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Does anyone unironically like Fi?

Spiritual Mask Salesman

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Fi is one of the most obtrusive companions in the entire series, and worse, she is a terrible character. They tried giving her a growth arc and it simply doesn't work because she shows no growth, she never appears compassionate and human-like. Every time she is forcing a statistic down a players throat it's wasted potential to give her some quality writing to fully realize the growth arc.
 

Archer

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Fi wasn’t all that appealing. To soften it, her voice was the most “awkward” I’ve ever heard
 

Bowsette Plus-Ultra

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I like the idea of Fi. Ideally, Fi is an artificial intelligence who grows to care for and eventually consider Link as a friend. Unfortunately, she's squandered like the rest of Zelda's storytelling.
 
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Fi ruined the Master Sword. It's kind of my issue with Skyward Sword in general. They took a very gimmicky game and set it as the origin story for the entire series. Fi is exemplary of this problem: she's annoying, she's a character only related to this game created by a goddess that is only related to this game (and BotW I guess), and apparently, she has been inside that sword for all of the other games in which it appears. Great.
 

Mamono101

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Fi was grating as a character. It’s just possible her jokes didn’t localise well or work for a Western audience. I’d be keen to know how she is perceived in other countries’ localisations. And in the original Japanese.

Ghirahim was definitely the better of the 2 sword spirits in that game. Would have preferred him as a companion. Seriously, the story could have been about Link uncorrupting the Master Sword while Ghirahim’s personality slowly changes from evil (snarky) to helpful. He could have still been working to resurrect Demise by initially pretending to be on Link’s side and then troping his way over to friendship each time the sword was imbued with power (or however the game puts it for that part of the fetch quest).
 

Uwu_Oocoo2

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As much as I complain about her, I do really love Fi as a character. The final cutscene with her was so heartwarming ;-;
But there are sooooo many things they could have done better with her, such as:

1. Make the sound of her voice less obnoxious. I mean, this is coming from someone who has absolutely no problem with Navi's constant interruptions. Fi is just annoying, and waaaaaaaaaay overexplains things.

2. Give her more backstory. Basically what you know of Fi is that she is the sword's spirit. What does that mean? Where did the sword come from? Did she meet the Goddess? Is there any relation between her and Girahim? And how does her being in the sword affect future games? All her presence does is bring up a lot of complicated questions.

3. Have her overcome her programming. It would have been amazing to have a more defined story arch of her being more human, rather than one sad cutscene. Give her some personality for a bit.

That being said, I am perfectly content with Fi they way she is, as long as I remember not to collect any items so she doesnt feel the need explain them to me for the thousandth time.
 

GrooseIsLoose

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It’s just possible her jokes didn’t localise well or work for a Western audience
I've heard this remark about some light novels and translations as well. For example, I've heard that the Monogatari series had a lot of pun in the original version whereas the translation wasn't able to translate it.
Is that what you were saying?
 

Mamono101

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I've heard this remark about some light novels and translations as well. For example, I've heard that the Monogatari series had a lot of pun in the original version whereas the translation wasn't able to translate it.
Is that what you were saying?
Sort of. Things likes puns not really being translated properly is only half of what I mean. Culturally, what one country finds entertaining or funny doesn't always translate well for a localisation. The strict impersonal demeanour of Fi coupled with her inability to "read the atmosphere" (to borrow a Japanese idiom) makes for a comedy of manners for most of Fi's comedic scenes. Because the social hierarchy, for lack of a better term, is very different from country to country, the types of situations that Fi finds herself in may not work when transposing a joke for another region.
 
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I like the idea of Fi. Ideally, Fi is an artificial intelligence who grows to care for and eventually consider Link as a friend. Unfortunately, she's squandered like the rest of Zelda's storytelling.

I respect your viewpoint on this and can see what you mean, but I truly think Skyward Sword is the best Nintendo has done so far in terms of storytelling in Zelda. Fi's detached, robotic personality is something I actually like, since it's part of her character being the cold, detached spirit of Link's number one weapon. Honestly, I think Fi is severely underrated.
 

Doc

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I think a large part of Fi's problem is making her character so linked to the mechanics of the game. She didn't just serve as a tutorial, but she would bring everything to your attention (like your controller battery). This made her interruptions more than hints or insights related to the game, but detached her from the game experience. I also think they made Fi TOO helpful with hints that it felt pedantic or insulting when she gave a hint. Wind Waker is a good example of giving you ample time to figure out a puzzle before your companion intervenes and what they should have used here. Fi is simply too intrusive and interrupts the second you spend more than 30 seconds on a puzzle and TELLS you the solution.

I don't hate her robotic personality. But I do think it would be better received if Fi didn't take on the most grating or frustrating parts of games.
 

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