Are mermaids related to the Zora?

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

The title is basically the question at hand. Are mermaids real in the Zelda universe, and are they related to the Zora in some way?

- We do see a mermaid in Link's awakening, which is a dream, so not definitive, in of itself. As an aside, I believe that everything in the dream was experienced by Link, the Wind Fish, or both.

- We also see this statue, at the Pirate hideout, in Skyward Sword:

This suggests that they were in existence before the present of SS.

- There is also the Fish Men, from Wind Waker, which could be a possible connection.

- Then there's Joanne, from Phantom Hourglass, who is only dressed as a mermaid. Despite not being a mermaid herself, she, along with the Mermaid Prow, does provide an in universe reference.


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So, do they even exist? I think there is enough evidence to suggest that they do, though it is inconclusive.

Then, if the do exist, are they related, and how. As I see it, at the moment, there are two main possible connections. 1) A not so "missing link" between the Parella and the Zora. 2) A separate branch from the Parella, making them cousin species.

A lot to think about, for one basic sounding question. I look forward to your thoughts.

 

[Dizzi]

where do they hide??

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

where do they hide??

Off the map?


[edit] Or, they already died off, but their imagery remains.

 

[Dizzi]

like how and yknow what do they looks like do they have elf ears and gills in the neck or the chest/stomach area???

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

Best we can go off of is what little we have in game, and it's not much. Link's Awakening is the only "living" mermaid that I am aware of.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

things that are real in zelda
-dragons
-lizard people
-fairies
-faeries
-magic
-chickens

things that are not real in zelda
-mermaids
-jumping

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

There's a statue of a mermaid in Lynna City in Oracle of Ages. You can also find the Mermaid Suit in the Mermaid Cave.

While you do access Labrynna via a portal and some might use that to try saying it's a parallel world, we know this isn't true because Zelda and Impa travelled there by land. The Triforce made the portal just to make Link's travel there faster.

So mermaids might exist, but I don't think they are related to the Zora.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

there's not enough mermaid presence in the series to really tell, but if I had to guess, maybe in universe a mermaid is what happens when a zora and human/hylian have a kid?

 

[LegendOfMeesh]

mmmm, I don’t think so

 

[nocturneofshadow]

things that are not real in zelda
-jumping

did you forget about adventure of link already


anyways, I'm not so sure? there are some pretty crazy differences there lol

 

[OGSniper]

The idea isn't really far-fetched. I do not oppose or really support the idea. I would be fine with or without their existence.

 

[Ganondorf]

Could just be a fantasy creature in-universe, given the only mermaid I'm aware of is the one in Link's Awakening & I am... not sure if she is "real" due to that. Wouldn't be the first time something in-game doesn't match up with what we actually see. Such as this strange horned, winged old man seen on Link's shield in Wind Waker, which doesn't really plausibly match up to any known creature that I am aware of in WW (unless say, it's just always meant to be a highly unusual stylized Rito, which I don't really believe). Always figured it was a forgotten guardian deity, or a very strange in-universe stylization of the Hyrulian eagle motif with perhaps a past king. However that is entirely speculation from me, since the shield is supposed to be very old; not that it would line up with anything from OoT, though (given that timeline). Anyway, like I said- wouldn't be the first time we see some sort of decorative item or motif in a LoZ title that didn't seem to have any living or "real" comparisons.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

there's not enough mermaid presence in the series to really tell, but if I had to guess, maybe in universe a mermaid is what happens when a zora and human/hylian have a kid?

yeah I'm gonna retract this, mermaids would probably have a lot more presence if this was the case, and considering ruto and mipha had crushes on their links, sounds like it's not too unusual for zoras to want to get together with a hylian

 

[Echolight]

Could just be a fantasy creature in-universe

exactly what I was thinking. There's no reason for the Zelda series not to have mythical creatures of their own, even if they coincidentally line up with our own mythical creatures like the mermaid. The statue could either be a carving of a canon creature or it could equally be a carving from imagination.

I won't cast away the idea that mermaids could exist in Zelda, but I think it's very possible it's just in-universe folklore.
Though if they did indeed prove to be real, I feel they would be their own separate thing, not related to the Zora.

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

Seems to me that if mermaids were just an in universe cryptid/myth, being so close to what a Zora is, it could easily be in universe racism, akin to a monkey man. It's literally a fish person. I really don't want it to be anti-Zora racism. (I'm not saying that one does mean the other, just that there is the possibility.)

Such as this strange horned, winged old man seen on Link's shield in Wind Waker, which doesn't really plausibly match up to any known creature that I am aware of in WW (unless say, it's just always meant to be a highly unusual stylized Rito, which I don't really believe).

Could be a stylized Rito, but I'm with you; I don't find it likely, or believable. I generally thought it was a dragon, but looking now, it doesn't look unlike Batreaux, from SS. I think a better example for your point would be the six-eyed-camel we see associated with the Gerudo, now.