‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ Manga Gives Saria’s Fairy Ocarina a Terrible Fate

In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the moment Link receives the Ocarina from Princess Zelda felt strange to some fans. Link had used the Fairy Ocarina, a gift given to him by his close childhood friend Saria in the Kokiri Forest. However, upon grabbing the Ocarina of Time, the Fairy Ocarina vanishes from Link’s inventory. This led to several fans asking what happened to Saria’s Fairy Ocarina in Ocarina of Time. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga offers an explanation, but it’s even more heartbreaking.

What happens to Saria’s Fairy Ocarina in ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’?

At the start of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Link lived and grew up in the Kokiri Forest. However, since all Kokiri have a fairy companion, he always felt like an outsider. The Kokiri Saria embraced Link, and the two became close friends.

Link feeling like an outsider made sense when the Great Deku Tree revealed that he was not a Kokiri at all and sent him to see Princess Zelda. However, Saria stopped him before he left the Kokiri Forest.

Saria gifted him with the Fairy Ocarina, a memento to remember her and the forest. Link’s companion, Navi, encourages him to revisit the forest after meeting Zelda for the first time. Link’s childhood friend teaches him Saria’s Song outside the Forest Temple.

However, as Princess Zelda and Impa escape from Hyrule Castle when Ganondorf attacks, she throws the Ocarina of Time. At the midpoint of Ocarina of Time, the new item replaces Saria’s Fairy Ocarina with no hint of what happened to it.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time manga offers one possible explanation, though.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ manga suggests that Saria’s Fairy Ocarina gets destroyed

While fans and Nintendo do not consider The Legend of Zelda manga stories canon, the books try filling in some of the gaps.

When Ganondorf pursues Zelda out of Hyrule Castle and finds Link at the drawbridge, they fight. However, young Link stands little chance against the Gerudo king.

So what happens to Saria’s Fairy Ocarina in the Ocarina of Time manga?

Ganondorf knocks Link back and takes the Fairy Ocarina, thinking it is the Ocarina of Time. Later, when he realizes his mistake, he crushes it in his hand.

Unfortunately, Saria’s gift to Link seems destined to vanish from The Legend of Zelda series. However, it almost returned in the Ocarina of Time sequel, Majora’s Mask.

Early pre-release screenshots had Link using Saria’s instrument in ‘Majora’s Mask’

While Saria’s Fairy Ocarina may have disappeared in Ocarina of Time, Nintendo might have planned to bring it back in Majora’s Mask.

 In early pre-release screenshots from August 1999, The Cutting Room Floor spotted the Fairy Ocarina equipped to Link’s right C-stick.

With Majora’s Mask taking place after Princess Zelda sent Link back in time, Nintendo might have once planned for Link to return the Ocarina of Time and use Saria’s Fairy Ocarina.

However, with Majora’s Mask emphasizing time travel, it only makes sense to use the Ocarina of Time.

While Saria’s gift to Link never really saw a happy ending in the game or the Ocarina of Time manga, she still left an impact on the series. Fans never did forget the first heartbreaking goodbye in a 3D Zelda game.