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A Theory Involving Calamity Ganon and The Final Boss of Tears of the Kingdom

Incase it it isn't obvious, this post will contain MASSIVE SPOILERS for the ending of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Do NOT read if you have not finished BOTH games. This post assumes the reader has beaten both games and has a basic grasp of common series staples in the Legend of Zelda. Seriously. Please. You've been warned.

With that said, let's begin.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are a single cohesive time loop, not just TOTK. Ganondorf and the Calamity Ganon are one and the same. The Calamity Ganon creates itself.

During the final battle of Tears of the Kingdom, as a final act of desperation, Ganondorf swallows his secret stone and becomes the Demon Dragon. As he emerges from the depths of Hyrule Castle, he bears an extreme resemblance to the Calamity Ganon, swathed in wicked energy, before materializing into the Demon Dragon properly. At the end of the final battle, with the aid of the Light Dragon, Link slays the Demon Dragon, smiting the secret stone upon his forehead and destroying Ganondorf.

This is where our theory begins. A dragon is a representative of a more powerful entity (Din, Farore, Nayru) and is immortal. Although Ganon's corporeal body was destroyed, the eternal hatred of Demise persists as it always has.

The massive flash of light when the secret stone is destroyed and the Demon Dragon slain? That was not just the Demon Dragon being obliterated, but also being sent back in time over 10,000 years ago. The flash of light is visually similar to the start of the game, when Zelda herself had a large flash of light (relative to her size) coinciding with being sent back in time. Furthermore, the secret stone that Ganondorf stole belonged to Queen Sonia, who had influence over time. We know from Link having aspects of the powers of the various sages, that certain powers can be partially "transfered" via secret stones. (Eg. Link being able to use Recall, the new sages being granted power like their ancestors)

With the Demon Dragon's body destroyed, it was sent back in time 10,000 years ago, sometime after Ganondorf was sealed by Rauru's sacrifice, but before the total disappearance of the Zonai.

Eventually, as time progressed, the spirit of the Demon Dragon persisted and began to coalesce into the Calamity Ganon, who very strongly resembled a dragon in the Calamity Tapestry found in Impa's house.

The Calamity Ganon's first appearance strongly resembles a dragon, contrasted to the more boar like appearance in BOTW.

Eventually, the Calamity Ganon was able to recoalesce into a physical form bringing about The First Calamity. However, the people of Hyrule were prepared.

Coming off the end of a technological golden age brought about by an era of peace and prosperity, the Kingdom of Hyrule had incredible wonder weapons. With the aid of the Guardians, Champions and their Divine Beasts; the Ancient Hero wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness (that era's reincarnation of Link) and the Ancient Princess with the blood of the goddess in her veins (that era's Zelda) struck down the Calamity and sealed him away for 10,000 years.

(We know for certain due to dialogue with Impa and a handful of other while wearing the Ancient hero's aspect NPCs from TOTK that the Ancient Hero's aspect is what the Ancient Hero looked like and that he was the Link of that era.)

Following the terrifying display of power the Sheikah demonstrated, the people of Hyrule turned against them, with the King of Hyrule exiling them. One group of Sheikah remained loyal to the goddess and eventually reintegrated into Hyrule, the other swore allegiance to Ganon and became the Yiga clan, ultimately seeking to aid the demon king's return.

Hyrule enters an era of technological stagnation and regresses. An era of peace and prosperity. 10,000 years later, the events of the prologue of Breath of the Wild happen. With the prophecy of the return of the Calamity Ganon being taken seriously, Hyrule militarizes. The modern Sheikah are granted funding (to paraphrase Purah, "unlimited rupees") by the government and collaborate with the military, preparing for the Calamity's return.

The Shrine of resurrection is discovered; the Divine Beasts excavated; Mipha, Daruk, Urbosa, and Revali are recruited to pilot them as Champions. Everything seemed to be going to plan, minus Zelda failing to unlock her powers.

You know what happens next.

The Second Calamity begins. The Calamity Ganon struck mercilessly, seizing control of the Guardians and Divine Beasts. Link and the Champions all fall in battle against the Calamity. The Kingdom of Hyrule is razed and almost completely destroyed, but at the last moment before all hope was lost, a miracle happened at a small gatepost at the edge of Hateno.

The Miracle at Fort Hateno

Link succumbs to his injuries and is sealed with the Shrine of Resurrection for 100 years to recover. The Master Sword is laid to slumber by Zelda to repair itself, with she herself going off to face the Calamity Ganon alone.

It is important to note by this point the Calamity Ganon's own revival is incomplete. Ganon has yet to regain a true physical form. Zelda ventures to Hyrule castle, holding back the Calamity for a century. Hyrule Castle becomes the Calamity Ganon's prison.

The events of Breath of the Wild transpire. Link awakes from his slumber, recovers the Master Sword, liberates the Divine Beasts, regains his memories making new friends and remembering those who have died, before ultimately facing the Calamity Ganon. It is critical to note that the Calamity Ganon fought at the end of BOTW is not his complete form. The Hyrule Compendium states:

'The source of the darkness that has appeared time and again throughout Hyrule's history. It's been called many names, from "Great King of Evil" to "Calamity." Hibernating within a cocoon, it attempted to regenerate a physical form after Link awoke but was forced to confront him in an incomplete state.'

The Calamity Ganon is a sickening mixture of Sheikah technology, Malice, and whatever is left of Ganondorf. While largely resembling a spider, there are multiple parts of Calamity Ganon that seem eeirly human. A half malformed skull, human hands and arms formed out of Malice.

Unable to recreate his body fully, the Calamity Ganon was attempting to eventually create a body through a disgusting symbiosis of Malice and Sheikah technology to give himself a corporeal form once again. (Although it is non-canon, Age of Calamity's version of Calamity Ganon is a very good guess what a "complete" resurrection of the Calamity would have been.)

Following the defeat and second sealing of the Calamity Ganon, the Kingdom of Hyrule enters an era of peace and prosperity for several years. Hyrule rebuilds partially, with Link and Zelda traveling throughout, helping heal the broken land. However... Hyrule Castle had been damaged extensively in the fighting and had been left in over a century of neglect. This is very important.

As the years passed, a strange and mysterious Gloom begins to seep out from underneath Hyrule Castle, causing anyone exposed to it to fall extremely ill. In Tears of the Kingdom, hidden within the depths of the Royal Hidden Passage, is an old stone carving. It says:

"Deep beneath this land, our mighty first ruler imprisoned the Demon king. To ensure the king's magic would hold, we erected a castle here to protect this sacred site. Without the castle in place, the site may be disturbed, allowing the Demon King's hatred and rage to be revived. The preservation of this castle is therefore tied to the prosperity of the kingdom."

The battle against Calamity Ganon significantly weakened the structural integrity of Hyrule Castle. Enough for the already failing seal on Ganondorf to begin collapsing entirely.

The events of the Tears of the Kingdom prologue take place. Hyrule Castle is in a sorry state of affairs during Breath of the Wild. Even more so after the battle against Calamity Ganon. The seal on Ganondorf was failing. Link and Zelda venture beneath Hyrule Castle to study the Gloom and determine its source. Their disturbance of the site was the final straw needed to cause the seal on Ganondorf, which was already on the verge of collapse, to finally fall apart. The Master Sword is destroyed, Link loses his arm, and Zelda is sent back in time.

Several thousand years earlier, Rauru and Sonia rule over a primeval Hyrule, where Zelda suddenly appears. Ganondorf, waging a costly and bloody war, nearly succeeds in conquering Hyrule. Rauru, Zelda, Mineru, and the rest of the Seven Sages attempt to defeat Ganondorf. However, he proves too powerful. Following Rauru's sacrifice, a desparate plan was enacted to defeat Ganondorf. Mineru, already mortally wounded in the fight against Ganondorf, seals her consciousness within the Purah Pad.

Zelda makes the ultimate sacrifice, knowing there would be nothing for her afterwards (not even an afterlife anymore as an immortal dragon), swallowing her Secret Stone in order to repair the Master Sword, in order to give Link the chance to kill Ganondorf, meeting with a terrible fate in the process.

Thousands of years later, Link discovers the repaired Master Sword embedded in her forehead and recovers the sacred blade, repaired at a price most grievous. Link travels across Hyrule dealing with the various monsters threatening the land, recruiting new Sages to help vanquish Ganondorf.

Venturing back down into the depths of Hyrule Castle, Link and the Sages do battle against the Demon King's army. Link battles with Ganondorf, wielding the restored Master Sword against him. Before the final blow was struck, as a final act of desperation, Ganondorf swallows his secret stone and becomes the Demon Dragon— hey wait that sounds familiar!

The Demon Dragon is destroyed, its spirit is sent back in time to the era of the Ancient Hero, begins regenerating as the Calamity Ganon, and the cycle begins again! Ganondorf and the Calamity are one and the same, with the events of both games beginning once again. The Calamity Ganon creates itself, like a dragon consuming its own tail.

In summary, everything can be divided into 4 distinct eras. 1. The Imprisoning War: Rauru and Sonia found the Kingdom of Hyrule. Sometime later, Zelda arrives back in time. Ganondorf nearly conquers Hyrule, being defeated narrowly at the last moment. Zelda swallows her secret stone and becomes the Light Dragon to repair the Master Sword. 2. The First Calamity: The Calamity Ganon appears sometime after Rauru's sacrifice and threatens Hyrule. The Ancient Hero and Ancient Princess defeat the Calamity Ganon and seal him away, with the aid of Sheikah technology and the Champions. Hyrule turns on the Sheikah, technologically regressing and stagnates INTERLUDE: 10,000 years pass. 3. The Second Calamity (Breath of the Wild):

Breath of the Wild Prologue. Calamity Ganon is prophesized to return. The prophecy is taken seriously by the King of Hyrule. Link pulls the Master Sword, Hyrule prepares for war. Sheikah technology unearthed, Champions recruited, Divine Beasts uncovered. The Calamity Ganon reappears, seizes control of the Divine Beasts and Guardians, laying waste to Hyrule. Link falls in battle defending Zelda at Fort Hateno, with her unlocking her powers shortly after. Link is sealed in the Shrine of Resurrection, the Master Sword returned to Korok Forest.

The Events of Breath of the Wild transpire. Calamity Ganon is destroyed.

INTERLUDE: The Calamity ends, Hyrule begins rebuilding. A few years pass. Hyrule Castle is damaged extensively in the fighting and falls into disrepair. The seal on Ganondorf weakens. Tears of the Kingdom Prologue. Link loses his arm, Zelda is sent back in time, Ganondorf escapes his imprisonment.

4. The Upheaval

The Events of Tears of the Kingdom transpire

During the final battle, before Link can kill Ganondorf, he swallows his secret stone as an act of desperation.

The Demon Dragon is slain by Link and the Light Dragon, being sent back in time to become the Calamity Ganon. The cycle begins again.

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Entry One: The Red-Eyed Stranger

And we’ve done it! We’re finally here! Chapter one of Diaries of an Adventurer! It’s been a long time coming for this

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