THE CALAMITY

10,000 Years Ago

Ten millennia before the events of the game, Hyrule was an incredibly advanced civilization. The Sheikah tribe created the Divine Beasts and an army of mechanical Guardians to protect the kingdom from the inevitable return of Calamity Ganon.

When Ganon emerged, the Hero wielding the sword that seals the darkness, the Princess with the blood of the goddess, and the mechanical army overwhelmed him instantly. Ganon was sealed away, but the King of Hyrule grew fearful of the Sheikah's advanced technology and banished them, burying the Guardians and Divine Beasts underground.

The Events of 100 Years Ago

A prophecy foretold the return of Calamity Ganon. Desperate to prepare, King Rhoam ordered excavations across Hyrule, uncovering the lost Guardians and the four Divine Beasts. Princess Zelda was tasked with unlocking her sealing power, while four extraordinary individuals were chosen to pilot the Beasts:

The Fall of Hyrule

Despite their preparations, Ganon outsmarted them. He emerged from beneath Hyrule Castle and immediately corrupted the Sheikah technology using Malice. The Guardians turned on the Hylians, and Ganon's Phantoms killed all four Champions inside their Divine Beasts.

Link fell in battle at Fort Hateno defending Zelda. In her grief, Zelda's sealing power finally awakened. Link was placed in the Shrine of Resurrection to heal for a century, while Zelda went alone to Hyrule Castle to trap herself and Ganon in a stalemate.

The Yiga Clan

After the King of Hyrule banished the Sheikah tribe 10,000 years ago out of fear of their technology, the tribe split in two. The peaceful faction founded Kakariko Village and abandoned their tech. The militant faction swore allegiance to Calamity Ganon, calling themselves the Yiga Clan.

Led by the incompetent but powerful Master Kohga, they operate out of the Karusa Valley in the Gerudo Highlands. Their sole mission is to assassinate the Hero and anyone who opposes Ganon. They have a deep, inexplicable obsession with Mighty Bananas.

The Zonai Tribe & The Leviathans

Hyrule is littered with the ruins of civilizations far older than the Sheikah. In the Faron region, you can find massive stone structures featuring boar, owl, and dragon motifs. These belong to the ancient Zonai Tribe, a barbaric, magic-wielding people who vanished thousands of years ago.

Similarly, at the extreme edges of the map, you can find the remains of three colossal Leviathans. Scholars in the game debate whether they died from an ice age, a volcanic eruption, or a massive drought. These skeletons often shelter Great Fairy Fountains or shrines.