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| “ | Hyrule will bow down before me. | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf as he prepares to invade Hyrule. |
| “ | How disappointing... This world should be shrouded in darkness, not bathed in insufferable light. All these weak, peace-loving cowards running rampant... It would have been more...satisfying to overcome a worthy foe. Regardless... I will re-shape this world as it was meant to be. I will crush any opposition. I will rule. That is what a king must do. Do not look away. You witness a king's revival. And the birth of his new world! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf before he fights Link. |
| “ | I will yet rule this land… you will not stop me! A mere mortal… will not stand in my way! My body… my mind… everything! I'll sacrifice it all to destroy you… and cast this world into eternal night! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf's breakdown and last words before transforming into the Demon Dragon. |
Demon King Ganondorf, also known as the Demon Dragon in his final form, is the overarching antagonist of the "Era of the Wilds Saga" within The Legend of Zelda franchise, serving as the overarching antagonist of the 2017 action-adventure video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its 2020 hack-and-slash spin off Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and the main antagonist of its 2023 sequel The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Once the noble king of the Gerudo Tribe, Ganondorf fell to villainy in his own pursuit of power, plotting to conquer all of Hyrule and plunge it into eternal darkness. To this end, he murdered Queen Sonia and stole her secret stone to empower himself, thus becoming the Demon King and allowing himself to amass an army of monsters and demons to lay waste to the kingdom.
During a decisive confrontation with Sonia's husband, King Rauru and the Six Sages, he was imprisoned deep below Hyrule Castle for several millennia thanks to Rauru sacrificing himself. Thousands of years later, the innate malice within him would slowly leak out of his body and take the form of Calamity Ganon, who would ravage the kingdom thousands of years after his defeat, before being defeated by Link and sealed away by Princess Zelda. However, this victory was short-lived, as Rauru's seal upon Ganondorf would wear off not long after the Calamity's defeat, allowing the Demon King himself to break free and return to his mission of conquering Hyrule.
In the original Japanese production, he is voiced by Kosuke Takaguchi, who plays Wolf O' Donnell, Muscular, and Alizarin. In the English version, he is voiced by Matthew Mercer, who also voiced Security Chief Atlas, Anarky, Lucifer, Aiden and Zato-1.
Appearance[]
As Ganondorf, his body is that of a Gerudo man with long red hair. It is simply a corpse which has almost completely rotted away. He still wears some Gerudo armor and accessories. However, after being revitalized by the Secret Stone, he returns to his original form as a muscular, dark-skinned Gerudo with a hawk-like nose, similar to his other incarnations. He also wears the Stone on his head as an accessory, and sometimes wears his hair in a chonmage. He has a habit of carrying his sheathed sword by hand instead of wearing it at his side or on his back.
When empowered by the Stone into his demonic form, Ganondorf's hair becomes a much brighter red and is more unkempt. His skin turns black, with his jewelry and kimono also turning black and red with gold details. Said markings on his clothes also glow, implying that they are made of Gloom or Malice. His sclerae turn black, his pupils and teeth turn orange/red and he grows small horns. Overall, Ganondorf's appearance as the Demon King strongly resembles that of the original Demon King himself, Demise.
Upon consuming the Secret Stone, Ganondorf becomes the Demon Dragon: a mindless, demonic dragon hell-bent on killing Link. In this form, he is a large, Eastern-styled dragon with black scales, a thick red mane, red crystalline horns and eleven gold horns, with ten on the sides of his head and one at the center. His eyes remain the same from his Demon King state, and he has six red legs as well. On his back, Ganondorf also possesses weak points made of Gloom which take the form of large black clumps of the substance with his eyes.
Personality[]
Ganondorf is a ruthless warlord with a bloodthirsty craving for power and conquest. He desires to rule Hyrule through pure force and tyranny, advocating the demise of many, as a means of reshaping the kingdom in his own image. His malevolent nature is extremely transparent, to the point that Rauru and Zelda were able to immediately notice his deceit of declaring his loyalty to the royal family of Hyrule. It's for this very reason that he is hated by many, including the Gerudo, who declared him to be a demon manifested as a Gerudo and a traitor to his own kind.
Unlike his other incarnation, he lacks any signs of honor and respect for others, and prides himself greatly on his own power and status. His thrill for battle and conquest comes from his own sadistic desires of spreading bloodshed across Hyrule, for the sole purpose of becoming king. His envisioned rule of Hyrule is one where he stands at the top above a kingdom filled with monsters and demons that desire nothing more than destruction. Likewise, he is more than willing to have Hyrule's own inhabitants be slaughtered by his monstrous army, including his own people, scoffing at the idea of living amongst them in a peaceful world.
His arrogance is most noticeable in his interactions with Link, where his view of Link's potential was only based on what Rauru promised as him being the wielder of the Master Sword. As such, when he meets Link for the first time, he was very disappointed for a supposed rival that was prophesied to be the one who would defeat him one day. However, this does change when Link proves his worth by holding his own against Ganondorf and managing to push him above his limits, to which Ganondorf admits he hasn't felt the thrill of battle for so long.
However, this sense of pride and leads to Ganondorf abandoning any sense of rationality and sanity left in him by becoming the Demon Dragon, becoming so obsessed with killing Link that even in his final moments as a sapient being, he still laughs arrogantly at the thought of the hero's demise. In doing so, he allowed himself to be reduced once more to a completely mindless beast in the form of the Demon Dragon, one that seeks nothing but the death of Link and his enemies.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Leadership: To be written...
- Fighting Skills: To be written...
- Swordsmanship: To be written...
- Spearmanship: To be written...
- Clubmanship: To be written...
- Archery: To be written...
- Dark Magic: To be written...
- Minion Summoning: To be written...
- Dragon Transformation: To be written...
Biography[]
Past[]
Rise of the Demon King[]
| “ | He was our chief... before he changed. His obsession with power transformed him into a monster. | „ |
| ~ The Gerudo Sage of Lightning describing Ganondorf's backstory to her descendant Riju |
Over 10,000 years ago, Ganondorf was born as the sole male of the Gerudo, and as tradition demanded, he became their chieftain. However, the authority and privileges he was born into was not enough to satisfy him, for he harbored a dark ambition to rule over the neighboring kingdom of Hyrule, which had just been established by King Rauru, one of the last of the ancient and highly-advanced Zonai race, and his Hyrulian wife, Queen Sonia. Thus, he amassed his army of Gerudo vai warriors as well as a pack of Molduga in order to conquer it. In addition, he began dabbling in dark magic, and in time became a powerful warlock. Around this same time, Zelda, the princess of Hyrule from the future, traveled back in time after encountering Ganondorf in that era.
In his first attempt to conquer Hyrule, he had his warriors summon the Molduga to attack the kingdom, but the attack was easily repulsed by King Rauru once empowered by Queen Sonia and Zelda. Though his plan was thwarted, it allowed Ganondorf to see the true source of the Zonai's power; the Secret Stones. With that, he opted for another approach; going before King Rauru and Queen Sonia under the surmise of pledging an oath of fealty to them. Though Rauru was aware of Ganondorf's true nature, he accepted it, believing that doing so would allow him to keep a closer eye on Ganondorf, despite Zelda's concerns.
Then one night, Queen Sonia was alone with "Zelda" when Zelda wished to speak with her, but, when Sonia had her back turned, "Zelda" drew a Gerudo dagger, while taunting that Sonia is far too trusting, she flung it at Sonia's back. However, something stopped the dagger before it even hit Sonia's long hair, and as Sonia turned around, she revealed that she knew the "Zelda" she's looking at was actually a puppet of Ganondorf. The real Zelda then appeared, having used her powers to stop the attempt on Sonia's life, having been aware the whole time of the plot, and sent the dagger back to sender, having it clink to the ground in front of her doppelganger upon lifting her spell. The phoney Zelda laughed before dispersing into Malice, revealing that she was really a phantom copy of Ganondorf himself. As Zelda and Sonia looked around for where the next attack could come from, Ganondorf snuck up behind Sonia and mortally wounded her in the back with a single punch. As Sonia whimpered in pain as she fell, her Secret Stone was swung upwards where Ganondorf snatched it from her before she collapsed to the ground. As Zelda turned in horror to find Sonia critically injured, Ganondorf smiled psychotically as he cackled maniacally at his success.
Turning to look out over Hyrule, Ganondorf corrupted Sonia's Secret Stone and placed it on his forehead, the power granted to him by it allowing him to summon the Blood Moon as he took on a stronger, Malice and Gloom fueled form, and summon his army all over Hyrule. As King Rauru arrived to discover what happened to his wife, Ganondorf took the opportunity to taunt him over his arrogance and how Sonia was just the first casualty of what's to come.
| “ | Ganondorf: You are too late, Rauru. You took for granted the godlike power you had in your hands. Do you now see the potential you squandered? As for her...She is merely the first victim of your arrogance. You tried to control me, Rauru, and you will die knowing that you failed! King Rauru: GANONDORF! Zelda: King Rauru! Queen Sonia needs you! |
„ |
| ~ Ganondorf mocking King Rauru for thinking he could keep him in check, his error costing Queen Sonia her life. |
Despite wanting to avenge Sonia right then and there, Rauru was called back by Zelda, and when Ganondorf tried to attack them with a beam of pure Malice and Gloom, Rauru blocked with his shield, just long enough for Zelda to use her Purah Pad to warp herself, Rauru, and Sonia's body to safety before Ganondorf broke through it. Disappointed they escaped, Ganondorf forgot about them as he embraced his newfound power and laughed wickedly as he turned back to gaze up at the Blood Moon.
Imprisoning War[]
After burying his beloved wife, a guilt-ridden and devastated King Rauru prepared to go after Ganondorf to ensure his threat to Hyrule was either stopped, or subdued for a foreseeable time. When Zelda revealed that she recognized Ganondorf in his stronger form as the mummified remains she found underneath Hyrule Castle back in her time, thus showing Rauru that his efforts in subduing the Demon King would be for naught as he'll break free eventually, Rauru told Zelda that she and Link would be Hyrule's last line of defense in stopping the Demon King when his power finally faltered and failed him, allowing Ganondorf to awaken and regain his power. Rauru then put together the Seven Sages where he and the rest of the sages confronted the Demon King. Despite their efforts, they were not strong enough to defeat Ganondorf, leading Rauru to make the sacrifice by sealing himself away with Ganondorf and imprison him underneath Hyrule Castle.
With Mineru recognizing that the seal would inevitably fail thanks to Zelda's knowledge of the future, the two concocted a plan to help Link defeat Ganondorf in the future. Zelda, receiving the damaged Master Sword from the future, consumed Rauru's Secret Stone that she recovered in her time to turn herself into an immortal dragon, sacrificing her mind and body to guard the sword and heal it with her powers till the present day while Mineru preserved her soul in the Purah Pad using her Secret Stone before the Malice and Gloom poisoning her killed her, allowing her to guide Link in the present day.
The Great Calamity[]
- Main article: Calamity Ganon
Though Ganondorf would remain sealed underneath Hyrule Castle for thousands of years, the malice and hatred within his body would eventually leak from his body, taking on the form of the near-mindless Calamity Ganon.
Tears of the Kingdom[]
Ganondorf reawakening from his millenia-long sealing.
| “ | Rise... rise, my servants! Sweep over Hyrule with the power I have granted you. Eliminate this kingdom and her allies. Leave no survivors! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf unleashing his army. |
Several years after Calamity Ganon's defeat, Zelda and Link travel underneath Hyrule Castle to undercover the mysterious substances that plagues Hyrule known as "Gloom." There, they find Ganondorf's mummified corpse being held in place by what remains of King Rauru, one of Hyrule's past kings and a powerful Zonai mage. When Rauru's seal finally fails, Ganondorf awakens from his slumber, revives, and after turning to glare at Link and Zelda, he sends a surge of Gloom at Link, so powerful that it burns away his Champion's tunic, corrodes the Master Sword, and burns Link's right arm as well, rendering it almost completely unusable due to the degree of the burn wounds. A second surge leads to the Master Sword shattering, with a single broken piece managing to still cut Ganondorf's mummified corpse on his cheek, but the hissing and boiling blood that comes out soon heals the wound, as Ganondorf voices his contempt and disappointment in how pathetic Link's attempt to wound him was before revealing he knows both of them by name and makes it clear they will fall by his hands.
He then collapses the caves they found him in as he sends a surge of Malice and Gloom to lift Hyrule Castle into the sky, causing Zelda to vanish as she's teleported back to Rauru's time period while Link awakens on the Zonai ruins now floating over Hyrule. With Rauru's right arm now fused to his own crippled one to save his life and attempt to heal his injuries, Link begins his journey to stop Ganondorf with support from all his allies in across Hyrule, including his friends who helped him free the Divine Beasts from the Blight Ganons in Riju, Yunobo, Sidon, and Tulin, who take over for his father Teba after he became the new Rito Elder, and are the descendants of the Sages of Lightning, Fire, Water, and Air who fought Ganondorf with King Rauru millennia ago.
| “ | I will yet rule this land... you will not stop me! A mere mortal... will not stand in my way! My body... my mind... everything! I'll sacrifice it all to destroy you... and cast this world into eternal night! | „ |
| ~ Ganondorf's cataclysmic villainous breakdown before swallowing his stolen secret stone to become the Demon Dragon |
After regaining his strength and the Master Sword fully restored, Link faces Ganondorf once more, first by battling through his forces supported by the Sages' descendants and Mineru, and then fighting Ganondorf himself after using his restored powers to transform his mummified body back into his original Gerudo form to fight Link with. Upon Ganondorf taking on his Demon King form, the Sages' descendants come to help again, but are soon knocked out by Ganondorf so he can fight Link alone. After being bested by Link in his Demon King form, Ganondorf becomes consumed with cataclysmic rage and throws a massive fit at the thought of being bested by a "mere mortal" and attempts to end Link's life by becoming a large, demonic dragon by spitefully swallowing Sonia's corrupted Secret Stone he took from her in the past. In doing so, he becomes immensely powerful at the cost of his mind; becoming a feral beast.
However, Zelda, who had taken on a similar form as the Light Dragon that restored the Master Sword, is able to help finally end Ganondorf's threat by supporting Link until he stabs him in the head, destroying him in a massive flash of light by destroying Sonia's corrupted Secret Stone. With the Demon King defeated, Link's right arm returns to normal, and Zelda is restored to her mortal humanoid form by Rauru and Sonia as a final gift from them before they ascend to the afterlife to join King Rhoam and the Champions, allowing Link, Zelda, and the descendants of the Sages to continue their work in Hyrule's rebirth.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment[]
Ganondorf is set to appear in the upcoming title where he will battle against the ancient Sages.
Descriptions[]
| “ | An evil man who lived long ago in the era of Hyrule's founding. He was imprisoned beneath Hyrule Castle for ages, but the magic weakened, and his power has been steadily growing since. Now he has revived as a threat beyond the knowledge of any. A master of every known weapon, he will not hesitate to crush any foe who stands in his way. | „ |
| ~ The Hyrule Compendium entry description of Ganondorf during phase 1 of his boss fight. |
| “ | The fearsome form that Demon King Ganondorf attained after unleashing the power of the secret stone. The ancient sages were no match for him and only barely managed to contain his devastating power. The gloom he produces is a corrosive substance so foul that it can wither anyone who touches it. | „ |
| ~ The Hyrule Compendium entry description of Ganondorf during phase 2 of his boss fight. |
| “ | The form that Ganondorf, the Demon King, attained after swallowing a secret stone attaining his true power. No trace of the original form remains. Its overwhelming magical strength would shake the skies. The jet-black scales covering it repel any and all attacks, save for those of the one and only Master Sword. | „ |
| ~ The Hyrule Compendium entry description of the Demon Dragon. |
Trivia[]
- Ganondorf is the only Gerudo of this era to retain yellow-colored eyes and round ears, as the Gerudo in the era of the wilds have green eyes and pointed ears given that they have long since cut off all ties with him.
- Ganondorf's swearing allegiance to King Rauru is a reference to his mainstream counterpart doing the same thing in Ocarina of Time, with Princess Zelda being certain that he is not being sincere. The difference is that in Ocarina of Time, Princess Zelda is only watching from the window with Link as it's taking place, while in Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda actually participates with Rauru and Sonia and Link is completely absent from the scene.
- When Ganondorf takes on the Demon King form after stealing the Secret Stone from Queen Sonia, he bore the likeness of Demise from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. While Demise's "hair" is purely fire, Ganondorf's hair retains its usual red color and is much longer and brighter.
- Additionally, the form bears a likeness to the Japanese mythological creature, the Oni, with the horns and weapons of choices strengthening the resemblance.
- During Ganondorf's transformation into the Demon Dragon, he briefly resembles the boar-like Calamity Ganon, confirming that he is the origin of the Calamity.
- Ganondorf's English voice actor, Matthew Mercer, had previously portrayed the character in the webseries There Will Be Brawl.
- His Gloom weapons (that are also used by Phantom Ganon) have Koume and Kotake's names engraved on them. This is a call-back to his original counterpart, who also had Koume and Kotake's names on his swords in The Wind Waker, as a way to commemorate them for raising him.
- Ganondorf's Gloom weapons are based on traditional Japanese weapons wielded by samurai:
External Links[]
- Ganondorf on the Pure Evil Wiki
- Ganondorf on the The Legend of Zelda Wiki
- Ganondorf on Wikipedia
