Minor aspects in the most recent Tears of the Kingdom trailer hint at the long-missing antagonist’s reappearance, but it’s not relatively that easy.
The impending sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s villain Demise may feature him again, according to small elements in the trailers. There is an opportunity for speculation because Nintendo has been cautious about the information it releases before the game’s debut.
Many have speculated about what might occur in the game based on the little noises and visuals in the trailers, such as whether it would be revealed that TOTK’s Zonai built the Four Sword.
The idea that Demise will reemerge in TOTK is another prevalent fan belief. Demise was first featured as the game’s last boss in Skyward Sword. Demise, sometimes known as the Demon King, led an evil army searching for the potent Triforce. However, the goddess Hylia and her legions of worshiping surface people overcame it and shut it away.
He then evolved into The Imprisoned, a vast, scaly creature. In Skyward Sword, Link continually forces Demise to revert to his monster form, but Ghirahim, the game’s main bad guy, eventually steals Zelda’s soul and uses it to bring Demise back to life. Link ultimately prevails over him one last time, but that doesn’t imply. It is difficult for Demise to return to TOTK.
A TOTK Trailer’s Recurring Music Cue Teases a Return of Death
On April 13, 2023, the final TOTK pre-launch trailer was released. It features a musical cue that alludes to Demise’s appearance. The scene, which starts at about 1:08 in the film, has a building emerging from the desert sand, followed by a view of Hyrule Castle with debris falling from the sky.
Before a rising blood moon, a figure with long, flaming hair that resembles demises comes and starts to turn toward the camera, but the trailer fades away before revealing his face. This has been musically composed to the Hyrule Castle theme, which first appeared in A Link to the Past.
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The motif is typically robust and dramatic, representing the dominance and majesty of Hyrule’s royal line. However, in this instance, it adopts a more subdued, ominous tone, backed with ethereal synthesized voices. During the events of Breath of the Wild, there is no reigning monarch, but the game’s hidden ending has Zelda and Link attempting to reestablish the Kingdom of Hyrule.
It wouldn’t be that far-fetched to think that TOTK would feature Hyrule’s monarch more prominently. Given that Demise is a king in his own right, it would be appropriate to contrast the just ruler of Hyrule with the ruthless king of demons using this darker rendition of the theme.
This music has been utilized by Zelda before, including in TOTK
The Hyrule Castle theme, which debuted in A Link to the Past, has since appeared in The Minish Cap, The Wind Waker, A Link Between Worlds, Twilight Princess, and—for a brief moment—Breath of the Wild.
The Hyrule Castle motif runs throughout all of these games, emphasizing a castle in peril, frequently taken over by a deranged king or a cunning adviser. As in the case of the undersea realm in Wind Waker or the blight and Guardian patrols in BOTW, it has become unreachable in some circumstances. By the end of the game, it typically changes from a tranquil location into a dangerous dungeon, and it frequently hosts the game’s final boss battle.
It’s unclear what this means for Hyrule Castle in the follow-up. Hyrule Castle doesn’t appear as attractive in TOTK because of the ominous clouds and the flying debris. It’s feasible for Demise to retake Hyrule Castle from the royal family and drive Link and Zelda away, with or without Ganondorf. Afterward, the heroes would need to gather strength to storm the castle and reclaim the throne. Although the story has been told before, it closely adheres to accepted Zelda traditions.
Skyward Sword’s Demise’s End Teases His TOTK Return
Demise briefly stands up after Link defeats him in Skyward Sword to deliver an ambiguous threat. He implies his rage will endure and commits to rise before collapsing. Skyward Sword is the first game chronologically in the Zelda chronology. Ganondorf, a recurring enemy who will also return in TOTK, has gray skin and red hair, just like Demise.
The second Zelda villain might be another example of Demise’s hatred. The lore book Hyrule Historia suggests this direction by saying that the King of Demons underwent numerous reincarnations after his death.
Demise might have meant what he said more literally, though. It’s unclear where BOTW fits into the Zelda continuity timeline, though the follow-up may try to clarify that. Demise may once more escape his prison and return to wreak havoc on Hyrule as Skyward Sword ends with him imprisoned within Master Sword, and trailers indicate that Master Sword will be destroyed in TOTK.
The TOTK Music Cue Could Instead Be Referring To Ganondorf
The musical theme for the excellent king could very well be pointing to another evil monarch who has already been confirmed to debut in TOTK. In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf was formerly referred to as the King of Thieves and was in charge of a gang that stole the Triforce.
Its influence corrupted him, turning him into the hideous Ganon from BOTW. In terms of both form and function, Ganondorf is similar to Demise; both attempted to take the Triforce but were eventually constantly stopped. The red-haired character seen in the teaser might be a different version of Ganondorf, possibly after he has attained great strength.
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However, the Zelda series doesn’t always clear that Ganondorf was an absolute ruler. Throughout the series, he has been referred to as a king, prince, and lord; on occasion, he has even adopted Demise’s moniker of Demon King.
Although Ganondorf is merely a recollection in BOTW, he is only ever referred to as a lord. The reference to Demise as the King of Demons in the leitmotif could result from poor translation throughout 37 years of Zelda games.
Zelda frequently borrows visual and aural elements from previous games; many recognizable figures, settings, and objects have unique themes that recur across the series. This contributes to the series’ identity and world-building but can also present an opportunity to establish or challenge player expectations.
Repurposing the Hyrule Castle tune from A Link to the Past in the last TOTK teaser might allude to Demise’s presence, Ganondorf’s influence, or just tricky times for Hyrule Castle. It won’t be until May 12, 2023, when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is released, that the fundamental importance of this musical cue will be understood.