Zelbosa

Zelbosa is the friendship between Urbosa and Zelda from The Legend of Zelda fandom.

Breath of the Wild
Urbosa was met with her childhood friend, the Queen of Hyrule, who introduced her to Princess Zelda who had a beautiful smile on her. Urbosa believes that she will grow up to be a beautiful queen like her. Zelda's mother was grateful though she would rather have her grow up to have joy in her life, with Urbosa noticing how unconditional love between the mother and daughter was.

Six years later, the queen suddenly passes away unexpectedly which saddens Urbosa very much and during the funeral, she witnessed how Zelda never cried throughout the occasion and while she commends how she carries herself like a true princess, she still worries for her as she lost not just a mother, but a teacher who would have taught her how to access her birthright, her sacred power, which puts her at constant stress due to the fact that it was the only hope of stopping Calamity Ganon, who is set to return at a much later time. A year later, Urbosa visits Hyrule Castle out of concern for the new seven-year-old Zelda and King Rhoam allows her to accompany her during her training session. Zelda prayed all day until sunset and Urbosa urges Zelda to stop but was ignored to the point where Urbosa had to drag her out of the freezing water. When she came around, Zelda breaks down and wonders why she could not succeed as her ancestors have, and all Urbosa could do was hold her close hoping it was enough.

Nine years later, Urbosa learns that emissaries have come to visit her to inquire of her to become Divine Beast Vah Naboris's pilot to counter Calamity Ganon. Urbosa plans on doing so, due to Ganon once being affiliated with the Gerudo in the ancient past which she hated and it was personal to her, but when she learns that Zelda is visiting to receive her answer, she looks forward to seeing her. When Zelda arrives Urbosa accepts immediately due to the fact that the Yiga Clan is not only bent on resurrecting Calamity Ganon, but they are after their treasured heirloom, the Thunder Helm and that she won't rest until the Calamity falls which Zelda is grateful for. That night, Zelda notes how serious Urbosa was, which she replies that she would have said so herself and ten years before she rarely smiled and called her little bird. As Zelda asked about the nickname, Urbosa suddenly stops and tells two strange passerbys to halt and face her and prefers to face her foes head on and challenges them to a duel. The passerbys reveal themselves to be Yiga Footsoldiers and put up a fight with her, but Urbosa managed to beat them and used her power against the one trying to attack her from behind. She spares them out of respect for Zelda while telling them to leave. She gets back to the subject on the nickname and explains that her mother also called her that when she was younger, and even after her death, she goes on how Zelda still spreads her wings to become the beacon of hope Hyrule needed and sometimes gets lost in the past.

Urbosa is recruited as a Champion alongside three other individuals and were given special blue cloths to commemorate this. During a break at the gazebo, Urbosa mentions the Sheikah Slate having a Camera Rune, bringing that to Mipha's attention and asks Zelda for a favor. Purah brings everyone together for a photo shoot, instructs everyone to get into position before taking the photo, though Daruk pulls everyone in as she did. Urbosa saw how cold she was to Link and already knows why but hopes that they would eventually get along. The Champions also attend Link's ceremony with Zelda's depressing speech was a topic among the Champions and as Revali rants about the ceremony, he adds that he is on the same page as her regarding Link, but Urbosa, having saw firsthand why Zelda is like that hushes them and states that he is a living reminder of her own failure to her. When Zelda took advantage of Gerudo law to get away from Link, she helps him through a trick of disguise, but Zelda already disappeared, so she promised to let him know if she turns up.

Urbosa and Zelda did a survey on Vah Naboris all day and it was at sunset where she finally fell asleep, allowing her to let Link know and he arrived as soon as he did. She then explains that she was exhausted from a hard day's work and asks how they are getting along, but deduces from his silence that they haven't, and Urbosa explains that his presence reminds her of what she is lacking but does not blame him for their poor relationship and goes on how dedicated she was to her training, even once passing out during one of her attempts. She is sympathetic towards her and tells him that it is an honor to guard a member of the Royal Family. As the desert night got colder, Urbosa planned on taking her in, but changes her mind and uses Urbosa's Fury and the sound wakes her up. Zelda is shocked that Link is here and Urbosa laughs, leaving Zelda even more confused on what she is laughing about. Having explained everything, Urbosa leaves the rest up to them.

Urbosa is later happy to hear that Zelda was all smiles and that she and Link are on much better terms than they previously were, but she also concerned that they are running out of time, especially in wake of strange events and increase of monster attacks happening day by day. She could only pray that Zelda has enough time, not to the goddesses but to her mother, the person she continues to miss. Urbosa and the Champions meet with Link and Zelda at the foot of Mt. Lanayru. Zelda is despondent that her training at the Spring of Wisdom did nothing to help access her power. Urbosa tells her that she would need to move on as pitying herself isn't going to help her and just about anything could awaken sacred power. However, Calamity Ganon suddenly returns, prompting the Champions to head to their Divine Beasts, but they end up meeting a tragic end, along with Rhoam, which drives Zelda into despair. Link was gravely wounded in a fight with the corrupted Guardians which Zelda was able to awaken her power to protect him. She has the Sheikah soldiers take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection so he can recover and uses her power to seal Ganon away.

Once Link is revived, he sets out to free the Divine Beasts and when he got around to liberating Vah Naboris, Urbosa is grateful and notes that they have suffered so much since the deaths of the Champions and that Zelda does not need to carry any blame for these events and asks him to let her know that she is very proud of her. As Link leaves, Urbosa tells him to take care of Zelda and Hyrule. Once Link confronts Calamity Ganon, the Champions open fire at it to weaken the beast.

Fanon
Zelbosa has garnered quite a sizable fanbase amongst those within the Zelda community. It was once a femslash ship for both of them early on since Breath of the Wild's release, but when The Champions' Ballad DLC Pack 2 came around which confirms that Urbosa was a friend of Zelda's Mother, and Urbosa knew Zelda since she was a baby putting the Gerudo Champion around the same age as Zelda's parents with Zelda being 16-17 years old, this ship ended up falling out of favor with its fanbase diminishing quickly at this revelation, though these ships do continue to exist. Since then, those who still wanted to ship Urbosa with another female character in the games have instead paired her with Zelda's mother instead.

Regarding the ships of Urbosa and Zelda, fans have preferred to pair them as either just them being friends or even in the relationship as they were in the games. Their friendship was praised highly due to how much of a mother that Urbosa acts towards Zelda and was there to comfort her, even when she does not know how accessing sacred power works and often gives Zelda comfort and advice whenever she needs it. In Age of Calamity, Urbosa, alongside Terrako, are the reason why Zelda did not show animosty towards Link like she did in the original game as Urbosa assures her that Link is still the same person as he was before he got the Master Sword and she should not need to compare herself to him.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION