Single parenting is hard. Sacrifice becomes the norm as the parent balances the demands of a career with raising a child. The pendulum swings between these two responsibilities. As I ponder this somber topic, I am reminded of two beautiful examples: The Little Mermaid and Breath of the Wild. King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule and King Triton have much in common. Both struggle to balance the demands of ruling a kingdom with raising a daughter. Both feel like inadequate fathers and still mourn the loss of their spouses. While King Triton’s story ends with happiness and resolve, the story of King Rhoam is much darker and filled with sadness and regret.
Although sworn to protect the land of Hyrule, King Rhoam set into motion a sequence of events that empowered Calamity Ganon’s return. Ganon, remembering the Hylian’s strategy from millennium past, manipulated the Divine Beasts and Guardians against the kingdom. Slain in the battle at Hyrule Castle, King Rhoam’s spirit is exiled to the Great Plateau. Realizing that Link is the only hope for saving Zelda, Rhoam patiently waits for the hero’s resurrection.
As days turn into months and years, Rhoam must have agonized over his decisions. His perch atop the Great Plateau offers a perfect view of his mistakes. Calamity Ganon ravages the castle’s exterior. Possessed Guardians patrol Hyrule Field. Nearby villages are decimated ruins. Each is a stern reminder of the predicament Rhoam created not only for the entire kingdom but also for his own daughter. With each passing day, Rhoam gazes upon Hyrule Castle knowing that Zelda’s power is keeping Calamity Ganon from destroying the world. But to fully appreciate the complexity of Rhoam’s character, we must go back to the beginning.
One hundred years ago, King Rhoam discovered an ancient prophecy warning of Calamity Ganon’s return. Knowing the power to seal Ganon lie underground, Rhoam sent excavation teams across Hyrule to explore the depths. The teams discovered Sheikah technology in the form of the four Divine Beasts and an army of Guardians. But these mechanical wonders alone could not prevent Ganon’s return. The prophecy further revealed that a reincarnation of the goddess Hylia and a hero chosen by the Master Sword had the power to stop Ganon. Rhoam’s own daughter possessed the talents necessary to awaken the sealing power, and an ambitious young boy named Link proved worthy of wielding the Master Sword. Armed with a legion of mechanical weapons and the queen at his side, King Rhoam was confident that he had the pieces necessary to prevent Ganon’s return.
Then tragedy struck. In Rhoam’s diary hidden behind a bookshelf in the castle library, we read of the queen’s unexpected death. The emotional toll it took on Rhoam was paralyzing. From sleepless nights to lonely days, Rhoam was lost and stricken with grief. How was he to raise a daughter and defend a kingdom on his own? Zelda proved to be his anchor. She never shed a tear and remained steadfast in her resolve to harness the sacred sealing power. Zelda’s strength restored King Rhoam’s hope, and he was determined to assist Zelda in awakening the sealing power.
Fifteen months pass. Zelda’s visit to the Spring of Courage is fruitless and the sealing power remains hidden. Doubt begins to creep into Rhoam’s mind. Is Zelda’s grief over the queen’s death preventing her from obtaining the sealing power? At this point, Rhoam struggles to balance his duty as a king and his love as Zelda’s father. With each passing day, Calamity Ganon’s return looms closer, and the pressure to find Zelda’s sealing power mounts.
Knowing that Ganon’s return is inevitable, Rhoam is faced with a difficult decision: to comfort Zelda as a father or to force her to train harder. Recognizing that his responsibilities extend to the entire kingdom of Hyrule, Rhoam regrettably chooses the latter, and the chasm between father and daughter begins to grow. Convinced that Zelda’s effort was lacking, Rhoam pushes her to train harder. With each passing day and confrontation, King Rhoam and Zelda drift further apart.
A decade passes, and Zelda’s sealing power had yet to awaken. Rhoam anoints Zelda as the leader of the Champions and charges her with protecting the kingdom. Although Rhoam remains persistent in his duty to prepare the kingdom for the Great Calamity, his motivation and faith begin to wane. Zelda’s anointing ceremony marked a transfer of responsibility from Rhoam to Zelda, but it also signaled the end of Rhoam’s role as an active leader in Hyrule’s defense. Shortly after the ceremony, Zelda and the Champions set off for the Spring of Wisdom.
Rhoam and Zelda did not exchange words. Knowing that the Spring of Wisdom is likely Zelda’s last attempt to awaken her power, Rhoam decides that he must become a better father. His last diary entry reveals a determination to rebuild the fragments of their broken relationship, and Rhoam decides to comfort Zelda no matter the outcome at the Spring of Wisdom. But he never gets the chance. The Great Calamity returns.
One hundred years pass, and the time finally comes for the hero to arise. Recognizing that Link would possess none of the memories or skills of his former self, the spirit of King Rhoam is given a second chance to demonstrate fatherly love. Disguised as a simple woodcutter, Rhoam gently guides Link through a series of trials on the Great Plateau. Critique is replaced with encouragement as the former king teaches Link how to survive in the wild.
After completing the four shrines, Rhoam beckons Link to the balcony of the Temple of Time and reveals his true identity as the spirit of the last king of Hyrule. After explaining the history of the last 100 years, Rhoam has one final plea. With his fists clenched, Rhoam reveals that his desire is not the salvation of Hyrule. Rhoam’s final words are a father begging a hero to save his daughter.
Link rescues the spirits of the four Champions and faces Calamity Ganon in the Hyrule Castle throne room. Upon defeating Calamity Ganon, the spirits of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule and the Champions gaze upon a triumphant Link and Zelda from a Hyrule Castle balcony. Decades of regret and sorrow evaporate as their spirits slowly fade. No words are spoken. None need to be. Rhoam’s final wish has come true, and he can finally rest in peace knowing that Zelda is safe.
