By Koby Kett
Warning! Spoilers!
“Now my moment has finally come. Brace yourself, Ganon, for the sting of my revenge!” – Revali of the Rito
“This will be our final opportunity. We will not fail!” – Mipha of the Zora
“Let’s go, little guy! Now! Open up wide Ganon!” – Daruk of the Goron
“A hundred years in the making… Hold on princess. Our moment has arrived!” – Urbosa of the Gerudo
The last words on the Champions in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) as they fired upon Calamity Ganon, attempting to weaken him enough for Link to deal the final blow and finish him, along with all the years of suffering and fear instilled into the people of Hyrule. But is that all there is to them? Who are they, really? What were their origins? The second DLC pack for BotW – The Champion’s Ballad – answers those questions and more. Their one role in the fight is to weaken Ganon to make the battle easier for the chosen knight of the princess to strike him down. But, despite that being their role, are they not people?
Revali was an arrogant Rito, but for good reason. He was the best archer in the land with his famous bow, capable of shooting three arrows at once. He has a mastery of the wind, capable of generating gusts to send him high into the sky. Yet on the inside, he is a pained person full of faults, always striving to be better, to be more.
Mipha was a Zora with a natural grace in battle. But she was no warrior. When she left to pilot her Divine Beast, she worried about her young brother, Prince Sidon. Her skills with a spear were unmatched, yet she never forgot her family through battle. Her mastery of the healing arts makes her the greatest healer in the land, capable of healing even the worst of wounds to make them better than new. She is a kind soul, always thinking of others above herself, even in the darkest of hours.
Daruke was a giant among Gorons, who themselves are giants among Hylians. His strength in battle is best used with his massive weapon, which he used to literally crush his enemies. His battle prowess was only further enhanced by his defensive ability, which allowed him to create a shield to prevent any and all damage. Yet, he harbors a great fear. When he was young, he was often tormented by dogs. To this day, he is still so afraid of them that he will if he ever sees one, back away and cower behind his shield. Despite being strong on the outside, he can feel weak on the inside.
Urbosa was the chief of the Gerudo, and led them into many a battle against monsters and forces of Ganon. Her skills with a sword and shield were unmatched by even her greatest opponents. She was further bolstered by her mastery over lightning, capable of summoning it with a snap of the fingers. However, she harbors a motherly soul, especially towards Princess Zelda. If anything, she was like a second mother to Zelda, after her true mother died.
The Champions, fierce warriors in their own rights, with rich histories finally explained, are true marvels of the Zelda universe. Their strengths were used to fight until their last breath, when they faded silently into the wind, forced to remain even in spirit within their Divine Beasts. Their pasts showing how they all interacted, how they lived, their personalities, what they feared most and who they truly were. The Champion’s Ballad is a true wonder for the Legend of Zelda series, adding to the ever-growing lore of it.