Demise

Lore & Background

Long before the floating town of Skyloft existed, Demise sought to seize the Triforce, a wish-granting power bestowed by three ancient Goddesses. The Goddess Hylia gathered survivors into the sky and launched a full-scale offensive against him. Although she was victorious, the land was severely damaged, and the outcrop became known as Skyloft. Centuries later, Demise's spirit remained active through his sword, Ghirahim, who worked to free him by sacrificing Zelda. Link eventually pursued Ghirahim into the past, where he defeated the reincarnated humanoid form of Demise. In a final act, Link absorbed Demise's essence into the Goddess Sword, which had been upgraded into the Master Sword.

In Their Own Story

The narrative arc involving Demise begins with his initial assault on the land before Hylia banished humanity to the sky. In the present timeline of Skyward Sword, Ghirahim attempts to resurrect him by using Zelda as a sacrifice at the Sealed Temple after Link defeats the Imprisoned. Though Demise is dead in the present, Ghirahim travels back through time with Zelda to complete the ritual. There, Zelda seals herself inside a crystal to strengthen the seal against Demise while granting power to the Goddess Sword. Link follows Ghirahim into the past, fights through his army, and defeats him. He then challenges the reincarnated humanoid form of Demise, triumphs in combat, and absorbs Demise's essence into the sword.

Reader's Guide

Demise appears as the final boss of Skyward Sword in the ancient era. To defeat him, players must navigate back through time after Ghirahim kidnaps Zelda to perform a resurrection ritual at the Sealed Temple. The battle takes place in the past, where Link faces Demise's humanoid form directly. Victory requires absorbing Demise's essence into the Master Sword. This event is critical as it marks the origin of the Master Sword and explains why evil persists in future games; while Demise was defeated, his hatred remains sealed within the sword, influencing the cycle of reincarnation involving Link and Zelda.

Did You Know?

• Demise is the first villain in the Zelda timeline, appearing before any other game in the series.
• The Master Sword was created specifically to contain Demise's essence after Link absorbed it following his defeat.
• Ghirahim, who serves as a major antagonist throughout Skyward Sword, is actually the spirit of Demise's sword.
• Demise was originally defeated by the Goddess Hylia, who later reincarnated as Zelda to help seal him permanently.