Koloktos

Koloktos is a Boss in Skyward Sword.^[1]

Characteristics[]

Fi's Comments

Target lock: Koloktos
This "Ancient Automaton" defends the Ancient Cistern and eliminates intruders.
The cursed energy supply Ghirahim provided to this contraption has given it power far beyond its conventional limits.
The red, orb-shaped cores embedded in its torso and arms provide it limited stability and prevent it from falling to pieces.

It is highly probable that if the red cores in its arms were to be ejected, the unit would lose integrity and the limbs would sever from the body.
However, during normal operation the cores are likely hidden below the forearm plating.

Results from my analysis show that the red cores in Koloktos's arms will only be revealed when the arms are stretched out to full length.
Fast and timely counterattacks after Koloktos swings its arms down have the best chance of success.

I estimate a high probability that the red cores can be removed using your whip.
When Koloktos's arms lower, there will be a brief moment when you can attack the chest core.
However, when targeting the chest core, there is nowhere to hook on to with your whip. Therefore, removing the core will not be possible.

As Link enters the final room of the Ancient Cistern, he immediately encounters Ghirahim inside. Ghirahim supplies the dormant Koloktos with cursed energy, giving it the mobility and the power to battle Link.

Koloktos is held together by the red cores in its arms and torso. Aware of its weakness, Koloktos covers its torso with its bottom two hands. The uppermost arms carry sharpened blades that it occasionally throws at the young hero, which he can dodge or block with his Shield. When Link is near the automaton, it tries to crush him with its giant arms. By dodging this attack and using his Whip to grab the arms' joints, Link can break off the cores from its arms. After breaking off the first two arms, Koloktos will eventually use its lower hands to attack, giving the hero a chance to either break them off as well and attack its core, or attack its core directly as Koloktos prepares the attack with its arms. Koloktos will reanimate and reattach its missing arms afterward and attack Link again.

After Koloktos has suffered enough damage, it pulls itself out of the floor and reveals its legs, giving it the ability to chase Link around the room. It also pulls out six cutlasses and cages its chest core to prevent Link from attacking it. The sentient contraption will occasionally try to attack the hero with a barrage of slashes, which he can dodge by running away. This attack can destroy the stone pillars in the room, revealing Hearts inside. It can also summon three Cursed Bokoblins which will pursue Link. After dodging an attempted strike, Link can pull the cores out of its arms as he did with its first form. He can then pick up one of Koloktos's cutlasses and use it to destroy its various parts, including its arms and legs. Link must then slice its cage apart with the cutlass, exposing the core to attack. As before, Koloktos will eventually reanimate its broken parts and reattach them.

After defeating Koloktos, its cursed energy will combust, taking the automaton with it. Link can then proceed to power up the Goddess Sword with Farore's Flame, turning it into the Goddess Longsword.

Guide and strategies[]

Despite its intimidating appearance and being fought relatively late in the game, Koloktos remains easy to defeat, with a small number of rounds to repeat, similar behavior in the two phases, and exposed weak point.

His imposing appearance makes his speed relatively low, making dodges easy.
No items outside of the Whip are necessary, swapping in the Inventory is useless; this strategy also works for the Satchel: before the fight or during Koloktos' immobility, priorize health potions to equip pressing the Satchel button, especially in Hero Mode.
His attacks are warned to the player by an orchestrated chant: planning an escape is easy and always useful.
Keep a relatively distant position to him and always move; if too close and/or still, Link will easily takes damage. If too far, Koloktos summons two throwing blades coming back to him. Although easy to dodge, these blades are unnecessary attacks and taken damage.
Attacking the Koloktos with Link's Sword will not stun Koloktos, leaving Link vulnerable. Attack Koloktos with one of his sword will stun him.
The room's pillar can be destroyed and may summon Hearts; in Hero Mode, the Heart Medal must be equipped.
As Skyward Sword does not feature interactive items to pick (such as destroyed signs in Twilight Princess or enemies' weapons in Wind Waker) as much as previously mentioned games, small blue lights appears on Koloktos's swords, making them easy to find and pick. However keep an eye on Koloktos as he may still attack.

Trivia[]

In alignment with the Ancient Cistern's apparently Buddhist theme, Koloktos's overall design seems to take inspiration from the Asura demigods.
At the beginning of the battle, Koloktos's facial expression is neutral. The more it is attacked, the more its face seems to twist into a mischievous smile. Furthermore, when Koloktos is defeated, it seems to laugh like a child before exploding. This giggle is also hidden in Splatoon.
Even though it has a cage to cover its weak spot, it only uses it once Link has damaged it considerably.
When all of its arms are pulled off it will charge forward at Link until it hits the wall stunning it.
Koloktos can be damaged with Link's regular Sword even during the second phase of the fight, but it will not be defeated until its core is struck at least once with its own cutlass, even if its health is at zero, unless Link uses two Skyward Strikes in Hero Mode, or in the Lightning Round (during which you will inevitably have the True Master Sword, meaning it does not matter whether you are in Normal or Hero mode.)
If Link returns to the boss room, he will still be able to use Koloktos' cutlasses, but he will not be able to exit the room with them.

Nomenclature[]

Koloktos may be derived from "koło ktoś", a Polish phrase meaning "Round One". This can refer to its round torso and orb-like red cores. Its Japanese title 魔蝕神器ダ・イルオーマ (Ma Shoku Shinki Da Iruōma), meaning "Demon-tainted Sacred Instrument: Dah Iruouma", reflects its state as being possessed by Ghirahim's demonic energy, while also being a sacred vessel or tool (i.e. an instrument) of the Goddess, used to protect the Sacred Flame of Farore hidden within the Ancient Cistern. This is also reflected in the localizations of other regions, who refer to it as a "golem" — an artificially created human being out of Hebrew legend, which is blessed with life; as a "guardian" (it was built to guard the Sacred Flame); and an "artefact" (i.e. artifact), defined as "an object (such as a tool or ornament) showing human workmanship or modification as distinguished from a natural object."^[2]

Names in Other Regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	魔蝕神器ダ・イルオーマ (Ma Shoku Shinki Da Iruōma)	Demon-tainted Sacred Instrument: Da Iruōma
	French^CA	Gardien aux mille bras, Koloktos	Thousand-armed Guardian, Koloktos
	French^EU	Gardien aux Mille Bras, Da Ihloma	Thousand-armed Guardian, Da Ihloma
	German	Artefakt der Finsternis, Da Ilohm	Artefact of Darkness, Da Ilohm
	Italian	Demone dalle Mille Lame, Malgare	Thousand-Bladed Demon, Malgare
	Korean	마촉신기 다일로와마 (Machok Shingi Da Illowama)	Demon-possessed Sacred Machine: Da Ilowama
	Spanish^EU	Gólem de las Tinieblas, Iruoma	Golem of the Darkness, Iruoma
	Spanish^LA	Gólem de las Tinieblas, Koloktos	Golem of the Darkness, Koloktos

Gallery[]

Koloktos's cutlass
Early screenshot of Koloktos
Concept art of Koloktos from Hyrule Historia

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 188
↑ Artifact, Merriam-Webster.com.

Bosses in The Legend of Zelda series

The Legend of Zelda

Aquamentus · Dodongo · Manhandla · Gleeok · Digdogger · Gohma · Patra · Ganon

Mechanical	Eox · Gohdan · Koloktos · Mazaal · Puppet Ganon · Ramrock
Characters	Agahnim · Blaino · Byrne · Dark Link · Demise · Ganon · Ganondorf · Ghirahim · Gibdo · Hinox · Lupay (Boss) · Nayru (Oracle) · Omfak · Shadow Link · Skull Kid · Taros · Thief · Twinrova · Veran · Wizzrobe · Yook · Yuga · Yuga Ganon · Zant
Enemies	Blue Taros · Boarblin · Chilfos · Freezor · Garo · Gibdo · Goriya · Guma · Hinox · Mago · Mongchip · Pikku · Purple Keaton · ReDead · ReDead Knight · Red Taros · Shadow Beast · Shadow Link · Skull Kid · Snapper · Taros · Thief · Wizzrobe · Wosu · Yellow Keaton · Yook
Sub-Bosses	Avalaunch · Dark Link · Flare Dancer · Garo Master · Hinox · Hinox Brothers · Shadow Link · Snapper
Bosses	Agahnim · Agunima · Blaaz · Blaino · Blind the Thief · Byrne · Carock · Cragma · Dark Link · Demise · Eox · Fraaz · Ganon · Ganondorf · Ghirahim · Gibdo · Gohdan · Gooma · Koloktos · Lupay (Boss) · Mazaal · Odolwa · Omfak · Possessed Zelda · Puppet Ganon · Ramrock · Shadow Link · Skull Kid · Twinrova · Veran · Yuga · Yuga Ganon · Zant

Enemies	Armored Train · Cannon Boat · Dark Train · Guardian · Sentrobe · Tank · Warship
Sub-Bosses	LD-002G Scervo
Bosses	Demon Train · Eox · Gohdan · Goht · Koloktos · LD-003D Dreadfuse · Mazaal · Puppet Ganon · Ramrock

Zelda Wiki