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In Breath of the Wild, Zelda is one of Link's companions along with Mipha, Daruk, Revali and Urbosa. She wears a blue shirt with Hylian embroideries on it, similar to Link's one and the scarves worn by the four allies. They were all members of the Champions, a group of protectors of Hyrule and the ancient relics, created by her father King Rhoam and commanded by Zelda herself.[]
After Zelda was born, her parents named her Zelda in accordance with royal tradition, and her mother would eventually take the infant Zelda to Gerudo Town to introduce her daughter to her close friend Gerudo Chieftain Urbosa. For the first six years of her life, Zelda was raised by both parents and apparently had a happy childhood. Her mother encouraged Zelda, saying she could do anything with the latent power Zelda inherited from her grandmother (who is implied to have been a previous Zelda) indicating her mother was not of royal blood. When Zelda was six years old, her mother died, changing her life and putting her under the protection of her father thereafter. Unfortunately, the Queen's death robbed Zelda of her mother's support, preventing the Queen from teaching Zelda about her abilities. Zelda hid her grief, as her parents had taught her to be a strong Princess. Although King Rhoam found Zelda's steadfastness inspiring, he failed to see that his daughter's inability to awaken her sealed powers caused her great stress. For a year after her mother's funeral, Zelda struggled to awaken her powers. Urbosa then accompanied Zelda to the Spring of Power, where Zelda futilely prayed for her powers to awaken until Urbosa dragged her out of the water, causing Zelda to break down. Zelda confided her true feelings, revealing her grief and the stress she was under while Urbosa listened and consoled her. She ended up befriending Urbosa, who did her best to help her. Even with Urbosa's support, Zelda came to believe her mother was wrong about her capabilities and began to feel more and more like a failure.
Interested in the Divine Beasts, Guardians, and Ancient Sheikah technology, Zelda began dedicating herself to science instead of prayer, feeling it would be a better use of her knowledge. Although she continued to train and pray, Zelda continued her studies as a way to contribute to Hyrule's defense. Zelda and a team of Sheikah researchers led by Impa's elder sister Purah worked together to understand ancient technology, discovering the Sheikah Slate, Shrine of Resurrection, and a better understanding of Guardians and the Divine Beasts which Zelda recorded in her research notes. Zelda shared her knowledge concerning Vah Ruta's water pumps with the Zora Royal Family and researched other things such as plants and animals that would enhance physical abilities when consumed. It seemed Zelda enjoyed scholarly research, finding it fascinating and unburdening; unlike prayer, which Zelda had nothing to show for despite her fervent dedication, Zelda felt she was making a difference with her research. Zelda personally recruited the four Champions to pilot the Divine Beasts, convincing all of them to join her in defending Hyrule.
When Link was appointed as Zelda's personal knight by King Rhoam after defeating a Guardian that went haywire during an experiment with a simple Pot Lid, her insecurities about her inability to awaken her powers rose. Zelda, jealous of Link due to his success in fulfilling his destiny (he could already wield the Master Sword), lashes out at him, mistaking Link's silence as a sign that he hated her. Zelda quickly grew tired of him following her around, seeing Link as a constant reminder of her own failure. However, Link refused to leave Zelda, as it was his sworn duty as Captain of her Imperial Guard. Zelda, irritated, resorted to abusing Gerudo Town law to allude Link's protection detail, though she fell asleep while calibrating Vah Naboris, and Urbosa informed Link of Zelda's whereabouts. Urbosa would then foil an assassination attempt by disguised Yiga Clan members, though Zelda convinced her to spare their lives. After Link saved Zelda's life when the Yiga Clan tried to assassinate her again near Kara Kara Bazaar, she realized that it was wrong of her to take her frustrations out on him, and befriended him thereafter. Zelda was surprised to discover how Link's silence was due to his burden as the chosen hero and how Link still doubted himself despite his skills. Zelda came to respect and admire his dedication to his knightly training. The two bonded over the burdens they carried, although Zelda became worried by Link's tendency to be reckless (noting that "there is a thin line between courage and recklessness").
King Rhoam initially supported Zelda's research efforts, but as signs of Ganon's return increased, he came to believe Zelda was neglecting her duty as Princess of Hyrule to play scholar. Unaware Zelda had been diligently training and only used her studies to contribute without her powers, King Rhoam scolded her during a Guardian test, attempting to convince his daughter that she should be focusing every waking moment to activating her power. Zelda insisted she already was, but King Rhoam refused to hear any "excuses" and forbid her from further research. Rhoam attempted to encourage Zelda by telling her that gossip mongers had been whispering she would inherit a Kingdom of nothing, and it was Zelda's destiny to prove them wrong. This had the opposite effect and led Zelda to loathe herself due to her "uselessness in the battlefield" and inability to awaken her innate powers. She continued to do research such as a survey of the Shrines alongside her Sheikah court poet in secret.
Zelda vigorously continued to attempt to awaken her sealing powers, praying at the Spring of Courage and the Spring of Power for hours upon end, guarded faithfully by Link. Zelda then dreamed of a beautiful woman, who tried to speak to Zelda although Zelda could not hear her. The woman is implied to be Hylia, and Zelda believed she would have been able to hear the woman if her powers had awoken. Inspired by Link, Zelda hoped she could awaken her powers at the Spring of Wisdom on Mount Lanayru. Zelda waited until her seventeenth birthday to train there, as only the wise are allowed to train upon the mountain; much to her disappointment her powers failed to awaken. Urbosa and her fellow Champions consoled her with Mipha, trying to explain what helped her focus while using Mipha's Grace. In a stroke of misfortune, Ganon returned that same day, attacking Hyrule Castle. Urbosa tried to take Zelda to safety, but Zelda refused, joining them in confronting Ganon without her sealing power. Zelda's bad premonition came true, as Ganon (having learned from his previous defeat) used his power to corrupt the Guardians and create the Scourges of the Divine Beasts to kill the Divine Beast pilots before taking control of them. By turning the ancient technology against Hyrule, Ganon wreaked havoc on Hyrule Castle and the surrounding area, killing King Rhoam and entrapping all of the Champions' spirits in their Divine Beasts. Out of options, she and Link fled in the rain, where upon Zelda collapsed to the ground in tears, lamenting her failure to fulfill her destiny while grieving those she had lost including her father and fellow Champions with only Link to console her. Link however continued to protect Zelda as they fled.
As they continued to flee, they were cornered in West Necluda near Fort Hateno. Link, wielding the Master Sword, defeated countless Guardians until both he and the sword became battle worn and exhausted. With the remaining corrupted Guardians closing in, Zelda begged Link to run and save himself. However, Link refused, staying to protect Zelda. When a Guardian began to target lock onto Link, Zelda threw herself in front of him in an act of self-sacrifice, raising her right hand up to the Guardian. In that moment, her powers awakened, and all of the Guardians in the surrounding area were shut down by a blast of magical light which purged Ganon's influence from them. After this, Zelda turned around to find Link had collapsed, badly injured and on the verge of death. Hopeless despite her success Zelda cried beside Link in total despair. Suddenly the Master Sword began to glow as its dormant spirit then spoke to Zelda, telling her that Link could still be saved using the Shrine of Resurrection. When the two were found by two Sheikah warriors, Zelda instructed Purah and Robbie to carry Link to the ancient medical as soon as possible. The Master Sword's spirit told Zelda she still had a role to play.
Zelda then took the Master Sword to the Great Deku Tree in Korok Forest, which would be a safe place for the blade to rest for the next century. While Link would likely lose his memories as a result of the Slumber of Restoration Zelda was certain the blade would reunite with its "master". Zelda asked the tree deity to relay a message to Link when he awoke, but he politely refused, telling Zelda it would sound better in her voice. Zelda placed the sword in its pedestal, saying her goodbye to the tree before returning to Hyrule Castle. Using her powers, Zelda sealed Calamity Ganon and herself away for the next one hundred years, halting her aging.
When Link awakens a century later, Zelda communicates with him telepathically, telling him that he is the light of Hyrule and that he must remember who he is in order to defeat Ganon. She also warns Link to be careful of the Blood Moon. Zelda had tasked Impa with guiding Link and ensured he would regain his memories of her through pictures recorded in the Sheikah Slate's Album. Though the data became corrupted, Purah restored it using her Guidance Stone. After recalling twelve memories using the pictures, Impa reveals there was another picture framed inside her house which had apparently been printed. The picture allows Link to recall how he became injured. Afterwards, Zelda contacts him telepathically to congratulate Link before reminding him that he must defeat Ganon soon- Zelda struggles to keep Ganon contained, so Link must quickly free the Divine Beasts and the spirits of their pilots. While exploring Hyrule Castle, Link finds Zelda's Diary in Princess Zelda's Room and her research notes in Princess Zelda's Study. He also finds a Castle Library Book in the Library which contains a recipe for Zelda's favorite desert Fruitcake. King Rhoam's Journal reveals the King's personal thoughts concerning Zelda, admitting that he regretted how he treated his daughter, resolving to support her research when she returned from Mount Lanayru. Although the King died shortly afterward during the Great Calamity, his regrets as both a King and father caused him to become a spirit. King Rhoam's spirit watched over and guided Link, who was the only person who could free Zelda, as Ganon fed on Zelda's power in an attempt to reincarnate.
After defeating Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle, at Windvane Meadow, Zelda aids Link in his battle with Calamity Ganon's second form, Dark Beast Ganon, gifting him with the Bow of Light and giving him advice on how to defeat Ganon. After Link hits Ganon's weak spot, Zelda herself appears, freed from her own sealing magic. She then uses her powers to seal away Ganon for good, entrapping him in an explosion of light. As she and Link reunite face-to-face for the first time in a hundred years, she asks him with a smile if he remembers her.
With Ganon sealed away, Zelda and Link then embark on a journey to try and fix Hyrule piece by piece, starting by visiting King Dorephan to give him closure over Mipha's death. Zelda remarks that she feels her powers dwindling as she cannot hear the voice of the Master Sword anymore. However, she says that she is okay with that now, and can accept the fact that her powers are going to disappear shortly. She and Link then walk towards their horses to begin their new adventure. Presumably she, Link, Paya, Impa, Purah, Robbie, Dorephan, Prince Sidon, Gerudo Chieftain Riju, Daruk's descendant Yunobo, Goron Patriarch Bludo, Teba, and Rito Elder Kaneli work together to rebuild Hyrule after Ganon's defeat. Zelda presumably visits King Dorephan to seek his assistance in helping her take the Hyrulean throne, as some Hyruleans may doubt she is the real Zelda because Zelda had not physically aged since sealing Calamity Ganon. King Dorephan and the Zora could help Zelda prove her legitimacy along with Impa, Purah, and Robbie.
A previous incarnation of the Princess of Hyrule is mentioned by Kass and Impa in the legend of the creation of the Divine Beasts and Guardians. In this tale, the princess, her knight, and four unnamed Champions successfully utilized the ancient Sheikah technology and were able to defeat Calamity Ganon ten thousand years prior to the events of Breath of the Wild. Both the current and Princess of Hyrule from ten thousand years ago are referred to as the "Goddess-blood Princess". This is likely a reference to the suggestion the Royal Family of Hyrule is descended from Hylia's mortal reincarnation the Spirit Maiden Zelda from Skyward Sword.
Additionally, it is revealed that Kass' teacher, who was a Sheikah who served as the Royal Family's court poet, once aided Princess Zelda in surveying the Shrines located throughout Hyrule. Kass's teacher had developed an unrequited love for Zelda, before coming to realize she had feelings for Link. Despite this, the poet believed Link would return and entrusted Kass with the task of guiding Link to the Shrines.[1] after freeing all four Guardians, Link learns of the Final Trial and assists Kass in completing his mentor's unfinished work, The Champions' Ballad. Afterwards, Kass gives Link the Picture of the Champions, a printed Sheikah Slate photo taken by Purah during the Champions' inauguration ceremony which had been his mentor's prized possession.
For the first time in the series, Zelda is fully voiced by the actress Patricia Summersett, who voices her with an English accent.
Age - 17-20
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