‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’: How Did King Rhoam Die and Who Killed Him?
While Nintendo often receives a reputation for making games with ‘safe’ narratives, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had a darker tone, with several characters facing tragic deaths. Gerudo Chief Urbosa fell to Thunderblight Ganon in Vah Naboris, the Goron Daruk died to Fireblight Ganon in Vah Rudania. However, among those that fell in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, King Rhoam, the last king of Hyrule, died under more mysterious circumstances. While Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity offered a possible answer, fans still wonder who – or what – killed King Rhoam in BOTW.
How and where did King Rhoam die in ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’?
While the exact circumstances of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule’s death in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild remain uncertain, players caught some details.
After Link awakens from the Shrine of Ressurection, he meets an old man. Atop the Temple of Time, the old man reveals himself as King Rhoam, the last king of Hyrule before the Great Calamity.
He tells Link about how Princess Zelda tried to awaken her powers to prevent the evil Calamity Ganon from returning but ultimately could not. Calamity Ganon launched his attack, corrupting the four Divine Beasts Vah Medoh, Vah Rute, Vah Rudania, and Vah Naboris, as well as the Guardians.
Link and Zelda escaped during an assault on Hyrule Castle, but most could not. In the Breath of the Wild book, “Creating a Champion,” page 361 says that he “perishes fighting the Guardians and monsters while helping people to safety.”
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity seemingly detailed how King Rhoam’s death occurred. However, fans have debated whether or not Age of Calamity is a canon prequel to BOTW at all.
Fans debate if ‘Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity’ showed some unaltered events from 100 years before ‘BOTW’
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity showed players Hyrule 100 years before BOTW.
In the battle “Calamity Strikes,” Link and Zelda rush through Hyrule Castle, cutting down Guadian Stalkers and monsters. They try to reach Zelda’s father, but Guardians quickly surround them when they do. King Rhoam stays behind in a heroic sacrifice to give Link and Zelda a chance to escape.
However, because of the time-traveling Terrako, most of the original events became altered.
It turns out that King Rhoam did not die. When it seemed that he and the Knights of Hyrule would surely fall, he used a Guardian Shield to protect them from the Guardian’s lasers. He reunited with Zelda in the Age of Calamity battle “The Great Plateau.”
Fans have hotly debated if anything in Age of Calamity can be considered canon. This means that even though King Rhoam’s “death” somewhat played out in the game, it may or may not have happened the same way in BOTW.
However, certain things could still line up with the canon events for King Rhoam in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
King Rhoam likely died to a Guardian in ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’
Whether in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, King Rhoam fell at Hyrule Castle or on the Great Plateau, a Guardian, Bokoblin, or other monster seems most likely responsible for his death.
According to the Gamer, “logically, Rhoam has to have survived the initial assault on Hyrule Caste to make it to the Great Plateau. It’s only there where Rhoam dies, ultimately surrounded by the Guardians.”
Spirits in The Legend of Zelda tend to stay where they died. This holds true in BOTW.
“This would also explain why Rhoam’s ghost is bound to the Great Plateau in the same way the Champions are bound to the Divine Beasts – that’s where they died.”
In addition, the stone structure atop Mount Hylia is called “Field Object: King’s Tomb.”
While this remains everything fans know about King Rhoam’s death, the Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild could always shine more light on the events.
