Rauru
- For the town in The Adventure of Link, see Rauru Town.
Rauru,[1] also known as Kaepora Gaebora when in his owl form, is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.[note 1]
Biography
Era of Chaos
During the Era of Chaos and shortly before the Kingdom of Hyrule was established by the royal descendants of the goddess Hylia's mortal incarnation, Rauru built the Temple of Time over the remains of the Sealed Temple that was located deep within the Faron Woods in the Faron Province. In doing this, he protected the Triforce from the chaotic Battle for the Sacred Realm being fought over its ownership at the time.[4][5] Rauru named the temple after the Temple of Time from the legends of the events of Skyward Sword about a hero who had wielded the Master Sword and traveled between two time periods.[6][7] He chose to remain within the Temple of Light, situated in the center of the Sacred Realm, only leaving it in the form of the wise and watchful owl known as Kaepora Gaebora.[8] Knowledge of the Sacred Realm passed onto the Sheikah tribe and Rauru's name faded into obscurity.[9]
Ocarina of Time
After Link defeats Gohma in a failed attempt to save the Great Deku Tree, he leaves the Kokiri Forest and has his first encounter with Rauru, who awaits him in his owl form as Kaepora Gaebora at the edge of the woods. The owl gives him encouragement on the adventure the Great Deku Tree has tasked him with and advises him to visit Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle before leaving with a promise that they will meet again.[10]
True to his word, Kaepora Gaebora often appears to tell Link about a new area whenever the young hero comes upon it, and he picks Link up and carries him twice when Link could not progress on his own. Once Link reaches the Spirit Temple, after navigating between the eras of his childhood and adulthood, Kaepora Gaebora compliments him on his growth and bids farewell after giving one final piece of advice on how to defeat the witches, Twinrova.[11]
When Link drew the Master Sword from the Pedestal of the Master Sword, Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm and obtained the Triforce of Power from the Temple of Light. The Sacred Realm transformed into the Dark World, with the exception of the Chamber of Sages.[12][13][14][15] The Master Sword kept Link in the safety of this chamber so that the boy could grow old enough to truly assume the role of the Hero of Time.[16] Rauru speaks with Link for the first time after a period of seven years, informing him of what has transpired and his duties as the hero.[17][18] After instructing him to awaken the other Sages, Rauru gives him the Light Medallion.[19][20]
Rauru contacts Link again after he frees the other five Sages. He tells Link to meet "someone" waiting at the Temple of Time before facing Ganondorf.[21] This person turns out to be Sheik, who reveals herself as none other than Princess Zelda, the seventh Sage.[22][23] Unfortunately, by revealing herself to Link, Princess Zelda exposes herself to Ganondorf, who subsequently captures her and takes her to his castle.[24][25][26] Rauru then instructs Link to save Princess Zelda and informs him that he and the other Sages will aid him by providing entrance to Ganon's Castle.[27] When Link defeats Ganon, Rauru leads the other Sages when they use their powers to seal Ganondorf within the Sacred Realm.[28]
The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, Rauru, like the other Sages who helped seal Ganondorf within the Sacred Realm, is memorialized within one of the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle's basement, where the Master Sword is now enshrined. The Royal Crest is depicted directly above him.
Tears of the Kingdom
Rauru was the first King of Hyrule. He is a Zonai man married to the Hylian queen Sonia. He is also the younger brother of Mineru, the Sage of Spirit. In the distant future when Ganondorf destroys Link's right arm, Rauru's Spirit transplants his own arm onto Link's body, allowing Link to use ancient Magic.
Rauru guides Link to the Temple of Time on the Great Sky Island. While Link explores the Garden of Time, Rauru will visit different places and remark upon what life was like for him in the distant past. When Link arrives at the Temple of Time and finds that he cannot open its front doors due to the Darkness residing in his body, Rauru instructs him to visit three of the Shrines of Light atop the Great Sky Island in order to purge this evil. Inside each Shrine, Rauru will gift Link with a new ability that will help him navigate the Shrines and travel across the Great Sky Island.[29]
Once Link receives the three Lights of Blessing from the Shrines, Rauru tells him to return to the Temple of Time.[30] At the Temple of Time, Link receives the Recall ability from Zelda, who quickly disappears. Rauru explains the ability and speculates that this apparition of Zelda may have been a reflection of her will rather than Zelda herself.[31] When Link attempts to open the rear doors of the Temple, Rauru informs him that he is still weak from his encounter with Ganondorf and that he must recover some strength before he can open it.[32] He then guides Link to the Nachoyah Shrine in the southern part of the Great Sky Island where Link can find a fourth Light of Blessing to offer to the Temple of Time's Goddess Statue in exchange for a Piece of Heart.[33]
After Link opens the rear doors to the Temple of Time, Rauru reappears before him to congratulate his progress in spite of his grievous injury.[34] Before disappearing, he declares that Link is exactly as described by Zelda and tells Link that he has one everything he could to help him save her.[35]
Other Appearances
Ocarina of Time (Himekawa)
Trivia
- The exact connection between Rauru and the owl Kaepora Gaebora was left up for interpretation and debate by fans from Ocarina of Time's release in 1998 until the Hyrule Historia in 2011, which confirmed that they are indeed one and the same.[36]
- Rauru, like several other characters from Ocarina of Time, inspired a town featured in The Adventure of Link to be named after him, Rauru Town.
- In Skyward Sword, the character Gaepora bears a great deal of resemblance and personality to both Rauru and his owl incarnation.
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Names | |
 Japanese |
| |
   ChineseTR | 勞魯 (Láolǔ) (TotK) | |
 ChineseSI | 劳鲁 (Láolǔ) (TotK) | |
 FrenchCA | Rauru (TotK) | |
 FrenchEU | Rauru (OoT | TotK)[40] | |
 German | Rauru (TotK) | |
 Italian | ||
 Korean | 라울 (TotK) | |
 SpanishEU | Rauru (TotK) | |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
Gallery
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Rauru's window from The Wind Waker
-
Rauru painting from Twilight Princess HD
See Also
Notes
- ↑ Rauru was referred to as Raura in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time—Official Strategy Guide by BradyGames.[3] However, as this contradicts the name given in-game, it is not considered Canon.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 239(OoT)
- ↑ "We all, gathered here, swear on our lives to serve Rauru, the King of Light." — Six Sages (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time—Official Strategy Guide, BradyGames, pg. 22
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 87
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 11
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 25
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 25
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 77
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 25
- ↑ "Hoo hoot! Link... Look up here! It appears that the time has finally come for you to start your adventure! You will encounter many hardships ahead... That is your fate. Don't feel discouraged, even during the toughest times! Go straight this way and you will see Hyrule Castle. You will meet a princess there... If you are lost and don't know which way to go, look at the Map. The areas you have explored will be shown on the Map. Press START to enter the Subscreens and (Z) or (R) to find the Map. On the Map Subscreen, you will also see a flashing dot showing you which way you should go next. Did you get all that? All right then, I'll see you around! Hoot hoot hoot ho!" — Kaepora Gaebora (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Hey, what's up, Link? Surprised to see me? A long time in this world is almost nothing to you, is it? How mysterious! Even I thought that the tales of a boy who could travel back and forth through time was merely a legend. Link, you have fully matured as an adult. From now on, the future of all the people in Hyrule is on your shoulders. Maybe it's not my time anymore. Here is my last advice. Two witches inhabit this temple. In order to destroy them, turn their own magic against them. Hoo hoot! I will continue to watch you... Hoo hoo hoo hoot!" — Kaepora Gaebora (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Thank you, Link... Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "On that day, seven years ago, Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. After you opened the door of time, the Master Sword sealed you away in the Sacred Realm..." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch.... Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time.... However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time.... Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time! Well, do you understand your destiny?" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "You received the Light Medallion! Rauru the Sage adds his power to yours!" — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "As a symbol of your pact, Rauru gives you the Light Medallion, because he is the Sage of Light." (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D—Prima Official Game Guide by Prima Games, pg. 69)
- ↑ "Link, the hero! Finally, all of us, the six Sages, have been awakened! The time for the final showdown with the King of Evil has come! Before that, though, you should meet the one who is waiting for you... The one who is waiting for you at the Temple of Time..." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom...is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all..." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Princess Zelda...you foolish traitor! I commend you for avoiding my pursuit for seven long years." — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ "But you let your guard down... I knew you would appear if I let this kid wander around!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ "If you want to rescue Zelda, come to my castle!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time 3D)
- ↑ "Link...can you hear me? It's Rauru, the Sage. We six will gather our power to create a bridge to the castle where Ganondorf dwells... The castle's keep, which is known as Ganon's Tower, is protected by six evil barriers. Bring down the six barriers and save Princess Zelda!!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "So you've made it here. This is a Shrine of Light. Long ago, I filled these places with light that purges evil. I believe this light will restore an ability your right arm has lost. Now then, extend your hand." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "I see you've restored some power to that new arm of yours. The door into the Temple of Time should now open for you." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "Ah, Recall...the ability to reverse the movement of an object through time. And Zelda has vanished as well... What you just saw... It's a mystery even to me. Perhaps it was a sort of echo—one that reflects her sheer will. That you've now been given this ability... No doubt, it will prove important." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "You remain in a weakened state. You're not yet strong enough to open it. But...there is one more shrine on this island. There, you can get another blessing. If you add that to the other blessings you received at shrines and offer them all to the Goddess...you might just find your way forward after all. Let me see the Purah Pad..." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "The Purah Pad lets you travel to certain places instantly. Now, see all of the blue marks on your map? You can travel instantly to any of them. I'd suggest the one at the bottom of your map. Use the travel function to reach that area quickly. You'll find the last of this island's shrines around there somewhere." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "Ah, good. I see you have managed to open the door. You haven't fully recovered yet, but that is to be expected—you were almost beyond saving... By visiting the shrines and receiving their blessings, you have mitigated some of the corruption's effects. Though our time together has been brief, I am so happy that we finally met... You are exactly as Zelda said." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ "I've done everything I can for her. Now it is up to you." — Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 87
- ↑ "Io sono Raul, uno degli antichi Saggi!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time 3D, Italian localization)
- ↑ Enciclopedia di Hyrule, Magazzini Salani, pg. 239
- ↑ Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Shogakukan, pg. 140
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Les Éditions Soleil, pg. 239