The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Plot

Plot

In the series' chronology, Skyward Sword is officially the earliest point in the Zelda timeline, and elaborates on the origins of the Master Sword and Ganon. According to legend, after the creation of the land that would later become Hyrule, the Triforce was entrusted by the Golden Goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru to the goddess known as Hylia. However, the Demon King Demise gathered an army to take the Triforce for his own evil intent. Using her power to create the floating islands called Skyloft to keep the Hylians and the Triforce safe, Hylia and the remaining tribes—the Ancient Robots, the Parella, the Kikwis, the Gorons, and the Mogmas—battled Demise's horde before the demon was defeated.

The plot begins many years after the prologue and follows an incarnation of the protagonist Link, who was born and raised in Skyloft. He begins to have dreams of a strange figure. Woken up by his childhood friend Zelda, Link prepares for the Wing Ceremony, a tradition to acknowledge one as a knight. Link completes the ceremony after overcoming the attempts of his classmate Groose (バド, Bado?) to sabotage him. Link and Zelda take their Loftwings out for a flight to celebrate, but encounter a storm which sucks Zelda down to the still demon-infested Hyrule. Soon after, Link learns that the figure from his dream is Fi (ファイ, Fai?), the spirit of the Goddess Sword, which Hylia created in case the evil she defeated was to stir again. She tells him that Link must descend to the surface below to find Zelda. With guidance from an elderly woman in the Sealed Temple near Faron Woods, Link pursues Zelda to the Skyview Spring where he encounters the Demon Lord Ghirahim (ギラヒム, Girahimu?), who is responsible for Zelda's predicament. However, after tracking her down to the Earth Spring, Link learns that Zelda is being protected from Ghirahim by a mysterious woman named Impa. Link then tracks Zelda to the ancient Temple of Time, which he can only enter through the Lanayru Mining Facility. Upon entering the temple, Link finds Zelda about to enter the Gate of Time, just as Ghirahim arrives to capture her. Link fends off Ghirahim, allowing Zelda and Impa time to escape through the Gate before it is destroyed. Before leaving, Zelda gives Link her Goddess Harp.

The elderly woman in the Sealed Temple informs Link that there is a second Gate of Time, which she has been guarding within the temple for years. Link must seek out the three sacred flames of the Golden Goddesses, to temper and increase the power of his sword and open the gate. During his journey for the flames, he also strengthens his spirit through the trials set by the three Goddesses. With help from Groose, who has followed Link down to the surface from Skyloft to find out what happened to Zelda, Link keeps The Imprisoned, who is able to overcome the weakened seal, from leaving the Sealed Grounds on several occasions. Once all three flames are infused within the Goddess Sword, it transforms into the Master Sword, and Link is able to enter the Gate of Time.

Link arrives in the time period where Demise was just recently sealed away by the Goddess Hylia, and discovers Zelda waiting in the Sealed Temple (which in the past was known as Hylia's Temple). Zelda reveals she is the reincarnation of Hylia herself; her trip to the Springs meant to restore her past life's memory. She tells Link that she had to travel back in time to keep Demise's seal active in the past, so that The Imprisoned, Demise's cursed form, cannot break free in the future. She must do this by entering a deep sleep, from which Link will awaken her in the present. She tasks Link to search for the Triforce hidden in Skyloft, to lock The Imprisoned within the Sealed Grounds forever. Once acquiring the complete Triforce in the present, Link uses its power to crush The Imprisoned under the descending Isle of the Goddess. Soon after, Zelda awakens from her slumber and is reunited with Link. However, the reunion is cut short by Ghirahim as he kidnaps Zelda before entering the Gate of Time, intending to resurrect Demise in the past.

Link follows Ghirahim through the gate, and, after battling the hordes the Demon Lord sends against him, Girahim reveals his true form to duel Link one last time; a figure strangely resembling Fi. Link wins, but despite his attempts to stop him, Ghirahim succeeds in sacrificing Zelda's life force to The Imprisoned. It reverts into Demise, who reveals Ghirahim to be his weapon: a sword. He challenges Link to battle, impressed with the youth's bravery. Link manages to mortally wound Demise, giving Zelda back her soul in the process. In his final words, Demise swears that his hatred will be reborn and will haunt the descendants of Link and Zelda for all time, before he disperses into a mist which is then absorbed by the Master Sword. With her mission complete, Fi asks Link to place the Master Sword into the shrine's pedestal while she falls into an eternal sleep. Link and Zelda also say their goodbyes to Impa, who is revealed to be of this time and must watch over the Master Sword to ensure Demise's destruction. Link, Zelda, and Groose return to the present, where the elderly woman reveals herself to be Impa before she finally vanishes after fulfilling her duty.

After saying their goodbyes to Groose, who returns to Skyloft, Zelda admits to Link that she wishes to stay in Hyrule and asks him what he will do, while both of their Loftwings fly off in the distance.