I’ve always maintained that you don’t have to fully understand something to love it. This pretty much sums up my feelings for the Rito Champion, Revali, who remains my favorite of the four Hyrule Champions despite his somewhat divisive reception among the fanbase. His patented updraft technique, Revali’s Gale, has been an invaluable (and frankly overused) tool in my journey through Breath of the Wild, and it has allowed me to escape from many sticky situations. Regardless, I have always felt mildly confused by Revali’s adversarial attitude and the way he sees himself as part of the larger mission to defend Hyrule. It seems that no one truly understands him or possesses the necessary insight to permeate that eternally tough exterior he strives to maintain at all times. But a little investigation is required to unearth what lies underneath this smug, insecure demeanor.
Revali is an outlier, to say the least, and operates strictly under his own terms. On the plus side, you’ll never wonder what he thinks of you because there are virtually no limits to his raw, unfiltered self-expression. Revali is a real lone-wolf type and perceives himself as separate from (and honestly better than) the rest of the group. In a memorable cutscene, he is eager to display his perceived superiority over Link the so-called Chosen Hero, whose seemingly arbitrary selection has really ruffled Revali’s feathers (pun intended). Clearly, a renowned archer of such stature and finesse would make for a much more suitable savior of Hyrule than some inexperienced teenager — or such is the state of things as Revali sees them. It’s an incredible display of brazen confidence, which begs the question: Who exactly is Revali, and how did he become the celebrated Rito Champion?
Information revealed to us about Revali’s origins throughout Breath of the Wild is largely conveyed through Captured Memories, which focus on the assembly of the Four Champions and their preparations to confront the return of Calamity Ganon. For the most part, Revali seems preoccupied with casting scorn and indignation over the whole process and heavily criticizing Link’s involvement at every opportunity. Simply put, Revali resents the fact that Link will be the one to face Calamity Ganon head-on, and he is less than pleased about playing the role of a mere assistant in this mission.
Revali’s reputation as Rito Village’s most skilled archer has made him Princess Zelda’s first choice to pilot Divine Beast Vah Medoh. He reluctantly accepts this role while gloating heavily that the Princess should instead employ his “otherworldly skills and intellect to defeat Calamity Ganon.” Translation: “You are really going to regret choosing that kid over me.”
Here lies the true reason behind Revali’s bitterness; he cannot tolerate being second banana to anyone, least of all Link, who in his mind was simply bestowed the Master Sword along with all of its power. Revali prides himself in being a self-made warrior, born of blood, sweat, and tears. Therefore, it is impossible for him to respect those who are ascribed to their status. Revali is the only Champion to have earned his title and reputation, which is a key factor that sets him apart from the other four. Others, like Princess Mipha, have inherited unique powers and social positions, while Revali must train relentlessly to perfect his Gale and earn the respect of his peers.
When approached by Zelda in a cutscene from “The Champions’ Ballad”, we see Revali in a rare position of vulnerability, and it is perhaps the only time we get a glimpse of his inner struggles. As Kass rightly points out “the Rito Champion was not one to share his feelings.” In this scene, we see Revali admonish himself for not training hard enough, and he vows to push himself further. This brief moment reveals to us that Revali sees himself as less than perfect and is able to admit this simple truth. However, he finds it unbearable to have others see him in a position of weakness and strives to quickly brush off this moment with another classic snide remark to Zelda.
One of my favorite things about Revali is his endless stream of delightful bird puns, but I also admire his fearlessness and self-assurance in the face of danger. I’ve always defined courage as the ability to face a situation in spite of fear, but I believe what Revali fears most is being forgotten. As he writes in his diary, “to control the Divine Beast and defeat the Calamity…would finally allow me to prove myself to the world.” I really empathize with his position as an outcast, but I also think his insatiable thirst to prove himself is really an illusion — because he truly is a capable warrior.
It’s too soon to say whether Tears of the Kingdom might present us with a well-deserved continuation of the Rito Champion’s story. Nevertheless, I am thoroughly excited to see what Nintendo has in store for Revali because it seems like he is just getting started.
