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King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.[10][citation needed] He is the former King of Hyrule Kingdom and the first person that Link encounters after awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection, under the guise of a simple Old Man.

Biography[]

Breath of the Wild[]

King Rhoam was once the king of Hyrule Kingdom and the father of Princess Zelda, one century prior to Link's awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection. Most of the information on King Rhoam's life is detailed in King Rhoam's Journal and in Recovered Memories.

When his daughter was born, King Rhoam decided to name her Zelda, as is the tradition of the Royal Family of Hyrule.[11] Following such an occasion, he decided to begin writing down his life story.[12]

Prior to the second Great Calamity, a fortune teller predicted the revival of Calamity Ganon, so King Rhoam ordered the excavations that uncovered the Guardians and the Divine Beast.[13][14] As more Ancient Technology was revealed, King Rhoam became certain that the prediction would come true.[15] While he was concerned that investigating the relics would take time, he noticed that Princess Zelda displayed an interest in research.[16] During this process, King Rhoam learned about about a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight who was chosen by the Master Sword.[17] With the power of the Guardians and the Divine Beast, they were able to seal Calamity Ganon.[18]

When Princess Zelda was six years old, King Rhoam's wife, the Queen of Hyrule, unexpectedly died.[7] Even when she was alone with King Rhoam, Zelda never cried, which King Rhoam assumed was because he taught her to be a valiant and steady princess.[19] Witnessing her strength gave King Rhoam hope that he would be able to raise her on his own and prepare her for the future.[20] Afterwards, he pushed Zelda to unlock her sealing power, though he believed her to be held back by her grief for her mother.[21] King Rhoam wanted to let her wait until she was ready, but since Calamity Ganon's revival was imminent, he ordered her to keep training.[22]

BotW The Champions' Ballad

King Rhoam appointing the Champions

In preparation for Calamity Ganon's return, King Rhoam appointed four skilled individuals, known as Champions, to pilot the Divine Beast.[23] In "The Champions' Ballad" Recovered Memory, which is exclusive to The Champions' Ballad DLC Pack, King Rhoam presides over the inauguration of the Champions.[24] He officially bestows their sacred garb to them, including Link's Champion Tunic.[25] He continues, explaining that the blue color is representative of the Royal Family of Hyrule, and it has been passed down for generations.[26] King Rhoam reveals that the garments were crafted by Zelda, whom he reminds of her duty as a daughter of the Royal Family.[27] He instructs her to lead the Champions and protect Hyrule from Calamity Ganon.[28]

In "Father and Daughter," King Rhoam comes upon Princess Zelda and Link on the bridge between her study and room.[29] Princess Zelda admits to assessing the results of the Guardian experiments and begins to explain their usefulness,[30] but King Rhoam interrupts her to say that he already knows this.[31] He reminds Zelda that she has a duty as a princess that she has yet to fulfill.[32] King Rhoam asks Princess Zelda when she is going to stop treating awakening her power as a childish game.[33] He claims that Princess Zelda is wasting her time, as she needs to dedicate every moment to unlocking her power.[34] It will never matter if Link beats Ganon if she cannot seal him.

King Rhoam refuses to accept any more excuses from Princess Zelda.[35] He accuses her of running away from her duty, and as a result forbids her from researching Ancient Technology.[36] Overlooking the Hyrule Castle Courtyard, King Rhoam reveals that, among the gossip mongers, she is known as an heir to a throne of failure.[37] He informs her that it is her destiny to prove them wrong.[38] After assuring that Zelda understands, he returns to the interior of Hyrule Castle.[39][40]

Later, King Rhoam would reflect on this encounter in his Journal.[41] He claimed that the reason that Princess Zelda's power had not awakened yet was due to her playing at being a scholar.[42] However, he admitted to understanding her struggles, as she had been left without any guidance on her powers for 10 years.[43] Not only did those in Hyrule Castle talk behind her back, King Rhoam recognized that scolding her only drove her to hide away in her research.[44] Even if it meant she would hate him, King Rhoam resolved to keep pushing her to fulfill her duty.[45]

While Zelda was at the Spring of Wisdom, King Rhoam wrote that it would likely be her last chance.[46] In the event that she would yet again fail to unlock her powers, King Rhoam planned on welcoming her back kindly.[47] After 10 years of training, he could now see that her powers would awaken in some other way.[48] He even considered encouraging her research into Ancient Technology in the hope that it could give her the answers he was unable to.[49] As he wrote, he anxiously awaited his daughter's return.[50] Before he could express his guilt to his daughter, however, Calamity Ganon awakened, destroying Hyrule Castle Town and killing King Rhoam.[51][52] Since then, he has remained on the Great Plateau in the form of a Spirit.[4]

Following Link's resurrection, King Rhoam assumes the persona of an Old Man living alone atop the Great Plateau. When Link first meets the Old Man, he is seen camping in an alcove just east of the entrance of the Shrine of Resurrection. The Old Man follows Link throughout "The Isolated Plateau" Main Quest. He repeatedly exhibits a knowledge of the Sheikah Slate's capabilities as well as Sheikah culture and technology.[53] He requests that Link bring him the Spirit Orbs from within the Ancient Shrines in exchange for his Paraglider, the means of escaping the Great Plateau.[54]

BotW King Rhoam Introduction

King Rhoam revealing his true identity to Link

After Link obtains all four Spirit Orbs on the Great Plateau, the Old Man will meet Link outside of the final Ancient Shrine. There, he promises to tell Link the truth about who he is, asking for Link to meet him at the spot where the four Ancient Shrines intersect before mysteriously fading away.[55] The location at the intersection of the four Ancient Shrines is the Temple of Time, where Link can pray to the Goddess Statue to receive either a Heart Container or a Stamina Vessel. Upon doing so, the Old Man will speak to Link from the rooftop of the Temple of Time, urging him meet him there.[56] Once Link enters the rooftop tower of the Temple of Time, the Old Man will congratulate him on his progress and announce that he will tell Link his true identity.[57] Here, the Old Man reveals to Link that he was King Rhoam, the leader of the former Kingdom of Hyrule Kingdom.[10] As he does so, the Old Man begins to shine brightly and assume his true form as King Rhoam.

King Rhoam reveals to Link that he lost his life during the Great Calamity.[52] He explains that he chose not to bear his true form while Link's memories were still fragile so as not to overwhelm him.[58] He asks Link to forgive him for this deception.[59] Now, though, he believes that Link is ready to hear what happened 100 years ago.[60]

King Rhoam shares the events leading up to the Great Calamity with Link. At the end of the story, he admits that the princess he spoke of was his own daughter, Princess Zelda.[8] He also reveals to Link that he was her knight, but he was defeated while trying to protect her.[61] As a result, Link was taken to the Shrine of Resurrection, which brought him back after 100 years.[62] King Rhoam informs Link that the voice he has been hearing since he woke up was that of Zelda.[63]

Princess Zelda remains in Hyrule Castle, where she calls out for Link's help.[64] King Rhoam warns Link that Zelda's power is draining and will soon be unable to restrain Calamity Ganon.[65] King Rhoam feels guilty since he was not able to save Hyrule, but he still asks Link to save Zelda and destroy Calamity Ganon.[66]

In the century since the Great Calamity, Ganon has managed to keep his control over the Divine Beast and the Guardians.[67] As it would be reckless for Link to go directly to Hyrule Castle, King Rhoam suggests that he make his way to Kakariko Village.[68] Once there, King Rhoam instructs him to meet with the elder, Impa, who will be able to tell him more about his task.[69] He tells Link to use the Map on the Sheikah Slate to find its exact location, though he still gives him directions to go west after he passes through the Dueling Peaks.[70]

King Rhoam then grants Link the Paraglider, fulfilling his promise to allow Link to safely leave the Great Plateau.[71] Receiving this officially completes "The Isolated Plateau." He believes that Link will now be able to safely descend from the cliffs of the Great Plateau.[72] Having served his duty, King Rhoam bids Link farewell and fades away.[73] Once he is gone, Link will receive the "Seek Out Impa" and "Destroy Ganon" Main Quests.

After Link and Princess Zelda eradicate Calamity Ganon, King Rhoam and the rest of the Champions are seen floating above Hyrule Castle. They disappear before the pair turns to face them.

Other Appearances[]

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[]

King Rhoam retroactively debuted in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, where he is seen readying the Hylian army into battle. He reminds Zelda to focus on her duty of awakening her powers, rather than studying the Guardians and Divine Beast. He is also seen with a sword during the fight against their own Guardians, which Calamity Ganon recruited to his side by corrupting them.

King Rhoam is thought to have died from the blast of Guardian lasers, but it was really Rhoam himself who used the device called the Ancient Guardian Shield, given to him by Zelda. This turned the tables on the Guardians, and the Royal Guards were able to retreat from Hyrule Castle. He is later unlocked as a playable character, where he is able to switch to his old man guise in battle to change to a different move set.

Nomenclature[]

King Rhoam's first name, ローム (Rōmu) in Japanese, may be a corruption of Rome, an ancient Mediterranean city state. Bosphoramus may be taken from the Bosphorus strait (once territory of the Eastern Roman empire), known for its clear blue waters which match King Rhoam's colour scheme.

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageName
United KingdomEnglishBRKing Rhoam (BotW | BotW)
JapanJapaneseローム・ボスフォレームス・ハイラル (Rōmu Bosuforēmusu Hairaru) (BotW)
NetherlandsDutchKoning Rhoam (BotW | BotW | HWAoC)
CanadaFrenchCARhoam Bosphoramus (BotW | BotW)
FranceFrenchEURhoam Bosphoramus (BotW | BotW | HWAoC)[74]
GermanyGermanKönig Rhoam (BotW | BotW)
ItalyItalianRe di Hyrule (BotW | BotW)
SpainSpanishEURey Rhoam (BotW | BotW)
Latin AmericaSpanishLARey de Hyrule (BotW | BotW)
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

References

  1. "King Rhoam
    The Last King of Hyrule
    " — N/A (Breath of the Wild)
  2. "King Rhoam
    Defier of Prophecy
    " — N/A (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  3. "Your Majesty, report from our forces to the west!" — Hylian Captain (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  4. 4.0 4.1 "And since that time, here I have remained, in spirit form." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  5. "After you acquired the Spirit Orbs from the shrines, the old man told you that he'll be waiting in the place centered amid the four shrines, before mysteriously disappearing..." — Adventure Log (Breath of the Wild)
  6. "Grandmother heard them—the voices from the spirit realm." — Princess Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  7. 7.0 7.1 "My queen has left this world. Her death was so sudden and unexpected, I awaken most nights unsure if she is really gone." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  8. 8.0 8.1 "That princess was my own daughter... My dear Zelda." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  9. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Video Game)
    King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule (Japanese version, voice)"
    — n.a., Hiroshi Naka - IMDb, IMDb, published n.d., retrieved September 29, 2018.
  10. 10.0 10.1 "I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was...the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  11. "Today, as the sun rose and a new day was born, my daughter, too, joined this sweet world. In keeping with the traditions of the royal family, I have decided to name her...Zelda." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  12. "I am not a man accustomed to frivolous musings, but now seems as good as a time as any to begin my royal memorandum." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  13. "Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also...a prophecy. "The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground." We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously. This coincided with ancient legends, oft repeated throughout our land." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  14. "A fortune teller predicts the revival of Calamity Ganon. King Rhoam begins searching for ancient relics. The four Divine Beasts are uncovered." (Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 362)
  15. "Reports keep arriving regarding the excavation of relics. The fortune teller's predictions seem to be coming true. Calamity Ganon was not a figure of fable, or even a legend. He actually existed in our great land of Hyrule." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  16. "We must investigate all the relics, learn as much as we can. But understanding the Divine Beasts alone will take time... Zelda's eyes lit up like a wildfire when I told her about the relics... I must admit, she has a knack for research." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  17. "We also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  18. "It was they who sealed Ganon away using the power of these ancient relics." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  19. "Zelda never cried, never faltered. Not even during the royal funeral or later when she and I were alone with our grief. I must assume her strength is a result of us repeatedly informing her of her duty to be a valiant and steady princess." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  20. "For a child of merely six years of age, her conduct was truly that of a born leader. Her strength gives me hope. From now on, I must raise her all alone... Now, only I remain to prepare her for her difficult future as princess of Hyrule." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  21. "Zelda finally reported back after her visit to the fountain. It seems her sacred sealing power has still yet to awaken. It has been a year and three months since her mother passed. Perhaps she is held back by heartache too deep to heal." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  22. "If the Ganon prophecy wasn't looming over our heads, I would tell her to take her time... To wait until she was ready. But our situation is dire and leaves no room for weakness—even on behalf of my beloved daughter. My heart breaks for Zelda, but I must act as a king, not a father. I must order her to train relentlessly at the fountain." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  23. "It was clear that we must follow our ancestors' path. We selected for skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts. With the princess as their commander, we dubbed these pilots Champions—a name that would solidify their unique bond." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  24. "Welcome, warriors! I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your bravery in accepting this...fateful task." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  25. "I officially appoint you Hyrule's Champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  26. "That blue is a symbol of the Royal Family, one that has been passed down for countless generations." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  27. "Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Zelda. Zelda. I trust you with the task only a daughter of the royal family can fulfill." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  28. "Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  29. "What are you doing out here, Zelda?" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  30. "I... I was assessing the results of the experiment with the Guardians. These pieces of ancient technology could be quite useful against the—" — Princess Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  31. "I know that. They are essential to Hyrule's future, and our research demands that we keep a close eye on them." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  32. "However, as the princess, you currently have a crucial unfulfilled responsibility to your kingdom." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  33. "Let me ask you once more... When will you stop treating this as some sort of childish game?" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  34. "And now you are here wasting your time. You need to be dedicating every moment you have to your training. You must be single-minded in unlocking the power that will seal Calamity Ganon away." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  35. "No more excuses, Zelda!" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  36. "Stop running away from your duty. As the king, I forbid you to have anything to do with these machines from this moment on and command you to focus on your training." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  37. "Do you know how the gossip mongers refer to you? They are out there at this moment whispering amongst themselves... that you are the heir to a throne of nothing... nothing but failure." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  38. "It is woven into your destiny that you prove them wrong." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  39. "Do you understand?" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  40. "Yes. I understand." — Princess Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  41. "I was told Zelda went off to research ancient technology, so I had no choice but to confront her about it." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  42. "The reason her sacred powers still won't awaken is because she's spending all her efforts playing at being a scholar!" — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  43. "In truth, I understand Zelda's feelings. Painfully so. She lost her mother, her teacher, before she could learn from her. Ten pointless years of self-training, without so much as a book or note to help find her way..." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  44. "Those in the castle talk behind her back. And I, her only family, scold her for her shortcomings. No wonder she wishes to hide away in her beloved relic research. I'd love nothing more than to console her..." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  45. "But I must stay strong. She MUST fulfill her duty, just as we all must. Even if she comes to despise me." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  46. "I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  47. "If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  48. "I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  49. "Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  50. "For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return." — King Rhoam's Journal (Breath of the Wild)
  51. "Calamity Ganon revives. The Guardians and the four Divine Beasts are taken over, and Hyrule Castle Town is destroyed. King Rhoam is killed." (Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 364)
  52. 52.0 52.1 "The Great Calamity was merciless... It devastated everything in its path, lo, a century ago. It was then that my life was taken away from me." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  53. "It has been quite some time since I have seen that Sheikah Slate... Long ago, a highly advanced tribe known as the Sheikah inhabited these lands. The great power of their wisdom saved this kingdom time and time again. But their ancient technology disappeared long ago... Or so it is said." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  54. "The Old Man explained that there are a total of four Shrines on the plateau. He said that he will give you the Paraglider once you have acquired the Spirit Orb from all the of the Shrines.
    He told you to survey the plateau from the top of the tower to find the remaining shrines. He also pointed out that you can use your Sheikah Slate if you need to travel quickly.
    " — Adventure Log (Breath of the Wild)
  55. "With this, you have now acquired all of the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau. Oho ho! Extraordinary! That means...it is finally time. Link, it is finally time for me to tell you everything. But first... Imagine an X on your map, with the four shrines as the end points. Find the spot where those lines intersect. I shall wait for you there. Do you understand? Where two lines connecting the shrines would cross... There...I will...be waiting..." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  56. "The blessing of the Goddess has made you that much more resilient, I see... Here I am... Get up here—quickly!" — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  57. "Well done there, young one! Now, then... The time has come to show you who I truly am..." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  58. "I did not think it wise to overwhelm you while your memory was still fragile. So rather than that, I thought it best to assume a temporary form." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  59. "Forgive me." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  60. "I think you are now ready. Ready to hear what happened 100 years ago." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  61. "And the courageous knight who protected her right up to the very end... That knight was none other than you, Link. You fought valiantly when your fate took an unfortunate turn." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  62. "And then, you were taken to the Shrine of Resurrection. Here you now stand revitalized, 100 years later." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  63. "The words of guidance you have been hearing since your awakening are from Princess Zelda herself." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  64. "Even now, as she works to restrain Ganon from within Hyrule Castle, she calls out for your help." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  65. "However, my daughter's power will soon be exhausted. Once that happens, Ganon will freely regenerate himself and nothing will stop him from consuming our land." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  66. "Considering that I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you, Link... But I am powerless here... You must save her...my daughter. And do whatever it takes to annihilate Ganon." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  67. "Somehow, Ganon has maintained control over all four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians swarming around Hyrule Castle" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  68. "I believe it would be quite reckless for you to head directly to the castle at this point. I suggest...that you make your way east, out to one of the villages in the wilderness. Follow the road out to Kakariko village." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  69. "Follow the road out to Kakariko Village. There you will find the elder, Impa. She will tell you more about the path that lies ahead." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  70. "Consult the map on your Sheikah Slate for the precise location of Kakariko Village. Make your way past the twin summits of the Dueling Peaks. From there, follow the road as it proceeds north..." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  71. "Go on... Here is the paraglider, just as I promised." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  72. "With that, you should be able to safely fly off the cliffs surrounding this area." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  73. "And...I think that's it. I've told you everything I can... Link... You must save...Hyrule..." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  74. "Rhoam Bosphoramus" — Gallery (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
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