Jabun

Jabun meeting with Link and the King of Red Lions in The Wind Waker.
Jabun
Species	Fish-Like Creature
Eye color	Orange
Base	Greatfish Island
Relatives	Jabu-Jabu (possible ancestor)
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Jabun is a water spirit who plays a role in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

Background

Jabun was an ocean spirit who "lived through the trials of many long years". He resided at Greatfish Isle and was aware of many of the events connected to the Great Sea. He knew the true identity of the King of Red Lions and was aware of the threat posed by Ganon. He was entrusted with Nayru's Pearl and kept it safe while he awaited the return of the Hero of Time. Jabun could only speak Hylian, so the King was among the few who could properly communicate with him.

However, Ganondorf later unleashed a curse which ravaged the island. Jabun was able to escape prior to the attack and took shelter behind a stone slab at Outset Island that could only be broken by bombs. Link eventually arrived there with the King of Red Lions. The King and Jabun had a conversation in which Jabun learned that this Link was not the Hero of Time, but that he showed potential in his own right. Jabun then agreed to give him the pearl so that the gods could determine Link's true worthiness. The jewel also undid the curse which Ganon had placed across the land. Before the King left, Jabun asked him about Princess Zelda's bloodline, and the King told him that he believed her had found her successor. This pleased Jabun, who warned the King that Zelda must be protected and not permitted to fall into Ganon's hands.

Trivia

• His name, like that of Jabu-Jabu, is derived from the Japanese onomatopoeia which represents splashing in the water.
• His name is notably similar to that of Jabu-Jabu, the deity worshiped by the Zoras (even moreso in the original Japanese language where he is merely called "Jabu"). However, Jabun resembles a distinctly separate fish and has actual intelligence, unlike Jabu-Jabu, so they are not the same fish. It is still likely that they are connected in some way, as the symbol on Nayru's Pearl is used as the Zora emblem in other games, and his background music is a rearrangement of the music from Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly. The Hyrule Historia also hinted at a more direct relation by revealing that Jabun may be a "descendent" of Jabu-Jabu.