Quick Links
Cast aside your fear and head bravely into the sandstorm ahead of you. In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Link will head back to the Gerudo Desert in search of his friend Riju, and the source of the storm plaguing the desert.
When he arrives at Gerudo Town, Link finds a dilapidated city overrun where its inhabitants now live in the shelters below. To restore the town, Link will need to eliminate the source of the storm buried deep within the Lightning Temple. We’ll walk you through all the temple’s puzzles and the boss battle that follows.
How To Reach The Lightning Temple
Before you set off on your search for the temple, you’ll first need to meet up with Riju. After finding her at some ruins to the north of the town, you’ll learn of her efforts to master her lightning abilities before she enlists your help in defending the town from a Gibdos army.
After taking out the three Gibdos hives and successfully protecting the town, you’ll then have to search the desert for the three towers and connect the light they project. With all three towers connected, you’ll find an altar in the middle of them that you’ll use to summon the temple. Shortly after, you’ll have to face off against the temple boss, Queen Gibdos, until she retreats into the temple.
Lightning Temple Overview
Once you have destroyed the hives and gloom mass blocking the entrance to the temple, you’ll begin your long journey inside. Unlike the other temples, you’ll have to put in some work to reach the center chamber.
After reaching the Room Of Ascension, you’ll be set on a path to charge four batteries that power the elevator that will take you to the top floor. There are seven floors you’ll have to navigate through to find them all and reach the boss.
Battery One
The first battery is very easy to charge once you reach the Room of Ascension, but getting there is pretty involved. From the temple entrance, start by grabbing the chest in the first room on the right. Now grab a Korok Frond Duster and use it to clear the piles of sand and find the floor switch. After stepping on the switch, head down the long corridor where you’ll find two decaying bridges.
Beneath the second bridge, you’ll find a chest with a Large Zonai Charge in it. There is also a Gibdo down there waiting for you, so be sure to take them out first. After doing so, Ascend, so you are back on the bridge and continue down the path to find the next room.
Once inside, be careful of the center of the floor falling out from under you. Now time your movements to make it past the flames and hit the switch on the other side to turn them off so Riju can follow you. You’ll have to get around a fire boulder in the next room. To do so, use Recall on it and quickly run down the hall to find the next room to your right. Again, hit the switch to block the boulder so Riju can catch up to you, and then head through the newly opened door.
After destroying the Gibdos nest ahead, make your way to the next area where you’ll find a beam of light coming from the center of the room. Clear the sand to find a mirror, then lift it into the air using Ultrahand and aim it at the switch on the door to open it. There is also an area in this room that is blocked by some stones. Inside, you’ll find a chest resting on top of a trap floor. Use Ultrahand to detect the trap and grab the chest. Then head through the door you opened to find the Room of Ascension. Finally, you’ll find the first battery behind some movable stones on the northeast side of the room. Use Riju’s ability to charge the battery.
Battery Two
Exit the room where you found the first battery and pull the stone out of the ground on the other side of the room to open up the gust of air. This will take you up to the 5th floor. The next battery is on the second floor but is only accessible by reaching the sixth.
Take the gust of air up to the fifth floor and then position yourself below the narrow corridor that is above you on the sixth floor and use Ascend to reach it. At the end of the corridor you’ll find a shaft filled with flames, and the next battery at the bottom. Glide down while dodging the flames, and then open the door. You’ll need to take out the enemies in this room first, and then return to the battery and charge it.
Battery Three
To find the third battery, head to the north side of the fourth floor. Here, you’ll find a small opening in the wall that you can climb up to reach the other side. Ahead you’ll find a spinning chamber with a room on the other side. Pull the stones out of the wall to uncover the light and then turn around to face the spinning chamber.
Use Recall to rewind one of the spinning sections and then cancel Recall once the opening aligns with the other section’s opening. This will allow the light to pass all the way through and open the barred door. After the door opens, wait for a few seconds, and it will then light a statue switch on the other side of the Room of Ascension.
Head over to the statue and stand on the floor switch to enter the next room. Grab a loose stone and place it between the spiky wall trap to stop it from moving, and then press the switch on the other side to deactivate the trap. You find a spiky ceiling trap ahead. Fuse the two stones nearby and place them in the corridor to stop the trap. From here you’ll be able to see the enemies on the other side. We recommend taking them out from afar before heading down the corridor.
Once on the other side, you’ll find another light puzzle. Drop through the crack in the floor on the left side of it to find a spinning chamber below where the light source is located. Now grab a mirror at place it on top of the light aiming at where the switch is on the wall. Grab a spike and place it against the wall and let go when one of the openings comes by to stop the chamber from spinning. This will activate the switch to open the gate blocking the light. Now head back up top, grab a mirror, and place it on the metal grate aimed at the switch to the next battery.
Battery Four
To reach the final battery on the third floor, you’ll need to light the mirror switch on the west side of the second floor. To do this, head to the Room of Natural Light on the fifth floor. To reach this room, you’ll have to climb up a short wall through a gap on the south side of the Room of Ascension. Once inside this room, place the stone on its side and the mirror on top of it to aim the beam of light through the gap in the wall.
Now head through the gap and adjust the statues holding the mirrors until it hits the mirror switch on the second floor. Then head down to the statue and step on the floor switch to reach the room behind it. Inside, you’ll face many enemies, so make sure you are prepared. Start by taking out the hive to stop the Gibdos from spawning. Then focus on taking out the enemy constructs first, followed by any remaining Gibdos.
Once you have cleared the room, you’ll need to aim a beam of light at the switch on the top area to open the door to the final battery. To do so, attach a balloon and a mirror to a metal platform. Use one of the torches in the room to ride the balloon up until the light hits the switch. Then jump down and charge the battery. Now return to the Room of Ascension, activate the terminal, and ride the elevator up to the boss.
Queen Gibdos Boss Battle
Once you arrive in the 7th-floor chamber, you’ll see the area is surrounded by four hives. For the first part of the battle, you’ll just face the queen alone. Since you have already faced the queen once before, you’ll be familiar with her attacks. She’ll try to hit you with her tornado or trample attacks initially.
This battle is mostly won by using Riju’s ability, so keep your distance and time your shots well. After you hit her once, she’ll crawl around on the ground. Hit her again before she starts flying, and you’ll stun her, giving you a chance to hit her with your melee attacks. After draining half of her health, she’ll activate the hives causing dozens of Gibdos to pour out.
Start by taking out the closest hive. This will open up the ceiling so sunlight pours in. If the Gibdos touch it, they’ll be stunned and eventually die. This creates a pseudo “safe zone” for you, making it really hard for the Gibdos to attack you. Be careful though because the flying ones and the queen can both still get you while you’re in the light. Now use the light’s protection to take out the other hives before taking on the queen again.
When you begin attacking her again, you’ll notice that she has become more aggressive and will dodge your arrows. Wait for her to do the first dodge and then fire to make your shots connect. Continue this process until you finally take her down. Then grab the full heart before approaching Riju. You’ll then witness a cutscene that leads to you getting access to her Sage powers. Well done! You’ve earned it.