Main Quest Walkthrough — Complete Story Guide for TotK
Main Quest Walkthrough — Complete Story Guide
Tears of the Kingdom's main quest is non-linear after the tutorial, but has a recommended progression path that makes the story and combat make sense. This walkthrough covers all main quests in order: from the Great Sky Island tutorial to the final battle with Ganondorf.
Story Overview
The setup: After a mysterious earthquake beneath Hyrule Castle, Link and Zelda discover Ganondorf's mummified body in the sealed chamber below. The Gloom energy shatters the seals — Zelda disappears into a time portal, Link falls into the Depths, and Ganondorf is awakened.
The goal: Restore the four regional problems caused by Ganondorf's awakening by completing the four temples with each regional Sage. Collect the Dragon's Tears memories to understand Zelda's fate. Then assault Hyrule Castle and defeat Ganondorf.
Part 1 — Great Sky Island (Tutorial)
Quest: Awakening
The game begins with Link in a new form, on the Great Sky Island above Hyrule. This is the tutorial area.
Objectives:
- Find the four Construct shrines on the Great Sky Island (Ukouh, In-Isa, Gutanbac, Nachoyah)
- Each shrine teaches a core ability: Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, Recall
- Collect all four abilities → reach the Temple of Time
- Receive the Purah Pad from the Time Crystal beneath the temple
- Reach Lookout Landing on the surface below
Key ability unlocks: Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, Recall — all four are mandatory here.
Duration: 45–90 minutes for new players. This is intentionally the longest tutorial in the series.
Part 2 — Hyrule Castle Area (Lookout Landing)
Quest: Crisis at Hyrule Castle / Find Princess Zelda
After reaching the surface, report to Purah at Lookout Landing. She sends you to investigate Hyrule Castle.
Objectives:
- Travel to Hyrule Castle
- Investigate the Gloom spreading from beneath the castle
- Report back to Purah at Lookout Landing
- Activate all Skyview Towers (optional but strongly recommended here)
- Begin regional investigations
Key decision point: After reporting to Purah, you receive quests for all four regions (Rito, Goron, Zora, Gerudo). These can be done in any order. See the recommended order below.
Part 3 — Four Regional Temples (Any Order)
The four temples can be completed in any sequence. Recommended order by difficulty:
1. Wind Temple (Rito / Tulin) — Easiest
Pre-quest: Tulin of Rito Village Location: Hebra Mountains → Wind Temple on a sky island above
Story: The Rito people are trapped in eternal blizzard at Rito Village. Tulin, son of Teba, has been searching for the source.
How to start:
- Travel to Rito Village in the Hebra region
- Speak with the Rito village elder → learn about the blizzard
- Follow Tulin's trail up the mountain through the blizzard
- Complete the four Wind Temple propeller puzzles
- Boss: Colgera — aerial ice centipede (see Colgera Guide)
- Reward: Tulin joins as Sage of Wind, blizzard ends
2. Fire Temple (Goron / Yunobo) — Intermediate
Pre-quest: Yunobo of Goron City Location: Eldin region → Fire Temple in the Eldin Depths
Story: Goron City's residents have become addicted to Marbled Rock Roast — a substance produced by Yunobo's misguided use of his power under Ganondorf's influence.
How to start:
- Travel to Goron City on Death Mountain
- Discover the Marbled Rock Roast situation
- Follow leads into the Eldin Depths
- Complete the Fire Temple minecart/wheel puzzles
- Boss: Marbled Gohma — volcanic spider (see Marbled Gohma Guide)
- Reward: Yunobo joins as Sage of Fire, Goron addiction resolved
3. Water Temple (Zora / Sidon) — Intermediate
Pre-quest: Sidon of the Zora Location: Zora's Domain → Water Temple on a sky island in the Lanayru Archipelago
Story: Zora's Domain is covered in sludge falling from above, poisoning the water. Prince Sidon has been trying to protect his people.
How to start:
- Travel to Zora's Domain in the Lanayru region
- Learn about the sludge problem from King Dorephan (now hiding in a cave)
- Meet Sidon in the domain
- Reach the Water Temple on the sky island above using water geysers
- Complete the four water control puzzles
- Boss: Mucktorok — sludge shark (see Mucktorok Guide)
- Reward: Sidon joins as Sage of Water, sludge resolved
4. Lightning Temple (Gerudo / Riju) — Hard
Pre-quest: Riju of Gerudo Town Location: Gerudo Desert → Lightning Temple
Story: A supernatural sandstorm has sealed off the Gerudo Desert and Gerudo Town. Gibdo armies are attacking from beneath.
How to start:
- Travel to Gerudo Town (must enter disguised as a woman)
- Find Riju fighting the Gibdo invasion
- Work with Riju to uncover the source of the Gibdo threat
- Enter the Lightning Temple (buried in the desert)
- Complete the light-and-electricity puzzles
- Boss: Queen Gibdo — moth queen (see Queen Gibdo Guide)
- Reward: Riju joins as Sage of Lightning, sandstorm ends
5. Spirit Temple (Mineru) — Special
The Spirit Temple has a unique unlock condition:
How to unlock:
- Complete a long quest chain in the Depths involving the Dragon's Tears memories
- Travel to the Spirit Temple in the deep Depths (North Akkala area)
- Construct Mineru's mechanical body using Zonai devices
- Use Mineru's Construct to complete the temple
- Boss: Seized Construct — corrupted Zonai machine (see Seized Construct Guide)
- Reward: Mineru joins as Sage of Spirit
Part 4 — Dragon's Tears (Memory Collection)
Quest: Impa and the Geoglyphs
Running parallel to the temple quests, this quest chain reveals Zelda's fate.
How to start:
- Find Impa's balloon at Rito Village or Kakariko Village
- Follow her to the first Geoglyph (a massive ground drawing visible from sky)
- Each Geoglyph contains a Tear of the Dragon — a memory of Zelda's journey in the past
The 12 Tears:
- 11 tears scattered across Hyrule's surface in Geoglyphs
- Final 12th tear is found on the Light Dragon's forehead
What they reveal: Zelda traveled back to the ancient Zonai era. To help the ancient hero fight Ganondorf, she chose to transform herself into the Light Dragon — sacrificing her humanity to preserve the Master Sword in the dragon's forehead for 10,000 years.
Completion: Collect all 12 tears → the full memory plays → Zelda's location is revealed → the Master Sword can be pulled from the Light Dragon.
Part 5 — Hyrule Castle Assault
Quest: Destroy Ganondorf
With all four regional Sages recruited (Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning) and Zelda's fate understood, approach Hyrule Castle.
Preparation:
- 14+ hearts strongly recommended
- 18+ hearts comfortable
- Hearty food (25 yellow hearts)
- Attack Up Level 3 food
- 30+ Shock Arrows, 10+ Bomb Arrows
- Strong fused weapon (96+ attack)
- Full Fierce Deity or Barbarian armor at 2-star+
Castle approach:
- Enter Hyrule Castle via the main gate or from the Depths below
- Fight through castle defenders
- Reach the Sanctum (throne room at the top)
- Confront Demon King Ganondorf
Part 6 — Final Boss: Demon King Ganondorf
Three phases:
Phase 1 — Demon King (humanoid): Ganondorf fights with Gloom weapons and summons phantom duplicates. Use Shock Arrows on duplicates to dispel them quickly. Attack the real Ganondorf during his recoveries.
Phase 2 — Demon Dragon: Ganondorf transforms into the Demon Dragon, opposite of Zelda's Light Dragon. The Sages join on their companion forms — Sidon creates water platforms, Riju fires lightning, etc. Platform across the Sages to reach the Demon Dragon.
Phase 3 — Light Dragon finale: The Light Dragon (Zelda) arrives. Ride the Light Dragon to intercept the Demon Dragon. Hit Ganondorf's weak point (glowing gem on his head) with the Master Sword or strongest weapons.
Full boss guide: See Final Boss Guide for detailed phase strategies.
Post-Credits / Post-Game
After the ending:
- Zelda is restored as a human
- The game continues from your pre-final-boss save point
- All remaining quests, shrines, Korok Seeds, and Depths exploration remain accessible
- The final boss can be re-fought
Post-game goals:
- Complete all 152 Shrines
- Find all 900 Korok Seeds
- Clear all Depths Lightroots
- Complete all Side Adventures and Side Quests
- Get the True Ending (requires completing all Dragon's Tears)
Related Guides
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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