Ganon,(TLoZ | ALttP | OoT | OoS | OoA | TWW | FSA | TP | ALBW | TCT)[10][11] also known by his original/human form Ganondorf,(OoT | TWW | FSA | TP)[12][4] is the main antagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. Ganon is a nickname for Ganondorf and the name given to him when he transforms into a boar-like beast.[13] He made his debut appearance in the first game, The Legend of Zelda, and has since been present or referred to in most subsequent iterations.

Introduced in The Legend of Zelda as a monstrous Prince of Darkness, Ganon's character has seen much development throughout the series, from being a simple monster to a powerful warlock with deeper motives to his actions.[14] As the manifestation of the Demon King Demise's hatred for the Goddess and her Chosen Hero (or, according to the Hyrule Historia, the reincarnation of Demise himself),[15] Ganon is destined to eternally reincarnate to pursue world domination.[16][17][18] In most cases though, he makes a return after being resurrected or breaking a seal. Four Swords Adventures is a notable exception, featuring a reincarnated Ganondorf.[19] The original Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time appears in the rest of the games, making him stand out from other villains as the same character from game-to-game.

Ganon is the possessor of the Triforce of Power, imbued with the essence of the Goddess Din. This divine relic makes Ganon unimaginably strong and grants him boundless mystical power, making him a grave threat to the land of Hyrule and the world. Additionally, Ganon is the source of darkness.[20] As stated in prophecy, the only one capable of defeating Ganon is the Hero who is chosen by the Goddesses.

Backstory

Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, from Twilight Princess HD

Ganon is first given a backstory in A Link to the Past. It was revealed that Ganon was not the boar-like demon introduced in The Legend of Zelda. He was revealed to once have been a human by the name of Ganondorf and leader of a group of thieves. With the help of his followers, he became the first to enter the Sacred Realm in ages. He claimed the Triforce, turning the Sacred Realm into the Dark World and himself into a vastly powerful being.[21] However, he was trapped within the Sacred Realm by the combined efforts of the Knights of Hyrule and the Sages.

In Ocarina of Time, it is explained that Ganondorf was born a Gerudo, one of the human races of Hyrule. The Gerudo twin witches Koume and Kotake were his surrogate mothers.[22][23] The Gerudo are a race of mostly female warriors and thieves, to whom only one male is born every century. Because of this, the male is by birthright the King of the Gerudo. Nabooru mentions that she is not following Ganondorf because he stole from women and children and killed people.[24] Ganondorf uses his position, the trust of the King of Hyrule, as well as a great deal of cunning, manipulation and mystical power to gain entrance to the Sacred Realm, the abode of the Triforce. However, he does not obtain the full Triforce; he is left with only the Triforce of Power, which he uses to great effect in his conquest of Hyrule.

In The Wind Waker, Ganondorf's character is given greater depth and a clearer motive for his villainy. He states that his desire to conquer Hyrule stems from the arduous life he and his people were subjected to living in the harsh Gerudo Desert, a wasteland plagued by sandstorms and an unstable climate, which he compares unfavorably to the verdant landscape of Hyrule Field and the amenable life lived by the Hylians.[14]

He is reborn in Four Swords Adventures, where although he is still a Gerudo, he is not the king. He begins his transformation into the King of Darkness by violating the Gerudo taboo on the Pyramid and seeking out the Trident.[25][26][27]

In Skyward Sword, Ganon is revealed to be the incarnation of the hatred of the demon king Demise, carrying his eternal loathing and fury towards the goddess and her hero. Thus, he is destined to eternally reincarnate, becoming the source of various conflicts in the history of Hyrule, which involve those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero.[16]

Characteristics

Personality

Ganondorf is an extremely powerful Gerudo warlock who opposes Link and Princess Zelda within the series; as such, he is a villain of pure evil and a cruel, ruthless warlord whose goal is to usurp the Kingdom of Hyrule. Ganon's only ambition in life is to obtain the Triforce and dominate the world using the abilities imbued by them. He has many characteristics of a megalomaniac. Despite his undeniable lust for power, Ganon is a mastermind; he is an adept tactician and a master of manipulation and deceit. It is not unusual for Ganon to manipulate the events of a story behind the scenes (as he did in A Link to the Past, Four Swords Adventures, and Twilight Princess), only to be revealed as the orchestrator in a plot twist. Ganon usually presents himself with the facade of a cynical yet calm and civil man, although he is known to very quickly become enraged, ensuing in a murderous rampage. Ganon has no sense of morality. In his conquest of the Sacred Realm, once he reached the Temple of Light, he single-handedly killed all of his followers who had aided him in his expedition, so that he could claim the Triforce uncontested. He is also culturally inclined, playing the organ with great skill, as seen in Ocarina of Time where he plays his own theme throughout Link's attack in his Tower. Ganon also possesses an arrogant sense of entitlement; he believes himself to be the only one worthy of ruling the kingdom of Hyrule. His pride is also shown when fighting enemies: despite being more than capable of defeating most enemies in combat, Ganon instead relies on his minions to defeat them. Apparently, he chooses to only fight opponents he deems worthy, such as Link.

Ganon is also an extremely destructive being. Conquest and destruction seem to be one and the same to him, and examples of his rule have shown him willingly turning his dominion into a wicked place of terror and chaos.

He resents defiance from anybody.

Abilities

Even before gaining the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf was arguably one of the most powerful men in the entire land of Hyrule, largely due to his political position as the King of the Gerudo.

Ganondorf was also an immensely powerful sorcerer with vast mystical resources. Additionally, Ganondorf has proven himself to be a very talented swordsman, as seen in the final battles between him and Link in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. He is also very physically strong, helped further by his extremely impressive height.

Once Ganondorf gained the Triforce of Power, both his physical and mystical abilities were augmented by the essence of the Goddess Din to god-like proportions, his power unrivaled by any mortal. Ganondorf became utterly unstoppable, conquering Hyrule with ease. As seen in the events of Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Power also grants Ganondorf invulnerability; using its power, he is capable of enduring mortal wounds (such as having his chest pierced by a sword during his attempted execution), and only the likes of the most powerful sacred weapons (such as the Master Sword) appear to be able to kill him. Even without access to his full capabilities in The Wind Waker, Ganondorf was able to cast a curse to keep the Great Sea in an endless stormy night. As seen in Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Power grants Ganondorf many more powers such as size manipulation and terrain alteration: while Ganondorf is not personally shown using many of these powers, he temporarily gifts the Usurper King Zant with some of them. Ganondorf also has an unnaturally long lifespan, having lived through ages of Hyrulean chronology.

Ganondorf also possesses dark magic, which he uses to create his armies.

The reincarnated Ganondorf during the events of Four Swords Adventures was largely similar to the original, although it is implied that he was weaker than the original, to the extent that he lacked the ability to cover Hyrule in darkness by the time he had been defeated and sealed in the Four Sword.[28]

Names

Since the release of the original game, Ganon has had several different names. During the development of The Legend of Zelda, he was referred to as 牛魔王 八戒 (Gyūmaō Hakkai), which is said to be derived from the Journey to the West characters Chohakkai and Gyūmaō.[29][30] Before the game's release, the name was changed to ガノン (Ganon), an accurate katakana representation of different roman spellings. Both the Japanese and English language versions of The Legend of Zelda spell the character's name as "Gannon".[31] The game's English manual instead opted for the spelling "Ganon".[32] This disparity gave rise to the notion that "Gannon" was a misspelling introduced during the translation of the first installment's in-game text, inspiring the site and phrase Gannon-Banned. The misspelling theory is conflicted by the Japanese versions of The Adventure of Link and A Link to the Past, whose in-game texts kept the spelling of "Gannon".[33][34] Ever since the English release of The Adventure of Link, official Nintendo translations have consistently used the spelling "Ganon". The first instance of the "Ganon" spelling being used by the Japanese developers is in the source code of Ocarina of Time.[35] With the Japanese release of Super Smash Bros. Melee, the games finally adopted the official English spelling for the Japanese audience. Although the etymology of Link's name is commonly known, the original inspiration behind the name Ganon has yet to be revealed by the developers.

When A Link to the Past was released, Ganon's human form, Ganondorf, was introduced.[36][37] In the Western manual of A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Ganondorf was addressed by the full name "Ganondorf Dragmire".[38] Similarly, Ganon was also addressed in the manual by an alias, "Mandrag Ganon", which means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".[38] These names do not appear in any other games or re-releases of A Link to the Past, though the name "Ganondorf Dragmire" is used in Ganondorf's character profile on the official Zelda website.[39] According to the Hyrule Historia, the name "Ganondorf" refers to his human form, while the name "Ganon" is both a nickname and the name given to him when he transforms into a boar-like beast.[13][40][41] There have been several cases in The Legend of Zelda series in which characters, such as the King of Red Lions[42] or Zant, refer to Ganondorf as "Ganon".[43] In Breath of the Wild, Ganon is known as Calamity Ganon.[44]

Unified Timeline

Skyward Sword

Although Ganon is not in Skyward Sword, his origins are revealed. He is the incarnation of Demise's hatred, and is thus destined to eternally reincarnate to pursue world domination, as well as those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero.[16]

Ocarina of Time

During the events of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is striving to conquer the lands of Hyrule and obtain the Triforce.[45] In order to access the Triforce within the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf sought the three Spiritual Stones from the Kokiri, Gorons, and Zoras. When they refused to hand them over, he placed a death curse upon the Great Deku Tree and Lord Jabu-Jabu, and blocked off Dodongo's Cavern with a gigantic boulder.[46] At the same time, he pledged false allegiance to the King of Hyrule to gain his trust.[47]

Princess Zelda, however, senses the evil within Ganondorf and asks for Link's aid to prevent Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce.[48][47] Ganondorf eventually betrays the King and assaults Hyrule Castle while Link gathers the three Spiritual Stones.[49] The young hero returns in time to see Zelda and Impa flee, who are being pursued by Ganondorf on his Horse. When Ganondorf demands Link tell him in which direction the two had fled, Link refuses and is attacked by the King of the Gerudo, who proclaims he will soon rule the world.[50] When Link, shortly thereafter, opens the entrance to the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf follows him and seizes the opportunity to obtain the Triforce, with partial success.[51][52][6] As he touched the Triforce, however, it split into three pieces, leaving Ganondorf with only the Triforce of Power.[53][54]

During the seven years Link was asleep, Ganondorf conquered the Kingdom of Hyrule, transforming the feudal-style Hyrule Castle into Ganon's Castle, a tiered near-cylindrical skyscraper resting on a floating island that hovered above a large lake of lava. He had the Castle Town completely decimated, left in ruins, and populated by the ReDead, causing many Hylians to flee to Kakariko Village.[55]

As Hyrule's new king, Ganondorf gained even more knowledge regarding the Triforce. Because his heart was not in balance, he was only bestowed one third of the element: the Triforce of Power. With all of the luxury and power of the subdued kingdom at his disposal, the Evil King is able to wait for the moment when the two remaining Triforce keepers, Link and Zelda, would reveal themselves. Eventually, he finds them in the Temple of Time where he kidnaps Princess Zelda, who had evaded his pursuit for seven years,[56] and challenges Link to come rescue her.[57][58] The three Triforce possessors meet again in Ganon's Castle, where the final battle ensues. When Link reaches the top of the Tower, he finds Zelda confined in a pink crystalline enclosure floating above it. Ganondorf taunts the young hero and engages him in battle, where Link is able to defeat the tyrant with the aid of the Light Arrows and the Master Sword.[59] Using the last of his power, Ganondorf tries to make his castle collapse to kill Link and Zelda, but the two manage to escape safely.[60] However, an exhausted Ganondorf uses the essence of the Triforce of Power to transform into a bestial monstrosity called Ganon. Despite his massive size and clever tactics, Link manages to defeat him using the Master Sword and assistance from the power of the Seven Sages.[61] Ganondorf is then sealed into the void of the Evil Realm where he cannot harm Hyrule or lay his hands on the remaining pieces of the Triforce.[62] As he is sealed in the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf claims that when he breaks the seal, he will destroy Link and Zelda's descendants,[63] knowing that he will have the opportunity as long as he possesses the Triforce of Power.[64]

Downfall Timeline

The Downfall Timeline is the timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle. Ganondorf obtained the full Triforce, but was sealed within the Dark World by Princess Zelda and the other awakened sages, taking the Triforce with him.

A Link to the Past

Link fighting against Ganon

A Link to the Past gives an altered version of the events of Ocarina of Time. When Ganondorf discovered the lost knowledge of how to enter the Sacred Realm where the Triforce lay,[65] he killed his minions in order to be the only one able to claim the Triforce.[66] When he laid his hands upon it, the Sacred Realm changed into the Dark World and he was transformed into a boar-like demon, Ganon.[21][67] Ganon waged war against Hyrule, and in a fierce battle the Knights of Hyrule engaged Ganon while the Sages sealed the entrance to the Dark World, casting Ganon into it.[68]

Many years later, Ganon uses the wizard Agahnim to break free from the Dark World.[69][70] Agahnim manages to win the trust of the King of Hyrule and eventually takes control of Hyrule himself.[71][72] He attempts to break the seal on Ganon by sending the Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, into the Dark World.[73] However, he is temporarily stopped when Link helps the final maiden, Princess Zelda, to escape. While Link is trying to acquire the Master Sword to defeat Agahnim, the wizard finds Princess Zelda and sends her to the Dark World. This breaks the seal and allows Ganon's influence to spread across the Light World as well. After suffering a defeat by Link, Agahnim uses his powers to transport Link into the Dark World.

After rescuing all of the Maidens from their imprisonment in the Dark World, Link faces Agahnim again in the Dark World, where the young hero successfully destroys him. After the battle with Agahnim, a shadow of Ganon rises from his body, turns into a bat, and flies to the Pyramid of Power. There, Link faces the King of Thieves and even though Ganon wielded the might of the united Triforce and the Trident, Link manages to destroy him with the Master Sword and the Silver Arrows.

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages

In the linked ending of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, it is revealed that the events of the two games were started by Twinrova in an attempt to resurrect Ganon via the Dark Rites. The ritual required that three flames were lit: the Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair. The Flame of Destruction is lit when General Onox throws the seasons of Holodrum into chaos,[74] while the Flame of Sorrow is lit when Veran caused great misfortune to the people of Labrynna by using the powers of Nayru the oracle.[75] With two flames lit, the Twinrova sisters capture Princess Zelda, causing the despair of the people to light the third flame, the Flame of Despair.[76] Twinrova intended to sacrifice Zelda for Ganon's rebirth, but Link managed to slay them before the ritual finished, and thus the Twinrova sisters were forced to sacrifice themselves to awaken Ganon.[77] Because of this, the ritual was incomplete and Ganon became a mindless beast,[78] although he did demonstrate limited thought just as he was defeated by Link.[79]

Link's Awakening

Ganon did not appear in Link's Awakening but during the final battle, the final boss takes on a form known as the Shadow of Ganon. During the final battle, the Shadow Nightmares take on the form of various monsters from Link's past. One of these is the form of Agahnim, Ganon's alter ego, while the fourth is of Ganon himself. While not the true Ganon, this is a memory of Link's battle with Ganon in A Link to the Past, and as such attacks in a similar manner, using his trident and attacking with Blazing Bats. Unlike the real Ganon, the Silver Arrows are not needed for Link to defeat it, but he will have to use Spin Attacks or the Pegasus Boots to cause damage. Unlike the other Shadows up to this point, once defeated, the Shadow of Ganon will make the cry normally used for when a boss has been completely destroyed. Despite this, the battle will continue as the shadows take on another form.

Ancient Stone Tablets Six years after the events of A Link to the Past, Ganon returns in Ancient Stone Tablets. After monsters attack Hyrule and a mysterious Hero of Light appears from the sky, a quest to obtain eight ancient Hylian stone tablets eventually reveals that Ganon, the Demon King, had managed to keep his lingering spirit alive despite his body's destruction at the hands of Link. His evil power had slowly been growing in a rebuilt Ganon's Tower, with his ultimate aim to obtain the power of the Hero of Light so he could be fully reborn. Ganon himself had drawn the Hero of Light into Hyrule, but he meets his hubris when he is destroyed again due to a combination of the Golden Sword and the Silver Arrows, both wielded by the Hero of Light.

A Link Between Worlds

Ganon being revived by Yuga

Ganon appears to Link in a nightmare, ominously hinting that he would soon return. Later, after capturing each of the Seven Sages in portraits, the evil wizard Yuga uses their power in order to resurrect Ganon from the darkness where he was sealed after his previous defeat.[80] After resurrecting him, Yuga joins with Ganon, taking on a form which combines attributes of both of the evil sorcerers. However, before Yuga Ganon can destroy Link, he is stopped by Hilda, who sends Link on a quest to reawaken the Seven Sages and gain the Triforce of Courage.[81]

Once the Triforce of Courage is obtained, Impa reveals that Ganon is returning and that Link must stop him, she then tells him that he must head to Lorule Castle and confront the Demon King to stop him once and for all.[82][83]

When Link returns and discovers that Hilda has lied to him, she summons Yuga Ganon to fight Link and obtain the Triforce of Courage from him, but Yuga Ganon is defeated. Hilda asks him for the Triforce of Power, but he reveals his plan to use the Triforce to become a god, and turns her into a painting. He then bolsters his power by taking the Triforce of Wisdom from Hilda, but in the end, he is destroyed by Link.

The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda Link destroying Ganon in

Despite Yuga Ganon's apparent destruction at the hands of Link in A Link Between Worlds, Ganon returns to life some time prior to The Legend of Zelda, devoid of intelligence.[7] He leads an invasion on the small kingdom of Lesser Hyrule and manages to obtain the Triforce of Power. Before he can obtain the Triforce of Wisdom, Princess Zelda is able to break it into eight pieces and scatters it throughout Hyrule, then sends her attendant Impa away to search for help. Ganon captures Zelda and holds her hostage in his lair, deep in Level-9 under Spectacle Rock, and sends his minions after Impa. Link, having outwitted his underlings and learned of the perils that the land was under, takes up a sword and goes alone to assemble the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Using it, he enters Level-9 and shines it upon the King of Evil's hiding place. Ganon fights ruthlessly with his seemingly invincible Technique of Darkness, but Link is able to vanquish him with his blade and by using the Silver Arrows to deliver the final blow, reducing Ganon to ashes and revealing the Triforce of Power.

BS The Legend of Zelda In BS The Legend of Zelda, Ganon uses a variation of his A Link to the Past look. He wears a red coat, skull necklace, and wields the Trident, although appears with grey skin, rather than blue. He laughs when he first appears, and fights using the same method that he used in the original version of the game.

The Adventure of Link

Many years prior to both The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, an offshoot/follower of Ganon only known as the "Magician" attempted to gain the location of the Triforce of Courage by manipulating the Prince of Hyrule, the Magician dies casting a spell on Princess Zelda to make her fall asleep for eternity in revenge for her not revealing the Triforce of Courage's location.

Years later, in The Adventure of Link, The evil power left behind by the vile heart of Ganon was causing chaos and ruin in Hyrule. Ganon's army makes an attempt to revive him by spilling Link's blood onto Ganon's ashes, but this method ultimately fails.

In the ending scenario where Link is killed during his journey, Ganon's minions are able to collect his blood and pour it onto Ganon's ashes, reviving him. As such, Ganon only physically appears on the "Game Over" screen.[note 1]

Child Timeline

The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Time in the final battle. He warns Princess Zelda and the current King of Hyrule of the tragic future that awaited the kingdom involving Ganondorf if nothing was to be done.

Twilight Princess

Twilight Princess Ganondorf as he appears in

Prior to the events of Twilight Princess, Ganondorf's true intentions were exposed, and he was captured, put on trial, and sentenced to execution by the Sages.[85] While they managed to severely wound him by impaling him with the Sword of the Six Sages, the Triforce of Power activated at that moment and thus they could not kill him.[86] Using the power granted by his Triforce piece, he manages to free himself from his chains, and kills the Sage of Water as well. Knowing no better solution, the Sages open the gate to the Twilight Realm and send Ganondorf through it. There, he promptly revitalized himself using the lingering anguish and hatred from among the Twili that managed to bleed through the Twilight Realm's dimensional fabric.[87] He influences Zant, who had been denied the throne of the Twilight Realm, to seize control and access Hyrule again. Ganondorf grants Zant a fraction of his power in return for the opportunity to escape the Twilight Realm.[88][89]

After Link defeats Zant, Ganondorf and the young hero meet atop Hyrule Castle, where he is found sitting on Princess Zelda's throne as Zelda's body lies in a niche in the same room. During the final battle, Ganondorf possesses Zelda by turning into Twilight. Using Zelda as a puppet, he attacks Link relentlessly, until Link forces his spirit out of Zelda's body. Ganondorf then takes his bestial form, Ganon, becoming an immensely powerful boar. Taking advantage of Ganon's blind rage, Link outwits him, and defeats Ganon by striking the wound left by the Sages with the Master Sword.

Ganondorf then takes on the form of an immense veil of fire in the shape of his disembodied head. Midna valiantly resolves to fight Ganondorf using the Twilight magic housed within the Fused Shadow, teleporting Link and Zelda to the safety of Hyrule Field. Midna, transforming into an enormous Twilit arachnoid, attacks Ganondorf, with the ensuing battle destroying the castle. However, Midna was no match for Ganondorf, and was promptly defeated by the Gerudo King. Ganondorf emerges from the ruins of Hyrule Castle on horseback, triumphantly holding aloft the Fused Shadow fragment that Midna wore, and after crushing it in his hand, he charges towards Link and Zelda.

Zelda entreats the Light Spirits of the realm to lend her their power in the form of the Arrows of Light.[90] Mounting Epona, Link and Zelda pursue, assailing Ganondorf with a hail of arrows. Ganondorf is momentarily staggered, falling from his steed, but he recovers surprisingly quickly and confines himself and Link in a makeshift arena where the two engage in a sword duel.

After besting him in a sword to sword struggle, Link plunges the Master Sword into Ganondorf's open wound. He does not die immediately, but only when the Triforce of Power fades completely from his hand, he succumbs. Ganondorf sees a vision of Zant's neck breaking, then Ganondorf's eyes gloss over and he dies. Immediately before his death, however, Ganondorf, predicting future battles between his reincarnation and their descendants via the Gods' will,[91] warned them that the history of light and shadow will be "written in blood."[92]

Four Swords Adventures

Hundreds of years later, in Four Swords Adventures, Ganon is reincarnated following his death in Twilight Princess.[19] In this game, Ganondorf is referred to as a desert nomad, recently expelled from the Gerudo Tribe by breaking their taboo and exploring the Desert Pyramid as part of his plan to usurp the powers of others and coat Hyrule in darkness.[25] He steals the Trident from the Pyramid and the Dark Mirror (which he uses to summon Shadow Link and his kin) from the forest. He uses him to trick Link into releasing Vaati from the Four Sword to serve as a distraction. Ganondorf then utilized the power of the Trident to hunt down and defeat the knights of Hyrule and transform them into demons, turning the Royal Jewels into gateways to the Dark World. Ganon also absorbs the power of the imprisoned Shrine Maidens.

At the end of the game, Ganon appears as the final boss as a twist ending, fought in the Dark World underneath the Tower of Winds, where he is defeated after Link fires a Light Arrow into Zelda's ball of light that pierces him. He is then sealed away in the Four Sword.

Aside from the reincarnated Ganon, the original Ganon's hatred and malice transcending time and space was responsible for the creation of the various Shadow Links via the Dark Mirror, with the intention of getting Link to not only break the seal on Vaati, but also on Ganon himself.[93]

Adult Timeline

The Adult Timeline is the timeline that follows the events after Link is being sent back to his original time, following Ganondorf's defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time in the final battle. Ganondorf is sealed within the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages but, with Link sent back in time, the world is left without a Hero.

The Wind Waker

Long before the events in The Wind Waker, Ganon managed to escape from his seal and wreak havoc in Hyrule once more. Climbing from the Earth in his beast form Ganon, he attacked the Kingdom of Hyrule and easily took control of it.[94] No hero appeared this time and the gods were forced to flood Hyrule in order to stop Ganon.[95][96][97]

However, Ganon breaks free, rising up from his ocean prison, and subsequently begins to rebuild his army.[98][99][100][101] Still wanting to obtain the Triforce, he sends one of his minions, the Helmaroc King, on a search for "young girls with pointy ears" hoping to find Princess Zelda, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom.[102] Among the girls kidnapped is Link's sister, Aryll, and thus Link sets off on his adventure to rescue her. Link finds Ganondorf's hideout, the Forsaken Fortress, where Ganondorf had Link thrown far away into the ocean after being caught by the Helmaroc King.[103] Later, it is revealed that Ganondorf has limited magic strength, for his powers were sealed away by the gods with the aid of the Master Sword. However, without this knowledge, Link himself takes the Master Sword, and thus removes the only barrier restraining Ganondorf's power.[104][105]

Soon afterwards atop the Forsaken Fortress, Ganondorf reveals that the Master Sword is dull; its power to banish evil gone.[106][107][108][109] Link and the pirate captain, Tetra, narrowly escape safely with the help of the Sky Spirit Valoo and the Rito before Ganondorf can seize Tetra, who he finds is actually Princess Zelda and the keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom.[110] After this, Zelda is hidden inside the underwater castle in Hyrule and Link begins his quest to reawaken the Master Sword, whose power had vanished since Ganondorf had murdered the Sages in charge of keeping the power within the sacred blade.[111] Once Link achieves his goals of finding the Triforce of Courage and restoring the Master Sword to its former glory, Ganondorf locates their haven and consequently captures Zelda, whom he takes to his underwater Tower.[112][113] Link finds Zelda unharmed, lying in a bed, sleeping, with Ganondorf watching over her and her dreams.[114] However, before Link has any chance to approach, Ganondorf unleashes a bewitched, giant puppet, which Link defeats.[115] Ganondorf finally reappears to challenge Link, and with Zelda in his arm, he rises to the rooftop of the Tower.

Soon after Link reaches the rooftop, Ganondorf speaks to him about his reasons for desperately searching for the Triforce pieces, revealing a little of his origins from the harsh Gerudo Desert and his desire to take over the green landscapes of Hyrule. When he declares that he already has in his possession the Triforce of Wisdom, Ganondorf suddenly rushes against Link and delivers swift, hard blows that leave Link half-conscious and the Master Sword out of reach. Ganondorf, using his Triforce of Power, summons the two missing Triforce pieces from Link and Zelda and reforms the Triforce.[116] Nevertheless, right before Ganondorf is able to touch the Triforce and make his wish come true of conquering Hyrule, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last King of Hyrule, appears to touch the Triforce first and makes the wish of washing away the ancient land of Hyrule.[117][118] The Triforce disappears and water starts pouring through the protective barrier into the land of Hyrule as Ganondorf laughs scornfully. Link wakes up at that point and Zelda approaches him holding the Master Sword for Link to engage Ganondorf in a last battle. Ultimately with Zelda's aid, Ganondorf is defeated when Link deals the final blow by plunging the Master Sword straight into Ganondorf's forehead, turning him into stone[119] and killing him.[120] Immediately before his death, however, Ganondorf, with slight satisfaction, referenced the brutal winds that had long plagued the Gerudo.[121] His body remains atop the Tower under the Great Sea with the Master Sword in his head, and the ocean finally drowns Hyrule under the Great Sea. With his death Ganondorf was freed of his obsessive desire for the Triforce.[122]

Phantom Hourglass

Ganon is not encountered or fought in Phantom Hourglass due to his defeat in Hyrule (now beneath the Great Sea) at the end of The Wind Waker, but Link's duel with an "evil king" is mentioned in the intro.[123] The intro also had Ganondorf appearing twice, first while abducting Zelda, and lastly while dueling Link (in this version, unlike in Wind Waker, he fights Link unarmed).

Great Calamity

Breath of the Wild

Calamity Ganon

Main article: Calamity Ganon

Link confronting Calamity Ganon

Ganon reappears in Breath of the Wild, known as the Calamity Ganon or simply Ganon for short.[124][125] The Calamity Ganon is known as a primal evil that has appeared throughout Hyrule's history.[126] Ten thousand years before the events of Breath of the Wild, it appeared to ravage the world.[127] In preparation for this, the Sheikah built a massive army of mechanical protectors called Guardians to aid the Hero and the Princess.[128] Four massive mobile fortresses known as Divine Beasts served as the centerpieces of this army. With this collaboration between the Sheikah and the Hylians, Ganon was sealed beneath Hyrule Castle where it lay dormant for several millennia.

One hundred years prior to the game, a prophecy warned of the return of Calamity Ganon.[129][130] Hoping to prepare in the same fashion as their ancestors, the people of Hyrule began working to locate and excavate the Divine Beasts and Guardians.[131] Four Champions from each of Hyrule's races were chosen to pilot the Divine Beast of their people[132] and the restoration of the mechanical army seemed to be a phenomenal success.[133] Meanwhile, Princess Zelda worked to awaken her sealing powers alongside a young knight, Link, who had been appointed as her protector.[134] Zelda was determined to awaken her power and prayed at the three springs of the goddesses in Hyrule, but her efforts were met with failure.[135] Minutes after she had finished praying at the Spring of Wisdom, the Calamity broke its seal and rose up around the castle. In a move that surprised everyone, however, it managed to corrupt the entire Guardian army with its Malice and turned them against Hyrule.[136] Even the Divine Beasts, with their pilots slain, fell under the control of incarnations of Ganon's Malice.[137][138] With their strongest weapons turned against them, Hyrule was laid to ruin and Link grievously wounded, requiring him to sleep in a Sheikah healing chamber for 100 years.[139][140][141] Princess Zelda went to confront the Calamity Ganon on her own and managed to seal it once more, though this required her to also become its prisoner to maintain the seal.[44]

Throughout Link's journey during the events of Breath of the Wild, the Calamity can be seen swarming around Hyrule Castle,[142] where Zelda is using her power to keep him tethered there.[143] When Link arrives at the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle, Ganon is found hibernating within a cocoon, attempting to regenerate a physical form.[144] Link awakes Ganon from this process prematurely, confronting it in an incomplete form resembling a grotesque mixture of Ganondorf, Malice and Guardian parts. Calamity Ganon fights with a mixture of attacks used by its four incarnations of Malice.

Dark Beast Ganon

Main article: Dark Beast Ganon

When Calamity Ganon is defeated, Ganon's demonic spirit escapes to Hyrule Field and manifests into the Incarnation of Malice and Hatred. It takes the form of a gigantic boar similar to one of Ganondorf's forms in Twilight Princess, but consumed by Malice.[145] Princess Zelda reveals that at this point, Ganon had given up on resurrecting and intends to release the full force of his wrath onto the world.[146] However, Zelda used her true powers to destroy Ganon, although she admits his destruction was temporary in the true ending.

Sequel to Breath of the Wild

Ganondorf appears in the Sequel to Breath of the Wild. Found in a system of caverns covered with murals of his likeness. He is found by Zelda and Link, in a more mummified appearance, being held dormant into place by a mysterious arm as malice surrounds him. After Zelda approaches the seemingly deceased Gerudo he reawakens. His current role in the game is currently unknown.

Strategy

Other Appearances

Ganon is also featured in other media, including comics based on the games, animated shows, and the Super Smash Bros. series. Although his appearance varies from the main series, Ganon is still the wielder of the Triforce of Power who seeks to rule Hyrule by using the power of the sacred relic, fighting against Princess Zelda and Link to reach his goal.

Ganon's Swords

See also: Sword of the Six Sages

Although they go unnamed throughout The Legend of Zelda series, Ganon has several Swords that he often uses in addition to his Trident. They are inscribed with various pictures or writings depending on the game. Ganon wields a Sword for the first time in Ocarina of Time. In the final battle, he wields two large golden blades against Link. Ganondorf is first seen wielding a pair of Swords in The Wind Waker during the final battle, which is what he uses as his offensive strategy. They are engraved with the names "Kotake" and "Koume."[147] Later on, in Twilight Princess, Ganondorf wields the Sword of the Six Sages, a weapon that the Sages tried to use against him in an attempt to kill him. The Sword of the Six Sages serves as Ganondorf's weapon in the final battle against Link. As Calamity Ganon, he wields a number of energy blades similar to Guardian Scouts and his elemental avatars.

Non-canon appearances of a Sword-wielding Ganondorf include several of Ganondorf's victory poses in the Super Smash Bros. series and the SpaceWorld 2000 demo, which included a Sword fight between Link and Ganondorf. This Sword was much bulkier than the swords he uses in the main series, and had a rounded tip. Ganondorf also uses a Sword in his battle with Link in the Ocarina of Time manga. This sword is capable of having Ganondorf's evil magic channeled through it. He also wields two Great Swords in Hyrule Warriors, the Swords of Despair. They can be upgraded to the Swords of Darkness and Swords of Demise.

Trivia

Due to a glitch, it is a possible to defeat Ganon in A Link to the Past with the Master Sword instead of Silver Arrows. [ clarification needed ]

in with the Master Sword instead of Silver Arrows. In The Wind Waker , according to the original Japanese text, the Master Sword was sealing Ganon's minions and not his magic, as can be observed in-game. [104] [148]

, according to the original Japanese text, the Master Sword was sealing Ganon's minions and not his magic, as can be observed in-game. In Ocarina of Time , Ganondorf has rounded ears, while in Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker they are pointed.

, Ganondorf has rounded ears, while in and they are pointed. In Ocarina of Time , Ganon plays his own theme on a pipe organ. In Twilight Princess , a similar effect occurs when Link progresses through Hyrule Castle, as the background music shifts from the Hyrule Castle theme to Ganon's theme. This makes Ganondorf one of a handful of characters to generate their own theme music; the others being Midna, Ghirahim and Yuga, all of whom hum their themes.

, Ganon plays his own theme on a pipe organ. In , a similar effect occurs when Link progresses through Hyrule Castle, as the background music shifts from the Hyrule Castle theme to Ganon's theme. This makes Ganondorf one of a handful of characters to generate their own theme music; the others being Midna, Ghirahim and Yuga, all of whom hum their themes. Early artwork for Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages shows a design for Ganondorf, implying he was originally planned to appear in the games. According to the notes for the artwork, the image was meant to depict Ganondorf's phantom.

and shows a design for Ganondorf, implying he was originally planned to appear in the games. According to the notes for the artwork, the image was meant to depict Ganondorf's phantom. According to the Hyrule Historia , Ganondorf is 230 cm tall (7'6'') in Ocarina of Time . [149] His 1/4 scale model from First 4 Figures, who used in game data to faithfully recreate his appearance in Twilight Princess , stands at 23 inches tall, which indicates that he stands at 7'6" in that game as well. [150]

, Ganondorf is 230 cm tall (7'6'') in . His 1/4 scale model from First 4 Figures, who used in game data to faithfully recreate his appearance in , stands at 23 inches tall, which indicates that he stands at 7'6" in that game as well. Prior to the battle with Dark Beast Ganon in Breath of the Wild , Zelda states that Ganon has given up on reincarnation to fight in his "pure, enraged form." [146] However, the dialogue in the Japanese version appears to contradict this, as Zelda says that the form was born from his obsessive refusal to give up on revival. [151]

, Zelda states that Ganon has given up on reincarnation to fight in his "pure, enraged form." However, the dialogue in the Japanese version appears to contradict this, as Zelda says that the form was born from his obsessive refusal to give up on revival. Originally, Ganondorf when defeated in Twilight Princess gave a speech where he indicated Zelda and Link, and any who bore the marks of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage, respectively, are inevitably going to enter conflict with anyone with Ganondorf's bloodline due to it being pre-ordained by the Gods. [91] This was largely excised in the final version with Ganondorf instead merely assuring them that their conflict won't end then and there as "the history of light and shadow will be written in blood", although the Hyrule Historia nonetheless made clear that a reincarnation of Ganondorf did indeed reappear. Demise's curse at the end of Skyward Sword resembled this cut speech.

gave a speech where he indicated Zelda and Link, and any who bore the marks of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage, respectively, are inevitably going to enter conflict with anyone with Ganondorf's bloodline due to it being pre-ordained by the Gods. This was largely excised in the final version with Ganondorf instead merely assuring them that their conflict won't end then and there as "the history of light and shadow will be written in blood", although the Hyrule Historia nonetheless made clear that a reincarnation of Ganondorf did indeed reappear. Demise's curse at the end of Skyward Sword resembled this cut speech. In an interview made during the time Ocarina of Time was undergoing development, script director Toru Osawa indicated that Ganondorf had some redeemable traits despite being pure evil, similar to the character Raoh from the anime and manga Fist of the North Star . [152]

. Ganon's roars in the final battle of Ocarina of Time were reused from Queen Gohma.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions Language Name Meaning Japanese ガノン (Ganon) ( FSA | CoH )

ガノン様 (Ganon-sama) ( FSA )

闇の王 (Yami no Ō) ( FSA )

Revered Ganon

King of Darkness Chinese SI 盖侬 (Gàinóng) ( CoH ) Chinese TR 加儂 (Jiānóng) ( CoH ) Dutch Ganon ( TLoZ | OoT3D )[153][154] French CA Ganon ( CoH | HWAoC )[155] French EU Ganon ( TLoZ | CoH )[156] German Ganon ( CoH ) Italian Ganon ( TLoZ | OoT3D | CoH )[157][158] Korean 가논 (Ganon) ( CoH ) Spanish EU Ganon ( CoH ) Spanish LA Ganon ( CoH ) This table was generated using translation pages.

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Gallery

See Also

Notes

↑ [84] This only happens in the NES version of the game. In the original Japanese relase for the Famicom Disk System, only a black screen with text appears.