Although Majora's Mask that gets labeled as the creepiest Zelda game, since its style and themes are rather different compared to the rest of the franchise. However, OoT has just as many eerie elements, but is told in a way subtle enough to end up overlooked.

Ocarina of Time is often considered one of the greatest games of all time, and it follows Link's journey as he tries to save Hyrule from Ganondorf. True to the classic style of Zelda, Link has to complete several dungeons to build the power and resources he needs to face Ganondorf. However, paying attention to the details during these tasks reveals that Hyrule is a fairly dark world.

10 The Poe Collector's Identity Remains A Secret

This Mysterious Trader Flourishes Under Ganondorf's Rule

One mystery in Ocarina of Time is the Poe Collector, who's only seen in the adult era and found in what used to be the Guard House in Castle Town. Giving him Poes is one way to earn a precious Empty Bottle, but there are quite a few unanswered questions and strange details about him. His identity is never revealed, and all players can do is guess at who he might've been before the time skip, if anyone.

The most common belief is that the Poe Collector is the guard who used to be found in the Guard House during the child era. What drives this theory is that the guard encourages Link to destroy pottery there and says that he's sick of the world being peaceful, which is similar to the views of the Poe Collector, who wants the world to continue declining. While it feels like a strong theory, it will never be more than that.

9 Sages Can Never Have A Normal Life

Devoted To The Sacred Realm

Apart from Zelda, the Seven Sages are found in the Chamber of Sages after they awaken as a Sage, and then are not seen interacting with others in Hyrule again in the game. While this has led to the theory that the Sages had to physically die in order to travel to the Sacred Realm and fill their new role, it seems like they can't have normal lives after their awakening, whether they're alive or dead.

To this, there are a few lines of dialogue that imply they can't return to their former lives. Ruto and Saria provide the most evidence for this dark detail, likely because of the roles they each played in their respective societies. After Saria becomes the Forest Sage, Mido comments that she's never coming back.

Similarly, Ruto tells Link that they won't be able to get married now that she's the Water Sage. Whether it's because they no longer have physical bodies or have to spend most of their time in the Sacred Realm, it's clear that the Sages can't have normal lives.

8 Dark Link Is Link's Reflection

The Water Temple's Eerie Mini Boss

This secret is almost impossible to notice in the original Nintendo 64 version of the game, but easier to spot with the remastered version. Dark Link has always been a tough boss, because he's able to mimic Link's attacks and block them. There have been theories about Dark Link's origin and how he might represent Link having to face himself as his own worst enemy, but it turns out that Dark Link is quite literally Link's reflection.

When Link enters the boss room, he has a reflection in the pond. But when Dark Link spawns, that reflection disappears.

When Link enters the boss room, he has a reflection in the pond. But when Dark Link spawns, that reflection disappears. Because of this eerie detail, it's clear that Link's enemy is part of him, having shadowed him throughout his journey and learned the same skills. Even with the mysterious origin of Dark Link solved, the fight and its atmosphere remain unsettling.

7 The Lost Woods Are Both Sacred And Cursed

Those Who Go In Don't Always Come Out

The Lost Woods is terrifying, but it's presented in a way in-game that makes it seem playful, and perhaps peaceful. However, it's likely that it only seems that way because Link is under the protection of Navi and the Great Deku Tree when he enters the Lost Woods, which keeps him from experiencing the cursed nature of the location.

Usually, only Kokiri are protected from the effects of the Lost Woods, but Link is a special case given his role as the child of destiny. Adults who enter the Lost Woods are trapped and become Stalfos, while non-Kokiri children become Skull Kids.

This is likely for the protection of the Kokiri, the Great Deku Tree, and the Forest Temple, since these three things are usually connected to life and innocence. Additionally, the Lost Woods tends to be a location where the Master Sword is found in other games, so it almost always has some kind of sacred duty, which makes its cursed nature protective.

6 The Spirit Temple Is Used For Brainwashing

Iron Knuckles Don't Fight Willingly

As a child, Link sees Nabooru getting captured by Twinrova, and when he returns to the Spirit Temple as an adult, he fights a brainwashed Nabooru who's trapped in Iron Knuckle armor. However, speaking with NPCs in Gerudo Valley and clipping through the armor of other Iron Knuckles reveals that Nabooru isn't the only victim of brainwashing in the Spirit Temple, making it a rather horrifying location. Some NPCs even say that Nabooru and her gang of thieves has brainwashed others in the Spirit Temple.

Link is able to break Nabooru from her brainwashing, but that's not the case for every Gerudo who's been a victim of the Spirit Temple. When clipping through the armor of an Iron Knuckle, it's possible to see a Gerudo woman inside of them, suggesting that Nabooru isn't an exception. This makes it seem like the Spirit Temple exists for the purpose of brainwashing select victims, which is rather dark.

5 The Graveyard Boy Is A Skull Kid

Another Victim Of The Lost Woods

When Link is an adult, the Graveyard Boy in Kakariko who used to impersonate Dampé is gone. Considering how many people ended up displaced from Ganondorf taking over Hyrule, it's easy to believe that the Graveyard Boy simply lives somewhere else. Since it's likely that Hylians left Hyrule for another country, it wouldn't be that shocking to find NPCs from the child era gone during the adult era.

Unfortunately for the Graveyard Boy, an old interview in a Japanese magazine, The64Dream (via the Internet Archive), confirmed his fate, and it isn't a pleasant one. During the years that Link is sealed in the Sacred Realm, the Graveyard Boy's dad goes missing. Then, the Graveyard Boy decides to search for him, which leads him to the Lost Woods. Since he doesn't have the same protection that the Kokiri have, he ultimately becomes a Skull Kid.

4 Some Hylians Betrayed Their King

Ganondorf's Coup Had Inside Help

Even as a child, Link encounters some Hylian guards who are not as dedicated to their roles as others, such as the guard who can be bribed to let Link through. Then, when talking to NPCs after Ganondorf overthrows the king, it seems like he had help in doing so. His allies are referred to as both Ganondorf's men and his gang of thieves, so it's known that he didn't act alone, and it seems like his allies were Hylians willing to betray their own king.

This is the only explanation, because it's clear that other Gerudo didn't participate, as people in the market talk about how strange it is to see a Gerudo there, implying that Ganondorf was the only one present at the time. Additionally, Ganondorf seems to be a regular visitor for the king, since his visit was welcomed and not seen as suspicious. With these details, it's clear that Ganondorf had the ability to bribe at least some of the guards to take his side before attacking.

3 Kakariko Village Punishes Greed

A Curse In The House Of Skulltula

This detail makes sense after learning more about the history of Kakariko Village, particularly the history of the Sheikah who created the village and the purpose behind it. It's not a coincidence that the Shadow Temple is located in Kakariko Village, since the temple was designed and used by the Sheikah, most recently during the Hyrulean civil war that led to Link's mother dying and was resolved when the king unified Hyrule.

This temple outright says that it represents a history of greed and hatred. However, the punishment for greed seems to extend beyond the temple, as Link finds in the House of Skulltula, where a rich family was cursed, turning each member into a Skulltula because of their greed.

The origin of this curse isn't explained, but it would make sense for a Sheikah village to have a way of punishing the greedy. They handle a lot of dirty work for the royal family, so they need to avoid being tempted by power and money. In short, the Sheikah can't be greedy.

2 The Shadow Temple Is Used For Torture

The Sheikah Carried Out The Royal Family's Dark Plans Here

This one is heavily implied, especially if Link stops to read the signs that are in the temple. The Shadow Temple is a testament to Hyrule's bloody past, but the nature of that past can be easily missed. The truth is that the Sheikah captured enemies of the royal family and tortured them in the Shadow Temple, likely killing all of them in the end. However, the secrecy revolving around the temple means that the royal family's reputation is untarnished.

While it seems like most temples have dark undercurrents, the Shadow Temple is the most outright regarding its brutality.

This explains the blood stains, torture devices, the boat symbolizing the journey to death on the Styx, and the state of the boss, Bongo Bongo, who seems to have been flayed and had his hands cut off as if he was a person and not just a representation of the victims of the temple. While it seems like most temples have dark undercurrents, the Shadow Temple is the most outright regarding its brutality. However, that darkness only grows the more that Link digs into its history.

1 Link Loses Everything In The End

Saving Hyrule Requires Sacrifice

This is a dark secret that's told in subtle ways throughout the game, and it requires a bit of reflection to put the pieces together and come to the conclusion that Link has to sacrifice everything to save Hyrule. Even in the best ending, where Zelda sends him back to his childhood, he has no way to actually live out a happy childhood. There's no place for him to go.

First, the people he knew during his journey have become sages, so he won't be able to find them when he's a child again. Then, Navi leaves, which means that he's no longer protected from becoming lost in the Lost Woods. Nobody re him and he has no way to return home to the Kokiri Forest, so it's no surprise that in Majora's Mask he decides to search for Navi, the one character who was with him during his entire journey.

Ocarina of Time brings with it a lot of fond memories for many, and it's easy to miss its darker details. However, looking back on the game and paying attention during Link's journey reveals how dark this version of Hyrule is. It might be an adventure game, but there's a lot of horror hidden in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Source: The64Dream (via the Internet Archive)