Morpha

Not to be confused with Morpheel.

Morpha is the Boss of the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time.^[1] Created by Ganondorf after he acquired the Triforce of Power, it has complete control over the water in the room in which it resides, moving swiftly through it and creating long amoeba-like "limbs".^[2] This monster is responsible for the receded state of Lake Hylia as well as the frozen condition of Zora's Domain.^[3]

Morpha itself is not the transparent muscle-like tentacle as its Ocarina of Time official artwork suggests, but the vulnerable red nucleus often safeguarded under the muck of the thick liquid. This nucleus can manipulate the water in any way it likes, creating one (and eventually two) large water tentacles as the battle progresses.

Characteristics

Navi

Morpha
Master of the Water Temple. It has absolute control of water. Pull out its nucleus and attack it!

As Link enters the boss room, Princess Ruto warns him that the water in the room is abnormal.^[4] After Link jumps onto one of the four pillars above the pool of water, Morpha slowly makes its way to Link and emerges from the water behind him to his surprise, initiating the battle.

Morpha's primary mode of attack is to form a tentacle that it uses to attempt to grab and shake Link before throwing him across the room. If caught, Link's health will slowly deplete as he is shaken, and he will sustain further injury if thrown into the spikes lining much of the walls in the room. Further into the battle, Morpha will be able to summon a second tentacle that it can use to distract Link while also being able to grab and throw him. If Link falls into the water below, its nucleus will charge at him, though its tentacles will not appear.

While Morpha is inside its tentacle, Link must use the Longshot to extract its nucleus, which will evaporate its tentacle and briefly leave it vulnerable to attack by Link's Sword before it escapes back into the water.

Upon defeat, Morpha's nucleus rises into the air while spasming before bursting in a spray of water. Its orphaned body then desperately attempts to drain and escape through the ceiling only to culminate in a single water droplet that drops to the floor, rewarding Link with a Heart Container and the Water Medallion from Ruto.^[5]

Trivia

Din's Fire is capable of evaporating Morpha's tentacles.
Morpha can be defeated very easily by using the Longshot to pull it, and continuing to do so when approaching the corners of the room to avoid it escaping. Link must repeatedly slash at it while trapped in the corner to defeat the boss quickly, and often injury-free.
If Link stays in the corner of the arena between the spike panels, Morpha will be unable to successfully grab him.
After Morpha is defeated, Lake Hylia is restored to its former water-filled state. However, Zora's Domain remains frozen.
Contrary to popular belief, Princess Ruto is the one who warns Link about the strange water in Morpha's room, not Navi. In the Japanese version, this is more evident as the speech patterns of Ruto and Navi differ, in that Ruto tends to end her sentences with the word ゾラ.^[6] Also, Navi's text is generally blue, but the text for this dialogue is completely white.
Prior to the official release of Ocarina of Time, Morpha was called "Water Spirit" on the official Nintendo website.^[7]
The appearance of Morpheel, a Twilight Princess boss, in the first phase of combat is the same as Morpha’s.

Nomenclature

Morpha's name comes from the Ancient Greek word morphḗ, (“form, shape”).

Names in Other Regions
Language	Names	Meanings
French^EUEuropean	Morpha^[9]
Italian	Morpha^[8] Ameba gigante^[8]	Giant amoeba
This table was generated from Zelda Wiki's translation data.

Gallery

Alternate artwork of Morpha from Ocarina of Time
Morpha grabbing Link from Ocarina of Time
Morpha's introduction from Ocarina of Time 3D
Morpha from Ocarina of Time 3D

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 194
↑ Morpha
Master of the Water Temple. It has absolute control of water. Pull out its nucleus and attack it! — Navi (Ocarina of Time)
↑ This ice is created by an evil curse... The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse. — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
↑ Link! Look out! That isn't normal water over there! — Princess Ruto (Ocarina of Time)
↑ You received the Water Medallion! Ruto awakens as a Sage and adds her power to yours! — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
↑ リンク！気をつけるゾラ！！それは　ただの水ではない！Rinku! Ki o tsukeru zora!! Sore wa tada no mizu de wa nai! (Link! Be careful!! This is not ordinary water!) — Princess Ruto (Ocarina of Time)
↑ "The Water Spirit shakes Link up." — Two New Boss Characters! , Nintendo (archive), retrieved March 29, 2014.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Morpha - Ameba gigante — N/A (Ocarina of Time 3D, Italian version)
↑ Morpha
Gardienne du Temple de l'eau, elle contrôle les fluides. Extrais son noyau et attaque-le ! — Navi (Ocarina of Time 3D)