Highlights
- Ganondorf, the main antagonist of the Legend of Zelda series, has appeared multiple times throughout the franchise with different forms and nefarious plans.
- Each incarnation of Ganondorf has had a different impact on the game, playing a ruthless dictator, a mindless beast, or a manipulator.
- Despite his various forms and schemes, Ganondorf is consistently defeated by Link, the hero of the Legend of Zelda series, through strategy and swordplay.
Any great hero is nothing without an iconic villain to square off with. Mario has Bowser, Cloud has Sephiroth, and The Legend of Zelda series has Link going head-to-head with Ganondorf. Serving as the main antagonist of the franchise, Ganondorf has appeared multiple times throughout the history of the series, taking on different physical forms and plotting a variety of dastardly schemes.
Ganondorf is as synonymous with The Legend of Zelda as its green tunic-clad hero, and each reincarnation he has appeared as has had a different impact on the entry it occurred within. The following is a breakdown of every time the Demon King returned to the land of Hyrule, and what his nefarious plan was.
Skyward Sword
The first appearance of Ganon in the timeline actually wasn't Ganon at all, but his predecessor, Demise. A fearsome foe and the incarnation of hatred, he serves as the origin of the character and reveals his destiny to eternally resurrect in order to conquer the world. This iteration also establishes the groundwork for this seething grudge against the goddesses and spirit of the hero.
Ocarina of Time
During the plot of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is the ruler of the Gerudo and swears allegiance to the King of Hyrule. This turns out to be a ruse, as he betrays the trust he was given and wants to open the door to the Sacred Realm to obtain the Triforce. He sneaks in when Link opens to door and manages to obtain the Triforce of Power, plunging Hyrule into a world of darkness and misery. This interpretation is depicted as a ruthless dictator and tactician, but he does transform into his monster form in the game's climax.
A Link to the Past
After Ganon is sealed away, he uses his dark magic to manipulate the wizard Agahnim to break him out of his prison. Link attempts to obtain the Master Sword to defeat Agahnim, but both are thrust into the Dark World. The shadow of Ganon rises from Agahnim, but despite his immense power, once again manages to be defeated by Link.
Oracle of Seasons/Ages
In the linked ending to both Oracle of Ages and Seasons, it's revealed that Twinrova's plan in both games was to revive Ganon by means of a dark ritual. The ritual doesn't go exactly as planned thanks to some heroic intervention from Link, and Ganon is reborn as a mindless beast instead. After an epic battle, Link once again sealed the Demon King away.
A Link Between Worlds
Similar to other entries above, a new antagonist named Yuga is attempting to resurrect Ganon in an effort to gain control of the world. In the climactic moments of the game, Ganon comes to life, steals the Triforce of Wisdom, and faces off against Link in a terrific clash. As always, with some clever strategy and fancy swordplay, Link comes out on top and brings down Ganon.
The Legend of Zelda
Years after this, Ganon inexplicably returns to Hyrule, devoid of the same cunning intelligence seen in other installments. He commands an invasion of the land, forcing Link to once again jump into action. Link gathers the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom and confronts Ganon in his secret lair. After a battle, Link's blade and Silver Arrows finish the King of Evil, reducing him to a pile of ash.
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
Years later, the evil power within Ganon's heart remained in Hyrule, spreading chaos and infecting creatures spreading his dark malice. In this instance, Ganon's army attempts to gather Link's blood to sprinkle on Ganon's ashes in order to revive him. In a scenario where the player loses, Ganon's minions are able to do so, resulting in the iconic "Game Over" screen seen above.
Twilight Princess
Prior to the events of Twilight Princess, Ganondorf's plans were exposed, and he was put on trial to be executed by the Sages. The Triforce of Power saves him just before he is banished to the Twilight Realm, where he meets Zant. Zant is bitter for not being put on the Twilight Realm's Throne, so Ganondorf easily manipulates him to do his bidding in Hyrule. Eventually, Ganon is able to muster enough power to return to Hyrule himself, only to be defeated by Link and Zelda. Before succumbing to his wounds, Ganondorf makes a threat that his feud with Hyrule will rage on and that the history of light and shadow will be "written in blood".
The Wind Waker
The gods were forced to flood Hyrule in an attempt to stop Ganon, only for him to break free again, with another plot to gain the Triforce. He mistakenly kidnaps Link's sister believing she is Zelda, pitting these two destined enemies against each other once more. Link unwittingly gives Ganon his power back by removing the Master Sword from its pedestal, the only thing that contained the Evil King's source of power. In a climactic battle, Link plunges the Sword into Ganon's forehead, as the ocean floods Hyrule Castle and buries the villain in the depths of the ocean.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are directly connected—a rarity for a Zelda title—so Ganon's storyline carries over from game to game. Ganon is born into the Gerudo as a leader and attempts to conquer Hyrule with a Molduga stampede. After this fails, he pledges allegiance to King Rauru, in a similar move to what Ganondorf did in Ocarina of Time. Naturally, this was all a scheme and by using a fake doppelganger of Princess Zelda, is able to trick everyone and steal a Sacred Stone to enhance his power. He is eventually defeated during an event called "The Imprisoning War" by Rauru, where he is trapped under Hyrule Castle for ages.
The immense amount of hatred Ganon had in his veins materialized in the form of a beast called Calamity Ganon, which served as the primary antagonist in Breath of the Wild. In the process, Link was gravely wounded and sealed in a healing chamber for 100 years, whereupon re-awakening and uniting the Divine Beasts, was able to vanquish Calamity Ganon.
In Tears of the Kingdom, Ganon's mummified corpse is found under Hyrule Castle as the source of a poisonous "Gloom" spreading throughout the kingdom. He destroys the Master Sword, raises the castle into the sky, and sends Zelda back in time. In the climactic moments of the latest The Legend of Zelda game, Ganon has summoned the power of the Sacred Stone, channeling his demon powers and bearing a striking resemblance to Demise, bringing his character full circle. In one last effort, he turns into a Demon Dragon to try and defeat Link but ultimately loses.
