The Legend of Zelda series is often regarded as a lighthearted set of adventure games, and people who believe that might be right. However, when things turn dark, Nintendo does horror pretty well, to the detriment of Link’s mental stability.
And what happens when you encounter weird, creepy, and borderline eldritch creatures during your adventures as the legendary swordsman? Well, you’ll want to kill them, of course! So, bring your torches and, for the love of mankind, do not enter the House of Skultulla. Here is my list of the Top 5 creepiest Zelda enemies.
Spoiler alert: I might be too biased in favor of the Nintendo 64 era. You’ve been warned!
5. Blizzeta
Possessed by a fragment of the Mirror of Twilight, Twilight Princess’s Blizzeta is one of the instances in which the Zelda franchise has made use of the “jump scare” to freak us all out.
Imagine my 12-year-old me following what seemed to be a very lovable character, a cozy mother-life figure, only for her to have her face transformed Exorcist-style into a screaming, red-eyed demon. You can bet my pants had to be changed due to unexpected circumstances.
Thankfully, Yeto and Blizzeta share a very tender and emotional moment that had me tearing up. Nothing like the calm after the storm, am I right?
4. Gohma
Next up: Gohma, the very first boss in Ocarina of Time. This is perhaps my most “controversial” pick for this list, but being an arachnophobe myself (shout out to those awful Skulltulas), looking Gohma straight in the eye was nothing short of traumatizing, only for her to crawl around the floor, stalking me, ready to devour me with a non-existent mouth.
Thankfully, the fight is pretty straightforward: attack her eye until she drops dead. But since Ocarina of Time hates me, she also lays eggs and sends Young Gohmas to do her dirty work. Nothing like sentient eyes haunting my very existence.
Worst of all? After we get rid of this parasitic being, the Deku Tree dies. Nothing like a father figure passing to motivate our adventures.
3. Wallmaster
If it isn’t clear by now, Ocarina of Time deeply traumatized me. And just like Gohma, this also happened in Deku Tree’s turf. The dreadful Wallmaster, similar to Blizzeta, makes you tremble with anticipation. After Navi alerts you, a shadowy figure slowly drops to the ground, menacingly, ready to grab you by the neck and take your life.
And once you manage to dodge them, you’ll be able to see the Wallmaster as what they are: horrifying hands that fly directly into you, hoping they will knock you out.
Well, not today, you terrible palm creature!
2. Dead Hand
I’m starting to see a pattern here. Dead Hands are just nightmare-fuel, zombie-like creatures you’ll be able to find both in the Bottom of the Well and the Shadow Temple. Prefaced by multiple creepy hands sticking out of the ground, should you attack one of them, or, worst of all, be grabbed by them, the Dead Hand’s main body will appear.
And, oh boy, this thing is horrific. A deadly, pale monster with an overextended jaw that drags itself slowly to you. If it catches you, then be ready to be chewed up by this abomination.
Overall, the Dead Hand is merely a symptom of the darkest sides of the Royal Family, doomed to wait for the Hero of Time. Regardless if you visit him as a child or an adult, you’ll probably be tempted to look away. After all, there is no comment section you can hide in.
1. ReDead
While the ReDead taking the top spot might feel anticlimactic, the truth is that I really don’t care. This monster’s screeching scream not only paralyzes you in-game but also in real life. You encounter them relatively earlier in Ocarina of Time, too, so coming across them is an unpleasant surprise, to say the least.
While paralyzed, the ReDeads will walk slowly toward you a la Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. And once it gets near, it climbs on top of you, putting you in a deadly embrace that might end up being your last.
In simple terms, the dread the ReDeads will inflict on you will feel like watching Edvard Munch’s The Scream for the very first time. Just. Pure. Horror.
Are you as creeped out as me after reviving those emotionally scarring memories? There are lots of other Zelda enemies that will force you to leave the lights on at night, so if these didn’t spook you at all, I’m sure you can find some that will.
