Rauru is one of the most important and mysterious characters in OoT, for he is the last of the Ancient Sages and is the Sage of Light.
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Biography:
Who is Rauru?
Very little is known about this character. Nothing is known about his life before he became one of the Ancient Sages. It is unknown how old he is, or even whether he's actually alive or is nothing more than a spirit that remains inside the Chamber of Sages.
Rauru, one of the Ancient Sages
The Ancient Sages are credited with building the Temple of Time. The main function of the Temple was to protect the Triforce from evil ones. In ancient times Rauru may have been the leader of the Sages, because (according to the Official Strategy Guide) he was architect of the Temple of Time. However, OoT itself does not credit Rauru with designing the Temple of Time or leading the Ancient Sages, and it is unknown who built the Temple of Light.
After the Temple of Time was finished, nothing more is said about the ancient sages. They all (presumably) died. Only Rauru remained inside the Chamber of Sages, in the center of the Temple of Light in the Sacred Realm.
Rauru, the Sage of Light
When Link pulls out the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, his spirit is sealed (by Rauru?) for seven years. After seven years, Rauru wakes Link up. He tells Link he was one of the Ancient Sages and informs him that Link is actually the legendary Hero of Time. He finally tells him to fulfill his destiny, to find the other Sages, revealing himself to be the Sage of Light and giving him the Light Medallion.
While Link wakes the other five Sages, it appears that Rauru is the de-facto leader of the Six Sages. He is the only one (with the exception of Saria) who speaks telepathically with Link. He does it twice:
- First, when Link awakens the other five Sages, to congratulate him and to tell him Sheik is waiting for him.
- Second, when Link goes to Ganon's Castle, to tell him that they six would gather their power to build a bridge to the castle, where Ganondorf dwells, and to explain to him how the defences of Ganon's Tower are organized.
The last time Link speaks with Rauru is when he dispels the Light Barrier, one of the six barriers that protects Ganon's Tower.
After Sheik reveals himself to actually be Zelda, Zelda reveals that she is the leader of the Seven Sages. When Link defeats Ganon, it is Zelda who leads them (from atop Ganon's ruined castle) and Rauru who pronounces the spell to seal Ganon inside the Evil Realm.
At the end of OoT, all the Six Sages return to Hyrule, except for Rauru, who remains inside the Chamber of Sages.
Rauru's immortality
Evidence from OoT
Rauru is the only surviving member of the Ancient Sages. He seems to have lived for many centuries, since the existence of the Triforce is just a legend and Rauru himself claims to have helped build the Temple of Time "ages ago." Given that Sages are certainly not immortal (all Ancient Sages except him have died) this raises a question: Why is Rauru different? For this question there might be three possible answers:
- Rauru is just a spirit that lives inside the Chamber of Sages. Those who think this could also say Kaepora Gaebora is Rauru's earthly counterpart and reincarnation. This fits in with the theory that only spirits can exist in the Chamber of Sages. (Only Link's spirit is sealed in the Chamber of Sages, and one can speculate that the other five sages have died, even though the game doesn't show them dying, and they are seen alive in the ending.) But this posibility raises more questions: Why does Rauru remain and the others not? Can a spirit really be a Sage, and if so, why couldn't the ghosts in TWW be Sages?
- All Sages are immortal while they are inside the Chamber of Sages. Rauru says that his power is greater inside Chamber of Sages. So why can't the power of Sacred Realm keep him alive? It is also notable that Rauru is the only Sage that doesn't go out of the Chamber of Sages.
- Rauru doesn't belong to Hyrule but to the Sacred Realm, and because of this he's immortal. This is supported by the fact that he doesn't return to Hyrule like the other Sages. It also seems that if the Forest Sage comes from the forests, the Sage of Light comes from the Sacred Realm.
Evidence from TWW
More evidence about Rauru's immortality comes to light in TWW. In this game it is definitely proven that Sages can be killed. (Laruto and Fado were killed by Ganondorf's orders, and Rauru seems to have already died, since he's never mentioned.) But, more importantly, a new immortal character appears: The King of Hyrule Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. Parallels between Rauru and the King of Hyrule are easily found:
- Their appearances are very similar (although the graphic style is different): the clothes they wear cover their hands, their beards are nearly the same...
- They are both the only remaining people from an ancient time (although Ganondorf looks like he's as old as the King).
- Both of them command Link to look for the Sages.
- Both of them have been defeated by Ganondorf once (Rauru wasn't able to hide the Triforce from Ganondorf, the King had to flood Hyrule to avoid Ganondorf conquering Hyrule).
With these parallels it is tempting to think Rauru and the King of Hyrule are "something similar." Understanding what the King of Hyrule really is can help answer the question of what Rauru is. The King can teleport and he doesn't choke underwater, so he can't be a living person. He can touch and be touched, so he can't be a spirit. From this one can conclude that the King hasn't died, but isn't alive either. Rauru might be something similar. Another possible parallel is between the King of Red Lions and Kaepora Gaebora (see below).
The Kaepora Gaebora connection
They say that the owl named Kaepora Gaebora is the reincarnation of an ancient Sage.
With this bit of gossip from a Gossip Stone in the Sacred Forest Meadow begins the speculation of whether Rauru and Kaepora Gaebora are two faces of one character. This theory is quite popular, given the extreme resemblance (though the former is an owl and the latter a human) between Kaepora Gaebora's head (when he turns it 180º) and Rauru's face.
The theory almost seems to be confirmed in TWW, when the King of Hyrule reveals that he is the King of Red Lions (a talking boat). So, one may think, if the King of Hyrule incarnated (or "inwoodated") himself into the King of Red Lions to be able to protect Link outside Hyrule, why couldn't Rauru incarnate into the owl to help and to watch over Link outside the Sacred Realm? This theory may seem attractive but has two big problems:
- Kaepora Gaebora looks after Link in the past (although he also watches Link in the future). But why would Rauru incarnate to look after a boy unless he knew Link was the Hero of Time? Assuming he knew Link was the legendary Hero of Time, it wouldn't make any sense to say:
Even I thought that the tales of a boy who could travel back and forth through time was merely a legend.
If he is Rauru, why does he say that? Perhaps he didn't think time travel would be necessary and discounted the prophecies about the Hero of Time, but this doesn't seem likely given what Rauru knows.
- The rumour says literally "Kaepora Gaebora is the reincarnation of an ancient Sage." It says reincarnation, not incarnation. Reincarnation means "incarnate again after death". But Rauru is not dead, and even if he is, his spirit is in the Chamber of Sages, not reincarnated into an owl. If Rauru and Kaepora Gaebora were the same character, Kaepora Gaebora would be just an incarnation or "double" of Rauru, not the reincarnation of Rauru.
Images
Above and below. Rauru inside the Chamber of Sages. From OoT MQ.
Relevant quotes
- Zelda, when you first meet her, telling Link the legend of Triforce
So, the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones.
- Rauru, when Link wakes up inside the Chamber of Sages:
Link...Wake up... Link, the chosen one... I am Rauru, one of the ancient Sages... Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm... This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light... The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces. The Master Sword--the evil-destroying sword that you pulled out of the Pedestal of Time--was the final key to the Sacred Realm. Link... Don't be alarmed... Look at yourself...!
The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch... Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time.... However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time... Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time! Well, do you understand your destiny? But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!
- Rauru, while Link leaves the Chamber of Sages:
Find the other Sages and save Hyrule!
- Rauru, after Link awakens all the Sages:
Link, the hero! Finally, all of us, the six Sages, have been awakened! The time for the final showdown with the King of Evil has come! Before that, though, you should meet the one who is waiting for you... The one who is waiting for you at the Temple of Time...
- Rauru, when Link goes to Ganon's Castle:
Link...can you hear me? It's Rauru, the Sage. We six will gather our power to create a bridge to the castle where Ganondorf dwells... The castle's keep, which is known as Ganon's Tower, is protected by six evil barriers. Bring down the six barriers and save Princess Zelda!!
- Rauru, when Link dispels Light Barrier:
The Light Barrier is dispelled! Hurry!
- Rauru, pronouncing the spell to seal Ganon:
Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!
Miscellaneous Notes
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 Rauru. 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.
Rauru also has a minor appearance in TWW: he is represented as the Sage of Light in a stained-glass window in the chamber where the Master Sword rests inside Hyrule Castle.
Translations
| Country | Name |
| Japanese | ラウル (RAURU) |
| All other | Rauru |
It's strange, but here all the translations are the same.
Acknowledgements
Entry submited by Arturo. Edited by davogones