Twilight Realm

Twilight Realm
Type	Alternate realm
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The Twilight Realm is a world of shadows that was featured in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Information

This realm has been described as a "world of shadows" and the antithesis of Hyrule. As its name suggests, it is a world of seemingly perpetual twilight. The only light comes from a group of orbs called Sols, which are the source of the realm's life and considered to be like deities. The realm has also been compared to the "underworld". The only known link between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm was the Mirror of Twilight, which was eventually kept at the Arbiter's Grounds. The portal could only be opened through the mirror in Hyrule, but the mirror itself could only be permanently destroyed by a true leader of the Twili. The mirror was used by the sages to imprison criminals who had received death sentences, a fate that was eventually applied to Ganondorf as well.

The Twili were the only known civilization within the Twilight Realm. They had developed from a tribe of dark magic users whom had been imprisoned within the Twilight Realm by the light spirits of Hyrule long ago. The Twili settled into a peaceful existence within the Twilight Realm which was ruled by its own royal family. However, after Zant was consumed by jealousy when Midna was chosen over him as the new ruler, he met with the imprisoned Ganon. Within this realm, Ganon took on a form that resembled a giant golden face. He empowered Zant using his Triforce of Power. This new magic was able to curse Midna and most of the other Twili, and he also set into motion a plan which began to merge the Twilight Realm with Hyrule. Shadow beasts were sent into Hyrule and stole the power of the light spirits, which caused the realms to begin to phase together.

Parts of Hyrule that were covered in twilight had their own special properties. These areas of twilight could not be entered from outside unless a shadow being pulled the person into it. Most humans from the light were turned into spirits or dark monsters once the twilight fell upon them. Most monsters from the light world also were transformed into new Twilit variations of their original forms. Link was the only exception, as he was chosen by the gods, so he instead transformed into a beastly wolf. The monsters from the Twilight Realm, who seemed to all be Twili who were cursed and corrupted by Zant, were able to run free in the twilight and attack Hyrule's citizens. As for the Twilight creatures that stole the light, they had themselves transformed into types of shadow insects that were invisible to the normal eye. However, Link was able to see them with his wolf senses and destroy them to free the light. Link was able to slowly revive the four light spirits through this method, which caused the twilight to finally be rejected from Hyrule.

However, Zant retreated to the Palace of Twilight in the Twilight Realm after attacking Midna and Link. Midna, whom had been existing in the light world only in a shadow form, had been forcibly pulled into the world of light by Zant. This resulted in her being mortally wounded until Link healed her. Link also received a potent curse which permanently trapped him in wolf form, even in the world of light. This problem was solved by the discovery of the Master Sword, which purified Link and returned him to his true Hylian form. Midna still kept the curse on her so that Link could transform at will. Zant also destroyed the Mirror of Twilight, but because he was not the Twilight Realm's true ruler, the shards were still intact and scattered across Hyrule. Even the shards of the Mirror had the power to corrupt others, such as Yeta. Midna and Link were able to re-assemble the Mirror and entered the Twilight Realm. Zant had hidden away the Sols and surrounded the Twilight Realm in a black fog which made it even darker then before. Link and Midna were able to retrieve the Sols and cure the other cursed Twili, and with the Sol charging Link's Master Sword he was able to fight off Zant. Throughout all of this confusion, Ganondorf was also able to escape the Twilight Realm and take over Hyrule, but he was also defeated by Link and Midna.

With Zant and Ganondorf dead, Midna was able to resume her true form and returned to the Twilight Realm to take her rightful throne. However, as she left she destroyed the Mirror herself. As she was the true leader of the Twili, this cut off the connection between Hyrule and Twilight Realm forever.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• It appears in Hyrule Warriors, which presents an alternate version of the Twilight Princess story in which Zant is originally backed by Cia rather than Ganon. The Twilight Princess appears as a stage, as well as a portion of Hyrule Field covered in patches of twilight. Certain fortresses had to be claimed by the player to clear away the twilight.

Trivia

• The Twilight Realm seems to be based on the Dark World from previous games and shares various similarities. The two relams are clearly different, however, as the Dark World/Evil Realm is a corrupted Sacred Realm, while the Twilight Realm is clearly made out to be its own entity.
• Rusl's dialogue at the game's beginning implies that the realms only intersect at twilight, at which point the people in the world of the light can feel "the lingering spirits" of the people in the other realm, which causes the loneliness felt during the hour of twilight. It is possible that this is the in-universe reason that it was called the Twilight Realm.
• It is implied that other criminals have been sent into the Twilight Realm throughout Hyrule's history, but aside from Ganondorf there is no indication of what happens to them in the Twilight Realm or whether or not they still live.