Ruto (Zora)

Quick Description

Princess of the Zoras, Sage of the Water Temple, and…Link’s fiancée?!? It seems that Ruto seems to score no matter how old she is, but the ends certainly don’t justify the means in this case, as the Zora princess has had a pretty tough life from the time both Ganondorf and Link entered her life…

Biography

It is unknown how old Ruto is or when she was born, although it appears that she is the same age as Link in OoT. Going by that assumption Ruto would be around 10 in the “past” and around 17 in the “future”. Ruto is the daughter of King Zora, and is also in charge of feeding Lord Jabu-Jabu, the guardian deity of the Zora race. While feeding a customary fish to Jabu-Jabu, Ruto was swallowed whole by the water god. Apparently, Ruto was use to this, but while she was swallowed, the Zora's Sapphire (the Spiritual Stone of Water) was lost within Jabu-Jabu's belly. Not only that, but Ruto noticed strange and hostile creatures that had taken root within the innards of Jabu-Jabu.

Writing a note asking for help, and placing the note in a bottle, Ruto sent her message out into Zora's Fountain, where it eventually was carried to Lake Hylia. At one point, Link, still just a boy, dived in the waters of Lake Hylia and came across the bottle and the note inside. Showing the note to King Zora, Link gained access to Zora's Fountain, where he used a fish to get inside Jabu-Jabu. There Link met Ruto. At first the Zora princess was angry at someone coming to her rescue, but eventually Link was able to reunite Ruto with the Zora's Sapphire and then defeated the evil that was plaguing the insides of the water deity. Outside in Zora's Fountain, Ruto remarked how cool Link was and gave him the Zora's Sapphire. But in Zora culture, the stone is used as an engagement ring. And so, the Zora princess proposed to Link, who, unknowningly accepted!!

As Link slept in the Chamber of Sages for the next seven years, Ganondorf used the Triforce of Power to spread his evil reign all across Hyrule. In order to prevent the legend of the Hero of Time from coming true, Ganondorf decided to eliminate the possibility of a Sage of Water, but creating Morpha, a great evil that stayed within the sacred Water Temple. As long as Morpha remained in the Water Temple, a great curse would befall the Zora race. And indeed, it did. Zora's Domain was completely frozen, and its inhabitants trapped beneath between thick, magical sheets of ice. However, the mysterious young Sheikah, known as Sheik, managed to save the Zora princess, Ruto, who had grown into a fine young woman (!). Ruto raced to the Water Temple to defeat the evil curse and save the Zoras.

Then the Hero of Time woke up. When Link raced to Zora's Domain, and saw the ice that covered it, Sheik taught Link the song known as the Serenade of Water. With this song, Link could warp to the entrance to the Water Temple in Lake Hylia (which was nearly drained, due to the evil in the temple). Upon entering the Water Temple, Link found Ruto, who told him her mission in the sacred place. Eventually Link was able to defeat Morpha, awakening the Sage of Water, who was, not surprisingly, Ruto! After granting Link the Water Medallion, Ruto remained in the Chamber of Sages with the other Sages, until she was needed to help the other six Sages sealed Ganon within the tainted Evil Realm. Once the evil king had been imprisoned within the realm, Ruto returned to Hyrule with the other Sages and watched the people of Hyrule celebrate joyfully over Ganon's defeat.

Relevant Quotes

Letter in a bottle in Lake Hylia:

Help me.
I'm waiting for you inside
Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly.
--Ruto
PS: Don't tell my father!

Zoras in Zora's Domain:

Lord Jabu-Jabu is the patron deity
of the Zoras. Princess Ruto is in 
charge of preparing his meals, 
morning and night.

We haven't found Princess Ruto even though some 
of  us have searched as far as Lake Hylia...

We Zoras all respect the great
King Zora! He has the dignity of
a king. Oh yeah, he does.
The grand King Zora has a 
Princess named Ruto. She's an
only child.
She's also a wild tomboy, and it
seems like she's always causing
the King a lot of trouble!

I am a Zora. Have you seen a 
pretty Zora girl around here?

If you find any clues to
Princess Ruto's whereabouts,
will you show them to King Zora?

King Zora:

Oh, my dear, sweet Princess Ruto...
Where has she gone?
I'm so worried...

King Zora when you give him the letter you found inside the bottle:

Ho, this letter! 
It's from Princess Ruto!!
Hmmm...Let's see...
She's inside Lord Jabu-Jabu?
That's not possible!
Our guardian god, Lord Jabu-Jabu,
would never eat my dear Princess
Ruto!
But since that stranger, Ganondorf,
came here, Lord Jabu-Jabu has 
been a little green around the
gills...
The evidence seems clear.
Of course, you'll go find Ruto.
You can pass through here to the 
altar of Lord Jabu-Jabu.
I'll keep this letter. You keep the 
bottle it was in. Take it 
respectfully!

Please find my dear Princess Ruto
immediately... Zora!

Ruto, when you meet her in Jabu-Jabu’s belly

You! Who are you?!
I am Ruto, Princess of the Zoras.
What?!
Are you saying my father asked 
you to come here to save me?
I'd never ask anyone to do such a
thing!
"Letter in a Bottle?"  I have
no idea what you're talking about!
My father is worried about me?
I don't care!
Anyway, I can't go home right
now.
And you... Get out of here!
Understand?!
       
Are you still hanging around here?
I told you to go away!
I'm OK. I've been going inside
Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly since I was
little, but...
Lord Jabu-Jabu is very strange 
today...
There are electrified jellyfish and
strange holes around...
On top of that, my precious stone 
was...but...
That's none of your business!
Anyway...
You! Go home now!
Understand?!

Ruto, the second time you speak to her:

You're that worried about me?
Then I will give you the honor
of carrying me!
However...I won't leave until I 
find the thing I'm looking for.
You'd better believe me!

Ruto, if you leave her alone:

How inconsiderate!
How could you leave me behind?! 
If you're a man, act like one! 
Take responsibility!

Ruto, when she finds the Spiritual Stone:

That's it!
That's what I've been looking for!
Throw me up there!
Onto the platform!
(Princess Ruto got the Spiritual Stone!
But why Princess Ruto?)
Oh my goodness!
I finally found...
My mother's stone...
I got very upset when Lord Jabu-Jabu swallowed  
it...
While I was feeding him, he suddenly swallowed me!
I was so surprised I dropped it inside...
But, now that I've found it, I don't need to be in 
here anymore!
So, take me home, right now!

Ruto, after you defeat Barinade

You...You're late!
What took you so long?
You're useless!
I was just lonely, that's all...
Just a little!!

Ruto, before giving you the Spiritual Stone:

You!
You looked cool...cooler than I 
thought you would, anyway... 
Just a little!
Well, anyway, you saved me, so I 
guess I'll reward you.
What do you wish? Just tell me...

Ruto’s explanation of the Zora’s Sapphire

You mean the Spiritual Stone of
Water, Zora's Sapphire, don't you?
       
My mother gave it to me and said 
I should give it only to the man 
who will be my husband. You might
call it the Zora's Engagement Ring!
All right!
I'll give you my most precious
possession: 
Zora's Sapphire!
       
Don't tell my father...

Zoras from Zora's Domain, greeting you after saving Ruto:

Oh, hi Link!
You're all Princess Ruto will talk
about lately!

Oh, Link!
So, you saved the Princess, eh?
I really appreciate it!

You found Princess Ruto!
Now King Zora will give you the 
Spiritual Stone of Water...
Well, maybe.
Huh?

Ruto, inside the Throne Chamber:

Did my most precious possession
help you in your quest? Heehee!

A Gossip Stone (where?)

They say that Ruto, the Zora 
Princess who is known for her 
selfish nature, likes a certain 
boy...

Sheik, when Link learns the Serenade of Water

If you came here to meet the 
Zoras,
you wasted your time...
This is all there is...
With one exception, the Zoras 
are now sealed under this thick 
ice sheet...
I managed to rescue the Zora
princess from under the ice, but... 
she left to head for the Water 
Temple...

King Zora, after you save him:

Princess Ruto has gone to Lake 
Hylia and has not come back...
I'm so worried...again!

Ruto, when you meet her in the Water Temple

Oh...you... If I'm right...
Link?!
You're Link, aren't
you?
It's me, your fiancée, Ruto!
Princess of the Zoras!
I never forgot the vows we
made to each other seven years 
ago!
You're a terrible man to have 
kept me waiting for these seven
long years...
But now is not the time to talk 
about love...
I'm sure you've already seen it!
Zora's Domain--totally frozen!
A young man named Sheik saved 
me from under the ice...
But my father and the other 
Zoras have not
...yet...
       
I want to save them all!
I want to save Zora's Domain!
You! You have to help me!
This is a request from me, the
woman who is going to be your
wife!
Link, you have to 
help me destroy the evil
monster
in the Temple, OK?!
Inside the Water Temple, there are 
three places where you can 
change the water level.
I'll lead the way.
Follow me, quickly!!

Ruto, when you see her in the Chamber of Sages

Link...
I would have expected no less
from the man I chose to be my
husband.
Zora's Domain and its people
will eventually return to their
original state.
      
As a reward...
I grant my eternal love to
you.
Well, that's what I want to say, 
but I don't think I can offer that
now.
       
I have to guard the Water 
Temple as the Sage of Water...
And you... You're searching for the
princess, Zelda?
Hah!
You can't hide anything from me!
       
Princess Zelda... She's alive. I can
sense it...so don't be discouraged.
       
I can tell that nothing will stop
you in your quest for justice and 
peace... You must take this 
Medallion... Take it respectfully!
       
If you see Sheik, 
please give him my thanks, OK?

Sheik, after Ruto awakens as a Sage:

As the water rises, the evil is vanishing from 
the lake...
Link, you did it!
Did Ruto want to thank me?
I see...
We have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake,  
too. Don't we?
Look at that, Link...
Together, you and Princess Ruto destroyed the evil 
monster! Once again, the lake is filled with pure 
water. All is as it was here.

King Zora, after Ruto awakens as a Sage?? (I'm not very sure):

Ah, I see...
Princess Ruto went to the Water
Temple...

Ruto, as you dispel Water Barrier:

The Water Barrier is dispelled!
Hurry up!

Miscellaneous Notes

AoL Town Connection

In AoL, most of the towns are named after the Sages or important people from the OoT era. So of course there’s a town called Ruto. This was purposely done by the creators as a nod to past Zelda games. However, from historian’s point of view, since AoL happens long after OoT, the towns were named after the Sages.

Ruto and Lulu

Ruto's version in MM was Lulu, who unlike Ruto, wears a purple dress.

Keaton Fox Question

In MM the Keaton asks you several question, one of them is about the name of the singer in the Zora Band. Out of three options you have: Toto, Lulu and Ruto. Coincidently Ruto's name is mentioned in the world of Termina as well.

Stained Glass

Ruto also has a minor appearance in TWW: she is represented as the Sage of Water in a stained-glass window in the chamber where the Master Sword rests inside Hyrule Castle.

Acknowledgements

Entry submitted by Hero of Winds