Fi

Fi as seen in Skyward Sword.
Fi
Species	Sword Spirit
Voiced by	Yu Shimamura
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Fi is a spirit of the Master Sword who is featured as Link's companion n The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Background

Fi was an artificial lifeform who was created by the goddess Hylia to function as the spirit of the Master Sword. Her sole purpose was the act as a guide for the chosen hero so that he could master the sword and obtain the Triforce for the effort to destroy Demise. Hylia locked many of Fi's memories away, so that Fi would only have necessary information at each stage. Fi remained within the sword, in its weaker form as the Goddess Sword, until the time came when the seal was weakening and the chosen hero had to be alerted. Fi appeared to Link in his dreams several times to warn him of his destiny, although it is possible that this was only a prophetic dream. Fi's projection truly appeared before Link on the night that Zelda went missing due to Ghirahim's actions.

She silently guided Link to the hidden Chamber of the Sword on Skyloft's Isle of the Goddesses, where the Goddess Sword was resting. Fi tried to convince Link to draw the sword. Knowing that Link cared for Zelda, Fi was able to finally persuade Link by assuring him that Zelda was alive and safe. Once Link drew the Goddess Sword, their contract officially began, and Fi began referring to Link as her master. Their next stop would be the surface world, so Fi bestowed upon Link the Emerald Tablet, which opened a path through the cloud barrier to Faron Province. Fi remained with Link throughout his journey and acted as a constant source of guidance. At various points, certain locations (usually the last rooms of dungeons) unlocked Fi's memories which contained memories from the goddess hinting at Link's next intended destination. She initially helped him to follow Zelda in exploring the three provinces. Afterwards, she guided Link through his trials in order to gain the three Sacred Flames which strengthened the Goddess Sword and sometimes expanded Fi's features. Whenever they reached one of the Flames, Fi would absorb the flame and blast it into the sword in the form of fireballs. The last flame brought the Goddess Sword to its full power as the Master Sword. In the final stage of the quest, she provided advice as Link searched for the Triforce pieces and then engaged in the final battle against Ghirahim and Demise in the past.

While still in the past at the Temple of Hylia, Fi wasted no time in emerging from the Master Sword to finally greet Zelda, Hylia's reincarnation. Fi noted her creator's preference for the name "Zelda" over "Hylia" and informed them that her purpose was complete now that Link had truly become the hero of legend and put an end to Demise. She requested that Link place the Master Sword within a nearby altar so that their partnership as master and servant could finally be dissolved, and Fi would then enter her eternal slumber. Fi returned to the Master Sword, and Link complied by placing the sword within the pedestal. Fi then called out to Link using just his name. Emerging one last time from her sword, Fi decided to explain that she had started out as only following her duties for Hylia, but examining her memories of her time with Link caused her to realize that those were the memories she considered to be "most precious", and this caused her to experience some unidentified sensation that she concluded was most likely happiness. Before her consciousness came to an end, Fi decided to close by relaying to Link a set of words that she had her said to Link time and time again in their journeys, now that she felt the same sentiment. It was a simple "Thank you, Master Link," and Fi expressed her wish that they could meet again in another life before falling silent.

It remains uncertain what manner of "eternal slumber" Fi was left in, as the phrase could mean a type of death or it could simply mean she remained inert within the sword and could not project a physical form. This possibility comes with more uncertainty as to what extent she exists within the Master Sword in its other appearances, although some (Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom) indicate that she still has some sort of consciousness within the sword and is capable of communicating with others.

Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom

In Breath of the Wild, Fi was not referred to by name, but she indirectly appeared as the voice of the Master Sword. Zelda spoke about legends about an ancient voice being within the Master Sword, and she was later able to hear that voice after her powers awakened. This was signified by the Master Sword glowing, accompanied by Fi's sound effect from Skyward Sword. Fi's voice instructed Zelda to have Link taken to the Shrine of Resurrection, as Link had been mortally wounded. Fi's sound effect was heard once more in the game along with the Master Sword glowing, when the Master Sword was upgraded as a result of completing the DLC sidequest known as the Trial of the Sword. In the game's ending, Zelda mentioned the Master Sword's voice again. She said that she could no longer hear it and saw it as a sign that her powers had diminished, a fact that she accepted.

The voice of the Master Sword was referenced again in Tears of the Kingdom. Even while the sword was broken, it was able to communicate with Zelda, once more signified by the blue glow and Fi's sound effect. The voice of the Master Sword told Zelda that Link was currently safe. Zelda was also shown to refer to Fi with female pronouns. At the end of the game, the restored Master Sword was shown glowing blue and chiming once again.

In Other Zelda Games

Fi appears in Hyrule Warriors, where she can be unlocked as a playable character. She attacks with her graceful, dancing movements, as well as some moves where she turns into a sword to attack others. She is unlocked by completing the first scenario that she appears in within Legend Mode.

In Legend Mode, Fi's first chronological appearance is in the scenario of Linkle's Tale called "The Demon King's Plan". In this scenario, Fi descended to the Sacred Grounds after she sensed that Ghirahim was going to use the Gate of Souls to summon The Imprisoned. She met Linkle along the way, and together they drove back Ghirahim and defeated the miniature versions of The Imprisoned that had been summoned by the botched ceremony. Fi was also a boss in the Cia's Tale scenario "The Demon King", wherein Cia helped Ghirahim to force Fi into retreating. She took shelter in the Statue Keep and awaited the coming of a hero.

Within the main storyline, the Link from the present time of Hyrule Warriors found Fi after arriving in Skyloft. Fi noted that he was not her master, but she still agreed to help him. Together, they drove off the forces of Ghirahim and Volga. They then traveled down to the Sealed Grounds in "Sealed Ambition" and worked together to defeat Ghirahim. Fi then instructed Link on how to seal the Gate of Souls shut. Fi returned to the present time with Link to help in the final battles of the conflict with Cia. In replayed versions of "The Sacred Sword" where the player controlled Impa, Fi would take her place as the one to awaken the Statue of Servitude, one of the three statues that had to be activated to enter the Temple of the Sacred Sword. After Cia's downfall at the end of "Shining Beacon", Fi returned to her time era through the time portal before it closed. However, Lana later opened the time portals again to summon Fi and the other warriors from other time periods to act as reinforcements in "Enduring Resolve". After the final battle with Ganon in "Liberation of the Triforce", Fi and the other characters from other times faded away, presumably returning to their own times for good.

Personality/Abilities

Fi is primarily known for her cold and robotic demeanor. She describes everything using the most intellectual and emotionally detached language possible. Fi also has a habit of describing the probabilities of certain events. Despite this, Fi is also known for moving in the vein of a figure skater with a type of restrained grace in some segments, usually when relating a message from the goddess or when Link is playing a new song. As shown in her last moments, Fi also eventually began to develop some level of emotions, primarily in the form of an attachment to Link, towards the end of her existence.

Questions are raised regarding Fi's abilities when compared to those of Ghirahim, who is himself shown to be a similar sky spirit with enough physical power to take on Link singlehandedly. Fi's spirit form never displays such strength, although it could be argued that her strength was within the actual Master Sword the whole time. Fi's abilties which are demonstrated are much more cerebral in nature. Link can call for Fi at any time, and she provides encylopedic knowledge of all manners of people, enemies and environments. Fi has a sharp eye for analysis and will inform Link of any advice she develops. She also analyzes Link's performance against enemies and the effectiveness of any weapons he carries on him. Fi is also closely tied to the sword's dowsing feature (which is likely why it is absent from the Master Sword in other games) and will record certain auras to help track down people, creatures or items using this feature. Fi is also known to possess telepathic transmission, which she primarily uses to summon the robot Scrapper to carry certain objects to the sky for them. Fi's personality also leaves her completely aloof about Scrapper's overwhelming crush on her.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. series, Fi has been represented by a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and an Ace-rank Support Spirit (with the effect of boosting the power of a neutral special move) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. When fought against in a Spirit battle, Fi's Spirit would possess Link with enhanced melee weapon attack power and a faster Final Smash meter.

Trivia

• Eiji Aonuma has described Fi as a character who is feminine but without actual gender, most likely due to her existence as a sword. Fellow sword spirit Ghirahim was similarly described as being gender neutral.
• In the Hyrule Historia, it is mentioned that Fi is inspired by the "beautiful personal assistant" type of character from 1980s anime, and she is meant to look like she is 13 or 14 years old. Her design evolved from one that was based on the Fairy Queen from The Wind Waker.
• The Goddess/Master Sword glows blue whenever Fi has a message.
• Fi also provides notifications when the player's Wiimote batteries are dying.
• Fi's physical appearance matches with the game's design of the Master Sword in terms of coloring, and Fi often takes on a sword-shaped pose. Additionally, Fi is depicted as wearing some type of fishnet-like garments which actually match the pattern on the Master Sword's hilt.
• Although they never directly interact (unless one counts Link attacking him with the Goddess/Master Sword), Ghirahim acts as an evil counterpart to Fi in the way that they are both living sword spirits, and he has the opposite of her personality in that he acts overly dramatic and emotional.