History Characters / TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword

* BassoProfundo: His vocals are the lowest out of the four.

!![[center: [-'''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheTriforceWielders The Triforce Wielders]]''' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGanonGanondorf Ganon/Ganondorf]])-]]][[center:[-'''Recurring:''' [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGoddessesAndAllies Goddesses and Allies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaVillainsAndEnemies Villains and Enemies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaRaces Races]]-]]][[center: [-'''Main Series:''' ''Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaI'', ''Characters/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle games]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords Four Swords]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures Four Swords Adventures]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', ''Skyward Sword'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes Tri Force Heroes]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom]]''-]]][[center: [-'''Spin-Offs:''' ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Philips CD-i Games]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriors Hyrule Warriors]]'', ''[[Characters/CadenceOfHyrule Cadence of Hyrule]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity]]''-]]]

!![[center: [-'''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheTriforceWielders The Triforce Wielders]]''' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGanonGanondorf Ganon/Ganondorf]])-]]][[center:[-'''Recurring:''' [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGoddessesAndAllies Goddesses and Allies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaVillainsAndEnemies Villains and Enemies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaRaces Races]]-]]][[center: [-'''Main Series:''' ''Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaI'', ''Characters/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle games]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords Four Swords]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures Four Swords Adventures]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', ''Skyward Sword'' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSwordGhirahim Ghirahim]]), ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes Tri Force Heroes]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom]]''-]]][[center: [-'''Spin-Offs:''' ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Philips CD-i Games]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriors Hyrule Warriors]]'', ''[[Characters/CadenceOfHyrule Cadence of Hyrule]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity]]''-]]]

->[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSwordGhirahim See his page for tropes on him]].

!![[center: [-'''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheTriforceWielders The Triforce Wielders]]''' ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGanonGanondorf Ganon/Ganondorf]])-]]][[center:[-'''Recurring:''' [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGoddessesAndAllies Goddesses and Allies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaVillainsAndEnemies Villains and Enemies]], [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaRaces Races]]-]]][[center: [-'''Main Series:''' ''Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaI'', ''Characters/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle games]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords Four Swords]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwordsAdventures Four Swords Adventures]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', ''Skyward Sword'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds A Link Between Worlds]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes Tri Force Heroes]]'', ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom]]''-]]][[center: [-'''Spin-Offs:''' ''[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames Philips CD-i Games]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriors Hyrule Warriors]]'', ''[[Characters/CadenceOfHyrule Cadence of Hyrule]]'', ''[[Characters/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity]]''-]]]

* AgentPeacock: He's quite flamboyant, but he's extremely powerful.
* AmbiguouslyGay: With an emphasis on ''ambiguous'', though he's technically genderless. There's his effeminate clothes, jewelry, makeup, and haircut. Also, that tongue thing, which often results in a very gross wet willy for Link.
* ArchEnemy: To the very first incarnation of Link. Since Ganon doesn't exist yet and Demise is still trapped, Ghirahim is the one antagonizing Link throughout the game, frequently showing up to either fight him or impede his progress, and gradually drawing his ire as the game goes on. Likewise, Link's repeated victories against Ghirahim cause the latter to become increasingly enraged that a mere human can stand up to him. By the climax, their conflict has reached ItsPersonal levels on both sides.
* AttackItsWeakPoint: In the third fight, Link hits him with successive Finishing Blows, creating a diamond-shaped wound in his chest, which serves as a stab target thereafter.
* AxCrazy: He has unabashed bloodlust, first promising to beat Link within an inch of his life, then burn him alive, and then finally torture him until he's deafened by his own screams.
* BadassCape: Although he takes it off to fight. It kind of just disintegrates.
* BadassFingerSnap: He snaps his fingers whenever he uses magic, such as summoning a boss or creating a sword.
* BadBoss: Right before his third fight with Link, he summons hordes of enemies to stall for time, and he tells them that he doesn't care if they impale themselves all on Link's sword - if they fail and live, they ''will'' suffer for it. Given the intensity of the following ZergRush, they take him quite seriously.
* TheBadGuyWins: After Link beats him the third time, he proceeds to gloat that [[TargetedHumanSacrifice the ritual he had began beforehand]] continued on its own, and thus Demise will return and Link fought him for nothing. Though said victory doesn’t last very long, he nonetheless succeeded in his goal.
* BareHandedBladeBlock: During his boss fights. If you can't get out of it in time, he steals your sword and uses it against you (in the first fight), or else shoots crystal daggers at you (in his second fight). Exceptionally impressive considering that he does it ''with two fingers''.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Don't let his narcissism and flamboyance fool you, he is still a crazed and evil villain who needs to be treated with extreme caution.
* BigBad: He is the main antagonist of the game, even though he is TheDragon to his master, who he is trying to revive. And even though Demise is the FinalBoss of the game, Ghirahim does have more of a role in the entire story, plus he's fought one more time before Demise is released and takes the FinalBoss role.
* {{BFS}}: He wields a heavy, two-handed sword during the final phase of his final fight. He also plays this trope literally when Demise's sword is formed from Ghirahim. So, Ghirahim himself is a BFS.
* BitchSlap: A backhanded variant is how he attacks in the first phase of his first battle. It deals a heart of damage per slap.
* BlackMagic: He can conjure blades of various sizes, teleport, and summon minor demons.
* BlankWhiteEyes: Has these in his final form.
* BlatantLies: During the first encounter with him in Skyview Temple, he promises not to murder Link and to simply beat him to within an inch of his life. If you are reduced to your last heart in the resulting battle with him, he does not stop fighting and will kill you with any subsequent hits.
* BloodKnight: He really enjoys violence and conflict. Actually {{justified|Trope}} because Ghirahim is the [[LivingWeapon humanoid form of the Demon King Demise's sword.]]
* BloodLust: In the second fight, he licks Link's blood off his blade whenever he lands a hit. {{Justified|Trope}} perfectly once you realize he is actually a Sword Spirit, thus suiting his personality,
* BlowYouAway: He's the one that summoned the tornado to capture Zelda early in the game.
* BondVillainStupidity: Ghirahim [[ReconstructedTrope reconstructs this trope]]. He spends most of his fights with Link simply screwing around and toying with him, which allows him to repeatedly interfere with and foil his plans. He becomes increasingly self-aware of this, and very much regrets not simply killing Link when he had the chance over the course of the game. At the same time, he ultimately [[YouCantThwartStageOne manages to succeed in his quest]] to revive Demise, not in spite of, but because of his putting aside his bloodthirsty urges in service of his goal.
* BossBanter: He chastises you if you do very badly against him.
* BossRemix: His battle music is based on his {{Leitmotif}}.
* BossSubtitles: '''Demon Lord: Ghirahim'''
* BraggartBoss: While he's more [[AxCrazy violent]] than most examples, Ghirahim has the [[SmugSnake arrogance]], [[EvilIsHammy hamminess]], and RecurringBoss status down pat.
* BreakingTheFourthWall: He hums his own {{Leitmotif}} when he does his victory dance right before he starts the ritual to sacrifice Zelda. In the beginning of the cutscene before the second battle, he can be seen ''[[LargeHam blowing a kiss at the camera]]''.
* BrokenArmorBossBattle: His third fight amounts to this, with him assuming a ChromeChampion form that renders him impervious to the True Master Sword's attacks. To overcome this protection, Link must stun him by [[RingOutBoss knocking him off the platforms]] on which they fight, then use the Finishing Blow to break his chest open and expose his gem-like weak point, at which point he switches back to his swordplay and is vulnerable to being stabbed by Link's sword.
* {{Camp}}: Quite possibly the campiest Zelda villain yet.
-->'''Ghirahim:''' This news has just filled my heart with rainbows.
* CatchAndReturn: A rare close-range example. Let him hold onto your sword for too long, and he'll pull it out of your hand and start slashing ''you'' with it. This even applies to the ''Master Sword'' during Lanayru's boss rematch with him (though the fact that it's a replica made by Lanayru probably gets around the fact that only Link can wield it).
* CatchphraseInsult: In the Japanese version, after his VillainousBreakdown, he refers to Link exclusively as "kozou", which got translated as "boy" in English.
* CharacterTics: Some people have noticed that he wiggles his fingers quite a bit.
* ChromeChampion: His OneWingedAngel form is visibly metallic and makes a "clang" when struck by Link's sword. For his first phase, this renders him impervious to even the Master Sword's attacks.
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist:
** Although the game is a prequel, Ghirahim was designed with this mindset, making him a contrast to Ganondorf. While Ganondorf is a coarse, heavyset man in black, Ghirahim is a flamboyant PrettyBoy with a white suit.
** He's also interestingly a near polar opposite to [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Zant]], who was TheHeavy to [[HijackedByGanon a hidden master]] in the previous home console ''Zelda'' adventure. Whereas Zant [[MaskOfSanity appears]] chillingly {{Stoic}} and composed for the majority of the game before going ''off the rails'' once actually confronted by Link and losing control during battle in a hysterical VillainousBreakdown, Ghirahim is a flamboyant and affable antagonist from his first meeting but becomes less and less so as Link genuinely crosses his nerves, with ''his'' breakdown culminating in a dead-serious attitude and [[BewareTheSillyOnes terrifying level of competence]] both in their final duel and in executing his plans. It could be said that one begins as the NoNonsenseNemesis but falls apart as one as his plans unravel, while the other starts off as playful yet proves himself as one the more he's pushed. It's no wonder the two were paired as Ganondorf's CoDragons in ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors''.
* CoolSword: He is Demise's sword. In sword form, he looks like an [[EvilCounterpart evil version of the Master Sword.]]
* CrucifiedHeroShot: {{Inverted|Trope}}. After Demise is revived, he thanks TheDragon for his loyalty by forcibly converting him back into his sword-form, with Ghirahim being in this pose during the process. [[LaughingMad Ghirahim doesn't seem to mind much, though.]]
* DarkIsEvil: His sword has been seen to have a dark glow around it and Ghirahim himself turns out to be a Demon with [[CastingAShadow dark powers]].
* DealWithTheDevil: He offers Link a chance to avoid "punishment" if he tells him where the other Gate of Time is. Link, of course, refuses.
* DeathGlare: At the end of their second duel, Ghirahim briefly loses his temper... And let's just say that his face isn't pretty.
* DemonLordsAndArchdevils: His title is Demon Lord, and he rules the surface in the absence of his master [[GreaterScopeVillain Demise.]]
* {{Determinator}}: He is absolutely devoted to his goal of unsealing and reviving his master Demise, to the point that he willingly puts aside his sadistic love of violence and torture multiple times to focus on his first priority.
* DieLaughing: This is what he does while Demise forcefully converts him back into a sword.
* DissonantSerenity: In the first phase of all of his fights, he approaches Link calmly.
* TheDragon: Ghirahim's main motivation is to resurrect some "Master" of his, using Zelda in some way to do so. Said master turns out to be the [[GreaterScopeVillain Demon King Demise.]]
* DramaQueen: Ghirahim is an extremely {{camp}}y master of ham, both {{large|Ham}} and {{cold|ham}}. Often combined with [[HairTriggerTemper violent rage]] for extra drama.
--> '''Ghirahim:''' Do you have any idea [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry how that made me feel inside]]? ''Furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!!''
* DualBoss: Of a sort; he is converted back into a sword and used by Demise in the final battle, essentially meaning Link is fighting both of them.
* DualWielding: He wields both his sabre and his more rarely-seen longsword in his second fight.
* DubNameChange: His name was slightly modified for the Spanish localizations (both European and Latin American) as "Grahim", probably because it's an alternate transliteration of the Japanese name that rolls better with the tongue in Spanish.
* DubPersonalityChange: In the Japanese version, Ghirahim's effeminate, FauxAffablyEvil speaking style disappears completely after his second defeat, becoming much rougher and more masculine. The English version keeps it up throughout the entire game, making him come off much more campy and theatrical.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: As the only humans he faced prior to Link were cowardly and either hid or turned to Hylia for protection when faced with him, Ghirahim is utterly perplexed that Link keeps ignoring his threats and challenging him. It's more along the lines of Evil Cannot Comprehend Courage, but the basic idea is the same.
* EvilCounterpart:
** To Fi. They're both swords, with Ghirahim being Demise's sword and Fi being the Master Sword. His OneWingedAngel form resembles a black-and-white version of Fi with arms instead of a cloak and his sword form is basically an evil version of the Master Sword. Also, their temperaments are complete opposites, with Ghirahim as a [[RedOniBlueOni Red Oni and Fi as a Blue Oni.]]
** He's also an EvilCounterpart to Link, being a {{Bishonen}} warrior who serves as the agent of a godlike being. Unlike Link he's a sadistic monster who enjoys the suffering of others. They even have similar fighting styles by the final battle, with Ghirahim using his own version of Skyward Strikes.
* EvilIsHammy: Until his second boss battle with Link, more than half of his lines are him being flamboyant and overdramatic. When the battle ends, he starts dropping this.
* EvilOverlord: He claims to be the ruler of the surface world, only subservient to his master.
* EvilTastesGood: He licks his lips during his first battle with Link. Though considering how he was acting towards Link earlier, this may be implying [[SexIsViolence something else entirely]]. It also qualifies as Violence Tastes Good as well, which also acts as foreshadowing as he is actually the humanoid form of Demise's sword.
* EvilWeapon: His true form is the evil opposite of the Master Sword, wielded by Demise.
* ExpositoryPronoun: In the Japanese version, he uses the formal and somewhat feminine "watashi" at first. But after he's defeated at the Fire Sanctuary, he switches to the much manlier "ore".
* FacialMarkings: His eyes have purple bags and, when he enter his second form, his left eyes has a dark scar-like marking.
* FalseReassurance: On his first encounter with Link in the Skyview Temple, he promises not to kill him... he'll just [[DistinctionWithoutADifference beat him within an inch of his life]] instead. In the Japanese version, he instead says that it seems wrong to vent the full extent of his anger on a child like Link, since he is the current leader of the demon tribe, so he "forgives" him... but he won't be able to give Link any less than ''100 years'' to recover from his wounds.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: Link repeatedly impales him through the chest, carving a hole into it. Then Demise converts him back into a sword by summoning his blade form -- ''forcing it out'' through the very same hole and sealing Ghirahim's soul back inside the blade.
* FangsAreEvil: In his final form, highlighting his evil nature.
* FantasyCounterpartReligion: Curiously, despite serving under what is essentially just Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Ghirahim shares some hallmarks of Lucifer. He is beautiful (or at least attempts to be), incredibly prideful, a counterpart to [[GuardianAngel Fi]], and near the end of the game invites Link to an [[FallenAngel 'endless plunge']].
* FashionableAsymmetry: In his first two forms, he only has one {{Pointy Ear|s}}, with the normal ear hidden under his asymmetric hairstyle, as well as an off-center belt. His final form has asymmetric body markings.
* FatalFlaw: [[{{Determinator}} Single-mindedness]]. Despite recognizing that Link may be a potential threat, Ghirahim [[BondVillainStupidity always puts off ending him on the spot]] since his first priority is capturing Zelda and unsealing the Demon King. While he ultimately succeeds in his goal thanks to his devotion, he and Demise are unable to enjoy the fruits of his labors since he has allowed Link to grow strong enough to end the Demon King himself.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He mostly tries to keep a semblance of a dignified, calm gentleman most of the time, but he has barely-repressed temper issues and an appetite for bloodshed which leads to his horrific promises to torture Link.
* FeelsNoPain: When Demise pulls out his sword form, Ghirahim doesn't mind the pain.
* TheFightingNarcissist: Over half of the cutscene before his second fight with Link is Ghirahim talking about how perfect his body is.
-->"Behold! Such beauty! Such a pure form! Such an exquisite physique! Such stunning features! Yes, I've pretty much got it all. Though there is one teensy, tiny thing I lack... Namely, '''[[BloodKnight mer]][[LickingTheBlade cy.]]'''"
* FlamingDevil: He's incredibly effeminate, flamboyant, and narcissistic, and additionally a [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Demon Lord]].
* FlayingAlive: He appears to do this to himself in his final confrontation with Link, stripping away his upper layer to show off his metallic true body.
* FlechetteStorm: He can summon a flurry of diamond knives to attack Link.
* FoeRomanceSubtext: When Link confronts Ghirahim in the Fire Sanctuary, Ghirahim says they are bound by a "[[RedStringOfFate thread of fate]]" that he'll stain crimson with Link's blood. He also tends to get [[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace very up close and personal]] with Link in cutscenes, and in the Japanese version often calls him "[[TermsOfEndangerment Link-kun]]" before the campy facade drops.
* {{Foil}}:
** Creator/EijiAonuma has said Ghirahim was designed to [[ContrastingSequelAntagonist contrast]] with Ganondorf's "very masculine, powerful, evil" characteristics. As a result, this makes Ghirahim also somewhat resemble [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap Vaati]], who is somewhere in the middle of the effeminate/masculine spectrum. This also makes him contrast his master Demise, who is ''[[ExaggeratedTrope exceedingly]]'' masculine.
** He also serves as one to Fi when he transforms into Demise's sword. He is one to Fi overall, his [[LargeHam over-the-top, emotional, and flamboyant nature]] contrasting Fi's [[EmotionlessGirl subdued]] and [[TheStoic stoic]] manner.
** Lastly, he's one to Link. Both are expert swordsmen with {{Bishonen}} looks who are chasing after Zelda for different reasons. Both are also servants of polar opposite divine beings. Aonuma says that he was designed to be similar to Dark Link from ''Ocarina of Time'' in that he also reads Link's attacks and forces the player to fight more strategically.
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Part of his {{leitmotif}}.
* GlamourFailure: Throughout the game, Ghirahim's body becomes covered in black markings, starting at his arms and legs. Near the end of the game, his ''face'' is marked. Then he goes OneWingedAngel, and hell breaks loose. Even more poignant, immediately before the final boss battle, after Ghirahim assumes his ChromeChampion form, Link has a vision of him in his sword form when he says "You stand before a demon... or should I say, a ''weapon'' without mercy!"
* TheGlovesComeOff: In your second fight against him, he makes his gloves disintegrate, and true enough, he isn't playing around this time. In the final fight, he uses kicks (he's made of metal, so these hurt just as much anything else), though after getting knocked off the platforms, he goes back to using a sword.
* GoodOldFisticuffs: In the last fight with him, he initially just uses punches.
* GrayscaleOfEvil: He begins the game with white skin, white hair, and white clothes under a red cloak, but can summon knives and swords with black blades. Parts of his body begin to turn black in his second fight with Link, and he eventually sheds his outer layer to show off his real form, a pitch-black humanoid with white stripes. He is finally reconverted into a sword by Demise, and becomes pure black.
* HappyDance: He dances awkwardly while trying to get Zelda's soul out of her body. It's pretty hilarious.
* HairTriggerTemper: If there's one trait Ghirahim is known for besides ChewingTheScenery, it's blowing his incredibly short fuse.
* HeartLight: Develops one during his third encounter with Link.
* TheHeavy: He is the most active villain in the plot. Technically TheDragon to his master, [[GreaterScopeVillain Demise]], but he stayed a SealedEvilInACan until the very end of the game. Ghirahim's quest to free him drives the plot.
* TheHerosJourney: A rare villainous example, yet Ghirahim's story follows the trope near-perfectly.
** '''Departure:''' After serving as a sword spirit for who knows how long, Ghirahim's master, Demise, is defeated, forcing Ghirahim to strike out on his own. Eventually, he sets out to explore (and conquer) the Surface in a quest to revive his master.
** '''Initiation:''' Ghirahim starts his quest by knocking Zelda out of the Sky, yet hits several roadblocks due to Zelda being more evasive than expected and Impa's intervention. He then meets Link, who gradually proves to be his toughest opponent. After Zelda and Impa escape and ruin his initial plan, Ghirahim fully explores the Surface, conquering multiple trials and becoming more powerful, even physically transforming as a result. He eventually breaks into the Sealed Grounds, brings Zelda back to the past, and successfully sacrifices her to the Imprisoned.
** '''Return:''' After his master is revived, Ghirahim reverts back to his original form as Demise's blade, [[TheBadGuyWins having completed his quest]] and now content with the knowledge that humanity is doomed.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard:
** After going OneWingedAngel, he tells Link that he'll knock him to the edge and then push him off in a method he calls the "Endless Plunge." That's exactly how Link defeats him.
** A more subtle example that serves from the very beginning: he chastises you if you telegraph your attacks, but he does the same thing outrageously, making it comparably easy to counterattack.
* HotBlooded: Ghirahim is an extremely emotional, [[EvilIsHammy scenery-chewing]] villain prone to fits of violent rage.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Done to him repeatedly in his third fight with Link, but {{inverted}} with his "death", as he seems to fall lifelessly after Demise yanks his sword from Ghirahim's body.
* ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Notice that his form-fitting costume is mostly [[{{Stripperiffic}} skin-baring]] cutouts.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Ghirahim is completely full of himself, yet his ego is gradually revealed to be as enormous as it is fragile. Upon being bested in combat by Link during their second battle, he completely breaks down and begins raving in disbelief of the fact that a mere human could overpower him.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Ghirahim is completely self-absorbed, often going on about his own problems and how beautiful he is, while either ignoring or outright relishing in the suffering he causes to those around him. Even his devotion to Demise appears to be nothing more than an extension of his own love for destruction.
* JustBetweenYouAndMe: See HoistByHisOwnPetard. He even lampshades his tendency towards this trope earlier in the game.
* JustifiedTutorial: The first battle's banter serves this purpose through RainbowSpeak: "But so long as you continue to '''telegraph your attacks''' like the novice you are, you'll never land a blow."
* JustToyingWithThem: Ghirahim holds back in his first fight with Link (Fi notes that he has more power and isn't using all of it), as he doesn't see Link as much of a threat and decides to just beat him to within an inch of his life. He starts to realize that this was a mistake as Link continues meddling with his plans.
* KickTheDog:
** Upon meeting Link for the first time, Ghirahim decides to beat and torture him ForTheEvulz.
** At the end of the game, Ghirahim ''literally'' kicks Groose and the Old One— the latter of whom is too frail to pose any threat whatsoever— out of the way.
* KnightOfCerebus: Despite the [[LargeHam ham]], any time the guy arrives, things take a turn for the terrifying. He's that dangerous.
* LargeHam: Ghirahim's speech is flamboyant and he's prone to shouting.
* LastSecondChance: Inverted. He gives Link a chance to tell him where the second Gate of Time is, which in turn will lead him straight to Zelda. Link promptly refuses.
* LaughablyEvil: His effeminate mannerisms and flowery dialogue can be quite amusing despite his bloodthirsty nature.
* LaughingMad: Laughs maniacally when Demise is resurrected and when he is forcibly reconverted into his sword. It's pretty safe to say that he wanted it to happen.
* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: He hums his own {{Leitmotif}} at one point.
* LeanAndMean: In comparison to Ganondorf, he's pretty scrawny. Doesn't make him any less [[AxCrazy dangerous]]. Averted with his [[OneWingedAngel Sword Spirit]] form, which is rather muscular. Even Fi [[LampshadeHanging notes]] a 90% increase in muscle mass.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: It's subtle, but in his last form (capable of speech), his dialog box looks like a black version of Fi's.
* LegFocus: The first shot of him, where he watches Link enter the Deep Woods, obscures most of his appearance by only showing his legs.
* {{Leitmotif}}: A rather creepy-yet-whimsical one. He actually starts humming it before beginning the ritual to resurrect Demise.
* LickingTheBlade: If he hits Link with an attack, he pauses and licks the blood off.
* LightningBruiser: Though he moves slowly during his fights, the Temple of Time cutscene shows he can move quite fast if he wants to.
* LivingWeapon: It is revealed that he is Demise's Sword.
* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: For starters, he outright threatens to torture Link so brutally that Link's ears will bleed from the sound of his own screams.
* MadeOfIron: [[LivingWeapon Literally]]. His final form can only be damaged in his weak point; anything else will just push him backwards.
* MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight: He travels to the past to free Demise after he is permanently dealt with in the present.
* MagicKnight: Ghirahim is an exceptional swordsman, but he's also able to use precise and formidable magic powers.
* ManiacTongue: He intimidates Link right before their first battle by teleporting behind him and waggling his disturbingly long tongue. He's also prone to [[LickingTheBlade licking the blood off his sword]] whenever he lands a hit.
* MaskOfSanity: He pretends to be calm and collected, but this belies his MoodSwinger tendencies and his casual sadism towards his enemies.
* MasterSwordsman: Unsurprisingly, since he's literally a sword - and the EvilCounterpart of the Master Sword, at that. It's worth noting that he's actually a considerably better swordsman than Demise himself (though it might also be that Ghirahim has multiple fights to realise that he's up against a genuinely dangerous opponent, so he stops messing around. Demise, by contrast, is a FairPlayVillain in part out of respect, but also because he doesn't take Link all that seriously).
* MeaningfulName: ''Ghira'' is an Arabic word for {{Pride}} (specifically, responding to perceived insults with violence). ''Him'' may derive from ''himsa'', the Sanskrit word for [[ToThePain injury or harm]].
* MeleeDisarming: Can take the Goddess Sword off Link after a BarehandedBladeBlock in the first phase of his first fight.
* MilkingTheGiantCow: To accentuate his flamboyant nature, he makes large, dramatic body movements in just about every scene he's in.
* MirrorCharacter: Ghirahim's arc heavily parallels Link's. Both of them are searching for Zelda and have to explore and solve dungeons in order to find her as part of a divine prophecy to reawaken someone they are loyal to. The difference is that, while Link is primarily motivated out of love and altruism, Ghirahim is motivated by hatred and sadism, with his loyalty to the satanic Demise reflecting his own destructive desires.
* MonsterClown: His diamond-pattern clothing, white skin with a facial marking, flamboyant gestures, and occasional humorous moments all evoke the appearance of a Renaissance-era harlequin. He qualifies for "monster" as a Demon Lord and the game's acting main antagonist.
* MoodSwinger: Ghirahim's mood can change at the drop of a hat. He can be happy and giddy one minute, brooding and serious the next minute, and violently angry the next minute.
* {{Motifs}}: Seems to have a thing for diamonds.
* MouthOfSauron: For his master, since he's been sealed in the Sealed Grounds and Ghirahim is trying to free him.
* MrFanservice: The [[LegFocus lower half of his body]] gets a lot of the camera's attention. His theatrics even draw attention to this, such as squatting in the middle of a conversation with Link for no apparent reason.
* MyDefenseNeedNotProtectMeForever: He may lose the final fight with Link, but that doesn't mean he couldn't complete the revival ritual.
* {{Narcissist}}: He goes on about how beautiful and perfect he is.
* NestedOwnership: A sword that can wield his own swords.
* NighInvulnerability: In his final form, nothing can hurt him, not even the Master Sword. Trying to attack him just knocks him backward. The only exception is the AchillesHeel in his chest.
* NotWorthKilling: When Groose does his GoThroughMe moment to bar Ghirahim's access to the Gate of Time in the Sealed Grounds, he just knocks Groose aside instead of ending his life despite the vast difference in power between them.
* OminousLatinChanting: Added to his battle music in his third and final fight.
* OminousPipeOrgan: Part of his leitmotif and battle music.
* OneHandedZweihander: Subverted. He does use a zweihander in the final phase of his final battle with Link, but he ''only'' wields it in one hand while repairing it, since said sword requires two hands to use in attacking.
* OneWingedAngel: His true form looks like a dark version of Fi, as well as being about a head taller and is considerably more muscular. Appropriate, considering he is the sword for his master Demise. Oh, and let's not forget that in this form, his skin is so tough that even the ''Master Sword'' can't touch him, except for the AchillesHeel in his chest. Fi says it best:
-->There is a 90% change in outward appearance compared to previous encounters with him. I detect a dark aura emanating from his entire body. Be cautious, Master. This opponent is extremely dangerous and likely to fell you with a single blow.\\
He is now revealing his true power. I am detecting a significant increase in muscular strength. Unfortunately, I must also conclude that '''none of your weapons will be effective against him.'''
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: One of two ruling demons in the game, alongside his master Demise, and the BigBad overall.
* OverlyLongTongue: He shows off his snake-like tongue to creep out Link in their first encounter.
* PracticallyJoker: Ghirahim's a deceptively cheerful villain with a near-constant smile. He has a primarily white color scheme with hints of red, yellow, and black, making him look somewhat like a jester or a Renaissance clown. Behind his easygoing exterior, he's particularly vicious by the standards of Demise's army, often issuing colorful death and torture threats over being delayed in his quest to revive his master. Other than being a sword of Demise that can take on a sentient form, he has no backstory whatsoever.
* PreFinalBoss: The third fight with Ghirahim is the semifinal battle scenario of the game, and then he becomes Demise's sword and used in the final-final battle of the game.
* PsychoKnifeNut: He's a vicious fighter who can summon an endless supply of daggers in his boss fights to use in conjunction with his sword.
* RankScalesWithAsskicking: He's the "Demon Lord", and the strongest of them all. Except for Demise, who's his master and even stronger than him.
* Really700YearsOld: According to Aonuma, he was designed to look around the same age as Link, but besides constantly calling the hero a "boy," it turns out that he's actually the personal weapon of the ancient demon Demise.
* RecurringBoss: He's fought no less than three times, plus one more as part of the FinalBoss if you count him being as a sword for the Demise encounter.
* RedBaron: He's known as the "Demon Lord" because he has control over them. This includes all kinds of Bokoblins.
* RedOniBlueOni: Red Oni to Fi. They contrast one another well: Where Fi is [[TheStoic stoic]] and {{emotionless|Girl}}, Ghirahim is flamboyant and [[LargeHam over-the-top]]. They are both {{Equippable All|y}}ies as well, and refer to their owners as their Master. Driving the point home is that Fi's Master is Link, who wields the Master Sword, and Ghirahim's Master is Demise, who wields a literally DarkerAndEdgier Master Sword.
* RedRightHand: Sort of. His hair mostly hides it, but his left ear is an ordinary human ear, while his right is the telltale pointy ear of a Hylian.
* RingOutBoss: In the first phase of his third fight, Link must knock him off the platforms on which they fight.
* {{Sadist}}: Being the evil spirit of Demise's sword, Ghirahim lives for bloodshed and the suffering of others, and it shows in his various [[ToThePain disturbing threats]]. In the Japanese version, his idea of ''holding back'' and "forgiving" Link for pulling a sword on him involves a thrashing so severe that he won't recover for '''''100 years'''''.
* ScaryBlackMan: His final form has dark, metallic skin, and by the time Ghirahim reveals it, he's more than proven himself to be a frighteningly evil foe.
* SerratedBladeOfPain: As Demise's sword, he has a serrated blade to contrast the Master Sword's straight blade.
* SissyVillain: [[OneWingedAngel Most of the time]]. His heart is full of rainbows! Also, he wears skintight clothing that only barely censors his nipples, he seems to be wearing white lipstick, his short white hair hangs down over his eye, and he enjoys approaching Link in molestacular poses. However, he has serious MoodSwinger tendencies, he's a Demon (Lord) with a blade, and the overall effect is less "sissy" and more "completely balls-out bonkers." Some fans have said he reminds them of a male Music/LadyGaga.
* SmugSnake: Lampshaded by Fi in her scan on him. He displays overconfidence in his ability to beat Link while holding back, even after Link beats him the first time. After Link beats him twice, however, he stops acting smug and does not hold back in his third fight.
* TheSociopath: Despite being a demon, Ghirahim very much behaves like a human. Unfortunately, beneath his friendly exterior, he is devoid of empathy, enjoys the suffering of others, has an inflated ego, can effortlessly manipulate others, and is wildly impulsive.
* SpontaneousWeaponCreation: His favored form of magic is to generate swords and knives made of dark power.
* StarterVillainStays: He's the very first boss of the game, and sticks around to serve as TheHeavy.
* SuaveSabre: Subverted. He's a stylish, classy-acting demon who carries a sabre as his main weapon, but he turns out to be very AxCrazy and as the game goes on, stays just a hair away from completely losing it. In the final battle, he ditches his sabre for a two-handed claymore to hack with.
* SuddenlyShouting: When expressing his anger at having missed capturing Zelda a second time in the Earth Temple.
-->'''Ghirahim:''' [Impa] had once again... You see, what I'm trying to say is... THAT GODDESS-SERVING DOG ESCAPED WITH THE GIRL!
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He looks very similar to Vaati, a recurring villain [[HijackedByGanon ultimately serving a greater bad guy]] in the GCN era, and his third form looks pretty similar to Fierce Deity Link in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]''.
* TacticalSuicideBoss: If he didn't throw Link's sword back at him after taking it during the first boss fight, he would be literally impossible to defeat, as the sword is the only weapon that can damage him. {{Justified|Trope}}, in a way; Ghirahim is only toying with Link at the moment, and there's no point ([[ForTheEvulz or fun]]) in toying with a defenseless opponent. He later berates himself for allowing Link to survive that time and grow strong enough to challenge him more evenly.
* TalkingWeapon: More specifically, Demise's talking sword.
* TennisBoss: If you're a pro, you can whack back his dagger knives in the fights perfectly with your sword. This will send them back at him, causing him to always defend against them and leaving him open to attack. Note that they are all done in the direction of slashes, going from the floor-up. You can also do this in the last two parts of the final fight with him by using Skyward Strikes against his red strikes, though this knocks his out of function, or play a classic game of Dead Man's Volley. Just make sure that they are in the same kind of slash and you don't strafe. On a different note, you should have a good idea what this trope references.
* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: Line from his introduction aside, he has a tendency to say how he feels in a very over-the-top manner.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: Actually it doesn't, because it means that Link can pick it back up and hit you with it.
* ToThePain: He's quite fond of telling Link just what he will do to him, such as beating Link within an inch of his life or making him suffer to the point that his ears will bleed from the sound of his own screams.
* UncertainDoom: As Demise's Sword, it's unclear if it disappeared because it was destroyed or put away somewhere. Regardless, Ghirahim has yet to appear in any chronologically later games, spin-offs aside.
* UndyingLoyalty: The ''only'' positive trait he has is his loyalty to his master. And even then, his master is [[GreaterScopeVillain Demise, the source of all evil]].
* UnskilledButStrong: Zig-Zagged. Ghirahim is not a particularly sophisticated swordsman, relying on wide, telegraphed slashes with his swords and using daggers as projectiles instead of handheld weapons. Although he starts off his final boss fight with his fists and is more than capable of spinning Link around and using his momentum against him if he makes a mistake, he eventually gives up and goes back to using his sword, and then switches to a larger, heavier {{BFS}} when even that doesn’t work. His strength, magic, and toughness are usually enough to close this gap, except when he’s fighting Link.
* VariableMix: His battle music varies between having the occasional bass drum beat for its percussion to instead having a more fast-paced snare drum with a few cymbals for percussion. The snare drum version has yet another variation with a freaking ''choir''.
* VillainTeleportation: A pretty cool-looking teleportation to boot.
* VillainousBreakdown: He loses his temper whenever things don't quite go his way. He actually admits it's a flaw of his. After Link defeats him for the second time, he stops pretending to be AffablyEvil and starts acting like the AxCrazy demon -- or, should we say, [[LivingWeapon weapon]] -- he really is.
* WakeUpCallBoss: Subverting the franchise's tradition, the item found in the dungeon where Ghirahim is first fought is useless against him. Instead, Ghirahim must be hurt with precise sword slashes, which are meant to test the player's timing and accuracy with the motion controls.
* WeaponGripFailure: The second boss fight against him ends when he looses his grip on the [[DualWielding sword in his right hand]]. While he still has the sword in his left hand, he chooses to leave the boss room.
* WeHaveReserves: At the end of the game, Ghirahim orders an army of Bokoblins to keep Link busy while he performs a ritual to release Demise. His speech doesn't hide how he views his minions as little more than disposable servants.
--> "Hear me, my hordes! The spell is nearly complete! The Demon King returns! Until then, you WILL keep that whelp from interfering with my ritual! I don't care if the lot of you get skewered on the end of his blade! You will buy me the time I need! Do not fear him... Fear my wrath if you fail me!"
* WhatTheHellAreYou: This after Link beats him for the final time:
-->"[[ThisCannotBe This... This is preposterous.]] Driven to my knees by a simple child of man? Laughable! No matter how many times we clash, I can't prevail! You think I can't defeat you? You think I can't win?! Boy...what ''are'' you?"
* WhiteAndRedAndEerieAllOver: When he has his cape on, its red coloring contrasts with his white outfit as well as his pale grayish-white skin. And Ghirahim is ''definitely'' an unnerving foe, stalking his enemies and giving speeches about how he will torment them.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: And then he gets black skin with white patterns to go with it.
* WhyWontYouDie: He gets increasingly irritated as Link seems to survive everything he throws at him. Ghirahim eventually loses his SmugSnake demeanor once Link beats him for the second time.
* WouldHitAGirl: He won't hesitate to kick out Impa, in her elderly form, when she and Groose try to stop him from taking Zelda to the past. And never mind performing a spell on Zelda to revive Demise with her soul.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Subverted. Demise seems to do this, but Ghirahim's laughter at it makes it clear he's completely fine with it because he was Demise's sword the entire time. So less 'outlived your usefulness' and more 'assume a form where you can be more useful to me.'
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: He crashes the party after you defeat the Imprisoned the final time, knocking out Link, Groose, and the Old Woman in rapid succession, and then taking Zelda captive for use in reviving his master. Also an aversion of NoSneakAttacks.

* ManipulativeBastard: He easily tricks Link into leading him straight to Zelda and the Gate of Time.

* NiceGuy: After letting go of his jealousy towards Link, Groose mellows out and becomes one of these.

* MisanthropeSupreme: He views humans as weak and inferior, and he wants Demise to wipe them out as a result.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Even before his CharacterDevelopment, if one scans him with Fi, she claims that he's pure of heart.

* RedHerring: He looks similar to Ganondorf from ''Wind Waker'', and his relation to Link and Zelda would imply that he may be a previous incarnation; fortunately, he isn't.

'''''[[SuperheroSobriquets The Hero of the Skies.]]'''''

** After you obtain the bow, one of her pieces of flavor text is some advice about how to amass more arrows...in which she tells Link a story about a warrior who approached a Bokoblin fortress and used his wooden shield to collect the arrows they fired upon him.

* NiceGirl: She's not exactly a "[[NoBiologicalSex girl]]", but despite her aloofness and robotic personality, Fi gradually shows herself to be a caring and supportive friend towards Link and is almost ''impeccably'' polite.

* RollingAttack: One of its attacks is to roll down the sloped arena in which it's fought. Justified, as it is a living boulder, as in the same boulder that tried to kill Link after he grabbed the Dragon Sculpture, now given life by Ghirahim as a monster ordered to kill Link just to help him get over Impa killing his men and taking Zelda from him (again).

* WhatTheHellHero: Her reincarnation Zelda has this opinion of her.

* NotQuiteDead: Played with. The English version implies that either he and Ganon are the same entity or Ganon is someone who he created with the power of his hatred to forever torment the heroes who defeated him. ''Hyrule Warriors'' and ''Hyrule Historia'' go with the former, outright stating Ganon to be Demise's reincarnation; ''Breath of the Wild'' does so implicitly by stating Ganon to be the incarnation of an ancient evil that took on the form of a Gerudo; and ''Tears of the Kingdom'' takes it even further by showing that after Ganondorf becomes [[spoiler:the new Demon King, [[HistoryRepeats he looks nearly identical to Demise]]]]. However, his "curse" is different in the Japanese original, which states that the Demon Tribe is cursed to hate the gods and to be reborn to war with their creations.

* DyingCurse: Once he is defeated for real in the Japanese original, he curses [[LegacyCharacter Link and Zelda's descendants/successors]], stating that the war between the people of Hylia and the Demon Tribe will never end. The English translation [[LostInTranslation instead implies]] that his [[ThePowerOfHate "incarnation of hatred"]] will be his reborn self to once again wreak havoc on the world, implied to be Ganon.

* LostInTranslation: The English translation implies that Ganondorf is Demise's heir, specifically his "incarnation of hatred" that exists to carry on his will to war against the gods and their creations. However, the Japanese original instead states that the Demon Tribe is instead cursed to hate the gods and that [[AsLongAsThereIsEvil they will continue to do battle until the end of time]]; instead of Demise stating that he will return, he states that their war will repeat forever.

A huge, monstrous beast which haunts Link's dreams frequently. It is the sealed form of Demise, the source of all monsters, Ghirahim's master and the GreaterScopeVillain of the game.

* TheAntiGod: As the Demon King he is the opposite of the Goddess Hylia, and eventually parallels her final actions by incarnating his hatred into a mortal form, his wording "I will rise again" also seems to imply that it will be an incarnation of himself as well. He also wields an evil version of her sword.

* AsLongAsThereIsEvil: He curses Link and Zelda so that a form of his hatred is reborn with them. In the Japanese version, his curse is more vague as [[https://pocketseizure.tumblr.com/post/185641292619 explained here]].

* DiabolusExMachina: Just as Demise is finally about to be defeated, he curses the reincarnations of Link and descendants of Zelda to fight an incarnation of him and his hatred for all eternity, thus subjecting them to a never ending war of sorts. There is no foreshadowing or hints that he can do this beforehand.

* DubPersonalityChange: Demise's DyingCurse in the Japanese text is more vague and mentions various concepts of karma from [[UsefulNotes/{{Buddhism}} Buddhist beliefs]], essentially saying the conflict between Hylians and the demon tribe will continue on after his death. In the English version, Demise more bluntly states he'll rise again and that his hatred will follow the descendants of Link and Zelda.

* MaouTheDemonKing: The game reveals that, in the series' cosmology, Demise is the progenitor of all evil in the ''Zelda'' universe, and his lingering hatred gives birth to the various nemeses Link has faced in the other games. He also has subservient demon lords, most prominently his [[TheDragon dragon]], Ghirahim.

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Another example of this Link setting the trend for heroes throughout Hyrule's history, as he defeats Ghirahim, the Demon Lord of the surface world, more than once. In the end, he takes out the [[GreaterScopeVillain Demon King Demise, who has absorbed the power of Hylia on top of his own, and whose mere ''death curse'' is enough to create Ganon, Vaati, and all the myriad monstrosities that will plague their world for ages to come.]]

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In defeating Demise, he creates the many versions of Ganon that plague Hyrule over the years.

* TheBadGuyWins: After Link beats him the third time, he proceeds to gloat that [[TargetedHumanSacrifice the ritual he had began beforehand]] continued on its own, and thus Demise will return and Link fought him for nothing. Though said victory doesn’t last very long, he nonetheless helped Ganon's origin story.

** Creator/EijiAonuma has said Ghirahim was designed to contrast with Ganondorf's "very masculine, powerful, evil" characteristics. As a result, this makes Ghirahim also somewhat resemble [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap Vaati]], who is somewhere in the middle of the effeminate/masculine spectrum. This also makes him contrast his master Demise, who is ''[[ExaggeratedTrope exceedingly]]'' masculine.

* HijackedByGanon: Actually, he's hijacked by the being that ''creates'' Ganon. Given that this was his aim all along, he doesn't mind.

A huge, monstrous beast which haunts Link's dreams frequently. It is the sealed form of Demise, Ghirahim's master and the GreaterScopeVillain of not only ''Skyward Sword'', but also the ENTIRE ''The Legend Of Zelda'' franchise itself, by extension.

* AncientEvil: As the progenitor of all monsters and the curse that eventually manifests as Ganondorf, he is this to the franchise as a whole.

* CallForward: As noted on the Main page, this boss references all of the other bosses. Demise is regarded as the origin of ''all'' monsters, not just Ganon(dorf).

* DyingCurse: Once he is defeated for real, he curses [[LegacyCharacter Link and Zelda's descendants/successors]] to fight his incarnation of [[ThePowerOfHate hate]], who is revealed to be the BigBad of most of the Zelda games, Ganon.

* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** At the beginning of the game, Link dreams of this creature swallowing Zelda. Thanks to Ghirahim, this is essentially what it finally manages to do.
** If you listen closely to the music that plays when he starts speaking, it's a slowed down version of Ganondorf's leitmotif.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Inverted. Fi's description of him says that he actually changes forms in each era in order to make mortals ''less'' comfortable around him. This does perfectly explain why Ganon looks different in each incarnation.
* GetBackHereBoss: All three deals with The Imprisoned involves Link having to catch up to it and do enough damage before it can escape the Sealed Grounds. With Demise proper, however, it's a sword duel.

* GodOfThunder: Demise is an evil god who can control the weather in his personal dimension. He uses this to darken the battlefield and summon lightning storms. His reincarnation, Ganondorf, leans more towards light-based magic.

* GreaterScopeVillain: Although he is the FinalBoss of ''Skyward Sword'', [[TheHeavy Ghirahim]] seems to be more of the [[BigBad main antagonist]] than Demise. Also, he created Ganon by cursing Zelda and Link, which makes him the greater scope villain of the entire franchise as a whole, due to being TheManBehindTheMan of the series BigBad Ganon. Besides this, Fi refers to him as the origin of all monsters, implying all the major villains that follow may be his fault in some fashion.

* NotQuiteDead: Played with. He technically lives on in Ganon and all of his alternate selves, but it's unclear whether he and Ganon are the same entity or if Ganon is someone who he created with the power of his hatred to forever torment the heroes who defeated him. ''Hyrule Warriors'' and ''Hyrule Historia'' go with the former, outright stating Ganon to be Demise's reincarnation; ''Breath of the Wild'' does so implicitly by stating Ganon to be the incarnation of an ancient evil that took on the form of a Gerudo; and ''Tears of the Kingdom'' takes it even further by showing that after Ganondorf becomes [[spoiler:the new Demon King, [[HistoryRepeats he looks nearly identical to Demise]]]].

* ThePowerOfHate: After his defeat, he curses the bloodlines and reincarnations of Link and Zelda to forever fight the manifestation of his hatred. This is, of course, Ganondorf.
* PredecessorVillain: As the previous life of [[BigBad Ganon's]] [[ArchEnemy countless returns]], and the progenitor of all monsters, he is posthumously responsible for much of the trouble of the following games.

* RecurringBoss: The Imprisoned has to be fought and sealed thrice, then when Demise is fully revived, he is fought as the FinalBoss. On a meta level, every version of Ganon or Ganondorf, meaning the FinalBoss of the majority of the games in the ''Zelda'' franchise, is an incarnation of Demise.

* RestrainingBolt: The Sealing Spike in the Imprisoned's forehead.

* SatanicArchetype: He is Hyrule's equivalent to the Devil. Demise seeks nothing but destruction and, after being sealed away by Hylia, is naturally pissed. When released by Ghirahim, Demise wastes no time fighting Link to the death. However, when he is impaled by the Master Sword, Demise curses Link and Zelda that his hatred (Ganon) will follow them forever, making him the ultimate SoreLoser.
* SealedEvilInACan: The Imprisoned is sealed within the Sealed Grounds. It breaks free from its weakening seal several times and has to be resealed until Ghirahim forces his release, at which point Link has to kill him; he gets vengeance via Ganon, his reincarnation and embodiment of his hatred for Link, Zelda and Hylia.

* SomeoneToRememberHimBy: In a villainous example of this trope, it's confirmed that [[PigMan Ganon]] is the reincarnation of Demise. More specifically, his hatred. It's also implied that the other antagonists of the series are related to Demise in some way.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Serves a very similar purpose that staple villain Ganon(dorf) does in several games. However, it actually has an in-universe justification since Ganon, being Demise's hatred made flesh, is Demise's instrument of vengeance against Link, Zelda and Hylia.

* VillainousLegacy: The game reveals that the machinations of Ganon are the legacy of Demise, the Demon King who cursed Link and Zelda to be plagued by an incarnation of his hatred forever, manifested in Ganondorf (and perhaps others).
* VillainRespect: Even before the fight, he grants Link the time to make preparations when it becomes clear he is willing to fight him head on, respecting his courage. Upon his defeat he openly declares that Link is a paragon of his kind who fights like no human or demon he has ever known. He's even mildly impressed by Groose, for having the courage to intervene to catch Zelda and assure Link that she'll be safe. Given Groose's visual similarities to Ganondorf, the future incarnation of Demise's hatred, this could be... unfortunate.