The Final Battle

Key takeawaysSpoilers

These are the essential facts to know before starting the quest.

• The route starts beneath Hyrule Castle The final encounter is reached by jumping into the chasm at Hyrule Castle and continuing deep underground.
• Expect several phases The Demon King battle changes over time and tests Link's ability to adapt to different weapons and attack patterns.
• Reduced hearts are a serious threat Ganondorf can permanently reduce Link's heart containers during the fight, so avoiding damage matters as much as dealing it.
• The finale becomes aerial After Ganondorf consumes his secret stone and becomes the Demon Dragon, the battle moves into the skies.
• The quest resolves the main story Winning the encounter leads to the game's true ending and concludes the central threat to Hyrule.

The Final BattleSpoilers

The Final Battle is the climactic confrontation of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, bringing Link's struggle against the Demon King to its conclusion.

The quest begins with a descent into the depths beneath Hyrule Castle. Link reaches the encounter by jumping into the chasm located at Hyrule Castle, committing to a route that leads away from the surface and toward the source of the threat to Hyrule. Because this is the game's concluding battle, preparation before entering the chasm is important: the encounter tests combat fundamentals across several distinct stages rather than relying on one short exchange.

The confrontation with Ganondorf is a multi-phase engagement. He can use different weapon types during the fight, so the player must respond to changing attack patterns instead of treating the battle as a single repeated damage window. A major danger is his ability to permanently reduce Link's heart containers, making mistakes more costly and limiting the protection offered by a large health pool.

Link is supported during parts of the struggle by the successors of the Champions. Their assistance is tied to particular phases of the battle and helps frame the encounter as a combined effort to defend Hyrule, but Link remains responsible for reading attacks, creating openings and surviving the boss's changing tactics.

The battle eventually shifts dramatically when Ganondorf consumes his secret stone and transforms into the Demon Dragon. This final stage takes place in the skies, changing the fight into aerial combat. The conclusion leads to the game's true ending and resolves the central narrative surrounding the threat to Hyrule.

Where this sitsSpoilers

Requirements and preparationSpoilers

The required route is the chasm beneath Hyrule Castle. The supplied material does not specify a mandatory equipment loadout, but the length and phase changes of the encounter make deliberate preparation advisable.

• RequiredReach the chasm at Hyrule CastleThe final encounter is accessed by jumping into the chasm located at Hyrule Castle.
• RecommendedPrepare for a sustained fightBring enough healing and combat resources for a multi-phase engagement rather than planning around a single exchange.
• RecommendedUse equipment suited to changing attacksGanondorf can use different weapon types, so a flexible set of weapons and a willingness to change tactics are useful.
• RecommendedProtect against costly mistakesBecause Ganondorf can permanently reduce Link's heart containers, healing and defensive preparation should be treated as central parts of the plan.

ObjectivesSpoilers

1. Enter the chasm beneath Hyrule CastleJump into the chasm and follow the underground route toward the final confrontation.
2. Defeat the Demon KingSurvive the multi-phase ground encounter with Ganondorf and adapt to his changing weapon use.
3. Defeat the Demon DragonContinue into the skies and complete the aerial battle against Ganondorf's transformed form.
4. Conclude the threat to HyruleComplete the battle to reach the game's true ending and resolve the central narrative.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Prepare for the final encounter

   Prepare before entering the chasm

   Use the time before the descent to organize healing, weapons and other combat resources. The encounter is multi-phase, so entering with only enough supplies for one duel can leave Link exposed later.

   Location: Hyrule Castle

   TipTreat the approach as the last safe preparation point rather than assuming the battle will end after the first phase.

   Watch outThe supplied material does not identify a mandatory loadout; do not rely on an unverified specific weapon, armor set or item count.

2. 02

   Reach the underground approach

   Jump into the chasm at Hyrule Castle

   Locate the chasm at Hyrule Castle and jump into it to begin the underground route. This descent is the required path to the final confrontation, so turning away from the chasm does not advance the quest.

   Location: Hyrule Castle

   Checkpoint
3. 03

   Reach Ganondorf

   Continue through the underground route

   Follow the depths beneath Hyrule Castle until the route brings Link to the final encounter. Keep combat resources available while moving forward, because the important transition is from exploration into a sustained boss engagement.

   Location: Underground beneath Hyrule Castle

   TipDo not spend essential healing or your strongest combat resources casually during the approach if you still need them for the battle.

4. 04

   Defeat Ganondorf

   Begin the confrontation with Ganondorf

   Engage the Demon King and watch for the use of different weapon types. The fight is not described as one uniform pattern, so read the attack that is being presented and respond to its timing rather than repeating one attack blindly.

   Location: Final underground arena

   Watch outGanondorf can permanently reduce Link's heart containers, making avoidable hits especially dangerous.

5. 05

   Survive the multi-phase engagement

   Adapt through the changing ground phases

   Continue the fight as its phases change, using the opening created after Ganondorf's attacks and adjusting to his current weapon. The successors of the Champions provide support during specific phases, but their presence does not remove the need for Link to manage positioning and defense.

   Location: Final underground arena

   TipUse each phase transition as a cue to reassess distance, attack timing and remaining supplies instead of assuming the previous strategy still applies.

6. 06

   Continue the final confrontation

   Face Ganondorf's transformation

   The battle shifts when Ganondorf consumes his secret stone and transforms into the massive Demon Dragon. This is a major change in format, so stop treating the encounter as a conventional ground duel and prepare for the aerial stage.

   Location: Transition from the underground battle to the skies

   Watch outThis transformation is a major story reveal and marks the beginning of the quest's final combat stage.

7. 07

   Defeat the Demon Dragon

   Fight the Demon Dragon in the skies

   Engage the Demon Dragon through aerial combat and continue attacking while managing Link's position in the sky. The final stage is distinct from the ground phases and is built around securing victory against Ganondorf's transformed form.

   Location: The skies above Hyrule

   Checkpoint
8. 08

   Reach the true ending

   Complete the battle and watch the conclusion

   After the Demon Dragon is defeated, allow the concluding sequence to play through to resolve the central threat to Hyrule. The victory leads to the game's true ending and completes The Final Battle.

   Location: The skies above Hyrule and the ending sequence

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

The central mechanic of The Final Battle is phase adaptation. Ganondorf can use various weapon types, so the player must treat his equipment and attack presentation as meaningful changes rather than cosmetic variation. A safe approach is to observe the tell for an incoming attack, avoid committing to a long animation when the boss is ready to retaliate, and attack only after creating a dependable opening.

Ganondorf's ability to permanently reduce Link's heart containers changes the usual value of damage taken. A hit is not merely a temporary loss that can always be repaired by eating or drinking; it can reduce the amount of health available for the remainder of the encounter. This makes defensive play, careful healing and conservative positioning particularly important.

Support from the successors of the Champions is tied to specific phases. Their assistance reinforces the encounter's group-battle structure, but it should not be treated as a replacement for Link's own combat decisions. The player still needs to control Link's movement, select suitable attacks and preserve resources for the later transformation.

The Demon Dragon stage changes the camera space and movement requirements by placing the confrontation in the skies. The player must shift from reading a ground-based opponent to managing an aerial engagement, then continue until the transformed Ganondorf is defeated.

What works and what does notSpoilers

PhasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Underground approach

   Starts: Jump into the chasm at Hyrule Castle and follow the route beneath the castle.

   The approach moves Link from the surface into the depths where the final encounter begins.

   • Prepare before committing to the descent.
   • Keep resources available for a multi-phase fight.
2. 2

   Ganondorf ground phases

   Starts: Reach the final underground arena.

   The Demon King uses various weapon types and can permanently reduce Link's heart containers.

   • Weapon-based attacksTell Ganondorf's currently equipped weapon signals that the attack pattern may change.Answer Read the attack, avoid the incoming strike and punish only after a clear opening.
   • Prioritize avoiding damage because heart-container reduction raises the cost of mistakes.
   • Reassess the current phase instead of repeating one attack pattern.
3. 3

   Champion successor support

   Starts: Specific portions of the ground confrontation.

   The successors of the Champions join Link during particular phases and provide support.

   • Use the extra support as an opportunity to create openings, while continuing to control Link directly.
4. 4

   Demon Dragon

   Starts: Ganondorf consumes his secret stone and transforms.

   The encounter leaves the underground arena and becomes an aerial battle in the skies.

   • Adjust to aerial movement and continue the fight until the transformed entity is defeated.

Boss encounterSpoilers

• Location
  The depths beneath Hyrule Castle, followed by the skies above Hyrule
• Health
  Not specified in the supplied material

Approach the battle as a sequence rather than a single exchange. During the ground phases, watch Ganondorf's weapon use, avoid attacks that can permanently reduce Link's heart containers, and use openings carefully. When he consumes his secret stone and becomes the Demon Dragon, change to the aerial combat rules of the final stage and continue until the transformation is defeated.

ChecklistSpoilers

• Prepare healing and combat resources before entering the chasmThe encounter is multi-phase and can extend beyond the initial ground battle.
• Enter the chasm at Hyrule CastleThis is the route to the underground final encounter.
• Be ready to respond to different weapon typesGanondorf's weapon use changes the way his attacks must be read.
• Avoid unnecessary damage during the ground phasesGanondorf can permanently reduce Link's heart containers.
• Use support from the successors of the Champions when it appearsTheir assistance is tied to specific phases.
• Recognize the transformation into the Demon DragonThe battle changes from an underground confrontation to an aerial stage.
• Defeat the Demon Dragon in the skiesThis completes the final combat sequence.
• Allow the conclusion to play throughVictory leads to the true ending and resolves the central threat to Hyrule.

Failure conditionsSpoilers

• Link is defeated during the encounterThe final battle must be restarted after a defeat; the supplied material does not specify the exact restart point or checkpoint behaviour.
• Link takes repeated damage from GanondorfThis is not necessarily an immediate mission failure, but Ganondorf's attacks can permanently reduce heart containers and make a later defeat more likely.
• The player does not adapt to the aerial stageThe Demon Dragon phase uses aerial combat, so continuing to approach it like the ground-based Ganondorf fight can make the final stage harder to manage.

RewardsEnding spoilers

• Victory over Ganondorf
  Defeating the Demon King completes the central boss confrontation.
• Demon Dragon victory
  Winning the aerial final stage completes the last combat sequence.
• The game's true ending
  The conclusion of The Final Battle leads to the true ending and wraps up the central narrative regarding the threat to Hyrule.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• LinkThe player character who undertakes the final battle.
• GanondorfThe Demon King and primary opponent during the ground phases.
• Demon DragonGanondorf's transformed form in the aerial final stage.

AftermathEnding spoilers

TriviaSpoilers

• The final encounter deliberately changes setting: it begins deep underground beneath Hyrule Castle and ends in the skies.
• Ganondorf's transformation into the Demon Dragon is triggered when he consumes his secret stone.
• The successors of the Champions do not simply appear for the entire mission; the supplied material specifies that they provide support during particular phases.
• The ability to permanently reduce Link's heart containers makes the final battle distinct from a boss encounter where all damage can be restored normally.

Sources

• The Final Battle — Fandom — fandom.com

Relationships