Uh, Ghirahim kind of disintegrates - not to mention he was essentially dead after Demise forced him to turn into a sword - so it's a safe bet he's gone forever.

More, the Master Sword burned away the last traces of Demise's original personality thousands of years ago. There's nothing left to absorb. Nor is there anything to take over; Ganondorf is the same as Demise, only worse because he sees himself as a sympathetic character.

I doubt Ghirahim survived. The parallel between him and Fi should be obvious; as the spirits of swords, it stands to reason that they met with the similar fates and became dormant once their purpose was fulfilled. In addition, Ghirahim, like every other demon, disintegrated once his master was defeated.

The concept of purpose is a prominent theme of Skyward Sword; ever character plays at least two separate roles, and they all make sacrifices (except Demise, of course). The game is very bittersweet in that regard, though all of the main cast (including Ghirahim) are plainly content with their lot.

Ganondorf and Demise are the same being, that much is evident. If Demise's original spirit was destroyed over time is uncertain, though - it depends on how literally you take Impa's line. The game does not rule out the possibility of another sequel leading the way to Ocarina of Time, though I doubt we will ever actually see anything like that. In either case, Ganondorf certainly retains some traits of Demise's, but if those are residual elements of Demise's consciousness or merely aspects of the essence of evil is another matter.

I agree about the Ghirahim part. About a sequel of Skyward Sword to link to Ocarina of Time, I don't think so. To me, Impa line would not take literal, is just that Sheikah race seems to be predestined to take care of the Royal Family, like the first Impa take care of the first Zelda.

We know that in this game Zelda is important because she is Hylia, but in the next games such as Ocarina, is because she has the Ocarina of Time, and in the late part of the game, the Triforce of Wisdom belongs to her. Not becuase the Hylia reincarnation. Or maybe?

Refusing to read the rest of this thread, i must declare

Skeleton Robot Pirates!

Thread is dead.
Finished my second playthrough yesterday (normal mode). I will wait a little to start the hero mode. Finally, understood the story, and it is very good for the beggining of the legend.

Link actually get the complety Triforce as the choosen one, the mortal who has to get the sacred golden power to defeat Demise. Fi farewell was emotional and the old Impa 'death' made me almost cry. Credits music is maybe one of the best in the series.

----------------------------------

Some notes I actually spotted (or believe I do) during the final:

- Hylian shield is named becuase the goddess Hylia? Hylians, Hyrule?

- Hylians are the first to populate the surface? Was Zelda (goddess Hylia) their leader?

- At least in the spanish version, Demise has a very cool name: El Heraldo de la Muerte.

- Demise told Link he was impressed because he was not hidding and clamoring to the gods as the normal weak humans. A very interesting line if we remember that Hyrule was flooded because the Hero of Time did not appear and humans were clamoring to the gods for an 'answer'.

- In the end, the Master Sword sealed Demise (spirit? whatever), and in Wind Waker once you pull off from the pedestal, Ganondorf gets back all of his power, and enemies frozen comes to life. It is like a seal was broken.

- The triforce in Ocarina of Time is inside the Sacred Realm. At the end of Skyward Sword, it is in the Goddess Statue, so this means Zelda has to lock in the Sacred Realm by a misterious reason?