The Legend of Zelda isn't short on shopkeepers, but none have been featured more than Beedle. He usually appears as a humble, small business owner, typically peddling his wares on the go. Although both his attire and shops are modest, Beedle is often described as an expert salesman, sometimes offering Link and the player unique membership opportunities or rewards programs.
So far, Beedle has appeared in six Zelda games: The Wind Waker, The Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, and Breath of the Wild. Despite only playing relatively insignificant roles in the series, Beedle has become one of the most prominent recurring Zelda characters with exceptionally consistent characterization. Prior to Breath of the Wild, which has an uncharacteristic amount of voice acting for the series, Beedle was one of the few Zelda characters to regularly have rudimentary vocal cues, including greeting Link, bidding him farewell, and offering an emphatic "thank you" whenever a sale is made.
Beedle's name likely comes from his fascination with insects, particularly beetles. In more recent Zelda releases, he tends to covet certain species of beetle, having quests or special dialog involving them. Beedle himself doesn't change much between games, with only slight alterations in appearance, but his shop takes a variety of forms. His inventory is also variable, and he often sells some of the most useful Legend of Zelda items, including Pieces of Heart and important upgrades. Despite Beedle being in six games, his character hasn't developed much. His after hours demeanor in Skyward Sword suggests he adopts an overly friendly personality while conducting business, and his alter ego shows that he may have more eccentricities beyond his obsession with bugs.
Beedle & His Shop Ship Appear In Two Zelda Games
Beedle's first appearance was in 2002's The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. He operates a traveling shop ship that sells a variety of items, some being tangentially important to the main quest. Fish bait is perhaps Beedle's most practical product, which is used by Link to feed the talking Fishmen throughout the Great Sea. Doing so will fill in the islands on Wind Waker's ocean map, which starts the game mostly blank. Purchasing enough items from Beedle will enroll Link in the membership program, a recurring facet of his business in a couple later Zelda titles. Wind Waker also introduces Beedle's alter ego, originally known only as the Assistant Manager of the Rock Spire Shop Ship. The Assistant Manager is clearly just Beedle wearing a bronze helmet, but he is insistent about having never met Link before, and sells unique items that are only purchasable once.
Beedle, his alter ego, and his shop ship returned in Phantom Hourglass, appearing in random locations throughout the World of the Ocean King. As one of The Legend of Zelda's direct sequels, Phantom Hourglass' model for Beedle's ship looks almost identical to the original in Wind Waker. Rather than selling mostly consumable items, Phantom Hourglass' Beedle offers a variety of upgrade materials, including parts for the SS Linebeck, and Courage and Wisdom Gems. Beedle's membership program was also expanded and improved, with tiers of increasing discounts and more bonus items. As the exact same character from Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass' Beedle and his alter ego, now called Beedle's Assistant, have the exact same demeanor, with the latter once again insisting that he's never met Link before.
Two Zelda Titles Have Beedle Operating An Air Shop
Beedle's mobile business underwent a significant transformation in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. One hundred years after the founding of New Hyrule, Beedle has taken to the skies in an air shop now that Hylians have settled on a continental landmass. Beedle's air shop can be seen floating around shortly after Link wakes up to start the game, but isn't accessible until a couple dungeons have been completed. Then players can blow the Spirit Train's whistle to have Beedle land his hot air balloon when it's nearby. Spirit Tracks is the last time Beedle has offered a membership program, making it a feature exclusive to the Adult Era timeline branch consisting of only The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.
This was not the end of Beedle being the proprietor of a flying shop, though, as one also makes an appearance in Skyward Sword. Rather than being attached to a hot air balloon, the Skyward Sword air shop is kept afloat by two propellers powered by Beedle on a stationary bicycle inside. This iteration of Beedle is canonically first in the Zelda timeline, and arguably has the most helpful assortment of wares, including upgrades like Medals and larger Wallets. Skyward Sword also gives Beedle his own floating island, which Link can visit at night and witness the shopkeeper with a different demeanor. Here Link can also see Beedle with his prized possession, a Horned Colossus Beetle, which is later stolen by Strich, prompting a side quest to retrieve it.
Beedle Travels On Foot In Two Of His Zelda Appearances
Beedle's second ever appearance in The Legend of Zelda was in The Minish Cap. This version is the only one whose shop is in a permanent location on the ground. He can first be seen at the beginning of the game during the Picori festival, but then disappears until the player has progressed a little ways through one of the better 2D Zelda games. Once Link clears off a dusty stall in the Hyrule Town Square, Beedle will set up his shop and begin selling Picolyte, consumables that increase the rate at which other items are found. The Minish Cap's version of Beedle is the only one in the series that does not wear blue shorts, opting for a tan color instead, but his sprite does appear to be shirtless, just like the models from The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.
Beedle also conducts his business on solid ground in his most recent appearance. Breath of the Wild's version of the salesman has him trekking the roads of Hyrule with a massive, beetle-shaped pack on his back. He's usually found near the game's many stables, and sells a variety of items - arrows, food, creatures, and materials. Although intended to be one person, BOTW actually spawns multiple Beedles across Hyrule, and determined players can push them together by repeatedly bumping into them. Beedle is once again obsessed with beetles in BOTW, and will trade with Link if he has any in his inventory. It seems likely that Beedle will reappear in the upcoming sequel to Breath of the Wild, which would be the seventh game in The Legend of Zelda to feature him.