Champions

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The **Champions**,(**BotW**)[*name reference needed*] also known as the **Four Champions**,(**HWAoC**) are a team of five chosen from the five races of Hyrule to battle against Calamity Ganon. Led by Princess Zelda with the Champion hero chosen by the sword that seals the darkness at her side, the other four Champions were tasked with piloting the Divine Beasts and providing back-up as Link and Zelda face the Calamity head-on in an attempted to seal it away.

## Biography

### *Breath of the Wild*

10,000 years ago, the Sheikah constructed the divine beasts to combat the calamity. Four unknown individuals were chosen to pilot them. Together with the guardians, the hero and the princess, the four champions and their divine beasts were successful in sealing away the calamity, if only temporarily. They are never seen in-game; the only time they appear is on an ancient tapestry and when Impa tells Link the tale of 10-millennia prior. It is not known whether their races correspond with the races of the current champions.

After the Divine Beasts and Guardians are unearthed and the plot to defeat Calamity Ganon was created, the Royal Family of Hyrule choose a representative from each of Hyrule's races, with Princess Zelda personally approaching each of the four Champions to ask for their help. They are joined with the Hero chosen by the Master Sword to protect the Princess and together face the Calamity. The four Champions overcome trials to prove themselves worthy of piloting the Divine Beasts. After a suggestion from Daruk, the Champions attend an official ceremony and watch as Princess Zelda declares Link the Hero of Hyrule. Though Daruk notes that Zelda is treating the ceremony as if they had already lost and Revali complains that the ceremonial grandeur is overkill, Urbosa speculates that Zelda may see Link as the embodiment of her own failures. Following the ceremony, Zelda continues research on the Divine Beasts and the Ancient Shrines so that the Champions will be better able to face Calamity Ganon. However, she is ordered by her father, King Rhoam, to cease wasting time on these studies and focus on her attempts to awaken her sealing power. Zelda begins her own ceremonies at the Springs of Courage, Power, and Wisdom, finding herself increasingly frustrated when she feels none of the sealing power she is expected to use within her, but still holds onto the hope of success. As she and Link descend Mount Lanayru at the end of her third failure at the Spring of Wisdom, the Champions are there to ask how it went. Though Mipha begins to offer a recommendation from her own experience in using magic, they are interrupted when Calamity Ganon surfaces. Sprung into action, Daruk directs the other Champions to their Divine Beasts and tells Link to get ready to battle. Though Urbosa attempts to escort her to safety, Zelda insists that they include her in the fight. However, it all backfires when Calamity Ganon possesses the Guardians and Divine Beasts while the lives of Daruk, Mipha, Revali, and Urbosa are slain by the Blight Ganons, and the now corrupted machinery attack and Devastate the kingdom. Link and Zelda flee to a forest and Zelda breaks into tears over their failure.As they near Fort Hateno, Link's injuries start to get the better of him as Zelda begs him to save himself and leave her. Her attempts to protect him cause her to accidentally awaken her sealing power, deactivating all of the Guardians in the area. However, she finds she is too late as she sees Link has collapsed and attempts to encourage him as he falls unconscious. She is momentarily heartbroken, though a voice within the Master Sword encourages her that it is not too late to save him. She orders two arriving Sheikah to have Link placed in the Shrine of Resurrection, where he will be healed. Zelda, filled with hope, takes the Master Sword to the Korok Forest and places it under the watchful eye of the Great Deku Tree, assuring it that its master will one day return. She then sets off to Hyrule Castle to do her best to keep the Calamity sealed until that day comes.

One hundred years later, Link is awakened by the sound of Zelda's voice. Directed by Zelda, Impa, and the spirit of King Rhoam, Link sets off to enter the Divine Beasts and free them from Ganon's control, and in the process, free the spirits of the Champions. Should he do this successfully, the Divine Beasts fire upon Calamity Ganon during the final battle, dealing high damage and taking off up to half of its health. After Calamity Ganon is defeated, the spirits of the Champions and Rhoam watch Zelda and Link leave the castle before vanishing.

## Other Appearances

### *Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity*

The Champions are recruited by Princess Zelda to pilot the unearthed Divine Beasts to beat back Calamity Ganon.

## Known Members

* Link, the hero chosen by The Goddess Hylia
* Princess Zelda, the descendant of the Goddess The Goddess Hylia
* Revali, the Rito Champion
* Daruk, the Goron Champion
* Mipha, the Zora Champion
* Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion

## Trivia

* During development, a Kokiri **Champion** was considered, but got replaced by Revali.

## Gallery

* Artwork of Link and the Champion
* Artwork of Link and the Champion
* Artwork of *The Champions' Ballad*
* The Champion as seen in the "Subdued Ceremony" Recovered Memory
* The Champion witnessing the return of Calamity Ganon
* The four deceased Champion with King Rhoam
* The Champion in the Picture of the Champions
* Early concept art of Link alongside a Goron, Zora, Kokiri, and Sheikah Champion and their Weapons
* The Calamity Ganon Tapestry showing the four ancient Champion atop their respective Divine Beasts
* A promotional image from the Winter 2021 issue of the *Nintendo Magazine* featuring Link and the Four Champions

## References

1. ↑ "*The Four Champions are moving to support the descendant units!*" — N/A (*Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity*)
2. ↑ *Creating a Champion*, Dark Horse Books, [*which page?*]
3. ↑ *Creating a Champion*, Dark Horse Books, pg. 360
4. ↑ "*Wasn't this your idea?*" — Revali (*Breath of the Wild*)
5. ↑ "*Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness... You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity. And have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
6. ↑ "*Gee, this is uplifting... She's making it sound like we already lost.*" — Daruk (*Breath of the Wild*)
7. ↑ "*You're the one who wanted to designate the appointed knight with all the ceremonial pomp, grandeur, and nonsense we could muster! And if you ask me, the whole thing does seem to be overkill.*" — Revali (*Breath of the Wild*)
8. ↑ "*That boy is a living reminder of her own failures. Well, at least that's how the princess sees him.*" — Urbosa (*Breath of the Wild*)
9. ↑ "*However, it's apparent that we still have much more to learn. [...] That means we should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage. These Divine Beasts... so much we don't know...*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
10. ↑ "*It appears that this structure was designed to be exclusively accessed by the sword's chosen one. But designs can always be worked around, at least I hope. How do I get inside...?*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
11. ↑ "*From here we'll make our way to Goron City. Then, we'll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so that Daruk can manage it as easily as possible.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
12. ↑ "*No more excuses, Zelda! 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*)
13. ↑ "*I come seeking help... regarding this power that has been handed down over time... Prayer will awaken my power to seal Ganon away... Or so I've been told all my life...*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
14. ↑ "*I've prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power, yet neither awoke anything inside me. But maybe up there... Perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three, will be the one. To be honest, I have no real reason to think that will be the case. But there's always the chance that the next moment will change everything.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
15. ↑ "*So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?*" — Revali (*Breath of the Wild*)
16. ↑ "*Well? Don't keep us in suspense. How'd everything go up there on the mountain?*" — Daruk (*Breath of the Wild*)
17. ↑ "*If I may... I thought you... Well, I'm not sure how to put this into words... I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind... It helps when I think--when I think about--*" — Mipha (*Breath of the Wild*)
18. ↑ "*It's awake. Ganon!*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
19. ↑ "*Let's stop wasting time! We're gonna need everything we got to take that thing down! Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who's boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault! Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle. You can count on us for support. But it's up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!*" — Daruk (*Breath of the Wild*)
20. ↑ "*Come. We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.*" — Urbosa (*Breath of the Wild*)
21. ↑ "*I'm not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield... But there must... There must be something I can do to help!*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
22. ↑ "*How... How did it come to this? The Divine Beasts... The Guardians... They've all turned against us... It was... Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us! And everyone--Mipha, Urbosa, Revali and Daruk... They're all trapped inside those things...*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
23. ↑ "*It's all my fault! Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost all because I couldn't harness this cursed power! Everything--everything I've done up until now... It was all for nothing... So I really am just a failure!*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
24. ↑ "*Link, save yourself! Go! I'll be fine! Don't worry about me! Run!*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
25. ↑ "*Was... Was that...? The power...*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
26. ↑ "*No, no... Link! Get up! You're going to be just fine...*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
27. ↑ "*The sword...? So he can... He can still be saved?*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
28. ↑ "*Take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection. If you don't get him there immediately, we are going to lose him forever! Is that clear?! So make haste and go! His life is now in your hands!*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
29. ↑ "*Your master will come for you. Until then, you shall rest safely here.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
30. ↑ "*It seems that my role is unfinished. There is still something I must do.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
31. ↑ "*... Link... Link. Thanks to you, all of the Divine Beasts have returned to us, and the spirits of the Champions are free.*" — Princess Zelda (*Breath of the Wild*)
32. ↑ *Creating a Champion*, Dark Horse Books, pg. 83