You're wandering through the Gerudo Desert, the heat is shimmering off the sand, and honestly, you're probably just looking for another shrine or a stray Molduga to hunt. Then you hit the Gerudo Canyon Stable. You meet a guy named Sesami. He’s panicking. His friends are gone. Just... gone. This is where missing in action Zelda Breath of the Wild stops being just a checkbox on a quest log and starts being a masterclass in environmental storytelling.
Most players breeze through this. They treat it like a chore. Go here, whack some Blue Lizalfos, save the NPCs, get the reward. But if you actually look at where these four guys are trapped, you realize Nintendo was doing something much cooler with the level design than just "hide and seek."
Where Sesami’s Friends Actually Are
Sesami is a bit of a wreck. He tells you that his four friends—Oliff, Flaxel, Canis, and Palme—got jumped by monsters near the Koukot Plateau. He managed to run away. He feels like a coward. It’s a very human moment in a game full of legendary heroes.
Finding them isn't always intuitive. They aren't just standing on the path. They are perched on wooden scaffolding and rock outcroppings along the canyon walls.
Oliff is usually the first one people find. He’s stuck on a wooden platform right near the road. You’ll hear him shouting before you see him. Then there’s Flaxel. She’s tucked away a bit higher up. Canis and Palme are deeper in, often surrounded by those annoying archer Lizalfos that love to snip your health from a distance.
The verticality here is the point. Breath of the Wild wants you to stop looking at the ground. It forces you to use the paraglider and the climbing mechanics in a tight, vertical corridor rather than a wide-open field. It’s a localized test of everything the game taught you in the Great Plateau, but with higher stakes because these NPCs are "scared to death," as the dialogue puts it.
The Mechanical Genius of the Scaffolding
Why does missing in action Zelda Breath of the Wild matter for the game's overall design?
Think about the geography. Gerudo Canyon is a bottleneck. It’s the gateway between the lush, rolling hills of the Faron/Central regions and the brutal, unforgiving desert. By placing this quest here, the developers ensure you spend time in the canyon. They want you to feel the transition.
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The scaffolding where the friends are trapped isn't just random assets. They represent the failed infrastructure of travelers trying to bypass the monsters. When you find Palme, he’s practically shaking. The game uses these NPCs to tell you: "The desert is different. You aren't in Hyrule Field anymore."
I've seen some players complain that the reward for this quest—five Hearty Truffles—isn't "worth it" for the effort of fighting a dozen Lizalfos. Honestly? They’re wrong. In the early to mid-game, five Hearty Truffles are a godsend. Cook them one at a time. Each one gives you a full recovery plus extra hearts. That's five full heals. For a side quest you can finish in ten minutes, that's an incredible ROI.
Missing in Action Zelda Breath of the Wild: A Step-by-Step Reality Check
Don't overcomplicate this. You don't need fancy gear.
- Oliff: He’s on the first set of scaffolding you see heading toward the desert. Just climb up, kill the two Lizalfos, and talk to him.
- Flaxel: Look for the bridge area. She’s on a ledge nearby. Often, people miss her because they’re looking down at the water/path instead of up.
- Canis: Further down the road. He’s being cornered on a wooden platform.
- Palme: Usually the furthest one in. He’s near the end of the canyon pass.
The trick is to use your bow. If you try to fight all these Lizalfos on the narrow wooden platforms, you’re going to fall. Or they’ll knock you off with a water spit. Use fire arrows if you have them, or just headshot them and let them tumble into the abyss. It’s much cleaner.
The Lore You Might Have Missed
There’s a subtle bit of character writing here that often gets ignored. Once you save everyone, they all head back to the stable. If you talk to them there, they don’t just say "thanks." They actually rib Sesami for being the one who ran away.
It adds a layer of social dynamic to the world. These aren't just static quest markers; they’re a group of friends who went on a trip that went horribly wrong. It mirrors the tragedy of the Great Calamity on a tiny, personal scale. Everyone in Hyrule is just trying to survive, and sometimes, survival means running away and leaving your friends on a wooden plank while Lizalfos hiss at them.
Also, notice the weapon variety. The Lizalfos in this quest often carry Strengthed Lizal Bows or Lizal Boomerangs. If you’re doing this early in your playthrough, this quest is a secret weapon cache. Don’t just save the people; loot the platforms. There’s usually crates with arrows and decent mid-tier gear that can carry you through the first few hours of the Gerudo Wasteland.
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Common Glitches and Frustrations
Sometimes, missing in action Zelda Breath of the Wild bugs out. Not often, but it happens.
I’ve heard reports of NPCs not "registering" as saved even after the monsters are dead. Usually, this happens because one Lizalfo fell off the cliff but didn't actually die. It’s stuck on a lower ridge, keeping the "combat" state active. If the NPC won't talk to you, look over the edge. You might need to finish the job with a well-placed bomb.
Another thing: if you start the quest and leave the area, the monsters reset. The NPCs will stay in their "trapped" state, but you’ll have to clear the platforms all over again. It’s best to just marathon it. Start at the stable, work your way down the canyon, and don't fast travel away until Sesami gives you those truffles.
Why Does This Quest Feel So Different?
Most Zelda quests are about "Go fetch this item" or "Solve this puzzle."
Missing in Action is about combat and navigation. It’s more of a combat gauntlet than a riddle. It tests your ability to manage multiple enemies in a confined space. In the open world, you can always run away. Here, if you want the reward, you have to engage. It’s one of the few times the game forces a traditional "action movie" scenario on you.
Maximizing Your Efficiency in Gerudo Canyon
If you want to knock this out fast, bring a Zora Bow or something with high velocity. The distances between the platforms can be tricky for the standard Traveler's Bow arc.
- Start from the Top: If you have the Shae Loya Shrine (near the stable) unlocked, use that as your base.
- Paraglide: Don't walk the path. Glide from the higher canyon rims. You can drop down onto the scaffolding, surprise the Lizalfos, and be done before they even draw their weapons.
- Shock Arrows: It rains occasionally in the canyon. If it’s raining, one shock arrow will create an AoE (Area of Effect) burst that clears the whole platform.
Basically, be smart about it. Link is a one-man army, but that doesn't mean you have to play fair. The Lizalfos certainly won't.
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The Aftermath: What to Do Next
Once you’ve turned in the quest to Sesami, you’re officially ready for the desert. But don't just sprint into the sand.
Check your inventory. You should have those five Hearty Truffles. Go to the cooking pot right there at the Gerudo Canyon Stable. Toss one truffle into the pot by itself. Repeat five times. You now have five dishes that will save your life during the Divine Beast Vah Naboris fight.
Naboris is arguably the hardest of the four main dungeons. Thunderblight Ganon does not play around. Having full-recovery meals is the difference between a "Game Over" screen and a victory.
Missing in action Zelda Breath of the Wild is more than a side quest. It’s a resource grab. It’s a training ground. It’s a piece of world-building that makes the Gerudo region feel dangerous before you even set foot in the sand.
Next time you’re passing through, don’t ignore Sesami. He’s a coward, sure, but his friends have the gear and the cooking ingredients you need to actually survive what’s coming next.
Go to the Gerudo Canyon Stable, speak to Sesami near the cooking pot to trigger the quest, and then follow the main road back toward the Great Plateau. Look up at the wooden walkways built into the cliffs—that’s where your targets are hiding. Clear all four locations, return for your reward, and immediately cook those truffles one by one to prep for the desert heat.