Editing Sheik

{{ArticleIcons|melee=y|brawl=y|ssb4=y|ultimate=y}}
{{forfighter|SSBM=y|SSBB=y|SSB4=y|SSBU=y}}
{{for|the Japanese smasher|Smasher:Sheik}}
{{Infobox Character General
|name         = Sheik
|image        = {{tabber|title1=Twilight Princess (Concept)|tab1=[[File:Sheik Twilight Princess.png|200px]]|title2=Ocarina of Time|tab2=[[File:Sheik.png|x370px]]}}
|caption      = [[File:ZeldaSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert]]<br> Official artwork for various iterations of Sheik.
|universe     = {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}
|firstgame    = ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' (1998)
|games        = ''[[Melee]]''<br>''[[Brawl]]''<br>''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|lastappearance= ''{{s|zeldawiki|Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition}}'' (2018)
|console      = [[Nintendo 64]]
|species      = {{s|zeldawiki|Hylian}}, disguised as {{s|zeldawiki|Sheikah}}
|gender       = Female (disguised as male)
|homeworld    = {{s|zeldawiki|Hyrule}}
|creator      = Toru Osawa<br>Shigeru Miyamoto<br>Yoshiaki Koizumi
|artist       = Yoshiki Haruhana
|voiceactor   = Jun Mizusawa (''Melee''/''Brawl''/''SSB4'')<br>{{s|wikipedia|Ayumi Fujimura}} (''Ultimate'')
|interwiki    = zeldawiki
|interwikiname= Zelda Wiki
|interwikipage= Sheik
}}
<!--Sheik is officially female within the Super Smash Bros. series. As such, SmashWiki uses female pronouns to refer to the character.-->
'''Sheik''' ({{ja|シーク|Shīku}}, ''Sheik'') is a character from {{uv|The Legend of Zelda}} universe. Sheik debuted in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'', claiming to be one of the last surviving {{s|zeldawiki|Sheikah}} and aiding [[Link]] by teaching him [[zeldawiki:Warping#Ocarina of Time|warp songs]]. In actuality, however, Sheik is the magically-induced alter ego of [[Princess Zelda]].

==Origin==
[[File:BotW - Link Sheikah Suit and Sheik Hat.png|thumb|150px|left|[[Link]] wearing the Stealth Chest Guard and Stealth Tights of the Stealth Set along with Sheik's Mask in ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}''. This attire combination was the basis for Sheik's appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.]]
Sheik is a Sheikah who debuted in ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''. Contrasting with {{s|zeldawiki|Impa}}, the only other Sheikah seen in the game, Sheik's identity and voice are concealed with conservative clothing and a scarf.

Sheik first appears before [[Link]] soon after his spirit is unsealed after being contained within the [[zeldawiki:Temple of Light#Chamber of Sages|Chamber of Sages]] for seven years. Upon meeting Link, Sheik reveals to him his true quest: he is now old enough to properly become the {{s|zeldawiki|Hero of Time}}, and now that he has acquired the Light Medallion from {{s|zeldawiki|Rauru}}, the {{s|zeldawiki|Sage}} of Light, he must also awaken five other Sages and acquire their respective {{s|zeldawiki|Medallions}} in order to become powerful enough to stop [[Ganondorf]] and save Hyrule.

Following this, Sheik appears before Link at various instances to teach him [[zeldawiki:Warping#Ocarina of Time|warp songs]] to help him on his quest. Sheik also imparts words of wisdom before mysteriously disappearing each time, typically via the explosive flash of a {{s|zeldawiki|Deku Nut}}. When all six Sages are awakened, Link arrives at the {{s|zeldawiki|Temple of Time}} near the end of the game and is greeted by Sheik, who uses the Triforce of Wisdom to reveal herself as [[Princess Zelda]]. She explains that after [[Ganondorf]] conquered Hyrule during Link's absence, she and Impa were forced to go into hiding, and Impa taught Zelda the ways of the Sheikah to both hide her identity and defend herself if she is forced into combat.

Though Sheik has not made another appearance in a mainline ''Zelda'' game to date, her design within the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series has been updated over time to match the aesthetics of other installments in the series. When Zelda's design was changed to her ''{{s|zeldawiki|Twilight Princess}}'' appearance in ''Brawl'', Sheik was also altered to match, now using a design based on concept art the development team created specifically for ''Brawl''. Because Zelda and Sheik were split into unique fighters in ''SSB4'', their designs diverged in ''Ultimate''; while Zelda uses her look from ''{{s|zeldawiki|A Link Between Worlds}}'', Sheik was given a unique appearance combining the ''Twilight Princess'' design with the {{s|zeldawiki|Stealth Set}}, armor based on her design which is available to Link in ''Breath of the Wild''.

Sheik is usually depicted as stoic and reserved, rarely showing emotion. The only instances are brief episodes of surprise and concern when herself and the surrounding area are in danger, especially when Link is nearby. Sheik has very melancholic diction, often waxing poetic about time and its affect on the mind, particularly with age. This is likely due to herself being partly responsible for Link's involvement in the conflict and his seven year coma and having all that time to think about those consequences. Sheik is also proficient with a [[zeldawiki:Goddess's Harp|harp]], which she uses to teach Link the various Ocarina melodies.

Sheik is occasionally assumed to be male or a male persona of Zelda, but it is the official stance of Nintendo that Sheik is female, just as Zelda is.<ref>[http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/5/5948989/zelda-nintendo-sheik-gender-cosplay Zelda fans debate Sheik's gender, but here's Nintendo's final word]</ref> She merely disguises herself as male, which her trophy in ''Melee'' speculates to be the result of magic. The [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Manga)|manga adaptation of ''Ocarina of Time'']] suggests that Zelda uses the Triforce of Wisdom to actually become male while disguised as Sheik, though this is considered non-canon to the games.

The ''Super Smash Bros.'' games consistently refer to Sheik as female, but the Super Smash Blog for ''Ultimate'' once referred to Sheik as male;<ref>[https://www.smashbros.com/en_US/blog/index.html?category=cat02_fighter_16 Super Smash Blog]</ref> however, an official Nintendo Twitter account which reposted the information altered it to refer to her as female<ref>[https://twitter.com/NintendoVS/status/1047018344212250625 Nintendo Versus]</ref>, suggesting it to be a mistake. Likewise, while Sheik is referred to with female pronouns in her ''Ultimate'' [[Move List]] and [[List of tips (SSBU)#Sheik|tips]], {{SSBU|Palutena}} and [[Viridi]] refer to Sheik as male in the corresponding [[Palutena's Guidance]] conversation in ''Ultimate'' (likely as an intentional joke, since {{SSBU|Pit}} knows that Sheik's true identity is Zelda).
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==''In [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{main|Sheik (SSBM)}}
[[File:Sheik SSBM.jpg|thumb|150px|Sheik, as she appears in ''Melee''.]]
Sheik is one of the new characters introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Rather than being a full-fledged character, she is a transformation of {{SSBM|Zelda}}, which makes them the only characters in ''Melee'' to possess such an ability. In addition to her ability to [[Transform]] into Zelda, Sheik's [[Vanish]] is based on her usage of Deku Nuts in ''Ocarina of Time''.

Unlike Zelda, Sheik boasts very fast attack speed and excellent mobility. When coupled with her deceptively powerful smash attacks and terrific neutral game, Sheik was initially deemed [[broken]] by some players, until the evolution of ''Melee''{{'}}s metagame revealed that she has a poor recovery and a mediocre neutral game. Nevertheless, Sheik's strengths still largely outweighed her weaknesses, reflected by her current ranking being 5th out of 26 on the tier list.
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===Trophies===
{{main|List of SSBM trophies (The Legend of Zelda series)}}
In addition to the Zelda trophies, there are three Sheik trophies available in ''Melee''. Her main trophy reads as follows:
<br>'''Sheik'''<br>
''This is Zelda's alter ego. Using a variation of the name of the ancient Sheikah tribe, she appears before Link and teaches him melodies instrumental to his success. It's believed that she's not just a quick-change artist, but rather that she is able to instantaneously alter her clothing and her eye and skin color by using her magical skills.''
*The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, 11/98 (N64)
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<center>
<gallery>
Sheik Trophy Melee.png|Sheik [Classic Mode] trophy
Sheik Trophy (Smash).png|Sheik [Smash, Adventure Mode] trophy
Sheik Trophy 2 (Smash).png|Sheik [Smash, All-Star Mode] trophy
</gallery>
</center>

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{main|Sheik (SSBB)}}
[[File:Sheik SSBB.jpg|thumb|150px|Sheik, as she appears in ''Brawl''.]]
Unlike ''Melee'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' does not feature the [[Princess Zelda]] from ''Ocarina of Time''. Instead, she has been succeeded by her descendant, the Zelda from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}''. Due to this, many debates initially came about as to whether or not Sheik would return.

Many argued that because Sheik did not appear in ''Twilight Princess'', Zelda would not be able to [[Transform]] into Sheik. By extension, many cited the fact that the {{s|zeldawiki|Hero of Time}} had also been succeeded by his own descendant, the Link from ''Twilight Princess'', who features special moves that were reworked to fit with ''Twilight Princess''{{'}} aesthetics. Conversely, others argued that even though the Zelda in ''Melee'' was explicitly the ''Ocarina of Time'' incarnation, she was not supposed to be based on any specific Zelda, but rather an amalgamation of all Zelda's past and present. As a result, they argued that the ''Twilight Princess'' incarnation of Zelda would not be prevented from being able to Transform into Sheik as her ancestor could in ''Melee''.

The debate was settled with the revelation of Sheik's inclusion in Famitsu's review of ''Brawl''. Shortly thereafter, {{SSBB|Smash Bros. DOJO!!}} confirmed Sheik's inclusion via its January 16th update. Sheik's special moves have remained unchanged, but much like Zelda, Link, and [[Ganondorf]], she now features an updated design based on ''Twilight Princess''{{'}} aesthetics.

Sheik's updated design was created for ''Brawl'' to represent the ''Twilight Princess'' version of Zelda.<ref>"The pictures at the bottom right represent what Zelda from ''Twilight Princess'' would look like if she transformed into Sheik. They were drawn for ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''." (''Hyrule Historia'', page 174)</ref> Her new design noticeably includes a braided ponytail, similar to Zelda's design in ''Twilight Princess''.

Sheik's playstyle is largely similar to how it was in ''Melee'', though she now has a [[Final Smash]], [[Light Arrow]], that she shares with Zelda. However, her KO potential has been severely weakened, while her endurance has also worsened. As a result, Sheik is currently ranked 25th out of 38 on the tier list, which renders her as a mid-tier character.

===Trophies===
{{main|List of SSBB trophies (The Legend of Zelda series)}}
Sheik has a trophy that is awarded each time {{SSBB|Classic Mode}} is completed with Sheik on any difficulty. See [[Light Arrow]] for the trophy description of Sheik's [[Final Smash]]:

[[File:Sheik - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|left|100px|Sheik trophy in ''Brawl''.]]
'''Sheik'''<br>
''The persona Zelda adopted to escape from Ganondorf. She completely hid all traces of her Zelda identity and appeared to Link as the last member of the Sheikah tribe. She taught Link essential ocarina melodies and then vanished in an instant. She didn't appear very often--rather, she would show up to support Link in crucial situations.''
{{Trophy games|console1=N64|game1=[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]}}
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===Sticker===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name
! Game
! Effect
! Fighters
|-
| Sheik
| [[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]
| {{SortKey|AttackBodySpin+017}}{{TypeIcon|Body}}{{TypeIcon|Spin}} Attack +17
| {{SortKey|Link Zelda Toon Link Ganondorf}}{{Head|Link|g=SSBB|s=16px}}{{Head|Zelda|g=SSBB|s=16px}}{{Head|Ganondorf|g=SSBB|s=16px}}{{Head|ToonLink|g=SSBB|l=Toon Link (SSBB)|s=16px}}
|}
{{StickerPicBox|Sheik|Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Sheik (SSB4)}}
[[File:Sheik SSB4.png|thumb|Sheik, as she appears in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.]]
Sheik returns as a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Although she has retained her ''Twilight Princess'' design, her overall color scheme is now more vibrant because of ''SSB4''{{'}}s aesthetics. By extension, she now has an [[alternate costume]] that features the color scheme of her attire in ''Ocarina of Time''.

Unlike in previous installments, Sheik is now a standalone character, like {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and {{SSB4|Charizard}}. She has also gained two new special moves, one of which compensates for her independence from Zelda: [[Burst Grenade]] replaces [[Chain]] (and also results in her side taunt being modified), and [[Bouncing Fish]] replaces [[Transform]].

Sheik has been buffed significantly in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4'', thanks to many of her attacks being partially reverted to how they functioned in ''Melee'', or updated outright. Unlike in ''Melee'', she now has a noticeably better [[neutral game]] and [[recovery]]. Her neutral game benefits from [[Needle Storm]]'s faster travel speed and increased knockback, as well as her faster [[walk]]ing, [[dash]]ing, and [[air speed]]s.

In comparison, Sheik's recovery benefits from her much faster airspeed, Bouncing Fish's ability to function as a horizontal recovery option, and the removal of [[edge-hogging]]. Outside of these changes, Sheik still boasts unarguably the best frame data among the cast, which results in her retaining an excellent combo game, and makes her exceedingly difficult to [[Punishment|punish]].

However, Sheik retains a low overall damage output, mediocre smash attacks, unimpressive endurance, a lack of reliable KO setups at high percentages, and only a handful of KOing options (sweet spotted up smash, up aerial, [[Vanish]]'s disappearing hitbox, and Bouncing Fish). In addition, game updates heavily nerfed some of Sheik's most viable options, such as weakening her forward aerial, hindering her forward and down throws' combo potentials at high percentages, and decreasing Needle Storm's range.

Overall, Sheik's strengths largely outweigh her weaknesses, and she has achieved great tournament representation and results as a result. To reflect this, Sheik is currently ranked 4th out of 55 on the tier list, and she has maintained her status as a top-tier character throughout ''SSB4''{{'}}s lifespan like in ''Melee''.

===As a costume===
[[File:SheikMask.jpg|thumb|left|100px|Sheik Mask in ''SSB4''.]]
A Sheik Mask is available as headgear for all {{SSB4|Mii Fighter}} types.
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===Trophies===
:'''Sheik'''
:{{Flag|North America}} ''In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sheik claimed to be a surviving Sheikah. However, this was just a cunning disguise for Princess Zelda so that she could escape Ganondorf. In Smash Bros., she's the complete opposite of Zelda, striking with fast attacks that can keep an opponent off balance.''
:{{Flag|Europe}} ''Sheik is introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as the "survivor of the Sheikah", although it turns out to be Zelda, who took on the disguise to hide from Ganondorf. Sheik's ninja-like speed is a real contrast with Zelda's, and it allows for sneaky, fast-paced attacks that overwhelm opponents before they can even react.''

:'''Sheik (Alt.)'''
:{{Flag|North America}} ''Sheik's Burst Grenade side special throws a small grenade that draws in nearby fighters before exploding. Once the button has been released, it'll hop or explode after a time. The down special Bouncing Fish is an attack where Sheik strikes with both heels, falling similarly to the way a fish might flop around.''
:{{Flag|Europe}} ''Sheik's Burst Grenade side special throws a small grenade that draws in nearby fighters then explodes. Hold the button longer to throw it further. The down special Bouncing Fish is a fish-like flop forwards that has Sheik attack with both heels on the way down. If the move connects, Sheik will bounce back up into the air.''

<center>
<gallery>
SheikTrophy3DS.png|Classic (3DS)
SheikTrophyWiiU.png|Classic (Wii U)
SheikAltTrophy3DS.png|Alt. (3DS)
SheikAltTrophyWiiU.png|Alt. (Wii U)
</gallery>
</center>

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
===As a playable character===
{{Main|Sheik (SSBU)}}
[[File:Sheik SSBU.png|thumb|Sheik, as she appears in ''Ultimate''.]]
Sheik returns as a standalone character in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. However, her design has been overhauled to reference ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}''; Sheik now wears the Stealth Chest Guard and Stealth Tights from the Stealth Set, while her mask is now similar to its appearance as headgear {{s|zeldawiki|armor}} in ''Breath of the Wild''. Unlike her previous appearances, Sheik is now an [[unlockable character]] instead of a [[starter character]].

As Sheik was top tier for most of ''Smash 4'' even in spite of the nerfs she received in updates, she was drastically nerfed in the transition to ''Ultimate''. Her damage output was severely reduced, forcing her to rack up extremely long strings of hits to deal any notable damage. Her already low weight was also decreased even further, and she doesn't benefit much from universal mobility improvements compared to other characters. Sheik's initially abysmal perception has slowly improved thanks to recent buffs however, and currently she is generally agreed to be mid-tier.

===As a costume===
[[File:SSBU Sheik Mask.jpg|thumb|left|100px|Sheik Mask in ''Ultimate''.]]
The Sheik Mask returns as headgear for all {{SSBU|Mii Fighter}} types.
{{clrl}}

===Spirit===
<center>
<gallery>
SSBU spirit Sheik.png|174. '''''Sheik'''''
</gallery>
</center>

==Names in other languages==
{{langtable
|ja={{ja|シーク|Shīku}}, ''Sheik''
|fr=Sheik
|de=Shiek <!-- Not a typo, the "i" and "e" are intentionally swapped for pronunciation purpose -->
|it=Sheik
|es=Sheik
|nl=Sheik
|pt=Sheik
|ru={{rollover|Шиик|Shiik|?}}
|ko={{rollover|시크|Shikeu|?}}, ''Sheik''
|zh={{rollover|希克|Xīkè|?}}, ''Sheik''
}}
==Trivia==
*Sheik and [[Ganondorf]] both made their playable debuts in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', and both made their playable debuts outside of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series in ''{{s|zeldawiki|Hyrule Warriors}}''.
*Sheik is the only character in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series to have been ranked at the very top of the tier list in two different games; she was ranked 1st on ''SSB4''{{'}}s first tier list, and was ranked 1st on ''Melee''{{'}}s first seven tier lists.
**She and [[Diddy Kong]] are also the only characters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series to have been ranked 1st on an installment's respective tier list, and then later lose that position on said installment's subsequent tier list.
*Sheik is the only playable ''Zelda'' character to only appear in her debut game in her home series. Because her design was updated to match the then-latest ''Zelda'' game in ''Brawl'' and ''Ultimate'' in spite of this, ''Melee'' is the only game to use a canonical design for her.
**Strangely enough, despite ''3DS'' featuring the playable ''Zelda'' cast introduced in ''Melee'' in their ''Ocarina of Time'' designs, referencing their appearances in that game as trophies, Sheik was not given a trophy, making ''SSB4'' the only game where Sheik's canonical design is not directly referenced at all.
*Sheik's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' marks the first time in any video game where she is shown using her dagger.
**Ironically, Sheik's dagger does not appear to be equipped in her design.
*In ''Ultimate'', Sheik is the only character to have her moves written solely in kanji, including her Final Smash.
*In both ''Melee'' and ''Smash 4'', Sheik is somewhat ironically near the top of the tier list, while her true form as Zelda is near the bottom.
**In fact, [[List of SSB4 tier lists (NTSC)#First tier list (February 1, 2016)|the first tier list for ''SSB4'']] listed Zelda as the worst character in the game while Sheik was the best.
*Zelda and Sheik are the only characters whose voice actor remained the same in three installments in a row across all regions before being recasted. If regional differences are ignored, this also applies to [[Falco]] (in Japanese) and [[Marth]] (in international releases) as well.
**Coincidentally, all four debuted in ''Melee''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Characters}}
{{Mii costumes}}
{{Mii costumes (SSBU)}}
{{Zelda universe}}
[[Category:Sheik| ]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSBM)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSBB)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)]]
[[Category:Stickers]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[es:Sheik]]
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