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There are plenty of intriguing mysteries to uncover inThe Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, but the one that has had everyone talking since back inBreath Of The Wildis the Ancient Hero. As a figure shrouded in absolute mystery, surprisingly little is known about this savior of Hyrule.
You are probably used to Link being the true hero of the Zelda series, but the essence of the hero can theoretically end up within any person. The Ancient Hero may have conveniently been named Link, but he also could signal an interesting new direction for the Zelda series as a whole, as new characters can take on the spirit of the hero.
Who Is The Ancient Hero?
Ancient Hero Fast Facts:
Surprisingly, no one really knew who the Ancient Hero was. It can’t even be fully assumed that he was of Zonai origin considering his appearance is so strikingly different from theZonai seen in Tears Of The Kingdom, notably, Rauru.
It can be speculated that the Ancient Hero was at the very least accepted by the Zonai as he did take on their garb. One thing that is known is thathe lived 10,000 years prior to the events of Breath Of The Wild, though how long he livedis yet another mysteryin itself.
Other minor details are that the Ancient Hero did have a horse companion and enjoyed music to some extent, both pieces of information that are revealed by Kass in Breath Of The Wild. Beyond all of that, the Ancient Hero is enigmatic. Similarly to the Fierce Deity, the Ancient Hero is one of the few characters that have taken on legendary status as a hero warrior while not directly being named Link.
This may lead some to believe the Ancient Hero will have a bigger role to play, and that may be true, but you should keep the relevance of the Fierce Deity in mind, as that being has not returned to the lore in any proper way since Majora’s Mask (even if you can get his armor set in Tears Of The Kingdom).
What Did The Ancient Hero Do?
Ancient Hero Feats:
Long before the events of Breath Of The Wild ever began, Calamity Ganon was already a major problem.10,000 years in the past in the Zelda timeline, it appeared as if Calamity Ganon was going to bring ruin to the land of Hyrule.
Luckily, the Ancient Hero rose up to challenge the massive beast. With the armies of Hyrule, the ancient technology seen in the Guardians and Divine Beasts, and a version of Princess Zelda by his side, he manages to stand up to and defeat Calamity Ganon in a brutal war.
The trouble is thatthe Ancient Hero was only able to seal Calamity Ganon instead of actually destroying the villain for good, resulting in his eventual return to Hyrule in Breath Of The Wild. Sadly, there is no information on what the Ancient Hero did before or after the battle, but one can assume that he acted as a protector of Hyrule from his defeat of Calamity Ganon to his eventual death.
It isn’t hard to assume that the Ancient Hero would have lived a similar life to the many incarnations of Link. He likely had humble beginnings and was simply called to save the world when the time was right before disappearing. Only time will tell if Zelda fans will get a chance to experience any more of the Ancient Hero’s adventures.
What Does The Ancient Hero Look Like?
Interestingly, the Ancient Hero doesn’t resemble any of the races found across Hyrule. He could be said tomost closely resemble the Zonaithat are seen in Tears Of The Kingdom, but even that link is tentative at best.
Having animalistic features, the Ancient Hero also features bright red hair, pointy Hylian-like ears, and bright blue eyes. He has only been seen in Zonai-like clothing, something that furthers his connection to the mysterious people.
It is interesting that in his initial appearance in Breath Of The Wild, the minor glimpse you get of the Ancient Hero may lead you to believe he was wearing a Champion’s Tunic to battle Calamity Ganon. While that may have been the case in that era, the Ancient Hero shows no sign of taking on common Hylian garb, though it is possible that his jewelry is Gerudo in origin.
What Does Hyrule Think Of The Ancient Hero?
It seems that much of Hyrule looks upon the Ancient Hero with reverence. When King Rhoam, Impa, and Kass each give minor details of the story of the Ancient Hero’s battle, they speak positively about the warrior.
Additionally, you are capable of walking around Hyrule with the Hero’s Aspect on in Tears Of The Kingdom, an armor piece that causes Link to take on the Ancient Hero’s appearance. When doing so, talking to certain people provides interesting results.
4
12 (at base), 84 (fully upgraded)
Description:
This item is said to contain the spirit of a hero who once saved Hyrule. That hero’s aura will envelop the wearer.
Fan favorites like Purahand Tauro will both speak positively of Link while he has the aspect on.
With that in mind, it can be inferred that those with knowledge of the ancient story appreciate the heroics of the Ancient Hero. With no DLC coming for Tears Of The Kingdom, it’s likely that the Ancient Hero will remain a mystery that Zelda fans can only ever speculate on.
