Skyward Sword is full of character development for side characters and protagonists alike. Sometimes this character development is quite dramatic, but other times it simply focuses on self-improvement.
Fledge is perhaps one of the more inspiring characters when it comes to self-care.
When we first meet Fledge, he is trying rather unsuccessfully to carry barrels to the dining hall. He explains to Link that he did not qualify for the Wing Ceremony in which Link is supposed to compete. Whether Link feels a bit of pity, or his player wants some extra money, we can help out Fledge with the barrels.
Later, when Link is searching for his missing Loftwing, Fledge is one of the few characters Link can talk to about it. After a bit of pushing from Pipit, a senior student, Fledge reveals that he heard their childhood bully, Groose, boasting about capturing Link’s Loftwing. Groose and his lackeys threatened to bully Fledge more if he tattled on them and that is why he said nothing to Link.
After this point in the game, Fledge has very little bearing on the plot and, I will admit, I kind of ignored him after a while. He was a nice character and I thought he was kind of adorable. He even gives Link an adventure pouch for his journey down to the surface, but he felt kind of forgettable.
Like every fledgling, Fledge still has a lot of room to grow at this point, and I was pleasantly happy with how simple his character arc is.
After playing through the game, Link encounters Fledge attempting to do pushups in his room at night. They are a bit pathetic, but Fledge is determined to get better. He asks for a stamina potion, which seems to serve as some kind of magical protein shake, since Fledge manages to improve the next time Link finds him. Link can continue to support Fledge’s workout with more stamina potions and Fledge starts being able to do pushups well into the thousands.
I really liked watching Fledge improve. Not only did he get more in-shape, but he also gained a lot of confidence in himself because of his accomplishments. His body type did not change either, which just added to his message of self-confidence because he did not need the body type of an Olympian in order to be athletic.
Eventually, Fledge opens up a minigame that serves both him and Link. Fledge throws pumpkins into the air as a workout, and Link uses those pumpkins as target practice. The minigame really feels like two buddies helping each other out at the gym.
Fledge is a simple character with a great message. You can always improve and that genuinely working on yourself can bring you a lot of confidence. In addition, he could not have gotten to where he was without the help of his friend, Link. Sure, the magical stamina potions helped, but the real stamina potion was the encouragement of friendship Fledge found along the way.
