Malice
Malice is a recurring poisonous substance in The Legend of Zelda series.[1][name references needed]
Characteristics
Breath of the Wild
Malice is a thick, black-and-magenta tar-like substance that can be found in several locations throughout Hyrule. Malice can damage Link upon contact. Malice is typically found in large pools on the ground, but can also cling to the sides of rocks and buildings. Large concentrations of Malice sometimes include large, blunt, slightly curved spikes that impede attempts to pass above them. Some pools of Malice have a glowing eyeball which, when destroyed, cause a large chunk of Malice to dissipate.[2] Inside the Divine Beasts and Hyrule Castle, Malice may also have a mouth that is able to release Cursed Bokoblins, Cursed Moblins, and Cursed Lizalfos. These Enemies will continue to spawn and attack Link until its corresponding Glowing Eyeball is destroyed, should there be one.
At the top of Mount Lanayru, Link can find Naydra covered in Malice.[1] In order to free the Dragon, he must destroy all the glowing eyeballs around its body. During the final battle with Dark Beast Ganon, the remaining Malice surrounds Ganon and converts him into his original form.[3]
Tears of the Kingdom
Malice is set to reappear in Tears of the Kingdom, shown about to consume a Rat and fighting with Link's glowing hand.
In the second trailer shown in E3 2021, the Malice is shown to be able to cling onto Link's arm, causing him to lose the Master Sword. Later in the trailer, it is also shown that a large mass of malice is concentrated underneath Hyrule Castle causing the castle to move upwards towards the sky.
In the third trailer shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, Malice can be seen erupting from Death Mountain.
Other Appearances
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Malice first appears as a substance in the Scenario "Freeing Korok Forest," where it blocks the path to Korok Forest. In this Scenario, the Malice had to be destroyed by defeating the Hollows of each of the Champions, but in most cases, the Eye of Malice needs to be defeated with a weapon in order to destroy the Malice swamp. Unlike in Breath of the Wild, Malice is not poisonous - it only serves as a obstacle to block the character's path.
Nomenclature
 Names in Other Regions 
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | Meaning | |
 |
Japanese | 怨念 (On'nen) | Grudge |
 |
French | Rancœur | Grudge |
 |
German | Schlamm des Hasses | Mud of Hatred |
 |
Italian | Rancore | Grudge |
 |
Spanish | Malicia | Malice |
Trivia
- The energy form Ganon takes on in Twilight Princess is said to be "Ganondorf's Malice".[4]
- In Phantom Hourglass, Fear Cannons can supposedly fire "cannonballs of pure malice".[5]
- In Skyward Sword, there is an item called Evil Crystal which is described as "pure, crystallized monster malice".[6] The Evil Crystal shares a similar appearance to the Malice of Breath of the Wild.
Gallery
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An Glowing Eyeball from Breath of the Wild
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A mouth within a formation of Malice from Breath of the Wild
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Naydra infected with Malice from Breath of the Wild
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "This servant of the Goddess has looked over the spirits of this land for ages, unknown to the world of man. However, the dreaded Malice unleashed by Calamity Ganon has possessed its body and reduced it to this state." — Hylia (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Glowing eyeballs are a recurring feature in dungeons and wherever large pockets of Malice goo appear, such as in Hyrule Castle." (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—The Complete Official Guide, Piggyback Interactive Limited, pg. 310)
- ↑ "After Ganon was defeated by Link, the remaining Malice pulled itself together to form this bestial creature. [...] This form is considered to be Ganon's original, although in this state, his awareness has been consumed entirely by Malice, and all he knows is a desire to rampage and destroy." — Hyrule Compendium (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 113
- ↑ "Some suspect it can fire cannonballs of pure malice." — Shipyard (Phantom Hourglass)
- ↑ "You got an Evil Crystal! This solid chunk of pure, crystallized monster malice is extremely rare!" — N/A (Skyward Sword)