What Made Me Appreciate Fi As More Than A Necessary Companion

Posted on September 26 2018 by Judy Calder

When I think of the companions that Link has had over the years, there is one in particular that strikes me as really under-appreciated. She is, of course, the Spirit of the Master Sword, Fi!

When Link lays his hands on the Goddess Sword during the events of Skyward Sword, Fi officially acknowledges him as her Master. I was immediately drawn to Fi’s design and demeanor, and I couldn’t wait to see what she would bring to the game’s storyline. She looked sleek and elegant, and there was something youth-like in her features. I particularly liked the sound of her voice, even if I did find it kind of emotionless and robotic at times. As Fi displayed many admirable qualities early on, I looked forward to seeing how her character revealed itself and how her and Link’s relationship developed over the course of the game.

As the game continued, Fi became more frustrating, mostly because my Wii Motion Plus remote was constantly running out of battery. I began to cringe every time Fi tried to notify me of the situation with her classic, “Master, the batteries in your Wii remote are nearly depleted.” The criticisms some players aim at Fi seemed genuine. She tended to nag about things like the controller over and over, and her attitude came off as too robotic and matter of fact. Although, credit where credit is due, I did find her hints and advice really helpful, and her dowsing ability was certainly key to success in the game. I also really enjoyed how oblivious Fi was to Scrapper’s infatuation; that was probably the only robotic part of Fi’s nature that I really, honestly thought was entertaining.

But for all of Fi’s faults, I quickly came to discover a more beautiful side to her character. When Fi translated the goddess Hylia’s messages, I was mesmerized by her performances! The whole thing seemed so effortless for her, and I could have watched it over and over again (luckily I had many opportunities). I had come to assume that Fi was quite robotic, simply programmed to accompany Link during his quest, giving menial information when necessary. But when she began dancing, it was as though this beautiful, hypnotizing spirit had burst through that facade! When it came to the Sacred Flames, I loved Fi even more, because of the dramatics involved when she dived towards the Goddess Sword. She might have been created to follow Hylia’s plans, but she had a determination to fulfill her own destiny as though she had been chosen it for herself!

By the time I reached the end of the game, and it was time to say goodbye to Fi, I felt a small sadness that she seemed to capable of leaving Link so easily. Her initial goodbye was unemotional and felt harsh against the strange, fuzzy feeling I had for her and Link’s friendship. I then felt gutted when it seemed that Fi had actually began her slumber in the Master Sword without the farewell that I believed their relationship deserved. This is why I breathed a sigh of relief and satisfaction when Fi called to Link just as he was about to leave. The most beautiful part of their relationship was obvious to me and proven in Fi’s own words:

“I lack sufficient data to be sure of my conclusion, but I believe this feeling correlates closest to what your people call…. happiness.”

Fi’s sole purpose was to guide Link to fulfill his destiny as the Chosen Hero. She wasn’t supposed to feel, she was simply supposed to ‘be’ until her role was complete. And after everything they had been through together, Fi achieved happiness through their companionship. With such an impact on a being who shouldn’t have been capable of feeling such an emotion, I can’t help but wonder if Fi, in her slumber, longs for the spirit of Link in future heroes who wield the Master Sword. Either way, I feel content in the fact that a bond beyond what was necessary had been formed between Link and Fi. Something special had happened by the end of their journey together.