BotW Theory – The King’s Grave

There exists, in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a small stone structure atop Mt. Hylia on the Great Plateau. Many have theorised this to be many different things but the theory I like the most is that it’s the final resting place of King Rhoam Bospharomous Hyrule.

SPOILER WARNING – There are spoilers for the early events of Breath of the Wild here, but let’s be honest, the game’s been out for 5 years, if you’re reading a theory like this, you know what happens.

Who was King Rhoam?

King Rhoam Bospharomous Hyrule is the latest King in a long line of the Kings of Hyrule. Another case that we can see a similar King of Hyrule is in the Wind Waker where we meet King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. We can only assume that this line of kings stems back towards the begining of Hylian Civilisation shortly after the events of Skyward Sword.

Besides being a King, Rhoam is known for being the father of Breath of the Wild’s Princess Zelda. The Princess in BotW is ultimately one of – if not the most – powerful Zeldas so therefore is kinda important. King Rhoam is known for being a harsh father but a strong King and he is one of the people who have Zelda the push she needed to gain the power she has.

At the beginning of Breath of the Wild, King Rhoam is in his spirit form after dying during the events of the Calamity one hundred years prior. However, he conceals this information from Link as Link is suffering from amnesia and the King wants to ease him back into life. He adopts the form of, “The Old Man,” and even has a hut on the Great Plateau. Once Link collects all four Spirit Orbs from the non-DLC shrines on the Great Plateau, King Rhoam reveals to him who they both are and what Link needs to do: save Hyrule from Calamity Ganon.

Some consider the events in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity to be canon, but I personally don’t; regardless I’ll put his details from there here to emphasise his role. In AoC, King Rhoam is just as powerful as he was in BotW and his fighting style is largely based on the players ability to switch between his Royal attire with a Royal Clamour and his Old Man attire with a Double-Sided Axe.

Why could this be his Grave?

Well though I don’t personally see Age of Calamity as canon, it does share some meaningful intel into the events one hundred years before Breath of the Wild. In AoC, the King uses the Great Plateau’s Temple of Time as a base of operations during the invasion of Calamity Ganon, so it makes sense the King would do the same thing in Breath of the Wild.

However, the events in Age of Calamity led to the King’s small army being saved by Zelda and her friends – along with the Yiga Clan. The problem is, the only reason that rescue was possible was because Zelda and the others survived the Calamity and banded together with the Yiga Clan – this didn’t happen in the events of Breath of the Wild. This likely concluded in the King’s battalion being stranded on the Great Plateau with no chance of escape.

From here, Guardians probably stormed the Plateau and the King – in all his might and courageous bravery – fell in his final days of battle. When the final soldiers woke with ability from the attack, they doubtlessly still had respect for the King and buried him on top of the mountain dedicated to the Goddess Hylia.

This would also explain the King’s existence in spirit form on the Great Plateau, who would have thought Nintendo packed so much into the storyline of character who you see for like 5 minutes?

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Breath of the Wild is a game shimmering with details the inspire curiosity. Check out some other theories and speculation here!