Marin

Marin
Species	Human
Hair color	Red
Eye color	Blue
Relatives	Tarin (father)
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Marin is a supporting character from The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Background

Marin was the daughter of Tarin, residing in Mabe Village on Koholint Island. She was very friendly and fond of music. Marin often traveled back and forth between Mabe Village and its sister town, Animal Village, in order to perform for and entertain the denizens, with her special song being the Ballad of the Wind Fish. At the same time, Marin felt constricted by her life and the seeming reality that there were no other lands in the world except for Koholint. She spent a lot of time at the shore, where she admired the seagulls and wished that she was one so that she could fly freely throughout the world to sing for everyone. She wondered if the Wind Fish would grant her wish if he was awakened.

Marin received newfound hope when a traveler, Link, was found washed up on the shores of Koholint. She found him and brought him back to her house to rest until he recovered. Marin would teach the Ballad of Wind Fish to Link after he found the Ocarina. Later on in the game, Link came to look for Marin so that she could sing for the lazy walrus to wake him up. She found him on the beach, where she told him about all of her dreams and the hope that Link's arrival brought to her. Marin then followed Link around (various photo opportunities between the two were possible at this point in the DX version) until they arrived at the Animal Village, where Marin woke up the walrus with the Ballad of the Wind Fish. She then remained at the Animal Village for some time to sing for the locals.

Later on, Marin went to Mt. Tamaranch and attempted to awaken the Wind Fish by singing the Ballad in front of the Wind Fish's egg. She failed and was then trapped in the middle of a bridge until Link arrived and rescued her. She was then about to tell Link something, but she was called away by Tarin. If Link visited her at the village afterwards, she thanked him for everything and told him that he was the kindest boy she knew. She would also mention having made a secret wish to the Wind Fish. She knew that Link would leave some day, but she asked Link not to forget her.

At the end of the game, the Wind Fish was awakened by Link playing the Ballad of the Wind Fish. The entire Koholint Island was revealed to just be part of the Wind Fish's dream, so the island and everything on it, including Marin, faded out of existence. However, if the player completed the game without dying once, then Marin would survive in the real world in the form of a seagull, her dream finally come true.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• Within the Super Smash Bros. series, Marin initially made an appearance as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Her trophy was unlocked with the Sound Test (in possible reference to her fondness for music) after all of the game's characters and stages were unlocked. Marin also appeared as a Support Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with the effect of making the player immune to control reversals. In Spirit battles, she possessed Zelda and fought alongside Link (with a costume resembling his classic design) in a timed battle above a slumber-inducing floor.
• Marin appears as a playable character in Hyrule Warriors, being available as a DLC character for the first two editions (purchased as part of a Link's Awakening DLC Pack) and an unlockable character in the Definitive Edition, where she was unlocked by completing Battle F4 on the Koholint Island map. In battle, she wields a Bell that allows her to utilize the Element of Water, and she can also summon the Wind Fish for some of her attacks.

Other Media

• Marin appears in Ataru Cagiva's manga adaptation of Link's Awakening. This version places a greater emphasis on the romantic connection between Link and Marin. At one point when Link attempts to escape his destiny of waking the Wind Fish, he attempts to leave the island on a raft and convinces Marin to come with him, but the ocean's waves return them to the island. At the end, Marin is not shown turning into a seagull, but the Wind Fish tells Link that Koholint and its denizens will live on in Link's heart.

Trivia

• The character Malon in later Zelda games is loosely based on Marin. According to the Hyrule Historia, the existences of Marin and Tarin in the dream world may have been created from Link's memories of Malon and Talon.
• Although her official artwork and Melee trophy both depict her holding a harp, she is never seen playing one within the actual game.
• Seagulls would go on to have a recurring presence in the Zelda series, particularly in The Wind Waker, where Link's sister Aryll befriends seagulls.
• Additionally, Aryll's originally planned name resembled Marin's, and the pattern on her dress resembles the hibiscus that Marin wears in her hair.
• In Breath of the Wild, one area of Hyrule is named Malin Bay after her.
• In the Switch remake of Link's Awakening, entering "Marin" as the player's name will prompt a remixed version of Ballad of the Wind Fish to play.