The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild introduced players to a brand new incarnation of Link's ancient nemesis Ganon, but even through Link has bested him once again, it might be too early to celebrate. The Gerudo details and the familiar miasma surrounding the shriveled corpse for Breath of the Wild 2 suggest that Ganondorf will be back with a vengeance.
Exciting as that may be, it raises many questions about the first game. Was Calamity Ganon what players thought it was? How could this incarnation of Ganon be in two places at once, buried underground and conquering Hyrule? The answers may point to Breath of the Wild 2 featuring a stronger Ganondorf than Link has ever faced before.
The Curious Case of Calamity Ganon
There is no questioning Calamity Ganon's remarkable power. Ganon conquers Hyrule before the game even begins, forcing Link to survive in a ravaged countryside while trying to save the kingdom. Calamity Ganon's reach is so great that it can even replace all of its minions through regular acts of necromancy, ensuring his iron grip on the ruins of Hyrule. It's rare that Ganon has so much power over the world from the very beginning of a Zelda title, most of which focus on Ganon or Ganondorf fighting to claim the Triforce or even just to return to life. This time, Link has already failed to stop him and has to try again.
Knowing how dominant Calamity Ganon is, some odd contrast arises when considering Ganon's behavior with his power. Players who have reached the end of the game and confronted Calamity Ganon will recall that he was bestial and rather mindless, rather than the villainous demon-king associated with most appearances of Ganon. That change in behavior is food for thought for fans of the series accustomed to a very different King of Darkness, both when considering the first game and the sequel.
Ganondorf's appearance after Calamity Ganon's defeat may be more of a misdirection than evidence Calamity Ganon was even the real Ganon. Canonically, Ganon and Ganondorf are two forms of the same being, which means Calamity Ganon and Ganondorf's corpse most likely couldn't exist at the same time. If Ganon has found a way to conquer Hyrule from beyond death anyway, it may foreshadow just how powerful Ganondorf will be in the sequel.
The Power of the Miasma
Calamity Ganon is the nexus for the extraordinary magic that empowers and resuscitates his minions. Rumor has it that the malice of Calamity Ganon will return by flooding Breath of the Wild 2's map in a foul miasma that Link is responsible for clearing. A miasma keeping Link from traveling to familiar locations is a plausible explanation for keeping the old map. It would allow familiar locations to remain in place while cutting them off temporarily; alternatively, they could be modified by the miasma, allowing Link to have new adventures in old places.
It isn't hard to imagine what such a fog of malice could look like, considering the smoky, luminous energy that makes up both Calamity Ganon's appearance and the flecks of magic that appear with events like the blood moon. However, the miasma will need a new source with Calamity Ganon defeated. One needn't look any further than the very same magic appearing on Ganondorf's presumed corpse as he appears to break free from a seal. If magic is leaking from Ganondorf's body now, it may have been doing so for a long time. Therein lies a possible explanation for Calamity Ganon's creation and identity.
Ganondorf's Revenge and the Calamity's Return
The beast that Link fought so hard to defeat in BotW may have never been the real Ganon. Instead, perhaps it was an imitation. The trailer indicates that Ganondorf has been trapped under a seal for a very long time, but his power is leaking out from under it. Even though he's clearly a corpse, the power of the blood moon shows that death is no obstacle for Ganon anymore. If he can revive all of his minions with such frequency, he may be sealed in a state of undeath of his own doing and now he plots his revenge.
Ganondorf may have used the leak in his seal to conjure Calamity Ganon, a reflection of himself and an extension of his power. If so, even from beyond the grave, Ganondorf was able to use Calamity Ganon to corrupt Hyrule's Guardians, defeat Link, and slay the Champions. While Zelda was able to keep Ganondorf's incursion under control for a century by trapping his agent in Hyrule Castle with her, the struggle was only put to an end when Link returned and helped Zelda defeat Ganon.
If that's the case, Calamity Ganon's defeat may have been temporary at best. Ganondorf seems ready to finally break free from the seal in BotW 2, and if he returns, so may Calamity Ganon. This image of Ganon was a very successful tool to the King of Darkness in spite of its eventual defeat, so perhaps Ganondorf will choose to summon a new Calamity Ganon to help him wreak vengeance. Players are sure to be confronted with a Calamity that's stronger than ever once Ganondorf is freed from his imprisonment.
Hyrule's Fate
At the end of the trailer, Hyrule Castle quakes and seems to move. For all fans know, it may be Ganondorf putting a new, stronger Calamity Ganon to use to start his revenge by destroying Ganon's former prison. Alternatively, he might take control of the castle to make it his own. Other familiar locations may also be in danger if BotW 2's antagonist will lay siege to the castle. Nowhere is safe, even -- and especially -- if the old BotW map returns.
This is only a theory, of course, but with so few details to go off of, the best insight on the coming sequel is through rumors and speculation. It's clear that a dark new conflict awaits Hyrule, and Ganondorf's return with more power than ever could certainly be the force responsible for that. Link and Zelda will truly be put to the test if their mutual nemesis' resurrection means that Calamity Ganon will rise again as well. Evil has yet to be cast out of Breath of the Wild's Hyrule. If anything, the battle has just begun.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is in development.
