Boomerang

A Boomerang from The Wind Waker.
Boomerang
Type	Projectile
Debut	The Legend of Zelda

The boomerang is a projectile weapon appearing throughout the Zelda series.

Information

The boomerang acts similarly to the real-life object in that it can be tossed into the air and will always return to the user after completing its arc. This item is useful for grabbing out-of-reach items or hitting switches. The boomerang can also stun most enemies and destroy some which are very small and weak. Within certain games, boomerangs also have other unique features such as a remote control path or the ability to lock onto multiple targets. In the DS games in particular, the boomerang's path can be manipulated through the touch screen.

The boomerang is a very useful and versatile item, and it can become moreso when it is upgraded into a Magical Boomerang in some games. The Magical Boomerang usually has a longer range and in some games Link can directly control its path. The Level 2 Boomerang in Four Swords Adventures is similar to the Magical Boomerang, although it is also stronger and can be held in place within the air. Twilight Princess also featured the unique Gale Boomerang. Boomerangs come in several colors, with the most common being blue, red or tan. These items are also wielded by the Goriya enemies.

Appearances

In The Legend of Zelda, the Boomerang was found in the Eagle Labyrinth and was the first inventory weapon Link could find in the game, as it was the first dungeon. The boomerang was found in a room full of Goriyas after defeating them, implying that the boomerang belonged to one of them. A Magical Boomerang could later be found at the Moon Labyrinth. In A Link to the Past, the boomerang is found within Hyrule Castle and is the first weapon Link finds (not counting the lantern or the basic sword and shield). It can be upgraded into a Magical Boomerang at the Fountain of Happiness. In Link's Awakening, Link can trade any non-essential item to a Goriya for a boomerang at the end of the trading sidequest, as it could only be seen using the Magnifying Lens. The Boomerang is an optional item in this game, but it surprisingly can be used to destroy the final boss DeathI with one hit and is effective against several other minor enemies.

In Ocarina of Time, the tan boomerang was found within Lord Baby Jabu's Belly. It was one of the last items Link gained as a child and could only be used as a child. In Oracle of Ages, it was available as a prize at the Goron Gallery at Rolling Ridge, and in Oracle of Seasons it could be won by performing well at the Subrosian Dance in Subrosia. The boomerang could only be upgraded to a Magical Boomerang by using a password in Oracle of Seasons after starting a linked game. In The Wind Waker, the boomerang was found at the Forbidden Woods and could target multiple enemies. Boomerangs were also found in various areas within Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures, and they could be upgraded to Level 2 Boomerangs by Great Fairies in the latter game.

In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, the boomerang could be bought at the shop at Hyrule Village for 300 Rupees. A Magical Boomerang could also be found in a hidden area that was only uncovered by fusing Kinstones with Tingle and all of his brothers. In Phantom Hourglass, the boomerang was found at the Temple of Fire, while in Spirit Tracks it was found at the Snow Temple. Within the latter game, the boomerang could temporarily take on the properties of fire and ice when it came into contact with either element, which was useful in solving puzzles and hurting certain enemies. In A Link Between Worlds, it is among the items that Link can buy from Ravio's shop, and usage of it depletes his Energy Meter. It can initially be bought only as a rental (which means that Ravio reclaims it if Link dies and the player chooses to continue, forcing Link to pay for it again) for 50 Rupees, and it could later be bought permanently for 800 Rupees. After Link owns the weapon, he can have it upgraded into the Nice Boomerang by Mother Maiamai, which is faster and can move further as well as allowing Link to deploy up to three at a time.

In Breath of the Wild, it is among the weapons that appear in multiple varieties and could be found virtually everywhere, being obtained from treasure chests, enemies (particularly Lizalfos), dropped in the wild or from shops. In this game, boomerangs can be wielded as a melee weapon in addition to being thrown, and some of them feature different designs which are made from twisted blades. They are said to have originally been wielded by Koroks, and the different varieties include the Lizal Boomerang, Lizal Forked Boomerang, Lizal Tri-Boomerang, Giant Boomerang and the Sea-Breeze Boomerang, which is a special Wind Waker-based boomerang that can only be obtained by using a Toon Link amiibo.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. games, the boomerang can be launched as the side special move for Link as well as the Young Link and Toon Link characters. Link specifically uses the Gale Boomerang in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U. A sticker of the Boomerang from The Wind Waker also appears in Brawl.
• In Soul Calibur II, one of Link's moves has him go into a Boomerang Stance and throw a boomerang at the enemy.
• In Hyrule Warriors, the boomerang is an item that can be obtained and can be upgraded into a Gale Boomerang. An '8-Bit Boomerang?' can also be gained as a weapon for Impa through the Master Quest DLC pack, with statistics matching that of the Biggoron's Sword.

Other Media

• The boomerang had a frequent presence in the The Legend of Zelda cartoon series, where Zelda primarily used it.

Trivia

• In Majora's Mask, the boomerang item is replaced by Link's Zora form, which can fire out a pair of fins that act similarly to boomerangs.