Hyrule is a graveyard. You feel it every time you stumble over a rusted Guardian hull or a crumbled stone archway. But the real ghosts of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild aren't the monsters; they’re the four legends who failed. We call them the Champions.
Most people play through the game, grab the shiny spirit powers, and move on. They see Mipha as the "sad fish girl" or Revali as the "arrogant bird." Honestly, that’s doing them a massive disservice. If you actually dig into the diaries added in the Champions' Ballad DLC or sit with the memories, you realize these weren't just archetypes. They were a group of terrified, highly skilled, and deeply flawed people who knew they were probably going to die.
Why Breath of the Wild the Champions Still Hits Hard
The tragedy of breath of the wild the champions is that they were recruited for a war they couldn't win. King Rhoam and Princess Zelda spent years excavating Divine Beasts—those massive mechanical animals—thinking they were the ultimate "win button." They picked the best of the best: a Zora princess, a Goron hero, a Rito ace, and a Gerudo chieftain.
It didn't work.
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When Calamity Ganon returned, he didn't fight the Divine Beasts head-on. He infected them. He sent "Blights"—horrific Malice-constructs—to trap the Champions inside their own cockpits. Imagine the horror. You’re Mipha, inside Vah Ruta, and the machine you’re supposed to control suddenly turns into a cage. You're alone. The water starts rising, or the lightning starts crashing, and you realize the "hero" isn't coming to save you. Not for another hundred years, anyway.
Mipha: More Than Just a Healer
Mipha is usually the first Champion players meet. She’s the Zora princess who was deeply in love with Link. But if you read her diary in the Zora’s Domain, her story is less about a crush and more about the crushing weight of duty. She knew she was a healer in a world that needed a killer. She practiced with the Lightscale Trident until her hands bled just to prove she belonged on the team.
She even made the Zora Armor for Link—a literal proposal in Zora culture. She died with that secret. That’s why seeing her spirit finally talk to her father, King Dorephan, after a century of silence is easily the most gut-wrenching moment in the game.
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Revali: The "Jerk" With a Point
Everyone loves to hate Revali. He’s smug. He’s condescending. He calls Link "asinine." But look at it from his perspective. Link was "chosen" by a magic sword. He didn't have to work for his destiny; it was literally handed to him by a glowing blade.
Revali? Revali had to invent his own magic. He spent months at the Flight Range, failing over and over, just to master Revali’s Gale. He’s a self-made legend who was told he had to play second fiddle to a kid who barely speaks. His arrogance is just a mask for his insecurity. When he finally admits at the end of the game that Link is "the better man," it’s one of the few times we see true growth in a character who has been dead for a century.
The Power Dynamics of the Four Heroes
The game gives you their powers as rewards, but those abilities—Mipha’s Grace, Revali’s Gale, Urbosa’s Fury, and Daruk’s Protection—were actually extensions of their souls.
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- Urbosa wasn't just a warrior; she was a mother figure to Zelda. She hated Ganon because he was originally a Gerudo, and she felt his existence was a stain on her people’s honor.
- Daruk was the rock. Literally. He was the only one who saw Link as a true "brother-in-arms" from day one. His diary reveals he actually struggled with the Divine Beast Vah Rudania because it made him feel motion sick. Even heroes have weird weaknesses.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s a common misconception that the Champions' job was to kill Ganon. It wasn't. Their job was to support Link. If you free all four Divine Beasts, they fire a combined laser at Hyrule Castle that chips off exactly 50% of Ganon’s health.
It’s a gameplay mechanic, sure. But narratively? It’s their revenge. They spent 100 years trapped in those machines. When they finally fire those beams, they aren't just helping Link; they’re reclaiming their dignity.
How to Get the Full Story
If you really want to understand breath of the wild the champions, you can't just finish the main quest. You need to do the following:
- Find the Diaries: The DLC adds journals for each Champion. Mipha’s is in the Zora throne room; Daruk’s is in Yunobo’s house; Revali’s is in Teba’s hut; Urbosa’s is in Riju’s room.
- Talk to the Elders: Don't just run to the Divine Beast. Talk to the NPCs in the villages. The old Zora who still hate Link for "letting" Mipha die provide a perspective the game doesn't highlight enough.
- The Champions' Ballad: This DLC is mandatory for lore buffs. It gives you a final memory that shows the group together, laughing, before the world ended. It makes the final battle feel personal.
The legacy of these characters is why the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, felt so heavy. You see their descendants—Sidon, Yunobo, Tulin, and Riju—trying to fill shoes that are way too big for them. The original Champions weren't just NPCs with buffs. They were the heart of a kingdom that died, and 100 years later, they’re still the only reason Link has a fighting chance.
Next Steps for Lore Hunters:
To truly complete the Champions' arc, head to the Hateno Village house you can purchase for Link. If you finish the Champions' Ballad DLC, you can hang a specific picture on the wall. It’s the only way to give Link—and the players—a sense of closure for the friends he lost a century ago. After that, seek out the Sanidin Park Ruins to see where Zelda and the Champions spent their final moments of peace.