Demise is one of two primary antagonists in Skyward Sword,[3] and serves as the Final Boss. Long ago, he and his horde of demons broke through a fissure in the earth and sought out the Triforce. However, he was defeated and sealed away by the Goddess Hylia and, after the events of Skyward Sword, by Link through the use of the Master Sword. Upon his defeat, Demise makes a claim that his hatred will not end, but will be reborn in the coming ages. The form of this evil is thought to be Ganon. Hyrule Historia specifically mentions that his flaming red hair is to signify a connection to him.[4]

Fi's Comment Target lock: Demise This eternal being has conquered time itself. It is the source of all monsters. According to tales passed down through generations, it appears differently in each epoch and to each person who lays eyes on it. It is clear that Skyward Strikes cannot be called down to your sword because this place is under the magical influence of Demise. Attacks using Skyward Strike energy will not be possible here. It is highly probable that the only weapon capable of wounding Demise is the Master Sword itself. No other weapon can affect it. The probability that a single, standard attack of yours will injure Demise, Master, is exactly 0%. A series of attacks that can overwhelm Demise's guard is required, such as repeated slashing from various angles. Results from my analysis confirm that the time to strike Demise is when he holds his sword aloft. However, vigilance is required. Any attack falling near Demise's sword has a 100% chance of being blocked. I need more time to complete my analysis of Demise. In a few moments, use Z to lock on to Demise and then call me with Down. I will report my findings then. (During second phase)

I can confirm it is possible for Demise to store the electrical energy of a lightning strike in his sword and use it to his advantage. Master, should your sword come into contact with Demise's sword once it has electrified, you will receive a painful shock. It is essential that you time your attacks carefully. Very carefully. Master, I see no reason why you cannot make use of the lightning strikes the same way Demise does. It is possible to store lightning in the Master Sword by raising your sword in the air as if you were readying a Skyward Strike. When lightning strikes in the distance and the sky lights up, quickly raise your sword skyward to call down the lightning. However, be aware that while you are attempting to be struck by lightning, you will be leaving yourself open to Demise's attacks.

Biography

Background

When the Golden Goddesses departed from the world, they trusted their ultimate power, the Triforce, in the hands of Hylia to protect it.[5] However, Demise, wanting to make the world his own, gathered an army of monsters and together launched an attack against the people of The Surface, murdering them and causing misfortunes to get their hands on the power guarded by Hylia.[6][7]

To prevent the great power from falling into the hands of Demise, Hylia and the five tribes who lived on the Surface joined forces and sealed away Demise, restoring peace to the land.[8] Due to the seal placed upon him, he assumes the monstrous form as The Imprisoned for the majority of the plot.[9]

Resurrection

Ghirahim, who is actually Demise's Sword, pursues Zelda to steal her soul and thus resurrect Demise, who is his Master.[10] Meanwhile, Demise attempts to break free of his seal by his own means in the form of The Imprisoned, but he is constantly repelled and re-sealed beneath the Sealed Grounds through the efforts of Link and Groose. When Link finally obtains the Triforce, he manages to kill Demise by driving the Statue of the Goddess from Skyloft into the Sealed Grounds as The Imprisoned awakens for the fourth time. However, Ghirahim kidnaps Zelda and takes her to the past through the Gate of Time in the Sealed Temple, where he begins a ritual to revive his master.

While Link manages to defeat Ghirahim, he is too late to stop the resurrection of Demise. The Imprisoned begins to absorb Zelda's soul and eventually transforms into the Demon King himself. Ghirahim welcomes back his master,[11] but Demise pulls a dark Sword out of Ghirahim and seals his entity within the weapon. Demise continues to absorb the soul of Zelda to gain unstoppable power; he is impressed with Link's determination to protect the goddess and invites him to do battle.[12][13][14] To Demise's shock, Link manages to defeat him, but in his dying throes, he warns Link that it is not over, and that an incarnation of his hatred will be reborn as a being to pursue domination of the world, as well as those with the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the Hero, in a cycle of rebirth.[15] Demise is sealed away within the Master Sword, where his remains begin to decay.[16]

Characteristics

Demise carries a cocky, overbearing temperament,[17] and will stop at nothing to prove his power to any who defy him.[13][18][19] Fi describes Demise as "the source of all monsters," and states that he "has conquered time itself."[20] Demise bears a strong resemblance to Ganondorf: large stature, fiery red hair, dark skin, and even his facial features are similar, and in the cutscene before the final battle with him, a variation of Ganon's leitmotif plays.

Demise being defeated by Link

After Link enters the chosen battlefield through the portal in the past, Demise praises him for his courage,[21] but tells him that when he falls,[22] he shall rule over everything in the world.[23] After Demise states that he will eventually acquire the Triforce and rule the world with it, the battle begins.[24]

Striking Demise through his guard can be difficult, as he will attempt to block every attack Link makes.[25] Additionally, Link's Skyward Strike is unavailable as the power of the Goddess is negated by Demise's personal battlefield.[26] Link can quickly defend himself with a Shield Attack when Demise attacks with his Sword, then follow up with a vertical attack or Spin Attack. Eventually, Demise will be thrown backwards, seemingly defeated, but will then rise up and summon a storm. Demise can draw the lightning from the storm to charge his Sword with electricity. Link will now be damaged if he strikes the Sword and Demise will cause twice as much damage as before. Demise is now able to perform his own variation of a Skyward Strike, after which he is forced to recharge his Sword by pointing it skyward. It is possible to defeat Demise by attacking him before he can recharge his blade, but it is easier to mimic Demise and point the Master Sword to the sky. This will charge the Master Sword with electricity from lightning bolts, allowing Link to attack with a Skyward Strike and paralyze Demise, making him vulnerable to attack.[27]

Eventually, he will fall back again, allowing Link to finish him with a lightning-charged Fatal Blow. However, Demise will usually dodge the attack at first, and sometimes the second. If Link is quick enough to land the second attack or attempts to land the third, the battle ends.

Sword

Throughout Skyward Sword, Ghirahim pursues Zelda in attempt to revive Demise from his imprisonment. As Link progresses farther in the game, Ghirahim's appearance begins to gain dark marks in several places. In the final stretch, in order to fully revive Demise, Ghirahim takes on his true form which bears great resemblance to Fi, strongly emphasizing that he is in fact the spirit of a sword. When Demise is fully revived, he summons the sword from Ghirahim, his true form, and Ghirahim is sent into the sword. In the end, when Demise is defeated, the sword dissolves, likely taking Ghirahim with it.

The blade is significantly larger in comparison to the Master Sword. It is capable of sending Link flying backwards in one strike and when lifted in the air during the presence of a severe thunderstorm, it can absorb lightning bolts to charge up and send electric shocks when stricken with a metal object, as well as beams.

Demise's sword is almost completely black with a red aura surrounding it. The hilt bears resemblance to the Master Sword, with a red jewel as opposed to the Master Sword's golden one. The blade differs from the Master Sword in terms of shape and size, but it bears an upside-down Triforce emblem.

Other Appearances

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Demise appears as a Trophy. Trophy Information # Trophy Appears in Description How to unlock SSB3DS SSBfWU 227 N/A Skyward Sword This monster, hair like a billowing flame and a giant blade in hand, is so terrifying that he is known simply by the result of his actions. Sealed away by the goddess Hylia during an ancient war for the Triforce, he awakes a thousand years later to fight Link in a battle that will truly be legendary. Random Demise Super Smash Bros. Ultimate In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Demise appears as a Primary Spirit.

Trivia

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions Language Name Meaning French EU Avatar du Néant[30] Avatar of the Void German Todbringer Death Bringer This table was generated using translation pages.

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Gallery

Demise and Ghirahim in their true forms from Skyward Sword

Demise readying Ghirahim to transform from Skyward Sword

Demise holding his Sword from Skyward Sword

Demise absorbing Ghirahim into his Sword from Skyward Sword

Close-up of Demise from Skyward Sword

Close-up of Demise from Skyward Sword

Link standing before Demise from Skyward Sword

Link about to confront Demise from Skyward Sword

Demise with his back to Link from Skyward Sword

Demise about to commence the battle from Skyward Sword

The second round of the battle with Demise from Skyward Sword

Demise's Sword from Skyward Sword

Concept artwork of Demise's sword from Skyward Sword

Concept art of Demise from Hyrule Historia

The Swords of Demise from Hyrule Warriors

The Trident of Demise from Hyrule Warriors