By Rebecca Corgan Published Oct 8, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT Polygon Lists Check every closet in Hyrule first
Image: Nintendo Sign in to your Polygon.com account Add Us Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap The Legend of Zelda has never been particularly shy about depicting curses, ghosts, and the walking dead (or ReDead). Its optional side quests are where Nintendo tends to let all three run wild. The series has always worked this way — usually giving you a bright, whimsical surface to explore with something rotten and/or horrifying tucked away, should you decide to look under that friendly surface. In the main story, that dread hides inside dungeons and boss fights. In the side quests, the dread has moved into the house next door, where it’s a bit more startling to discover. Curious what nightmares are hiding for Link throughout his various adventures? Check all the closets in the basement, first. Then read on, if you dare.
Image: Nintendo What's keeping us up at night: A family is begging for your help! Unfortunately you’ll need to kill 100 golden spiders to break their curse
In Kakariko Village, years before the game begins, a fabulously rich family has been turned into spider people , cursed for their greed, as local rumor has it. Fortunately, there is a cure: Finding and destroying 100 Gold Skulltulas, twitching golden oversized spiders that cling to walls and trees throughout Hyrule. The hunt for curse-breaking spiders takes you from Hyrule Field to the walls of claustrophobic dungeons. You do get helpful rewards for performing pest control, but at what cost? Walking into the spider family’s house in Kakariko Village — and seeing the half-spider-half-human hybrids hanging out, forlornly, awaiting your assistance — is horrifying. We wouldn’t blame you for turning around, walking back out, and ignoring this entire questline.
Image: Nintendo What's keeping us up at night: You go looking for a man in the Lost Woods and meet a girl who cheerfully explains what exactly happens to lost adults
As Young Link in Ocarina of Time , you can spy the Master Craftsman’s son hanging out, not working, not doing much, around Kakariko Village, much to his father’s dismay. So far, so good. Do a bit of time travel, though, and the son’s nowhere to be found. Wonder what happened to him? In the middle of Adult Link’s Biggoron’s Sword trading quest , you’ll head to the Lost Woods and see him for a moment. He’ll press a mushroom into your hands as an ingredient for medicine. Return to check in on him later, and you’ll find that he’s gone. A nearby Kokiri girl will explain, somewhat gleefully, that adults who get lost in the woods turn into Stalfos — skeletal warriors. She doesn’t seem to see a problem with this.
Image: Nintendo What's keeping us up at night: Something comes for the ranch every year. And if you aren’t careful, that something will erase your friend’s memory
On the first day in Majora’s Mask ’s Romani Ranch, young Romani practices archery. She does so to prepare herself to fight something that her older sister, Cremia, insists does not exist. According to Romani, They come every year around the Carnival of Time to steal cows. The invaders — reportedly inspired by the Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia folklore — drift slowly toward the barn,…