Whip

The Whip is an item appearing in Spirit Tracks and Skyward Sword.

Spirit Tracks
In Spirit Tracks, the Whip is an item obtained in the Ocean Temple. Its main use is to swing from poles similar to the Grappling Hook from The Wind Waker and for puzzles found in certain dungeons that require the transfer of certain swords from one place to another. Moreover, it can also be used to remove thorns from thorn trees that block Link's path as well as being able to hold on to flying propellers located within the Ocean Temple to travel to otherwise unreachable areas. This is also useful when Link plays the "Song of Birds" on the Spirit Flute to summon birds. By doing so, the young hero can use the Whip to latch on to a wooden bar that the animals are holding, which allows him to be carried by the birds to certain areas.

The Whip does have a use as a weapon, as it can attack certain ChuChus that Link could not attack with his sword alone and it can take the shields and armor away from certain enemies. Its prominent role as a weapon is during the fight against Phytops, the boss of the Ocean Temple, where it is used to pick up and throw thorns to damage the creature's eyes and Weak Point.

The Whip is used in the Whip Race minigame located in Whittleton.

Skyward Sword


In Skyward Sword, the Whip can be found in the Ancient Cistern. A ball of light is found at the end of the Whip which can attach to many things. It is also possible to hang on poles and certain branches with the Whip and swing in the air with it. It can also be used to attach to the hooked thorns of a lily pad to flip it over, and also to pull out-of-reach levers and uproot peahats to later use the clawshot on. Items like rupees and hearts can be grabbed with the Whip and pulled to Link. As a weapon, it can be used to kill weaker enemies, stun larger ones, or even totally dismantle the Ancient Cistern's boss, Koloktos. To use it, the player must flick the Wii remote, and the direction that it's pointed to affects the way in which Link attacks on-screen. The Whip can be used to steal Monster Horns from Bokoblins.

Trivia

 * The Whip in Spirit Tracks seems reminiscent of the Rope, a snake like enemy appearing in many Zelda games.
 * It also shares similarities with the Rope Snake, an item that appears in the Nintendo game Mother 3, as well in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, used by Lucas.
 * In the Skyward Sword beta, the Whip had a skull on it, somewhat resembling the figurehead on the Ghost Ship in Phantom Hourglass.
 * The Whip in Spirit Tracks is one of the few cases in the series of a weapon that does damage (on its own, as opposed to being used to throw objects) but does less than the starting sword. The Boomerang in A Link to the Past is another, but only on certain enemies that it does not stun, e.g. the basic Stalfos.