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Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule,(TWW | SSBB)[6][7] also known as King Daphnes,(HW)[8] is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.

Biography[]

The Wind Waker[]

King of Hyrule (Figurine from The Wind Waker)
TWW King of Hyrule Figurine Model
King of Hyrule
King of Hyrule

The king of Hyrule was unable to protect his kingdom from evil and left its fate up to the gods. The King of Red Lions is merely his disguise.

His full name is one that is truly fit for royalty: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule was once the king of Hyrule during the Era without a Hero. When the Goddesses unleashed the Great Flood, he chose to remain in Hyrule, which was to be sealed by the Goddesses at the bottom of the sea. He split the Triforce of Wisdom into two parts and instructed the princess of that era to keep one piece and flee to the mountaintops with her servants.[9]

Hundreds of years later, Ganondorf managed to circumvent the Goddesses' seal and reach the surface of the Great Sea. In response, the Goddesses awakened the king from his seal, who assumed the form of a boat, the King of Red Lions. In this new form, Daphnes began searching the Great Sea, looking for a hero to defeat Ganon and the descendant of the royal family.[10] After Link is captured by the Helmaroc King and thrown out to sea, the King of Red Lions rescues him and aids the hero in his quest. Daphnes can speak the ancient Hylian tongue, and often does so on Link's behalf, as the hero cannot understand the language.

After Link fails to defeat Ganondorf in the Forsaken Fortress with the newly obtained Master Sword,[11] he, along with the King of Red Lions and Tetra, retreat to the underwater vestige of Hyrule. There, the King of Red Lions reveals his identity as the former king of Hyrule and that he magically operates the boat to guide Link.[12] Daphnes also reveals to Tetra that she is the heir to the kingdom of Hyrule by combining the two fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom, the one in his possession with the one in Tetra's necklace, restoring the Triforce of Wisdom which now dwelt within Princess Zelda. He instructs Zelda to remain in Hyrule Castle to avoid detection from Ganondorf while he resumes his form as the King of Red Lions and proceeds to aid Link in his quest for restoring the evil-repelling power of the Master Sword.

Daphnes later appears in person after Ganondorf brings together all three pieces of the Triforce, intervening by using its power to flood what remains of his kingdom, giving Link and Zelda a future.[13][14] In response to this, Ganondorf attacks Link and Zelda,[15] intending to kill them.

Once Link and Zelda defeat Ganondorf, Daphnes laments to them his regret as he lived bound to the memory of Hyrule, comparing himself to Ganondorf in that regard. He goes on to encourage them to live for the future and not repeat his mistakes, ignoring Zelda's request to come with them and find a land to be the next Hyrule. As the kingdom floods, Link and Zelda are enclosed within bubbles and begin to ascend to the surface; the former attempts to reach out toward the king, who begins to raise his own hand to meet Link's. The king's hand ultimately falls to his side as he presumably drowns, content with the knowledge that Link and Tetra will help create a brighter future for everyone.[16]

The King of Red Lions appears once again when Link is departing from Outset Island with Tetra and her crew; however, it is now completely lifeless, as the king himself has died. Daphnes's dream eventually comes true when Link and Tetra discover New Hyrule, the main setting of one of the game's sequels, Spirit Tracks.

Other Appearances[]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule appears as a Sticker.

Sticker Artwork from Effect in The Subspace Emissary Usable by
SSBB Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule Sticker Icon
Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule
The Wind Waker [Electric] - Attack +31 This sticker is only usable by Link, Zelda, Ganondorf and Toon Link

Hyrule Warriors[]



In Hyrule Warriors, King Daphnes appears as a playable Warrior. He uses the Sail as his primary Weapon, which is associated with the Water Element, and uses it to summon waves to crash into enemies. The Sail also lets King Daphnes momentarily transform into the King of Red Lions. King Daphnes can be unlocked in Hyrule Warriors using a code included in Hyrule Warriors Legends or by obtaining the Legends Character Pack DLC. In Hyrule Warriors Legends and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, he is unlocked after completing the "Reclaiming the Darkness" Scenario in Legend Mode. In Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, King Daphnes can also be unlocked as a Reward for Battle Victory on the Adventure Battle at square C13 of the Great Sea Map in Adventure Mode.

When defeated in battle as an opponent, King Daphnes may occasionally drop his Robe as a silver Material, or rarely his Crown as a gold Material.

Nomenclature[]

The King's first name, "Daphnes", is likely a male form of "Daphne" or "Daphné", a Greek name meaning "laurel" or "bay tree".

The name "Nohansen" follows the patronymic naming convention found in Scandinavian (primarily in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland), where the son's surname would take his father's with the addition of "-son". This would mean that his name can be interpreted as "Daphnes, Son of Nohan," implying the name of a king who ruled before him or even one of his ancestors. In the German version of the game, Daphnes' second name is "Johanson," meaning "Son of John" when translated from German.

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageName
CanadaFrenchCARoi Daphnés[17]
FranceFrenchEURoi d'Hyrule[18]
GermanyGermande-niwa:Daphnos Johanson von HyruleKönig Daphnos[19]
ItalyItalianRe Dafnes[20]
SpainSpanishEURey de Hyrule[21]
Latin AmericaSpanishLARey de Hyrule[22]
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

Video Gallery[]

King Daphnes trailer from Hyrule Warriors Legends

See Also[]

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 258 (TWW)
  2. "King of Hyrule
    King Daphnes"
    — Nintendo, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition - Character Highlight Series Trailer #3 - Nintendo Switch, YouTube (video), published April 26, 2018, retrieved March 15, 2019.
  3. "Indeed, I am the one who guided you here. I am the King of Red Lions." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker HD)
  4. "King of Hyrule

    The king of Hyrule was unable to protect his kingdom from evil and left its fate up to the gods. The King of Red Lions is merely his disguise.

    His full name is one that is truly fit for royalty: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule.
    " — Figurine (The Wind Waker)
  5. "The Princess Zelda spoken of here is the fifth of her line, the great-great-grandchild of Tetra." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 133)
  6. "And I am its king: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker HD)
  7. "Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (Zelda: WW)" — Sticker (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
  8. "King Daphnes" — Select Warrior (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  9. "The gods chose which of the kingdom's subjects would ascend to the new land, telling them to escape to the tallest mountains. They then flooded the world, sinking Ganondorf and Hyrule to the bottom of the ocean and sealing them away. Though the king was sealed along with his kingdom, the princess took a piece of the Triforce that had been broken in two by the king and managed to escape to the ocean's surface with several of her retainers." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 123)
  10. "King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, ordered by the gods to put an end to Ganondorf's ambitions, awoke from his slumber. His spirit took up residence in a small red boat known as the King of Red Lions, and he began searching for the new Hero and the descendent [sic] of the royal family." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 124)
  11. "You cannot defeat me with a blade that does not sparkle with the power to repel evil! What you hold is useless." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  12. "And I am its king: Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. 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)
  13. "He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted... That is what you said, is it not, Ganondorf? Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire! Hope! I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule! Let a ray of hope shine on the future of the world!!!" — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  14. "And let our destinies finally be fulfilled... Ganondorf! May you drown with Hyrule!!!" — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  15. "Very well, then... Allow me to show you... Your future... Yes... Allow me to show you... Just what hope you have... See how much your precious Triforce is worth!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  16. "I have scattered the seeds of the future..." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  17. "Roi Daphnés" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  18. "Roi d'Hyrule" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  19. "König Daphnos" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  20. "Re Dafnes" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  21. "Rey de Hyrule" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  22. "Rey de Hyrule" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
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