Follow Ghirahim through the Gate of Time and fight down to the bottom of the Sealed Grounds. Defeat his final form, then prepare for the battle with Demise.
Follow Ghirahim through the Gate of Time
After Ghirahim kidnaps Zelda, you should immediately follow him through the Gate of Time. Link ends up back in the Temple of Hylia of the past. Impa lies injured on the ground; Ghirahim has overwhelmed them and has already brought Zelda to the Sealed Grounds.
Don’t go through the exit next to Gate of Time, but through the large main gate on the opposite side. As soon as Link steps outside, a longer sequence begins. At the bottom of the Sealed Grounds, Ghirahim has placed Zelda on a ritual spot. He wants to use her soul to fully bring the Demon King back to life in this era.
However,
Link is at the very top of the spiral Sealed Grounds. Ghirahim creates several magical barriers and sends a massive army between you and the ritual site. This begins one of the biggest enemy onslaughts of the entire game.
Horde Battle – fight through the Sealed Grounds
The first section is flooded with a huge amount of red Bokoblins. On the open paths you don’t have to kill every single enemy. Rather, try to continually work your way down. Normal Bokoblins will keep moving in during the rush, which is why it’s of little use to systematically eliminate every enemy at the top of the grove.
This changes with the magical barriers. As soon as Ghirahim completely seals the path, you must destroy the stronger opponents intended for this purpose or the current completed group. Only then does the wall disappear and the descent can continue.
The fully awakened Master Sword is now extremely strong against the ordinary Bokoblins. Horizontal sweeps are great when Link is surrounded by multiple enemies at once. However, don’t waste your stamina unnecessarily with constant whirling attacks. For the long way down, it makes more sense to keep the mass moving and only stop when a barrier forces you to.
Use Bomb Bokoblins against Ghirahim’s Army
In the next part, Bokoblins mingle with the horde who carry or throw explosive bombs. These enemies can be unpleasant, but at the same time they are extremely useful. If you hit a bomb at the right moment or let a bomb carrier explode in the middle of a group of enemies, several Bokoblins will be detected at the same time.
Therefore, don’t try to immediately take out every Bomb Bokoblin at close range with frantic blows. Better use the explosions to clear a path through the crowd.
At the next big lock several Moblins with Wooden Shield are waiting. Although their shields can be destroyed piece by piece with the Master Sword, it is quicker to provoke their attacks, dodge them and then hit the unprotected body. If you have enough space, you can also run around a Moblin and attack its back.
Once the prescribed enemies are defeated, Ghirahim’s barrier will dissipate.
Defeat the Archers and Blue Bokoblins
As you continue to descend, more and more Bokoblin archers appear. Don’t stand still unnecessarily. As long as Link is moving, most arrows hit significantly less often. With the Hylian Shield you can easily absorb a surprise hit without having to worry about its durability.
The next barrier includes Link with a particularly durable blue Bokoblin. This enemy is faster and more aggressive than the usual red variants. He often retreats and has several attacks that you will recognize from previous encounters.
Watch his defense and attack from the open direction. Alternatively, you can parry an attack with the Hylian Shield and use the resulting opening for several quick strikes. Once the blue Bokoblin falls, the next lock will disappear.
Take out Horn Bokoblins first
In the following section, among the common enemies there is at least one Bokoblin with a large horn. As long as he plays on it undisturbed, he will always summon new reinforcements. It should therefore have a significantly higher priority than the other Bokoblins.
Push your way through the crowd to him and defeat him as quickly as possible. The horn then falls to the ground. Do you pick it up or make sure no one else does?Bokoblin it takes over, you prevent further unnecessary replenishment.
At the end of this section, Ghirahim puts up a barrier again. Appear this time two Stalfos. Through the fully awakened Master Sword They are no longer as dangerous as in previous encounters, but you should still not hit both at the same time. Keep moving, provoke an attack and take advantage of the open areas between their swords. Shield attacks create particularly reliable counter windows.
The final descent to Ghirahim
After the Stalfos comes the most chaotic part of the enemy wave. Blue and red Bokoblins, archers and large Moblins stand on the spiral path at the same time. You don’t have to eliminate the normal enemies one by one as long as no magical barrier is active.
Therefore, continue to run decisively downwards. Use the Hylian Shield when several archers are targeting you at the same time, and avoid the large Moblins if possible instead of getting caught up in a long duel on every section of the path.
At the bottom you finally reach Ghirahim and Zelda. The Demon Lord creates a protective shield around the ritual site and summons a final massive group Bokoblins. You must completely defeat this final horde.
All-round blows from the master sword are particularly effective here. Don’t stay permanently in the center of the arena, but move along the edge and force the opponents to gather in front of Link. As soon as the last Bokoblin has fallen, the demon horde ends – but Ghirahim has already made great progress with his ritual.
Demon Lord Ghirahim – the final battle
Ghirahim now finally reveals his true form. His body completely transforms and he explains to Link that he himself is the counterpart of Fi: the spirit of a demonic weapon created to serve his master.
For the final duel, he creates several platforms high above the Sealed Grounds. Ghirahim’s goal in the first phase is not to simply drain Link’s health. He tries to push you over the edge of the platform. We are turning this principle around against him.
Ghirahim Phase 1 – push off the platform
Continuously attack Ghirahim and push him towards the edge of the platform. It blocks a large part of your sword strikes, but is still pushed back little by little. Stitches and vertical blows work particularly well because they reliably move him backwards.
Watch out for his counterattacks. Ghirahim uses punches and kicks when Link becomes too careless. A backflip quickly puts you out of his reach; Alternatively, you can briefly unbalance him with a perfectly timed Shield Bash.
As soon as Ghirahim falls over the edge, you jump straight after him. While he is on his back on the lower platform, target him and perform a Fatal Blow. Link rams the Master Sword straight into his chest.
Ghirahim gets back up and the fight continues on the next platform.
Bypass the purple energy on Ghirahim’s hands
After the first Fatal Blow, Ghirahim strengthens his defense. Violet energy areas appear on his hands. If you touch it with the sword, he immediately counters and can throw Link dangerously close to the edge of the platform.
Therefore, watch carefully how he holds his arms. If the energy is on the side of his body, attack through the free middle with vertical punches or stabs. If, on the other hand, it blocks the middle area, you use an open lateral direction.
Don’t try to force through the purple areas. Your actual goal remains unchanged: push Ghirahim back step by step to the edge.
As soon as it falls down, jump after it again and do the next Fatal Blow. Repeat the principle one more time. After a total of several falls and catches, Link and Ghirahim finally reach the bottom of the Sealed Grounds.
Ghirahim Phase 2 – his energy beams repel
On the ground, Ghirahim draws his own blade for the first time. Direct sword strikes are now significantly less effective, as he reliably deflects Link’s attacks. So keep your distance.
After a short time, Ghirahim throws a red energy beam or a sword wave at Link. The orientation of the projectile shows you which sword strike to use. If the energy wave is horizontal, you respond with a horizontal blow; for a vertical wave, you use a vertical chop.
If timed correctly, Link will throw the projectile back at Ghirahim. He can in turn knock it back, creating a short-term duel of flying energy back and forth. Adjust your strike direction each time based on the current orientation of the projectile.
As soon as Ghirahim is hit by his own energy, he is briefly stunned. Sprint immediately to him and attack the glowing weak spot on his chest with several piercing attacks. Normal side blows are less reliable than direct stabs.
Then withdraw again and repeat the process.
Ghirahim Phase 3 – break the giant sword
After enough hits, Ghirahim finally loses patience and summons a gigantic sword. The weapon causes enormous damage, but at the same time serves as a shield.
When Ghirahim holds the blade in front of his body, you must pay attention to its position. He is holding the sword vertical, you attack with quick horizontal strikes. He holds it horizontal, you use vertical slashes. In this way you cut notches into the huge blade little by little.
Now speed counts. If you pause your attacks for too long, Ghirahim will jump back and use magic to fully restore his sword. All previous damage is then lost.
So stay on the offensive as soon as the first cracks become visible. A round blow or strong, successive, directed blows can accelerate the breaking. Just be sure to back away in time when Ghirahim himself attacks.
Once the giant sword breaks, his chest will be exposed again. Push the Master Sword directly into the glowing core. Repeat this process until Ghirahim finally collapses.
Ghirahim’s true purpose
Victory comes too late to completely prevent the ritual. Ghirahim has transferred enough of Zelda’s divine soul to the Imprisoned.
The seal breaks open and the dark creature begins to change. The Imprisoned was merely the sealed form of the original Demon King. Through Zelda’s power he regains his true form: the Demise.
Ghirahim has thus fulfilled his actual task. He transforms into his true form – his master’s demonic sword. Demise draws the massive black blade from Ghirahim’s body and challenges Link to the final battle.
The demon king then disappears through a dark Gate and waits for you in his own battle arena.
Final preparation before Demise
You don’t have to immediately follow Demise . After Ghirahim’s defeat, you can first save at the bird statue and even return to the present through the Gate of Time.
If you have followed our 100% route, you will not be missing any Pieces of Heart, Gratitude Crystals, Goddess Cubes or empty bottles more. The last Piece of Heart and the Hylian Shield were also already collected during the Thunder Dragon’s lightning round.
The way back is therefore only used for preparation. Fill up your health, stock up on your bottles with heart potions or fairies and check with Gondo whether all the items you want have been fully improved. You can find the materials you need in our guide to Gondo’s upgrades.
For Demise, the Hylian Shield is by far the best choice. It has unlimited durability and is perfect for the numerous shield attacks in the final battle. If you have already won it in our route, you should not take any other shield with you.
A Life Medal can also be useful if you want additional maximum heart energy. You can find out which medals you can use in our guide to all medals.
When you are prepared, return through the Gate of Time, go to the center of the Sealed Grounds and enter the dark Gate.
Final Boss: Demise
Link is transported to a vast, completely alien plane. The ground looks like an endless expanse of water and dark clouds are gathering on the horizon. Demise is waiting in the distance.
After a final conversation, the final battle of Skyward Sword begins. Unlike many previous bosses, Demise has no obvious glowing weak point and no classic item puzzle. The final is a pure sword fight that tests whether you have mastered the directed strikes, dodging maneuvers and, above all, the Shield Bash.
Demise Phase 1 – no Skyward Strike possible
In the first phase, you cannot charge a normal Skyward Strike. Demise also blocks a large portion of your direct sword attacks with its black blade.
The safest strategy is therefore to stay relatively close to him and wait for his attack. As soon as he strikes with the sword, you execute a perfectly timed Shield Bash. With the Hylian Shield you can do this without any worries about durability.
After a successful parry, Demise has a short window of time in which you can land one or two sword blows. Don’t get cocky afterward. He counters extremely quickly. Pull back or keep your shield ready and wait for his next attack.
If you are not confident in shield attacks, you can also work with backflips and side jumps. Wait for Demise to raise its sword, dodge the blow and then attack from the open side. This method takes longer but is reliable.
Watch out for Demise’s punch
In addition to his sword, Demise has a surprisingly fast fist attack. He reaches out with his free hand and hits Link from close range. Players who concentrate entirely on their blade are often hit by this.
As soon as you see him withdraw his left hand, react with a Shield Bash or a quick backflip. After his missed shot, there is also a short window of opportunity for a counterattack.
Don’t try to push through long combinations. A sure hit or two after each successful dodge is much more effective than a risky sustained attack.
After enough hits, Demise staggers back and finally falls to the ground. However, the fight is far from over.
Demise Phase 2 – Thunderstorms and lightning strikes
The entire arena changes. Dark clouds gather, rain falls on the battlefield and massive lightning strikes. Demise raises its black blade into the air and charges it with lightning.
Link can use exactly the same technology with the Master Sword.
Hold your blade vertically into the sky. After a short time, lightning strikes the Master Sword and charges it with electrical energy. You’ll have to react quickly afterwards because Demise often tries to attack Link while it’s charging.
Therefore keep enough distance. As soon as your sword is struck by lightning, you target Demise and send the electrical energy to it with a Skyward Strike.
Dodge Demise’s Demon Beam
Demise can also charge its own sword with lightning and then hurl a powerful electric sword beam at Link. Don’t try to just block this attack with a normal sword slash.
If you already have a charged lightning in the Master Sword, you can use your attack against his. When both energy waves meet, they neutralize each other. It’s often safer to avoid his beam by jumping sideways and firing your own bolt immediately afterwards.
If Link’s charged Skyward Strike hits, Demise will be electrified and immobilized for a short time. Immediately sprint towards him and land several sword slashes. Then retreat again before he starts his counterattack.
The first Fatal Blow doesn’t work yet
After several successful lightning hits and subsequent sword combinations, Demise falls to the ground. The game asks you for a Fatal Blow.
The first time it rains you shouldn’t let it bother you. Demise recovers extremely quickly and usually dodges the first attempt before Link’s blade reaches it. If you try the Fatal Blow anyway, you have to expect that the Demon King will immediately get up and counter.
Instead, continue the familiar process: gain distance, let lightning charge Master Sword, hit electric Skyward Strike and then land several normal sword blows.
Defeat Demise finally
After the next rainfall, Demise stays on the ground a little longer. If you react quickly enough, you can now successfully execute the final Fatal Blow. If the timing isn’t right, nothing is lost.
Repeat the blitz strategy again. After the third rainfall at the latest, you have a significantly larger time window.
Target Demise on the ground, jump into the air and execute the Fatal Blow. Link charges the Master Sword with the energy of the thunderstorm and rams the blade directly into the Demon King’s body.
The fight is over.
The End of the Demon King
Demise accepts defeat, but utters one final curse. The hatred of the demon tribe is said to persecute the descendants of those who carry the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero.
His body dissolves. The remaining dark energy and his consciousness are absorbed by the Master Sword. Fi confirms that the Demon King’s remains have been sealed within the sword and will completely perish there over time.
Link then returns to Zelda, Groose and Impa.
Say Goodbye to Fi
After the Demon King is defeated, Fi’s task is complete. She asks Link to place the Master Sword in the designated socket in the Temple of Hylia.
When the blade is inserted, their journey together ends. Fi permanently retreats into the Master Sword and sinks into an eternal sleep.
Link has to say goodbye to his companion, who has guided him through the world since the beginning of his adventure.
The Old Woman’s Secret
Even Impa cannot leave the past. Your job is to watch over the Master Sword and the sealed evil. Zelda has to accept that her friend is left behind in this era.
Link, Zelda and Groose return to their present through the Gate of Time. The old woman continues to wait there in the Sealed Temple.
Now it is finally confirmed what has already been suggested by several clues: The old woman is Impa. She has kept her promise for millennia, waiting for Links and Zelda’s to return. After her task is completed, she disappears peacefully, leaving only her bracelet behind.
Zelda’s Decision
After the credits or in the final sequence it becomes clear how the future of the world will change. Groose returns to heaven with his friends as Zelda asks Link what he wants to do now.
Zelda herself doesn’t want to return to Skyloft permanently. She got to know the Surface during her journey and wants to stay there to watch over the Triforce and the newly created world.
This ends the story of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and at the same time begins the long history of the land that will become Hyrule in later ages.
Hero Mode
After the first complete playthrough, the Hero Mode is unlocked. This is not a modified master quest with new dungeons or other puzzles, but a much harder variant of the same adventure.
Enemies deal double damage in Hero Mode . This also makes other sources of damage more dangerous. At the same time, recovery hearts and heart flowers usually no longer appear. If you want to receive ordinary hearts from enemies or the environment again, you must carry a heart medal in your Adventure Pouch.
The endurance and oxygen displays empty more quickly, which makes the long sprint passages and underwater sections particularly more demanding. However, your collected treasures and insects will be taken over from the completed game. This means you can improve many items in Gondo much sooner than in a completely new normal run.
The Skyward Strike is also improved in hero mode. He has the strength of his later form early on. As the game progresses, the loading time is shortened again or ultimately practically eliminated. Hero mode is therefore ideal for players who have already mastered the combat system and would like to focus more on perfect shield attacks and targeted sword strikes in the second round.
Hero Mode: Difference between Wii and Skyward Sword HD
With the original Skyward Sword for Wii, you have to pay particular attention to your score when starting Hero Mode. If you decide after the credits to start Hero Mode with the completed save, this save will be used and the previous progress will be overwritten. If you want to keep your complete, normal 100% save, you should copy it to another storage location before Demise.
Skyward Sword HD is more comfortable at this point. When you start Hero Mode, you can select the storage space you want. In addition, the HD version has a separate autosave slot. Skipping cutscenes is also different: in the Wii original, the ability to skip many scenes is one of the advantages of Hero Mode. In Skyward Sword HD, cutscenes can generally be skipped and this function is therefore no longer exclusively tied to the higher difficulty level.
Lightning round in hero mode expanded
The Thunder Dragon’s Lightning Round also receives additional challenges in Hero Mode. In addition to the previous bosses, the final demon horde in Sealed Grounds, Ghirahim’s final battle and even Demise can now appear in the boss challenge.
A new round is therefore much more than just a game with double damage. It is precisely the combination of stronger Skyward Strike, adopted materials and significantly more dangerous opponents that noticeably changes the pace of the adventure.
Continue playing
after the end
Skyward Sword does not have a classic postgame state in which, after the final victory, you can freely travel through a world in which Demise has already been defeated. If you want to continue using your normal save, you can continue playing from a save immediately before the final battle.
This is exactly why our 100% progress is already completed before entering the dark portal. This way you can keep the complete game status and fight Demise again at any time without having to catch up on collectibles first.
This concludes our complete Skyward Sword Walkthrough.