The Mystery of the Darknuts (Legend of Zelda)

Are Zelda's Darknuts monsters in armour... or something more human?
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Sources:
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ZeldaMaster
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#Zelda #Nintendo #LegendofZelda

[@Yooyooyaya]

My theory for the windwaker darknuts is that perhaps they were originally human, but Ganon transfigured their bodies into the form of beasts and controls them. This could explain why there are large gaps in the armor, as the armor was originally fitted for humans.

[@DrakusLuthos]

Also, they’ve got that glowing red symbol on their backs (over the spinal cord).

[@punkeep]

It could be the twilight princess one could be the missing link they could have been an ancient knight order that was cursed and slowly changed into the jackel form over generations

[@DaDunge]

Also we know Ganon turned people into animal like monsters in Links to the Past.

[@foeloko]

They aren’t humans tho

[@Zeldamaster0999]

You read my mind

[@pranman123]

Darknuts will always be one of my favorite Zelda enemies. The way I first encountered one in Twilight Princess in the Temple of Time's grand mini-boss room is a memory I won't forget!

[@m3tr0id86]

Yeah these enemies are usually more fun to fight. I mean you might get the occasional moblin that actually has some bite, but these guys have more sport to them.

[@Kaldrin]

A very cool dark souls-like set up miniboss, made me fall in love with this enemy

[@m3tr0id86]

@Kaldrin Right? It makes me want to take on the foe seriously and not cheaply because that would be very boring. Plus that night type look is absolutely amazing

[@thehoodx2510]

@@m3tr0id86 my first Dark Nut was in my very first Zelda game, Wind Waker. That nostalgia to this day gets me hyped whenever I see Dark Nuts

[@CrownOfRoses541]

Even though even Darknuts can be a pain, I'd STILL take them over Guardians ANY DAY. 😩

[@Zogef1996]

In the Four Swords Aventures manga adaptation, a Hyrule captain was brainwashed and given a Darknut armor. So... That makes a connection even if it's not cannon.

[@Lucas-db2jq]

I love the jackal design they have in The Wind Waker. Honestly, I just love the enemy designs in that game as a whole. I enjoy the idea that Ganon's minions are these demonic, twisted animals. Like how the Wizzrobes are toucans, the Moblins are pigs, the Miniblins are like small imp monkeys, the Lizalfos are lizards, Octoroks are octopi, Gyorgs are sharks... And Lynels are these hellish amalgamates of ox, lion and men.

[@jeffbrownstain]

I like to think they were all once Men...

[@minight1711]

@@jeffbrownstain my headcanon is that the bokoblins used to be human, the rest are derived from another species like the monster Zoras from the old 2d games used to be Zora, hinoxes were gorons, aerolofos and Zelda 2 fokels were ritos, etc

[@jeffbrownstain]

@@minight1711 That leave two results for the Geruda: They were genocided, or they became something REAL awful. Maybe just bokoblins lmao Because we already know by OoT Hylians become ReDeads. At least, it's heavily implied.

[@drmedicechsrick8702]

@@jeffbrownstain if i recall corectly, it is said in the manual of zelda 2, that the daira are a hyprid of hylians and aligators, dont ask me how that happend, but i want to belive that not every "monster" is purly evil, and just wants to survive, and that forces them to attack people sometimes

[@DaDunge]

It reminds em of that Ganon in Links to the Past turned everyone in the dark world into a representation of their inner self.

[@carcerharlson9767]

I was admittedly disappointed these guys weren't in Breath of the Wild. They would've fit right in many of the military forts around Hyrule and definitely the castle itself.

[@Levi_The_One_The_Only]

Still holding out hope that maybe we'll see some appearance of them in BotW2

[@pebbles214]

Totally. I was holding out hope that they'd be a surprise mini-boss in Hyrule castle. Lynels kind of accomplish a similar role, but darknuts are so cool ;-;

[@Nintendofan91]

Link can just become a Darknut by putting on the Phantom Armor!

[@sentienttoast1319]

The lynel was kinda like a replacement to it ig

[@MartyAraragi]

As fun and challenging as the Lynels were, id definitely would like to fight Darknuts. Especially with different weapons. They'd fit having like the Royal class weapons. Like how Dark Souls Black and Silver Knights there are unique ones.

[@annecantgame]

I have no problem with the Darknuts, they're one of the cooler enemies. They're just not fun to have three in the same room that stay close to each other as they follow you around. I would bet they're something along the lines of the sheikah, but that died out after a while and have been forgotten, protecting things for the royal family, since they're in the Temple of Time and the Castle for TP

[@Tazerboy_10]

😬 - That's not a fun thing to deal with...

[@corpselight7989]

Did they appear in Lorule ever? Or the Dark Realm? The little crest could be representative of either, or simply have been an elite unit who were cursed for their task of guarding high-value places. Sorta makes sense that Ganon is able to corrupt ones hes found if they arent simply from the realms he's been in.

[@annecantgame]

@@corpselight7989 From what's on one of the A Link Between World Enemies list, they only have regular soliders in Lorule. There's no darknuts or anything of the sort. The heavily armored soliders in Hyrule are just gold/silver ball and chain troop, and the green sword soldiers. There's nothing I can find/remember for them being in that game in general.

[@Tazerboy_10]

@@annecantgame Sounds about right to me...

[@yourconscience8018]

The challenge of having multiple darknuts to fight at once is what makes them awesome. WW Darknuts were dynamic and actually took brainpower to beat; you had to be aware of what each of them was doing, making each fight unique. TP Darknuts are annoyingly formulaic and can be beaten on autopilot.

[@OmoiSenpai]

I think that the Darknuts in WW were Human at first, but turned to Dogs when Ganondorf came thru. Why else would they use Rope to tie the Armor to their backs? Also, when Hyrule was frozen and sunken, it looked like the Nuts were trying to fight the Moblins. The transformation must have changed them even when they were frozen. Also, if they are dogs, they shouldn't have thumbs to hold the swords. 0,0''

[@TeruteruBozusama]

Dogs do have thumbs though. Not usable but still...

[@FFKonoko]

@@TeruteruBozusama ...to hold the swords. That was in the original comment and needs opposable thumbs. You don't look smart for adding that.

[@ducky1966]

is it just me or is he saying dark nuts

[@thehoodx2510]

@@ducky1966 lol Dark Nut

[@tiglionabbit]

It wouldn't be the first time the power of the triforce turned humans into monsters. See: A Link to the Past. In the dark world, your form would match your character, so it makes sense that loyal soldiers would become dogs.

[@lordofuzkulak8308]

I dot see any issue with the WW incarnations being dogmen and them having served Hyrule. Zora, Gorons and Rito are all races that could both be considered monstrous from a human point of view and who have been on friendly relations with the Hylians, so I think it’s entirely feasible for there to be a race of dogmen that served in the Hylian military at some point that the Dark Nuts could be descended from. As for the conflicting depictions of what’s inside the armour, an alternative to your breeding theory could be that ‘Dark Nut’ is not the name of a race, but rather of a Knightly Order (think Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaler in real world history). If so, the differing appearances could be down to them being open to multiple, if not all, races, and the reason all Dark Nuts in a particular game are the same race could be down to the Order having multiple Chapters and the Dark Nuts in a particular game belonging to the same Chapter. What could be interesting to see for Dark Nuts in a future game is a game where the Hylians aren’t all goody goody, and the Dark Nuts having legitimate grievances against the Royal Family which spurs them into turning their cloaks and pledging allegiance to Ganon(dorf)/Vaati/etc.

[@ZeranZeran]

Im gonna call it now: Nintendo of Japan told them "We need a dark knight!" and it was lost in translation as dark nut.

[@DeathnoteBB]

I always liked how Dark Nuts looked differently in every game. Made them feel that much more mysterious. Also the Wind Waker dogmen were cute

[@raoullupin5412]

@@DeathnoteBB yeah, I saw them as a sort of "Knights Templar" with the adorable Wind Waker Dogmen (and their fittingly adorable war ships) being an unnamed race. I mean, we already have at minimum the Zora, Goron and Rito races, an as of yet unnamed race of humanoid Dog people wouldn't be too far-fetched with some of the shadier doings of the Royal Family and the same kind of short-sightedness that led to the Yiga going rogue and turning traitor led to said order of knights alongside a good portion at minimum of said canine race pulling the same stunt!

[@DeathnoteBB]

@@ZeranZeran Wait but didn’t Japan make the game?

[@ZeranZeran]

@@DeathnoteBB I just woke up a little while ago and I'm typing silly. you are correct lol. I meant to say it just seems like someone asked for "Dark Knight" and it somehow became "Dark nut" through translation, maybe they kept it because it sounds cool, or maybe it was intentional!

[@Jess-I-Guess]

I definitely see the Darknuts as a race in themselves, one that acts on it's own. Similar to the Sheikah, Minish, Yiga, or most notably the bokoblins of Twilight Princess. As said by King Bulblin in TP: "I follow the strongest side", I feel like that may too be the path of the Darknuts. A humanoid species similar in appearance to Hylians, but with their own goals. I believe the anomalies in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess' Dark Hammer are a result of the Darknuts changing sides in the past. The Hylians tried to combat this by using Lizalfos or something similar to create an army of soldiers with similar strength to the Darknuts, which they would ensure remained loyal to one side. But Ganon's influence was too much, poisoned the minds of them as well, and caused the soldiers to be abandoned, leading to the dog-like versions of Darknuts and Dark Hammers.

[@gespenjaeger2370]

I was thinking the same thing Darknuts should be a race they used to be former knights of Hyrule after being seduced and transformed by Gannon but dont hold much loyality for him either unless it is required of course.And after many generations they build their own society that still uphold the ancient traditions of knighthood and their own version off Honor.

[@Zogef1996]

Every time I see a Zeltik notification, I'm like "oh that's so cool" (because his vids are awesome) but today with this video covering the most stylish enemies in the game I'm more like "oooooooooh that's SO cool" also I love your intro

[@alexmabey7791]

Same! I used to watch it more, I will make an effort to do so!

[@chaosgremlin]

well said

[@Tokio177]

I think he’s the S tier of Zelda KZbinrs…

[@Zogef1996]

@@Tokio177 agreed

[@josuecenturiondomaniczky9297]

I’ve watched every single video of the channel, Every time I se the notification I pause whatever I’m doing, grab a snack and enjoy it

[@SquirreLJ7]

Darknuts are my favorite enemy in the series. I love fighting them. Every time I see one, I get so excited. It feels rare that I get to just duel a worthy adversary in a Zelda game despite the whole franchise being about a swordsman.

[@Sir_Ahno]

The wind waker design gives the impression of an Anubis dog which could tie them back to the spirit temple and the Gerudo where Link encountered the mummified remains of a few darknut inside the temple. While this doesn't help much to explain Twilight Princess Darknut it's always something I've enjoyed considering as a possible evolution in that specific timeline.

[@KINGPHISHR]

It would so epic to have a few OP Darknuts roaming the map in search of Link or guarding major dungeons in BOTW2

[@venkelos6996]

Darknuts were weird for me; on the one, I didn't really need another BotW field boss, hard as a Lynel, but maybe slower, and even more hard-hitting, yet I so longed for an enemy that might consistently drop Royal or Knights gear. I hated that so many enemies just dropped junk weapons, and I probably broke something better just to get it. A few advanced versions had these, like Silver Bokos, but they were just such damage sponges, and I felt like it wasn't worth whittling down their 600+ health to net one; it was just more cost-effective to avoid fights, or go fetch the Master Sword, and then exploit aborted Trials of the Sword to recharge it, and avoid that DAMN ten minute cooldown. Anyway, I often assumed the Darknuts were less loyal to Ganon, and more doing their job. Some games don't pan that out, but others do. In orig Zelda, the Royal Family put the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom in the dungeons, to keep them out of Ganon's hands, and at least some of those enemies were the defenders of that mission. Ganon's servants were looking, but didn't just know where the labyrinths were, and if they found them, they had to battle their way through, too. None knew Link was okay, so everything inside fought him, whether loyal to Ganon or the Royal Family, so it doesn't look like that, but maybe they assumed he was Ganon's minion, and fought accordingly. In Twilight Princess, the first is a test back through time, and the others are mostly in Hyrule Castle. Maybe they are simply defending the castle, from any intruders, or perhaps their honor required them to serve the new master of the castle, after Zelda surrendered. The cowering soldiers in Telma's bar might lead one to think their ranks house no such powerful knights, but it's possible? Wind Waker is sort of what spoiled this, with their "loyal as a dog" Darknuts who are LITERALLY dogs, and whose loyalty to the Royals, or to Ganon, is questionable. Uncertain how they figure in. It could be neat to do a similar video on Wizzrobes. Are they just LoZ's resident wizards and sorcerers? Are they bird demon casters from another place? Is Ganon a more powerful magician than them, and do they serve him, or are they merely academics/cultists who plumbed the depths to far, and were corrupted? In the original two games, they could easily have been men, while BotW depicts them more as monstrous humanoids, and Wind Waker just does what it does, and throws all humanity away, making it clear Ganon has a deal going with Tzeentch, and borrowed some of his sorcerous daemons/heralds.

[@JamesDavy2009]

When you mention the Wizzrobes in WW, my thought was they were tengu.

[@solaris9426]

It's possible Wizzrobes and Dark Nuts are transformed humans through dark magic. Ganondorf is a sorcerer after all.

[@venkelos6996]

@@solaris9426 And that's very possible. Ganon is a Sorcerer, and while it's been a while since they actually let him be a character, in favor of Gdorf, even he does reflect some magic, and the access to those who know it. Still, it leads me to wonder who were they previously? Were the Wizzrobes court mages, and lesser wise men, brought under Ganon's mastery? Did he transform them, or did they do it, or were they demons from another place? Were the Darknuts men or monsters, and did he make them, or Hyrule? Do they serve him, or "the master of the castle"? Wizards are one of my favorite things, and so Wizzrobes have been one of my favorite hated foes in Zelda, since the 80s. With BotW, I had wondered if maybe we'd see lesser casters among the Gerudo, like Kotake and Koume, but nor auto-evil, and serving Ganon. We didn't, and that's too bad with the various "old people" sprites among them, but oh well. I wondered if Ganon had changed some of his people into Wizzrobes, or if they were just caster monsters he enlisted from elsewhere?

[@byronlyons3548]

I mean, Hinoxs drop them a lot, and you don't even need to fight them to take their drops. Of course, that depends on how much you progress through the game. And by progress, I mean defeating lots of enemies (10 per each species and ranks). Beating Divine Beasts certainly helps said progress. Because just like how each enemies increase in rank, if you defeat enough of them, so too does the weapons increase in rank and chances for bonuses.

[@HypercomboProduction]

Funny enough, in the spin off Hyrule Warriors, Ganondorf frees some Darknuts from a gang of Lizalfos. The Darknuts were grateful however Ganondorf's small 3-man band had to threaten the Darknuts to work for them. Again, I am more than aware that Hyrule Warriors is a spin-off, but I actually love the idea that the Darknuts are both a monster but not really loyal to Ganondorf either.

[@TheTroupeMasterGrimm]

I’m nearly certain it’s entirely unrelated, but the dual centipede symbols on the darknut shields in WW look uncanny similar to Twin Mold from MM. I doubt there is any way the darknuts could have originated from termina though.

[@SchrollShepard]

EDIT: Well, the inscriptions on the blade of Phantom Ganon's sword (in Wind Waker) spell out the names of the blacksmiths from the mountain village in Majora's Mask, so... Not entirely outside the realm of possibility.

[@OmoiSenpai]

@@SchrollShepard That Doggy Racetrack in Termina ain't looking so cute to me anymore.

[@SchrollShepard]

@@OmoiSenpai lol, dear god...

[@TheTroupeMasterGrimm]

@@OmoiSenpai 😳

[@enforcerridley158]

But the Twinmold boss battle in Majora's Mask technically isn't in Termina, but an entirely different world accessed through the Stone Tower, possibly the homeworld of the Garo based on the fact that the Garo Master jumps down from said portal to it.

[@firestarter6488]

They *NEED* to come back for BoTW 2! (And the Deku too...) *Edit: Iron Knuckles could be cool too, since Ganon could brainwash his people with Malice perhaps as a darker attack on them!

[@raoullupin5412]

PLEASE! I want to have epic battles with them in BOTW 2! So much you could do with them...

[@balaam_7087]

You mention a number of times that the Doberman looking Darknuts in WW aren’t Hylian. What if they are? Specifically, if Nintendo wanted to use a dog to represent them in-game, they could have used *any* kind of dog. But they deliberately chose a breed known for its pointed ears-the very same pointed ears all true Hylians have. Just a thought.

[@DaDunge]

Also people being cursed into monsters is a common zelda trope, not to mention that in Links to the past Ganon transforms everyone who travels into the dark world into an animal person hybrid.

[@XargenTelNada]

Darknuts are my absol...utely favourite Zelda enemy to fight, especially in Twilight Princess... Even being a legendary hero, they always seem to make you feel like the underdog... I also love the fan-lore that's been attributed to them in the fan game Hyrule: Total War, and if you haven't played that, you should!

[@derrickpeng3971]

Every video Zeltik makes me realize how much deeper Zelda lore and content can really get

[@HDGamerofficial]

Epic theory Zeltik! Never would’ve thought of warships being connected to Darknuts, so cool

[@pcm1011]

It would be amazing to have more plotlines involving enemies like King Bublin, maybe a leader or rogue character from the Lizalfos or Moblins that either help Link or serve as a direct rival to him.

[@Not_Ciel]

What about this: The WW "Darknuts" aren't the actual Darknuts themselves, but rather monsters created by Ganon that took the armor of the Darknuts? Think about it. The WW Darknuts are dogs, yet they wear the Darknut armor and were frozen in Hyrule castle. What if they simply killed the actual Darknuts when Ganon took over Hyrule and donned their armor in service of Ganon? This still keeps in line with the Darknuts in TP as being actual soldiers of Hyrule.

[@jonathanraymond8144]

Funnily enough in link to the past it has been mentioned that the darknuts were the hyrule guards transformed by dark magic so it is possible that the same magic could make a man more Bestival in appearance.

[@petitthom2886]

Fun fact : Wind Waker re uses many ennemies from the original Zelda on the NES (darknuts, wizzrobes, gibdos, goriyas, gels, and octorocks of course)

[@SchrollShepard]

Wind Waker doesn't have Gibdos. You might have confused it with ReDeads, which are in the game.

[@petitthom2886]

@@SchrollShepard Yep, sorry !

[@Kohchu]

The Jackal like appearance of Darknuts featured in Wind Waker, makes me think the implication was that Darknuts are actually promoted Goriyas; another early enemy type who has a slightly similar appearance.

[@handerborte97]

Darknuts are probably the enemy I most want to come to BOTW 2. I can just picture a scenario where you explore caves underneath Hyrule Castle. And you can hear something moving further ahead. And the closer you get, more and more the armor klings. And at the end you find a Darknut patroling something

[@BeyondThisAfterlife]

12:33 dude said "these dark nuts are highly skilled."

[@SingingSealRiana]

The irony, the irony of centepids symbolising impurity and evil and then getting used by samurais for the symbolism of military success like those two might be the same thing!

[@Broockle]

In TP it seems obvious that they are knights of the royale family. But in WW they must have already been in Ganon's service a few centuries/millennia after OoT since they are found time-frozen in the castle. DarkNuts in OoT were found in the Garuda Light Temple and in the future in Ganon's Castle. I think it's possible that in Ganon's Castle the Royale Knights were modified to suit his aesthetic over the 7 year time skip. They might be so large due to Ganon's triforce of power, maybe it can beef up regular humans to that scale. Ganon turning knights into dog furries with his power in WW doesn't seem that farfetched either. In LttP we learn that the dark world turns you into a form that reflects your inner self. Such as Link turning into a courageous bunny. Dogs are usually depicted to be loyale and pigs are depicted to be uncivilized slobs. Maybe anyone touched by the trifoce of power awakens their inner self in a similar self. It was Ganon's wish that created the Dark World in LttP to begin with. The soldiers that were most loyale to Ganon were perhaps the ones he gave extra power to to make them beefier. While the slobs all turned to Bokoblins that were not as trustworthy with the power.

[@Terranigma23]

I hope that botw2 will have a lot more enemy variety and the come back of the Darknuts . :)

[@MattAkiyama1]

The most shocking thing for me is now realizing the bird hylian symbol being a loftwing, I never looked that closely into that symbol! Also the moblin snouts on the boats, that's interesting too I never realized that.

[@saraross8396]

I'd say they're most likely corrupted or brainwashed Knights by whatever evil powers that be at the time. It is well within their ability. Some games outright mention it happening, although not necessarily in direct reference to the Darknuts themselves. The most famous example is Nabooru where the Twinrova say, "then we can brainwash her again." Agahnim of A Link to the Past is implied to have done the same to the soldiers. Phantoms are very similar to Darknuts in both appearance and function. They guard sacred places, and can only be struck in the back although they cannot be killed in their second series appearance. They are likely from the same family as Darknuts. If I remember correctly Anjean mentions their behavior as strange when one attacks Link and Zelda. In the climactic battle of Phantom Hourglass, Linebeck is made to fight Link in Phantom armor by Bellum, once again going with the theme of a corrupted knight. Before the helm appears we get a look at his face which has a ghostly pallor and expression, as if he's in pain. Aside from Linebeck however, Phantoms seem to be empty, mechanical beings, having no physical body underneath. This doesn't make them exempt since the machines in Breath of the Wild were corrupted by Ganon. Unless they're a new, unnamed race, perhaps the "dog" men in Wind Waker were twisted into that form due to the evil influence. There are examples of this in other games, most notably in A Link to the Past where multiple people changed form in the corrupted Sacred Realm. Whatever their true story is, I would also like to see them in the next installment. Since there aren't any Knights around to corrupt, they would best fit in as a zombie/Redead variety. Now there's something to consider. What if Darknuts are some sort of zombie?

[@-memoria-2136]

I always found it interesting how in PH phantoms are specified to be evil, malicious servants created by Bellum, yet in ST they're instead benevolent guardians corrupted. I still wish we got an answer about that lol

[@ATK10155]

When I was a kid, I steam rolled through Twilight princess until I got to the temple of time entrance. Took a break. Came back and solved it, got to the darknut mini boss. And couldn’t beat him. I couldn’t figure it out. 2 years passed by until I picked it up again and realized what I missed behind his back…

[@alyonnapv3268]

My Uncle use to work at Nintendo and he told me that if you take a PS2 controller and plug it into the bottom of the game cube you could actually play as a Darknut in both WW and TP.

[@Hidora]

These enemies where always my favorite. They take a longer time to kill and you mostly gotta think of a strategy to kill them. The moment when I found out about their lore and mystery’s, I only started to like them more.

[@ray-ys3tf]

As the theory of the redead go's I think that the royal family would not think twice to use the dark magic powers of the Shika to create new protectors for their kingdom.

[@Ersque]

They're called darknuts in English? Kinda weak name for an epic enemy. In German it's Schattengarde, which I would roughly translate to "shadow guard" (I think that's a better name)

[@WolfmanBrown]

Yeah. It’s a weird translation, but I think it’s pretty close to their name in Japanese.

[@chaosgremlin]

That is indeed an amazing name. Darknuts was probably just a weird translation artifact at first, but I think it works in a way

[@mitchboynunn]

Theres only a few channels on KZbin where I can go back and watch all the videos over and over again but Zeltik is 100 percent one of them. I've watched his botw reaction video so many times!

[@jpronan8757]

Dark Nut are my favourite enemy in the Zelda games. My first encounter with them was in Wind Waker and at the time I just thought they was the polar opposite of Link, I loved the introduction design and the mini boss soundtrack that made it feel like a real showdown.

[@ThePsychicPsycho_uZ]

The Darknuts and Iron Knuckles always reminded me of the possessed soldiers in a LttP. Edit: Also the Armos Knight boss battle(s)

[@randomtheorist251]

I really want to see the Darknuts in the Breath of the Wild's sequel. Perhaps we'll see the Twilight Princess design, having been stored in some sort of vault underneath Hyrule Castle, and revealed as it was lifted by Ganon. Perhaps we'll see the Jackal Warriors, either as an enemy, or having set aside their peaceful ways and become another of Hyrule's races. (Side Note: the Jackal Warriors could be descendants of the Mogma from Skyward Sword.) Or, as you said, we could see a new design. A new form, protecting the temples in the Sky.

[@calicojacque]

Darknuts are my favourite enemy in LoZ. I love how their skill pushes Link to be a better fighter, so I'd like to see them return.

[@BirthbyNightmare]

I always theorized that some monsters in human armor, like the Darknuts, could been humans soldiers that, once brainwashed or sworn loyalty to Ganon or the big villain of the story, were transformed into bestial forms in order to increase their strength and speed and as a way to symbolize their forsaking of their past human live. This is true in many other fantasy medias, most specially in the Dragon Quest series, where many monsters were once humans but they were transformed upon joining the evil forces or in seek of power.

[@factualtemplar8797]

My guess would be elite mercenaries that once served Hyrule, but either their term ended with Hyrule and Ganon bought their services, our Ganon gave them a much higher offer, perhaps he offered them, at least in WW, the ability to become monsters in exchange for their services/loyalty.

[@mmb-ig7iq]

Okay, this, THIS, is the kind of content I've been waiting for. I live for these obscure connections videos about mobs and other lore. Not "random mysteries you probs didn't know were in this game" volume 45.

[@Eric4bz]

Said it on the snowpeak video, but on the belt of the twilight princess Dark Nut, there's a crest on their belt resembling the face of a tusked pig, or boar, a symbol that's represented Ganon for many iterations of zelda.

[@zeropoint70]

In WW, I think the jackal-like entities may be manning the warships, and are closely related to moblins, but might be elite versions of them. I also think that the jackals stole the Darknuts' armor after their death.

[@jeffbrownstain]

I did always consider the Darknuts kinda like Daimyō. Either Ganon or the royal family finds a knight they really like, goes 'yo, we've got some pretty heavy stuff hiding in the backrooms of this castle or fortress or dungeon or whatever. Keep that crap safe, and you can have all of it. Just dont feed anything you find in there.'

[@BR-jw7pm]

Darknuts are definitely one of the cooler Zelda enemies. Especially in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess where they're skilled fighters

[@MSOGameShow]

The bird symbol on the Darknut's belt/shield reminds me of the one on Link's shield in Majora's Mask. Also, while the centipede symbol doesn't seem associated with Ganon, it is rather interesting that you fight a giant centipede created by Ganondorf somewhat early on in the game.

[@geoffreytasker2097]

So I like this video, but there's one possibility you seemed to have over looked. Unless I'm mistaken you did not consider the possibility between the other 2, that is that they were hyrulian elites but were eventually subjugated and turned into the monsters we fought. It explains the twisted version of the hyrulian symbol as they do have some type of awareness where they came from and also may explain the opening in the knights back in wind waker (the armor didn't quite fit due to their transformation). Another thing that comes to mind that I think more or less verifies this is that in every game you fight Ganon and he takes over hyrule castle, you also fight a dark nut or iron knuckle. And as you pointed out. In the two games you focused on, the tend to be in places that guard sacred items. What is most interesting about this is the one time Ganon took over that doesn't have darknuts or iron knuckles is breath of the wild and in that game there are two reasons why: 1. by that time the hyrulian monarchy was wiped out in the calamity meaning there was no one to transform. And 2. calamity Ganon, based on what we see in game, is actually unable to possess humans because he's not at full power or of sound mind. The yiga serve Gannon willingly and thus have no need to be altered but they may be the closest you'd get to a dark nut in their yiga elite renditions. Lastly minish cap being the first canonical appearance it may be that Gannon saw record of these darknuts and used that same spell to transform the hyrulian elite guard when he took over. That just my two cents

[@YugiSupersaiyan]

Zelda 2 had several anthropomorphic animals that were trained by the king of Hyrule to guard the palaces.

[@AvionBear]

I wanted to make a side note about the centipede imagery. Twinmold are centipede like creatures, being guarded by the royal Ikana family in the stone tower. Might be a stretch but perhaps the Darknut originally were from the Ikana family.

[@IanFraser420]

I think the Darknuts are actually Hylians corrupted and transformed by Ganon’s magic, the same way the Orcs in Lord of the Rings were once Elves. That would explain why they were frozen alongside the Moblins in Hyrule castle. Ganondorf possessed the King’s soldiers to take over Hyrule, the same way Calamity Ganon possessed the Guardians. It would give even more credence to the centipede as a symbol of impurity, as the Darknuts were once pure Hylians that have been tainted by Ganon’s influence.

[@robinita46853]

It would have been interesting to include that the Redeads are also monsters used to defend the Royal family’s important locations. I really like this theory Zeltik! It’s horrifying to think of the Hyruleans breeding super soldiers but I am definitely willing to accept that that family has its sins. I don’t know if they had the kind of technology ready for that by the era of Minish Cap but perhaps the six sages could assist the creation of such things via magic. I always figured snowpeak was an outpost for fighting the Gerudo war post-Majoras mask, but no reason why it could not serve a dual purpose!

[@nardopol0]

The fact that Darknuts turn to martial arts when they lose their sword could point to them having been human. They fight as if they'd been previously trained

[@tread0265]

Whether these iron-clad warriors were once in service to the royal family or if they were evil fabrications added to Ganon's forces, one thing still remains constant: They are warriors not to be underestimated. Stay sharp!

[@reigning_deer185]

I had never known about the warships! So cool to learn something new about this much older game! Thanks for all you do to share with us!

[@luigi50518]

Another part to support the theory, when you defeat the Darknut in the Temple of Time in Twilight Princess, as it's dying, its movements and voice sound very human, in fact it sounds like some of the castle guards. Also, the Darknuts' fighting stance and the Hero's Shade's are about identical.

[@jakerockznoodles]

I think it's possible that the warships in Wind Waker never belonged to Darknuts at all, keeping in mind that Hyrule didn't have much water outside the Zora's Domain. Personally, I find it far more likely that the buccaneers of modern times have either dug up armour or seen depictions of these warriors from times long past and decided to use that iconography on their own ships. It's sort of similar to how the stories of the Hero of Time passed down through generations and informed Outset Island's custom of dressing up their young boys in an outfit resembling the hero as a symbol of bravery and hope. Perhaps stories of the strong and intimidating Darknuts also filtered through the generations and current era pirates were inspired to build their ships in their image in the belief that it would make *them* strong and intimidating.

[@mrgreatbigmoose]

They're devil dogs of war. Goriyas. Dark Hammer is a Hungry Goriya. And I love them. They scared me more than the lynels in BOTW.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

I always felt that the Darknuts in windwaker were the remnants of the Knights of Hyrule (and like anyone Not Hylian-Human underwent a drastic physical change.) Which, in Zelda1, Zelda actually intentionally split and hid the Triforce of Wisdom within the labyrinths to keep it from Ganon. They all attack Link, sure, but considering the Labyrinth Enemies are so much different than the Overworld Enemies (which if they aren’t wild flora and fauna we know for sure are part of Ganon’s Army), then everyone inside the Labyrinths are actually defenders, wildlife, or monsters settling in (Level 7 is by far one of the easiest levels in Zelda1 and requires feeding a goriya meat to proceed-basically, Level 7 became a goriya enclave.) So, the Bosses and Darknuts are most likely in service of Hyrule but morally neutral and simply attacking-on-sight since they have orders to Defend. (What a raw deal for their trouble, but Hyrule’s hardly ever fair to anyone nonHylian…) Speaking of Goriya, traditionally they are dog-like enemies in classic 2D zelda. So while they’re usually more bulldog-like than jackals or dobermen, they’re still dog-like. Conclusion: windwaker darknuts at least are goriya that “outlived their usefulness” with some of them changing sides to Ganondorf’s, but many still remain in areas designed by the gods as defenders or “tests” for would-be heroes. (Yeesh. No wonder they show up in the Sage Temples and Hyrule Castle.) Which, sure; Link in some games (LttP in particular) is descended from the Knights of Hyrule, but: -monsters if not explicitly fauna or flora beasts have always shown sapience ever since the first installment developmentally -“(River) Zora” are the “monster” Zora yet Oren is a sage and many other RZ npcs exist -Maggie in WW presumably…marries a moblin at somepoint following the game’s conclusion -Ruto is pretty demanding about Link as her fiance (and Mipha didn’t seem worried about whether Link would be erm. Compatable or not) -Russo in LBW is clearly biracial as Goron-Hylian and wears the goron crest (although no other gorons exist in the game.) SO…Link having Goriya Ancestry really isn’t outside the realm of possibility. As the evidence for the “monsters” being actual peoples has always contradicted them being “just beasts in service to Ganon to be slain.” (And in the events preceeding BotW even some of the Sheikah finally had *enough* of the constant dirty-work only to have their advancements confiscated and culture destroyed (after always being on the brink of collapse and extinction) to defect as Yiga. I…really really cannot blame them.)

[@chrislevack405]

Always a good day when Zeltik posts a video.

[@Zogef1996]

Agreed

[@hannxah]

These should have been in the castle where the lynels are, gives the game more diverse mobs and they would fit PERFECTLY in those little rooms as “security” lol

[@ModestForce]

Thanks for the Zelda content! I focus on my disciplines very much which can become overwhelming. Talking about Zelda cannon makes me feel a sense of calm. This is a fun channel, so thanks again!

[@GabePuratekuta]

I've always thought they were created for the sole purpose of testing the Hero which is why they're found in dungeons protecting important items.

[@ominousvirus5278]

I always thought when I played through Wind Waker and Twilight Princess that they were guards of sacred areas employed by the Royal Family, and that they were to be hostile to anyone who tried to pass, no matter who they were.

[@milestinker2178]

Something else that may be of note (and which isn't mentioned in the video) is the notion that the design of the Wind Waker Darknuts' dog heads bears a curious resemblance to common pop culture depictions of the dog head of the Egyptian god Anubis.

[@knightofarnor2552]

I think Darknuts were originally created by one of the races of Hyrule as artificial guardians or warriors, but at some point became a self-aware "race" of sorts themselves. That would explain their massive size and varied appearances, and lots of stories have artificial guardians that protect important locations. In Twilight Princess, there's even a theme of automata enemies in the first dungeon that you fight a Darknut, with Armos and Beamos both encountered in the Temple of Time, where the only other "faction" is gohma. This would also mesh with the idea that they have been employed by the leaders of Hyrule, since as a "machine" they wouldn't be innately evil. What's more, thanks to Breath of the Wild we have a very clear example of Ganon corrupting artificial constructs for his own nefarious purposes.

[@gremilyns]

the warship design/darknut connection blew my mind

[@armandorojo394]

I want to see a game or movie-ish about how the Time-Stone from Skyward Sword is made into the Ocarina of Time!

[@ThePoltergust5000]

I used to dream about them adding a Cave of Ordeals-esque dungeon to BOTW as DLC, with an ancient, rusted, moss-covered Darknut as the final boss at the end, fought in an old, crumbling ruin. No grandiose theatrics, just a cold, brutal duel with a forgotten knight stalking through the rubble. I really really hope they show up in Breath of the Wild 2-- if it's going to have more traditional dungeons, they would fit right in, and maybe they could finally get some more lore.

[@HikaruCh.]

One fun fact about Darkhammer: he can be one-hit ko'ed by using Mortal Draw, the opposite of Darknut who have tons of HP lol 😅

[@SoraQuill]

The darknuts in wind waker may have been that timeline's version of Wosu from Adventure of Link. Wosu also fight on the side of Hyrule from what i know, but are enemies in that game because theyre guarding the triforce of courage... i think. this has been my headcanon for a while so i may be forgetting some of the actual facts lol

[@IAreHungryman]

I would love to see darknuts riding lionels kinda like the tree sentinels in elden ring, that would be terrifying in BOTW2

[@droidpowers]

Videos like this are what got me into watching Zelda theories. Such attention to the little details that Nintendo adds and putting all together is awesome to see!

[@yatanogarasu]

I think WW Darknuts were once humans like the ones in TP. However, they are corrupted by Ganondorf's Malice (or something), transforming into jackal-like monsters. I would love to see Darknuts in the upcoming sequel too.

[@WhimsicalLittledawg]

I remember when Darknuts were my favorite enemies of all time! Especially the ones from Twilight Princess, as well as the Redeads!

[@arkydaarcticfox9497]

Maybe, similar to the bokos and moblins not being races, but classes of underlings or minions theory, the same is true for darknuts, being incredibly strong warriors, whether good, evil, human or dog thing, but their ties to the royal family/ Ganon could be explained a number of different ways. I always love watching your theorys, thanks for making quality content we can all enjoy watching!

[@israelwilson4022]

Imagine fighting a darknut that’s riding a lynel

[@Rockybalba]

That would be an awesome fight

[@Peachyboi3]

That should be a 2 v 2

[@israelwilson4022]

@@Peachyboi3 2v2? Don’t you mean 1v2?

[@Peachyboi3]

@@israelwilson4022 yeah opps

[@droidpowers]

Videos like this are what got me into watching Zelda Theory videos. Such attention to the small details Nintendo adds is awesome to discover and put together!

[@piraterumble2973]

You remember that chest from minish cap that released monsters and before vaati himself summoned darknuts. There's a point in that swamp to the wind elemt dungeon that ended up not having it , well there's a cave with a darknut on your way thru the swamp for golden kinstones , and I I think they came before vatti as monsters

[@maksimilijan5029]

I think the Wind Waker design is based on Zelda I / II where almost all enemies are cartoonishly evil antropomorphic monsters. Except the darknuts funnily enough.

[@GermanPeter]

I highly suspect they're meant to be the Hyrulean knights that the entire series keeps mentioning. They're only ever found in places significant to the royal family like Hyrule castle or the Tower of the Gods (and the Temple of Time in TP), and even in Minish Cap they appear at the end in the corrupted Hyrule castle. I think they're just another take on Zelda 3's brainwashed soldiers, just with a monstrous twist, like they're being tainted by Ganon's (or Vaati's) power.

[@HannahCatz]

Ooh! This looks interesting. Your intro is amazing, as always!

[@TheCrispyForge]

These are probably my favourite Zelda enemies. I have even played a game with them yet.

[@TheKnizzine]

People always forget about the race of mustached dog fellows with boomerangs in AoL.

[@yannchauvard9509]

The BOTW DLC phantasma armor which I believe is meant to be a reference to the Darknuts has the Hyrule Crest glowing on the back, renforcing the idea that they are in fact Hyrule knights

[@deevan1415]

I actually enjoyed fighting the Darknuts in Twilight Princess. They were my favorite enemy to fight in that game, and I'd like to see them in Breath of the Wild 2. As much as I'd probably regret it, I'd like to see Redeads/Gibdos in BotW2. Ocarina of Time was the first Zelda game I ever played when I was a kid, and those things TRAUMATIZED me. It was to the point I refused to do the Shadow Temple without the Biggoron Sword. It's probably that sense of fear and dread they instill that makes them such iconic Zelda enemies and why I'd like to see them in BotW2.

[@laurel9629]

Maybe the darknuts are “preserved” soldiers stationed to guard trials for the Hero/important artifacts, like the shrine monks in BotW? WW’s dog-darknuts may have been Ganon’s corruption of these, causing them to be the literal “royal family’s dogs.”

[@MagiTacti]

I never noticed Twilight Darknuts seemed to have human faces :O ! Another awesome video Zeltik!

[@rimmerproductions]

Yes! Thanks for making this one. Darknuts are the enemy I want most in a new game.

[@Duke_of_Petchington]

Darknuts are (Ex) Hylian Knights, they have been corrupted by Ganon/Ganondorf. what further makes solidifies this in TP the ghost fallen (dead) hero from Ocarina of Time that teaches you the hidden sword techniques is well built like dark nut (meaning hylians at full age and properly trained are built like brick shithouses).

[@user-unos111]

If I had to say what's my favourite incarnation, I'd say the ones in the Hyrule: Total War/Hyrule conquest fangame. They not only look cool and less furry-like, but their overall presentation makes me wish there were allied darknuts too, kinda like what happened with the Zora and the Gerudo. Maybe there could be different factions?

[@TimeAxis]

The thing is, the tower of the gods also features chuchus, wizzrobes, and skull bubbles, all clear demons. It seems more likely to me that Darknuts are simply demon knights. If Hyrule’s Royal Family and Gods are no stranger to using demons as a test for the hero, I see no reason Darknuts would need to be an exception to that. All the dungeons in AoL are also tests for the hero crafted by the Royal Family, and they’re also filled with demons. I think Windwaker saying only the courageous can gather them refers to the fact that only someone courageous enough to take down a Darknut can obtain one. (The implication being that Orca did so at one point.) There are other examples of the drops from Windwaker being referred to like this. For example, Joy Pendants are symbols of those who spread joy, but they’re held by Bokoblins, creatures who do nothing but roam the seas making trouble for people, the exact opposite of joy. It makes sense, however, when you consider that someone who goes around defeating Bokoblins and claiming the joy pendants they possess would be “spreading joy” by making the seas a more peaceful place.

[@susiemiller2621]

Hyrulian werewolf? 3:21 Love this video and your theory. Thank you kindly!

[@MoeMoeJoeJoe]

Does anyone else want a Zelda game where you play as a Dark Nut, Dark Hammer, & Iron Knuckle? Like, One of Hyrules Elite Knights who has placed himself in exile after being put under Ganondorf's control and harming the Princess. An Elite Warrior of the Gerudo who turned against Ganon and helped the Hero, but is looked down upon by Hyrule at large as the Gerudo have just invaded under Ganon's control. And Lizard Monster Man that has nothing better to do but hang out with the Dark Nut & Iron Knuckle.

[@AtlasPromi]

I like the idea that maybe the wind waker darknuts might’ve transformed into monsters after serving ganon

[@suroguner]

You know, the games used here each exist within different parts of the split timeline. the beginning, the end of Downfall, The End of Child, and the End of Adult.

[@steverempel8584]

The original Moblins are humanoid dogs, specifically bulldogs. I therefore concluded that the dog like Darknuts in Wind Waker were basically the advanced Moblins of the game, in a way. Them being brainwashed royal guards make perfect sense aswell, but they have been transformed into elite Moblins basically.