Kholdstare

Not to be confused with Frostare.

Kholdstare is the Boss of the Ice Palace, the fifth dungeon of the Dark World in A Link to the Past.^[1]

Characteristics

Link must use caution while battling the creature, due to the low friction of the floor. The young hero can use either the Fire Rod or the Bombos Medallion to break its ice shield. The latter is faster, as it destroys the ice shield in only one hit. Once the shield melts, Kholdstare splits into three identical parts that can be hit with the Fire Rod or the Sword. Occasionally, ice chunks will fall down from the ceiling, breaking up into multiple pieces and dropping magic power when the Magic Bar is empty. They can damage Link if they hit him. Upon defeating Kholdstare, Link receives another Heart Container and the Crystal containing the fifth imprisoned Maiden.

Non-canon Appearances

Non-Canon Information

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)

Kholdstare appears in Chapter 10 of the A Link to the Past comic by Shotaro Ishinomori, although under the name of Kholdstone. During Link's search for a map of the Dark World, the young hero travels to the Ice Tower, where he is confronted by Kholdstone. Link states that all he wants is to see the map of the Dark World,^[2] but Kholdstone tells him that the map is its greatest treasure and it will not let anyone see it.^[3] The monster unleashes two Stalfos to attack Link, but when the young hero sees that they keep respawning even after defeating them, he begins to focus his power on the Master Sword,^[4] which causes the tower to begin to collapse. Kholdstone warns Link that if he destroys the tower, then he will destroy the map as well, making Link realize that the map is etched on the tower's floor.^[5]^[6] However, the tower collapses shortly after, presumably killing Kholdstone.

Trivia

In the SNES version of A Link to the Past, Kholdstare's ice shell was supposed to melt after it was defeated by a fire-based weapon, rather than simply disappearing. However, this did not occur in the game due to a bug. This glitch is no longer present in the GBA version of the game.^[7]
Frostare and Dharkstare from Four Swords Adventures and A Link Between Worlds, respectively, bear a strong resemblance to Kholdstare (in its original frozen form), both in name and appearance.

Nomenclature

Kholdstare is a portmanteau of cold and stare.

Names in other regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	シュアイズ (ShuAizu)^[8]	ShuEyes
This table was generated using translation pages.

References

↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 187
↑ "I don't want any trouble! I just want to see the map of the Dark World!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 5)
↑ "This map you speak of is Kholdstone's greatest treasure! I will never let you gaze upon it! Arise, Stalfos! Destroy him!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 6)
↑ "It's impossible to keep them down! Aaaargh!! I've had enough!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 7)
↑ "You've got quite a temper... If you bring the place down, you will destroy the map also! [...] Look down, fool!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 8)
↑ "Ah...the floor is the map?! Now...where's Turtle Rock?!" (A Link to the Past manga, VIZ Media, pg. 8)
↑ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES), The Cutting Room Floor, published November 27, 2012, retrieved January 16, 2014.
↑ Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Vol. 2, Shogakukan, pg. 148

Bosses in The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda

Aquamentus · Dodongo · Manhandla · Gleeok · Digdogger · Gohma · Patra · Ganon

Enemies	Blizzrobe · Boe · Bubble · Chilfos · Eeno · Freezard · Freezor · Frost Pebblit · Frost Talus · Frosteye · Ice Bubble · Ice Chuchu · Ice Guardian · Ice Hinox · Ice Keese · Ice Lynel · Ice Moblin · Ice Wizzrobe · Ice-Breath Lizalfos · Icy Big Poe · Keeleon · Mini Freezard · Pengator · Sir Frosty · Snow Octorok · Snowball · White Wolfos
Sub-Bosses	Freezlord · Frost Talus · Frypolar · Ice Keese · White Wolfos
Bosses	Blizzagia · Blizzeta · Dharkstare · Fraaz · Freezlord · Frost Gleeok · Frostare · Kholdstare · King Gleeok · Twinrova · Waterblight Ganon