Chapter 11 · Child Link · Mini-dungeon
Bottom of the Well Walkthrough
To clear the Bottom of the Well, play the Song of Storms as child Link inside Kakariko’s windmill to drain the well, walk through the fake walls, defeat Dead Hand and take the Lens of Truth.
The direct route is short: drain the inner channel with Zelda’s Lullaby, drop into the pit and crawl to Dead Hand’s room. The Lens of Truth is the only item you truly need here, and the Shadow Temple can’t be done without it. Small Keys, the Compass, the map and three Gold Skulltulas are optional extras that use the Lens to find.
What changed in the remake
- Confirmed The Lens of Truth is redesigned as a pair of goggles and can sit on a D-pad shortcut, so you can toggle it without opening the menu.
- Confirmed Songs can be played by buttons, by humming into the Switch 2 microphone or on a real ocarina, but you still have to learn the Song of Storms first.
- Confirmed No remake guide reports layout changes to the Bottom of the Well; it is still listed as an optional child dungeon.
- Confirmed The Threads of Time tapestry can show your next objective at any time, which helps if you forget the windmill step.
Before you go
This dungeon needs a trip in both ages. As adult Link, enter the windmill in Kakariko Village and play your ocarina for the man inside to learn the Song of Storms. Then return the Master Sword in the Temple of Time to become a child again, go back into the windmill and play the Song of Storms there. The windmill speeds up and the village well drains.
Bring Deku Sticks for lighting torches, the Slingshot, the Boomerang for Gold Skulltulas, some Bombs and the Sun’s Song to freeze Gibdos and ReDeads. Equip the Hylian Shield: the Fire Keese in here can burn up the wooden Deku Shield. You don’t have magic-hungry tools yet, but the Lens of Truth drains magic once you have it, so pick up magic jars when you see them.
Most guides call this dungeon optional, but in practice it isn’t. The Shadow Temple, Bongo Bongo and later barriers all require the Lens of Truth, so do it before the Shadow Temple.
Step-by-step route
- Climb down into the drained well, crawl through the small opening and descend the ladder. Kill the Skulltula hanging nearby.
- Walk straight into the wall next to the skeleton. It is an illusion, and the main corridor is behind it.
- Follow the shallow water channel, watching out for the Green Bubble and another Skulltula in the northwest corner.
- At the far end, stand on the Triforce symbol under the water spout and play Zelda’s Lullaby. The water stops and the central pit drains.
- Return to the middle and drop into the drained pit. Open the chest down there and crawl through the low gap behind it. Kill the Skulltula on the other side.
- Enter Dead Hand’s room and defeat it (see below). The chest that appears holds the Lens of Truth.
- Put the Lens on a D-pad slot and use it in this room to find an invisible chest with 200 Rupees. Toggle it off between checks to save magic.
- Optional: scan the drained channel with the Lens to find fake walls. These hide rooms with two Small Keys, and a third room with hidden holes in the floor holds the Compass.
- Optional: past the Compass room, freeze the Gibdo with the Sun’s Song and defeat it. Light the torch next to the coffin at the back left with a Deku Stick, kill the Keese and take the third Small Key from the coffin.
- Optional: use your keys on the locked doors to reach the three Gold Skulltulas, then drop through a floor hole and bomb the rocks for the map, guarded by a ReDead.
- To leave on foot, collect the five Silver Rupees in the pit area to open the exit gate, or simply climb back the way you came. Then head to the Temple of Time and become an adult for the Shadow Temple.
How to beat Dead Hand
Dead Hand only appears after one of the pale hands sticking out of the floor grabs you, so walk up to one on purpose. Mash to break free, then turn to face the body as it shuffles toward you. When it bends down, its head comes into reach: hit it repeatedly with your sword until it pulls back.
When it sinks underground, back away to avoid getting hit as it resurfaces, and let a hand grab you again to restart the loop. It may take a few rounds, but the fight is slow and predictable. Avoid getting grabbed by several hands at once while the body is nearby.
Collectibles worth grabbing
Two remake sources list three Gold Skulltulas here, all optional and all needing at least one Small Key or the Lens. One sits in a locked room on the west side past a Deku Baba. Another is in a Keese room along an invisible ledge you trace with the Lens. The third is in a room with hidden floor holes and a Like Like, which the Slingshot can deal with. Bring the Boomerang to grab the tokens from a distance. No remake Heart Piece list includes a piece in this dungeon, and the small chests on the Skulltula branch only hold a few Rupees.
Common stuck points
If the well is still full, check that you played the Song of Storms inside the windmill as a child; playing it elsewhere doesn’t drain it. If you can’t find the way past the entrance, walk into the wall beside the skeleton. If the middle pit is still underwater, you haven’t played Zelda’s Lullaby on the Triforce mark yet. Keep clear of wooden X markers and suspicious floor tiles, as many hide holes that drop you to the basement. And if you fall, the basement has a way back up, so don’t panic.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get into the Bottom of the Well?
Learn the Song of Storms as adult Link in Kakariko’s windmill, return to child Link and play it inside the same windmill. The well drains and you can climb in.
Can adult Link enter the Bottom of the Well?
No. The well only drains in the child timeline, so you must enter as child Link.
Where is the Lens of Truth in Ocarina of Time?
In the Bottom of the Well, as the reward for beating Dead Hand. In the remake the Lens looks like goggles and can go on a D-pad shortcut.
Is the Bottom of the Well required?
It isn’t marked as a main dungeon, but the Lens of Truth is needed for the Shadow Temple and later areas, so you can’t skip it.
How many Gold Skulltulas are in the Bottom of the Well?
Three, and each one is behind a locked door or a hidden path, so collect the Small Keys and use the Lens.