Tentalus
Abysmal Leviathan Tentalus, more simply known as Tentalus, is the boss of the Sandship in Skyward Sword.
Appearance
Tentalus is an immense, humanoid, octopus-haired monster. He has a single red eye on his face, and his skin is a mottled blue-purple.
Battle
Tentalus' battle is possibly unique in the series in that the battle does not take place in the boss chamber of the ship. Instead, Tentalus attacks the Sandship as Link enters the chamber, and he must escape from the depths of the ship, using Skyward Strikes on the tentacles forced through the hull. The battle officially begins on the deck of the ruined ship, where Tentalus reveals his body and the title card is shown.
After the title card is shown, Tentalus dives beneath the ship and begins pushing tentacles through the ship. When some of the tentacles are severed, Tentalus resurfaces and attempts to strike Link with his massive arms.[1] The Boss' eye is his weak spot.[2] Meaning Link must shoot long range projectiles, such as an arrow, to injure Tentalus.[3] The process continues until Tentalus begins destroying the lower deck, forcing Link to climb to the upper deck. His tentacles grow mouths and attempt to strike Link several at a time.[4] When the boss is defeated, he leaves behind a Heart Container and reveals Nayru's Flame.
Strategy
During the battle's first phase, the Skyward Strike must be used horizontally or diagonally in order to sever the tentacles and reveal Tentalus. Reminder, the Skyward Strike can be charged when walking, which is necessary during this battle. When Tentalus emerges and hits the deck with his arm, Link has a chance to hit him with an arrow in his eye. Tentalus' head will fall to the deck, where Link can strike the eye with his sword. This process must be repeated, with Tentalus using more tentacles and withdrawing his arm faster as the battle progresses.
When he has taken enough damage, Tentalus will begin destroying the deck, causing a box to fall from an upper level. Link must avoid rolling barrels to climb the box and reach the upper deck. When Tentalus begins sending masses of mouthed tentacles at Link, they can be defeated with a single sword slash, though wide slashes are recommended. When enough of the tentacles are destroyed, Tentalus will roar at Link, giving him a chance to strike his eye and cause him to fall to the deck, allowing Link to strike him with his sword.
Gallery
Link preparing to face Tentalus
