Gerudo



The Gerudo are a race of Hyruleans who live in Gerudo Valley. They first appeared as Gerudo Thieves in Ocarina of Time and appeared as Gerudo Pirates in Majora's Mask. Although the race seems to consist of mainly females, every 100 years a male is born in their society. This male is the one destined become the king of all Gerudo. Ganondorf was such a male and is the only one who is mentioned in the series, or the "current" King of Thieves.

The Gerudo live primarily in the desert of Hyrule, which is referred to as the Gerudo Desert. Their territory is marked with an intricately designed fortress, which is constantly guarded with tight security. However, in Four Swords Adventures, they lived in tents. Though the Gerudo Desert exists in Twilight Princess, the Gerudo race (with the exception of Ganondorf) is mysteriously absent. It is not known if the race died out or if the entire desert was not presented in the game, having them and their civilization in some unexplored corner of the desert. It is noted that the barmaid in Castle Town, Telma strongly resembles Gerudo women from previous games, suggesting that the Gerudo may have integrated into the dominant Hylian culture at some point.

The Gerudo are a fearsome race of fighters and thieves who despise trespassers and won't hesitate to lock one up, or worse. One is able to gain their favor, yet it is a hard and perilous task. Link is able to do so in Ocarina of Time, earning the Gerudo Membership Card. Their look resembles an Arabian ninja and dual scimitar swords are common weapons for this band of thieves. The only documented male, Ganondorf doesn't use a weapon in OoT, yet in The Wind Waker he wields dual swords. Ganondorf appears to be able to use magic and can manifest into a boar like creature known as Ganon. Apart from Ganondorf and the twins Koume and Kotake (Twinrova), other Gerudo appear to be able to heal themselves while unconscious, with little white lights appearing above their heads, assumed by some to be spirits.

Tales that Gerudo women come into Castle Town to find mates circulate around the Market square. This may have possibly lead to their disappearance. There is a Gerudo mask which can be borrowed from the Happy Mask Shop in Hyrule town square. Nobody knows how Ganondorf was born, except that Navi mentions that Twinrova is Ganondorf's surrogate mother.