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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To complete “Riju of Gerudo Town” in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, find Riju at North Gerudo Ruins, defend Kara Kara Bazaar and Gerudo Town with her lightning, solve the three red-pillar puzzle, then activate all four Lightning Temple batteries and defeat Queen Gibdo. This walkthrough follows the quest in order and distinguishes the temple’s opening boss encounter from the final fight.
Find Riju in the Gerudo shelter
- In Gerudo Town, head toward the palace and go down the stairs. The route is blocked, so return to the throne room.
- Go behind the throne and use Ultrahand to move the box shaped like a sand-seal head. Drop into the shelter, where Buliara explains that the residents have taken refuge and directs you to Riju.
- Travel north to North Gerudo Ruins to find Riju. Before leaving, you can use Ascend to reach Soryotanog Shrine above town and activate it as a fast-travel point.
Practice Riju’s lightning and defend Kara Kara Bazaar
At the ruins, shoot the practice targets while they are inside Riju’s expanding lightning field. An arrow released within the field carries her lightning strike. You will need this technique to damage the Gibdo hives.
A soldier then reports that Kara Kara Bazaar is under attack. Warp to Mayatat Shrine if you have activated it; otherwise, travel to the bazaar. Use Riju’s field to send lightning into groups of Gibdos, and aim at a hive’s center when it pulses purple. Destroying the hives is essential to ending the attack. If you run short on arrows, fighters can provide more. Keep Riju alive: the encounter restarts if her health reaches zero.
Defend Gerudo Town
Return to town and speak with Riju to prepare for the attack. You can loot nearby chests for supplies. Teake can help place barricades, and you can assign warriors to entrances, but these preparations are optional.
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Three hives surround the town to the north, east and west. Follow Riju’s callouts, move to the side she names, and shoot each pulsing hive center with an arrow empowered by her lightning. Also clear Gibdos threatening Riju and the defenders. The battle ends after the Gibdos are defeated and all three hives are destroyed.
Solve the three red pillars
Follow Riju to the mural below the palace. The riddle, transcribed by Nintendo Life, reads: “Standing back-to-back with the throne, witness red pillars across a vast sea. Unite the pillars in light to reveal the lighting stone and open the way. You who can hear my voice, come to me. I await you.” The solution is to uncover a light source and route its beam through three pillars until the beams form a triangle.
- Find the first pillar. Stand behind the throne and look through the window to spot it.
- Uncover the light source. Travel to the buried pillar southwest of town and break the rocks in its center. Follow the beam to the second pillar.
- Raise the second pillar. Use the nearby updraft to reach the crank, then raise the tower so its mirror redirects the beam. Follow that light to the third pillar.
- Redirect the third pillar’s mirror. Break the third pillar’s floor to uncover Hover Stones and sticks. Attach sticks to one Hover Stone and use the other as a platform to reach the top. Build a crank from the sticks and turn the mirror until it reflects the light back toward the first pillar. The three beams should now form a triangle.
- Reveal the temple. Go to the center of the triangle and find Riju. Shoot the tablet with an arrow while it is inside her lightning field. The Lightning Temple will rise from the sand.
Open the Lightning Temple
Aim at the cocoon above the temple doors and shoot it with an arrow empowered by Riju’s lightning. Queen Gibdo emerges for the first of two encounters. Keep moving: when she stands on her back legs, retreat; when she flaps her wings, move laterally to avoid the tornadoes. Use Riju’s lightning to expose her outer layer, then attack with melee weapons. After she loses roughly a quarter of her health, she retreats. She has not been defeated.
Rank #2
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- Ultrahand: Using the new Ultrahand ability, Link can pick up, move, and rotate almost any object, and can even attach objects together to create bridges, vehicles, and more!
- Fuse: Magically fuse almost any object to Link’s current weapon, shield, or arrow to increase durability, damage, or even add a new effect. Experiment with lots of different combinations to come up with surprising—and sometimes hilarious—results!
- Ascend: Add a new dimension to your exploration with Ascend, which gives Link the ability to pass through solid objects above him. Rise up through ceilings, hillsides, and even certain enemies to create seemingly impossible shortcuts.
- Recall: Use Recall to make objects in motion move backward through time, letting Link ride fallen boulders skyward, recover thrown weapons, or send projectiles back where they came from.
Use Riju’s lightning and an arrow on the entrance hive to open the temple. Inside, use a Korok Frond to blow away sand, or Tulin’s wind if you already have it. Reach the Room of Ascension and inspect the Zonai terminal to locate the four batteries. Return to this room between batteries as needed.
Activate the four batteries
Battery 1: Behind the Room of Ascension terminal
On 1F, move the two sandstone blocks behind the terminal with Ultrahand. Hit the exposed battery switch with Riju’s lightning.
Battery 2: Route light through the Rooms of Natural Light and Offered Light
- In the back corner of the central room, lift sandstone bricks to uncover an updraft and ride it to 5F.
- Enter the Room of Natural Light. Stand the stone pillar upright, attach the mirror from the wall cavity to its top, and aim the beam into the central chamber.
- Position the mirror pillar so the light travels northeast, then adjust the other pillar to route the beam to 3F.
- Enter the Room of Offered Light and defeat the Gibdos and Constructs. Use the room’s beam, balloon and mirror assembly to light the lamp and open the battery room below. Activate the battery with Riju’s lightning.
Battery 3: Clear the source beam and reach the enclosed 2F chamber
- Return to 5F and move the pillar blocking the source beam. Clear the sand and slide the pillar along its rails.
- Use the other pillar to route the light and open the highest room. Use the updraft and climbing to reach the 6F switch.
- Glide down the fire shaft to the enclosed 2F chamber, defeat the two Constructs and activate the battery with Riju’s lightning.
Battery 4: Align the rotating discs and solve the light-and-shade room
- Return to 1F and ride the wind to 4F. Enter the gap in the north corner and pass through the rotating discs.
- At the end of the corridor, remove bricks to expose the light. Use Recall on the discs until their gaps align and the beam enters the central chamber.
- Glide to 3F and cross the trap rooms. Use sandstone blocks to hold the crushers open so Riju can follow.
- In the Room of Light and Shade, place a mirror on the light source. When the beam is revealed, use a stake to stop the spinning room and open the door.
- Return to the previous room and activate the final battery with Riju’s lightning.
After all four batteries are active, return to the Room of Ascension terminal to raise the lift to 7F.
Rank #3
- The Legend of Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom
Fight Queen Gibdo on 7F
On 7F, use Riju’s lightning and an arrow on the hive to begin the final Queen Gibdo fight. This is the return encounter: the earlier battle at the entrance only made her retreat. Nintendo Life’s Queen Gibdo boss guide covers detailed tactics for the fight.
What you need to play
This walkthrough is for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Nintendo Switch. Nintendo’s official store page identifies the game and platform.
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