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Saving Princess Ruto in Ocarina of Time: A Comprehensive Guide

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So, you’ve stumbled into Zora’s Domain, gotten yourself all wet, and somehow ended up involved in the saga of a missing, and frankly, rather sassy, princess? Fear not, intrepid adventurer! Saving Princess Ruto in Ocarina of Time is a pivotal part of the main quest, unlocking a crucial area and progressing the story. Here’s a breakdown of how to navigate this fishy situation.

The short answer: to “save” Princess Ruto, you need to enter Lord Jabu-Jabu’s belly, find her inside, and carry her through the dungeon while solving puzzles together. It’s less about rescuing her from mortal peril (she’s surprisingly capable) and more about helping her fulfill her own, somewhat self-inflicted, mission. The “rescue” concludes when you defeat the dungeon boss, Barinade.

The Path to Jabu-Jabu and Beyond

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Acquire the Silver Scale: Essential for diving deeper. You can win this by playing a diving game in Zora’s Domain. Find the Zora near the King who is willing to play a game with you.
Find Ruto’s Letter in a Bottle: Dive into the water at the very bottom of Zora’s Domain near the waterfall. The Silver Scale allows you to reach the bottom. A bottle containing Ruto’s Letter rests on the lakebed.
Present the Letter to King Zora: Stand on the pedestal in front of King Zora, target him (Z-targetting is key here!), and use the bottle. He’ll grudgingly move out of the way, revealing the entrance to Zora’s Fountain.
Obtain a Fish: In Zora’s Fountain, find a fish. You can catch one with a bottle.
Enter Jabu-Jabu: Approach Lord Jabu-Jabu (the enormous fish in Zora’s Fountain). Stand in front of him and release the fish. This offering will entice him to open his mouth, allowing you to enter his belly.
Find and Partner with Ruto: Navigate Jabu-Jabu’s interior to find Princess Ruto. She will demand you carry her through the dungeon (because, princess).
Solve Puzzles and Defeat Mini-Bosses: While carrying Ruto (or throwing her onto platforms), solve puzzles involving switches, platforms, and bizarre organic mechanisms. You’ll also encounter mini-bosses that need defeating. The puzzles are centered around using Ruto to reach otherwise unreachable locations.
Defeat Barinade: The final challenge is Barinade, a giant parasitic jellyfish. Use your boomerang to detach its tentacles from the ceiling and then target its core with well-aimed throws. Watch out for its electrical attacks!
Receive the Spiritual Stone: After defeating Barinade, Ruto, in her own unique way, will reward you with the Spiritual Stone of Water, marking the completion of this segment of your quest.

Once you have the Spiritual Stone of Water you are able to leave Jabu-Jabu’s belly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further navigate saving Princess Ruto:

1. Where do I take Princess Ruto after finding her in Jabu-Jabu?

You don’t literally take her anywhere. Your objective becomes navigating Jabu-Jabu’s belly while carrying her. She acts as a key to solving puzzles within the dungeon.

2. What happens to Ruto later in Ocarina of Time?

As an adult, Ruto awakens as the Sage of Water, residing in the Water Temple. She plays a crucial role in helping Link access the temple and ultimately defeat Morpha.

3. Why did Ruto write the letter in the bottle?

The letter essentially pleads for help, although Ruto is too proud to admit it directly. She got trapped inside Jabu-Jabu and needed someone to come and extract her.

4. What does Princess Ruto ultimately want from Link?

Initially, she wants to be rescued, albeit in her own demanding way. Later, as an adult, she confesses her feelings for Link, but acknowledges her duty as a Sage prevents any further relationship. She ultimately bestows upon Link the Water Medallion.

5. Is Princess Ruto really in love with Link?

The game heavily implies Ruto’s affection for Link. Her actions and dialogue, especially as an adult, support this idea. However, their different destinies prevent a true romantic relationship.

6. Did Ruto actually write the letter?

Yes, Ruto did write the letter. She’s too proud to admit it, though!

7. What did Ganondorf do to Jabu-Jabu?

While Ganondorf directly cursed the Great Deku Tree, he is indirectly responsible for the problems inside Jabu-Jabu. Ganondorf’s corruption spread throughout Hyrule, affecting Jabu-Jabu and causing the parasitic infestation.

8. How do I get the Zora Tunic?

After becoming an adult and unfreezing King Zora with Blue Fire, the King will reward you with the Zora Tunic, which allows you to remain underwater indefinitely while wearing the Iron Boots.

9. How old is Ruto in Ocarina of Time?

As a child, Ruto’s age is likely around 10-12 years old, given her role as a princess and her general demeanor. As an adult, she’s approximately 17-19 years of age.

10. How do you unfreeze King Zora?

To unfreeze King Zora, you need to obtain Blue Fire from the Ice Cavern and use it to melt the red ice encasing him.

11. What rewards do I get for saving Ruto in Ocarina of Time?

For “saving” Ruto within Jabu-Jabu’s belly, you receive the Spiritual Stone of Water. Later, as an adult, she bestows upon you the Water Medallion.

12. Why is it so hard to get Jabu-Jabu to open his mouth?

Jabu-Jabu only opens his mouth when offered something he wants. In this case, it’s a fish.

13. What happens if I drop Ruto in Jabu-Jabu’s belly?

Dropping Ruto simply means you have to pick her up again. She might make a snarky comment, but there are no real consequences.

14. How do I defeat Barinade quickly?

The quickest way to defeat Barinade is to target the tentacles with your boomerang until they detach, then rapidly target the exposed core with the boomerang. Keep moving to avoid the electrical attacks.

15. Are Link and Ruto destined to be together?

Despite their mutual affection, Link and Ruto’s paths diverge due to their responsibilities. Link’s destiny is to save Hyrule, while Ruto is destined to be the Sage of Water.

Playing Ocarina of Time provides great learning experiences. This includes problem solving, and pattern recognition. Exploring this classic game gives an insight into the work being done at the Games Learning Society where they research and learn how gaming and learning overlap. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org for more information.

With this knowledge and determination, you’ll be navigating Jabu-Jabu’s innards and receiving the Spiritual Stone of Water in no time! Now go forth, young hero, and save the sassy fish princess!