Volvagia

Template:Boss Volvagia (Pronounced /vɒl ˈvʌ dʒiː ɑː/, vol-VU-gee-ah), also known as Barba in Template:AoL,^[1] is a serpentine dragon (based on a traditional Chinese dragon) that has been featured as a dungeon boss twice in the series.

Appearances and Strategy

The Adventure of Link

File:Barba.png

Barba is the guardian of Three-Eye Rock Palace, where Link aims to place the last of the six Magic Crystal shards in the temple's statue in order to dispel the barrier on the Great Palace. Its room is unique among bosses in the game in that it contains three pits filled with lava. It rises from the depths of the lava and directly into the air, keeping its head well away from the range of Link's blade, and breathes a stream of fire at him. Its attack is especially powerful, and it will often knock Link into the lava if he is hit, so Link will have to time his jumps to avoid the flames. It can be beaten if Link uses the Jump magic to leap into the air and strike the dragon on its head. It is possible to defeat it by using the Up Thrust, though this method is more risky, as it is easier to fall into the lava.

Ocarina of Time

A legendary, snake-like dragon in Goron lore, Subterranean Lava Dragon: Volvagia is the boss residing in the Fire Temple. Volvagia was an ancient dragon that lived in the depths of the fiery Death Mountain, long before Link was born. It was said that a legendary Goron destroyed Volvagia with the use of the Megaton Hammer. By the time of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf had revived the fierce creature to secure the corrupted Fire Temple from intrusion and by feeding the native Gorons to Volvagia, to "make an example" to other people that might revolt against him. Incited by Darunia's son, Link set on to destroy Volvagia or else; if the dragon escaped from the temple, Hyrule would become a burning wasteland. In the game, Volvagia is referred to as "it" with a single instance in which its gender is specified as male.^[2] This is omitted in the 3DS remake.^[3]

Intro

As Link steps onto the main octagonal platform of the boss room, the room shakes and the small rectangular platform behind him sinks into the lava. Then out of one of the holes on the main platform emerges Subterranean Lava Dragon: Volvagia. It flies around the room, whilst breathing out fire, before entering another hole. The battle starts.

Strategy

Link vs Volvagia — Official artwork depicting Link battling Volvagia

The battle is designed akin to a Whac-A-Mole game, as there are nine holes, and Link must whack the dragon when it comes out using a hammer. On the battlefield, there are pits of fire that Volvagia bursts out of to attack Link, akin to The Adventure of Link. Its head and upper body pops out from one of the pits. Link must look for pits that are spitting fire, which is a telltale sign that this pit is the one it most likely comes out from. However, it's advised to not venture too close to the pit as it swings its fire hair around to cause damage. Once Volvagia comes out of one of the nine pits, it executes one of three attacks: (1) Come out halfway of its pit, (2) Rise out of the pit it comes from and hovers above the stage, chasing after Link, or (3) fly up to the ceiling of the cave.
When Volvagia comes out only halfway, it does one of two things, depending where Link is at the moment. If Link is far away, it breathes fire. If Link is up close to him, it tries to slash him. Link must get close to him and strike Volvagia's head with the Megaton Hammer. Once stunned, Link can slash him with the Master Sword or hit him on the head again with the hammer until Volvagia recedes back into its pit. Eventually, it leaves its pit and attacks Link out on the field, flying through the air. As said before, it can either cause rocks to fall down at Link (who must watch the shadows of the falling rocks to avoid them), or it will follow him and try to burn him. Link can use his arrows at that point to fend Volvagia off or he can go to the edge of the battle stage and hang there while the rocks fall down. Interestingly, arrows damage Volvagia, but they cannot kill it. Its health can even be brought to zero using only arrows, but it will not die until the first time it is struck with the Megaton Hammer or the sword while stunned. To make the defeat of Volvagia a much quicker process, Link must hang on to the rock edge when Volvagia flies out of one of the holes. Volvagia can't see Link, so it immediately goes back into the hole (unless it is on the ceiling making rocks fall).

After six slashes with the Master Sword while it is stunned, Volvagia is defeated and the Gorons are saved. Link witnesses the dragon's body burning into a skeleton and its skull crashing to the ground. It moves its jaw one last time and burns up, rewarding Link with a Heart Container and a very pleased Darunia, who awakens as a sage and grants the young hero the Fire Medallion.

Manga

Non-Canon Information

In the Template:Manga, Volvagia is a dragon that Link bought as a young child. When he returned 7 years later, Volvagia was corrupted by Ganondorf, requiring Link, begrudgingly, to kill it. Volvagia is also able to talk in the manga, although only the word 'Link'. Before its dying breath, tears drop from Volvagia's eyes and it sadly utters "Li...nk...." Volvagia returns in Part 2 of the manga as an illusion (merely a disembodied head) in the Desert of Illusions who will try to lure Link off the path by calling to him disturbingly. This phantom Volvagia speaks a full sentence: "It hurts Link. It hurts."

Trivia

The name "Barba" in The Adventure of Link is possibly a mistranslation of "Barubajia", the monster's Japanese name. B and V sounds in Japanese are largely interchangeable, indeed, the katakana used for a "vu" sound (ヴ) has only recently been developed. When the monster reappeared in Ocarina of Time, the spelling was corrected, and the name Barba was dropped.
"Barba" is also very similar to the Japanese name of the Thunderbird, Template:Japanese, which may of been where its name was appropriated from.
Both Carock and Barba received updated sprites for the international release of The Adventure of Link in the NES. Barba's original sprite was entirely lacking in animation, and gave it an appearance much more like a traditional eastern dragon. Its updated sprite made it larger but shorter in length, and gave it a fully animated body and head and an appearance closer to a western dragon. The battle itself is slightly different as well, with a modified layout, removing an exploit that allowed Link to defeat the monster easily when it appears on the left side of the screen. Barba also roars constantly throughout the battle in the Japanese version, similar to Horsehead and the bosses from the original The Legend of Zelda. Barba's official artwork for The Adventure of Link is based on its original appearance, rather than the updated version.
Along with King Dodongo (with whom Volvagia shares its battle music), Volvagia is one of the two normal bosses in Ocarina of Time to have a different battle theme. In Twilight Princess, the second part of Stallord's battle features a version of this same song.
The death of Volvagia seems to be a reference to the way many segmented worm-like bosses died in A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening, such as the Moldorm. It is also very similar to how Twinmold dies in Ocarina of Time's sequel, Majora's Mask.
As Volvagia can be revived from death, it is quite possible that it's appearance in The Adventure of Link is the very same dragon in Ocarina of Time.
There are murals on Dragon Roost Island in The Wind Waker and in the Fire Sanctuary in Skyward Sword that resemble Volvagia.^{[citation needed]}
The dragon Valoo from The Wind Waker is suggested to be Volvagia's descendant in Hyrule Historia. Unlike Volvagia, he is benign and intelligent, but still immensely powerful.
It is possible to target Volvagia's head after it has been defeated and drops to the ground.

Gallery

06b-barba.png

Barba's official artwork from The Adventure of Link
BarbaFDS.png

Barba's sprite from the original Famicom Disk System version of The Adventure of Link
Volvagiarender.png

Volvagia from Ocarina of Time
Link ggVolvagia.jpg

Volvagia's title
BarbaArt AoL.png

Futashiba Guide artwork of Barba from The Adventure of Link

Video

The Adventure of Link

Link no Bouken

Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time 3D

References

↑ Barba/Volvagia Connection
↑ "A long time ago there was an evil dragon named Volvagia living in this mountain. That dragon was very scary! He ate Gorons! Using a huge hammer, the hero of the Gorons... BOOOM! Destroyed it just like that. This is a myth from long ago, but it's true! I know, because my dad is a descendant of the hero!" — Link (Goron) (Ocarina of Time)
↑ "A long time ago there was an evil dragon named Volvagia living in this mountain. That dragon was very scary! It ate Gorons!" — Link (Ocarina of Time 3D)

Names in Other Regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	Template:Japanese Template:Japanese	Volvagia Scorching Hot Cave Dwelling Dragon: Volvagia
	French	Dragon des Profondeurs: Volcania
	French^CA	Volcania: Dragon des profondeurs
	German	Barba,Volvagia
	Italian	Varubaja
	Spanish	Dragón de Lava Subterráneo: Volvagia
	Spanish^LA	Dragón de lava subterraáneo: Volvagia