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Darknuts are supporting antagonists in The Legend of Zelda franchise.
They are a type of powerful knights that typically serve Ganondorf as dungeon guardians. Their appearances and even species tend to differ from entry-to-entry, yet they are consistently some of the most powerful and skilled combatants in their respective games.
History[]
Unified Timeline[]
The Minish Cap[]
The first Darknuts appeared in Hyrule after a chest full of demons and monsters, sealed by the Four Sword, was opened by the Wind Sorcerer, Vaati. Gaining control of all demons within the chest, Vaati sends several Darknuts to guard the Fortress of Winds in the Castor Wilds, and stations the most powerful ones within Dark Hyrule Castle, where Link is forced to fight them in order to reach Vaati and rescue Zelda.
Four Swords[]
The Darknuts reappear hundreds of years later, once again commanded by Vaati after the seal on the Four Sword is broken. They can be found guarding various areas throughout the game.
Downfall Timeline[]
This timeline occurs if Link is defeated and killed by Ganondorf at the end of Ocarina of Time.
Link's Awakening[]
The Darknuts in this game appear as fragments of the Wind Fish's dream on Koholint Island. They are said to be a small army of usurpers that took over Kanalet Castle and ousted its rightful owner, Richard. Heeding Richard's request for help, Link storms the castle, defeats the Darknuts, and gains a set of five golden feathers that Richard asked to be returned.
Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages[]
At this point, the Darknuts have now been recruited into Ganon's Army. They roam the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna on the orders of Twinrova, General Onox, and Veran, seeking to kill Link on sight in order to ensure that the Flames of Destruction, Sorrow, and Despair can be lit, allowing for Ganon's resurrection.
Echoes of Wisdom[]
TBA
The Legend of Zelda[]
Hundreds of years later, Ganon returns, kidnaps Zelda, and takes over Hyrule, sending armies of monsters to guard dungeons and hunt down fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom. The Darknuts are some of the most powerful of these monsters, and are found in larger and larger quantities within dungeons as the game progresses.
Child Timeline[]
This is the timeline that Link returned to at the end of Ocarina of Time, where he is able to warn the Royal Family of Ganondorf's deception and have him arrested. Unfortunately, this act causes Ganondorf to gain the Triforce of Power and be banished to the Twilight Realm.
Twilight Princess[]
The first Darknut is found at the top of the Temple of Time within the Sacred Realm, having been sent by Zant to guard a piece of the Mirror of Twilight. After defeating it, Link is granted the Dominion Rod.
At the end of the game, Link storms Hyrule Castle, which has been taken over by Ganondorf. There, he battles multiple Darknuts back-to-back that are guarding the castle's tower as he closes in on Ganondorf.
Additionally, numerous Darknuts can be found in the Cave of Ordeals, an optional dungeon that tests the player's combat skills. The final challenge consists of Link fighting off three fully-armed Darknuts simultaneously; doing this will grant Link the Great Fairy's Tears.
Adult Timeline[]
This is the timeline that Link left behind at the end of Ocarina of Time after helping the Sages deal away Ganondorf. However, Ganondorf inevitably broke free and rampaged across Hyrule, leading to the gods flooding the entire kingdom to keep him at bay and turning it into the Great Sea.
The Wind Waker[]
The Darknuts become part of Ganondorf's army during the Era of the Great Sea. Link first encounters one as a mini-boss in the Tower of the Gods; defeating it grants him the Hero's Bow. He then finds several of them in the ruins of Hyrule Castle, where he defeats them in order to escape. From the Earth Temple onwards, they serve as more common— albeit difficult— enemies, with several of them guarding Ganon's Tower during the game's climax.
Additionally, more Darknuts can be found in the Savage Labyrinth, another combat-centric dungeon. Only three of them need to be beaten (one in Floor 27 and two in Floor 30) in order to get the Triforce Chart (Triforce shard in the HD version), but if the player wants to complete the entire labyrinth, they can continue on for another twenty floors, with the final challenge being to fight four Darknuts simultaneously; doing so earns Link a Piece of Heart in the original game or the Hero's Charm in the HD version.
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 Villains
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The Demon King's Army Palace Guardians Koholint Island Termina World of the Ocean King Hytopia Yiga Clan Tecuums Other Foes Hyrule Warriors Cadence of Hyrule Manga Ganon's Army (CD-I) |
Trivia[]
- The Darknuts' Japanese name translates to Tart Knuckle, implying a connection to a similar Zelda enemy, the Iron Knuckle.