We need to identify the essential component of a fan. (1) Current: Electric fans require current, but non-electric fans (like hand fans or water-powered fans) do not. (2) Switch: Electric fans usually have a switch, but it’s an external control mechanism, not part of the fan itself in the most basic sense. Hand fans don’t have switches. (3) Regulator: A regulator controls the speed and is not present on all fans (e.g., single-speed fans, hand fans). (4) Blades: The defining feature of a fan is its ability to move air using rotating blades (or vanes). Whether electric or manual, the blades are essential for its function as a fan. Therefore, blades are the component a fan always has. This matches option (4).