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OoT Triforce Model
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Ganon,(TLoZ | ALttP | OoT | OoS | OoA | TWW | FSA | TP | ALBW | BotW | TCT)[22][23] also known by his human form Ganondorf Dragmire,(OoT | TWW | FSA | TP | TotK)[24][5] 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 his monster form, a boar-like beast.[25] He made his debut appearance in the very first game, The Legend of Zelda, and has since been present or referred to in most subsequent titles. He is the archnemesis of Link and Princess Zelda.

Biography[]

Introduced in The Legend of Zelda as a monstrous Prince of Darkness, Ganon has seen much development throughout the series, from being a simple monster to a powerful warlock with deeper motives to his actions.[26] As the incarnation of the Demon King Demise's hatred for those with the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the hero (or, according to the Hyrule Historia, the reincarnation of Demise himself),[27] Ganon is destined to eternally reincarnate to pursue world domination.[28][29][30] 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.[31] The original Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time appears in most of the other 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.[32] As stated in prophecy, the only one capable of defeating Ganon is the Hero who is chosen by the Goddesses, Link.

TPHD Ganondorf Artwork
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 always the massive 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.[33] However, he was trapped within the Sacred Realm by the combined efforts of the Knights of Hyrule and the Sages.[34]

In Ocarina of Time, it is stated that the first incarnation of Ganondorf was born a powerful Gerudo sorcerer.[35] The Gerudo twin witches Koume and Kotake were his surrogate mothers.[36][37] The Gerudo are a race of all-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 even murdered people.[38] Ganondorf uses his position to betray the King of Hyrule, as well as his cunning, manipulative skills, and mystical powers 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.[26]

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.[39][40][41]

In Skyward Sword, Ganon is revealed to be the incarnation of the everlasting hatred of the Demon King Demise for those with the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the hero. Thus, he is destined to eternally reincarnate, becoming the source of various conflicts in the history of Hyrule, which involve various incarnations of Zelda and Link.[28]

In Tears of the Kingdom, an incarnation of Ganondorf was present during one of Hyrule’s foundings. It remains unclear which iteration of Hyrule the founding depicts, it is possible that the founding he appears in may have been preceded by a destroyed Hyrule.[42]

Characteristics[]

Personality[]

Ganon is a very destructive being. Conquest and destruction seem to be one and the same to him,[43] and examples of his rule have shown him willingly turning his dominion into a wicked place of terror and chaos and harming others with little care. His Tears of the Kingdom incarnation even went as far as to unleash his new demon hordes against his own people.

He resents defiance from anybody, but seems to grudgingly respect Link's willingness to stand up to him in Ocarina of Time,[44] as well as Link's tenacity to brave the Forsaken Fortress and reach him in The Wind Waker, respectively.[45]

Ganondorf was also implied to hold mental instability in two instances. The first was shortly after King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule wished for Hyrule and Ganondorf to be flooded completely where he proceeded to engage in hysterical laughter as the land was being flooded permanently during the Adult Timeline, and the other time was when he proceeded to engage in similar hysterical laughter when witnessing Zelda try to scramble to aid Queen Sonia shortly after he mortally wounded the latter just before becoming the Demon King.

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 skilled swordsman, as seen in the final battles between him and Link in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. He is also very physically strong, explained by his extremely tall height and bulky body.

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, for he ceased to be mortal in that moment. Becoming a monstrously powerful demon king, Ganondorf became utterly unstoppable, conquering Hyrule with ease. He also implies that the Triforce of Power was sufficient enough to allow him to weaken any seals placed on him over time.[46] As seen in the events of Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Power also grants Ganondorf near-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. He was also capable of superhuman strength after gaining the Triforce of Power, with his blows being capable of demolishing portions of the floor that weren't directly connected to the floor below, as well as breaking chains restraining him with minimum effort. Likewise, he was also capable of destroying even disembodied spirits with his bare hands, such as his murder of the Sage of Water after his failed execution. 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.[47] Ganondorf also has an unnaturally long lifespan, having lived through ages of Hyrulean chronology.

Ganondorf's dark magic, and possibly his position as the Demon King, grant him the power to create his armies of monsters and beasts.

His power, with or without the Triforce, appears to grow over time. The sages in Arbiter's Grounds, when discussing his evil power, mention it being pure malice and hatred.[48] As the Calamity Ganon, his very essence is known as Malice, possibly meaning that his demonic magic and power is fueled as much by his own hatred as the Triforce, and his capacity for hatred is the only true limit on how powerful he can grow.[49]

The reincarnated Ganon, 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.[50]

In Breath of the Wild, Ganon is portrayed in a particularly dark way, even by his usual standards. The death and utter destruction he brought to Hyrule long before the events of the game were such that for the first time in the whole Zelda series, he was known as the Calamity. His particularly dark essence notably took over the very Guardians of the kingdom, and turned them against their creators, bringing forth the fall of Hyrule and the near death of Link himself. His spirit imprisoned by Princess Zelda within Hyrule Castle, Ganon patiently tried to regenerate in a corporal form that was supposed to be shaped after Ganondorf's physical appearance. Because of Zelda's seal upon him, he was forced to pick up pieces and weapons of Guardians here and there that he tried to amalgamate with his malice.

As a result, Calamity Ganon is arguably the most terrifying monster ever seen in the series. Looking like a giant scorpion with spider legs, his combat abilities are somehow hampered by his grotesque and incomplete body, built in spite of common sense. Completely devoid of any magical powers, this artificial creation had no choice but to rely on what the Guardians have to offer.

In Tears of the Kingdom, Ganondorf is depicted at his most formidable, even compared to his previous appearances in the whole Zelda series. Long before the events of the game, his power has increased beyond limits after he gained one of the Secret Stones, as demonstrated when he summoned his hordes of demons to take over Hyrule. With his minions, Ganondorf successfully submitted the free peoples one after the other, until King Rauru and all the Sages finally faced him beneath Hyrule Castle. Even so, their combined strength was no match for the Demon King, and only Rauru's sacrifice ultimately saved his peers and Hyrule from complete destruction.

When Ganondorf finally broke free from the seal 10,000 years later, his power was so great that he effortlessly shattered the Master Sword and nearly killed Link himself. Although still weakened by his millenial imprisonment, the Demon King proved to be a nuisance for Hyrule as he triggered several cataclyms that affected every major region of the kingdom. He was also omniscient, as demonstrated when he summoned a puppet with the appearance of Zelda to trick Link and the inhabitants of the kingdom. This nasty surprise also indirectly caused the death of Queen Sonia, and proved decisive in allowing Ganondorf to gain a virtually unlimited power.

Quote1 Too Weak! Quote2
— Ganondorf's one of the two comments when blocking arrows or perfect dodging Link's melee attack.
Quote1 Too Obvious! Quote2
— Ganondorf's other one of the two comments when evading or blocking arrows.

Last but not least, it is no secret that Ganondorf is an accomplished swordsman. But in Tears of the Kingdom, he proves to be even more redoubtable when using a spear, a club and even a bow. Summoning his weapons from the gloom and constantly switching from one to another, his surprisingly swift attacks deal massive damage, with gloom-based projectiles literally taking away Link's maximum health permanently from of the sheer evil fueling his weapons, and he also has many attacks Link can perform, such as a perfect dodge, and is even capable of blocking arrows shots (by swiping his arm on impact if the arrows are fired towards his head twice in a row, when Link isn't airborne) - these feats unseen in the whole series.

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.[51][52] 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".[53] The game's English manual instead opted for the spelling "Ganon".[54] 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 contradicted by the Japanese versions of The Adventure of Link and A Link to the Past, whose in-game texts kept the spelling of "Gannon".[55][56] Ever since the English release of The Adventure of Link, official Nintendo translations have consistently used the spelling "Ganon". However, it was not until 1992 that the translators completely settled on the "Ganon" spelling: while A Link to the Past was in development, the English draft script still referred to the character as "Gannondorf" and "Gannon", implying that the localization team comprised of Daniel Owsen and Hiroyuki Yamada deliberated a long time about which spelling to use.[57] The first instance of the "Ganon" spelling also being used by the Japanese developers is in the source code of Ocarina of Time.[58] 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 Nintendo developers.

When A Link to the Past was released, Ganon's human form, Ganondorf, was introduced, although only in name, as Ocarina of Time fully reveals him afterwards.[59][60] In the Western manual of A Link to the Past for the Super NES, Ganondorf was referred to by the full name "Ganondorf Dragmire".[61] Similarly, Ganon was also referred to in the manual by an alias, "Mandrag Ganon", which means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".[61] These names do not appear in A Link to the Past itself, in its re-releases/remakes, or in other games, though the name "Ganondorf Dragmire" is used in Ganondorf's character profile on the official Zelda website.[62] 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.[63][64][65] There have been several cases in The Legend of Zelda series in which characters, such as the King of Red Lions[66] or Zant, refer to Ganondorf as "Ganon".[67] In Breath of the Wild, Ganon is known as Calamity Ganon.[68]

Mainline appearances[]

The Legend of Zelda[]

TLoZ Link Using Triforce Artwork

Link destroying Ganon in The Legend of Zelda

Ganon 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.

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. as Ganon's army makes an attempt to revive him by sprinkling Link's blood onto Ganon's ashes, but this method ultimately failed.

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

A Link to the Past[]

Ganon Battle ALTTP

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,[70] he killed his minions in order to be the only one able to claim the Triforce.[71] 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.[33][72] 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.[73]

Many years later, Ganon uses the wizard Agahnim to break free from the Dark World.[74][75] Agahnim manages to win the trust of the King of Hyrule and eventually takes control of Hyrule himself.[76][77] He attempts to break the seal on Ganon by sending the seven Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, into the Dark World.[78] 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 fully spread across the Light World as well. After suffering a defeat by Link, Agahnim uses his powers to transport Link into the Dark World.

Ganon's bat form

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, the 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 wields the might of the full Triforce and the Trident, Link manages to destroy him with the Master Sword and the Silver Arrows.

Link's Awakening[]

LADX Shadow of Ganon Sprite 2

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.

BS The Legend of Zelda[]

Ganont 1

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.

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.

Ocarina of Time[]

Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time

Several years prior to Ocarina of Time, the Hyrulean Civil War ended with the unification of the various races of Hyrule under the Royal Familly. This included the Gerudo, with Ganondorf as their king, swearing fealty to the King of Hyrule. This brought the Gerudo Desert under Hyrule's control.[79][80] In truth, Ganondorf only did this so he could move freely throughout the country.[80]

During the events of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is striving to conquer the lands of Hyrule and obtain the Triforce.[81] 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.[82] At the same time, he pledged false allegiance to the King of Hyrule to gain his trust.[83]

Princess Zelda, however, senses the pure evil within Ganondorf and asks for Link's aid to prevent Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce.[84][83] Ganondorf eventually betrays the King and assaults Hyrule Castle while Link gathers the three Spiritual Stones.[85] The young hero returns in time to see Zelda and Impa flee while 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.[86] When Link, shortly thereafter, opens the entrance to the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf sneakily follows him and seizes the opportunity to obtain the Triforce, with partial success.[87][88][6] As he touched the Triforce, however, it split into three pieces, leaving Ganondorf with only the Triforce of Power.[89][90]

During the seven years Link was in suspended animation, 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.[91]

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 Sorcerer Evil King is able to wait patiently 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,[92] and challenges Link to come save her.[93][94] 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.[95] Wounded and using the last of his strength, Ganondorf tries to make his castle collapse to kill Link and Zelda, but the two manage to escape safely.[96] However, the exhausted Ganondorf still lives, and uses the essence of the Triforce of Power to transform into a bestial monstrosity called Ganon, his true form. 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.[97] 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.[98] As he is sealed in the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf claims that when he breaks the seal, he will destroy Link and Zelda's descendants,[99] knowing that he will have the opportunity as long as he possesses the Triforce of Power.[100]

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages[]

OoA Ganon Landing Sprite

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,[101] 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.[102] 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.[103] 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.[104] Because of this, the ritual was incomplete and Ganon became a mindless beast,[105] although he did demonstrate limited thought just as he was defeated by Link.[106]

The Wind Waker[]

TWW Ganondorf Model

Long before the events in The Wind Waker but well after Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf 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.[107] No hero appeared this time and the gods were forced to flood Hyrule in order to stop Ganon.[108][109][110]

However, Ganon breaks free, rising up from his ocean prison, and subsequently begins to rebuild his army.[111][112][113][114] 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.[115] He sends two more of his minions, Jalhalla and Molgera to kill the Sages of Earth and Wind, Laruto and Fado, so the Master Sword doesn't have the power to repel evil. 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.[116] 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, which by that time had already been weakened by the deaths of the Sages of Earth and Wind. However, without this knowledge, Link himself takes the Master Sword, and thus removes the only barrier restraining Ganondorf's power.[117][118]

File:TWW Ganondorf Backhands Link.png

The Master Sword's blade dull, Ganondorf easily repels Link's attack

Soon afterwards atop the Forsaken Fortress, Ganondorf reveals that the Master Sword is dull; its power to banish evil is gone, having planned for that outcome.[119][120][121][122] 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.[123] 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.[124] Once Link finally achieves his goals of finding the Triforce of Courage and restoring the Master Sword to its former glory to become the Hero of the Winds, Ganondorf locates their haven and consequently captures Zelda, whom he takes to his underwater Tower.[125][126] Link finds Zelda unharmed, lying in a bed, sleeping, with Ganondorf watching over her and her dreams.[127] However, before Link has any chance to approach, Ganondorf unleashes a bewitched, giant puppet of his beast form, which Link defeats.[128] 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 punches to the face that leave Link half-conscious and knocking 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 full Triforce.[129] 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 permanently washing away the ancient land of Hyrule.[130][131] 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 one 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[132] and killing him.[133] Immediately before his death, however, Ganondorf, with slight satisfaction, referenced the brutal winds that had long plagued the Gerudo.[134] 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.[135]

Four Swords Adventures[]

FSA Ganon Sprite 2

Hundreds of years later, in Four Swords Adventures, Ganon is reincarnated following his death in Twilight Princess.[31] 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.[39] 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.

As a twist, Ganon appears as the final boss. He is 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 as its new prisoner.

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 break the seal on Vaati.[136]

Twilight Princess[]

GanonTP2

Ganondorf as he appears in Twilight Princess

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.[137] 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.[138] 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.[139] 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.[140][141]

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.[142] 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, implies that future battles between his reincarnation and their descendants will occur and warns them that the history of light and shadow will be "written in blood".[143]

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.[144]

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.[28]

A Link Between Worlds[]

ALBW Ganon Revived

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.[145] 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.[146]

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.[147][148]

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, though Ganon's soul survives.

Breath of the Wild[]

ALttP Book of Mudora Artwork 2
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Capture d’écran 2023-05-22 à 18.40

Ganondorf pledges allegiance to the King of Hyrule.

Capture d’écran 2023-05-23 à 13.31

Ganon's spirit is forcefully sealed within Hyrule Castle by Princess Zelda.

Now known as the Calamity, Ganon is introduced in Breath of the Wild as the main antagonist of the game. Calamity Ganon is the very embodiment of Ganondorf's psyche, so powerful and intense that it can actually materialize into a vessel. Unbeknownst to the protagonists, Ganondorf has been sealed beneath Hyrule Castle 10,000 years prior to the events of the game, and has remained there ever since. He was seemingly trapped there forever but even so, the evil within his body was such that it emanated from him in the form of the Malice. Not only that, his evil spirit has now been contained as well by Princess Zelda since the last one hundred years, though she didn't prove to be strong enough to actually defeat Ganon for good. With Ganondorf sealed deep beneath the royal domain and his demonic spirit checked by Zelda within the Sanctum, Calamity Ganon was forcefully bound to Hyrule Castle, though its essence could still be sensed and seen in the area.

At the founding of Hyrule's Breath of the Wild iteration, which possibly may have followed after the destruction of a previous Hyrule,[42] an incarnation of Ganondorf was born into the Gerudo tribe as leader. He was also considered a hero among his people. He attempted to conquer Hyrule by sheer force via a Molduga stampede, but his plans were thwarted by the Secret Stones in possession of the Royal Family. Upon witnessing their incredible power, the Gerudo changed his strategy and understood that he would have to fool his enemies. He went to Hyrule Castle with a Gerudo delegation to pledge allegiance to King Rauru, a necessary humiliation in an attempt to gain his trust and become closer to the Royal Family. During the meeting, Ganondorf humbly expressed his regrets about all the peace offers that had been rejected or ignored by his people, and complimented Rauru's union with the Queen. The King praised Ganondorf for his change of heart before letting him go at the end of the audience. While the King of Hyrule effectively secured peace in the ongoing war between the Gerudo and the Hylians, Ganondorf had other plans. Unbeknownst to the Royal Family, he realized that Queen Sonia was also in possession of a Secret Stone, and concocted a plan to steal it from her.

Quote1 Haaah... I can feel my strength surging! Quote2
— Ganondorf about to become the Demon King.
Capture d’écran 2023-05-22 à 18.44

Ganondorf becomes the Demon King and uses the Secret Stone to unleash the darkness in Hyrule.

It wasn't long before the King of the Gerudo put his plan into effect, creating a doppelgänger of the time-displaced Zelda to lure Sonia to a secluded area, wishing to discuss a private matter. When the fake Zelda made her intentions clear and attempted to assassinate the Queen, Sonia reveals she had anticipated Ganondorf would try such a plan, and countered with the real Zelda, who used her Recall ability return the thrown knife to the fake. Despite this, Ganondorf appeared suddenly, capitalized on the distraction and mortally wounded Sonia. Claiming Sonia's Secret Stone for his own, Ganondorf dramatically enhanced his own powers, transforming into the wicked Demon King in the process, summoning monsters in the form of Bokoblins, Aerocudas, Boss Bokoblins, Blue Hinoxes, Lizalfos, Moblins, Gibdos, Blue-Maned Lynels, White-Maned Lynels, and Silver Lynels from a fountain of Gloom. Rauru arrives in horror, and is taunted by the Demon King, who claimed Rauru "took for granted the godlike power" he had in his hands, goading the Zonai King to attack. Clearly outmatched by the raw power of the Demon King, Rauru heeded Zelda's advice to retreat, and the two teleported to safety with the dying Queen in Zelda's arms. Ganondorf laughed, since Hyrule was now at his mercy and summoned more and more monsters, while riding his horse, commanding them to destroy the kingdom to make a new one.[149] By the time Rauru met with the leaders of Gerudo, Rito, Zora, and Goron tribes, his army overwhelmed the kingdom, with the last village in Gerudo Desert having fallen to his minions.[150]

Capture d’écran 2023-05-22 à 18.46

King Rauru sacrifices himself in a desperate attempt to stop Ganondorf.

The surviving sages led by King Rauru, the founder King of Hyrule, cornered him, but he proved too powerful to be defeated easily. Rauru was ultimately forced to sacrifice himself by using his Zonai Arm to pin Ganondorf in place, with Zelda aiding at a critical moment by deflecting weapons towards Ganondorf earlier in a similar manner to the earlier encounter with her doppelgänger, distracting the Demon King long enough for Rauru to close in on him. Having impaled the Demon King with his magic arm, he proceeded to absorb Ganondorf's powers and forcefully bound the Evil to himself. King Rauru used his last breath to promise Ganondorf that one day, a young swordsman would come to finish what he had started. Ganondorf sarcastically retaliated that he looked forward to meeting him, before falling into a millennial sleep, which put an end to what would become known as the Imprisoning War. He would remain in this tomb for countless ages, his threat progressively forgotten by the future generations.

Capture d’écran 2023-05-23 à 13.28

The odds were too great even for the omnipotent Ganon.

10,000 years prior to Breath of the Wild, Ganondorf's hatred manifested as Calamity Ganon and attacked Hyrule. Few details are known about this cataclysm, but the kingdom had prepared itself for this moment and was able to sustain the Calamity and the swarms of demons that accompanied their master. Ganon did not expect to face not only the hero and the princess of that time, but also a whole army of Guardians and above all, the Divine Beasts created by the Sheikah. Obviously, these machines did not have the power to take down Ganon himself, but they proved decisive in containing his demons, thus preventing them from taking over Hyrule. The Calamity was ultimately vanquished and contained once more, but it was not going down that easily. More importantly, Ganon was cunning and now wary of this formidable armada he failed to destroy. Thousands of years would pass in the blink of an eye, and his return would bring forth the complete destruction of Hyrule.

100 years prior to the events of Breath of the Wild, a prophecy warned of the return of Calamity Ganon.[151][152] 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.[153] Four Champions from each of Hyrule's races were chosen to pilot the Divine Beast of their people[154] and the restoration of the mechanical army seemed to be a phenomenal success.[155] Indeed, according to the legend, the Sheikah built a massive army of mechanical protectors called Guardians to aid the Hero and the Princess.[156] Four massive mobile fortresses known as Divine Beasts served as the centerpieces of this army. Meanwhile, Princess Zelda worked to awaken her sealing powers alongside a young knight, Link, who had been appointed as her protector.[157] 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.[158]

Capture d’écran 2023-05-23 à 13.22

Ganon when he is about to destroy Hyrule once more, this time with more success.

Minutes after she had finished praying at the Spring of Wisdom, the Calamity broke his seal and rose up around the castle, triggering the Second Calamity and setting into motion the events of Breath of the Wild. In a move that surprised everyone, he managed to corrupt the entire Guardian army with its Malice and turned them against Hyrule.[159] Even the Divine Beasts, with their pilots slain, fell under the control of incarnations of Ganon's Malice.[160][161] 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.[162][163][164] Princess Zelda went to confront the Calamity Ganon on her own and managed to seal him once more, though this required her to also become his prisoner to maintain the seal.[68]

Throughout Link's journey during the events of Breath of the Wild, the Calamity's spirit can be seen swarming around Hyrule Castle,[165] where Zelda is using her power to keep him tethered there.[166] When Link finally arrives at the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle, Ganon is found hibernating within a cocoon, and appears as a manifestation of various Guardian parts and Malice grotesquely fused together.

When Calamity Ganon is defeated, Ganon's demonic spirit escapes to Hyrule Field and manifests into Dark Beast Ganon, the Incarnation of Malice and Hatred. He takes the form of a gigantic boar similar to one of Ganondorf's form in Twilight Princess, but is consumed by Malice.[167] Princess Zelda reveals that at this point, Ganon had refused to give up on resurrecting and intends to release the full force of his wrath onto the world.[168] After Zelda bequeaths Link with the Bow of Light and guides him to several of Ganon's weak points, Ganon returns to his ethereal form and attempts to launch one last desperate attack before being sealed away by Zelda. However, Zelda later admitted that the seal was ultimately temporary,[169] with it being confirmed later that Calamity Ganon's actions for the past hundred years also proceeded to weaken the seal on Hyrule Castle to the extent of rapidly decomposing King Rauru's body, making the return of Ganondorf himself inevitable.[170]

Tears of the Kingdom[]

Hero of Time Legend
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Capture d’écran 2023-05-22 à 18.50

A thousands of years-sleep reduced Ganondorf to an emaciated mummy.

For the first time in years, Ganondorf finally returns in Tears of the Kingdom. Also known as the Demon King, he is introduced as the main antagonist of the game.

At the start of the game's story; Link and Zelda are investigating a strange phenomena known as "Gloom", which was seeping from the bowels below Hyrule Castle & causing people to fall ill along with their weapons being decayed. Intent on investigating the rumors: the two discovered long-forgotten ruins deep below the castle. Upon reaching the end of the ruins, Link and Zelda discover a petrified body being the source of the Gloom: and a strange, glowing hand holding it down, subdued. The hand's energy is eventually spent, and the petrified figure opens his eyes, and Zelda is immediately attacked by an enormous blast of Gloom that Link intercepts, causing his body to be filled with Gloom & his power subsequently depleted. On top of this, the Master Sword is instantly decayed and Link's arm is destroyed. A broken shard of the Master Sword manages to cut the petrified Ganondorf's cheek, but it visibly takes less than a few seconds for the cut to be healed, with Ganondorf mockingly referring to the Master Sword as "fragile".[171]The mysterious being then taunted the "Sword that Seals the Darkness" for being unable to do more, while also referring to Link and Zelda by name, expressing familiarity with them. Assuring both that they would be unable to contend with his power, the man initiates an event known as the Upheaval which causes Hyrule Castle to rise from the ground and into the sky. There, in his lair known as the Gloom's Origin, the Gerudo awaited the arrival of Link. During this time, he operated via proxy with both Gloom as well as various Phantom Ganons, one of which posed as Zelda to cover for her disappearance. He then telepathically contacted Link as well as the four sages, Tulin, Yunobo, Sidon, and Riju, at Hyrule Castle after his unit of Phantom Ganons were defeated and unveiled his true identity as Ganondorf and briefly supplied them a vision showing a taste of what he ultimately had in store for Hyrule.[172] As he was still recovering his powers, however, he disengaged them after this. When the Hero of Hyrule finally faced the mummy once more, Ganondorf briefly exposed his views of what Hyrule would look like under his dark rule. Using the ancestral power of the Secret Stone he stole from Queen Sonia long ago, he finally regained his original appearance.

Capture d’écran 2023-05-22 à 18.52

Ganondorf, the Menace Unleashed, after having regained his powers.

The Demon King now stood proudly in front of Link. Dressed in a superb kimono embellished with Gerudo patterns, a katana on his left hand, he was less of the king he pretended to be and more of a warrior priest. The two enemies then began a duel of fates, and Ganondorf displayed his mastery of the sword, fighting with swift and surgical precision. It should be noted that his sword charges are reminiscent of the final fight in Twilight Princess. Ganondorf proves to be a versatile opponent, as he occasionally summons a giant mace, known as the Gloom Club, to try and crush Link, in a style strangely reminiscent of Ghirahim's final fight in Skyward Sword, as well as a bow, demonstrating adeptness with various weapon types. Despite his enormous physique, the Demon King displays a surprising agility, being able to perfect dodge many of Link's attacks with well-executed backflips and side hops (If link performs a Jump Slash). However, he was still holding back his true power and after having sustained a substantial amount of damage, Ganondorf used the power of the Secret Stone once more to reveal his ultimate self before the real showdown with his archenemy, although not before reveling in the challenge Link was supplying him even before going all out.

Now more of a demon than a human, Ganondorf strangely looked like Demise himself, with a fiery red mane and towering stature. Despite his bestial appearance, he fully retained his intelligence and ability to taunt Link. To display the extent of his new power, he seized the opportunity to extend his health bar far beyond the standard limit (twice the length), potentially catching even the player off guard. Then, Ganondorf summoned four Phantoms to assist him and overwhelm Link, stacking him against overwhelming odds. Sarcastically promising his opponent that this time, he would lose more than just an arm, he proceeded in engaging the wielder of the Master Sword. As his Phantoms were advancing towards Link as well, they were soon all engaged in battle by Link's companions, leaving Ganondorf on his own. This time, the Demon King had more than a trick up his sleeve, as he easily dodged Link's flurry rushes, making the duel much more technical and complicated for the latter. Once his health has been reduced by half, Ganondorf proceeds into the next phase. He sucked the very essence of his four Phantoms, gathered their dark power within himself and brutally unleashed a powerful shockwave that knocked out of commission the companions of Link. He then summoned his katana and gratified Link with a satisfied smile, daring him to attack (beckoning gesture). His attacks in this phase are as fast and unpredictable as ever (even going as far as dodging Link's flurry rush, requiring it to be performed twice, and that shooting an arrow to his head no longer stuns him), as demonstrated by his mastery of the bow.

After a grueling battle, Ganondorf was ultimately bested by Link. Furious that a mere mortal like Link would best him, he declared defiantly that his rule has yet to come and Link won't be able to stand in his way. Resorting to drastic measures to defeat Link and subject Hyrule to an Endless Night, he removed Sonia's Secret Stone from his forehead and committed the forbidden act of draconification, fully acknowledging this will mean sacrificing everything, including his mind and body. He then laughed as a stream of Malice engulfed the whole area. Unleashing his full potential, Ganondorf grabbed Link in his maw before leaving the pit and ascending to the surface. The power granted to him by the Secret Stone seemed to have no limits. As the evil spirit finally emerged from beneath Hyrule Castle and started swarming around it, the Malice progressively materialized into a full body, revealing a gigantic black dragon. With Link still stuck in his maw, it seemed that the Demon Dragon was about to prevail. But the Light Dragon (actually Zelda, who earlier committed draconification in a sacrificial effort to ensure the Master Sword was returned to Link in the future) then rushed at the Demon Dragon, with Link taking the opportunity to escape his jaws. Link and the Light Dragon then had a climactic aerial battle above Hyrule against the Demon Dragon, with the latter ultimately being vanquished, taking the Demon King with him and freeing the world from his biggest threat.

Strategy[]

Main article: Ganon/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 also appeared in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. He can be summoned through Wisp by using the Ganondorf, Bokoblin, or 8-Bit Link amiibo.

Ganon's Swords[]

See also: Sword of the Six Sages
Ganon's Sword TWW

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 seen wielding a pair of Swords again 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.", his surrogate mothers from Ocarina of Time.[173] 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. In Tears of the Kingdom, the Demon King Ganondorf wields an ornate katana with a dark blade, the Gloom Sword, a weapon he uses in his final battle against Link.

Non-canon appearances of a sword-wielding Ganondorf include one of Ganondorf's victory poses and Smash Attacks 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[]

  • Topaz is Ganon's favorite gemstone. In Ocarina of Time, he decorates his armor and weapons with them.[174][175]
  • In Tears of the Kingdom, the traditional gemstone adorning Ganondorf's forehead is replaced by a Secret Stone, which became the source of his unlimited power.
  • After Twilight Princess came out in 2006, Ganondorf would not appear again in a Zelda mainline game until 17 years later, with Tears of the Kingdom.
  • In the international NES version of The Adventure of Link, Ganon could be heard laughing in the Game Over screen. The laugh sound effect itself was reused from Bald Bull, Soda Popinski, and Mr. Sandman from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!.
  • Due to a glitch, it is possible to defeat Ganon in A Link to the Past with the Master Sword instead of Silver Arrows. During the final phase, when Ganon is about to teleport, Link must time his sword attack so that Ganon could be hit when he does teleport. Using a Spin Attack increases the chance of the attack connecting. Even with the Master Sword Lv3, it will take several successful attempts, but it can be done.
  • In The Wind Waker, according to the original Japanese text, the Master Sword was only sealing Ganon's minions and not actually his magic, as can be observed in-game.[117][176]
  • The shape of Ganondorf's ears have varied throughout the series. His initial appearance in Ocarina of Time's child timeline depicts him with rounded ears. After the time gap in which he was able to obtain the Triforce of Power, his ears become more pointed, similar to those of Hylians (This detail was removed in the 3DS remake). Ganondorf retains his pointed ears in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Ganondorf is extremely tall in height. According to the Hyrule Historia, he is a whopping 230 cm tall (7'6¾'') in Ocarina of Time.[177] On the other hand, 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 7'8" in that game.[178]
  • Fierce Deity Link in Majora's Mask appears to be the same height as Ganondorf.
  • 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."[168] 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.[179]
    • In order for both passages to be consistent, it can be assumed that Ganon has an obsessive refusal to give up on revival, but has given up on reincarnating into a more sane, sapient form, and instead continues to revive himself in the form of a "purely enraged being".
  • 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.[180] 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.[181]
  • Ganon's roars in the final battle of Ocarina of Time were reused from Queen Gohma and Volvagia.
  • In the original N64 version of Ocarina of Time (v1.0 or v1.1), Ganondorf can be seen coughing red blood when defeated, as well as during when Link stabbed him in the mouth for the finishing blow in his beast form (blood can also be seen in the Bottom of the Well and the Shadow Temple). In later v1.2 releases and subsequent ports it was quickly changed to green, and in the 3DS remake, the Master Sword now hits Ganon in the forehead, to make it less violent and Nintendo wanting to avoid the risk of making the original game being re-rated to "T" (Teen), as it was "E" (Everyone) at the initial release. The remake, however, has Ocarina of Time 3D under the "E10+" (Everyone 10+) rating.
  • The Iron Knuckle enemies seen in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, including the one with Nabooru as such in the former, share Ganondorf's voice, though they are supposed to be Gerudos inside the armor. Ironically, Ganondorf himself is a Gerudo - a male, as the king of their race.
  • Ganondorf's English voice actor in Tears of the Kingdom, Matthew Mercer, previously portrayed the character in the fan film There Will Be Brawl.
  • Ganon's boar-like form was based on Zhu Bajie, one of the characters from the Chinese novel Journey to the West. In fact, during development of the first Zelda game, Ganon was originally going to be named Hakkai, the Japanese transliteration of Zhu Bajie.[182]
  • There are only two games so far where Ganondorf does not transform into his true form, Ganon, those being The Wind Waker and Tears of the Kingdom. In the latter game, he instead transforms into a different form called the Demon Dragon.
  • In Tears of the Kingdom, the secret stone of Ganondorf is etched with "闇(暗)" which means "Darkness" in Chinese after he transforms into the Demon King.
  • In the Japanese version for the game, Ganondorf's motivations for his actions, including the theft of Sonia's secret stone, were to set the clock back to before Rauru brought all the tribes together to form peace, with it being implied he hated the Zonai due to "ruining courage" (implied to be referring to the usage of Zonai devices during battle). This was not made apparent in the English localization.
  • Aside from his Demon King form's obvious resemblance to Demise, it also bears a slight resemblance to an Oni, a Japanese mythological creature that's often used as a villain in various Japanese stories including Momotarou. In particular, the similarity extends to Ganondorf's horns in this form, and to a lesser extent his hairstyle. The similarity is further reinforced with his usage of the Gloom Club, which was modeled after a Kanabō, a spiked club weapon often used by Oni.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapaneseガノン (Ganon) (TLoZ | TAoL | ALttP | OoT | FSA | CoH)[183][184][185][186]
ガノンドロフ (Ganondorofu) (ALttP | OoT)[187][188]
邪悪の王 (Jaaku no Ō) (ALttP)[189]
魔盗族ガノン (Ma Tōzoku Ganon) (ALttP)[190]
ガノンドロフ (Ganondorofu) (ALttP | OoT)[191][192]
大魔王 (Daimaō) (OoT)[193]
闇の王 (Yami no Ō) (FSA)
ガノン様 (Ganon-sama) (FSA)
Gannon/Ganon
Gannondorf/Ganondorf
King of Evil
Gannon/Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves
Gannondorf/Ganondorf
King of Darkness / Demon King
King of Darkness
Revered Ganon
ChinaChineseSI盖侬 (Gàinóng) (CoH)
Taiwan, Hong Kong, MacaoChineseTR加儂 (Jiānóng) (CoH)
NetherlandsDutchGanon (TLoZ | TAoL)[194][195]
CanadaFrenchCAGanon (CoH | HWAoC)[196]
FranceFrenchEUGanon (TLoZ | CoH)[197]
Ganondorf (OoT)[198]
GermanyGermanGanon (TLoZ | CoH)[199]
ItalyItalianGanon (TLoZ | TAoL | CoH)[200][201]
South KoreaKorean가논 (Ganon) (CoH)
SpainSpanishEUGanon (TLoZ | CoH)[202]
Latin AmericaSpanishLAGanon (CoH)
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

Notes

  1. 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, and a bestial roar can be heard in the background.[69]

References

  1. "Those creatures from Ganon / Are pretty bad"The Legend of Zelda US rap commercial, YouTube, retrieved October 14, 2014.
  2. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 106
  3. "LONG AGO, GANON, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, STOLE THE TRIFORCE OF POWER. PRINCESS ZELDA OF HYRULE BROKE THE TRIFORCE OF WISDOM INTO EIGHT PIECES AND HID THEM FROM GANON BEFORE SHE WAS KIDNAPPED BY GANON'S MINIONS. LINK, YOU MUST FIND THE PIECES AND SAVE ZELDA." — N/A (The Legend of Zelda)
  4. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 106
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 10
  6. 6.0 6.1 Art & Artifacts, Dark Horse Books, pg. 413
  7. "Listen. The great Ganondorf recognized my obvious talents and gave the ranch to me!" — Ingo (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  8. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages — Official Strategy Guide (Pocket Guide), BradyGames, pg. 114(OoS)
  9. "Everything's going swell lately! And we have Ganon, King of Darkness, to thank! Huh? Vaati? What's that? No, Vaati's old news. Ganon's the King of Darkness! Forget Vaati!" — Deku Scrub (Four Swords Adventures)
  10. "Soon, Lord Ganon's power will change all of Hyrule's forests into Lost Woods! Once that happens, we'll be able to travel freely!" — Deku Scrub (Four Swords Adventures)
  11. "Make sure that all who enter the forest remain here! Lord Ganon's orders!" ()
  12. "I adore Lord Ganon, but that shady guy who looks like you ain't so great. He's not one of us, but he still pushes us around like he's some kinda big shot!" — Deku Scrub (Four Swords Adventures)
  13. "Dark Beast
    GANON
    " — N/A (Twilight Princess HD)
  14. "Dark Lord
    GANONDORF
    " — N/A (Twilight Princess HD)
  15. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Prima Official Game Guide, Prima Games, pg. 33
  16. 16.0 16.1 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 401
  17. "A great evil, the Demon King [Ganondorf], emerged. He attacked the innocent and sought the destruction of Hyrule. He was our chief...before he changed. His obsession over power turned him into a monster." — Sage of Lightning (Tears of the Kingdom)
  18. "Lord Ganon! Your martial prowess is truly outstanding!" — Ghirahim (Hyrule Warriors)
  19. "Respect. Sooga! This is a directive from Lord Ganon." — Master Kohga (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  20. "Yes! Lord Ganon! Cast all into darkness... Destruction to Hyrule!" — Calamity Ganon Worshippers (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  21. "Oh, Catalyst of Calamity! Reveal unto us the future!" — Calamity Ganon Worshipper (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  22. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 179 (TLoZ | ALttP | OoT | OoS | OoA | FSA | TP) & 300 (ALBW)
  23. The Crystal Trap, Simon & Schuster, pg. 1
  24. "Ganondorf" (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 179 (OoT | TWW | TP))
  25. "Though "Ganon" is also a nickname for Ganondorf, here it refers to the beastlike form adopted by the thief following his transformation. The Demon King resembles a giant boar." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 90)
  26. 26.0 26.1 "My country lay within a vast desert. When the sun rose into the sky, a burning wind punished my lands, searing the world. And when the moon climbed into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierced our homes. No matter when it came, the wind carried the same thing... Death. But the winds that blew across the green fields of Hyrule brought something other than suffering and ruin. I coveted that wind, I suppose." — Ganon (The Wind Waker)
  27. "This game talks about the birth of the Master Sword, and it touches on why Ganondorf showed up. If you play it, I think you'll get some understanding on that. It connects to Ocarina, so if you play Ocarina of Time 3D and move on to this game, I think you'll catch on to a lot of things." —Eiji Aonuma (Eiji Aonuma interview)
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 "Extraordinary. You stand as a paragon of your kind, human. You fight like no human or demon I have ever known. Though this is not the end. My hate... never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again! Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!" — Demise (Skyward Sword)
  29. "A cyclical tale arose from an ancient battle..." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 91)
  30. "However, the destruction of Demise was not the end of the battle. It was the beginning of a curse: a never ending cycle of the reincarnation of the Demon King, whose hatred for those with the blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero is everlasting" (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 76)
  31. 31.0 31.1 "Four Swords Adventures: The Reincarnation of Ganondorf" (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 69)
  32. "Ganon: The source of darkness, awaiting his return to power."Official Site - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 2DS family of systems., Zelda.com, retrieved November 16, 2015.
  33. 33.0 33.1 "Ganon's wish was to conquer the world. That wish changed the Golden Land to the Dark World." — Essence of the Triforce (A Link to the Past)
  34. "The Seven Sages of that era sealed the realm in a ferocious battle known as the Imprisoning War. The clan of knights tasked with guarding the sages was nearly wiped out in the process." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 24)
  35. "Chronologically, Ocarina of Time is when Ganondorf first appears, as he was not yet born during the events of Four Swords, The Minish Cap and Skyward Sword." (The Legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 20)
  36. "Twinrova Koume: Ganondorf's surrogate mother. Sorceress of Flame. She seems vulnerable to low temperature." — Navi (Ocarina of Time)
  37. "Twinrova Kotake: Ganondorf's surrogate mother. Sorceress of Ice. She seems vulnerable to high temperature." — Navi (Ocarina of Time)
  38. "With his followers, he stole from women and children, and he even killed people! A kid like you may not know this, but the Gerudo race consists only of women. Only one man is born every hundred years... Even though our laws say that lone male Gerudo must become King of the Gerudo, I'll never bow to such an evil man!" — Nabooru (Ocarina of Time)
  39. 39.0 39.1 "The pyramid is sacred to our people. To have a criminal such as him enter... His presence stains its holy ground." — Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
  40. "Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto my people. That child is destined to be the mighty guardian of the Gerudo and the desert. But this child, its heart grew twisted with every passing year. The child became a man who hungered for power at any price." — Gerudo elder (Four Swords Adventures)
  41. "Ganon...This beast was once of the Gerudo...Once human. He was called Ganondorf! King of Darkness, ancient demon reborn. The wielder of the trident!!" — Princess Zelda (Four Swords Adventures)
  42. 42.0 42.1 "あくまで可能性として話すとすれば、ハイラル建国の話があってもその前に一度滅んだ歴史がある可能性もあります。[If I'm just talking about this as a possibility, even if there is a story about the founding of Hyrule, there is a possibility that there is a history where Hyrule was destroyed once before that.]" — Hidemaro Fujibayashi, An interview with the developer of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" that can still be talked about. A marvelous sequel completed through "play priority", Famitsu.
  43. "Regardless... I will reshape this world as it was meant to be. I will crush any opposition. I will rule. That is what a king must do." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Tears of the Kingdom)
  44. "So, you think you can protect them from me... You've got guts, kid." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  45. "It's been a while, boy. You have done well to sneak into my fortress and wriggle your way all the way up here. I suppose the least I can do is commend you for your reckless courage." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  46. "YOU... CURSE YOU...ZELDA! CURSE YOU...SAGES!! CURSE YOU...LINK! Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand...." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  47. "I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Twilight Princess)
  48. "His abiding hatred and lust for power turned to purest malice..." — Sage (Twilight Princess)
  49. "The demon king was born into this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created the horror you see now." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  50. "[Ganon] was heard to lament, "The power I have attained from the people of Hyrule is not yet enough." From Ganon's words, we can surmise that he did not have the power he needed to cover Hyrule in darkness." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 121)
  51. 社長が訊く『ゼルダの伝説 大地の汽笛』 番外篇1 昭和60年に書かれた文書, Nintendo.co.jp, retrieved December 27, 2015.
  52. Iwata Asks: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks: Bonus Stage 1: Ancient Documents from 1985, Nintendo.com, retrieved December 27, 2015.
  53. "MANY YEARS AGO PRINCE DARKNESS "GANNON" STOLE ONE OF THE TRIFORCE WITH POWER. PRINCESS ZELDA HAD ONE OF THE TRIFORCE WITH WISDOM. SHE DIVIDED IT INTO "8" UNITS TO HIDE IT FROM "GANNON" BEFORE SHE WAS CAPTURED. GO FIND THE "8" UNITS "LINK" TO SAVE HER." — N/A (The Legend of Zelda)
  54. "This army was led by Ganon, the powerful Prince of Darkness who sought to plunge the World into fear and darkness under his rule." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  55. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link/Regional Differences
  56. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past#Regional Differences
  57. Development:The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Script Differences
  58. Proto:The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest/Console Output Strings
  59. "The person who rediscovered the Golden Land was Ganondorf the evil thief." — Maiden (A Link to the Past)
  60. "You are the only one who can destroy Ganondorf, the thief-no, Ganon, the evil King Of Darkness!" — Maiden (A Link to the Past)
  61. 61.0 61.1 "The name of this king of thieves is Ganondorf Dragmire, but he is known by his alias, Mandrag Ganon, which means Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5-6)
  62. "Once known as the King of Thieves, Ganondorf Dragmire used the power of the Triforce to become the beast, Ganon." — Nintendo, Online Guide - The Legend of Zelda: The official home of the Nintendo game series, The Legend of Zelda series for Nintendo systems, published 2017, retrieved April 21, 2017.
  63. "Though "Ganon" is also a nickname for Ganondorf, here it refers to the beastlike form adopted by the thief following his transformation. The Demon King resembles a giant boar." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 90)
  64. "A design sketch depicting Ganondorf’s phantom. Ganondorf never appears in the Oracle series, however. Only his beast form, Ganon, is seen." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 169)
  65. "Ganon: No trace remains of the human known as Ganondorf." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 121)
  66. "I suppose you [Link] saw him... The shadow that commands that monstrous bird... His name is...Ganon... He... who obtained the power of the gods, attempted to cover the land in darkness and was ultimately sealed away by the very power he hoped to command. He is the very same Ganon... The emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of..." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  67. "Midna... Foolish Twilight Princess... The curse on you cannot be broken... It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of the Twili will never return! Already he has descended and been reborn in this world... As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  68. 68.0 68.1 "I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle. That...is Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching..." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  69. JoshKall Plays, Version differences - Zelda 2: NES Vs FDS, YouTube (video), published August 24, 2014, retrieved January 22, 2020.
  70. "...The Triforce will grant the wishes of whoever touches it, as long as that person lives... That is why it was hidden in the Golden Land. Only a select few knew of its location, but at some point that knowledge was lost... The person who rediscovered the Golden Land was Ganondorf the evil thief." — Maiden (A Link to the Past)
  71. "In a long running battle, the leader of the thieves fought his way past his followers in a lust for the Golden Power. After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood-stained hands." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5)
  72. "Indeed, the King of Evil Ganon, the one who has threatened Hyrule so, was born at this time." (A Link to the Past manual, Japanese version, pg. 7)
  73. "The Knights took the full brunt of the fierce attack, and although they fought courageously many a brave soul was lost that day, However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden land." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 6)
  74. "I never imagined a boy like you could give me so much trouble. It's unbelievable that you defeated my alter ego, Agahnim the Dark Wizard, twice!" — Ganon (A Link to the Past)
  75. "Agahnim has seized control of the castle and is now trying to open the seven wise men's seal." — Princess Zelda (A Link to the Past)
  76. "Pestilence and drought, uncontrollable even by magic, ravaged the land. [...] He offered rewards for anyone who could find the source of these troubles. In answer to these summons a stranger named Agahnim came and quelled the disasters with a previously unseen form of magic. As a reward, the king gave him a new position as chief advisor and heir to the Seven Wise Men." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 6)
  77. "Of late, rumors have traveled their whispering path with alarming frequency. Rumors saying Agahnim now rules the country with his magic..." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7)
  78. "A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim came to Hyrule to release the seal. He eliminated the good King of Hyrule... Through evil magic, he began to make descendants of the seven wise men vanish, one after another." — N/A (A Link to the Past)
  79. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 84
  80. 80.0 80.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 20
  81. "They say that Ganondorf is not satisfied with ruling only the Gerudo and aims to conquer all of Hyrule!" — Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)
  82. "All this trouble must have been caused by that Gerudo thief, Ganondorf! He said, "Give me the Spiritual Stone! Only then will I open the cave for you!" — Darunia (Ocarina of Time)
  83. 83.0 83.1 "That is Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos. They hail from the desert far to the west. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I am sure he is not sincere." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  84. "We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  85. "On that day seven years ago, Ganondorf suddenly attacked... and Hyrule Castle surrendered after a short time." — Impa (Ocarina of Time)
  86. "You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now... Which way did it go?! Answer me!! […] Pathetic little fool! Do you realize who you are dealing with?! I am Ganondorf! And soon, I will rule the world!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  87. "As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm...Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  88. "What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  89. "He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil..." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  90. "The Triforce separated into three parts. Only the Triforce of Power remained in Ganondorf's hand." — Impa (Ocarina of Time)
  91. "Since Ganondorf came, people in the Castle Town have gone, places have been ruined, and monsters are wandering everywhere." — Malon (Ocarina of Time)
  92. "Princess Zelda...you foolish traitor! I commend you for avoiding my pursuit for seven long years." — Ganon (Ocarina of Time)
  93. "If you want to rescue Zelda, come to my castle!" — Ganon (Ocarina of Time)
  94. "We have to save Princess Zelda from her imprisonment in Ganon's Castle!" — Navi (Ocarina of Time)
  95. "These toys are too much for you! I command you to return them to me!" — Ganon (Ocarina of Time)
  96. "Link, listen to me! This tower will collapse soon! With his last breath, Ganondorf is trying to crush us in the ruins of the tower! We need to hurry and escape!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  97. "Use the Master Sword! Destroy Ganon with the sacred sword!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  98. "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  99. "Someday...When this seal is broken....That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  100. "As long as the Triforce of Power is still in my hand..." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Ocarina of Time)
  101. "Onox has fallen, but the damage he has done to this land burns on in the Flame of Destruction!" — Twinrova (Oracle of Seasons)
  102. "Behold, Veran! The troubles you caused have filled the land with cries of sorrow! It has given birth to the Flame of Sorrow, which burns brightly!" — Twinrova (Oracle of Ages)
  103. "Thanks to Veran and Onox, the Flames of Sorrow and Destruction already flicker! And when we captured Zelda, the foolish humans gave us despair! Oh, Flames of Despair, Destruction and Sorrow, burn with the power of our evil deeds!" — Twinrova (Oracle of Ages)
  104. "Hoh hoh! Ganon's return was but a step away! Link! It is not over! Our rites have failed, but by sacrificing this body, Ganon will return!" — Twinrova (Oracle of Ages)
  105. "Since they could not sacrifice me in their final rite, the powers of darkness could only revive a mindless, raging Ganon." — Princess Zelda (Oracle of Ages)
  106. "Gwoh hoh hoh! I am Ganon... The Evil King..." — Ganon (Oracle of Ages)
  107. "Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  108. "My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods..." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  109. "When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself..." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  110. "Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  111. "The events which we have long feared seem to have been set into motion. Yes. It seems Ganon has returned. There can be no other explanation." — Jabun (The Wind Waker)
  112. "After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away...but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath." — Laruto (The Wind Waker)
  113. "I knew there was a reason the monsters had begun to congregate in the regions around my wood. Now I understand it. He has returned... Ganon has returned..." — Great Deku Tree (The Wind Waker)
  114. "He is the very same Ganon... The emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of..." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  115. "Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses. He will not rest until he has found her." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  116. "My name is Ganondorf... And I am the master of Forsaken Fortress." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  117. 117.0 117.1 "Foolish child. While that sword is indeed the blade of evil's bane, at the same time, it has long played another role... You see, it is also a sort of key... a most wretched little key that has kept the seal on me and my magic intact!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker HD)
  118. "By withdrawing the blade, you have broken that seal..." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker HD)
  119. "You cannot defeat me with a blade that does not sparkle with the power to repel evil! What you hold is useless." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  120. "Its power is gone, and its edges are dull!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  121. "And yet...unfortunately, due to Ganondorf's evil designs, the Master Sword you hold has lost this power." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  122. "You cannot defeat Ganon until the power to repel evil has been returned to the Master Sword." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  123. "My Triforce of Power is resonating! Ha! At long last, I have found you... Princess Zelda!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  124. "You must protect Zelda. She cannot be permitted to fall into the hands of Ganon." — Jabun (The Wind Waker)
  125. "So, despite our efforts, the princess has fallen into Ganon's hands..." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  126. "Beyond the bridge on the far side of the castle stands Ganon's Tower. I am certain Zelda is being held there." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  127. "I can see this girl's dreams... Oceans... Oceans... Oceans... Oceans... Oceans as far as the eye can see." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  128. "This is a gigantic marionette created by Ganon himself. It transforms into three different shapes, but all are vulnerable to rays of light." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  129. "When power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down..." — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  130. "Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire! Hope! I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule! Let a ray of hope shine on the future of the world!!!" — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  131. "Ganondorf! May you drown with Hyrule!!!" — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  132. "It is none other than the Master Sword...The blade of evil's bane. It is the only sword that can banish Ganon from the world above!" — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  133. "There was no blood, and he turned to stone, and died." —Nate Bihldorff (Nintendo World Report - The Treehouse Interview)
  134. "Ughnn… Heh heh… The wind… It is blowing…" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker)
  135. "In defeat, he was freed from his unceasing, demonic desire to obtain the Triforce, which had clung to him like a curse." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 21)
  136. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 119
  137. "His name is...Ganondorf. He was the leader of a band of thieves who invaded Hyrule in the hopes of establishing dominion over the Sacred Realm. He was known as a demon thief, an evil-magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness... But he was blind... In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice." — Sage (Twilight Princess)
  138. "Yet...By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods." — Sage (Twilight Princess)
  139. "Your people have long amused me, Midna. To defy the gods with such petty magic, only to be cast aside... How very pathetic. Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well. Their anguish was my nourishment. Their hatred bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Twilight Princess)
  140. "I shall house my power in you...If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too." — Ganon (Twilight Princess)
  141. "My god had only one wish...To merge shadow and light...and make darkness!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  142. "Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world...In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!" — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  143. "Do not think this ends here... The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (Twilight Princess)
  144. "Just then, a huge, ominous king appeared! He carried Princess Zelda away...The evil king sought the sacred power passed down to Hyrulean princesses. He schemed to take the power and use it himself. The boy chased after him, determined to save the princess... The boy crossed seas and climbed mountains. The journey was perilous. He slayed evil monsters and used their power to become a true hero. After long and hard adventuring, he defeated the evil king. And beautiful Princess Zelda was rescued at last." — Niko (Phantom Hourglass)
  145. "I will use the Sages to reach the one who shall help me attain true beauty. I mean, of course... GANON!" — Yuga (A Link Between Worlds)
  146. "I knew Yuga planned to slip into your world to abduct Zelda and the Sages. I...I couldn't stop him. Now he has used them to summon the Demon King and siphon his power. Yuga's appetite will soon consume our worlds. Hyrule and Lorule—the beast's for the talking." — Princess Hilda (A Link Between Worlds)
  147. "Yet as Hyrule is facing the same threat as in the legend of old, you have so much more to endure." — Impa (A Link Between Worlds)
  148. "You have claimed the power of the gods Link. With it you can stop the return of the Demon King-and thwart his evil ambitions. Now hero, you must take your battle to Lorule Castle, there awaits the Demon King." — Impa (A Link Between Worlds)
  149. "Rise. Rise my servants. Sweep over Hyrule with the power I have granted you. Eliminate this kingdom and her allies. LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (Tears of the Kingdom)
  150. "King Rauru, we had just received word that the last free village in the Gerudo Desert has fallen. At this rate, the Demon King's Army will overwhelm us." — [[Sage of Water]] (Tears of the Kingdom)
  151. "The return of Ganon looms—a dark force taunting us from afar. I must learn all I can about the relics so we can stop him. If the fortune-teller's prophecy is to be believed, there isn't much time left..." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  152. "Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also...a prophecy. "The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground."" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  153. "We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beats, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers that fought autonomously." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  154. "We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  155. "The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon..." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  156. "The people thought it wise to utilize their technological prowess to ensure the safety of the land, should Calamity Ganon ever return. They constructed four mechanical wonders that came to be known as the Divine Beasts. They also built a legion of autonomous weapons called Guardians." — Impa (Breath of the Wild)
  157. "One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  158. "So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
    "I'm sorry, no." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  159. "Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against us." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  160. "That...thing is one of Ganon's creations." — Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
  161. "You're here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
  162. "The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess...And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  163. " I spoke with Purah about the Shrine of Resurrection we discovered earlier. As we speculated, this particular shrine is, in fact, a medical facility with the power to heal. It also has a long-term stasis function that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  164. "You have been asleep for the past 100 years." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  165. "I assume that you caught full sight of that atrocity swarming around the castle. That...is the Calamity Ganon." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  166. "The words of guidance you have been hearing since your awakening are from Princess Zelda herself. Even now, as she works to restrain Ganon from within Hyrule Castle, as she calls out for your help." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  167. "This form is considered to be Ganon's original, although in this state, his awareness has been consumed entirely by Malice" — Hyrule Compendium (Breath of the Wild)
  168. 168.0 168.1 "... Ganon... Ganon... Ganon was born out of a dark past. He is a pure embodiment of the ancient evil that is reborn time and time again... He has given up on reincarnation and assumed his pure, enraged form. If set free upon our world, the destruction will be unlike anything ever seen before." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  169. "Although Ganon is gone for now, there is still so much more for us to do." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  170. https://nintendoeverything.com/zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-devs-explain-raurus-seal-shrines-lightroots/
  171. "Rauru placed his faith in you... and that was all you could do?" — [[Ganondorf to Link.]] (Tears of the Kingdom)
  172. "My power will sweep across this land. You need but to wait the inevitable." — [[Ganondorf to his foes at Hyrule Castle.]] (Tears of the Kingdom)
  173. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 21
  174. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 148
  175. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 21
  176. "その剣は、魔を撃退する退魔の剣 であると同時に、 我が魔族を封じていた、いまいましい封印 そのものなのだよ!" — Ganondorf Dragmire (The Wind Waker, Japanese version) (Translation by jacensolo06)
  177. Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 148
  178. Ganondorf's First 4 Figures Exclusive Figure
  179. "This form was born from his obsessive refusal to give up on revival…"How Ganon’s Motivation Changed in Breath of the Wild’s English Translation, , published August 11, 2017, retrieved February 22, 2018.
  180. https://tcrf.net/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Twilight_Princess/Unused_Text#Ganondorf
    選ばれし力を持つ者が現れる時
    必ず、その対極を成す者が生まれ出ん
    それが、お前達が信じる神が与えた
    紋章を持つ者の運命だ
    この世に紋章を持つ者が現れる限り
    何度でも、流血の時代が訪れる (Translation: When the chosen ones appear... They are always born into this world in perfect balance. That is the fate decreed by your gods, the only path for those who bear their crests. When this world brings forth another marked as you are... Know too, that it shall also be visited by one of my blood.)
  181. http://www.angelfire.com/games5/makzelda/interviews/kiootcomments.html
  182. https://archive.today/20120629063241/http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/iwata/iwata_asks_-_zelda_handheld_history_15603_15604.html
  183. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 38
  184. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 5
  185. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7
  186. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 143
  187. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7
  188. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 143
  189. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7 Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Vol. 2, Shogakukan, pg. 150
  190. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7
  191. A Link to the Past manual, pg. 7
  192. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 143
  193. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 137
  194. The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3
  195. Collector's Edition manual, pg. 8
  196. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity pour Nintendo Switch - Détails du jeu Nintendo, www.nintendo.com, retrieved September 8, 2020.
  197. Hyrule Historia, Les Éditions Soleil, pg. 106 (TLoZ)
  198. Encyclopedia (Les Éditions Soleil) pg. 239
  199. Encyclopedia, TOKYOPOP, pg. 219
  200. Collector's Edition manual, pg. 32
  201. Collector's Edition manual, pg. 34
  202. Encyclopedia, Norma Editorial, pg. 219
The Legend of ZeldaThe Adventure of LinkA Link to the PastLink's AwakeningOcarina of TimeMajora's MaskOracle of SeasonsOracle of AgesFour SwordsThe Wind WakerFour Swords AdventuresThe Minish CapTwilight PrincessPhantom HourglassSpirit TracksSkyward SwordA Link Between WorldsTri Force HeroesBreath of the WildTears of the Kingdom
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