King of Red Lions
The King of Red Lions is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.[3]
Biography
The Wind Waker
| Figurine | |
|---|---|
| Description | Birthplace: Outset Island |
| Figurine | Description |
|---|---|
Birthplace: Outset Island |
The King of Red Lions is a talking sailboat that Link meets after he is tossed out into the Great Sea upon being caught by the Helmaroc King in the Forsaken Fortress.[4] It is with this boat that Link is able to move from one island to another. Good-spirited and filled with wisdom, the King of Red Lions speaks to Link and explains what is currently happening and what he needs to do next.[5] He can glimpse Link's various adventures apart from him through the Pirate's Charm, which he also uses to give the hero hints.
The boat can be operated with multiple items in Link's arsenal, such as the Sail. When attached to the mast, it allows for easy sailing to the prevailing direction of the wind.[6] In The Wind Waker HD, Link can also obtain the Swift Sail from the nightly Windfall Auction at Windfall Island. The upgrade increases the boat's sailing speed and automatically changes the direction of the wind to the boat's heading. This assures full sailing speed in all directions and eliminates the need for the "Wind's Requiem" while at sea. The Grappling Hook can be used with the salvage crane to retrieve items from the bottom of the Great Sea. Bombs will give the ship a cannon to fire at enemies.
Later in the game, it is revealed that the boat is actually Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the king of Hyrule who lives under the sea.[7] The King of Red Lions is last seen at the end of the game, lifeless, as the King chooses to remain in Hyrule after the final battle. Link is seen departing from Outset Island in the boat to search for a new land alongside Tetra and her pirate crew.
The King of Red Lions can speak the ancient Hylian tongue, and does so on Link's behalf in conversations with Valoo and Jabun.
Other Appearances
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The King of Red Lions appears in the Pirate Ship stage, floating behind the ship every once in a while, creating an extra platform. He also appears as a Trophy and a Sticker. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, he appears as a Trophy as well.
Trophy Information
| # | Trophy | Significant Games | Description | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225 |  King of Red Lions |
The Wind Waker | A talking ship that rescues Link when he is thrown out to sea by the Helmaroc King. Rich with knowledge, he is a valuable partner, guiding Link in his adventures. As the ship is without a sail, Link must first acquire one on Windfall Island before venturing out on the Great Sea. It has been revealed that the King of Red Lions is actually the king of Hyrule. | Random |
Sticker Information
| Sticker | Artwork from | Effect in The Subspace Emissary | Usable by |
|---|---|---|---|
 King of Red Lions & Link |
The Wind Waker | [Explosive] - Attack +20 | All |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
The King of Red Lions appears as a Trophy.
Trophy Information
| # | Trophy | Appears in | Description | How to unlock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||
| 212 | N/A | 
|
The Wind Waker | The world may be a big place, but we're pretty sure the King of Red Lions is one of a kind. He is well versed in ancient traditions, seem to know an awful lot about Link's destiny, and was even the one who gave Link the legendary Wind Waker. There's definitely more to this boat than meets the eye. | Random |
| King of Red Lions | |||||
Hyrule Warriors
In Hyrule Warriors, King Daphnes transforms into the King of Red Lions as part of his Sail Weapon's moveset, as well during his victory animation.
Trivia
- If the King of Red Lions is struck with any of Link's weapons in The Wind Waker, he will react to the attack and turn red.
- The Japanese versions of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U list the King of Red Lions as also appearing in Four Swords Adventures.[citation needed] This was removed in international versions as the Navi Trackers mode that he appears in is absent from these versions of Four Swords Adventures.
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions  | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Names | Meanings |
 Japanese | 赤獅子の王 (Aka Jishi no Ō) (TWW)[9] | |
 FrenchEU | Lion Rouge (TWW)[11] | Red Lion |
 German | Rote Leuenkönig (TWW)[10] | Red Lion King |
 Italian | Re Drakar (TWW)[8] | King Drakar |
 SpanishEU | Mascarón Rojo (TWW)[12] | |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | ||
Gallery
Artwork of Link and the King of Red Lions from The Wind Waker
The King of Red Lions image from the Sliding Picture Puzzle from The Wind Waker
The King of Red Lions using the Grappling Hook in The Wind Waker HD
A Facebook profile picture depicting the King of Red Lions from the official The Wind Waker HD website
The King of Red Lions in the Navi Trackers mode from Four Swords Adventures
The King of Red Lions during King Daphnes' victory animation from Hyrule Warriors
The King of Red Lions during King Daphnes' victory animation from Hyrule Warriors
Artwork of the King of Red Lions with Link and Tetra from Hyrule Warriors Legends
See Also
References
- ↑ "Well met, Hyrule King!" — Jabun (The Wind Waker HD)
- ↑ "The King of Red Lions likely expects great deeds of you—it is why he brought you here. I am sorry to ask this of you, but can you go rescue young Makar for me?" — Great Deku Tree (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 258 (TWW)
- ↑ "Did I startle you? I suppose that is only natural. As wide as the world is, I am the only boat upon it who can speak the words of men." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "In that case, I shall guide you as we go forward.. advising you on what you should do, and where you must go." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "You got a boat's sail! Set it to (Y), (Z), or (X), then use it while on your boat to sail across the sea." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "Link, do you not recognize my voice? Indeed, I am the one who guided you here. I am the King of Red Lions." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "Sono il Re Drakar. Non temere, non sono un nemico." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "私は赤獅子の王
安心しろ お前の敵ではない" — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker) - ↑ "Ich bin der Rote Leuenkönig. Du brauchst keine Angst zu haben, ich bin auf deiner Seite." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "Je t'ai fait peur? Il est vrai que je suis le seul bateau sur terre qui parle le langage des humains... Je suis le Lion Rouge. Rassure-toi, je ne suis pas ton ennemi." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "¡Soy el único que hay! Puedes llamarme Mascarón Rojo. Tranquilo... No soy tu enemigo." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)