Dark Realm

Dark Realm
The Rail Map of the Dark Realm
First appearance	Spirit Tracks (2009)
Country	New Hyrule
Inhabitants	Chancellor Cole Demon Train Malladus

The Dark Realm is a location from The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. It is a hidden realm in which Chancellor Cole and Malladus hide after Malladus possesses Princess Zelda's body. The Dark Realm is home to dangerous Armored Trains. The entrance to the Dark Realm is concealed and the Spirit Tracks leading to it can be only be made to appear with the use of the Compass of Light, found under the Altar of the Demon King at the summit of the Tower of Spirits. A portal leading to the Dark Realm is located in the Forest Realm, west of Aboda Village, on a platform in the sea.

The Dark Realm has a night-esque setting, although the sky is swirled with colored clouds. There is no solid ground - the Spirit Tracks are suspended on posts above an endless pool of dark liquid. Skulls jut out of the liquid, serving as the realm's equivalant to rocks and barrels. Stone spires of rock also protrude from the gloom.

In the Dark Realm, Link must use Tears of Light to make the Spirit Train invincible and faster for a certain amount of time, and run into the Armored Trains to destroy them. If the train whistle is blown when the Spirit Train is invincible the train will travel much faster. The realm is filled with warp holes, and if Link drives the Spirit Train into one he will be warped to a different warp hole. Once he has destroyed all the Armored Trains, a portal opens leading to the railway battle against the Demon Train.

After the fight atop the train, the four sets of tracks beneath it vanish, and Link, Zelda, Cole, and Malladus are expelled from the Dark Realm and deposited in the mountains near the Tower of Spirits. Whether the realm was completely destroyed is unknown, although it seems unlikely.

Theories

Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

"I was summoned from the Dark Realm by Twinrova. See my true form! Feel the might of a dark dragon!"

— General Onox

During the final battle with General Onox, after he transforms into the Dark Dragon, his true form. Upon transforming General Onox claims that he was summoned by Twinrova from the Dark Realm. It is unknown if it was the same place as the Dark Realm that appears in Spirit Tracks or some other dark dimension. The Dark Realm is only mentioned in passing and does not actually appear in Oracle of Seasons.

In Oracle of Ages, it is stated that Veran is "extending the reach of the Dark Realm" indicating that she may also have originated from there or simply in league with the forces of evil that reside there.

Theory warning: Theories end here.

Gallery

The entrance to the Dark Realm

A dark portal found in the Dark Realm