Who is the bedazzled "Golden Voyager" taking center stage at the Closing Ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Once the athletes from all competing countries entered the arena, a person glad in gold descended from the sky into the Stade de France and kicked off the artistic portion of the ceremony.
The "Golden Voyager" was greeted by the same mysterious hooded figure who carried the torch in the Opening Ceremony, as well as the hooded silver figure who road down the Seine on a silver horse.
Similar to the mysterious characters debuted in the Opening Ceremony, people were curious about the masked performer's identity. Although not revealed, here's what we know about the character.
A Golden Voyager lands in a world that is deserted and mysterious, ready to explore. 👀#Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/Gr6Z4u7iyb
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024
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The character was inspired by a number of references from France's historical heritage, starting with the Spirit of the Bastille, according to the creators. It also references "The Génie de la Liberté," also called the Génie de la Bastille, is a bronze gilded statue cast in 1836 by Auguste Dumont. This allegorical statue represents Liberty and surmounts the July Column, located in the center of the Place de la Bastille in Paris.
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
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It was meant to evoke creatures from science fiction and video games.
According to the artistic directors, another inspiration was The Voyager Golden Record, launched into space in 1977 by the Voyager spacecraft, inspired both the title of the Ceremony and the name of the character. This golden record, which serves as a time capsule in interstellar space and is embedded with greetings from human civilization, was made in France.
The ceremony's "Golden Voyager" was surrounded by a horde of dancers who also came down from the ceiling. Together, they unearthed five large rings that represent the five participating continents.
The dancers hoisted the rings above them, assembling the Olympic rings in the sky.
