Leviathans are a race of giant creatures found in the The Legend of Zelda series. They often resemble sea-creatures, although they do not always reside in the sea and most are depicted as divine beings though they are apparently not immortal. The Leviathan term and race appear in-game only in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and are only indirectly referred to in some previous episodes.
Appearances[]
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[]
Leviathans are ancient giant whales and fish thought to have gone extinct many thousands of years before. There are bones located high up in the Hebra Mountains, Eldin Mountains, and the Gerudo Desert. Each appear to be three different species based on the skulls.
There are three Hylian Leviathan researchers that each have a theory as to why they died out. One believes they died out during a great ice age, another believes they died out due to a severe prolonged drought, and third believes they were destroyed by a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. Ironically their theories reference the location of each skeleton. It is possible a combination of all three theories is correct, with the Hebra Great Skeleton dying from the cold of Hebra Mountain possibly during an ice age, the Gerudo Great Skeleton likely died due to the harsh conditions of Gerudo Desert, and the Eldin Great Skeleton dying from a volcanic eruption from Death Mountain.
Both the Gerudo Great Skeleton and Hebra Great Skeleton apparently became sacred as the Gerudo Great Skeleton conceals a Shrine and Great Fairy Fountain while the Hebra Great Skeleton is located in a cave containing a shrine concealed behind a stone door. The Eldin Great Dragon is the only skeleton that does not feature a shrine and is instead home to a monster camp. However a Great Flameblade can be found their lying between some rocks under the skull and one of the Moblins wields a Flameblade. Additionally Dinraal starts its journey down Deplian Badlands from the Eldin Great Skeleton making it a great place to acquire Dinraal's dragon parts. A Korok hides in one of its eyesockets.
Interestingly, despite their size Calamity Ganon never attempts to reanimate their skeletons as undead "Stal" monsters though given most Leviathans are divine beings it is possible their bones are sacred or possess holy powers thus presumably impossible for Ganon to reanimate. This would also explain why two shrines and a Great Fairy Fountain are associated with the skeletons.
Lord Jabu-Jabu the fish-like Leviathan and patron deity of the Zora is referenced in one of Zora Stone Monuments that record Zora history about Lord Jabu-Jabu's attendant and legendary Sage of Water Princess Ruto.
Related Side Quest[]
At Serenne Stable, Link encounters three Leviathan researchers whom he can assist by taking pictures of each Leviathan skeleton though he must acquire the Camera Rune from Purah during the Quest "Locked Mementos" before this side quest becomes available. After photographing all three skeletons, the researchers reward him with a Gold Rupee essentially paying him 100 Rupees per Leviathan Skeleton photograph.
After freeing Vah Naboris, Link learns from the Gerudo training instructor Liana that Barta has not returned leading to the Side Quest "The Search for Barta". Link finds Barta at the Gerudo Great Skeleton and must bring her a Hearty Durian to help her regain her strength. She rewards Link with a Silver Rupee and this side quest is among those Riju requires Link to complete during "The Thunder Helm" which allows Link to borrow the lightning proof Thunder Helm upon its completion.
References[]
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening[]
The Wind Fish is the first of the great flying leviathan whales to debut in the series. The Wind Fish is deity who falls asleep and dreams of Koholint Island where Link finds himself stranded. Nightmare threatens the island forcing Link to acquire the Instruments of the Sirens and play the Ballad of the Wind Fish to awaken the Wind Fish though Koholint Island disappears as a result, though Marin's wish to become a Seagull to see the world beyond Koholint Island is granted by the Wind Fish and Link returns to Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Oracle of Ages[]
Lord Jabu-Jabu, the patron deity of the Zoras, is a mammoth fish who has lived in the secluded Zora's Fountain behind King Zora XVI's throne for centuries. The leviathan is covered in ornate markings, which symbolizes his exalted position in Zora culture. Princess Ruto serves as his attendant and responsible for feeding him though Ganondorf uses Barinade to place a curse on Lord Jabu-Jabu making him sick. Lord Jabu-Jabu ends up inadvertently swallowing Ruto and the Zora Sapphire which Ganondorf sought to access the Sacred Realm. Young Link finds Ruto's Letter in a Bottle at Lake Hylia learning Ruto is trapped Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly and shows it to her father who moves aside to allow Link to enter the fountain. Link drops a fish in front of Lord Jabu-Jabu who in his sickened condition sucks it and Link into his belly though afterwards opens his mouth for Link to enter should he leave Jabu-Jabu's Belly implying Lord Jabu-Jabu realizes Link is an ally. Link aids Ruto in finding the Zora Sapphire though she is kidnapped and a Bigocto attempts to eliminate him. However Link slays the Bigocto and deals with the growths and Barinade that are the cause of Lord Jabu-Jabu's sickness. Afterwards Link and Ruto escape his belly with Ruto giving Link the Zora Sapphire in exchange for Link unknowingly agreeing to marry her as Ruto became smitten with him. Lord Jabu-Jabu is freed of Ganondorf's curse though Ganondorf ultimately acquires the Triforce of Power by tricking Link into opening the Door of Time and removing the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time which seals Link away for seven years due to being too young to wield the Blade of Evil's Bane. Ganondorf becomes the King of Evil and Zora's Domain is frozen over. Lord Jabu-Jabu's fate is never revealed though the fountain is empty when he awakes seven years later with large icebergs where Lord Jabu-Jabu once lived indicating he may have died though he may have also been frozen instead the Ice Cavern with most of the Zora.
A smaller version of Lord Jabu-Jabu called Lord Chapu-Chapu also appears in the 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and is implied to be Lord Jabu-Jabu's Terminan counterpart as he is known as the "king" of the Swamp Fishing Hole and is among the toughest fish to land there. Lord Chapu-Chapu may be a juvenile or dwarf-sized subspecies of Leviathan.
In The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, there is a Labrynnan Lord Jabu-Jabu who is the patron deity of Zora Village in the Zora Seas. In the past, Lord Jabu-Jabu is still young and not fully grown while in the present he is as big as his Hyrulean counterpart from Ocarina of Time. Additionally Jabu-Jabu's Belly serves as the game's seventh dungeon.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker[]
Lord Jabun is a giant fish who is thought to be descended from Lord Jabu-Jabu.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass[]
The World of the Ocean King has both Sky Whale and Oshus in his whale form. However the Sky Whale is apparently an evil potentially demonic Leviathan. Oshus is actually a Leviathan deity called the Ocean King who possesses the ability to take on Hylian form and is the realm's god and ruler of the sea. The Ocean King fought the demonic monster Bellum in the past and sealed it in the Temple of the Ocean King. The Ocean King is associated with the Phantom Hourglass and Phantom Sword. As Oshus he gives Link Oshus's Sword to wield and encourages Ciela and Linebeck to assist Link in rescuing Tetra from the Ghost Ship.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword[]
- "I am the great spirit they call Levias. Before she passed from this world so long ago, the goddess, Hylia, appointed me as warden of the skies."
- — Levias
In Skyward Sword is the giant squid Tentalus which has the title "Abyssal Leviathan" found in the Lanayru Sand Sea the site of an Ancient Sea, however it is unclear if this sea monster is actually a Leviathan or just named such due to its giant size.
Levias, the Great Spirit of the Skies
Levias is a giant flying whale deity - similar to the Wind Fish and Ocean King - that lives inside the Thunderhead in The Sky and also takes his name from the word "Leviathan". Like Lord Jabu-Jabu, Levias is infected by a parasite called Bilocyte. Levias refers to itself as a great guardian spirit who was appointed by Hylia as warden of the skies before she reincarnated herself into a mortal Hylian. Levias is an ally of Fi and the Three Dragons all entrusted to aid Link in his quest to acquire the Triforce. It teaches Link the final part of the Song of the Hero which reveals the location of the Sky Keep where Hylia hid the Triforce thus plays an important role in Link using the Triforce to kill The Imprisoned.
Other references[]
Subseries warning: This article or section contains information on a subseries within the Legend of Zelda series and should be considered part of its own separate canon.
Hyrule Warriors and Legends[]
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Render of the Wind Fish from Hyrule Warriors
Levias appears in the Skyloft level of the game. Several times throughout the level, Fi delivers Pumpkin Soup to Levias, escorted by Link. When given a bottle of soup, Levias pushes a rock to create a path for the heroes. Later when Link and Fi are having trouble fighting Volga, Levias states that if he was at full power he could help them defeat Volga. Link seeks out the Great Fairy living in the Fairy Fountain on Skyloft. After she is summoned by the Magic Circle located in her fountain, Levias is fed a giant pumpkin dangling from a fishing pole by the Great Fairy's fairy servants, which empowers Levias enough to weaken Volga, allowing Fi and Link to defeat him.
Levias also appears as part of Link's Great Fairy moveset, where he is summoned by the Great Fairy during one of her combos to unleash a deluge of lightning on enemies.
The Wind Fish appears as part of Marin's Bell moveset from the Link's Awakening DLC pack.
Like in Link's Awakening, the goal of the Koholint Island Adventure Mode map is to awaken the Wind Fish using the eight Instruments of the Sirens Item Cards.
Subseries warning: Subseries information ends here.