Gerudo

The Gerudo (Pronounced, ) are a race of humans introduced in. Their most prominent trait is that, through some odd quirk of biology, the race consists almost solely of females, with one male born every hundred years. They are warriors of reputation, feared and respected in the countries they inhabit.

The Gerudo as a race/tribe currently have been featured in three games, but since the main villain of the series, Ganondorf, is a Gerudo, it is arguably correct to say they appeared in nearly every game. Twinrova also made an appearance outside Gerudo context in the Oracle games.

Physiology
The Gerudo as they've thus far appeared held the following looks: round ears, a prominent nose, brown skin, amber eyes and red hair. Which of these are actually unmistakable Gerudo traits is unknown due to their small established role throughout the series. A few characters have appeared in otherwise Gerudo-less games who at minimum seem to reference the race, but who lack various elements shown on established Gerudo. As such, any variations to their appearance can not be considered of value to pinpointing the Gerudo race.

Their skin color has been shown to come in two variants: a common light brown and an olive-greenish version seen on Twinrova and Ganondorf, though their skin may be darker due to age. Recent games have made some adjustments to Ganondorf's look, changing his nose from "long" to "big" while his ears have become slightly pointy - far from Hylian-like, but still less round than what they have once been. Whether this has any significance for the Gerudo race as a whole is unknown.

A rather peculiar aspect of Gerudo physiology is that the race consists of almost solely women, with a male being born only once every hundred years. The exact nature of this phenomenon is never explained, leaving many questions unfortunately unanswered. It is known however, that at least during the Ocarina of Time era the lack of males among the Gerudo is countered by them taking boyfriends from other human races. This establishes that heterosexual relationships are common in their nearly all-female society.

Some members of the race have been shown to possess magical skills. Given the focus the Gerudo put on physical training, this seems to be either a rare or otherwise unused ability. Furthermore, Gerudo might be able to reach a very high age, though the only suggestion to this was related to Twinrova, not exactly a most standard example of a Gerudo.

Culture
The Gerudo have an Arabic theme to them and seem to be based on the Amazons, a "real world" tribe of warrior women. Being a warrior race, they have been shown to use weapons such as glaives, dual scimitar swords and bow and arrows. In Ocarina of Time, they are capable equestrians, while they prefer the use of boats in Majora's Mask due to their role as pirates.

Generally, they have been shown to be a somewhat reclusive race that does not take well to outsiders on their territory, which in Hyrule constitutes the whole desert area. Though not without nobility, they've mostly been depicted as thieves to the other races. The Gerudo appreciate talent when they see it and do accept non-Gerudo among their ranks if they manage to prove themselves.

Ocarina of Time
In, the Gerudo live in the Gerudo Desert, specifically Gerudo Valley, which is located in the northwest of Hyrule. The Gerudo pay a lot of attention to the security of their domain. In order to reach the valley, one first has to cross a bridge over a deep canyon and stream flowing to Lake Hylia. In the past, it is heavily guarded by several Gerudo and a gate. In the future, those defenses are gone; instead, the Gerudo have decided to simply destroy the bridge to prevent outsiders from reaching their domain. Presumably they themselves use horses to cross the gap, like Link did.

After the bridge comes Gerudo's Fortress, in which the Gerudo supposedly live. Guards are everywhere throughout the large stone structure, which contains a lot of cells used for imprisoning anyone who dares to enter Gerudo territory without permission. Gerudo Valley ends with a huge gate that the Gerudo use to make sure no one enters Gerudo Desert without their approval. As it is home to a warrior race, they've also created themselves two training courses, one for horseback and archery training and one for an all-around test of skill. Despite this hostile outset, they do accept outsiders within their ranks, provided that they first prove themselves worthy.

Ganondorf, being the lone male at that time, is their king and "god". His second-in-command is Nabooru, who is highly respected by the other Gerudo, but rebels against Ganondorf because she does not approve of his ways. Nabooru herself also has an unnamed second-in-command, who keeps watch over Gerudo's Fortress while Ganondorf and Nabooru are gone.

Link's first encounter with a member of the Gerudo tribe was when Princess Zelda asked him to look through one of the windows of Hyrule Castle. It was then he and Ganondorf saw each other for the first time and Link's quest to stop Ganondorf started. The rest of the tribe he met later during his quest, at first during his younger years when the Gerudo's tight security at the bridge took away any chance of proceeding into their domain. In Link's older years however, the broken bridge was an obstacle easily passed with Epona's aid. Oddly on the other side, he met the Carpenters' Boss, head of the carpenters, who informed Link that his workers had gone missing after they had taken up the plan to join the ranks of the Gerudo. To that, he added a request that Link would look for them. Accepting Mutoh's request, Link headed into Gerudo territory. He managed to bypass the guards and find the first carpenter, now a prisoner in Gerudo's Fortress. Before he could set him free, a Gerudo guard, armed with dual scimitar swords, challenged Link to a battle. Link managed to defeat her and went on saving the remaining three carpenters, battling another Gerudo guard each time. When he saved all carpenters, he was approached by Nabooru's Second-in-Command, who complimented him on his success and gave him the Gerudo Token, which allowed him to freely move within the Gerudo territory.

From then on, Link didn't need to sneak through Gerudo Valley anymore and could participate in the Gerudo training courses. In addition, Link was also allowed entrance to the Gerudo Desert and was finally able to reach the temple of the sixth Sage: the Spirit Temple, guarded by the Desert Colossus. There, he met Sheik again, who taught him the final song and gave him a hint on how to use it. After going back to his younger years, Link used the song to warp - past Gerudo defenses - back to the Spirit Temple, where he met Nabooru, the leader of the Gerudo, who revealed that though Ganondorf was King of the Gerudo, she denied him for his cruelty and wanted to put an end to his evil. Her plan was to infiltrate the Spirit Temple, which acted as a hideout for Ganondorf and his minions, and do whatever she could to sabotage their plans. Unfortunately, to do that she needed the treasure, the Silver Gauntlets, kept in a part of the temple that she was too big to reach. Impressed with Link's attitude, she opted to ask him to help her by getting the Silver Gauntlets for her.

While Link managed to get the Silver Gauntlets, he was unable to ever hand them to Nabooru, because she was spotted by Koume and Kotake and taken away. Again, Link traveled through time, as an adult able to enter the Spirit Temple with the Silver Gauntlets from the past. Deep inside the temple, he encountered the two Gerudo witches who had abducted Nabooru seven years ago and an Iron Knuckle. Annoyed by his presence, they sent the Iron Knuckle after him, who Navi noted to be "not an ordinary enemy". Upon defeating the Iron Knuckle, its difference was revealed: it was Nabooru all along, brainwashed into servitude of Ganondorf for the past seven years. Her regained freedom was cut short when Koume and Kotake decided to abduct her again, to which Link followed the two into the heart of the temple for battle. Though strong and utilizing their "Double Dynamite Attack", the Gerudo witches lost to Link. As such, the Sage of Spirit could awaken: Nabooru, who was more than thrilled about the possibility of revenge this position offered.

After Ganondorf's defeat, the Gerudo could be seen celebrating with the rest of Hyrule at Lon Lon Ranch, whereas Nabooru was last spotted on Death Mountain with the other Sages.

Majora's Mask
The Gerudo reappear in, this time in the role of pirates. Interestingly, they keep the name "Gerudo", even though this tribe does not live in Gerudo Desert or anything with a similar name. Instead, they live in Great Bay, specifically Pirates' Cove, in a fortress called Pirates' Fortress, which they keep heavily guarded. Their leader is named Aveil and seems to be the Terminan counterpart of Nabooru's Second-in-Command.

Compared to their Hyrulean counterparts, the Terminan Gerudo are much more cruel. Prior to Link's arrival in Termina, they stole the eggs of one of the Zoras, Lulu. When her friend Mikau came to get the eggs back, they beat him up such that he died of his injuries. During Ocarina of Time, Nabooru spoke in disgust of such acts. In context, it's telling that the Terminan Gerudo have no prison cells within their fortress and instead deal with intruders by throwing them out over the fortress' walls. Security is much tighter, with an integrated use of the sea that makes entrance impossible to any non-aquatic creature. Unlike the Hyrulean Gerudo, Link is never able to befriend them, despite hints that they do respect the skills of outsider-warriors.

When Link was able to travel to Great Bay, he met a dying Zora named Mikau. The latter told Link that he was on a mission to retrieve the eggs of a Zora named Lulu, which were stolen by the Gerudo. Feeling the embrace of death grow tight, Mikau begged Link to finish what he had started and return the eggs to the Marine Research Laboratory. Link accepted and headed to the Pirates' Fortress. Using his newly acquired Zora Mask, he found an underwater entrance into the fortress and managed to bypass the first group of guards. Traveling through the sewer system, which was unguarded, but filled with traps, he found his way deep into the fortress. After bypassing some more guards, Link managed to overhear a conversation between Aveil and one of her underlings. It was revealed that the Skull Kid had told them that the Zora eggs were a key element in obtaining a treasure that would be lying in the Great Bay Temple. It was also stated that they had lost three of the eggs when they were attacked by sea snakes. By shooting a beehive hanging from the ceiling, Link scared Aveil and her underlings away and stole one Zora egg and the Hookshot from them (which they had stolen from the fisherman near the entrance of Great Bay earlier). Making use of his new tool, Link explored the rest of the fortress in search for the remaining three eggs. In doing so, he came face to face with three guards, each of which guarded another Zora egg.

Link was later informed that the Gerudo were looking for a Zora in green clothing. During the end of the game, they were also seen heading somewhere (possibly the sea snakes' lair) on a boat, only to be heading the other way immediately thereafter.

Apart from the Gerudo pirates, Koume and Kotake made an appearance as well. They do not seem to be connected to the pirates of Great Bay. They live in Southern Swamp, where they respectively host the boat cruise and have a potions shop.

Four Swords Adventures
Unlike in the other two games, the Gerudo in are not hostile to outsiders. Their domain lies in the Desert of Doubt in the southwest corner of Hyrule. Unlike before, they do not live in a fortress, but in tents, while they do still guard the entrance to the desert. They have a good reputation in Hyrule, not being thieves or pirates this time.

Ganondorf assumes the role of king/guardian of the Gerudo once more. While he is referred to by the Gerudo, he was not seen in his Gerudo form within the game.

When Link entered the Gerudo village, he was initially denied access to the desert. Ganondorf had entered the desert prior to the events of Four Swords Adventures in search of the fabled pyramid, which is a violation of the laws of the Gerudo. This pyramid, which was located in the desert, was sacred to the Gerudo and rumored to contain enormous power. The Gerudo were aware of Ganondorf's lust for power and realized what his intentions are. However, they assumed that he would not make it that far and eventually perish in the desert. Because of Ganondorf's actions, they had blocked the road to the desert. Upon learning of Link's quest, they reopened the gate so that he could pass.

Possible Gerudo
The Gerudo have made no confirmed appearances in the Zelda Timeline before, so it's unknown when and how the Gerudo race was first established. However, Groose, a Hylian from Skyloft in SS undefined, has both the red hair and amber eyes characteristic of the Gerudo but rare among Hylians, indicating that he might be related to the Gerudo people. He may be an ancestor of future members of a Gerudo race that had not yet been established. Another possibility is, if like the Sheikah people the Gerudo people existed before the creation of Skyloft, Groose may be one of their descendants. Also, Groose carefully maintains a flamboyant hairstyle (his pompadour), and all established Gerudo characters also have varying flamboyant hairstyles. Groose is commonly theorized to at least evoke the Gerudo, whether or not he is actually related to them.

In, the Hylian barmaid Telma from Hyrule Castle Town is theorized to be of Gerudo descent for multiple reasons. Besides being a woman who happens to have red hair and bronzed skin, she also ties her hair in a distinctive style similar to that commonly seen in Gerudo women, and the symbol on her apron is visually very similar to the Gerudo Symbol; though some of Ganon's non-Gerudo minions (such as Zant) have also adorned variations of the Gerudo Symbol, all other non-villainous uses of this symbol seen in the series have been by woman of the Gerudo tribe (such as Nabooru). Also, Telma's eyes are green; she is not the only Hylian with green eyes, but hers may reflect a mixed Hylian-Gerudo ancestry where the traits of common blue Hylian eyes and common amber Gerudo eyes have blended together.

The pirate Jolene from evokes the Gerudo in her dress and fighting style, but lacks many of the physical characteristics of the tribe. It is likely she is either a distant descendant, or possibly only familiar with their historic culture. This link would be shared with her sister, Joanne, and the later character Joynas.

In, the oracle Din strongly resembles typical Gerudo women, and may be a Gerudo herself. This may be a shoutout to the Gerudo's most famous king bearing the Triforce of Power which embodies the essence of the goddess Din.

Relation to Iron Knuckles
In and, if one positions the camera correctly they can see Gerudo inside all Iron Knuckles. These Gerudo look similar to Nabooru, but are separate models from the Iron Knuckle mini-boss. These Gerudo may be leftovers of an earlier design or plot point, making their significance downplayed in the plot outside of the brainwashed Nabooru. It can be theorized that either Nabooru's fate occurred to other Gerudo who openly opposed Ganondorf, or they were different and willingly took the role as silent guards - or if the suit of armor itself cursed them. Their presence in Majora's Mask is also a bit more confusing. Regardless, this is a consistent trait in all versions of the game.

Trivia

 * The names of the Gerudo and Gerudo Desert were likely chosen based on the enemies introduced in and, the sand-dwilling Geldarm (ゲルドアーム, Gerudoāmu) and Geldman (ゲルドマン, Gerudoman). Within the Zelda universe, the name-connection actually begins in SS undefined, with the Gerudo Dragonflies living in Lanayru Desert. One page of the Hyrule Historia, showing the Gerudo Alphabet, implies that Nintendo originally intended for the Gerudo to be translated as Geldo.