Malice


 * ''This article is about the essence in general. For the specific obstacle made of Malice, see BotW:.

is a recurring substance in. It is the actualized manifestation of Series:'s hatred, and the very essence of BotW:.

BotW: is the very essence of BotW:'s being. After Series: was continually sealed and reincarnated, he lost any semblance of reason and became Calamity Ganon, an incarnation of pure hatred and grudge against Hyrule, its royal bloodline, and the chosen hero. Malice manifests as a flowing pink and purple energy, including Ganon's spectral form which envelops BotW:. However, Malice is able to materialize physically in various ways.

Malice takes physical form by tainting that with which it comes in contact, most commonly seen as NaN Pool of Malices, sludgy pools of water that ooze across surfaces and damage BotW: if he touches it. These concentrations sometimes include spikes, NaN Glowing Eyeballs which will dissipate the Malice when destroyed, and mouths which spawn NaN Cursed Bokoblins, NaN Cursed Moblins, and NaN Cursed Lizalfoss. The Malice is responsible for bringing these to "life". Malice is also responsible for reviving slain Enemies under the Blood Moon.

Malice is also able to take corporeal form by possessing and/or combining with living things or automata. Upon returning at the beginning of the Great Calamity, Ganon sent his Malice to possess the NaN Guardians, NaN Giant Columns, and NaN Divine Beasts, corrupting them to cause destruction. In doing so, the Malice may be acting as a substitute for Ancient Energy. Furthermore, the concentrated masses of Malice which were sent to the Divine Beasts combined with ancient Sheikah weaponry and the Divine Beasts' respective elemental powers, creating the NaN Phantom Ganons. BotW: also created a cocoon within Hyrule Castle's Sanctum, forming his own corporeal body with ancient technology. Once Link defeats this form, its Malice reforms as BotW:, his "original" form.

The dragon spirit BotW: is also possessed by Malice, covering it in the sludge and Glowing Eyeballs, although this seems to blight and incapacitate the creature more than take control of it. If Link reaches the BotW: at the top of BotW:, the Goddess Statue will instruct him to free Naydra by destroying the Glowing Eyeballs, after which it returns to normal.

Malice can be opposed with sacred Light.The Master Sword, as the Sword that Seals the Darkness, can repel Malice and grows stronger in its presence. Upon awakening her sealing power, Zelda's golden energy also dissipated all Malice from the surrounding Guardians. The same energy is used in the sealing of BotW:.

TotK: is set to reappear in, shown about to consume a TotK: and fighting with TotK:'s glowing hand.

In the second trailer shown in E3 2021, the TotK: is shown to be able to cling onto TotK:'s arm, causing him to lose the TotK:. Later in the trailer, it is also shown that a large mass of malice is concentrated underneath BotW: causing the castle to move upwards towards the sky.

In the third trailer shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, TotK: can be seen erupting from BotW:.

When Terrako is awakened by Zelda's sealing power during the Great Calamity, it is spotted by a Guardian Stalker. Terrako creates a time portal to escape, but several bursts of Malice exit the Guardian Stalker and pursue Terrako into the past. After it arrives, four tendrils of Malice instantly head towards Hyrule Castle and possess Terrako's past self, creating Harbinger Ganon. Being aware of the future and Terrako's mission to prevent the Calamity, the fragment of Ganon within the Harbinger attempts to destroy Terrako at the Coliseum when it searches for Zelda, but is defeated. At some point, Malice is also sent to the Lost Woods to prevent Link from obtaining the Master Sword, creating Pools of Malice.

Eventually, the future fragments of Ganon within the Harbinger ally with Astor and the Yiga Clan. Astor is able to use Malice based attacks and create the Hollows, and later the Blight Ganons. After the Calamity arrives, Malice-infused versions of Enemies are also seen. However, ultimately it is revealed that Astor was but a pawn, and the Malice exits Harbinger Ganon to swallow up Astor, using him to create a humanoid body made of Malice for Calamity Ganon.

Certain, more powerful forms of enemies appear that are infused with Malice, including the Malice Guardian, Malice Moblin, Malice Lynel, Malice Hinox, Malice Frost Talus, and Malice Igneo Talus.

Nomenclature
Although "Malice" is the translation used for the substance in the English localization, the Japanese term can be (and is, particularly in ) variously translated as "malice," "hatred," or "grudge" depending on the context. Notably, the internal name for Malice is "Grudge." This word does not carry as strong a connotation in English, but it does add the context that Ganon carries not just general malice, but particularly a "grudge" against Hylia and Hyrule's royal family as part of Demise's curse and his continual defeat.

Trivia

 * The energy form TPHD: takes on in is said to be "Ganondorf's Malice".
 * In, NaN Fear Cannons can supposedly fire "cannonballs of pure malice".
 * In SS undefined, there is an item called SSHD: which is described as "pure, crystallized monster malice". The Evil Crystal shares a similar appearance to the Malice of Breath of the Wild.