Well, you’ve done it. You’ve freed all four Divine Beasts, completed all 120+ shrines scattered across Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule, and collected every photographic story detail Zelda left for you a century ago. You’re finally ready to tackle Calamity Ganon at the source: Hyrule Castle. But what’s the best way to go about that? Should you just…knock on his front door?
If you’re fairly comfortable with combat at this point in the game, to the point where you can take on numerous Guardian Stalkers and Skywatchers at once and survive, then perhaps sprinting through the ruins of Castle Town is the best way to go. You can use the Magnesis rune to pry your way through the heavy iron gates, then wind your way up the castle’s ragged path, dodging Guardian laser fire until you reach the Sanctum.
But if you’re not feeling brave (or foolish) enough to charge through the front gates, the docks beneath the castle serve as a sneaky alternative. Located on the northwest side of the castle’s cliff foundation, the docks are accessible via the surrounding moat, part of which flows into an open cavern.
At the entrance to the cavern, on a landing partway up the cavern wall, a Black Lizalfos is standing guard. Next to it, a Great Flameblade can be found buried halfway in the dirt between two small torches. It’s possible to yank the Flameblade out of the ground and pull off a sneakstrike on the Lizalfos, but be careful — there are two more Black Lizalfos down by the docks, each equipped with some Shock Arrows. It looks like they were stationed here for a reason.
The docks are lined with coal-fueled torches, and the player can see the remains of what was once a busy harbor. Scattered around are several extremely old shipping containers, broken barrels, and a Bomb Barrel that can be used to kill the remaining two Black Lizalfos.
If you want more Shock Arrows, look in the water. Two wooden chests can be lifted out of the water using the Cryonis rune, containing five Shock Arrows and one Ancient Arrow. Further out, two metal chests can be grabbed with Magnesis. Inside, Link can score both a Star Fragment and a Gold Rupee. Nice.
Back to business. Two lurking Keese spot Link halfway up the steps, but once the player ascends the stone staircase, they get a great view overlooking the entire cavern. Sadly, after a century of decay, the docks look more like a haphazardly-constructed stronghold than a royal harbor. There are wooden support beams attached to the wall, and the once-ornate staircase is now mossy and dull. The decorative archways and towering columns feel almost pointless, knowing what became of this place. It remains a well-lit area despite the lack of human upkeep, with torches spread out across the cavern. For many players, this is their first glimpse of what remains of Hyrule Castle’s interior.
It feels even more eerie once Link approaches the giant unlit torch that sits on the overlook. It certainly stands out, and setting it ablaze is the key to revealing the Saas Ko’Sah Shrine. This means that, unbeknownst to Zelda, the Champions, or anyone else, a Sheikah Shrine had been inside the castle walls the entire time.
As a player, I loved how much could be inferred about the state of Hyrule Castle from this area. It’s not an obvious entrance, but if explored, it becomes a haunting introduction to what lies ahead. Grand spaces once lively and bustling, now coldly empty and crumbling. Monsters on high alert, waiting to stop Link in his tracks as he storms the castle. You’ve probably had several NPCs across Hyrule tell you that people rarely return from the ruins of Hyrule Castle alive to tell the tale; treasure hunters and explorers seeking glory and adventure often meet their end here. Seeing that Great Flameblade stuck upright in the ground, it’s clear that there are indeed hordes of treasure to be found within the castle. But only Link stands a chance at getting his hands on it.
Behind the shrine, there’s a sloped, more compact tunnel that leads to the castle’s massive library. Now Link can continue his quest within Hyrule Castle, and make his way to Ganon’s chamber — to where Zelda has been waiting for him the past 100 years.
