The final room of the Skyview Temple is quiet. It seems simple enough. The rest of the temple was easy, so it is only natural that this tiny, barren room follows suit. Link enters, ready to finally reunite with Zelda.
Enter Ghirahim.
Or perhaps his full title, “Lord Ghirahim,” would better suit his taste.
Ghirahim has a flair for the dramatics. The second he senses Link, he abandons his task in order to monologue about how he tossed Zelda from the clouds and was just about to capture her for his evil plans.
Throughout this speech, he moves slowly, dramatically revealing his face as he turns toward Link. He introduces himself before returning to his monologue. At least he’s a little polite.
Link draws his sword.
Oh, but did Link really just draw his sword on Lord Ghirahim? It’s no matter, he continues his monologue anyway. Ghirahim becomes angry as he explains how Zelda was snatched away from his grasp. His anger causes the lights in the room to flash and dim before he teleports away, his voice still echoing around. He’s eager for bloodshed.
And now he really becomes unsettling. He appears behind Link and speaks directly into his ear, threatening Link before wiggling his tongue in that horrid fashion. This startles Link, who runs as Ghirahim dematerializes his cloak.
It’s time to battle!
This entrance is perhaps one of Ghirahim’s most iconic scenes. Every Zelda fan knows the disgusting tongue thing, but the overall scene is brilliant when it comes to setting up Ghirahim’s character. He is dramatic to the point of ridiculousness. Yet, he’s in control. His goal is to unnerve Link, and he succeeds, judging by Link’s body language.
Ghirahim messes with Link for most of the battle, showing just how in control he is. He does not even draw his own sword until Link deals sufficient damage. If Link grows careless and swings wildly, Ghirahim simply plucks Link’s sword out of his hands. What a jerk!
The fight only ends when Ghirahim senses Zelda has left the Skyview Temple. He compliments Link on his constitution, for a mortal, but then warns Link that he will not show such mercy should they meet again.
I was in awe following this fight. It deviated so much from traditional Zelda bosses in that Link was actually dueling Ghirahim, instead of using an item to expose a weak spot. Link could only use his meager sword training, and he did not win this fight. Ghirahim simply ended it because he had grown bored.
We as players are so used to Link being a nimble and experienced sword fighter that it’s strange for Link to feel weak. And Ghirahim does an excellent job of making Link realize that he needs to become stronger, should he have any hope of defeating Ghirahim.
His appearance at the Temple of Time is fantastic at catching everyone off guard. He bursts in, right as Link is about to reach Zelda, expertly throwing up a magical barrier and advancing straight for Impa.
And this is where we find Ghirahim’s fatal flaw. Like the villains in every tragedy, Ghirahim reveals what will be his undoing in a pivotal moment: his hubris. He was so confident that he would defeat Impa and capture Zelda that he let his guard down. Link is able to dash through Ghirahim’s weakened magical barrier and create enough of a diversion for Impa and Zelda to escape.
Oh, how rude of Link! This was not according to the script at all! If it’s one thing that every theater kid hates, it’s someone going off-script. Ghirahim promises that he will not succumb to hubris the next time they meet and that the last thing Link will ever hear is the shrill sound of his own screams.
Thus begins Act 2. The scene is the Fire Sanctuary. Link is about to reach the final Sacred Flame needed to power up the Goddess Sword, but Ghirahim is waiting for him.
Of course, Ghirahim is just as dramatic as ever, theatrically explaining how he will find Zelda after Link’s rude interference at the Temple of Time. His speech is almost a soliloquy as he speaks to himself rather than his audience, airing his frustrations and his madness. He’s becoming desperate.
Link draws his sword.
And Ghirahim reveals the weapons up his sleeves. Underneath his gloves, he shows that the skin of his arms is not truly flesh. It is a glimmering black material that is stronger than any suit of armor. But that is not the extent of his cosmetic changes. Cracks revealing the same black material extend all over his body.
If I didn’t like Ghirahim before, I loved him now. It is a fantastic rematch. He is no longer toying with Link. He’s using more of his strength, more of his magic powers, nearly everything at his disposal. This battle shows the terrifying strength Ghirahim foreshadowed in the Skyview Temple.
But what Ghirahim failed to predict was Link’s growth. Link is more experienced and now has a much stronger sword. Ghirahim may be using more powerful attacks, but Link now knows what to expect. And this mere oversight allows Link to force Ghirahim to actually forfeit.
Upon his defeat, Ghirahim throws a tantrum. How can a mortal child such as Link be his equal? How can the Demon Lord be defeated by a mere human? He swears that he will torment Link for an eternity before disappearing to lick his wounds.
And then he is absent for the rest of the adventure. Link locates Zelda, finds the Triforce, and even defeats Ghirahim’s master permanently. Link finally reunites with Zelda and everything is happy. Right?
Wrong.
Enter Ghirahim, stage right! He swoops in when Link’s guard is down and captures Zelda. Ghirahim disappears through the Gate of Time to revive his master in the past, during a time when Link had not destroyed him yet. But Link follows him, determined to rescue Zelda.
After a horde battle with hundreds of monsters, Link reaches Ghirahim and Zelda. This is the moment of truth, the final battle between Link and Ghirahim. And the reveal of Ghirahim’s final form.
The black metal from before now coats Ghirahim’s entire body, and his text box looks similar to the one used by Fi, the spirit dwelling within Link’s sword. That’s when it clicks. Ghirahim is not a demon, he is a sword spirit.
With that incredible reveal, Ghirahim’s final fight begins. Link and Ghirahim are desperate, and tensions are at an all-time high. Ghirahim is finally no longer toying with Link. No more holding back. This is a battle to the death.
Ghirahim’s reveal is one of my favorite twists in any Zelda game. The realization that he is the counterpart to our own companion was so unexpected and it made his appearance in the Fire Sanctuary make much more sense. To think he is the same as our emotionless and cold companion is, well, unthinkable!
Link manages to best Ghirahim for a final time, wounding him severely. But the battle is far from over. Ghirahim was only using the battle as a distraction, buying time for his master to consume Zelda’s soul.
The true final boss reveals himself: Demise. He summons his sword, ripping it from Ghirahim’s chest. This causes Ghirahim to disappear, who laughs maniacally before he is silenced forever.
In his final moments, Ghirahim does what few Zelda villains actually accomplish: He successfully follows through with his plans. It’s a brief win, since Link ends up defeating Demise in the final battle, but Ghirahim succeeded in reviving his master. For once, he abandoned his hubris, and it worked.
Exit Ghirahim, the creepiest theater-kid in any Zelda game, with the greatest performance of all.
