Darunia


 * This page is about the Sage of Fire, Darunia, in . For the town in, see Darunia Town.

Darunia is a recurring character in. He is the leader of the Hyrulean Gorons and the Sworn Brother of the King of Hyrule. Despite his stern appearance, he loves music and dancing and cares deeply about his people. His known relatives are a distant ancestor who became a legendary hero by defeating the ancient dragon Volvagia and his son Link, who was born sometime in the seven-year absence of the Hero of Time. Darunia eventually becomes the new Sage of Fire when Link cleanses the Fire Temple.

Darunia is the patriarch of the Gorons in. He is a strict leader who sees the greater cause behind initial problems and solutions. Ganondorf visited the Gorons shortly before Link did and demanded that they give him the Spiritual Stone of Fire, also known as the Goron's Ruby. If the Gorons would not hand over the rock, he would keep the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern, their main source of food, closed. Despite that this would mean that the Gorons would starve to death, Darunia did not give the stone to Ganondorf, knowing that it was too important. However, the Goron's Ruby also became more and more delicious-looking to the hungry Gorons. To protect the gem entrusted to the Goron race, Darunia locked himself up in his room with the ruby, stating that he would wait there for the messenger of the Royal Family of Hyrule. When Link arrived, he was informed of this by the other Gorons. He then went to Darunia's room and played Zelda's Lullaby. Darunia recognized this sign and opened the door, only to be enraged by the fact that the Royal Family's messenger was a mere boy and refused to talk with him about the Goron's Ruby. Link was tipped by another Goron that the way to Darunia's good side was through music and dance. From the words of several Gorons, Link understood that the song most likely to get Darunia in a good mood was none other than Saria's Song. Link played the song for Darunia, causing the latter to lose his depression and break out in a fit of dancing. Despite this, Darunia was still unwilling to give up the Goron's Ruby and challenged Link to prove his worth by destroying the monsters inside of Dodongo's Cavern. As a small bit of help, he gave Link the Goron Bracelet.

Link passed the test and defeated King Dodongo. When he left the cavern, Darunia was waiting for him. He thanked and congratulated Link for what he had done. He then asked Link to become his Sworn Brother, symbolized by giving him the Spiritual Stone of Fire.

Some time in Link's seven-year absence, Darunia had a son, who he named after his friend and the Gorons' hero: Link. Darunia made sure to tell his son as much as possible about the "legendary Dodongo Buster" who had helped them so much. Shortly before Link returned, Ganondorf returned to Goron City, freed Volvagia, and imprisoned the Gorons in the Fire Temple with the intention of having them eaten by Volvagia, as an example to the other races. Both Darunia and his son managed to escape this fate, but Darunia left for the Fire Temple anyway in an attempt to save his people. Before he left, he instructed his son, who stayed in Goron City, to let no one follow him. However, when the latter met with the hero he had heard so much about from his father, he was convinced that he should let him help and told Link about the secret entrance to Death Mountain.

Link met up with Darunia in the Fire Temple. Darunia was very happy to see his friend again but also realized that this was not the time for talk. After informing him of Volvagia's revival, Darunia asked Link to free his people, who had been locked up in prison cells throughout the temple. After fulfilling Darunia's request, Link encountered and defeated Volvagia. He was then teleported to the Chamber of Sages to meet the new Sage of Fire, who turned out to be none other than Darunia. Darunia thanked Link for helping him save his people and gave him the Fire Medallion, reminding him that they were true brothers.

When Link defeated Ganon, Darunia and the other Sages combined their powers to seal away Ganon. During the ending, he was seen overlooking a celebrating Hyrule on Death Mountain with the other Sages.

While Darunia did not appear in, like the other Sages who helped the Hero of Time seal Ganondorf within the Sacred Realm, he is memorialized within one of the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's basement, where the Master Sword rests in the Pedestal of Time. The Goron Emblem is depicted directly above him. His likelihood in the stained glass window is one of several examples of how famous the events of became in the history of Hyrule.

Darunia appears as a playable Warrior in. He is a very straightforward power character, forgoing finesse and agility for brute force. His weapon type of choice is the Hammer, which he is able to swing around with ease despite its immense size. Darunia uses the Hammer to pound away and swing at enemies, as well as to guard. Although while his main weapon is the Hammer, Darunia also uses his brute, physical strength in battle as well. His strength is so great that he can crack the earth, causing geysers of fire and lava to shoot forth and can catch flaming boulders from the sky that he powerfully throws. He can also roll to dodge attacks as well as to perform a Special Attack where he grows to enormous size temporarily and smashes surrounding enemies. The Hammer is of the Fire element.

Darunia first appears in the Death Mountain stage, after Cia's power merges lands from other eras into present-day Hyrule. Impa and Sheik arrive to close the nearby Gate of Souls, but are then approached by a Fairy (Navi in the North American release) who tells them that Ruto was kidnapped and is being held captive by Darunia and his troops. Darunia, normally a gentle person, had mysteriously changed ever since Zelda had appeared. The Hyrulean Forces leave to investigate the matter, and are attacked by Darunia and his Gorons. However, Impa and Sheik manage to power through his troops and defeat Darunia, snapping him out of his senses and releasing Ruto from his hold. The two Sheikah learn that the cause for the Gorons' and the Zoras' conflict was the Gate of Souls open in the Water Temple of Lake Hylia, apparently being controlled by Zelda herself. Darunia then joins the Hyrulean Forces alongside Ruto to do battle with Cia's forces and to close the Gate, and later accompany Impa and Sheik back into present-day Hyrule to join the Allies in fighting Cia's forces.

Darunia accompanies many of Link's battles, including the battle at the Temple of Souls, when he arrives to help defend Link from Cia's Dark Links. After Link defeats Cia at the Valley of Seers, Lana sends Darunia back to his time. However when Ganondorf's forces attack Hyrule, she summons him again and the other Allies in Gerudo Desert. After Ganon is defeated, Darunia fades away with the others, presumingly back to his time again.

Trivia

 * Darunia, like the other Sages from, shares his name with a town from.
 * Darunia is the only character in to have his own theme song played on his victory sequence. The theme is a remixed version of "Saria's Song" with him dancing in the same way as in.
 * While Darunia does not appear in, the Divine Beast Vah Rudania is named after him as an anagram.