King Dorephan

“	This attack proves your point. We are woefully unprepared to defend against the Calamity. The Zora will face this peril head on. We must consider the future. We all share this land of Hyrule, so all of us must do our part.	„
	~ King Dorephan

King Dorephan is a supporting character in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and makes his return in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. He is the king of the Zora's Domain, having been in rule for over 200 years and is the husband of the unnamed queen of Zora's Domain, as well as the father of both Mipha and Sidon.

He eventually steps down from the throne when both his son and Link play their role in defeating Mucktorok, restoring peace to the Zora Domain. With his son now as king, Dorephan plans to enjoy the rest of his life in retirement.

He is voiced by Dan Riordan.

Biography[]

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[]

King Dorephan is the current ruling monarch of Zora's Domain. His daughter Mipha and his son Sidon were born to him and his queen and he cherished both of them dearly throughout their lives. When Divine Beast Vah Ruta was excavated several years later, Dorephan witnessed Mipha's eyes light up as soon as she saw it and notes that she was speaking to it like a best friend. Eventually when Calamity Ganon's return proved to be imminent, Mipha was selected as Vah Ruta's pilot which Mipha had accepted. King Dorephan would grant her permission to become the Zora Champion of Vah Ruta, on the condition that she returns home safely.

During Calamity Ganon's attack, it was recorded that a rogue Guardian infected with Malice came into Zora's Domain with none of the Zora soldiers being able to stop it. Dorephan fearlessly faced it and managed to throw it into the ravine, destroying it which earned the respect of his people, which he gains a scar on his forehead from the encounter. Unfortunately, after Princess Zelda traps Ganon inside Hyrule Castle, he was aggrieved to see that Mipha never turned up as are the rest of the Zoras and has regretted letting her do so in the first place. He notes that when the Zoras tried to send the Lightscale Trident down Zora's River to let her spirit rest, her voice chimed in where she tells everyone that they must let go of their grief over her and to maintain her memory. This led to the construction of her statue at the main plaza. King Dorephan has several Stone Monuments of his tribe's history.

A hundred years pass, and Divine Beast Vah Ruta, which was infected by Calamity Ganon and inactive throughout the timeskip suddenly reactivates and began bringing about a perpetual rain that threatened to break the Rutela Dam and flood Zora's Domain and all of Hyrule. It was there that Link has awakened without his memories from the Shrine of Resurrection and went out to liberate the Divine Beasts. After his now only surviving son escorts Link to the domain where he meets with Dorephan and Muzu, the king congratulates the Hylian on making it there and is nostalgic over his many visits a century ago. While there was a rumor that Link fell in battle, he is relieved to see that he really lived and regardless of Link's responses, it doesn't take long for the king to realize that Link no longer has any memory of previous events including his lost daughter. Despite Muzu's rude remarks made towards Link, King Dorephan explains about Zora's Domain's situation with Vah Ruta's abnormal behavior with it causing an endless rain and what the disaster will bring if nothing is done about it. The orbs on Vah Ruta require electricity to stop it, but because the element is too dangerous for the Zoras, it was the reason Sidon was seeking outside help and he learns that Princess Zelda is still alive, though she is keeping Calamity Ganon imprisoned as long as she can. King Dorephan grants Link the Zora Armor made by his daughter, which was the last straw for Muzu who walks away in a huff. Sidon heads out to convince him which King Dorephan believes that he will speak to Muzu as he wondered what became of the Champions since the disaster.

After Divine Beast Vah Ruta is calmed, King Dorephan and the Zoras are gathered at the plaza to congratualate Link on saving Zora's Domain and Hyrule from a terrible flood and allows Link to own the Lightscale Trident, a weapon that Mipha had since birth. When spoken to again, the king will ask what became of Mipha, which Link tells him that he met her soul with the king asking again if she said anything. The king will be distraught when it was confirmed that Mipha is truly gone, while taking comfort that she is able to fulfil her duty as a Champion and she is not alone as he will watch over her and tells Link that she truly loved him and to never forget that. And tells him that he will always be welcome at Zora's Domain.

When The Champions' Ballad DLC Pack is installed, King Dorephan will give Link more intel about Mipha as she has always been a kind person and she was friends with Link when he was only a child and since Link aged quicker than her, she developed feelings for him. A relationship that reminds him of an ancient legend of another Zora Princess having fallen in love with a Hylian Knight, which he explains that he supported their union, though it pains him that because of the tragedy that they will never be together. King Dorephan will also bring up the topic about Mipha's old diary that she left behind which brought him much joy and encourages Link to read it, believing that Mipha will forgive him for it, though on the contrary, Mipha would not allow Link to do so in one of the Champions' secret dialogues.

In the true ending where Link completes the requirements including liberating all of the Divine Beasts, regains all his memories, and the Master Sword, Princess Zelda and Link prepare to head to Zora's Domain due to Divine Beast Vah Ruta having stopped working and to investigate why. She thinks about King Dorephan, who would like to inquire more of Mipha and decides to give him some closure.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom[]

Dorephan still serves as Zora King several years later since the events of Breath of the Wild, but now Zora's Domain is being plagued with a poisonous sludge being caused by the Mucktorok, a monster summoned by Ganondorf to torment the Zora following the Upheaveal. Dorephan provides some scales for Link to use to help find the source of the sludge before entering the Temple of Water with Sidon to deal with the Mucktorok once and for all. After the Mucktorok is slain, Sidon finds the Secret Stone of Water, and is discovered to be the descendant of the Sage of Water they aided King Rauru against Ganondorf in the distant past. After Sidon accepts his destiny, Dorephan decides to abdicate the throne and pass it to Sidon. Though Sidon is hesitant to accept succeeding his father, he soon agrees to accept the crown and become the new Zora King.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[]

King Dorephan appears when Princess Zelda is recruiting the Champions, and she asks for Mipha to become the Zora Champion that pilots Vah Ruta. The king notes that it will be a dangerous mission to pilot a Divine Beast against the darkness and the knight with the blade that seals the darkness has not yet appeared. He politely turns her down, not wanting to put Mipha in serious danger. Zelda tries to plead with him but they are interrupted by one of the Zora guards that Zora's Domain is under attack, ending the meeting prematurely.

As the battle went on, King Dorephan was fighting hard to keep the monsters out of Zora's Domain and his Zora soldiers are killed and he finds himself at the mercy of an Electric Moblin who attempts to get a jump on him, though Mipha blasts it with a powerful laser from Vah Ruta, much to his amazement as she destroys the retreating enemy reinforcements.

After the battle came to an end, King Dorephan realized that they are not as well prepared as they thought and is still willing to do his part. He then turns to Mipha and allows her to pilot Vah Ruta on the condition that she returns home unscathed.

While King Dorephan has made no further appearances, but with Terrako's time traveling abilities and the survival of the Champions, it is strongly implied that he is greatly relieved to see her alive and well, without regretting his decision to let her do her part.