The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis finally around the corner after being announced in 2019, and comes with the premise of revolutionizing the franchise just like its predecessorBreath of the Wilddid. This is something that could be seen in the trailer released duringthe February 2023 Nintendo Direct, which highlights numerous elements including new obstacles and enemies - some of which may pull mechanics from classic titles likeOcarina of Time.
Some of the details revealed in this latest trailer, such as the idea that Link will be able to use different vehicles, have left older Breath of the Wild mechanics like theMaster Cycle Zeroseeming outdated (though whether this vehicle appears in the sequel at all has not yet been revealed). Among the information that has been shown, one new detail might point to the possible return of a classic enemy, Dead Hand, reimagined for the latest Hyrule’s technological world.
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InZelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s February Nintendo Direct showcase, there is a scene with Guardian hands rising out of the floor about to grab Link, seemingly part of a new adversary that was not present inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nothing has been confirmed as of this writing, but the new obstacle appears similar in concept to Dead Hand, an enemy that fans of the series will remember fromThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
This horrific creature appears twice in theN64 game: under the well in Kakariko Village, and in Kakariko Graveyard’s Temple of Shadows. The first time Link faces this threat is when he is a child to get the Lens of Truth, and he does so again to get the Hover Boots. For such a low-resolution game, Dead Hand managed to scare plenty of children who weren’t expecting it to appear in an otherwise cheery, fantasy-driven adventure game. Undoubtedly, this monster’s broken appearance has remained one of the most terrifying across the franchise. Dead Hand is a disturbing-looking monster, a vaguely anthropomorphic creature with a zombie-like head and white skin smeared with red spots that are presumed to be the blood of its victims.
Its appearance is only made all the more terrifying by the way it gripsLinktightly and unhinges its jaw to attack. While the arms attached to the main body end in stumps, the ‘hand’ part of its name comes from numerous hands sprouting from the ground around each of its arenas. Usually four to six disembodied hands appear in the chambers where Dead Hand resides, and the creature uses these hands to immobilize its prey before its main body emerges to consume the captured food.
In the3DS remake ofOcarina of Time, the Dead Hand model was updated and arguably made less frightening. The red blotches were less pronounced, and the smoother textures removed an element that made the N64 game’s model more unsettling. However, what contributes most to the terror factor of Dead Hand is the atmosphere that accompanies the dungeons in which it is found, especially in the bottom of the well. This enemy is considered one of the scariest inThe Legend of Zelda, and if the new Guardian arm trap inTears of the Kingdomdraws any inspiration, it could be a stand-out element.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases August 01, 2025, for Nintendo Switch.
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