Preparing for the Finale
Before heading to Hyrule Castle, ensure you are fully prepared. If you've completed the four Divine Beasts, Ganon will start the fight with half of his total health depleted. If you skipped any Divine Beasts, you will have to fight their respective Blight Ganons back-to-back right before the final boss!
Preparation Checklist:
- The Master Sword: Pull it from the Lost Woods (requires 13 permanent Hearts). Its power doubles to 60 inside Hyrule Castle and during the final fight.
- Ancient Arrows: Buy these from the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab. They can one-shot Guardians if you hit them in the eye.
- Hearty Meals: Cook 5x Hearty Durians for full healing + 20 extra temporary hearts.
Infiltrating Hyrule Castle
Hyrule Castle is a massive 3D labyrinth crawling with Guardians, Lynels, and malice. You have three main ways to reach the Sanctum at the top:
The Waterfall Route (Zora Armor)
Equip the Zora Armor and approach the castle from the moat. Swim up the massive waterfalls that cascade down the sides of the castle. This is the fastest and stealthiest route, completely bypassing the gatehouses and most Guardians.
The Docks & The Lockup
Take a boat or swim to the back of the castle to find a secret cave entrance leading to the Docks. Light the giant brazier to reveal the Saas Ko'sah Shrine (a great fast-travel point). From here, navigate through the library and the interior halls.
Explore the Lockup to fight a Stalnox. Defeating it drops the legendary Hylian Shield, the most durable shield in the game.
The Front Gates (Combat Route)
Walk straight through the front gates. You will have to fight your way up the winding path, facing multiple Guardian Turrets and two mandatory Lynel fights inside the First and Second Gatehouses.
Boss: Calamity Ganon
Enter the Sanctum at the peak of the castle to trigger the final battle.
Phase 1: Ganon is a massive spider-like monstrosity wielding weapons of Guardian technology. He will cycle through attacks similar to the four Blight Ganons. Use Daruk's Protection to reflect his massive laser blasts right back at him, stunning him. When he climbs the walls, use Urbosa's Fury to shock him and bring him crashing down.
Phase 2: At 25% health, his entire body glows orange. He is now completely invincible to normal attacks. To break his invincibility shield, you must either use Urbosa's Fury, perfectly Parry his laser beam back into his face with your shield, or trigger a Perfect Dodge Flurry Rush when he attacks in melee.
Final Boss: Dark Beast Ganon
After defeating Calamity Ganon, you will be teleported to Hyrule Field for the true final battle. Zelda will grant you the Bow of Light.
Ride your horse around the massive boar-like manifestation of malice. Zelda will use her power to create glowing golden targets on Ganon's body. Ride up to them, jump off your horse to trigger slow-motion Bullet Time, and shoot the glowing spots with the Bow of Light.
For the final blow, wait for Ganon to open his massive eye on his forehead. Ride the updraft created by his attack, aim down, and shoot one last light arrow directly into his eye.
You have saved Hyrule! Enjoy the beautiful ending cinematic. If you found all 12 Captured Memories during your playthrough, stick around after the credits for an extra post-credits scene!
💬 Community Strategies & Discussion
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