There are few enemies inThe Legend of Zeldafranchise as bone-chilling as ReDeads. They first appear inOcarina of Time,but despite their unambiguously zombie-inspired appearance and behavior, conflicting lore on the ReDead suggests fans may never be certain about the origins of these most mysterious creatures in theLegend of Zeldagames.
The February 2023 Nintendo Direct trailer forTears of the Kingdomshows ReDeads are returningafter a long hiatus. For fans of the series, this doesn’t just mean thatTears of the Kingdomwill ratchet up the scare factor compared toBreath of the Wild, but it also means another chance to demystify the origins of an iconic creature.
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When they first appeared inOcarina of Time, the origins of the ReDead were fairly clear-cut. Their slow, plodding movement and lurching attacks created inevitable parallels to classic zombies, but there was also evidence that the ReDead were reanimated villagers from Hyrule Castle Town.
When Link revisits Hyrule Castle after being awoken in the Temple of Time, the market is destroyed and populated by ReDead rather than the villagers that players found previously. The first appearance of the ReDead is one of themost disturbing moments in theLegend of Zeldafranchise, but also seems to close the door to any discussion about the creature’s origins.
However,Super Smash Bros. Meleethrew a twist into the origins of the ReDead. When players unlocked theSuper Smash Bros.trophyfor the ReDead, the inspection text explicitly states they were not the evacuated villagers from Hyrule Castle Town, but rather magically-formed creatures in a humanoid shape.Super Smash Bros. for Wii Udoubled down on this origin, adding that ReDeads are made of clay.
Tears of the Kingdom Can Add to the Origins of ReDeads
In the Nintendo Player’s Guide forOcarina of Time, the ReDead are described as “skeletal creatures.” This seems to corroborate the suggestion that the ReDead are not truly zombies, but instead creatures conjured by magical means. If that’s true, it leaves fans with further questions as to exactly who created them in the first place. Since their appearance is normallyassociated with Ganondorf, that may be the first place that fans look for answers, but the ReDead appear in at least one major game that does not feature Ganon:Majora’s Mask.
However, the association between Ganon and the ReDead cannot be explained away so easily. During the events ofMajora’s Mask, Ganon is not dead, but merely defeated and sealed away. It could be Ganon’s very existence that causes terrible creatures like ReDeads to pop up around Hyrule, Termina, and other locations. If Ganon is not the one responsible for the ReDead, it’s likely they are merely pre-existing magical creatures throughout Hyrule, but then it’s harder to explain their absence from young Link’s timeline.
There’s one other important factor at play. If the ReDead are only associated with or created by Ganon, thelatest trailer forTears of the Kingdomlaid its cards on the table and may have confirmed Ganon will appear in the game. Otherwise,Tears of the Kingdommay finally pull back the curtain and explain the lore behind one ofThe Legend of Zelda’s most terrifying creatures.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis set to release on June 13, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch.
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