Humpday Husbandos: Groose (Skyward Sword)
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes they are big. Sometimes they are small. Sometimes they wear a hat and a legendary tunic, wielding a sword containing an A.I. companion created by the goddess. And sometimes, heroes have nothing but their bravery and an amazing head of hair. I’m speaking, of course, of Groose.
For this week’s Humpday Husbando, we’ll be focusing on the true hero of Skyloft. The man who set off on a quest to save the woman he loved and ended up helping to save the world from destruction at the hands of an angry god. This week, we celebrate Groose.
Who is Groose?
As Skyward Sword opens, Groose is a personal rival to Link, even going so far as sabotaging their chance to become a knight of Skyloft by locking away their crimson Loftwing ahead of the big race. Much of this rivalry is one-sided, with Groose mainly acting out of jealousy. See, the big guy has a bit of a crush on this incarnation of Zelda (don’t we all – Ed.) but she only seems to have time for Link. It is enough to drive anyone to act out.
After Zelda disappears and Link sets off on his mission to rescue her from below the clouds of Skyloft, Groose isn’t content to just sit back and hope for the best. He takes off after Link to aid with the rescue attempts, despite not having any idea what the surface is like or even if he will survive the trip. At first, he is determined to be the one to save Zelda, but after an encounter with The Imprisoned he quickly realises that he isn’t equipped for such a quest.
Why we love him
Groose starts the game as a typical foil to Link’s heroism. He is loud and brash, a simple bully who keeps his crew in line through fear and intimidation tactics. After spending time on the surface and being exposed to a whole other world of danger, his true colours become clear. He isn’t the hero of the story and he accepts that, but it doesn’t mean that he can’t contribute to the cause. His invention, the Groosenator, is instrumental in defeating The Imprisoned as it becomes more and more powerful throughout the game.
It is Groose who steps between Ghirahim and the Gate of Time, even if it doesn’t stop the Demon Lord for very long. He does what he can to save Zelda, despite being woefully out of his depth and without the benefit of a magical sword like Link. Here at Rice Digital, we love a good rival-turned-ally story and Groose is the best example of that within the Legend of Zelda franchise. He is giving us strong himbo energy and we’re here for it.
Why you’ll love him
Skyward Sword has a funny place within the Legend of Zelda franchise’s history, but Groose’s story is certainly one of the best parts of it. His transformation from bully to ally to friend is driven by his affection for Zelda and, by the end of the game, he displays some of the deepest character development we’ve seen in the series to date. Plus, he has, hands-down, the best hair in the franchise.
Groose goes from a character we immediately want to punch in the face to a character we desperately want to hug at certain points of the game. That alone is an achievement, but the writing and pacing makes this transition surprisingly organic and natural feeling. It doesn’t come across as forced, already putting it above many iterations of this trope.
Haven’t played through Skyward Sword? Well, you can grab the HD remaster for the Switch right now.
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