Spoiler Dark Master Sword in Twilight Princess?

DekuPrincess · Feb 17, 2013

First of all, I have looked for a similar thread and could not find one, so if this has been addressed previously please let me know and my apologies for the repeat!

I finished replaying TP for the first time since finishing SS this weekend and was intrigued by this cut scene immediately preceding the final sword fight against Ganondorf which I had forgotton about. You can see it for yourself here if you start at 9:32. After Ganondorf gets up from the final swipe on horseback, he says:

An impressive looking blade...

But nothing more.

Would you hear my desire?

To take this foul blade...and use it to blot out the light forever!

As he says this, he draws out his rather evil looking sword. I found this very interesting in light of the revelation at the end of SS that Ghirahim is the dark master sword, and would like to propose that this "foul blade" in TP is the reincarnation of Ghirahim in the form of the dark master sword. Similar theories have been proposed regarding the Death Sword in TP and a common counter-argument is that the dark master sword is supposedly defeated at the end of SS; proponents of this counter-argument put forth as evidence the fact that the sword is seen to dissolve before Demise issues his final curse. However, the manner in which the sword dissolves is very much like the way many people and objects dissolve when teleporting to different locales, so this evidence seems flimsy at best. Demise himself does not completely vanish, and I find it likely that he simply moved the dark master sword to another location with his remaining strength so as to preserve his weapon for a future reincarnation of his hatred.

So what do you think? Does this seem like a plausible theory? Very curious to hear what others think about this.

Locke · Feb 17, 2013

That "foul blade" is the one the Sages tried to execute him with. When it didn't kill him, he drew it from his chest and killed the Water Sage before being sent - sword included - into the TR. He calls it "foul" because a) the Sages tried to kill him with it and/or b) it represents the light world, which he obviously hates.

Justac00lguy · Feb 18, 2013

Whether or not Demise's sword or Ghirahim actually escaped or not is another highly debated topic and even though I have made theories inthe past speculating that Ghirahim and the Dark Master Sword have returned I still think it's unlikely we will se him again. One can argue that the sword simply vanished but I find it strange that the remains of Demise was absorbed by the Master Sword itself but the Ghirahim and the Dark MS did not...

As for the Dark MS being Ganondorfs blade in TP I find it highly unlikely. Like Locke said this blade was the sages blade used to execute within the Arbiter Grounds. However I have always found this sword to be mysterious in itself, it seems to be highly powerful as it was owned by the sages and it heavily wounded Ganondorf with just one strike and even Ganondorf himself uses it. So maybe another theory in itself would be to ponder what exactly is this Sword.

DekuPrincess · Feb 18, 2013

One of the things that has always intrigued me about this sword is why the sages would have used it over the master sword. Was it supposed to be more powerful at repelling evil than the master sword, or are we to believe that the master sword had been lost and the sword of the sages was an attempt at creating a new master sword-like blade? I don't find either of these to be likely, which is why I have wondered if the sword of the sages was a dark blade in disguise, used to trick the sages (this is on the downfall timeline, after all, where such things are not out of the realm of possibility). I agree that we probably won't see Ghirahim again in the form we did in SS, but if the master sword can show up over and over, why not some reincarnation of the dark master sword?

ihateghirahim · Feb 18, 2013

Only the Hero can use the Master Sword. It has been stated only the Goddess's Chosen Hero can use the blade, and thus the Master Sword can only be used by his incarnations.

felipe970421 · Feb 18, 2013

DekuPrincess said:
One of the things that has always intrigued me about this sword is why the sages would have used it over the master sword. Was it supposed to be more powerful at repelling evil than the master sword, or are we to believe that the master sword had been lost and the sword of the sages was an attempt at creating a new master sword-like blade? I don't find either of these to be likely, which is why I have wondered if the sword of the sages was a dark blade in disguise, used to trick the sages (this is on the downfall timeline, after all, where such things are not out of the realm of possibility). I agree that we probably won't see Ghirahim again in the form we did in SS, but if the master sword can show up over and over, why not some reincarnation of the dark master sword?

[Nitpicking]This was on the child timeline, not the downfall timeline [/nitpicking]

And the reason they used that sword instead of the MS is hat they didn't have the MS, it was in the sacred groove at the time

Three_Pendants · Mar 2, 2013

At this time it was still in the Temple of Time locked behind the Door of Time. Not to mention only the Hero can wield the Master Sword. The Sages' Sword was likely a more ritualistic device meant to exact ceremonial punishment. I find it difficult to buy that the Arbiter's Ground was the Spirit Temple especially since we know that the execution took place only several years after OoT, not nearly enough time to convert the holy site for the Gerudo into a jail and holding place for their nominal King.

I think the Arbiter's Ground may have been in a place possibly to the north of the Gerudo Fortress which we don't see in-game. which we don't see in OoT. I am also of the belief that the Sages in TP are mere representations of men (possibly women?) in the Sacred Realm who use these puppet like manifestations to communicate their will. Thus in such a case why the Sage of Water fades away from one touch by Ganondorf and why the Sages begin to cower. It was clear to me that this attack killed the Sage of Water within the Sacred Realm.

In this manner Rauru is one of the builders of the Temple of Time and the Sage of Light. We now know that Rauru has renewed importance for his actions during the Era of Disorder in being the one to seal the Sacred Realm to keep out the greedy from laying their hands on the new resting place of the Triforce. Since the execution scene is likely before seven years elapses in OoT's child timeline it would stand to reason that Rauru would be the Sage of Light manifesting himself, as the other sages have, into that form to communicate with the Royal Family. We now know the Sages already have this sort of power. Since Rauru assumed the form of Kaepora Gaebora to speak with Child Link, so in my opinion it is not outside possibility that the Sages in TP are the Original Sages that were not killed by Ganondorf including Rauru.