Link’s Awakening might not be as plot-heavy and narrative-driven as say a game like Breath of the Wild, but there are still some deep plot elements that make this game as memorable as anything else. Here’s the story summary and ending explanations for Link’s Awakening.
Spoiler Warning:
Obviously, this Link’s Awakening story summary is, you know, going to go through the entire plot of the game and spoil the story moments as well as the ending. Turn away now if you don’t want it to be ruined for you.
Story Summary and Ending Explained for Link’s Awakening
Washed Up on Koholint Island
Link’s Awakening opens up with our green tunic-wearing hero on a voyage in the middle of the ocean. After a brutal thunderstorm and strong waves knocks Link unconscious, he awakens to find himself on the shore of a mysterious island, where a young girl named Marin finds him washed up and then proceeds to bring him back to her house in Mabe Village.
He wakes up again in Marin’s bed and confuses her for Princess Zelda for a short moment but she corrects him and says that he’s probably still woozy from the crash, and also tells him that he’s on Koholint Island.
She wants Link to go back to the shore to find his sword and also mentions that there have been monsters popping up over the island ever since Link showed up.
Once he finds his sword, he’s greeted by an owl who can speak. He mentions to Link that the only way for him to leave the island is by waking up the Wind Fish. This then starts Link on a quest to find all eight of the musical instruments.
Not much story stuff happens until the latter part of the game but there is an important scene later on with Marin that has the both of them sitting down on Toronbo Shores.
Marin really wanted to speak to Link and this is what she tells him: “When I discovered you, Link, my heart skipped a beat! I thought, this person has come to give us a message.
If I was a seagull, I would fly as far as I could. I would fly to faraway places and sing for many people! If I wish to the Wind Fish, I wonder if my dream will come true…“
Secret of the Wind Fish
Once Link defeats an armored enemy in the Ancient Ruins cave, he finds an old stone mural on the wall with an image of what appears to be the mystical Wind Fish, which just looks like a whale with strange markings over its body. The Owl that has been guiding Link is also seen in the mural.
Once Link examines it, the mural reads “To the finder.. the isle of Koholint is but an illusion. Human, monster, sea, sky… a scene on the lid of a sleeper’s eye… Awake the dreamer and Koholint will vanish much like a bubble on a needle… Castaway… You should know the truth!”
After reading, Link actually speaks to himself and utters the words, “…What? Illusion?”
After walking back outside the ancient ruins, Link is greeted once again by the guiding Owl. The owl knows that Link has read the mural in the cave but he states that even though the mural says that the entire island is but a dream, nobody is actually entirely sure of that.
“Just as you cannot know if a chest holds treasure until you open it, so you cannot tell if this is a dream until you awaken. The only one who knows for sure is the Wind Fish. Trust your feelings… Someday you will discover the answer.”
Obviously, it seems that Koholint Island is, indeed, all a dream and everyone/everything on the island has been brought into existence via the Wind Fish.
After completing the sixth dungeon, the Face Shrine, Link hears a voice that’s calling him to the mountain, the mountain where the giant Wind Fish egg lies.
The owl also pays Link a visit after this dungeon and tells him that the monsters on the island are terrified of the Wind Fish to be awakened and that they are planning to stop Link and take over the island.
“The monsters’ power is real! They may conquer the island and destroy their foes! That day may come soon.”
Inside the Egg
After finally gathering all eight of the musical instruments throughout the island, Link goes to the egg on top of the mountain to attempt to wake the Wind Fish.
He plays the Ballad of the Wind Fish that he learns from Marin, the girl from Mabe Village, and the egg cracks open, giving Link an entrance as he walks inside.
After going through a maze-esque sequence, Link finds himself deeper in the Wind Fish egg and comes across a boss rush that has him fighting against several of the bosses that he has already beaten, but they are now shadow forms and are much stronger.
They greet him by stating that they were born of nightmares and that they have been planning to take over the world by putting the Wind Fish to sleep. They say that the island will never disappear if the Wind Fish doesn’t wake up.
They then become angry with Link because of him disrupting their dastardly plans and the fight begins.
Link, of course, defeats the monsters and the last one leaves Link with one more message, stating that thanks to him, their world will now be gone.
After the nightmares are gone, Link gets transported to a trippy pedestal high above the sky in space where he is congratulated by the owl.
“Young lad… I mean, Link, the hero! You have defeated the Nightmares! You have proven your wisdom, courage, and power! As part of the Wind Fish’s spirit… I am the guardian of his dream world… But one day, the Nightmares entered the dream and began wreaking havoc.
Then you, Link, came to rescue the island… I have always trusted in your courage. I knew that you could turn back the nightmares. Thank you, Link. My work is done… the Wind Fish will wake soon.“
Yeah so basically the owl has been acting as the guardian of the dream world, guiding Link on this path of awaking the Wind Fish.
Wind Fish Awakens and the Disappearance of Koholint Island
Now, we actually get to see the Wind Fish in all of its glory as it comes up to Link and tells him some more secrets of the island.
“In my dreams… an egg appeared… It was surrounded by an island. With people… animals… an entire world! But, verily, it be the nature of dreams to end! When I dost awaken, Koholint will be gone.”
Now, (this parts actually kind of a downer) we get to see all of the characters, animals, and towns erased forever as each section of the island fades away into nothingness due to the Wind Fish being woken up causing the “dream” to come to an end.
After that, we see Link back in the ocean just like how he was at the beginning of the game, laying against a floating log.
He wakes up after hearing what sounds like the voice of Marin singing the Ballad of the Wind Fish and he also sees huge shadow over him (which looks like it could be the Wind Fish) but he looks up and nothing is there.
He is smiling though, possibly coming to terms that maybe this island was real after all.
That is the main ending of Link’s Awakening but in the original game, there was an alternate ending that happened if you beat the game without dying once.
If you managed to do that, Marin would show up in the sky when Link is back in the ocean and she turns into a seagull.
Marin always talked about wanting to travel the world and see different things, so she was finally able to get her wings and explore the vast ocean.
We’re not sure if this ending exists in the Link’s Awakening remake, but if we do find out, we will make sure to update this story summary accordingly.
And there you have it folks, that is the story summary and endings for Link’s Awakening.
For more on Link’s Awakening, you can check out our wiki guide on the game right here, as well as our scored review.
And for everything else, just search Twinfinite. We’ve also listed some other helpful guides on the game down below.
For another Zelda story summary, check out one on Breath of the Wild.
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