Waifu Wednesday: Urbosa (The Legend of Zelda)
We all need a little help sometimes. Whether you’re just trying to navigate the perils of adulthood or trying to save Hyrule from Calamity Ganon, we all need a big sister figure to show us the ropes. In Breath of the Wild, that’s where Urbosa comes in. She’s the older, more mature, impossibly ripped big sister we’ve always wanted in our lives.
For today’s Waifu Wednesday, we’re celebrating the Gerudo chief with abs for days and lightning in her fingertips.
Who is Urbosa?
Early in Breath of the Wild, we’re introduced to the Champions, pilots of the Divine Beasts who will help defeat Calamity Ganon. Urbosa, as the chief of the warrior Gerudo people, is chosen as the pilot of the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. This giant camel mecha wanders through the desert and rains down lightning on its foes, making it a powerful ally in the fight against Ganon.
Even outside of Vah Naboris, Urbosa is a formidable fighter. Wielding a scimitar and shield combo, she is shown to effortlessly take down members of the Yiga Clan who intended to ambush Princess Zelda. In addition to her physical abilities, she can summon her own lightning and use it to finish off enemies. Urbosa manages to be the most serious and focused of the Champions without delving into the cartoonish and forced rivalry of Revali. Even up to the moment of her death, she is dedicated to protecting Zelda and Hyrule.
Why we love her
Where the other Champions have a stronger bond with Link, Urbosa is focused more on the princess. She affectionately calls Zelda her “little bird”, a name she picked up from Zelda’s mother more than a decade before the rise of Calamity Ganon. While she is not the warm or cuddly type, the desire to protect Zelda clearly has deeper roots than just duty or honour. Even in death, Urbosa is focused on helping the princess succeed.
With my well-recorded history of loving women who scare me a little bit, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I have been a fan of Urbosa from the moment she burst onto the screen in Breath of the Wild. Tall, strong, and with abs you could grate cheese on, she strikes an intimidating pose, but what I really enjoy is the fact that there is so much more to her than that power. As the chief of the Gerudo, Urbosa holds a special place in Hyrule’s culture. The Gerudo are the closest thing to a warrior tribe within the setting, but she also shows enough affection and depth that she never risks being one note.
Why you’ll love her
There is more than enough depth to Urbosa to be interesting but combining those layers with such a powerful exterior only makes her that much more intriguing. She carries herself with poise and intelligence throughout the game and continues with her mission to defeat Ganon even in death. Her gameplay in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was easily the best of the game, showcasing the frightening power of her speed, strength, and area of effect lighting skills.
The two sides of Urbosa are what make her one of the best characters Nintendo have developed in recent years. Her strength and power combined with the gentle words of encouragement she offers to Zelda early in the game make the scenes the two share some of the most memorable and touching the game has to offer.
If you’d like to see Urbosa in action, you can pick up Breath of the Wild if you haven’t already or check her out in Age of Calamity. Both are out for the Switch.
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