Many fairies live across the kingdom of Hyrule in Four Swords Adventures, bringing Links back from the dead, upgrading Links’ sub-weapons or simply healing the Links’ weary souls. One fairy stands out though, trapped in a unique situation that begs for the Links to help her for once. The Queen of Fairies herself isn’t hiding in a cave or waiting in a temple or shrine to be summoned nor pleading for rupees in a flowering pool. She has been cursed, split in two and stripped of all her beauty.
As darkness took over Hyrule, the Shrine Maidens cried, begging for assistance, for someone to fight the shadows away. Hearing their cries from afar, the Queen of Fairies ventured to Hyrule Castle to offer her aid. She didn’t hide, she didn’t wait for a hero to save the day nor did she require a summoning, a blessing or a six note song to persuade her to lend her powers to the protectors of good. She took up the duty herself to defend the maidens, whatever it would take.
Motivation aside, the Queen was captured and her soul and body split into two, stripping her of her beauty and power. Her form, once one of grace and magic, was now nothing more than a Zora. As all four Links make their way to Hyrule Castle, they meet one half of the Queen: a Zora desperate to reunite with their other half. She tells them her story of the curse that befell her and begs the Links to help her, promising aid in return. She follows the leading Link with hope in her heart.
Once the two Zora forms are reunited once more, her true form is revealed and once again she is the Great Fairy Queen. She is elegant and divine with a design similar to the Queen of Fairies in The Wind Waker. A design perfect for the pixel art style of the game. She may not call herself a Queen, simply referring to herself as a Great Fairy, but the design and her abilities have labelled her as one. With her returned form, comes one of the greatest signs of power we have seen from a Great Fairy. Her powers obliterate the dozens of guards defending the entrance of the castle. It rains down in beams of light similar to the power of the Bombos Medallion. Imagine what else she may be capable of and the damage she could unleash. Fortunately for all four Links, she’s on the good side of the battle.
Despite her earlier ambition to assist the maidens, it appears she simply wanted to help the hero all along. She mentions to Link that there is a long tradition of damsels in distress being rescued by the hero; therefore, she leaves the lives of the Shrine Maidens in the Links’ capable hands. She may be powerful, but she still decides that tradition should continue with Link as the hero of the day. At least we have the knowledge of knowing that the Links would never have made it through the first world without the Queen of Fairies’ help.
While the Queen of Fairies’ appearance is small, only appearing in the one level, her help doesn’t technically end with one spurt of fiery rain. After breaking down the barrier for the Links, she thanks them for helping her and informs them that she will tell all the other Great Fairies of his heroic and kind actions. In return, each and every fairy will assist them along their journey whenever they are needed. They will shower the Links with hearts and powerful weapons. And maybe it would be a lot quicker if the Queen simply used her power upon the enemies darkening Hyrule, but where would be the fun in that?
Four Swords Adventures turns 20 years old on March 18th, 2024, so come join us as we celebrate the quirky co-op romp all throughout the week!
