Zelda Wiki

Want to contribute to this wiki?
Sign up for an account, and get started!

Come join the Zelda Wiki community Discord server!

READ MORE

Zelda Wiki
Register
Advertisement

The River Man is a character from The Adventure of Link.[1]

Biography[]

The Adventure of Link[]

The River Man lives in the Water Town of Saria, residing in the western part of the town and guarding the bridge to the other side of the town. He only allows inhabitants of the town through.[2] Link has to get a note from Bagu, who lives in the Moruge Forest, to get permission to cross the bridge.[1] Upon showing the note to the River Man, he will reveal the bridge to the young hero for him to cross.[3]

Another River Man can be seen on the other side of the bridge.

Other Appearances[]

The Legend of Zelda (Valiant Comics)[]

River Man (VC)

The River Man in the comics

The River Man appears in two issues of The Legend of Zelda comics by Valiant Comics published by Valiant Comics. Here, he is the husband of Cassiopia and the father of Rus.[4][5]

When Ganon comes to the Water Town of Saria to gain the trust of the townsfolk, he speaks to the River Man's son, Rus, in particular, acting as a father figure. The River Man believes Ganon's words, and thus when Link and Princess Zelda visit the town, he does not trust them.[6] When Ganon attacks Link, and Rus grabs the Magical Sword and refuses to give it to Ganon, the evil wizard tries to attack Rus, which makes the River Man realize his mistake.[7]

In a later edition, after Cassiopia returns from the North Palace where she informed Zelda that Lynels had attacked the town, the River Man reveals to her that Rus has been gravely wounded by a Rope Snake's bite.[8] Desperate, Cassiopia confesses that Rus is beyond her healing powers and that he will not last beyond sundown,[9] but just then Zelda tells her that she will go to the Magic Spring and bring a fairy to cure the boy.[10] Although Cassiopia wants her to go,[11] the River Man insists that Zelda go and destroy Ganon instead, for who knows how many other children will die if the Prince of Darkness is not stopped once and for all.[12] When Zelda changes her mind and chooses to get out of Death Mountain to save the River Man's son, she is ambushed by Ganon's minions, but the River Man and soon all of the villagers from Saria, who had been hiding out in a nearby cliff, begin to help Zelda defeat the monsters.[13] Back at the town, Zelda asks Miff to cure Rus, and the River Man thanks the princess for all her help.[14]

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese ワタシバノオトコ (Watashiba no Otoko) Ferry Landing Man

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "BAGU IS MY NAME. SHOW MY NOTE TO RIVER MAN." — Bagu (The Adventure of Link)
  2. "ONLY TOWN FOLK MAY CROSS THIS RIVER!" — River Man (The Adventure of Link)
  3. "YOU KNOW BAGU? THEN I CAN HELP YOU CROSS." — River Man (The Adventure of Link)
  4. "Cassiopia: Rus! My son!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5 [Day of the Triforce])
  5. "River Man: Rus is my 'son as well, princess." (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6 [Day of the Triforce])
  6. Troublemakers! We don't want your kind! - River Man (Valiant Comic Issue #2)
  7. How can we thank you for all you've done for us? - River Man (Valiant Comic Issue #2)
  8. "This is what I tried to tell you! The child was bitten by a rope snake while trying to escape the Lynels!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 5 [The Day of the Triforce])
  9. "He is beyond by healing powers! He will not last beyond sundown!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6 [The Day of the Triforce])
  10. "I can go to the Magic Spring and bring one of the fairies back with me to cure him! Their power to heal is even greater than yours, Cassiopia!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6 [The Day of the Triforce])
  11. "Oh, yes! Please" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6 [The Day of the Triforce])
  12. "NO! Today Ganon is at his weakest--! Today you MUST destroy him! [...] Rus is my son as well, princess. But...how many OTHER children will perish if Ganon is not stopped once and for all?" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 6 [The Day of the Triforce])
  13. "Attack, Saria people! Zelda does not fight alone this day!" (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 9 [The Day of the Triforce])
  14. "I...thank you for saving my son's life, princess." (The Legend of Zelda comic, Valiant Comics, pg. 10 [The Day of the Triforce])
Advertisement