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Ganon

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Ganon
The Legend of Zelda series character
File:GanonTP.jpgFile:GanondorfTP.jpg
Ganon in his beast form (left - top) and in his human form (right - bottom) as seen in Twilight Princess
First gameThe Legend of Zelda (1986)
Created byShigeru Miyamoto

Ganon (ガノン), also known as Ganondorf (ガノンドロフ, Ganondorofu) in his human form, is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of several games in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He is the most commonly recurring villain in the series, frequently appearing as the final boss. Although he has appeared many times in the series, he was first given a back-story in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The A Link to the Past instruction manual gives the character's full name as Ganondorf Dragmire, though the Dragmire surname never appears in the game or any later work.

Originally a leader of the Gerudo, a race of desert brigands, he acquired great magical power (the source of which varies) to become a demon emperor of darkness.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Ganon's motives and desires vary in specifics from game to game, but most often include the domination of Hyrule and presumably the world beyond it. To this end he seeks the relic of the gods known as the Triforce, which can bestow great power upon its holder. Ganon's influence over the Triforce varies, but he is consistently shown as being associated with the Triforce of Power and is often in possession of it, giving him great strength but not enough to fulfill his dark desires, leading him to hunt the remaining Triforce pieces.

Ganondorf was the runner-up in the GameFAQs battle of villains character contest, in which he was defeated by Sephiroth[7] and was named the fourth best villain ever in an episode of G4's Filter.[8]

Creation and conception

Since his first appearance, Ganon's name has caused much confusion. In his first appearance, The Legend of Zelda, his name was misspelled as "Gannon". This spelling was used only two other times, again in the Japanese version of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and in the non-canon CD-i game Zelda's Adventure. "Ganondorf" was given as the character's original name in A Link to the Past, and the humanoid Ganondorf[9] of Ocarina of Time was known exclusively by that name, with "Ganon" only appearing in the name of "Ganon's Castle" and after his transformation at the end of the game. The name "Ganondorf" is usually used to refer to the character's human form, while "Ganon" is used to refer to the evil demon tied to the Triforce of Power, be it the human or bestial form.

Actor portrayal

While voice actors have never been used for the speaking parts in the video games, they have been needed for various noises, like shouts and grunts, during battle. Takashi Nagasako was the voice actor for Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time and reprised the role of Ganondorf for Super Smash Bros. Melee and The Wind Waker, but did not return for Twilight Princess. Hironori Miyata was given the role as the character's voice actor and played Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Characteristics

Personality

Ganon is depicted as the ultimate embodiment of evil.[10] He is callous, egocentric, and cruel, viewing all others as tools to be used or enemies to be destroyed. In earlier games such as A Link to the Past, he was characterized simply as a power-crazed tyrant obsessed with conquering and enslaving Hyrule. Since then, he has been depicted with more complexity, in games such as The Wind Waker, which provide a more understandable reason for his villainy. His appearance has drastically changed since his first incarnation. Ganon's roles range from savage beast, to Machiavellian tyrant, and god-like entity;[11] sometimes, he is seen as a mixture of all three. He possesses a vicious, amoral nature, though he usually maintains great composure, despite the furious rage that seethes within him, only occasionally losing his emotional restraint.

Abilities

Ganon is a formidable sorcerer with great access to magical powers,[12] and has the ability to shapeshift,[13] complemented by his unrivaled cunning and resourcefulness. Through his intellect, as well as the manipulation of others, Ganondorf came into the possession of the Triforce of Power. The Triforce of Power is an artifact of unfathomable mystic power, its source being the divine essence of the Goddess Din herself. His abilities, both physical and magical, are augmented to god-like proportions by the artifact, granting him powers such as invulnerability, flight,[14] immense physical strength, and nigh-omnipotent black magic.

The Triforce of Power also grants Ganon virtual immortality; using its power, he has endured mortal wounds (such as having his heart pierced by a sword), only to remain alive and unscathed, although such wounds can weaken him to the extent he can be sealed away in lieu of death. An attempt to kill Ganon, regardless of its nature, is ultimately futile; the essence of the Triforce of Power makes him effectively invulnerable. The sole exceptions to this rule are sacred weapons such as the Noble Sword, Master Sword, Four Sword, Silver Arrows or Light Arrows; these are usually the only weapons that can slay Ganondorf, though non-sacred weapons can be used to defeat him in certain games.[15] Still, various games, such as Adventure of Link and the Oracle games, have depicted methods of reversing Ganon's deaths.

In addition to Ganon's magical abilities, he is also a skilled swordsman, as shown in his final conflict with Link in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. He is also known for wielding the Magic Trident that he obtained in Four Swords Adventures, as shown in games such as BS Zelda no Densetsu, BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban, A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, and Four Swords Adventures, as well as dual-wielding swords in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker.

Appearances

Video games

Since the series began, Ganon has taken the role of the primary antagonist. As such, he has appeared in almost every game in the series, some of which hide his existence until late in the game. When he does not appear, the antagonist role is filled by another character, such as Majora's Mask in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Bellum in Phantom Hourglass, and Vaati in both The Minish Cap and Four Swords. In Link's Awakening, Dethl (a physical manifestation of The Wind Fish's Nightmares) fills the role of the antagonist. During the final battle, Dethl assumes several forms, all of which are based on villains and creatures from Link's past. One of Dethl's forms is "Ganon's Shadow" and is constructed from Link's memories of their battle.

1986—1997

Ganon made his first appearance in The Legend of Zelda. After years of imprisonment in the Dark World, Ganon, the Prince of Darkness, managed to escape. With an army of his followers, he soon invaded the land of Hyrule and stole the Triforce of Power. With the power of the Triforce, Ganon wished to plunge the world into darkness and fear under his rule. To protect the realm from this fate, the Triforce of Wisdom was shattered into eight pieces, each hidden in a different location within Hyrule. This last minute effort was pulled off by the Princess of Hyrule, Princess Zelda. Fearing her efforts would not be enough, the princess sent her nursemaid, Impa, to search for a man with enough courage to defeat Ganon. After learning of the princess's actions, Ganon kidnapped Zelda, locked her in his lair on Death Mountain, and sent a group of his minions after Impa. When the minions found Impa and all seemed lost, a hero named Link appeared to rescue her. Fearing for their lives, the creatures fled. The failure of the pursuing creatures sealed the fate of their master. When Link's journey finally brought him to Death Mountain, an invisible Ganon faced the hero. Despite Ganon's invisibility, Link managed to defeat the Prince of Darkness with the legendary Silver Arrows. Now that their master was dead, the remaining followers were filled with the desire to seek revenge.

In The Adventure of Link, Ganon's minions attempt to kill Link in order to revive their master by sprinkling Link's blood on Ganon's remains. His silhouette is also seen in the Game Over screen.

File:ALTTP Ganon Artwork.jpg
Ganon in A Link to the Past

In A Link to the Past, it was revealed that centuries ago, Ganon and his army of thieves, who were all skilled in dark arts, found the entrance to the Golden Land. Upon entering the realm, Ganon killed his followers, touched the Triforce with "bloodstained hands", and made a wish. His wish to conquer the world transformed the Golden Land into the corrupt Dark World.[16] From the Dark World, Ganon began to summon other beings to the Dark World where he used the Triforce to transform them into monsters for his army. When his army satisfied him, Ganon led them in an attack on the land of Hyrule. However, when the knights and the Seven Sages combined their powers, they managed to seal Ganon and his army in the corrupt world he had created.

Ganon was trapped in the Dark World for many centuries, but using the form/possession of Agahnim, he returned to Hyrule Castle and overthrew the King. To break the sages' seal, he kidnapped the Seven Maidens, the descendants of the sages, and transported them to the Dark World. When it came time to transport Princess Zelda, it was discovered that she had escaped with Link. Determined to break the seal, Agahnim sent the brainwashed knights of Hyrule to search throughout the land for the princess. Much time had passed when she was finally found to be hiding in the Sanctuary. Her recapture had very little resistance because Link had gone in search of the Master Sword, so by the time he found Agahnim, it was too late. Zelda had been transported to the Dark World, and Ganon was finally free. Link began to fight Agahnim, but when the situation began to look bad, the wizard transported the boy to the Dark World. Link does not see the wizard again until Agahnim appeared before Link to battle to the death atop of Ganon's Tower. Unlike their previous fight, Agahnim was ultimately destroyed. With his minion gone, Ganon fled to the Pyramid of Power, where Link, armed with Silver Arrows and the Master Sword, was finally able to defeat him.

1998—2001

In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is known as the King of the Gerudo, by virtue of being the only male in the tribe born once every 100 years. Ganondorf learns of the legend of the Triforce and seeks to attain it with the aid of his servants, Twinrova. He makes several attempts to steal the sacred stones in order to enter the Sacred Realm, but each time he is unsuccessful. When Link obtains all three, Ganondorf uses this opportunity to seize the Triforce when Link removes the Master Sword, the final key to the Sacred Realm. His unbalanced heart only allows him to receive the Triforce of Power (with Wisdom and Courage going to Zelda and Link respectively). His Triforce piece allows him to cause numerous disasters for all of Hyrule, and in doing so, becoming the King of Evil.[10]

By the time seven years had passed, he had placed monsters in the Sages' temples to prevent them from hearing their "awakening call". When Link awakened from the Sacred Realm as a young adult, Ganondorf watched him, waiting for when Zelda would reveal herself. Ganondorf is eventually able to capture the final sage, Princess Zelda, forcing Link into a direct confrontation. Although bested by Link in the ensuing battle atop his tower, he uses the remains of his power to destroy his tower, in hope of finishing Link and Zelda. Though they escape, thinking him defeated, Ganondorf emerges from the rubble and transforms into the monstrous sword-wielding boar-like demon, Ganon. After an epic battle, the Seven Sages imprison Ganon in the Sacred Realm where he vows to return and exterminate the descendants of Link and Zelda as long as the Triforce of Power remains in his hand.

In Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, the Twinrova sisters attempt to revive Ganon by causing sorrow in Labrynna, destruction in Holodrum and despair by sacrificing Princess Zelda. However, when Link saves Zelda, the ritual is incomplete, and, left with no other options, the Twinrova sisters use themselves as the sacrifice. While the King of Evil is brought back to life, Ganon becomes nothing more than a mindless beast bent on destruction, failing to retain his mind due to the wrong sacrifice in the ritual.[17]

2002—present

In The Wind Waker, it is revealed that before the events of the game, Ganon, who had been sealed away at the end of Ocarina of Time, managed to free himself. He spread darkness across the land once again, but unlike his previous attempt to rule over the land, he was faced with no opposition by the Hero of Time. When conquest of Hyrule seemed within his reach, the gods intervened and flooded the kingdom, hiding the remains underneath an ocean and delaying his conquest. However, Ganon begins searching for the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage, so he can wish for the kingdom to return. Ganon begins his search for the descendant of Princess Zelda, and he sends his servant, the Helmaroc King, to bring him young blonde-haired girls with pointy ears. One of the girls kidnapped by the Helmaroc King is Link's younger sister, Aryll. With the help of Tetra, Link sets out to find her. When Link retrieves the Master Sword and reunites with Aryll, he encounters Ganon, who mentions that Link has removed the seal restricting his power. However, Link manages to escape and begins a quest to recharge the Master Sword. Manipulating the course of events, Ganon lures Link back to him to claim both Link and Zelda's respective Triforce pieces, which he then forms into the complete Triforce, using it to wish for the sea over Hyrule to be drained, becoming its complete ruler. Ganon hesitates, revealing the reason for his lust for power and control over Hyrule. He reveals that his country was filled with death and despair which would rain down even from the winds. Hyrule was a rich land filled with life, which Ganon coveted and desired to rule. However, before Ganon makes his wish, the Triforce is activated by the King of Hyrule, who wishes for Hyrule to disappear. Ganon loses his composure and begins laughing maniacally before attacking Link and Princess Zelda in a psychopathic rage. They retaliate and eventually defeat Ganon when Link impales his head with the Master Sword. Ganon utters a final laugh and says, "The wind... it is blowing". He then turns into stone, and his body remains as Hyrule is flooded with water.

In Four Swords Adventures, Ganon's back-story is expanded. A Gerudo named Ganondorf is found to have stolen a trident that gives him incredible powers. With this weapon, he begins to seize control of parts of Hyrule, spreading evil and creating an army of Dark Links. When a worried Zelda and Link go to check on the seal in the Sanctuary of the Four Sword, a Dark Link reveals himself and begins to attack. Having no weapon to defend himself, Link is given no choice but to retrieve the Four Sword, releasing the Wind Mage, Vaati, once again. However, this is revealed to be part of Ganon's plan. Ganon plans to use Vaati as a pawn so that he can remain undetected. However, Link defeats Vaati and discovers that Ganon as the true antagonist. As in The Wind Waker, Link and Zelda team up to defeat Ganon, sealing him within the Four Sword.

In Twilight Princess, Ganon initially appears in a plot twist midway through the game, though he is the true antagonist behind all of the events that have transpired throughout the story.[18] Before the start of the game, he was banished to the Twilight Realm after a failed execution by the sages, leaving him with a glowing wound on his chest. In the Twilight Realm, Ganon presents himself as a demonic deity[19] to Zant, delegating his power and persuading him to attempt conquest of the light world.[20] Ganondorf does not appear again until the end of the game, in the throne of Hyrule Castle, proclaiming it as his own. He is challenged by Midna, prompting Ganon to possess Princess Zelda and attack Link, before reforming as beast Ganon (in a more feral style than previous appearances, mirroring Link's wolf form). Midna recovers and teleports Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field, before attempting to defeat Ganon, causing the castle to explode. Ganondorf appears on horseback, holding Midna's crown. After an equestrian melee, Ganondorf requests a final duel, using the execution sword as his weapon. Link defeats Ganondorf, impaling him through the wound in his chest with the Master Sword. After getting up and uttering a few words,[21] the Triforce symbol on his hand disappears, and Zant is shown snapping his own neck in a vision. Ganondorf gasps, his eyes glaze over, and he seemingly dies.

While Ganon does not appear in the story of Phantom Hourglass, he is seen in the game's opening sequence depicting the events of The Wind Waker.[22]

Other appearances

In the CD-i games, Ganon appears in his "green boar" form in two of the three CD-i Zelda titles, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, Link: The Faces of Evil; in Zelda's Adventure he is a large muscular devil creature. In these versions he only requires one hit to defeat, and appears to be a sorcerer of some sort with features based on his cartoon incarnation.

Ganondorf is an unlockable character in both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl,[23] where he is based on his appearance in the SpaceWorld demo, even wielding the large, cleaver-like sword in one of his victory poses (though he cannot actually use it in combat). He is one of the four characters from the Zelda series to be playable in the game. In Melee and Brawl, he is referred to by his full name and is a slower, heavier, and more powerful "clone" of Captain Falcon, performing mostly the same attacks and moves. In an interview, Eiji Aonuma revealed that his design team had submitted designs for Ganondorf based on his Twilight Princess design to the developers of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[24] Ganondorf appears as one of the main antagonists in the single-player The Subspace Emissary mode, allied with Bowser and Wario as well as being a servant of Master Hand. His Final Smash is his "Dark Beast: Ganon" form from Twilight Princess, in which he transforms into Ganon, charges across the screen, and then warps himself back onto the stage.[25]

Appearances in other media

Ganon was the main villain of 1989's The Legend of Zelda cartoon, which was shown as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show in syndication that year. In the cartoon, Ganon was a brown-skinned anthropomorphic wild boar and a wizard. He was in possession of the Triforce of Power, and, despite having seemingly endless abilities and magical powers, lost every chance to steal the Triforce of Wisdom. He spent most of his time living in his subterranean lair, referred to as his "castle", which was located in the Underworld. He is disintegrated when attacked several times by Link's sword, Zelda's arrows, or the Triforce of Wisdom. He was voiced by the late Len Carlson.

In addition to The Legend of Zelda cartoon, Ganon (along with Link and Zelda) also appeared in Captain N: The Game Master, as a secondary villain in the episode "Quest For the Potion of Power".[26] This was something of a continuum of Ganon's appearance in the Zelda cartoon. The episode uses elements from The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link. During the episode, Ganon is revived, double-crosses Mother Brain, and is killed again by the Reflect magic on Link's shield.

In the South Park episode "Imaginationland Episode III" Ganondorf is seen as one of many evil characters battling the good characters.

In the Robot Chicken episode "Shoe", Ganondorf appears briefly but is killed by Link, who frees Zelda shortly afterward.

Notes and references

  1. ^ Ganon is the king of the Gerudo tribe in Ocarina of Time, and his given title as a boss in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons is "Evil Gerudo King".
  2. ^ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Rauru: "アタシたち　賢者は　六人そろえば　魔王ガノンドロフを　　封印することが　できるの。" (lit. "If we, the six sages, come together, we will even be able to seal the Demon King Ganondorf.")
  3. ^ Four Swords Adventures, Ganon: "おお…、俺は闇の魔王！！" (lit. "Graah! I am the Demon King of Darkness!")
  4. ^ Four Swords Adventures, Princess Zelda: "King of Darkness, ancient demon reborn. The wielder of the trident!!"
  5. ^ Ganondorf's given title as a boss is 大魔王 ガノンドロフ (lit. "Great Demon King Ganondorf") in the Japanese versions of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, and Ganon's title is 魔獣ガノン (lit. "Demon Beast Ganon") in Twilight Princess. In the American versions, Ganondorf is known as "Great King of Evil Ganondorf" in Ocarina of Time, and "Dark Lord Ganondorf" and "Dark Beast Ganon" in Twilight Princess
  6. ^ The Wind Waker, The King of Red Lions: "He is the very same Ganon...The emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of..."
  7. ^ GameFAQs Staff (2005). "Spring 2005: Got Villains?". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-11-03.
  8. ^ "Top 10 Villains". TV.com. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  9. ^ "The Z-Files". IGN. 1997-12-02. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  10. ^ a b Nintendo (January 1, 2006). "The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia - Ganon". Zelda Universe. Retrieved 2007-06-03. Cite error: The named reference "pedia" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ His status as a deity is explained in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, and Twilight Princess. Ganon has temples dedicated to him and is worshiped as a god.
  12. ^ He uses magic in all games, some of which include A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and The Adventure of Link.
  13. ^ He shapeshifts between human and Ganon forms in games such as Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time.
  14. ^ Ganon/dorf displays this in A Link to the Past, the television series The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time, and through possession in Twilight Princess.
  15. ^ The non-sacred Biggoron Sword can slay him during the first battle against him in Ocarina of Time and during the final battles against him in Oracle of Ages or Oracle of Seasons. The Wooden Sword can also slay him in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons.
  16. ^ Nintendo (2006-01-01). "The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia - Dark World". Zelda Universe. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
  17. ^ Zelda: Since they could not sacrifice me in their final rite, the powers of darkness could only revive a mindless, raging Ganon. Flagship (2001-05-14). The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Ages (Game Boy Color). Nintendo.
  18. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2005-08-16). "Twilight Princess: Ganon's Return". IGN. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  19. ^ Zant: It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god. Nintendo EAD (2006-11-19). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii). Nintendo.
  20. ^ Zant: My god had only one wish....To merge shadow and light...and make darkness! Nintendo EAD (2006-11-19). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii). Nintendo.
  21. ^ Ganondorf: "Do not think this ends here... The history of Light and Shadow will be written in blood!" Nintendo EAD (2006-11-19). The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii). Nintendo.
  22. ^ "Phantom Hourglass opening screenshots". Spriters Resource. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  23. ^ "Super Smash Bros. Melee Unlocked". IGN. 2001-11-26. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  24. ^ "Eiji Aonuma Talks DS Development And More". Game Informer. 2007-08-02. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  25. ^ "Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Brawl". Smash Bros. DOJO!!. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  26. ^ "Quest for the Potion of Power". Captain N: The Game Master. Episode 16. 1990-09-29. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
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