Ganon

Ganon (ガノン) (also known fully as "Ganondorf") is the main antagonist of The Legend of Zelda series. He has been present since the very first game and until Majora's Mask, he was at least referred to in each. It is generally assumed that, unlike his archenemies Princess Zelda and Link, he is the same person who recurrently surfaces as the primary antagonist. He is the possessor of the Triforce of Power, imbued with the essence of the Goddess, Din. This divine relic makes Ganon unimaginably strong, and grants him boundless mystical power, making him a grave threat to the realm of Hyrule. As stated in prophecy, the only one capable of defeating Ganon is the Hero who is chosen by the Goddesses.

Backstory
Ganon was first given a (meager) backstory in A Link to the Past. It was revealed that Ganon had not always been the boar-like demon introduced in The Legend of Zelda. He was revealed to once have been a human by the name of Ganondorf (ガノンドロフ, Ganondorofu), and leader of a group of thieves. With the help of his followers, he became the first to enter the Sacred Realm in ages. He claimed the Triforce, turning the Sacred Realm into the Dark World and himself into a vastly powerful being. However, he was trapped within the Sacred Realm by the combined efforts of the Knights of Hyrule and the Sages. This story has been expanded on in Ocarina of Time. Ganondorf was born a Gerudo, one of the human races of the realm of Hyrule. The Gerudo are a race of mostly female warriors and thieves, to whom only one male is born every century. The male is by birthright the King of the Gerudo.

Ganondorf used his position, the trust of the King of Hyrule, as well as a great deal of cunning, manipulation and mystical power to gain entrance to the the Sacred Realm, the abode of the Triforce. However, he did not obtain the full Triforce, but was left with only the Triforce of Power, which he used to great effect in his conquest of Hyrule. In The Wind Waker, Ganondorf's character was given much greater depth; a timeline was established, and Ganon was given a clearer background and motive for his villainy. It is made clear that his desire to conquer Hyrule stems from the arduous life he and his people are subjected to living in the harsh Gerudo Desert, a wasteland plagued by sandstorms and an unstable climate, which he compares to the verdant landscape of Hyrule Field, and the amenable life lived by the Hylians.

Characteristics
Despite his undeniable lust for power, Ganon is a mastermind; he is an adept tactician, and a master of manipulation and deceit. It is not unusual for Ganon to manipulate the events of a story behind the scenes (as he did in A Link to the Past and Twilight Princess,) only to be revealed as the orchestrator in a plot twist. Ganon usually presents himself within the facade of a cynical, yet calm and civil man, although he is known to very quickly become enraged, ensuing in a murderous rampage. Ganon does not have a strong sense of morality or honor, and committing murder to achieve his goal is not beyond him; in his conquest of the Sacred Realm, once he reached the Temple of the Triforce, he single-handedly killed all of his followers who had aided him in his expedition, so that he could claim the Triforce uncontested. He is also culturally inclined, playing the organ with great skill.

Even before gaining the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf was arguably one of the most powerful men in the entire realm of Hyrule. He was an immensely powerful sorcerer with vast mystical resources, and as the King of the Gerudo, he also possessed political power. Once Ganondorf gained the Triforce of Power, however, his abilities, both physical and mystical, were augmented to god-like proportions, his power unrivaled by any mortal. Ganondorf became utterly unstoppable, conquering Hyrule with ease. As seen in the events of Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Power also grants Ganondorf immortality. Using its power, he has endured mortal wounds (such as having his heart pierced by a sword), only to remain alive and unrelenting. In addition to his incredible strength, invulnerability and magical abilities, Ganondorf has proven himself to be a very talented swordsman, as seen in the final battles between Ganondorf and Link in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Ganondorf also has an unnaturally long lifespan, if not indefinite; he has lived through ages of Hyrulean chronology.

Name issue
Since the release of the original game, Ganon has had different names which were and are often used interchangeably. In the first game, Ganon's name was misspelled Gannon. Note that this was only the case in the game and that the manual did use the correct name. As of today, some people still call him Gannon, which has inspired the site/term Gannon-Banned. Later, when A Link to the Past was released, Ganon's alter-ego Ganondorf was introduced. However, because Nintendo of America decided to give their own twist to the story in the translation, "Ganondorf" ended up with a last name: Ganondorf Dragmire. This name has only been used in the Western manuals of A Link to the Past for the SNES. . Similarly, "Ganon" was given the name Mandrag Ganon, which supposedly means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".

Ever since those games, the character has just been called either Ganon or Ganondorf. However, these names have always been used interchangeably. The name Ganon is most often used to identify the demon-form, and the name Ganondorf is most often used to identify the Gerudo-form. However there have been exceptions when the Gerudo-form is called "Ganon" and vice versa (see: Ganon Conflicts).

The Legend of Zelda
Ganon, who had stolen the Triforce of Power attacked Hyrule in an attempt to steal the Triforce of Wisdom. He made his base of operations in Death Mountain under Spectacle Rock. Princess Zelda split the Triforce of Wisdom into eight shards to prevent Ganon from laying his hands on it. Link assembled them and fought and defeated Ganon, using the Silver Arrows to defeat him.

Ganon will attack while invisible. Avoid his fireballs and swing the Magical Sword at where he appears to be. After he is hit a few times, he will turn red and be paralyzed. Shoot him with a Silver Arrow to finish him off.
 * Strategy

The Adventure of Link
Years later, in The Adventure of Link, Ganon's army made an attempt to revive him by spilling Link's blood onto Ganon's ashes, but failed. As such, Ganon only appeared on the "Game Over"-screen.

A Link to the Past


Prior to this game, Ganondorf was the first to enter the Sacred Realm in a long time. There, he killed his minions in order to be the only one able to claim the Triforce. When he laid his hands upon it, the Sacred Realm changed into the Dark World and he changed into a pig-like demon, Ganon. However, he was not able to enjoy his new powers for very long, as the Knights of Hyrule and the Sages locked him up in the Dark World. Many years later, Ganon used the (guise of the) wizard Agahnim to break free from the Dark World. Agahnim managed to win the trust of the King of Hyrule and eventually managed to take control of Hyrule himself. He tried to break the seal by sending the Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, into the Dark World. He was temporarily stopped when Link helped the final maiden, Princess Zelda, to escape. However, Agahnim managed to find her while Link was trying to acquire the Master Sword, and immediately send her to the Dark World. This broke the seal and allowed Ganon's influence to spread across the Light World too. After suffering a defeat by Link, Agahnim draws him into the Dark World. Link had to face Agahnim again in the Dark World, where he destroyed him. After the battle with Agahnim, a shadow, Ganon, arose from his body and flew to the Pyramid of Power. There, Link finally was able to put him down. Even though Ganon wielded the might of the united Triforce and the Trident, Link managed to kill him with the Silver Arrows and the Golden Sword.

Link must be careful of Ganon's flying Trident and his fire bats. When Link have a chance, he must hit Ganon with his sword. After some time, the borders of the floor will disappear, and if he falls, he will have to start the fight again. When the lights go out, Link must light the torches with the Fire Rod or Lantern and strike Ganon with the sword. When he becomes blue, Link must shoot him with a Silver Arrow. After four arrows, he will succumb.
 * Strategy

Link's Awakening
Ganon did not appear in Link's Awakening, though Nightmare's fourth form resembled him.

Ocarina of Time
By the time of the events of Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf was striving to conquer the lands of Hyrule and obtain the Triforce. In order to access the Triforce within the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf sought the three Spiritual Stones from the Kokiri, Gorons, and Zoras. When they refused to hand them over, he cursed the Great Deku Tree and Lord Jabu-Jabu and blocked off Dodongo's Cavern. At the same time, he pledged false allegiance to the King of Hyrule.

Princess Zelda sensed the evil within Ganondorf and, along with Link, strove to prevent Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce. Ganondorf betrayed and assaulted Hyrule Castle while Link gathered the three Spiritual Stones. He only came in time to see Zelda and Impa flee, pursued by Ganondorf. Ganondorf demanded Link to tell him where the two had fled too, but Link did not tell him. When Link shortly after opened the gate to the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf followed him and seized the opportunity to obtain the Triforce, with partial success. As he touched the Triforce, it split, leaving Ganondorf with only the Triforce of Power.

During the time that Link was asleep, Ganondorf conquered Hyrule while waiting for the moment he would find the other owners of the other two Triforce pieces. Eventually, he found them in the Temple of Time, where he kidnapped Zelda and challenged Link to come save her. The three met again in Ganon's Tower, where the final battle ensued. Link reaches the top of the Tower to discover Ganondorf playing an organ (the sound of which can be heard throughout the Tower) and engages and bests him in battle. Enraged, Ganondorf unleashed the essence of the Triforce of Power, and transformed into the bestial form of Ganon. Despite this, Link managed to defeat him by using the Master Sword and the power of the Sages. Ganon was sealed into the Sacred Realm, where he could not harm Hyrule or lay his hands on the remaining pieces of the Triforce.


 * Strategy

Ganondorf will drive Navi away and then create a shock wave that will damage Link if close and will knock many of the blocks away, creating a pit around the main pillar. If Link falls into the pit, just climb back up or use the Longshot to reach the top again.

Ganondorf will cause shockwaves if Link gets close, and will unleash two types of ranged magic attacks if he is at a distance. Link can reflect the first type by slashing at it with either the Master Sword (or an Empty Bottle), but the second type consists of many different orbs, so only a well-timed Great Spin Attack will reflect it. However while charging this attack Ganondorf is highly vulnerable to the Light Arrow.

Once Link reflect Ganondorf's magic upon him, he will be stunned. Shoot him with a Light Arrow, and he will fall to the ground. Now Link can target him and attack with the Master Sword.

After Link defeats Ganondorf, the castle will start falling apart and he will have to escape with Princess Zelda. Link will have to fight a few enemies, and he will need to stay close to Zelda, but when he reaches the bottom the tower will completely collapse. Approach the pile of rubble, and Ganondorf will erupt from it and use the Triforce of Power to become Ganon, and knock the Master Sword away. His only vulnerable spot is his tail, but he guards it well, so the only way to get to it is to stun him with a Light Arrow to the face, or roll between his legs while he raises his swords to attack. If you get low on health, magic, or arrows, lure Ganon into destroying a pile of rubble to reveal a few refills.

After Link causes enough damage to him, Ganon will kneel down, stunned, and the wall of flames separating Link from the Master Sword will temporarily disappear. Grab it and then repeat the earlier attack pattern to get Zelda to pin Ganon down so Link can finish him off. Only the Master Sword can deliver the final blow to Ganon.

Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons
In the linked ending of the Oracle subseries of Zelda games, it is revealed that the events of the two games were started by Twinrova in an attempt to resurrect Ganon. The ritual required that three flames were lit: the flame of destruction, the flame of sorrow, and the flame of despair. The flame of destruction was lit when Link defeated General Onox. The flame of sorrow was lit when he defeated Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows. With two flames lit, the Twinrova sisters capture Princess Zelda and intend to sacrifice her to lit the final flame. Because Link managed to save her, the Twinrova sisters are forced to sacrifice themselves to awaken Ganon. Because of this, the ritual was incomplete and Ganon became a mindless beast, although he did demonstrate limited thought just as he was defeated (or banished) by Link.

The Wind Waker
Long before the events in The Wind Waker, Ganon managed to escape and wreak havoc in Hyrule once more. No hero appeared this time and the Gods were forced to flood Hyrule in order to stop Ganon.

However, he managed to free himself and rebuilt his army. Still wanting to obtain the Triforce, he sent one of his minions, the Helmaroc King, on a search for "young girls with pointy ears", hoping to find Princess Zelda, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. Among the girls kidnapped is Link's sister, Aryll, and this sets Link off on his adventure to rescue her. Link finds Ganondorf's hideout, the Forsaken Fortress, where Ganondorf had Link thrown far away into the ocean after being caught by the Helmaroc King. Later, it is revealed that Ganondorf has limited magic strength, for his powers were sealed away by the gods with the aid of the Master Sword. However, without this knowledge, Link himself takes the Master Sword, and thus removed the only barrier restraining Ganondorf's power.



Soon afterwards atop the Forsaken Fortress, Ganondorf reveals that the Master Sword is dull; its power to banish evil gone. Link and the pirate captain Tetra narrowly escape safely with the help of the Sky Spirit Valoo and the Rito, before Ganondorf can seize Tetra, who he finds is actually Princess Zelda and the keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom. After this, Zelda is hidden inside the underwater castle in Hyrule and Link begins his quest to reawaken the Master Sword. Once Link achieves his goals of finding the Triforce of Courage and restoring the Master Sword, Ganondorf locates their haven and consequently captures Zelda, whom he takes to his underwater tower. Link finds Zelda unharmed, lying in a bed, sleeping, with Ganondorf watching over her and her dreams. However, before Link has any chance to approach, Ganondorf unleashes a bewitched, giant puppet, which Link defeats. Ganondorf finally reappears to challenge Link, and with Zelda in his arm, he rises to the rooftop of the tower.

Soon after Link reached the rooftop, Ganondorf speaks to him about his reasons for desperately searching for the Triforce pieces, revealing a little of his origins from the harsh Gerudo Desert and his desire to take over the green landscapes of Hyrule. When he declares that he already has in his possession the Triforce of Wisdom, Ganondorf suddenly rushes against Link and delivers swift, hard blows that leave Link half-conscious and the Master Sword out of reach. Ganondorf, using his Triforce of Power, summons the two missing Triforce pieces from Link and Zelda and reforms the Triforce. Nevertheless, right before Ganondorf is able to touch the Triforce and make his wish come true, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the last King of Hyrule, appears to touch the Triforce first and makes the wish of washing away the ancient land of Hyrule. The Triforce disappears and water starts pouring through the protective barrier into the land of Hyrule as Ganondorf laughs scornfully. Link wakes up at that point and Zelda approaches him holding the Master Sword for Link to engage Ganondorf in a last battle. Ultimately with Zelda's aid, Ganondorf is defeated when Link deals the final blow by plunging the Master Sword straight into Ganondorf's forehead, turning him into stone. He remains atop the tower under the Great Sea with the Master Sword in his head, and the ocean finally drowns Hyrule under the Great Sea.

Just when the battle begins Zelda will talk to Link, telling him she will take care of the Arrows of Light to cover you. Immediately, Ganondorf will approach Link with his two blades. Target him, dodge or shield his blows and wait for the Parry attack (Link can't Parry if he is using the shield) to numb him so he can slash him. Link can also get away from him at a safe distance, making him follow you until Zelda shoots an arrow to numb him and freely strike him with the Master Sword. After some blows from the Light Arrows, a cinema display will be shown where Ganondorf will knock down Zelda, leaving her unconscious for some time. Meanwhile attack Ganondorf with the Parry strategy. The more damage Link does to Ganon, the more difficult it will be to Parry, until it will be just impossible to do so. When that happens, Zelda will wake up. Link must get near her at this point and use the shield and get away from Ganondorf while targeting him and being aligned with Zelda until she fires an arrow. Ganondorf will dodge it but if Link was using the shield, the magic will be reflected unto Ganondorf. Otherwise, Zelda will hit you, taking away life from you. If Link is not aligned with Zelda, the arrow will be lost. Once Ganondorf is hit, Link must quickly get near him until he can Parry him for the last blow. Thus, the game will come to an end.
 * Strategy

Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures, Ganon stole the Trident and the Dark Mirror, which he used to summon Dark Link. He used him to trick Link into releasing Vaati from the Four Sword. While Vaati distracted Link and imprisoned the Shrine Maidens, Ganon absorbed the power of the Maidens. At the end of the game, Ganon appears as the final boss as a twist ending, fought in the Dark World underneath the Tower of Winds, where he is defeated after Link fires a Light Arrow into Zelda's energy bomb, which pierces him. He is then sealed away in the Four Sword.

Twilight Princess
Prior to the events of Twilight Princess, Ganondorf was captured, put on trial, and sentenced to execution by the Sages. While they managed to severely wound him, they could not kill him. It was revealed that he possessed the Triforce of Power, and with it, he managed to free himself from his chains, and well as kill the Sage of Water. Knowing no better solution, the Sages opened the gate to the Twilight Realm and sent Ganondorf through it. There he influenced Zant, who had been denied the throne of the Twilight Realm, to seize control and access Hyrule again. Ganondorf granted Zant a fraction of his power, in return for the opportunity to escape the Twilight Realm.

Ganondorf and Link met in Hyrule Castle after the latter defeated Zant. Ganondorf was sitting on Princess Zelda's throne and Zelda's body lie in a niche in the same room. During the final battle, Ganondorf possessed Zelda by turning into Twilight. Using Zelda as a puppet, he attacks Link relentlessly, until Link forces his spirit out of Zelda's body. Ganondorf then takes his bestial form, Ganon, becoming an immensely powerful boar. Taking advantage of Ganon's blind rage, Link outwits him, and defeats Ganon, by striking the wound left by the Sages with the Master Sword.

Ganondorf then took on the form an immense veil of fire in the shape of his disembodied head. Midna valiantly resolved to fight Ganondorf using the Twilight magic housed within the Fused Shadows, teleporting Link and Zelda to the safety of Hyrule Field. Midna transformed into an enormous Twilit arachnoid, and attacked Ganondorf. The ensuing battle destroyed Hyrule Castle. Ultimately, Midna was no match for Ganondorf, and he made short work of her. He emerged from the ruins of Hyrule Castle on horseback, triumphantly holding aloft the Fused Shadow fragment that Midna wore, and, after crushing it in his hand, he charged Link and Zelda.

Zelda entreats the Light Spirits of the realm to lend her their power in the form of the Arrows of Light. Mounting Epona, Link and Zelda pursue, assailing Ganondorf with a hail of arrows. Ganondorf is momentarily staggered, falling from his steed. Link dismounts Epona to examine further, but Ganondorf recovers surprisingly quickly, and confines himself, and Link, in a makeshift arena. Ganondorf challenges Link to a sword duel to the death.

After besting him in a sword to sword struggle, Link plunges the Master Sword into Ganondorf's open wound. He survives the death blow for a few moments. Only when the Triforce of Power fades completely from his hand, does he succumb. Now dying, Ganondorf sees a vision of Zant. Zant's neck breaks, and immediately Ganondorf's eyes gloss over which presumably signifies his death. However, Ganondorf is presumed to be dead, it is not actually stated that he dies, and since he has been known to survive death in other battles, it leaves a large gap for speculation as to what really transpired.


 * Strategy

Because Ganondorf takes over Zelda's body, Link must fight her first. He attacks similarly to Phantom Ganon in Ocarina of Time. His first attack will likely be the electricity ball. When he throws it at Link with his sword, try to hit it back at him, taking both Link and Zelda into a volley. In a humourous easter egg, Link is capable of using an empty bottle instead of his sword in this sequence. As soon Zelda gets hit by the energy ball, Ganon will try a new attack. He'll try to charge Link with Zelda's sword, forcing Link out of the way or he will make a glowing Triforce under Link's feet, which Link must step out of to avoid damage. Following this, Ganon will eventually revert to tossing his signature energy ball at Link.

Ganon has only one attack here; he will ram into Link and stomp on him. It does a lot of damage, but he is easy to get away from. As soon as Ganon teleports, Link must wait until he reappears, then immediately shoot him with an arrow. He'll slide on the floor, and Link will get a chance to attack. His weak spot is the glowing spot on his chest. Now, when Link tries to hit him with an arrow he'll disappear. So, Link will have to turn into wolf form and stop him with Midna's huge hand, tripping him over. When he's tipped over, Link must attack as quickly as you can, repeating this until Ganon is defeated.

After the cut-scene, Link will be fighting Ganondorf on horseback. When Ganondorf is hit by a Light Arrow, Link mustgo up and attack him. If Link is too slow, Ganon will knock Link off of Epona. To do this easier, Ganon will also summon ghostly henchmen to charge Link.

Now Link is face to face with the Dark Lord himself. Although his attacks aren't as strong as Ganon's, it's much harder to avoid them. His first often used attack is a stab. Once again, this can not be avoided with Link's sword. The best way for Link to avoid this attack is to do a back flip. His second most used attack is a slash. This attack has the same amount of strength as the previous one, but it has a larger range. His strongest attack is one that is taken from his favorite arch-rival, Link! He'll bash you, and then he'll do a spin attack, if Link gets hit by the bash, the spin attack is almost impossible to avoid. But, he'll delay the spin attack if he hits Link into the electricity wall with the bash. Unlike previous forms, Ganondorf will block almost all of Link's sword attacks

Most of Link's attacks will have no effect on Ganondorf (with the exception of the Back Slice, which gives you an opening after the ending sword-strike), either because he'll avoid them with his sword, or his armor will protect him. Link will have a chance to hit him when he finishes an attack, and he is behind him. He must hit him with a jump attack, and then attack the glowing crack on his chest. If Ganondorf misses Link with his attack, he can jump behind Link and try again. Eventually, Ganondorf will jump away from all of Link's attacks, so he must have perfect timing. Or, as an alternative, Link can pull out his fishing rod. Ganondorf will follow the hook with his eyes, thereby dropping his guard, and allowing Link to attack. When he knocks him down after numerous hits, Link will have to stab him.

Another easier and more preferable way to defeat him is back away, and when he charges at Link the "chance" icon will appear at the bottom of the screen. Pressing A will cause Link to lock swords with him, and he can be stunned by rapidly tapping A. When stunned, he can be attacked with the Master Sword until he falls to the ground. Perform the Ending Blow to stab him after he collapses to finally put an end to the Dark Lord.

Oddly, when he seemingly dies, his eyes go blank and he continues to stand, instead of falling to the ground. This further calls into question what really happened to Ganondorf, as it is not known for sure whether he truly died (his presence in A Link to the Past would seem to refute the idea that he concretely died in Twilight Princess).

Phantom Hourglass
Ganon is not encountered or fought in Phantom Hourglass due to his defeat in Hyrule (now beneath the Great Sea) at the end of The Wind Waker, but Link's duel with an "evil king" is mentioned in the intro.

Super Smash Bros Melee
Ganondorf is an unlockable playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. He is unlocked after an event match called "Triforce Gathering" or through playing enough multiplayer matches. After any of those have been acheived, he will have to be fought Final Destination. If beaten, he will be unlocked for use in the game. His moves and animations (with the exception of his taunt and victory animations) are almost identical to those of Captain Falcon (besides his F-Air) save for a difference in speed, power, and effect, which has led many to call him merely a clone and a fill-in character. Ganondorf is slow moving and but overall the most powerful character in the game; it's also worth mentioning that his lack of speed can be compensated with "L-Canceling" which allows Ganondorf to be played with both power and relative speed, making him a mid-tier. A fully charged attack from him could defeat almost any opponent with ease.

Oddly, in his art for the game, Ganondorf wields a sword, but it only appears in the actual game in one of Ganondorf's victory animations.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Ganondorf appears again as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In an interview with Eiji Aonuma, Aonuma discussed both Sheik and Ganondorf being fit into the Brawl.

Ganondorf appears as an unlockable character. Though many hoped he would have a new moveset, it was largely unchanged. He appearance is based on his Twilight Princess incarnation. He does not use his sword to battle, but merely draws it as one of his taunts. His moveset still feature some of the dark purple magic he is seen using in Melee. The Subspace Emissary also marks the first time (though out of continuity) Ganondorf has teamed up with Link and Zelda to fight a common enemy.

His final smash is called "Dark Beast Ganon". For a very brief time, Ganondorf will transform into his boar form, Ganon, and ram his opponents off of the stage.

In Comics
In the Legend of Zelda comics by Valiant taking place not long after the first two games, Ganon was depicted as a man in a heavy dark blue hooded cloak with no visibe face. (The area the face would be was black with two evil eyes.) In the comics, Ganon was hated by his minions as said in the 5th issue: "Then by all means enter, bold one, where none of us would dare-- though we hate our pig-nosed master even more than you do!" -Darknut Prime, guarding Ganon's lair with a Wizzrobe.

Gallery
See this article's gallery page, featuring character art and screen-captures of Ganon.