The harp is an absolutely ancient instrument. Likewise, the character of Fi from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a character whose history goes back before recorded time. She was created years before Skyward Sword, the earliest entry in the Zelda timeline, by the goddess Hylia as part of the plan to prevent the rise of Demise. Given the ancient nature of the character, the harp, as played by Emily Hopkins, is the perfect instrument to pay tribute to the song “Fi’s Lament.”
Emily Hopkins notes in her video’s description that she is using the Chase Bliss Audio’s MOOD pedal to add to the sound of her harp. You might think that the use of this technology would take away from the ancient feeling of the song. To my ear though, this rendition of the song makes me think only of Fi’s timelessness. The calm, steady plucking of the strings as they repeat variations of the same melody harkens back to the times when residents of towns would come together and a bard would repeat the tales of famous heroes. You can almost imagine a carpenter or Deku Scrub tossing a rupee to their favorite bard and requesting the story of the hero and the blade.
Source: Zelda Wiki
At the end of each phrase of the familiar melody, Emily Hopkins lets the last note ring out for a bit. By doing so, it seems to invite the listener to come close, almost as if Fi has a secret to tell them, perhaps she is whispering the story of the Hero of the Sky. A second, sadder option is that Fi is telling her own story. The fact that the melody is so short and that there is a stop between repetitions could represent Fi’s existence. After waiting so long for the Hero of the Sky to come and forge the Master Sword, Fi’s lifespan is like a fruit fly’s: She lives as a physical being for a short amount of time before willingly giving her physical form up to be sealed inside the sacred blade.
Through her amazing use of the harp, Emily Hopkins reminds all of us of the timelessness of Fi. She was ancient before she took the ballerina of the blade form that we’re used to, and despite being sealed within the blade in order to hold back Demise, the sadness of her story and her sacrifice will always weigh on both our hearts and Link’s.
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