Twilight Realm: Difference between revisions

The {{Term/Store|Twilight Realm||Series, TP, TPHD}} is a parallel dimension to the realm of [[Hyrule]].<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 30}}</ref> It is a world of shadows and perpetual twilight whose only source of light comes from the two sacred orbs known as the [[Sol]]s<ref>{{Cite|That shining sphere illuminates this world. It's called a Sol. It's like the sun of your world, Link.|Midna|TP}}</ref> that are kept in a shrine near the plaza of the [[Palace of Twilight]]. The Twilight Realm is the homeworld of the [[Twili]], a race of shadow-beings descended from the [[Dark Interlopers]] that were banished from Hyrule and sent to the Twilight Realm as punishment for their [[Interloper War|attempted conquest]] of the [[Sacred Realm]]. The only link between the Twilight Realm and Hyrule is a relic known as the [[Mirror of Twilight]], which acts as the one gateway between the two worlds.

The Twilight Realm's full history is incomplete. All that is known of the Twilight Realm's history are brief hints of its origins, and what recent political history Midna chooses to divulge. For much of its early history, the Twilight Realm was a peaceful place, until the King of Evil known as [[Ganondorf]] was banished to the realm by the [[Sage|Ancient Sages]], where his evil influence would cause a coup of the government and cast the realm into darkness by overthrowing the true Twilight Princess and installing a puppet ruler named [[Zant]] into the position of ruler of the Twilight Realm. Zant would go on to seal away the Sols, leaving the Twilight Realm in darkness, and invade the land of Hyrule on Ganondorf's orders in order to merge the two worlds together into a single empire.<ref name=Darkness>{{Cite|My god had only one wish...To merge shadow and light...and make darkness!|Zant|TP}}</ref> However, after the Dark Lord's defeat, peace was restored, and the Twilight Realm was free of his grip. This was made possible by the efforts of the hero [[Link]] and Hyrule's [[Princess Zelda]], before the Mirror of Twilight was shattered by [[Midna|Princess Midna]], the Twilight Realm's rightful ruler that was restored to power. This action severed the only known gateway between the two worlds, destroying the only known means of travel between them to prevent similar events from happening again.

In addition, the Twilight Realm's effect of causing those that dwelled within it for an extended period of time to only be able to exist as shadows outside of it took its toll on the Interlopers, dooming them to this fate as well. Over time, the Interlopers would evolve into the Twili.<ref name=Twili/> However, the goddesses did not completely sever the Twilight Realm's connection to Hyrule, for they left one link between the two worlds in the hands of the Ancient Sages: the Mirror of Twilight, which could only be shattered by the true ruler of the Twili.<ref>{{Cite|Though the goddesses forbade us to return to the world of light, they left one link between the light and the darkness. Something called the Mirror of Twilight was passed to the protectors of Hyrule...|Midna|TP}}</ref><ref name=Mirror>{{Cite|Only the true leader of the Twili can utterly destroy the Mirror of Twilight...so Zant could merely break it into pieces.|Sage|TP}}</ref>

A long time after the banishment of the Interlopers to the Twilight Realm, the King of Evil Ganondorf attempted to launch an invasion of Hyrule, but was thwarted by the Royal Family of Hyrule, who had been forewarned by Link, the [[Hero of Time]]. As a result, Ganondorf was arrested and sentenced to execution at the [[Arbiter's Grounds (Dungeon)|Arbiter's Grounds]], the home of the Mirror of Twilight.<ref>{{Cite Person|quote=In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time.|name=Eiji Aonuma|url=http://www.thehylia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1173582355&archive=|title=Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview}}</ref> Ganondorf was kept there for a time until the day his sentence was to be carried out in the [[Mirror Chamber]] atop the prison. However, when the Ancient Sages impaled him with the [[Sword of the Sages]], the [[Triforce of Power]] suddenly activated within him and prevented his death.<ref>{{Cite|Yet...By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods.|Sage|TP}}</ref> With this second wind, the [[Gerudo]] leader soon broke free of his chains, obliterating the Sage of Water and turning the blade on its owners. As a last resort, the remaining Sages activated the Mirror of Twilight in order to open the portal to the Twilight Realm and send Ganondorf through it.

Centuries later, the Twilight Realm entered a period of political instability when the throne was suddenly left vacant. One of the hawkish advisers of the Royal Family of the Twilight Realm, Zant stood as a prime candidate to ascend to the throne. However, Midna was selected as the true Twilight Princess, and Zant became enraged that he was not selected instead.<ref>{{Cite|But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler.|Zant|TP}}</ref> He became severely depressed, and in this state was approached by Ganondorf, who masqueraded as a god.<ref>{{Cite|It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god.|Zant|TP}}</ref> Ganondorf offered him the power to take the throne by force in exchange for his freedom from the Twilight Realm. Zant used his newfound magical abilities to curse Midna and usurped the throne of the Twilight Realm, transforming the Twili into [[Shadow Beast|Shadow Beasts]] and sealing away the Sols within the Palace of Twilight, leaving the Twilight Realm in darkness and bringing misery to the Twili.<ref name=Sols>{{Cite|The Sols were like the suns that illuminate this world. Once they were lost, everyone began to transform...|Midna|TP}}</ref><ref name=Cursed>{{Cite|Midna... Foolish Twilight Princess...The curse on you cannot be broken...It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of the Twili will never return!|Zant|TP}}</ref><ref name=Shadowbeasts>{{Cite|It was a peaceful place...until Zant took control of the Twilight Realm and transformed all of the Twili into shadow beasts.|Midna|TP}}</ref> Meanwhile, Midna escaped to Hyrule with the lone piece of the Fused Shadow left in the hands of the Twili and decided to seek out the other fragments to use against Zant.

 

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It was Zant's subsequent attack on the last remaining province that drew a new Hero into these events, a young ranch-hand named [[Link#Twilight Princess|Link]] who bore the [[Triforce|Triforce of Courage]] within him. Eventually, Link was captured when he entered the Twilight and was transformed into a [[Wolf Link|divine wolf]], dragged to the dungeons of Hyrule Castle by Zant's soldiers. Here, he met Midna in her transformed state and the imprisoned Princess Zelda, who relayed to him the fate that had befallen the kingdom of Hyrule. Link teamed up with Midna to locate the lost fragments of the Fused Shadow to defeat Zant and free Hyrule of his power. After succeeding in reversing the spread of Twilight and finding all of the Fused Shadow fragments, the pair were confronted by Zant himself, who stole the fragments and fatally injured Midna before they could escape. Zelda sacrificed herself to save Midna and instructed the pair to find the [[Master Sword]] to combat Zant and save Hyrule before mysteriously vanishing.<ref>{{Cite|Midna... I believe I understand now just who and what you are...Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead...These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you...|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages...the Master Sword. The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil...and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it.|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref>

The pair then entered the palace to face Zant himself. It was here that Zant revealed to his unwelcome guests the truth of his relationship with Ganondorf. Link is then forced to battle Zant in several deadly skirmishes for the fate of the Twilight Realm, facing him in arenas that Link had visited throughout his adventure to defeat the King of Shadows. Despite his great magical power bestowed by Ganondorf, Zant fell to the Master Sword's evil-banishing power and lay dying upon the throne as he stated his belief that regardless of what Link and Midna did, he would be resurrected by Ganondorf.<ref>{{Cite|As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!|Zant|TP}}</ref> After taunting Midna by revealing to her that the curse on her would not lift until Ganondorf was vanquished,<ref name=Cursed/> Midna used the Fused Shadow to obliterate Zant, causing him to explode in a final scream of anguish. With this, Zant's reign of terror over the Twilight Realm was brought to an end, but Midna was distressed at the raw power that she had exhibited. She was unprepared for the abilities that the Fused Shadow gave her.<ref>{{Cite|I...I used just a fraction of the power that's in me now...I did THAT using only a fraction of my ancestors' magic?!|Midna|TP}}</ref>

After the Twilight Realm was freed of Zant's iron fist, Link and Midna journeyed back to Hyrule and infiltrated the usurped Hyrule Castle to face Ganondorf. At the top of the castle tower, they found the Throne Room being circled by dark, foreboding clouds. Inside, they found Princess Zelda's lifeless body suspended in the central hole of the Triforce statue adorning the chamber and Ganondorf himself sitting on Zelda's throne. After a brief conversation, the pair began a battle against Ganondorf for the fate of Hyrule, battling him in many different ways and forms. After Zelda was restored to her physical being, she and Link were warped away by Midna, who attempted to kill Ganondorf with the Fused Shadow, but ultimately failed. Link and Zelda then engaged Ganondorf in a horseback battle across [[Hyrule Field]] and Link engaged him in one final sword duel before impaling him with the Master Sword, killing the Dark Lord and restoring Midna to her true form as the Twilight Princess.

The Twilight Realm appears to be a polytheistic society, as Midna mentions that the gods of her world were on Link's side, as symbolized by the Sols fusing with the Master Sword. None of their gods are named, and it remains unclear if they pay homage to the Golden Goddesses.<ref name=Lightsword/>

The '''Palace of Twilight''' is the seat of the Twilight Realm's government and serves as the eighth dungeon in {{TP}}. It is the home of the Royal Family of the Twilight Realm and as such is the home of Princess Midna, the rightful ruler of the Twilight Realm. It was here that one of her advisers, Zant, expelled the Twilight Princess upon his coup of the government and usurping of the throne, and he locked away the Sols within the palace walls, depriving the Twilight Realm of its only source of light and leaving the realm in darkness.<ref name=Sols/> He used minions such as [[Zant Mask]]s, [[Zant's Hand]]s, and [[Phantom Zant]] to protect the Sols and prevent Link from restoring them to their rightful place when the young hero restored the Mirror of Twilight and followed the Usurper King of Twilight into the Twilight Realm. Link obtained the [[Master Sword#Light-infused Master Sword|Light Sword]] here, allowing him to cut through the [[Dark Fog]] that pervaded the palace.<ref name=Lightsword/> The Throne Room acted as the site of the final confrontation between Zant, Link and Midna. After a lengthy battle, Midna assassinated Zant using the power of the Fused Shadow, dethroning him and restoring peace to the Twilight Realm. It is also presumed that Midna returned to the palace for the remainder of her reign after she returned to the Twilight Realm and shattered the Mirror of Twilight.

 

While the only natural inhabitants of the Twilight Realm are the Twili, Zant's interference caused it to become filled with monsters such as Shadow Beasts who were once Twili themselves.<ref name=Shadowbeasts/><ref>{{Cite|Zant had his way with this place...So much has changed...I can't show myself to them, but I want to save everyone I can...Please help me, Link. Link, hurry! My people are still not true beasts. If we can defeat Zant, there still might be time to save everyone!|Midna|TP}}</ref> It is unknown whether there were any natural inhabitants of the Twilight Realm prior to the banishment of the Dark Interlopers, but the Twili are all that appear in {{TP|-}}.

The primary residents of the Twilight Realm, the Twili are a race of shadow-beings that are descended from another group of dark magicians known as the Dark Interlopers that once resided in the land of Hyrule in the past. After the Interlopers began to delve into darker magic and developed an awesome weapon in the Fused Shadow, they [[Interloper War|attempted a conquest]] of the fabled Sacred Realm in the hope of establishing control over a much greater source of magic, the Triforce. After much bloodshed, the Golden Goddesses chased the Interlopers across Hyrule and banished them to the Twilight Realm, outside of which they could henceforth only exist as shadows. The Interlopers eventually evolved into the Twili race, a more humble and less selfish race than their ancestors.

In their evolved forms, the Twili are shown to be fairly humanoid beings but with some stark differences in regard to Hylians or even their dark ancestors. Their skin varies in shades of white and black, and their eyes glow with a red hue. They can also vary in height, as some are shown to be extremely tall in comparison to Link while others are short and stout, like some of those featured near the Sol Shrine on Link's visit to the Twilight Realm in {{TP|-}}. Only two Twili have shown the capacity to speak the normal Hylian dialect, those two being Midna and Zant, while the others seem to communicate through a high-pitched series of moaning sounds that are not able to be understood by Link. Aside from the mindless Shadow Beasts transformed by Zant and used to serve in his army, the general populace of the Twili appear to be very peaceful. Those that Link meets on his incursion into the realm in {{TP|-}} show no hostility toward him, rather they attempt to communicate with him and do not appear violent as those that served in Zant's army.