Like the desert around it, the Lanayru Mining Facility has fallen into disrepair. Piles of dust are everywhere, and of course more sinksand (including hidden, slightly buried walkways). The place is overrun by the same enemies as the present-day version of the outside world. There are other, new enemies: tiny scorpions called Arachas that are more a nuisance than a threat and Froaks, floating pufferfish that explode when they hit something without their spikes. Also, Staldra return from the preview appearance in the Skyview Temple, and it still feels arbitrary if I hit one, two, or three heads even when attacking along the correct line. The dungeon item is the Gust Bellows, the latest take on the Gust Jar (Minish Cap), Whirlwind (Spirit Tracks), and some functions of the Deku Leaf (Wind Waker). It blows away dust, can spin propellors, and flips the Arachas on their back so they’re even more helpless.
Of course, Link’s not entirely stuck in the present; there are Timeshift Stones throughout the dungeon that bring the facility to life. There are three types of automaton enemies that come to life with it. Two are familiar from previous games: Beamos, who are now destroyed by slicing through their statues until Link can jab them in the eye/beam emitter, and Armos (the miniboss, who guards the dungeon map rather than the item which is needed to defeat it; a pair guards the boss key), who need to be opened by using the Gust Bellows on a propeller on their head to reveal the two crystals that are their true weak points. The third enemy is the Sentrobe, a missile-launching drone. Link can deflect the missiles with his shield to defeat it; it has another attack with bombs that need to be cut a certain way to disarm.
Other puzzles involve running against conveyor belts (aided by Stamina Fruit that appear at just the right intervals to keep Link from tiring out), platforms that move when the propeller atop them is spun that Link needs to ride/move into position/some combination of the two, and mazes of hidden spikes popping out of sand that can be dispersed to make the maze “walls” visible. Late in the dungeon, Link finds minecarts with Timeshift Stones on them that he has to follow, dealing with the enemies that pop up along the way. The final puzzle involves riding a platform and keeping it moving alongside a Timeshift Stone cart so it keeps going.
The boss room is filled with sand, and as Link enters a trail beneath the sand starts behind Link and passes under his feet. Finally, the final form of the aracha, a thousand-year arachnid, Moldarach, pops out and brandishes its pincers and roars at Link. The pincers have eyes, so they’re the obvious target for Link to attack, while the pincers themselves restrict the direction the attack has to come from. Moldarach has two attacks – grabbing at Link with the pincers and a tail sweep. As the pincers take damage, they eventually fall off; once both are gone, Moldarach burrows under the sand, popping up to try the tail sweep. Link can use the Gust Bellows to disturb the sand in the room and uncover Moldarach, forcing it to surface so he can stab its eye. When Moldarach dies, it leaves behind a heart container before the room completely empties of sand, revealing the exit Link’s looking for.
Beneath the mining facility is a long tunnel with a Timeshift Stone and a minecart. The walls of the tunnel have two lines of statues of the robots saluting – a rather absurd touch. At the end of the tunnel, Link exits to the Temple of Time, where Zelda is playing her harp and singing in front of a wheel. She notices Link and tries to go to him, only to be interrupted when the rubble barricade explodes and Ghirahim jumps through. So that barricade didn’t do anyone any good – Ghirahim was able to get through easily enough, while Link had to go the long way. Ghirahim creates a barrier to stop Link from interfering and charges at Zelda, only to be stopped by her Sheikah protector – and yes, Zelda calls her Impa. Impa tells Zelda to go through the gate; Zelda first tosses her harp [1] to Link (the Item Get thing happens, only for the game to acknowledge now’s not the time), then stops again when Ghirahim gets his sword through Impa’s defenses. However, Ghirahim’s own barrier has quickly dispelled, and Link jumps to the rescue. (He gets dialogue options here, either telling Impa to go or protect Zelda, or asking her if he’s too late this time. I can’t imagine why I needed the first two options.) Impa grabs Zelda and heads to the wheel, which is now a gate. She tells Link to go to the old woman at the Sealed Temple for further advice, then takes Zelda through the gate, blowing it up behind them. Ghirahim is furious, blaming himself for being soft on Link up to this point. (No mention of what he was doing while Link and Impa were talking. I’ve mostly admired him for being proactive, but that perception took a blow here.) He doesn’t have the time to deal with Link now, but promises not to hold back next time and teleports out.
Fi pops up to say she can’t sense Zelda anymore, meaning Link won’t be able to dowse for her. Oh, what a huge loss that is. Outside the temple, Gorko asks why Link didn’t tell him about the way around into the Temple; now that the entry is open, he intends to have a look around before heading to the Sealed Grounds.
Next: Don’t bring me down, Grrrrroose.
[1] It’s more like a lyre.
