It seems increasingly likely that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has something to do with Zelda: Skyward Sword. For a while now, fans have been wondering if Skyward Sword's true antagonist, the demon king Demise, has something to do with Breath of the Wild's Malice and the mysterious new threat of Calamity Ganon. New gameplay for Breath of the Wild 2 shows some elements reminiscent of Skyward Sword, and the game's secret title might reveal something more concrete about its connection to the demon king. Considering Demise's deep ties to Ganon, it wouldn't be surprising if there's more to Calamity Ganon's rise to power than fans know.

However, Demise was only one villain in Skyward Sword, and he wasn't even the most visible one. In fact, for most of the game, Link is in contention with Ghirahim, not Demise. The demon lord Ghirahim thwarts Link at every turn in Skyward Sword and does his best to pursue and capture Zelda in order to return Demise to power. In theory, Demise doesn't need Ghirahim to get involved to return to power, but it might make more sense if Ghirahim had something to do it. If the theories and rumors about Demise are true, then Ghirahim might return as an antagonist in Breath of the Wild 2.

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How Likely is Ghirahim's Return?

Link and Ghirahim from Skyward Sword

On the one hand, there's a good chance that Nintendo doesn't feel the need to bring back Ghirahim in Breath of the Wild 2, supposing Demise really is making a comeback. After all, an event as dramatic as that would mean that Demise probably becomes the star of the show, rather than pulling strings in the background like he did in Skyward Sword. Ghirahim's mission to restore Demise to power in Skyward Sword might be the end of his character arc, as far as Nintendo is concerned.

On the other hand, that quest might be exactly why Ghirahim is worth bringing back. He was the one truly getting in Link's way throughout Skyward Sword, and he was actually successful in reviving Demise, even if he couldn't stop Link from defeating Demise afterwards. If Ghirahim succeeded once, it stands to reason that he could succeed a second time. Breath of the Wild is so far away from Skyward Sword in the timeline that there's more than enough time for Ghirahim to also be revived somehow. In Breath of the Wild 2, Nintendo could weave a narrative where Ghirahim repeats his mission a second time.

Overall, if Demise appears in Breath of the Wild 2, it seems more likely that Ghirahim will appear too than that he wouldn't. As his most powerful servant and the avatar of his weapon of choice, Ghirahim is too important to Demise's story to not be involved in anyway. Although the sword that Ghirahim becomes at the end of Skyward Sword disappears, that's a vague enough fate that Ghirahim could still be out there somewhere. If both Ghirahim and Demise are alive and returning to power, then there's no end to the amount of danger Hyrule could be in.

Imagining Ghirahim in Breath of the Wild

Legend of Zelda character Ghirahim

There's a few ways Ghirahim could turn into a central threat in Breath of the Wild. The most obvious, of course, is that he might be responsible for resurrecting Demise again and restoring him to his former glory. Skyward Sword fans might remember that Ghirahim tried to sacrifice Zelda to Demise to resurrect the demon king. While it seems a little unlikely that that's happened again in Breath of the Wild 2, considering the prominent role Zelda has had in trailers so far, maybe Ghirahim sacrificed Ganondorf to Demise instead. It'd make sense that Ganondorf, the heir to Demise's hatred and manifestation of the eternal curse on Link, would house the kind of dark power necessary to bring the true Demise back to life.

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Alternatively, Breath of the Wild 2 might put a greater emphasis on Ghirahim's status as Demise's weapon in disguise. He might alternate between being Demise's sword and being an independent agent taking on tasks for Demise as they work together to take over Hyrule. Link might have to fight Demise multiple times over the course of the game as he possesses Ganondorf's corpse or just generally regains his strength, and in that time he'll wield Ghirahim. This angle for Ghirahim would be a good way to bring the Master Sword back into prevalence in Breath of the Wild 2. After all, he's supposed to serve as a foil for the Master Sword and Fi throughout Skyward Sword, so it'd make sense to bring that theme back.

One may also wonder if there's any chance of Ghirahim coming back on his own. If Demise is too far gone to return in Breath of the Wild, then Ghirahim could still resort to revenge or claim power for himself. It'd make sense for him to try to restore Hyrule to the way he remembered it in his mad quest for vengeance, creating new flying islands. The magic hinted at by Breath of the Wild 2 trailers doesn't particularly look like Ghirahim's magic, which had a very unique geometric style, so Ghirahim probably isn't acting on his own. If Demise is responsible for the game's events, though, then it can be expected that Ghirahim is there to help him.

Ghirahim's Return to The Legend of Zelda

breath of the wild 2 zelda ganon shadow

It'd be pretty exciting to see Ghirahim return in Breath of the Wild 2. Many Zelda fans considered Ghirahim a highlight of Skyward Sword, praising him as an interesting alternative to Ganondorf. Ghirahim is much more passionate, expressive, and chaotic than Ganondorf, but just as powerful and cunning, which made him a breath of fresh air in Skyward Sword. Zelda hasn't had a major antagonist like that in a little while, and Skyward Sword HD is coming to Switch soon, so now seems like the perfect time to bring Ghirahim back into the mix.

Of course, it isn't certain yet that Demise has anything to do with Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. In fact, it's possible that Nintendo intends to take The Legend of Zelda in a whole new direction through Breath of the Wild, and it's just being coy about its new ideas. Still, there's something suspicious about Skyward Sword getting remastered while the Breath of the Wild sequel involved skydiving and flying islands. Parallels drawn between the two games just keep adding up. If Demise does return, then ideally Ghirahim will be at his side. It'd be great to see Nintendo give one of The Legend of Zelda's most famous and beloved villains another chance to steal the show.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases for Nintendo Switch in 2022.

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