| NOTE: This page is a composite of Ganondorf from various timelines, in which the game he primarily counts specified, as his Era of the Wilds and Shadow Era incarnations are not Magnificent Baddies. So information should primarily focus on these specified games. |
| “ | Geh heh heh! Excellent work! 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 all to you, kid! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf victoriously enters the Sacred Realm in Ocarina of Time |
| “ | You have deceived yourself... Did you think you'd be safe inside the castle? Foolish... Now that my power has been restored, there is no safe haven for you! I have taken your precious Zelda. And here, you shall into eternal slumber! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf challenging Link in The Wind Waker |
| “ | Shadow has been moved by light, it seems… How amusing. Very well… Deny me, then! Yes, try to deny me… You and your little friend... | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf welcoming Midna and Link's challenge in Twilight Princess |
Ganondorf Dragmire, or as he is infamously known in his demon form as Ganon, is the main antagonist of The Legend of Zelda franchise. The reincarnation of the old Demon King Demise, Ganondorf would eventually be the Gerudo Chief and later master of evil that covets for the power of the Golden Goddesses, the Triforce in hopes of not only conquering Hyrule, but also the world. While Ganondorf's exact personality differs within each game/timeline, a common ground is that Ganondorf is the most ingenious force of evil to have ever graced Hyrule, repeatedly bringing the kingdom to it's knees and even make it his domain, and be the archenemy of both Link and Princess Zelda in all timelines.
He is voiced by Takashi Nagasako in Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker and by Hinoru Miyata in Twilight Princess.
What Makes Him Magnificent?[]
In General[]
- Is one of Nintendo's most consistently successful villains. In nearly every one of his major appearances, Ganondorf will secure a significant win to his plans in the games and will fall dignified in battle at each resultant timeline.
- Despite all timelines having him imprisoned in some shape or form, Ganondorf will consistently scheme his way to take over the world even from the confines of his prison, his imprisonment barely placing a dent in his ambitions.
- In nearly all timelines, Ganondorf has also conquered the franchise's flagship setting, the Kingdom of Hyrule, as his domain.
- While willing to conjure up horrible schemes to take over the world, where in certain timelines he would even be Pure Evil, Ganondorf is consistently defined by being a cunning, victorious schemer with epic quotes and style that would overshadow what all devastation he could bring. Compared to many of the franchise's most evil villains, whose sheer pettiness or creepiness of their cruelties are rubbed into the player's face, it makes it all the more clear that Ganondorf is meant to be this cool epic threat to face than anyone repulsive.
- In general Ganon's proper end in each timeline would be dignified, defiant, and cool to show he really was the ultimate threat and compensate for his final breakdown at Ocarina of Time.
- While the extent of how genuinely redeeming differs from the Timeline, Ganondorf consistently has some sort of respect for Link as an enemy, complimenting his strength and victory over many of the monsters he sent against him.
Unified Timeline (Ocarina of Time)[]
- Is a charismatic leader to the Gerudo. While some do object to his homicidal methods (who he would later control to serve him in the end anyway), most of the Gerudo we see are devoted towards their king.
- Swearing a false allegiance with the King of Hyrule, and plotted a successful coup against him while he was completely unaware of his intentions, conquering Hyrule.
- Upon seeing Zelda throw something at Link, he expected that they were plotting to block his path to the Sacred Realm and manipulate them into opening it to claim the Triforce.
- Even though the Triforce ended up splitting, he was still able to use just a third of it (wielding the Triforce of Power) to show himself as Hyrule's undisputed ruler for over 7 years and stifle nearly all opposition.
- Upon Link's return, Ganondorf allows him to roam free and even free the Sages, using Link as bait to draw Princess Zelda from hiding, having known they both share the remaining two Triforce pieces.
- Immediately captures Zelda and uses her as bait to lure Link towards his castle to nearly reassemble the Triforce, playing the organ as he waits. Even with Link's grown strength, Ganondorf remains determined to continue winning even with how injured and near-death he is.
- This is made even more impressive as a timeline where Ganondorf, upon his transformation to Ganon, does end up winning the final battle and claiming the full Triforce as his own is part of the franchise's official canon.
Adult Timeline (The Wind Waker)[]
- Due to being imprisoned at the end of Ocarina of Time as well as being sealed once again by the Great Flood of Hyrule, this Ganondorf has actually undergone some self-reflection and has come to respect the Link/the Hero of Time that defeated him, as well as to remember his original desire to use the Triforce and conquer Hyrule to escape the harsh conditions of the Gerudo desert. Ultimately unlike other games, where his motivations are purely a lust for power, this Ganondorf, while still power-hungry, has some added depth in a desire to restore the past glory which even King Daphnes sympathizes with at the end.
- Upon wearing off his sealing to the Sacred Realm, Ganon would immediately enact a very successful conquest over Hyrule and the Golden Goddesses' only option was to flood the entire Kingdom and Ganon with it.
- Even then Ganon was still able to create a portal to escape to the Great Sea where the descendants of Hyrule will live, and then strips the Master Sword of its power to kill him by organizing the deaths of the remaining Sages, Laruto and Fado.
- Upon knowing Link's desire to be the Great Seas' hero (The Hero of the Winds), Ganon tricks him into pulling the defective Master Sword and thus the seal on Ganon's magic.
- Tracks Tetra down upon learning she is the current wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom, and uses her as bait to lure Link to fight Puppet Ganon.
- When Link defeats Puppet Ganon, Ganondorf actually compliments him as a worthy successor to the Hero of Time, and then in his most brilliant feat in the game, actually manages to reassemble the Triforce and was seconds of restoring Hyrule to his image.
- Even upon his ultimate villainous breakdown, laughing at how his ambitions crumble in front of him, and attacking Link and Tetra, Ganondorf still shows a stark sense of restraint form just barbarically killing his enemies, such as when he sheathes his sword to instead knock out Tetra.
- When Link fatally impales the Master Sword at his forehead, Ganondorf faces his death with a chuckle at how death has finally claimed him.
- He is also the only main villain in the entire Adult Timeline to have an actual personality, much less one as nuanced as his, in which the succeeding villains, Bellum and Malladus, being generic doomsday villains with little to no personality to them.
Child Timeline (Twilight Princess)[]
- When slated to be executed by the Ancient Sages at the Arbiter's Grounds, Ganondorf upon earning the Triforce of Power, broke free of his restraint and even manages to kill one of the sages with his bare hands, and then took the Sages' sword used to execute him as his own weapon that the Sages had no choice but to simply exile him to the Twilight Realm. It makes the strength he displays in the rest of the game impressive as he's doing all this while still bleeding from his execution wound.
- Taking advantage of Zant's lust for power, he would use him as an emissary to conquer Hyrule using the dark magic Ganondorf granted him, all as a distraction to everyone as he materializes in the Light World, with nobody being aware that Ganondorf is even the mastermind and is back until it's already too late.
- When Link and Midna defeat Zant, he lures them to Hyrule Castle using Princess Zelda and even audaciously welcomes them to it as if he owns the place ever since he turned it into his own fortress.
- This feat is more impressive considering Twilight Princess only happens due to his annexation of Hyrule in Ocarina of Time being averted from time, so this is ultimately Ganondorf reclaiming his undone victory.
- Even when becoming Ganon, he isn't as animalistic as other portrayals, that when Link shoots an arrow at his head to stun him, Ganon simply jumps to avoid the arrow.
- Even when Midna uses the Fused Shadow to become her most powerful yet (a mere fraction of it was enough to completely obliterate Zant and its full power broke Ganon's Twilight barrier to Hyrule Castle), and directly challenges Ganondorf, he is still able to emerge victorious that Midna is only revived after Ganondorf is dead.
- Has repeatedly faced opposition, from Midna's challenge to "deny him" or Link attacking him while on his horse, with a hearty laugh and encouraging them to challenge him rather than being remotely annoyed.
- Even as he gets fatally impaled by the Master Sword, he still refuses to kneel or bow down to Hyrule but instead uses the last of his strength to stand up in defiance. Even after Ganondorf drew his last breath and lost the Triforce of Power, his corpse is still standing up.
Downfall Timeline (A Link to the Past)[]
- For one, the very timeline in which the game takes place is revealed to be one where he is outright victorious in the final battle of Ocarina of Time, managing to both slay the Hero of Time and claim the entire Triforce as his own and use it to show himself as Hyrule's definite ruler.
- Ganon would then amass an even larger army by appealing to men's greed and convincing them to become part of his demon army, strengthening his grip over Hyrule more so.
- Ganon was only overthrown from Hyrule through the Imprisoning War that will seal him to the Sacred Realm (described as the Golden Realm here) by the Seven Sages, a long grueling Imprisoning War in which even regardless Ganon was still able to land crippling blows such as decimating nearly all it's Knights.
- Ganon would eventually use his power to transform his prison, the Sacred Realm, into the Dark World which serves as his new fortress.
- Utilizing a leak in his prison, Ganon would organize several disasters and then through an avatar to the Light World, Agahnim, solve them and become a hero to Hyrule, to instead manipulate the King to make him his advisor before assassinating him and becoming Hyrule's shadow ruler.
- Even with Link opposing him, Ganon is still able to capture all the Seven Maidens, even tracking down Princess Zelda when she was first saved by Link, and engineer his release.
- Ultimately Ganon only goes down swinging, going as far as to even compliment Link's strength midway through their battle before his ultimate death. Even then several villains since then have attempted to resurrect Ganon and/or require his likeness because they collectively agree Ganon is the only one worthy to be the King of Evil or be the bane of Hyrule.
What Makes Him a Baddie?[]
In General[]
- Overall is a cold-blooded tyrant who can stomach murdering people for ultimate power.
- Ultimately desires nothing more than to conquer the world in all the dystopian methods he can come up with. And more often than not, it has long stopped being about escaping the harsh Gerudo desert or helping his people, but simply to slake his own lust for dominance.
Unified Timeline (Ocarina of Time)[]
- Has the Twinrova brainwash any Gerudo who isn't fully loyal to him, such as Nabooru who could not stomach Ganondorf's willingness to murder.
- When the non-Hylian races of Hyrule refuses to give him their stone and join his plot to usurp the King of Hyrule, Ganon places various curses upon their regions:
- He would curse the Great Deku Tree to die by sending the Queen Gohma to drain him of life.
- He would send King Dodongo to cut off the Goron's food supply.
- He will also infect the Zora's diety, Jabu-Jabu, with the Barinade.
- Would then attack the King of Hyrule's court and overthrow him (and is implied to have murdered him) to enforce a dystopian rule over Hyrule where monsters will overrun it's regions, Hyrule Castle Town is burnt down and nearly Kakariko Village and the Zora get frozen under the ice.
- Revives the Volvagia and attempts to feed the Gorons to threaten the rest of Hyrule to bow to him lest he will release him to burn all the land down.
- Attempts to kill Princess Zelda and Link to claim the full Triforce and conquer the world.
- He curses Link and Zelda after his defeat vowing to return and finish them off.
Adult Timeline (The Wind Waker)[]
- Even if somewhat more sympathetic, his goal is to enforce a dark rule over Hyrule, in his methods of restoration by drying up the Great Sea and thus uprooting the lives of all inhabitants who dwelled on its islands.
- In general he refuses to acknowledge that the Gods only flooded Hyrule (while still ensuring its people remain safe) was only to save the people from Ganon's destructive conquest.
- Murders the Sages Fado and Laruto to render the Master Sword powerless.
- Unleashes monsters to attack and ravage islands, the most harrowing being the destruction of Greatfish Isle where numerous characters worry if any other island would meet the same fate.
- Has the Helmaroc King kidnap young girls across Hyrule, such as Mila, Maggie, Aryll, and nearly Tetra, in hopes of finding the current wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom.
- When King Daphnes steals the Triforce wish and thwarts his ambitions to rule Hyrule, Ganondorf tries to take Link and Tetra down with him.
Child Timeline (Twilight Princess)[]
- Uses Zant as his emissary to conquer Hyrule and plunge it into darkness, its effects being nothing but ruinous for the entire Kingdom, and reaping from all the havoc Zant would cause across both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm.
- His overall endgame is to merge both worlds and plunge everything into a dark dystopian domain he rules.
- Possesses Princess Zelda to kill Link and Midna, knowing they intend to rescue her.
- Kills Midna and then crushes her helmet right in front of Link and Zelda.
Downfall Timeline (A Link to the Past)[]
- On top of killing the Hero of Time, Ganon would also backstab and murder many of his followers to consolidate his grip over the Triforce.
- Enforces a reign of darkness over Hyrule which would see several disasters plague it.
- Wipes out nearly all of its knights during the Imprisoning War as well as causing the Hylian population to start dwindling.
- Engineers several disasters, from plagues, fires, quakes, etc. to ravage Hyrule just so he can use his Agahnim form to be Hyrule's false savior.
- Curses anyone who stumbles into the Dark World to become monsters, in which the effects have the potential to be fatal as seen with the Flute Boy
- Assassinated the King of Hyrule and then killed many of his loyalists, such as the Sanctuary Keeper or Link's Uncle, if not brainwashed them to serve him.
- Kidnaps seven maidens and imprison them inside the Dark World to free himself.
- Overall attempts to merge the Light and Dark Worlds together, a process stated to be cataclysmic and can ravage Hyrule, in hopes of ruling what all is left.
External Links[]
- Ganondorf at the Villains wiki
- Ganon at the Pure Evil wiki
- Ganondorf (Twilight Princess) at the Pure Evil wiki
- Ganon (A Link to the Past) at the Villains wiki
- Ganon (A Link to the Past) at the Pure Evil wiki
- Ganondorf (Super Smash Bros.) at the Villainous Benchmark wiki
- Ganondorf at the The Legend of Zelda wiki
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 Magnificent Baddies
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Ganondorf | Misko the Great Bandit | Sooga | The Owl |