A tall warrior stands guard beside the young Chieftainess upon her throne. She’s too young, the warrior thinks. Not because the girl isn’t capable but rather the girl is too young to have lost so much and now forced to carry the burden of their people. A heavy blade digs into the ground before the warrior, ready to strike at any moment and take down any danger that dares threaten her chief. Day or night, Buliara will stand by her so she never loses her ever again.
Buliara holds the most important job of them all: protecting the young Riju from any dangers that may come her way. Like many of the warrior women, she holds her head up high and is dedicated to her job. On the surface level, she comes across as overprotective, never leaving the young girl’s side. But deep down, there may be a greater reason for Buliara’s dedication.
In Riju’s diary, the young girl recounts many memories and thoughts about her bodyguard, Buliara, and gives us a little bit of insight into the guard’s intentions. An early entry writes of the day Riju was told her mother had passed. Buliara was the one to break the devastating news. Not only that Riju had lost her mother, but she was now the ruler of the Gerudo. It is never stated, but is implied that Buliara worked for Riju’s mother in a similar position. And in this moment, Buliara had to break the news that she failed Riju’s mother, but she also had to find the strength to give Riju hope, and comfort the girl even when her own failures and mourning consumed her soul.
Another entry from Riju speaks of a time when Riju went on an adventure on her own to investigate the Divine Beasts. In the memory, Riju is attacked and separated from her beloved seal and knocked out. When she comes too, she sees Buliara standing over her with a face full of worry. From that moment onwards, Buliara never left Riju’s side. We don’t know what Buliara was feeling in that moment but it was most likely akin to fear. How close was she to losing yet another person under her charge? As she takes Riju back to Gerudo Town, she must have made a promise to herself, to never let Riju out of her sight again, for the girl was not going to suffer under her watch.
Buliara’s protectiveness extends beyond physical wellbeing. At times, the young Chieftainess worries that she is not leading her people very well. Every time Riju speaks of failure, Buliara is there to take the blame for herself. When the Thunder Helm is stolen by the Yiga Clan, Buliara takes full responsibility for not fulfilling her own duties and won’t let Riju think otherwise.
Link’s first interaction with the guard is by Riju’s side, upholding her responsibilities by keeping the strange Hylian a safe distance away. Her trust is hard to earn, especially when she realizes that Link is a Voe in disguise, though she listens to her Chief and at least gives the hero a chance to prove their worth. Buliara is the one to suggest that Link should reclaim the lost Thunder Helm. She even encourages Link to speak with the Captain to learn all he can about the artifact’s whereabouts.
When Link returns in triumph, Buliara’s trust is earned, just as promised. Despite being a Voe, Buliara sees Link as a capable warrior and trusts his abilities. But that does not necessarily mean that she fully likes him. Buliara is one of the few NPCs that will fight back if Link strikes her with a weapon. She slashes with a heavy claymore, and though she does no damage, the warning is there: No matter Riju’s feelings towards Link, Buliara will strike down any threat.
Labeled as the best spear master in town (despite the claymore she insists on carrying by her side), Buliara has already proven her worth over and over again. And yet, she has one more skill up her sleeves. Buliara is a skilled blacksmith capable of forging weapons of both present and past. In the DLC, Link can come to Buliara to recreate Urbosa’s Daybreaker Shield and Scimitar of the Seven.
Despite her skills, Buliara is weighed down by a burden she has put upon herself. The grief and the blame she carries everyday shapes her actions. Maybe one day she will learn to forgive herself, accept the past, and let Riju go so the chief can grow into the leader she is destined to be. But until the current threat has passed, she will fulfil her duty to the late Chieftainess and protect her daughter.
