.

The first time the two meet in front of the Forest Temple, Link is sent to the other world, a surreal white plain. Link attacks the Shade, but it repels him, saying he needs courage to overcome his enemies, and teaches the finishing move. The last time they meet, it is in front of Hyrule Castle, where he teaches Link the great spin, which he claims is one of the best traits of the original hero's fighting. The Shade states he had accepted the path of the Hero, but couldn't pass down his teachings, and was finally able to do so because of Link. After a long final talk, the Shade says, "Go and do not falter, my child", and fades into the afterlife.