Wind Fish

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The Wind Fish is a character in Link's Awakening.[3] He is a large, flying whale, able to control the wind,[4] who makes his home atop Mt. Tamaranch on Koholint Island, inside of the Wind Fish's Egg. He serves as the main focus of the storyline.

Biography

Writing on the Wall depicting the Wind Fish

He can only be woken with the Instruments of the Sirens.[5] Should the Wind Fish wake, Koholint Island and all its inhabitants will vanish; however, Link only learns the true nature of the Wind Fish after the final Nightmare has been defeated.[citation needed]

The Wind Fish is the deity who created Koholint Island, a manifestation of land and life seen in his dreams created through the dreamer's sleep.[6] As Koholint Island is just a figment in his dream, its inhabitants are dumbstruck at the idea of land outside of the island's shores, except for Marin.[citation needed] Though how he ended up in the dream is unknown, Link sets out on a mission to awaken the Wind Fish to return to his own world.[7]

Before the events of Link's Awakening, Link is caught in a storm, created by the Wind Fish while he was sleeping.[8] Throughout his adventure, many hints and references about the Wind Fish are told to Link through Koholint Island's native inhabitants. For instance, Marin's song is titled "Ballad of the Wind Fish."[9] The story of the Wind Fish is conveyed most often by a sentient Owl that appears and reveals information about the dreamer and Koholint Island. Ultimately, the truth of Koholint Island's eventual doom is revealed by an inscription in the Southern Face Shrine,[10] however, the Owl says that none know for sure whether it is true.[11] The Nightmares, who serve as Bosses guarding the eight Instruments of the Sirens, know the truth about Koholint Island, and some try to tell Link about it upon their defeat.[12][13] However, they also seem to think that Link himself is part of the dream.[14][15] The Owl himself is revealed to be part of the dream, as he is part of the Wind Fish's soul and guardian of his dreams and the worlds within them.[16]

Early on, Link encounters the Wind Fish's Egg sitting on top of Mt. Tamaranch in the Tal Tal Heights region on the northern section of Koholint Island. Link is to gather the eight Instruments of the Sirens found in each of the Dungeons and play the "Ballad of the Wind Fish" in front of the Wind Fish's Egg, which also serves as the final Dungeon, with the Shadow Nightmares featured as the entity keeping the Wind Fish in its eternal slumber.[17]

Upon defeating DethI, the final Shadow Nightmare, Link is sent upward into the sky via a staircase created by the Wind Fish. The dreamer, who has now awakened, reveals himself to be a giant whale lavishly endorned with cloth, metals, and precious stones. He explains the peril of Koholint Island, but ultimately tells Link that all dreams must end.[6] With this statement, Koholint Island begins to disappear and Link is seen floating on a piece of his wrecked ship in the middle of the sea. While contemplating if it was only a dream, he looks up to see the Wind Fish flying off into the distance with a flock of seagulls.

Other Appearances

Hyrule Warriors



In Hyrule Warriors, the Wind Fish appears as part of Marin's attack moves with her Bell.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Wind Fish — Spirit Battle Information
SSBU Wind Fish Spirit Icon.png
Wind Fish
SSBU Support Spirit Icon.png Support Spirit
No. 188
Team Power SSBU Shield Type Icon.png Shield | 13,800 Rank ★★★★ LEGEND Fighter(s)
Stage Temple (Battlefield) Theme "Tal Tal Heights" SSBU Jigglypuff Stock Icon 5.png Giant Jigglypuff
Rule(s) Flowery Hazard(s) Slumber Floor
Condition(s)
 • The floor is sleep-inducing
 • You constantly take minor damage
 • The enemy is giant
Wind Fish — Spirit Information
SSBU Wind Fish Spirit Icon.png

Wind Fish
No. 188
Rank ★★★★ LEGEND Cost
Skill
Special-Move Power 🠅
Slightly increases the power of all special moves.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Wind Fish appears as a Spirit with the ability, Special-Move Power Up, which raises the attack power of special moves.

Nomenclature

ZW Nomenclature Asset.png Names in Other Regions ZW Nomenclature Asset 2.png
LanguageNamesMeanings
Japan
Japanese
  • かぜのさかな (Kaze no Sakana) (LA | SSBU)
  • 風のさかな (Kaze no Sakana) (LANS)
  • Same as English.
  • Same as English.
The Republic of ChinaThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of ChinaThe Macao Special Administrative Region of China
ChineseTR
風魚 (Fēngyú) (LANS) 
The People's Republic of China
ChineseSI
风鱼 (Fēngyú) (LANS)Same as English.
The Kingdom of Denmark
Danish
Wind Fish (LANS)
Canada
FrenchCA
Poisson-Rêve (LANS)Dream-Fish
The French Republic
FrenchEU
Poisson-Rêve (LA | LADX)[23]Dream-Fish
The Federal Republic of Germany
German
  • Windfisch (LA | LANS)
  • Der Windfisch (LADX)[24]
  • Same as English.
  •  
The Italian Republic
Italian
  • Same as English.
  •  
  •  
The Kingdom of Norway
Norwegian
Wind Fish (LANS)
Latin America
SpanishLA
Pez del Viento (LANS) 
The Kingdom of Spain
SpanishEU
Pez del Viento (LANS) 
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Trivia

  • Despite being called the wind fish, his being a whale would technically make him a mammal than a true fish. This is referenced by an Owl Statue that cryptically states, "THE WIND FISH IN NAME ONLY, FOR IT IS NEITHER."
  • The Wind Fish's speech to Link at the end of Link's Awakening is referenced by Gulliver in Animal Crossing: New Horizons after rousing him from his slumber. More specifically, he quotes "But, verily, it is the nature of dreams to end."

Gallery

See Also

References

  1. "Hoooot! The Wind Fish sleeps long and dreamily in the Egg above... When you play the eight Siren Instruments in front of the Egg he will awaken. This, my friend, is the only way for you to leave the island! Hoo!" — Owl (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  2. "THE WIND FISH IN NAME ONLY, FOR IT IS NEITHER." — Owl Statue (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  3. "Wind Fish" — N/A (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  4. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 38
  5. "Hoooot! That is an 'Instrument of the Sirens!' I have to admit, at first I did not believe you were real... That Instrument, along with the seven others in the set, has the power to wake the Wind Fish! You must collect them all! I was instructed to give you directions... Your next goal is north, in Goponga Swamp!! Hoot, indeed!" — Owl (Link's Awakening DX)
  6. 6.0 6.1 "... ... ... ... I AM THE WIND FISH... LONG HAS BEEN MY SLUMBER... IN MY DREAMS... AN EGG APPEARED... IT WAS SURROUNDED BY AN ISLAND, WITH PEOPLE...ANIMALS... AN ENTIRE WORLD! ... ... ... ... BUT, VERILY, IT BE THE NATURE OF DREAMS TO END! WHEN I DOST AWAKEN, KOHOLINT WILL BE GONE... ONLY THE MEMORY OF THIS DREAM LAND WILL EXIST IN THE WAKING WORLD... SOMEDAY, THOU MAY RECALL THIS ISLAND... THAT MEMORY MAKES THE DREAM WORLD REAL... ... ... ... ... COME, Link... LET US AWAKEN... TOGETHER!" — Wind Fish (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  7. "Hoot!Hoot! So you are the lad who owns the sword... Now I understand why the monsters are starting to act so violently... A courageous lad has come to wake the Wind Fish... It is said that you cannot leave the island unless you wake the Wind Fish... You should now go north, to the Mysterious Forest. I will wait for you there! Hoot!" — Owl (Link's Awakening DX)
  8. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 38
  9. "Hi! Tarin went to the forest to look for toadstools, but I'd rather sing. Listen to this, it's called the 'Ballad of the Wind Fish.'" — Marin (Link's Awakening DX)
  10. "TO THE FINDER... THE ISLE OF KOHOLINT, IS BUT AN ILLUSION... HUMAN, MONSTER, SEA, SKY... A SCENE ON THE LID OF A SLEEPER'S EYE... AWAKE THE DREAMER, AND KOHOLINT WILL VANISH MUCH LIKE A BUBBLE ON A NEEDLE... CASTAWAY, YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH! ... ... ... ... What? Illusion?" — Writing on the Wall (Link's Awakening DX)
  11. "Hoot! I see you have read the relief... While it does say the island is but a dream of the Wind Fish, no one is really sure... Just as you cannot know if a chest holds treasure until you open it, so you cannot tell if this is a dream until you awaken... The only one who knows for sure is the Wind Fish... Trust your feelings... Someday you will know for sure..." — Owl (Link's Awakening DX)
  12. "TSSSK, TSSSK! You don't ssseem to know what kind of island thisss iss... KEEE-HEEE-HEEE! What a fool... KEE-HEE-HEH!!" — Slime Eel (Link's Awakening DX)
  13. "Okay, listen up! If the Wind Fish wakes up, everything on this island will be gone forever! And I do mean... EVERYTHING!" — Facade (Link's Awakening DX)
  14. "My energy... gone...I...lost! But you will be lost too, if the Wind Fish wakes! Same as me...you ...are...in... his...dream..." — Grim Creeper (Link's Awakening DX)
  15. "C-C-CRACKLE! Why did you come here? If it weren't for you, nothing would have to change! You cannot wake the Wind Fish! Remember, you... too...are in... ...the dream..." — Hot Head (Link's Awakening DX)
  16. "Hoot! Young lad, I mean... Link , the hero! You have defeated the Nightmares! You have proven your wisdom, courage and power! ... ... ... ... As part of the Wind Fish's spirit, I am the guardian of his dream world... But one day, the Nightmares entered the dream and began wreaking havoc. Then you, Link , came to rescue the island... I have always trusted in your courage to turn back the Nightmares. Thank you, Link ... My work is done... The Wind Fish will wake soon. Good bye...Hoot!" — Owl (Link's Awakening DX)
  17. "We were born of nightmares... To take over this world, we made the Wind Fish sleep endlessly! If the Wind Fish doesn't wake up, this island will never disappear! We would have been the masters of this place... But you had to come here and disrupt our plans! Heh heh! You can never defeat us!!! Let's rumble!" — Shadow Nightmares (Link's Awakening DX)
  18. "La sola possibilità di tornare è legata alla soluzione del segreto del dormiente Windfish." (Link's Awakening DX box)
  19. "Nella prima avventura su Game Boy della serie Zelda, Link naufraga sulla misteriosa isola di Koholint. Per poter tornare a casa, dovrà affrontare un nuovo spaventoso nemico e risolvere l'enigma del Wind Fish."The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | Game Boy Color | Giochi | Nintendo, www.nintendo.it, retrieved September 10, 2020.
  20. "Allo scopo di recuperare gli 8 strumenti musicali delle Sirene e risvegliare l'onnipotente Wind Fish, che governa l'intera isola." (Link's Awakening box)
  21. "#188 - Pesce vento" — Support Spirit (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Italian localization)
  22. "Pesce vento" — N/A (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch, Italian localization)
  23. Encyclopedia, Les Éditions Soleil, pg. 233
  24. Encyclopedia, TOKYOPOP, pg. 233