The Legend of Zelda has always been one of Nintendo's most daring franchises, not only in terms of gameplay, but in terms of content. Many installments in the series feature a darker, creepier tone than most other Nintendo properties. Even the more cartoonish installments of the Zelda series feature things that would make a Mario game look horrific.
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Over the years, The Legend of Zelda has contained some pretty messed-up stuff that threatens Link on his adventures to save Princess Zelda. However, these ten events throughout the series' history are definitely among the most disturbing things to be seen in a kids' game. Read at your own caution.
10 The Horrifying Gaze of ReDead
Many entries in The Legend of Zelda feature enemies that rise from the ground at night, such as Stalfos or Stalkoblins. The idea that all of Hyrule is one large graveyard, containing a countless number of skeletons waiting until nightfall to attack Link is already bone-chilling enough. However, those are the least of Link's undead worries.
The ReDead enemies first appeared in Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64. These creatures became famous in the series for their petrifying gaze. If a ReDead gets near Link, it will latch onto him like a koala and drain his health. The ReDead that appear in The Wind Waker for GameCube are somehow even more frightening than that.
9 The Great Deku Tree Passes Away
The opening of Ocarina of Time finds Link happily residing in Kokiri Forest, where the wise Great Deku Tree acts as a father figure. However, The Great Deku Tree is also the game's first dungeon, as Link is tasked to rid the tree of its curse from Ganondorf. That curse is Queen Gohma, a parasite lurking inside the Kokiri Forest's protector.
Even after Gohma is defeated, it's too late. The Great Deku Tree entrusts wisdom onto Link, before slowly withering away and dying. This shocking moment comes very early on in Ocarina of Time, setting the stage for a heartbreaking and dark journey for Link ahead. However, the Great Deku Tree appears perfectly healthy in later installments.
8 Who Is The Happy Mask Salesman?
Ocarina of Time's sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, is one of the most disturbing games in the franchise. One character, The Happy Mask Salesman, embodies the creepy tone of this entry. The salesman introduces himself to Link, asking him to retrieve the stolen Majora's Mask from Skull Kid, the game's antagonist.
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Not much is known about The Happy Mask Salesman's backstory. All the player knows is he was ambushed by Skull Kid, who stole the Majora's Mask and became corrupted by its power. What The Happy Mask Salesman was doing with a mask imbued with evil power, it is unclear. Players can only hope the salesman's motivations were pure.
7 The Deku Butler Loses His Son
The Happy Mask Salesman is far from the most disturbing part of Majora's Mask. Another character that Link meets early on in the game is the Deku Butler, who works for the Deku King. The Deku Butler mentions to Link through dialogue that his son, a Deku Scrub, has mysteriously vanished.
Unfortunately, this mystery is revealed in an end-credits scene after completing the game. The Deku Butler is seen mourning in front of a misshapen Deku Scrub in the Lost Woods. This means the Deku Butler's son had his soul stolen by Skull Kid, which was later used to curse Link. It's a horrific, tragic moment for the Deku Butler.
6 The Moon Destroys Clock Town
Those who grew up with Majora's Mask probably had a huge fear of the Moon that appears in the game. The main concept of Majora's Mask revolves around a three-day timer counting down to the destruction of Termina, a parallel setting to Hyrule. The destruction of Termina involves the frightening Moon falling from the sky.
If Link happens to allow the timer to end without progressing through the game, a sequence plays depicting the Moon's destruction. An eerily-empty Clock Town is obliterated by the never-changing face of the Moon. It's a disturbing outcome, even for The Legend of Zelda, which is no stranger to bittersweet endings.
5 The Helmaroc King Kidnaps Little Girls
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is perhaps one of the lighter entries in the series, though it does contain its fair share of odd occurrences. One of them comes right at the beginning of the game, when Link's sister Aryll is kidnapped by the mysterious Helmaroc King, sending Link on his quest.
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At the Forsaken Fortress, Link encounters the Helmaroc King as he rescues Aryll and several other kidnapped girls. However, this odd collection is not for nothing; the bird is a servant of Ganondorf, trying to locate pointy-eared girls who may be Princess Zelda in disguise. Still, it's a very traumatic event for these girls to go through.
4 The Origin Of The Twili
Behind Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess is possible the second most disturbing title in the franchise. The game finds Link teaming up with a mysterious imp named Midna to rid Hyrule of the dark twilight that's overtaken in. Over the course of the game, Link learns pieces of the history between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm.
In one sequence early on in the game, Link is told by Lanayru, a Spirit of Light, about how interlopers from the Twilight Realm invaded Hyrule. In this sequence, three Dark Links appear, representing the interlopers who tried to control the Triforce. Though Lanayru's story ends with Hyrule being saved by the Spirits of Light, it's one of the more memorably disturbing scenes in the game.
3 Zant Breaks His Own Neck
The death of Ganondorf at the very end of Twilight Princess is a gruesome, disturbing scene all by itself. Link plunges the Master Sword into Ganondorf's chest, as the Gerudo king vows revenge. However, the directing of this scene seems to imply that it's not the sword that kills Ganondorf, it's a third party.
As Ganondorf's Triforce goes out in his hand, there's a brief cut to Zant, who is killed earlier in the game. Zant gruesomely snaps his neck to side, and then it immediately cuts back to Ganondorf, who flinches one more time, then dies standing upright. Not only is this moment very disturbing for a Nintendo game, but it's also very confusing as to why it happens.
2 Koloktos Gets Creepier As You Battle It
Skyward Sword is definitely a change of pace from Twilight Princess, leaning more towards the Wind Waker spectrum of things. However, the game contains its fair share of creepiness like any other Zelda game. Aside from Ghirahim's overall weirdness, fans can probably be unnerved by the little details, too.
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The Ancient Automaton Koloktos is the boss of the Ancient Cistern temple, a giant, Hindu-inspired bronze robot planted in the ground. However, what makes Koloktos really disturbing is that, throughout the course of the boss fight, the robot slowly begins to smile. When Link finally defeats it, players can even hear childlike laughter.
1 The Blood Moon Appears
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is nothing if not a detail oriented game. Due to its open world nature, players can explore many areas of Hyrule, encountering characters and side-quests who lean on the eerie side of things. However, one event that most players will become acquainted with is the appearance of the Blood Moon.
Players can sense the Blood Moon coming as the sky slowly changes to purple, and red Malice rises up from the ground. Finally, a cutscene plays explaining that Calamity Ganon's power is reaching its peak, reviving any fallen enemies. Depending on where players are, the appearance of the Blood Moon can be quite the nightmare.
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