Bosses

How to beat every boss and mini-boss in Skyward Sword. Swordplay in this game is about direction: most enemies block or guard one side, so watch how they hold their weapon or shield and attack from the angle they've left open.

Ghirahim (Skyview Temple)

Ghirahim holds out his hand and tracks your sword. Feint by moving your sword one way, then quickly slash from the other direction. If he catches your sword, shake it free or Shield Bash to get it back. In the second phase he throws daggers, which you can slash back at him, and he teleports behind you or charges in with his sword. Shield Bash his charges, and attack from the side his sword isn't covering.
Reward: Heart Container.

Scaldera (Earth Temple)

Scaldera rolls down the ramp at you. Throw or roll Bombs at it to knock it back. When it opens its mouth to breathe in, get a Bomb into its mouth to stun it and expose its eye, then slash the eye. As its rock shell breaks, it gets faster and starts walking. Bomb Flowers grow at the top and bottom of the ramp.
Reward: Heart Container.

Moldarach (Lanayru Mining Facility)

Slash the eyes in Moldarach's claws while they're open, matching the direction of the opening. Back off when an eye turns red, and shake free if it grabs you. Once both claws are destroyed, an eye opens on its head; only thrusts damage it. When it burrows into the sand, blow the sand away with the Gust Bellows to bring it back up. A second Moldarach waits later in the Shipyard; beat it the same way.
Reward: Heart Container.

The Imprisoned

The Imprisoned crawls toward the Sealed Temple, and if it reaches the top, it's game over. Slash its toes; each foot has four, and it topples over once they're all gone. Run to its head and strike the seal spike from below; nine strikes drive the seal back in. Finish with a Skyward Strike on the seal. You fight it three times. In the second and third fights, Groose helps out with a bomb-launching catapult that knocks it off the walls, and in the third fight it can fly, so Groose launches you up to it.

Koloktos (Ancient Cistern)

Koloktos swings its arms at you. Dodge the swing, then use the Whip to pull the arms off. Once its arms are gone, its core in the chest is exposed; slash it until the arms reattach. In the second phase it stands up and fights with six giant swords. Pull an arm off with the Whip, pick up the sword it drops, and use it to break through the cage around the core. Hit the core to win.
Reward: Heart Container and Farore's Flame.

Tentalus (Sandship)

Tentalus attacks from the sea with huge tentacles. Cut through the tentacles, then shoot its eye with an arrow. When it slumps over, attack the eye with your sword. In the second phase, the fight moves up on deck. Dash up onto the crates to reach it, and keep cutting tentacles and hitting the eye.
Reward: Heart Container and Nayru's Flame.

Ghirahim (Fire Sanctuary)

Ghirahim's tricks get harder. He still grabs at your sword, so feint and strike from the other side, and use a Spin Attack to clear the ring of projectiles he fires. Later he draws two swords and teleports to slash at you. Attack him from the direction he isn't guarding.
Reward: Heart Container and Din's Flame, which turns your sword into the Master Sword.

Levias and Bilocyte

The sky spirit Levias has been possessed by the parasite Bilocyte. Fly at Levias on your Loftwing and use a Spiral Charge to hit the four eyes on its tentacles. Then land on its back. Bilocyte spits acid blobs; swing your sword to bat them back, and hit them into its eye. When it collapses, strike it. In the second phase, keep deflecting the blobs back at its head.

Ghirahim (final fight)

At the end of the Sacred Grounds, Ghirahim fights you on a narrow platform. Push him back to the edge to knock him off. Slash through his rays and deflect his red beams back at him. When he's stunned, thrust at the gem in his chest. Later he summons a huge sword; break it by slashing from the opposite direction to his guard.

Demise

Demise blocks well, so stay close and strike where he isn't guarding. Back away before his heavy attacks, and use your shield to stun him. Partway through the fight, a storm begins and he charges his sword with lightning. Raise your sword to catch the lightning yourself, then fire it at him to knock him down. Finish him with a Fatal Blow while he's on the ground. It can take a few tries; he often dodges the first.

Mini-Bosses

Stalfos (Skyview Temple): it blocks with two swords. Watch how it holds them and slash at the opening. It guards the Beetle.

Lizalfos (Earth Temple): it blocks with its armored arm, so attack from the other side. Bombs and a Spin Attack also work. Beating the pair gets you the Bomb Bag.

Stalmaster (Ancient Cistern): a four-armed skeleton that blocks in several directions at once. Look for the side it isn't covering. It guards the Whip.

Scervo (Sandship): fight him on a plank and push him off the end. Shield Bash his attacks and strike back. He guards the Bow.

Magmanos (Fire Sanctuary): throw a water-filled plant at it to harden it into stone, then slash it.

Moldorm: strike its glowing tail.

Dreadfuse (Sky Keep): it fights like Scervo. Shield Bash its attacks, then strike while it's stunned.