Daily Debate: What Makes Link’s Companion Fairies Different From Those That Heal Him?

Fairies have always been around in the Zelda series, primarily aiding Link by healing him. But there are some special fairies that have stood out, becoming companions to Link throughout his adventures. Navi was the first companion fairy I met in Ocarina of Time. She was helpful in the sense of explaining the targeting system and giving the odd piece of wisdom about where to go next. Tatl followed in Majora’s Mask, although more begrudgingly to rescue her brother Tael from the abuse of Skull Kid. She was very knowledgeable about the different enemies that Link faced and showed dedication to her family. Other companion fairies of note would be Leaf, Neri, and Ciela from Phantom Hourglass, who play more of a crucial role in the story than first appears.

Our Daily Debate today asks an interesting question, what makes Link’s companion fairies different from those that heal him? When you look at the artwork for the fairies, most are simply balls of different colored light with wings. (I appreciate that stray fairies and Great Fairies are completely different!) Healing fairies seem to lead a relatively care free life. Yes, they do get trapped in bottles, but once they’ve healed Link they are free to fly away and carry on with… whatever fairies do.

So, who or what decides which fairies become companion fairies to assist the hero of Hyrule?  What makes Navi, Tatl and the others stand out to the point that they are allowed to have their own personalities and conscience of thought to make their own decisions? Let us know your thoughts on this debate in the comments below!

Featured image by: doramsc

This daily debate was inspired by Discord user: Abe Card