Ancient Galarian kings

The ancient Galarian kings, also known as the young heroes, are characters from the backstory of Pokémon Sword and Shield.
==In the core series games==
===History===
====Background====
3,000 years prior to the events of the games, in an event called the Darkest Day, a powerful Legendary Pokémon named awakened from its 17,000 year slumber and created a huge storm in the skies of the Galar region, causing many Pokémon all over the region to grow gigantic and go berserk, destroying everything in their path. The two youths eventually encountered and joined forces with and , who had also awakened to protect the region from Eternatus's rage. Using their sword and shield, the youths, Zacian, and Zamazenta defeated Eternatus, forcing it to return to its slumber for 3000 more years. After the battle concluded, the two youths were crowned as kings of Galar. Statues of the two kings and the two Pokémon were also built at some point in Stow-on-Side, depicting the kings as tall men wearing royal clothes.
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By the present day, the true story of the Darkest Day had been forgotten, and various alternate versions of the story arose: one about a single young hero defeating all gigantic Pokémon with their sword and shield (honored by a golden statue in the hall of the , which depicts them as a tall armored man wielding a sword and a shield), and another about two youths managing to stop the Darkest Day with the use of a sword and a shield, being crowned as kings as a result (retold in the four tapestries in the Hammerlocke vault, which depict them as a dark-haired youth wearing blue and a blonde youth wearing red). 
During the events of , Sonia looks into the conflicting accounts and finds out what had truly happened due to discovering the statues of the two kings and the two Pokémon, which had been hidden behind a colorful ancient mural. She publishes her findings in her book: Galar: A History. Later on, when Rose awakens and brings about the second Darkest Day, Hop and Victor/Gloria become their successors as they use the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield to call and and take down Eternatus. In the post-game, the brothers Sordward and Shielbert claim to be the kings' descendants and contest Sonia's book, but they eventually drop their claim to the throne when they apologize for their actions.
File:The Galarian Kings as one single hero.png|Statue of the single, armored hero at the hall
File:Hammerlocke Vault tapestry 4.png|Tapestry of the two young heroes at the Hammerlocke vault
=== Pokémon===
====Partnered with====
==In animation==
===Pokémon the Series===
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Instead of being in the Bundew Drop Inn like in the games, the statue of the single, legendary hero is in the Wyndon Stadium. In Toughing It Out!, Ash and Goh noticed the statue and wondered if it depicted Leon. Sonia however explains that it depicts a legendary hero who saved Galar from a terrible storm and rampaging giant Pokémon.
In Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!, Sonia shows Goh picture of the Hammerlocke Vault's tapestries, which she believes depicts the origins of the Galar region. Goh says that the tapestries depict the two heroes who worked together to fight off the Dakest Day. Sonia concludes that this means the legend of the one single hero is wrong.
In Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!, while Goh battled Oleana's subordinate, his accidently destroyed the mural on Stow-on-Side, revealing the statues of the kings alongside the . In the next episode, Goh and Sonia spot the statues and the former recognized and from when he explored the Slumbering Weald alongside Ash.
====Pokémon====
=====Partnered with =====
	
==In the manga==
===Pokémon Adventures===
In Ooh Shiny!! Legendary Equipment, and travel to Motostoke and spot the statue of the single, legendary hero in Budew Drop Inn at Motostoke. In the next chapter, Casey notices the sword and shield and Henry notes that they kind of resemble the Rusted Sword and Shield. Sonia also explains that according to legend, the hero once saved region from a black vortex that transformed many Pokémon into giants.
In Thump!! The Gazing Sage, Henry, Sonia, and Raihan enter the Hammerlocke Vault and see its tapestries. In the next chapter, the trio analyze the different tapestures and uncover the history behind the Darkest Day which starts out of nowhere, but is stopped by the two youths. Henry also notes that sword and shield wielded by the youths are similar to the Rusted Sword and Shield and the ones wielded by the hero statue at Budew Drop Inn.
In Cracking!! Brilliant Tap-Dancing, Sonia shows Henry, Casey, and Marvin a picture of statue of the kings alongside the legendary heroes after Bede destroyed the mural on Stow-on-Side in Teary!! The Voice of the Master. The latter two recognize the sword and shield Pokémon and Sonia theorizes that someone tried to give all the credit to the humans. Additionally, the group travels to Bob's Your Uncle in Circhester where Sonia shows them a fourth tapestry from the Hammerlocke Vault, which depicts the two youths being crowned kings. Sonia claims it was thrown away to be erased from history.
====Pokémon====
=====Partnered with=====
	
==Related articles==
*Legendary heroes
*Darkest Day
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Category:Sword and Shield characters
Category:Royalty
Category:Male characters
Category:Animation characters
Category:Pokémon Adventures characters
Category:Deceased characters