| “ | Tell me… Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs… The only time when we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight… | „ |
| ~ Rusl describing the twilight to Link. |
| “ | It has been a while since we took a walk in the forest, huh? Yes, and how our world has changed… I knew you would come. I have heard of your brave acts from Telma… I have known her circle of friends since my youth, and of late we have begun to work toward a common goal. | „ |
| ~ Rusl describing the Resistance in Faron Woods. |
Rusl is a major character in the 2006 action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
He is the swordsmith of Ordon Village who acts as a mentor to Link. After his son, Colin, is abducted by King Bulblin during Zant's invasion, Rusl finds himself beaten and powerless to help until Link steps in. Inspired by Link's courage, Rusl forms a secret Resistance against the forces of Twilight to support Link in preparation for Ganondorf's return.
Biography[]
Rusl is introduced as a humble swordsmith in Ordon Village. He is in a loving marriage with a woman named Uli, with whom he has a son, Colin, and a daughter on the way. He also mentors Link, a mysterious young ranch hand, in the ways of the sword.
One day, Rusl is tasked with delivering a special sword to Hyrule Castle on the day of Princess Zelda's coronation as the new Queen of Hyrule. However, not wanting to leave his pregnant wife behind, Rusl instead tasks Link with delivering the sword, trusting him to serve in his place. Unfortunately, before that can happen, the village is attacked by the Bulblin Tribe, who kidnap all of the village's children— including Link and Colin— and merge Faron Woods with the Twilight Realm, engulfing it in darkness. Despite his attempts to defend the village, Rusl is defeated and badly injured, yet still tries to defend the pregnant Uli against a fearsome wolf, which unbeknownst to him, is actually the Twilit form of Link.
Later on in the game, Link, after saving the village's children, visits Telma's Bar in Castle Town, searching for clues on where to find the Mirror of Twilight. Telma directs him towards some "friends" of hers in the back of the bar. There, Link finds a small, ragtag Resistance opposing Zant, which consists of Auru, Ashei, Shad, and a mysterious helmeted leader. If Link talks to the leader, he will remove his helm and reveal himself as Rusl. Having been inspired by stories of Link's courage and grateful for his rescue of Colin, Rusl formed the Resistance after healing from his injuries in order to contribute to Link's heroics and help save Hyrule.
Upon returning to Faron Woods, Link encounters Rusl once again. Rusl recounts the story of a fabled temple deep within the Sacred Grove before summoning a golden Cucco, which he calls his "partner", and telling Link to use it to cross the treacherous gaps within the woods. Link does exactly that, allowing him to find the Temple of Time.
In the game's climax, Link fights his way through Hyrule Castle to face Ganondorf and rescue Zelda. Midway through, he is unexpectedly ambushed by a horde of enemies. Suddenly, the Resistance appears and fires a cannon at the enemies, killing them and saving Link's life. Rusl waves at Link and proceeds to lead the Resistance into the castle to keep the rest of the monsters at bay as Link reaches Hyrule Castle Tower.
After Ganondorf's defeat, Hyrule is freed from the Twilight, allowing Rusl to disband the Resistance. He picks up Colin from Kakariko Village and returns to Ordon, where he finds that Uli has given birth to their newborn daughter.
Quotes[]
| “ | …So. Let me tell you a story. Do you know about the far side of this deep gorge? Some say there is an ancient temple deep in the woods that guards a sacred power. The ancestors of the Hylians created the temple… Signs of their civilization-- ancient, but very sophisticated-- are eveywhere. If someone could obtain the power of those ancient people… Well, I'm sure it would go a long way toward saving Hyrule. | „ |
| ~ Rusl recounting the legend of the Temple of Time to Link. |
