Web Video / The Legend of Zelda: The Sage of Darkness

A cycle between the Dark One, the Princess, and the Hero of Time.

"Long ago, in the land of Hyrule... there was a legend."

—The Sage

The Legend of Zelda: The Sage of Darkness is an independent Fan Film based on The Legend of Zelda series, directed by Josh Dixon and created by Skyscape Entertainment. Released on YouTube in 2008, the film provides a somewhat extended backstory behind the frequent reincarnations of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf.

Hyrule is in a dark time. Ertegun, the descendant of Ganondorf, has come under the influence of the mysterious and malevolent Skull Kid. They have used magic to bewitch the king and his council. Princess Zelda is the only one unaffected. She is doing her best to keep Ertegun from completely seizing the throne, but she is running out of time.

Meanwhile, Link and his younger brother Kyrin are doing everything they can to keep their farm running after the deaths of their parents. After Kyrin inadvertently draws Ertegun's attention to them, Link leaves to seek help at the castle. He meets with Zelda, and she tells him that he is the hero of time and the only one who can stop Ertegun. Though Link is only interested in protecting his family, destiny has other plans...

The creators re-uploaded the film in August 2013 with enhanced effects and various mistakes corrected, in celebration of its five-year anniversary, and again in September 2018 for its ten-year anniversary. The updated version can be found here.

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Examples:

• Adaptational Badass:
  • Zelda, to some extent. Unlike most depictions prior to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, she plays a more active role in helping Link defeat Ganondorf and impales a guard on his own sword.
  • Dark Link completely eclipses his game counterparts when it comes to fighting. He gives Link an utter No-Holds-Barred Beatdown and is so fast that Link can't land a single hit on him. In fact, he's the only opponent Link can't beat; he only leaves when Link puts down the White Sword and gives up.
  • Skull Kid was only a true threat with the power of Majora's Mask. Here, he's a trained warrior and archmage who can give Link a run for his money even after the latter Took a Level in Badass. He turns out to be a double when it's revealed that he's also the film's counterpart of Link's Uncle, who, while a skilled swordsman, was still killed by mooks.
• Adaptational Villainy:
  • The Skull Kid is not just a follower of Ganondorf; he poisoned his own sister, orphaned her two sons, stabbed Link's father to death, and plans on obliterating all creation because he's bored of it. And unlike his counterpart in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, he's not being influenced by an Ancient Evil. It's the other way around.
  • The film also has an odd inanimate version with the White Sword, which will only allow itself to be used by a sufficiently hateful and angry person.
• All There in the Manual:
  • Apparently the village elder's name is Elgammel.
  • The Skull Kid is never referred to as such in-universe.
  • Also, from the Divorced Installment audio drama, the names of Link/Arden's parents: Garreth and Iarna.
• Ancestral Weapon:
  • Ganondorf is shown wielding the Black Sword in a flashback, while his descendant Ertegun wears it in the present. Ganondorf takes it back after stealing Ertegun's body, along with the White Sword.
  • Link accepts the White Sword from his uncle David, and it's revealed that he also gave it to Link's father in the past and taught him how to use it.
• Back from the Dead: At the end of the film, Kyrin is seen with Davik, having apparently been healed from Ertegun's attack.
• Batman Gambit: Knowing that Link will leap at the chance to kill Ertegun, Davik gives him the White Sword, which not only won't do the job, but will make it impossible for him to use the Master Sword.
• Big Bad: Ganondorf is the Greater-Scope Villain and the Final Boss of the film, but it is actually Davik, the titular Sage of Darkness, who is behind everything, intending to end the Cycle of Eternity out of disgust.
• Big "NO!":
  • Link may have one, after Ertegun kills Kyrin. It's impossible to know what he says because it's muted.
  • A more straightforward example would be Link's reaction after he learns who David really is.
• Can't Refuse the Call Anymore: Link is hesitant to accept his role as the hero, because he just wants to take care of his brother. The actions of both Zelda and Ertegun make it impossible for him to stay put.
• Canon Character All Along:
  • Link's father is a Posthumous Character, but he is resurrected near the climax of the film as Dark Link.
  • Inverted with the Skull Kid, who's revealed to be the alter ego of the seemingly friendly and helpful new character Davik.
• Cast as a Mask: Dan Hogan voices the Skull Kid, who actually shares an actor with Davik.
• The Chessmaster: It is revealed that almost every character in the film, even Ganondorf, is being manipulated by Davik in his plan to end reality.
  • Firstly, he consistently places himself in positions to manipulate others. As the Skull Kid, he can easily manipulate Ertegun. In his castle guard disguise, he has some degree of influence over Zelda, as it is shown she trusts them and listens to their advice. And by training Link in the woods, he was able to corrupt him into nearly following a path of anger and vengeance, as he did to Link's father in the backstory. Davik even had some influence over Ganondorf himself, thought he at least was savvy enough not to trust him.
  • Second, he had not only one, but two backup plans for dealing with Ganondorf once he no longer needed him. As both of his nephews had the potential to seal away Ganondorf, he kept both alive, but separated. That way, if Link failed to defeat Ganondorf, Davik could still use Kyrin to seal him away.
  • Ertegun has power, but is rash and insecure. Davik plays him like a fiddle, using him for his army and his status as Ganondorf's descendant. When Ertegun begins to get too full of himself, Davik lets the boy go without his help and make a few mistakes, which sends him begging for his aid once more.
• Composite Character:
  • Davik offers Link a sword with the line "It's dangerous to go alone, take this!", much like the Old Man of the first game, and he doubles as the film's counterpart of Link's uncle from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. He's also the alter ego of the Skull Kid, and his plan to infiltrate Hyrule's royal family under the guise of a loyal retainer matches those of both Agahnim and Ganondorf himself.
  • Link essentially fulfills the role of Impa, being a heroic Sage of Shadow/Darkness that serves Princess Zelda.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: In Link's first battle with Ertegun, Link goes down after a single blow.
• Decomposite Character: Impa is split into three different characters. Her role as the Sage of Shadow/Darkness associated with Zelda is given to Link, while her role as Zelda's bodyguard and signature kodachi are given to Aaron. Finally, her role as a Sheikah warrior connected to the Royal Family is given to Link's uncle Davik.
• Deconstruction: An interesting example. Like in the games, Link often does what he's told without complaint. However, whereas the games generally don't question any negative consequences regarding this, the film actively notes how following instructions without digging any deeper only ended up making things worse. Link eventually grows more rebellious and calls out people like the elder for leaving him in the dark about the complicated machinations going on.
  • Link's hatred is also deconstructed, as while it motivates him to keep on fighting long after anyone else would have given up, it also causes him to become so fixated on satiating his hatred of Ertegun for killing his brother and later Davik for betraying and manipulating him that he becomes easily swayed to committing foolhardy mistakes that only make the situation worse. It's only when he realizes in his quest to retrieve the Master Sword and fighting the shade of his father, who has become Dark Link that his hatred is only ensuring that he will fail that he finally lets go and focuses on defeating Ganon. That being said, he still understandably hates the people who have caused him so much misery, but he doesn't let it control him like earlier in the film.
• Defiant to the End: Zelda takes every opportunity to defy Ertegun while being held captive by him.
• The Dragon: The Skull Kid appears to be one to Ertegun. The situation is reversed once Ertegun goes to him for help.
• From Bad to Worse: First, Davik is captured. Then Davik turns out to be the Skull Kid and the Sage of Darkness. Then Ertegun becomes immortal. Then Ganondorf returns...
• Grand Theft Me: After Link obtains the Master Sword, the seal on Ganon is opened, and he returns, seizing Ertegun's body in the process.
• The Hero's Journey: Well, it is a Zelda story. Link starts off as simple farm boy who is forced to leave his comfort zone to help Zelda fight the forces of evil.
• Hidden Depths: Davik's character depth evolves over the course of the film. He starts out as a mere castle guard, no different from the various other extras in the movie. He turns out to be Link's uncle, and is later revealed to be the last Sheika, and the one who set the events of the movie in motion.
• Hijacked by Ganon: Literally! When Link pulls the Master Sword, Ganondorf's dormant spirit takes control of Ertegun's body.
• Idiot Ball: When Zelda uses magic to show Ertegun that Link is still alive, essentially for the sake of winning an argument. It gets the plot moving, but the heroes lose the element of surprise.
• Karma Houdini: At the end, Davik disappears without any punishment for his actions.
• Katanas Are Just Better: Invoked and subverted. Davik presents Link with the White Sword, a katana that he claims is the strongest blade he's ever seen. Not only does the much more powerful Master Sword exist in the setting, but Davik is The Mole for Ganondorf's spirit and the White Sword corrupts the souls of its wielders, including Link.
• Killed Off for Real: The Village Elder. He's actually the only major character who appears to die and stays dead, as both Davik and Kyrin survive.
• Mythology Gag: When he first gives Link a sword, Davik quotes "It's dangerous to go alone. Take this!" from The Legend of Zelda.
  • What's the name of the book that contains the chant to seal Ganon away? Mudora, the magical book from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
  • Before the final fight, Ganon grabs his swords the same way he did in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
  • As is tradition, when Link pulls out the Master Sword, instead of instantly solving the problem, it just makes it worse.
  • Not only is Davik a Sheikah, one of his nicknames happens to be "The Skull Kid".
  • There's an alternate ending featuring the reveal that Kyrin is not only alive but also with the Sage of Darkness. With this Davik decides to look for an old friend simply called Majora.
• Named by the Adaptation: Even the most important Skull Kids of the game are simply referred to as Skull Kids. The Skull Kid of the film is named Davik.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: The Sage of Darkness is a suitably foreboding name for Ertegun's top enforcer.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: By drawing the Master Sword, Link also frees Ganondorf.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Link has this reaction when he stabs Ertegun in the chest with the White Sword and he shrugs it off.
  • When Link disarms one of Ertegun's men, he gasps a second before Link cuts him down.
• The Power of Hate: It is revealed that the White Sword feeds on the hatred of its wielder, and won't let a genuine hero use it.
• Related in the Adaptation: Link is the nephew of the Skull Kid, and Dark Link turns out to be his father, having resurrected himself through his son's shadow.
• Sealed Evil in a Can: Ganondorf, as usual.
• Sheathe Your Sword: Without any way of beating Dark Link and now knowing the White Sword is fueled by hatred, Link drops the blade and lets Dark Link land the final blow on him. Dark Link then disappears so Link can take the Master Sword.
• Stock Scream: The Wilhelm Scream can be heard during the stealth scene.
• A Sinister Clue: The Skull Kid wields a whip with his left hand. This is a hint to his true identity being the seemingly well-meaning Davik, who had his right hand cut off years past.
• Title Drop:
  Link: Who are you?
  The Skull Kid: You may call me...the Sage of Darkness.
• Too Dumb to Live: Kyrin continually acts without thinking around Ertegun's men. He steals their food. He calls them idiots. Then he takes his slingshot and hits one with a rock. They eventually kill him.
• Took a Level in Badass: Link, after his training montage. In Davik's words, Link could take on an entire army on his own.
• Xanatos Gambit: Davik specializes in these, carefully playing the other characters against each other so that no matter what they do, he stays afloat.

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