earthnashes:

-You don’t have to be related to a Sage to be a Champion. It isn’t even a prerequisite nor is it common. The only instance of a Champion being related to a past Sage is Daruk and Urbosa, but they weren’t made Champions because of it. This is explained a little more below.

-The Divine Beasts were named after revered and celebrated figures of that specific race’s culture, so it’s much less to do with the Champions being somehow related to them and moreso as a way to pay homage and respect to a hero of the past, as well as the belief than names hold power in its own right (so naming a Divine Beast after a legendary hero of old could be their way of trying to instill more power to it).

While I’m on the subject lemme go ahead and explain the difference between a “Champion” and a “Sage” in my headcanon:

-A Champion no longer holds the same meaning it once did in BotW either, since the need to pilot the Divine Beasts is no longer a thing (not that anyone could access the Divine Beasts anymore anyway, since they roam Old Hyrule). ”Champions” are a handful of chosen warriors that serve as Hyrule’s best line of defense against any threat. Despite every group of peoples having their own form of governing, culture, and way of life, all of them are still united under the banner of Hyrule, and the Champions could be the physical representation of this tight alliance. A Champion may not necessarily have a lot of political power by themselves but what they represent and what they stand for still puts them in a high position in social status and therefore their word often holds significant weight. You don’t have to be of divine blood or anything of that sort to be a Champion, however a Champion generally represents the best of their people in character and ability.

- A “Sage” is an individual chosen by a divine or higher power to act as spiritual bridges between the Sacred Realm and the Mortal Realm. They not only aid in the protection of Hyrule, but also act as mentors, protectors, and allies to the Triforce heroes. Sages are often chosen based on lineage, meaning one has to be a decedent of a Sage in order to be “awakened” as one themselves should the need ever arise. That said though, it’s entirely possible for a Sage to pass their role to another they deem worthy, even if their chosen apprentice does not hold the blood of a Sage in their ancestry.

-As of right now the only Sages active are the Dragon Guardians. Speaking of them, though, they will eventually find successors to take on their role as a Sage, of which I propose a character for their mentorship below:

-Riju (Light)

-Medli (Earth) (successor to Saria/Ordona )

-Yunobo (Fire) (successor to Darunia/Eldin)

-Revali (Wind) (Successor to Rauru/Lanayru)

-Mipha (Water)(Successor to Ruto/Faron)

-Midna (Shadow) *SN: I’m combining Shadow and Spirit into one element*

-Paya (Time)

—-

And while we’re on the topic lemme just lay out the groundwork for this timeline’s current Champions:

-Urbosa (champion of the Gerudo)

-Daruk (champion of the Gorons)

-Teba (champion of the Rito)

-Sidon (champion of the Zora)

-Impa (champion of the Hylians)