Link has had many fairy partners throughout the Zelda series, with people usually pointing out Navi and Tatl as prime examples. Oft-overlooked, however, is Ciela from Phantom Hourglass. It’s not uncommon for her to be forgotten amid the large cast of memorable Zelda companions, but out of all the fairies who have accompanied Link, I’ve always been most fond of Ciela.
I know that’s a bit of an unpopular opinion. As the first fairy companion, Navi is held in high regard; even her shortcoming of having overly used but highly quotable phrases is valued. Tatl would later build off of that mold in Majora’s Mask as she was given a full backstory with her brother Tael and the Skull Kid. A backstory that made her sympathetic even after she behaved so brutishly towards Link at the beginning of the game. Then there’s Ciela. I suppose it’s ironic that she’s often forgotten about, as she too has forgotten who she is.
Ciela finds Link washed up on the shores of Mercay Island at the beginning of our hero’s journey. She became concerned about Link when she fluttered by and saw him lying in the sand, which demonstrates right away that she is nurturing by nature. When Link explains his situation to Ciela, she immediately shows compassion as well, attempting to assist him by bringing him to the one person she trusts most: her grandpa, Oshus.
Oshus is an old man who lives on Mercay…well, actually, he’s something quite different from what he seems, but we’ll get to that later. Ciela believes he can help Link find the Ghost Ship that’s taken Tetra away, but instead, Oshus tells her to stay away. She doesn’t understand why and questions his decision, telling him that they need to take action. She isn’t afraid of doing the right thing, no matter the risk. We can already see this sprite’s got some moxie.
Both Link and Ciela remain insistent, and Oshus finally tells of a way they can find the ship. He tells them of the marvelous captain of the seas, Linebeck (my words, not his. I just really like Linebeck), who can help them find the ship. Ciela remembers the man and is eager to help Link without a second thought.
Before they know it, the duo has found their way to the Temple of the Ocean King. It’s a dangerous trek, but Ciela follows through on her word and guides Link through the temple to seek out Linebeck. Once found, the man takes advantage of Link and Ciela’s compassionate nature and uses them to escape the temple by faking an injury. Once she sees he can walk just fine with his so-called “sprained ankle”, Ciela promptly calls Linebeck out on his shenanigans, leading to the first of many arguments between the two.
As mentioned before, I adore Linebeck. He’s hilarious and charming, but also immature and greedy. Ciela may be a bit naive, but she doesn’t put up with Linebeck’s nonsense. She tries to be reasonable, wanting to see the best in others, but he makes snide remarks and carries on about how he’s only in it for the treasure as he continues to con his way out of doing things. Ciela gets frustrated with him and his cowardice, which is a common theme throughout their story; she even begins to snap back at him in response. While Linebeck sees this as little more than nagging from a pipsqueak, it all starts to fall into place when we learn about Ciela’s true identity.
When we first meet Ciela, she has recently lost her memory. She doesn’t know who she is or where to go, and the only person she knows is her adoptive grandfather. But deep inside, she does still retain parts of who she really is.
After saving two other fairies and completing the third temple, a third fairy, the Spirit of Courage, is released. However, this fairy is not colorful like the others; instead, it is pale, identical to Ciela. The empty husk of a fairy droops down into Link’s care, but something is off.
When the trio returns to Mercay Island with the spirit, Oshus finally reveals the truth to Ciela: she is the Spirit of Courage. Ciela doubts her grandfather’s words, claiming she has no special abilities, but once Oshus reunites the two halves, her role in this story becomes clear.
She shines a bright golden hue as she returns to her true form, though she still doubts what is actually happening. Her siblings, Neri and Leaf, rejoice at the return of their dear little sister, and she learns how to use her abilities to aid Link accordingly. She focuses and is able to hear Tetra calling for Link, while also sensing the presence of evil. Her powers have not fully awakened just yet, but she is now able to further assist Link in his journey.
Now, many people may have seen this twist coming the moment they saw that the first spirit took the form of a fairy. But from the very beginning, Ciela’s actions were what truly indicated her role as the Spirit of Courage, from immediately coming to Link’s aid to serving as a foil to the cowardly Linebeck.
When the trio finally makes it to the Ghost Ship, they find out that Tetra has been petrified. Oshus appears once the danger has passed and explains the tragedy of what has happened to both him and Ciela, at last revealing himself to be the Ocean King. Once the tragic tale has been told, Linebeck decides he wants out after learning there is no treasure, and Ciela is there to scold his selfish behavior once again. Linebeck only agrees to continue assisting the two after Oshus motivates him with the promise of a single wish when he returns to his true form. I believe that after a given period of time, though, Ciela’s words start to get through to him and he grows to care for them as well.
When Bellum is vanquished after possessing Linebeck, Ciela is the first one to rush to his aid. Not only that, but she finally has some honest praise to offer him. Of course, she has to tease him a bit as well, but she truly is proud of the courage he displayed, the courage that I believe she knew he had within him the whole time. She plays off her goodbye as a joke, claiming that she’s relieved she won’t have to see Linebeck anymore, but she also lingers, knowing she truly will miss him.
Then there’s Link. She wants to stay with him, having been drawn in by his courage and kindness, but she knows she serves the Ocean King and must remain by his side. With a final farewell and a gentle touch to his hand, she is gone.
Ciela was never just “another fairy partner”. She was the Spirit of Courage, and even when she didn’t have her memories, her actions showed us that her true self was always there. She was there to guide the boy who held courage in his heart and help the man who lacked courage to find it within. She had the motherly tendency to discipline, but also had a lot of wit and sass to balance it out. She went out of her way to save Tetra, whom she had never even met, solely because she needed help. Most importantly, she genuinely loved all these people. This, to me, is what courage truly is: everything that Ciela personifies.
Phantom Hourglass is 15 years old on June 23, 2022! We’re celebrating with dedicated articles all week.
