You’ve probably seen those weird, glowing orbs rolling around the Gerudo Shelter and wondered what on earth you’re supposed to do with them. Honestly, it’s one of those things in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that starts off feeling like a simple chore and ends up rewriting a massive chunk of Hyrulean lore. We’re talking about TOTK the mysterious eighth, a quest that literally brings a forgotten hero back from the dead—or at least back into the history books.
Most players stumble onto this after finishing "The Heroines’ Secret," which is basically the warm-up act. But the real meat of the mystery is finding all seven orbs to unlock the truth about the "Eighth Heroine." If you’re like me, you spent way too much time trying to carry these things by hand before realizing Ultrahand exists for a reason.
Let's get into the nitty-gritty.
Where Are Those Orbs Hiding?
Finding the orbs for TOTK the mysterious eighth is a total scavenger hunt. Some are sitting right under your nose, while others require you to be a literal savior for some random NPCs. You have to bring all seven back to the room with the hero statues in the Gerudo Shelter. Each orb has a specific symbol that matches the hands of a statue. If you’re colorblind or just playing in handheld mode at 2 AM, pay close attention to the patterns; they aren't all as obvious as you'd think.
The Easy Wins (Inside the Shelter)
- The Main Area: Right next to Rotana, the archaeologist who gives you the quest. It’s basically a freebie.
- The Sleeping Quarters: Look for the hollowed-out areas where the Gerudo sleep. You’ll need to stand under a specific shelf and use Ascend to reach it. There’s some rock salt and topaz up there too.
- The Gerudo Bar: It’s just chilling by a table. Just grab it and go. No cover charge required.
The Ones That Make You Work
Then things get annoying. One orb is held captive by a kid named Dalia. You have to play "Dalia’s Game" and find her stuffed sand seal in the training area before she’ll give it up. Another one is stuck on a roof in Gerudo Town, buried under a pile of sand. Seriously, keep a fan or some Korok fronds handy because you’re going to be blowing sand away like a desert janitor.
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The real kicker is the orb at Kara Kara Bazaar. You have to finish the "Lost in the Dunes" quest first. This involves finding a guy named Ponthos who fell into a sinkhole. Once you rescue him and clear the rocks, you get the orb. Pro tip: Don't try to walk this all the way back to Gerudo Town on foot. Use a vehicle or just drag it with Ultrahand while riding a sand seal.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Lore
For years, Breath of the Wild players speculated that the Eighth Heroine was Link from a past life or maybe even Ganondorf before he went full demon king. TOTK the mysterious eighth finally gives us a concrete answer, and it’s kinda heartbreaking.
When you finally place all seven orbs, a floor hatch opens. You find a giant orb and a stela that points you toward the North Gerudo Ruins. After hauling that massive sphere to the sanctuary and dropping it in the slot, you find the final resting place of the secret.
The Truth About the "Voe"
The stela reveals that the Eighth Hero was actually a Hylian voe (a male). He saved Gerudo Town from a massive threat ages ago by uniting the seven heroines. But because of the strict "no men allowed" law, he was basically erased from the public record. The Gerudo felt bad about it later—guilt is a powerful motivator—so they built him a hidden temple in the mountains.
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It turns out the Eighth Heroine isn’t a "she" at all. It was a guy who did all the work and got zero credit because of a technicality in the town's bylaws. Talk about a rough day at the office.
The Loot: Is It Actually Worth It?
If you're doing this just for the gear, you might feel a bit mixed. After all that work, you get into a room filled with Gerudo equipment. We're talking:
- A Diamond (Rotana hands this to you at the very end).
- A Gold Rupee (300 big ones).
- Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz.
- The full Gerudo kit: Scimitar, Shield, Bow, and Spear.
Is it a game-breaker? Nah. But if you’re trying to craft the Scimitar of the Seven (Urbosa’s legendary weapon), you need those base Gerudo weapons and the diamond. In that context, this quest is essential. Plus, the lore satisfaction of finally knowing who that giant statue in the Highlands represents is worth the price of admission alone.
Practical Steps to Finish This Fast
Don't wander aimlessly. If you're stuck on the last orb, go talk to Patricia, the sand seal next to Riju. If you feed her a Splash Fruit, she will literally give you coordinates for things you haven't found yet. It's the best use for fruit in the entire game.
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Also, make sure you've finished the Lightning Temple first. A lot of these orbs and NPCs don't appear or won't interact with you while the sandstorm is still raging and the Gibdos are crawling everywhere.
Once you have the giant orb from the shelter, don't overthink the transport. Build a simple sled with a fan or just attach it to a sand seal. The trek to the North Gerudo Ruins is infested with Lizalfos, so keep your arrows ready. Drop the orb in the hole, head downstairs, and grab your loot. You've officially solved a mystery that's been bugging the Zelda community since 2017.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your inventory for Splash Fruit to feed Patricia for those final coordinates.
- Clear the Lightning Temple if you haven't, or half the NPCs won't talk to you.
- Head to the Gerudo Shelter and look for Rotana near the stone tablets to trigger the start.