Ocarina of Time is so much more than just a video game. It tells a deep and emotional story with meaningful characters that place an incredible amount of emphasis on the value of forging different kinds of friendships. These friendships set the foundations of who Link truly is and support his growth into becoming the Hero of Time.
Saria, the girl with the green hair, is perhaps the most important, and for more reasons than the Happy Mask Salesman has masks.
Saria is a bright and enthusiastic Kokiri girl who dwells in the Kokiri Forest under the protection of the Great Deku Tree. Clearly distinguished by her different outlook compared to the other Kokiri, she is a genuinely kind and supportive soul who cares deeply for the boy without a fairy. Saria has a lot more depth and understanding than the other Kokiri, making her different from the rest of her tribe, which is perhaps why she and Link share such a strong connection and find solace in each other’s company.
Although she is technically not a main character, Saria is another example of a strong female presence found in Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda series, so much so that her importance is referenced in multiple games. Her wisdom and compassion are comparable to that of Princess Zelda’s and, despite not being overly present, Link carries her friendship throughout his journey by way of her song.
A popular theory throughout The Legend of Zelda fan base is that The Great Deku Tree instructed Saria to raise Link as a baby and knew of his Hylian heritage. This could be why she is so close with Link, but I believe that the friendship runs a lot deeper than duty.
After Link experiences another one of his common night terrors, he awakens to the unfamiliar sight of a fairy. Navi instructs Link of his summoning to The Great Deku Tree, a prodigious honor to the Kokiri. As he leaves his home, Saria approaches, clearly treating the day like any other and wanting to see her best friend. She brings a familiar aura of calmness to Link, vanquishing the nightmares that surely plague his mind when he is awake. With genuine happiness for Link’s news of being beckoned by the Great Deku Tree and finally having a fairy of his own, Saria shows a boundless deal of loyalty and care.
From the moment that I first met Saria, I was immediately put at ease from a mix-up of emotions, and I knew, in those first few minutes, that she was a key to keeping Link grounded and influencing the courage that lies within. A notion that was proved time and time again while playing Ocarina of Time. Encountering this girl gave me a sense of peace and homely warmth that reminded me so much of my own friendships.
It is no secret that Saria is a favorite amongst fans, and it is easy to see why. When I first ventured through the Kokiri Forest, it was obvious that the other Kokiri merely tolerated Link, knowing that he didn’t really fit in and never truly accepted him as one of their own. He was an outcast to them all, except Saria.
After successfully retrieving the Kokiri’s Emerald and discovering that he is, in fact, not a Kokiri, Link is permitted to leave his home and begin his destined quest. Saria is the only one to bid him an emotional farewell before he leaves the trees behind and, perhaps, is the only one to leave him with fond memories of the forest where he grew up. Link and Saria’s last embrace is a heart-breaking one, and although Saria’s presence is not major throughout the game, her friendship with Link is a fundamental part of his journey.
The tragic thing with childhood friendships is that there always seems to be a crossroad where people end up going their own, separate ways. Sometimes friends grow apart, or their lives go down different paths, and, at the time, it always comes as a sad shock. We are scared to grow up and want to live in those innocent moments forever, when life seemed so easy. But at that moment on the Kokiri bridge, Saria seemed to have a deep understanding that their separation was going to happen and that Link was special. She let her best friend go, not just from the forest, but from her life, knowing that he was destined for much more and, despite Link’s hesitation, it was a powerful interaction that marked the strength in their friendship.
The scene where Saria gives Link the Fairy Ocarina is a powerful one that represents the true depth of Link’s story and his life before destiny took over. I have always seen the Fairy Ocarina as a reflection of who Link was up until the moment when it is replaced by the Ocarina of Time, signifying how much he had grown as a character since walking over the bridge. Gifted to him by Saria, the Fairy Ocarina held a significant message of not forgetting one’s roots and, more importantly, it was a token of Saria’s friendship. A friendship that represented the family he never had.
It was always inevitable that Link would change, and how could he not? Every challenge that he overcame, every place he visited, and every person he met, transformed him from a boy without a fairy to the Hero of Time. With this growth came the Ocarina of Time, a replacement of the Fairy Ocarina. But despite this, Link held onto the special tune that connected him to his oldest and dearest friend and the place he once called home, signifying a manifestation of his destiny and true identity.
Seven years later, Link sets off to rescue Saria from her imprisonment in the Forest Temple. It is there that he discovers Saria’s destiny as she awakens as the Sage of the Forest, which results in another heart-wrenching goodbye after such a short reunion. This goodbye is another hard scene to watch, as the realization hits both Link and Saria. They truly are from two separate worlds and always have been, Saria’s now being that of the Sacred Realm and Link’s being the protector of Hyrule.
Many different friends are encountered throughout the various chapters in our lives, but it is the people who have stuck by us since the very beginning who hold a special place in our hearts. These people are found far and few between, but they somehow click with the very core of our existence, just like Link and the girl with the green hair.
