Is Navi Link's MOTHER? - The Fairy Theory (Zelda: Ocarina of Time Theory)

[@dagoodboy6424]

Poes can help people too. Dont forget about the guide poe in sand land lol. If u dont follow it u die.

[@Retroatron]

You're right, and as a matter of fact, there was a better example than Poes I could have used ⁠- Bubbles. They're disembodied souls that are even described as "anti-fairies" in the Zelda encyclopedia. Anyway, since Poes are almost always evil, that guide Poe must be a strange outlier... That's grounds enough for a potential theory I'd say.

[@dagoodboy6424]

@@Retroatron ye!

[@linkandtalt3672]

@@Retroatron Sorry but throw that encyclopedia to a dumbter because that book contradict what the games really tells you (canon things).And the sad thing is people thinks that book is canon and the book is right telling the player false information.Of ourse is licensed by nintendo but the ones who work on that encyclopedia are other people not the zelda team,they just invented information for the marketing of the book.If i have one I will burn it.

[@scawydemon]

ooh, and the Poes in ALBW, where while they're kinda mischievous, they do still help you!

[@mattstew6078]

I think an easier answer for why navi doesn't tell link she's his mother is that being resurrected would come at the cost of forgetting your past life

[@wayfarer1021]

I've always thought of Navi as the Great Deku Tree's way of saying to Link: "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this." Great video!

[@thegreatspider-saiyan]

Further supported by the fact that Navi runs into the fence on the way to Link's house, she's not used to flying around the village like the other fairies 👀

[@Retroatron]

Solid point, hadn't thought about that!

[@thegreatspider-saiyan]

@@Retroatron this is a really good theory! Navi's "Hey listen!" and "Watch out!" even down to the way she words the tips she gives you all sound more like a mother's advice to her child than an annoying bug through this lense lol

[@ronandread5141]

Oooh

[@bladerunnervii4835]

Training huh. What is she, Yoda? My cousin is a fairy, he likes rainbows, broadway musicals and my little pony.

[@ronandread5141]

I already appriciate navi. The only reason she's so annoying is because we see her from a gaming perspective not link's perspective

[@camwyn256]

I just realized why the Kokiri look so different in OOT, so child like. It's because we're seeing them through that Link's eyes, who grew up with them. All the other Links, if they see Kokiri, is much later in life and seem very alien to them

[@holysus444]

I remember hearing a theory that Navi is in love with Link in a more romantic way, and becomes a bit jealous of Zelda and Link’s relationship. Something to do with there being a line in the manga where Navi says “Link, I love you!“ And the reason Navi leaves is because she knows they can never be together. Always love hearing different theories, and yours has some good arguments, keep ‘em up!

[@mikethehunter5212]

I'm a sucker for romance, but that theory always made me cringe. It makes more sense imo for Navi to be Link's mother. Link had to endure so much at such a young age. It would be so wholesome if it was confirmed that his mother was with him throughout at least part of his journey.

[@WheresPoochie]

She could just be bitter like a mom often is when her son is incorporating another girl or woman in his life

[@SurprisedFireflies-ik4kt]

I remember that but I like the mom one better since In the game she acts waaay more like a mom than a romantic partner

[@robertkruger5744]

I've always loved Navi. Her voice is adorable and she's just trying her best to help! And she sticks with us through it all!

[@Retroatron]

Agreed, she gets way too much hate :( I find a lot of what she says extremely helpful, actually.

[@labelledamedumanor4876]

I always suspected that Navi was Link's mother. Maybe the reason she left was to ensure that her son would be capable of living independently once their mission was complete.... or she went to search for other relatives that Link may have had, the war that claimed many lives when Link was a baby. If Link had a father he would probably have been a Hylian Knight (like the man mentioned in BOTW) who either died or had been badly injured, any siblings or other relatives would possibly have met the same fate. If Link did have siblings he would have been the youngest or maybe he was 1 of twins & his twin was sent elsewhere.

[@ronandread5141]

Her son is still a child though

[@ronandread5141]

@Audio Freak not true.

[@savagesavie1701]

Fairies in some of our real world myths are actually fallen angels who aren't evil enough to go to hell, but not pure enough to stay in heaven. Maybe Link's mother was just vibing in Hylian heaven when she saw her son was about to go on a trauma packed quest and was like, "screw you guys, I'm going home."

[@Retroatron]

Very interesting suggestion, various pieces of Zelda lore are known to share ties to real-world mythology, so this isn't farfetched.

[@henryhyde8939]

When you said "what's similar to faries?" My dumb brain said "Magic Beans"

[@captain_unhinged4372]

Saying Navi is Links mom is like saying Tinkerbell was Peter Pans mom. In both instances it be weird.

[@Kahadi]

The problem with this theory isn't so much that it has holes, but that there isn't actual evidence supporting it, just speculation. Yeah, fairies could be the spirits of dead people... Or they could just be another race of beings in this world, one inherently tied to magic. Perhaps they are the embodiment of magic, somewhat connecting to fairies in other lore. Or, again, just another race like Gorons and Zora, just one a little more skilled with magic. We don't know and there isn't any actual evidence either way. Besides, we've seen other fairies touch people without disappearing, and this theory wouldn't explain where the fairies of the other Kokiri come from. Then, even if we do assume that your speculation they are spirits is correct, there's also the fact that there isn't actual evidence Navi is the spirit of Link's mother. "After the mother passed away" doesn't really mean much beyond exactly that. Link's mother was dying, no chance she would survive, when she reached the forest and asked the Deku Tree for help. Why would the Deku Tree just watch her die? Because he may be powerful, but he's not omnipotent, he probably just couldn't save her. And being a tree, he couldn't very well lead her to other help beyond saying where she might get help surviving, but if she was that close to death, that wouldn't have mattered. You make it sound like it just sat there, cruelly watching as she slowly grew ill and died or something. Again, there's no real evidence supporting your claim, just speculation. And while there's also no evidence disproving it, that doesn't mean its correct. Its a sort of "God of the gaps" style argument. No evidence disproving is not evidence supporting. There are a few minor things you might also have wrong. For one, we know why the Kokiri have fairies. They're guardians, meant to guide and protect them, much as Navi did for Link. While Navi played a much bigger role helping Link, that's only because the other Kokiri had the protection of the Great Deku Tree already, and we don't know the extent to which their fairies protected them after its death and Link's departure. And this is more of a contradiction than outright flaw, but you say Link could be raised as a Kokiri because he now had a fairy (and again, you never explain where the fairies of the other Kokiri would have come from in this case), but until that point, Link didn't have a fairy. It doesn't matter that Navi was there to one day join him on an adventure when he was raised without a fairy despite being raised believing himself to be a member of a race that does have fairies. To explain the contradiction and issue, if we remove the existence of Navi, absolutely nothing changes in how Link was raised. He was a Kokiri without a fairy as far as he and everyone else knew. So why would his mother need to die to become his fairy so he could be raised as a Kokiri if he was raised as a Kokiri without a fairy anyway? Overall, an interesting idea, but... Well, absolutely no support to it, its just pure speculation. Not outright wrong, since without more information from the devs we one could never fully disprove it, but also not right as there's no actual proof for it beyond more speculation.

[@garrys248]

This comment was juicy indeed! Did OP follow up on his word and subscribe to you? Looks irrefutable to me ;-). I agree with your comment on correcting this guy on fairy purpose for the Kokiri kid spirits. Guardians to their own existence in the Kokiri woods. I speculate though, that if Link’s mother was dying, and she dies in the woods, wouldn’t she have become a stal. There is something to Navi being enlightened, and more than the Kokiri kids fairies tho. After all, Navi can leave the forest too. She’s blue. She’s tied to The master sword somehow too. Navi is weak to Ganondorf dark energy.

[@TheoLofi]

I always thought Navi was more...but it's weird she is never seen nor mentioned in other games other than Majoras Mask...Like even other games that mention the Hero of Time...never mention he had a Fairy

[@danniluxgarbe429]

Cue Fi and Navi both returning in _The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild_, with each press of the 'Consult Magical Guide' resulting in a short skit of them discussing whatever you have Z-targeted.

[@wolfzend5964]

I always thought the same thing for a few years regarding Navi. It's really nice to see a video on the theory. That being said I'd like to add something else to the theory. What if after the events of Ocarina of Time, Navi became the Great Fairy of Twilight Princess. This would mean that Link/ the Hero's Shade and Navi/ the Great Fairy could have helped their decendant finally defeat Ganondorf when they were unable to in that timeline.

[@fierceditiesnaruto]

Well according to lore, Link's Mother escaped a battle carrying him into the lost woods, ending up before the Deku tree. Being wounded during her escape, she died before the tree shortly after her arrival. She appeared to be fleeing from a foreign castle not related to Hyrule Castle, so Link is at the very least a noble by heritage, and at most a foreign Prince. But it's been a while since I last looked into it.

[@FrostedReaction]

I'm pretty sure it also said that she became the tree that link later lived in. If not then maybe it was another theory that talked about it.

[@ausgamecollector]

@@FrostedReaction One does not simply, become a tree…

[@FrostedReaction]

@@ausgamecollector Tell that to those who came up with that theory. Lol

[@dec-the-halls]

@@ausgamecollector *SPOILER FOR LINK TO A PAST* I’m late but it happens in link to the past to the fox (flute boy) when he dies

[@emilio9821]

I like what you're saying because it is a good way to reconcile the irl functions of Navi (from gampelay reasons like the z-targeting to her leaving and thatnarrative device being used as a hook to a sequel) with a nice interpretation that could fit into my canon. Super cool.

[@VyxentheFox]

I never thought of this and it changes my view from Navi being annoying to a hell of a wholesome character.

[@WheresPoochie]

The thought just came to me this evening and now I find that there’s a whole video made on this theory. Great minds think alike? Now all you have to do is compound that idea with the “Link and Zelda are Ganon’s children” if you really wanna go tinfoil.

[@chiaracavanelli9584]

The kokiri's fairies are not useless, they are used by the kokiri to navigate the lost woods without becoming a skull kid. It has been seen both with Saria, Mido and the Kokiri with blonde hair that they often enter the lost woods

[@Retroatron]

Valid point, although they're still useless for most things that Navi is useful for. Now that I think about, the Kokiri are useless in general...

[@chiaracavanelli9584]

@@Retroatron like every single NPC in the game lol...

[@Retroatron]

Very true, I'm glad Ganondorf has a winning timeline. The Hyruleans in OoT are a bunch of useless good-for-nothings!

[@travisbougie4280]

I really enjoyed the theory and can see where your coming from and I was thinking from the beginning of the video that the fairys are supposed to be a sort of mother figure to teach them

[@manwiththeplan300]

For some reason in the back of my head I always compare link to mega Man zero cyber elves to the fairies swordsman chain whip boomerang Shields long range weapons mega Man zero and Link have so many similarities it's kind of scary.

[@DrunkDuckXD]

Link's father was a soldier and probably had knowledge of monsters and combat, so that might explain why Navi knows a thing or two also.

[@allenyoung5243]

Navi theory after helping link she becomes a great fairy

[@wildtk123]

I never really disliked Navi.

[@SurprisedFireflies-ik4kt]

The mom was probably an explorer which is why she knew a lot about hyrule and monsters

[@walls_of_skulls6061]

That's a fair point, but according to one comic a while ago links mother is buried beneath midos house

[@Retroatron]

I saw that as well, but the comics/manga aren't considered canon. It's an interesting interpretation nonetheless!

[@icecoldcube1351]

I read somewhere that because she was an outsider and entered Kokiri forest that her body became a tree.

[@walls_of_skulls6061]

@@icecoldcube1351 that was eventually carved into midos house

[@icecoldcube1351]

@@walls_of_skulls6061 yeah that’s right, I remember now!! Mido basically lives inside… I’m not gonna finish that sentence 🤣

[@RobSeib]

Seems like quite a stretch. BUT! I enjoy your content because it explores lots of fun and interesting stuff that I don't seem to see anywhere else. So thanks for the fantastic video! My issues with the theory: Navi led Link to Termina? While her leaving did cause him to search for her, and he ended up in Termina, this is a rather haphazard way to lead someone. He could have ended up anywhere else in the world. Considering Link does everything Navi says up to this point, it seems to me she would just have to tell him his help is needed in Termina and he would go. He's proven himself a hero and he trusts her. If Navi did intend to lead him to Termina, then I also fail to see how it proves she is is mother as opposed to just a helper, guide, or guardian. Fairies are the spirits of (some of) the dead? I can some minor similarities to poes as you mentioned. Fairies are somewhat spirit-like. But I haven't found anywhere the creators present a connection between fairies and poes, or between fairies and the dead. In all the canon, it seems fairies are presented as helper beings created by gods such as Hylia or the god-like Deku Tree. Again, super fun video and really enjoyed it! If you get time to respond I would love to hear your further thoughts.

[@Retroatron]

Appreciate the comment! This video was an amalgam of a few different theories, including Navi's purpose and true identity. About Navi leaving, my idea was that she knew he would return to the forest to look for her (as that's where she originated) and would eventually go deeper into the forest, which connects to Termina. As for why Navi didn't just tell Link to go to Termina, that's a fair question to ask and one I tried to answer in the video. My reasoning for her not doing so is that Link may not have gone, seeing as he had already experienced quite the ordeal. As you said, her leaving *did* cause him to end up in Termina anyway, so the mission, if that was the mission, was accomplished. You're right about the Poe and Fairy comparison, there was a better example I could have used - Bubbles. Bubbles are disembodied souls that are even described as "anti-fairies" in the Zelda encyclopedia. If an evil disembodied soul is an anti-fairy, then a normal fairy is probably a good disembodied soul. Or at least that's what I infer. Thanks for watching!

[@RobSeib]

@@Retroatron awesome thanks!

[@downbeatdialga1341]

This theory could make some amount of sense I suppose. It’s a good parent’s responsible to guide their children through life and all it’s obstacles, something that I’m sure Link’s mother wanted to do before she passed on in the Kokiri Forest. Navi is-after all-Link’s NAVIgator (I meant that sincerely, not even as a pun). It makes sense for why Navi nagged Link too then, cuz it’s literally HIS mother forcing him to get out of bed and get on with his day. Some parents can be annoying, but good ones know that sometimes they have nag a little, to push their kid to do things that may scare them. It’s how we grow, and it’s how Link grew and was able to face all his perilous trials in Ocarina of Time, to become the Hero of Time. I’m sure Link’s late father had missions in service to the Kingdom of Hyrule, and went on many missions to different parts of the country, and came back at the end of them and told his wife (Link’s mother) about many of the different creatures and mysteries of Ocarina of Time. Navi’s Z-Targeting might be like Link’s mother tapping into memories of her previous life recounting the knowledge of her late husband. It could of course be knowledge that the Great Deku Tree merely passed on to her for the upcoming journey, but you get what I mean. In that sense, Navi as his mother’s reincarnation was merely trying to do right on her previous life to raise her son, for her and her late husband’s sake.

[@cecillewolters1995]

Crazy theorie, I like it tho :) Navi is even different from all other fairies tho. The Kokiri guardian fairies change base color, while Navi only changes from base blue, to bright blue, red and green. I like to believe that the essence of Link's mom was turned into a new life form that could last longer, but she has no recollection of her past life. She only knows what the Great Deku Tree has taught her.

[@ausgamecollector]

Mother or not, I believe Navi’s quest is cyclical; from the Deku tree, assists Link, sent back to the past with him and departs via the window in the temple of time to return to the original timeline at the start of Link’s quest.

[@Pinchington]

The guiding fairies are subservient to the great fairies. The kokuri work with them. The deku tree and great fairies lead the young fairies and kokuri together in symbiotic growth As much as link was chosen by the deku tree hero, navi was chosen by the great fairies

[@meimei8718]

This is an interesting theory. Thanks for sharing. I think the manga says dead people turn into trees or something. (It’s not my theory and I forgot who I heard it from sorry). Have you heard about that one? I don’t think i the manga is considered canon though… hmm.

[@Retroatron]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, I've heard of that theory but as you said, it's not canonical. The manga actually contains a lot of things contrary to the games.

[@adamb5811]

First thing my brain thought of 1 second into the video: Retro: Where did Navi come from? Me: Where did she go? Why isn't her name Cotton Eye Joe?

[@MossMothMyBeloved]

Navi gets too much hate ;(

[@majjegaming5927]

Can't wait for more content

[@RandomLord1992]

Nothing to go against as this is a theory I've had myself. But I would like to add some more evidence. From Wind Waker and Hyrule Historia, we know that the Great Deku Tree has the power to transform life. As the Korok's are the true form of the Kokiri and the Great Deku Tree only made them look like human children for Link. So Navi being Link's mom is possible, the reason she never told him may be because she doesn't know herself. Looking at the Kokiri and their dialogue seems to show that they don't remember being Koroks. Making it possible that transforming them also alters their memories as well

[@TheWiseMountainGoat]

I have speculative support as well as a minor counterargument. Navi is not a dissimilar color to the effect that surrounds ghosts and is the same color as blupees, which are confirmed spirits. For the counterargument, the first game poes show up in already has the opposite of fairies, anti-fairies. Though they are described as corrupted fairies, this does imply that poes are not their natural opposite. It's up to interpretation, but this whole theory unfortunately is do to intentionally sparse official information from Nintendo. It's only in recent years efforts have been made for a unified and consistent lore, but even that changes regularly. Personally, I want your theory to be true and believe Navi left the way she did to avoid becoming a poe or corrupted. Staying to say goodbye may've made her passing harder and left regrets, as I do believe she "ascended" while baiting Link to continue to adventure. There's no reason both can't be true.

[@AnonimitySmith]

AMAZING! i believe it

[@fatalwaffle1715]

Cool video bro!

[@Retroatron]

Thanks!

[@fatalwaffle1715]

You're welcome. Has Nintendo confirmed if this theory is true or false?

[@Retroatron]

@@fatalwaffle1715 No, this appears to be a weird, one-off theory I came up with. Shigeru Miyamoto once hinted at Navi being romantically interested in Link, although I'm not sure if that's what was intended by the time of release. As far as I know that's the most Nintendo has suggested about of Navi's personal relationship to Link.

[@fatalwaffle1715]

@@Retroatron Okay. Well you said where she went at the end of Oot. But what happened to her at the end of MM? And why did they bother have Link look for her if we don't even find her?

[@Retroatron]

@@fatalwaffle1715 Great questions! As I mentioned in the video, my guess is that Navi, knowing there was still more to Link's destiny (as well as her own), flew off with the goal of spurring Link on to search for her. She knew this would eventually lead Link to his adventure in Termina where he would save that country, fulfilling the Great Deku Tree's prophecy. This is why Link looked for her even though she's never found-it was destiny. It's possible that after he got into Termina, Navi died, or maybe there was yet more for her to do. Everything's up in the air at that point, as nothing is seen or heard of Navi in MM outside of the intro.

[@supersaiyaninfinityunivers7193]

I feel bad with Link’s mom.

[@ItzBuffy916]

It is his Mother. I broke down Crying. Today I wanted to play majoras mask. And I had a vision. When u die U move on in life but his mother took the form of a Gaurdian Angel Celtics Call the Fae/Fairies but she fulfill her purpose knowing her son did his job so she goes to heaven to finally rest

[@about9256]

Off Topic: When you first wake up in the tree, as well as certain areas throughout the game, isn't possible you're given an answer about "Link's" parents?

[@wnrr2696]

How have I only just discovered you?! 🔥 theory

[@Strawberrycore3]

So I thought Link mom is split into 2 or 3 one is the deku sprout which is her memories and her spirit is Navi and when she left she went to the Ather finally passing on

[@eski2570]

Every fairy we get is fi the spirit of the sword reincarnating along with us. Or Navi was the last of the great deku tree’s power

[@littlelioness5619]

Well i was told that Links mother after she passed became a tree...that Link lived in....

[@Retroatron]

That's from the Ocarina of Time manga, which isn't canonical to the game. Still a neat thought though, and pretty disturbing if you think about it...

[@rhodochrosita7260]

“If you don’t put a thumbs up on this video, you’re mother may wake you up with news from the Great Deku Tree tomorrow morning.” bruH THATS SO EVIL LMAO💀💀💀 loved the video and vibes, bruh. Good work!

[@Retroatron]

Haha, glad you liked it!

[@CastlevaniaDXC]

Navi was just a special fairy created by the Deku Tree how Fi was a special being created by Hylia. I don't think the soul of the mother had anything to do with it. What if Link's mom hadn't died? Then what?

[@fusiongamer9795]

Good theory.

[@Retroatron]

Hey thanks!

[@crashban4t.f.s.b783]

OOOOD PARENTS FAAAAIRY ODD PARENTS!!!!!

[@MossCoveredBonez]

Has anyone theorized that the kokori's child forms was created to give link a home and community?

[@travisporter5222]

another great video. I just want to add that maybe Nabi doesn't remember being links mother because she has new memories and she's a new being made from links mother's soul

[@Retroatron]

You could certainly make a case for that as well, I thought of mentioning that in this video myself. Thanks again for the support!

[@travisporter5222]

@@Retroatron Any reason to make your video longer I would take it.

[@christopherstroud7389]

Didn't link's mother turn into the tree that has the deku shield on it in the navi cutscene?

[@ViperousVT]

I don't understand why people hate Navi even though Fii is a million times worse also nagging link about the batteries and stopping the game at a halt to say % zelda whereabouts seriously.... 🐍[::::::]

[@Retroatron]

So true, honestly can't stand Fi lol. "Master, I predict an 85% chance that water is wet!"

[@ronandread5141]

I'm just wondering how Zelda knew about fairies

[@JokerKing8407]

But even in leading him to Termina, having fulfilled their purpose, Navi would have died.

[@TheoLofi]

Also another question i have is why do the koroks remain koroks....they made weapons etc in botw....so in a destroyed world that needs hope and weapons more than ever....they don't travel around as kids or dwarves or something and hand out weapons....they just go play hide and seek...like the great Deku tree knew where link was why didn't he try to help??

[@drakd35033]

I feel the mother died as she reached the tree and that the deku would not stop someone from dieing he is a tree and death is a part of nature

[@chrisdealemania]

Naevi lolol the more often I hear it, the funnier it sounds. Naevi.

[@Retroatron]

Haha, my pronunciation? The name Navi is in reference to the word "navigation" which is pronounced much the same.

[@chrisdealemania]

@@Retroatron yeah, sounds funny. more like Navy. should be 'a' like in bath. good video anyways!

[@Retroatron]

@@chrisdealemania You better not watch my video where I try to pronounce "Koume" and "'Kotake" lol... Thanks!

[@fatalwaffle1715]

Interesting theory.

[@bpuppin]

Navi worked for Ganondorf. Why do you think she led Link to give Ganon the triforce?

[@Fernandolorian_]

I thought of this a month ago

[@v-nus7718]

Not for nothin', but what about the composer brothers? They weren't assholes, yet they still turned into poes.

[@Retroatron]

A great question: Sharp and Flat still had lingering regrets, as they were killed by Ganondorf before they could publish their research on the effects ocarinas have on time. As Flat says: "We would have been famous, if that hateful Ganondorf had not tried to steal our results. We could never let him reap the fruits of our research!"

[@v-nus7718]

@@Retroatron But then if it's lingering regrets as well, then wouldn't Link's mother had regrets about not being able to raise her child?

[@Retroatron]

@@v-nus7718 It does seem like that should be the case, doesn't it? Using my comparison of Fairies to Poes, the best answer I could give to that question would be that her only and final concern was finding safety for he child, which she did. In all honesty, though, there was a better example of an anti-fairy I could have used for this theory: Bubbles. Bubbles are evil, disembodied souls, and they're even described as "anti-fairies" in the Zelda encyclopedia. This makes it plausible that Fairies are good, disembodied souls which would add a bit more support to this theory.

[@gourdy6297]

links mom got turned into his house

[@holysus444]

😭

[@jacobj3933]

She left because you ask too many questions! 😂

[@jace15076]

Or Navi is just a gameplay tool to navi-gate players through the first 3D Zelda game.

[@Retroatron]

I don't know, sounds like a stretch.

[@jaelener8213]

You're definitely fun at parties.

[@deoranferguson5657]

Deep

[@galileopotato167]

Not bad

[@benlarsen4602]

This is new

[@strawberrymins]

✨😮😮😮✨

[@DenisK3000]

make playback speed 0.25 and go to 4:15