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“ | Hey! Who the heck are you? And what are you doing in my napping spot!? Wait a minute... That thing on your hip... Is that... Could it be a Sheikah Slate? If it's a Sheikah Slate... Then that means... Yeah, IT'S YOU! You're that Link guy I've been looking for! What luck! My scouts are out in the field looking high and low, but you just wander into my hideout! Oh, excuse me. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am the leader... of the Yiga Clan! The strong! The burly!! The one!! The only!! MASTER KOHGA!!! | „ |
~ Master Kohga introducing himself. |
“ | Upsy-daisy... Look what you did! Well! I don't mind. I don't mind one itsy-bitsy bit. And do you know why, hm? Because your thread's about to get cut, and I'm the shears. SNIP! SNIP! Yes! What a relief it will be when you meddlers are out of the picture! Today! Right now, in fact! The stupendous chief of the Yiga Clan, MASTER KOHGA... is gonna KILL YOU ALL... TO DEATH! | „ |
~ Master Kohga in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. |
Master Kohga is a major antagonist in the "Era of the Wilds" saga within The Legend of Zelda franchise.
He is the lazy and idiotic leader of the Yiga Clan, who is nevertheless worshipped by his loyal subordinates. He is also a zealous follower of Calamity Ganon and Demon King Ganondorf, seeking to use the demon's power as a means to get revenge on Hyrule for exiling his people.
He was voiced by Atsuyoshi Miyazaki in Japanese and Erik Braa (who also voiced Sombron in Fire Emblem Engage) in English.
Biography[]
Background[]
Kohga is the leader of the Yiga Clan, a clan of rogue Sheikah who worship the beast known as Calamity Ganon and wishes to do whatever they can to please him. One hundred years after the fall of Hyrule during the Great Calamity, Kohga is the leader of the Yiga Clan which is known to have existed since before the Great Calamity, as the Yiga Clan is known to have attempted to assassinate Princess Zelda shortly before the Great Calamity, which was foiled by the Hylian Champion Link. The Yiga Clan he leads was formed by a group of Sheikah who were angered over their race's mistreatment due to fears of Sheikah technology being used against the Kingdom which forced most of the Sheikah to bury their technology. This group became known as the Yiga Clan who swore allegiance to Ganon, becoming enemies to the Kingdom of Hyrule and Sheikah still loyal to the crown.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[]
During the war against Calamity Ganon, Master Kohga lead the Yiga Clan in an effort to defeat Link, Zelda, and the Champions to ensure Calamity Ganon succeeded in taking over Hyrule. He even took disguise of Urbosa to manipulate the Gerudo into battling the Hyruleans, but the real Urbosa arrived in time to thwart Kohga's plan, shocking him with her trademark lightning attack as he lunged for Zelda to kill her, forcing him to reveal himself and summon his clan members to fight Urbosa, Zelda, Impa, Link, and Urbosa's Gerudo women warriors. He was defeated, but Sooga rescued him and fled.
Later, Kohga teamed up with the dark seer Astor to prevent Zelda from sealing away Calamity Ganon, but immediately turned against him when Astor harvested the souls of the Yiga Clan to revive the Blight Ganons after the Blights were destroyed before they could kill the Champions and capture the Divine Beasts due to intervention from the future Champions. Ultimately, Kohga called a truce and joined the heroes in defeating Astor and Calamity Ganon, mainly to seek revenge for his fallen clansmen. He helped them find a way to reach the Great Plateau and reach the Temple of Time, even being touched when Zelda reunited with her father.
In the "Guardian Of Remembrance" DLC, in the EX Mission "The Yiga Clan's Retreat", Master Kohga, Sooga, and what's left of their troops are trying to escape Astor to regroup with Zelda and the Hyrulean Army. Astor sends monsters, Hollows, and even the resurrected Blight Ganons after them. One Yiga Blademaster heroically stays behind to serve as rear guard, despite knowing it is suicide. Nevertheless, despite the Yiga's best efforts, Kohga is forced to carry a wounded Sooga as they continue their escape, until cornered by the Blights, shortly after Sooga pleaded for Kohga to leave him behind as he was just slowing him down, only for Kohga to silence him as he was not going to leave any one of his men, let alone his best Blademaster, behind. Surrounded, it is then that Sooga finds enough strength left to perform a powerful Yiga ninja technique that immobilizes the Blights, but he can't hold it forever. He pleads for Kohga to hurry and escape while he still can, and after some internal conflict, Kohga escapes, sobbing and screaming mournfully as he abandons Sooga to his apparent doom despite his reluctance to do so. (If the player can save all of Kohga's men, including the one Blademaster that stayed behind to hold the line, it is presumed that some of them went back to help Sooga, saving his life, and unlocking Sooga as a playable character.)
With the Yiga Clan having rejoined the Sheikah, Impa, Purah, Robbie, and the Kingdom of Hyrule's allied forces under Rhoam and Zelda's leadership, they are able to breach Hyrule Castle, defeat Calamity Ganon, and seal him away for good, thus creating an alternate timeline from the one in Breath of the Wild with the Yiga Clan having turned good, the Champions still alive and still in control of the Divine Beasts, King Rhoam still living and breathing, and peace having returned to Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[]
One hundred years after Hyrule's decline, Master Kohga along with his clan stole the Thunder Helm from the Gerudo. Link made his way through their hideout where he battled this seemingly powerful enemy. But in reality, he is nothing but a braggart and an idiot who is easy to defeat. When he summoned a large spiked ball to attack Link, his plan backfired as it rolled towards him instead, sending him to his death at the bottom of a large pit. Even though he is gone, his followers still function as a unit and attacking Link anywhere in Hyrule.
Master Kohga seemed to have knowledge of Link and his quest to slay Ganon, and he has a strong grudge against him. It's unknown if Kohga has been around for one hundred years like his clan. If so, he is probably elderly, making him easier for Link (who hasn't aged at all) to take down. Another explanation for the ease of his defeat is that Kohga spends most of his time napping and eating Mighty Bananas (which all Yiga Clan members have a strange fascination with), resulting in him being overweight and not as fit as Link.
However, the Yiga Clan still highly respected Kohga regardless due to his mastery of the esoteric arts that only he has been able to master. Even after Master Kohga's apparent death, the Yiga Clan continued to seek out Link to avenge their leader. Interestingly, unlike his underlings, Kohga is never revived by Calamity Ganon whose power can revive Yiga Clan Footsoldiers and Blademasters after they are slain when his power reaches its peak every Blood Moon.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom[]
It is revealed that Kohga didn't perish as presumed but instead, survived and discovered the Depths. Wandering throughout the vast underground caverns, he would discover many of the ancient Zonai ruins and tech and begin experimenting with the latter. By the events of Tears of the Kingdom, Master Kohga and the Yiga clan (who have moved some operations to the Depths), now possess advanced Zonai machinery such as tanks and aircraft.
During the first encounter with Kohga in the Abandoned Central Hyrule Mine, he thanks his two underlings for helping to lure Link to him and recounts his first defeat, swearing vengeance against both Zelda and the hero. Kohga also remarks that Link is "cheating" as he can use the powers of Ultrahand and Autobuild to instantly create Zonai machines while the Yiga have to manually build such contraptions. He vows to steal Link's powers and give them to Ganondorf and thus, summoning an armoured vehicle he built, Kohga begins his boss fight.
In his first boss fight, Kohga will attempt to run over Link with his buggy while dropping down boulders, forcing Link to shoot him off his vehicle, causing Kohga to faceplant and leave himself vulnerable to attacks. The boulders Kohga uses can also be deflected via Recall to disarm him. Kohga will eventually add wood panels to cover up his sides and front and at low health, add rockets to charge at Link which Link can use to his advantage by getting him to charge into walls. Materials are also available in the battlefield that Link can use to build a buggy to pursue Kohga.
After his defeat, Kohga is angered at Link's gall but simply remarks that he can try to find whatever power Link used at the Southwestern Abandoned Mines. Thus, Kohga summons his aircraft and leaves.
In his second encounter, Kohga is seen attempting to open a Zonai magic seal, to no avail. He calls to Link to take over for a while but quickly does a double take and realises his foe is right behind him. Kohga accuses Link of tricking him into doing the pointless task and vows to steal his power again, summoning an aircraft beginning his second boss fight. Master Kohga will fly about, occasionally raining fire down with flame dispensers, forcing Link to once again shoot him off or use the springs littered around the battlefield to launch himself to Kohga or build his own aircraft using the other nearby materials. Kohga will eventually add a cannon onto his aircraft and at low health, protects himself with barriers that force Link to launch himself up to attack Kohga.
Regardless, Kohga is defeated, causing him to remark that the sand in his eyes caused him to lose (despite him wearing a mask that completely covers his face). He then decides to give up on stealing Link's power and reveals that with the crystallised charges the Yiga have collected, Kohga and his clan are going to restore an ancient weapon they found for Ganondorf instead. Informing Link that he'll be at the Eastern Abandoned Mine, Kohga leaves once again.
During his third encounter, Kohga is once again seen trying to open another Zonai seal with similar results. He is spooked by Link's appearance and once again, accuses him of trying to catch him off guard. However, Kohga announces that the Yiga have already mined all the charges in the area and claims that his failure earlier was just to kill time. He compliments Link's tenacity and thus, Kohga challenges him to another battle, hopping onto a spiked raft with two Yiga archers. Link must board one of the boats parked in the lake to pursue Kohga, taking down the archers and then Kohga himself. Link can then steal Kohga's raft while he summons another one, knocking into the one Kohga currently pilots to knock the archers off-balance. At low health, Kohga will summon a barrier to protect himself and begin hurling boulders at Link which can similarly be sent back via Recall.
Once defeated, Kohga makes the excuse that his hand slipped from the wet steering stick, contributing to his loss. However, he also states that Link's efforts are for naught as his underlings have located Ganondorf, allowing him to present the weapon to him once it's restored. He beckons Link to the Northwestern Abandoned Mines and assures him that he'll get his revenge before leaving.
In his final encounter, Kohga is found in a meditative pose waiting for Link. He reveals that preparations have been completed and that the weapon has been completely restored to a state pleasing for the Demon King. Kohga reveals the ultimate weapon: a huge Zonai construct, outfitted with Yiga decorations to resemble himself. Kohga boasts that Link should count himself lucky as his death will prove the Yiga clan's might and that with this, Kohga will take his rightful place in the domain of Ganondorf and participate in the end times. With this, Kohga's boss fight begins. The mech will attempt to swipe at Link as well as occasionally summon a shield in front of it, forcing Link to time his shots to shoot Kohga down. Eventually Kohga will summon a shield around himself and the mech will be more mobile and also gain new attacks such as twin beams that close in on Link and spiked metal balls that are thrown at Link. Link can knock Kohga down by using arrows (until the barrier is summoned), heavy attacks to knock the mech into the barbed wire around the arena or send a ball back via Recall. Alternatively, Link can summon Mineru and fight Kohga in a similar manner to the Seized Construct.
Kohga is once again defeated and the construct is destroyed. Furious at Link for ruining his chances of currying favour with Ganondorf, Kohga unveils his last resort: the Kohga Rocket, which is a bundle of rockets crudely attached to a log with a spiked ball at the back. He aims it at Link but due to the weight of the rocket's head, it tilts downwards and instead fires at Kohga. As Kohga zooms about the cavern stuck to his own creation, he swears revenge against Link before he blasts up into the sky and the rocket explodes, leaving his ultimate fate unknown.
Other Media[]
Super Smash Bros.[]
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Master Kohga appears as one of the game's many spirits, being first introduced in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity themed event sharing the name as the spirits' source. An Attack-type spirit with an Advanced ranking, it makes the player using it heavier. In its spirit battle, the player must fight a King K. Rool alongside a giant, Illing-Edge wielding Mii Swordfighter baring a costume referencing the Yiga Footsoldiers (although this Mii Swordsfighter joins later on in the fight), with the fight itself taking place on Suzaku Castle's Battlefield form. This fight also requires the player to only defeat the King K. Rool, causes banana peels to spawn commonly, and has the King K. Rool commonly use his neutral special.
Powers and Abilities[]
As the leader of the Yiga Clan, Kohga has authority over Yiga Footsoldiers and Yiga Blademasters who are all extremely loyal and devoted to him.
As a result, he effectively has command of the entire Yiga Clan. Despite being in control of a powerful military force capable of successfully attacking the well defended Gerudo Town and stealing the Thunder Helm, Kohga's laziness prevented him from utilizing the Yiga Clan to its full potential.
As a master of esoteric arts, Kohga is capable of levitation and is strong enough to hurl boulders and spiked metal balls at Link. As shown in Tears of the Kingdom, Kohga is also somewhat competent with machinery as he manages to salvage Zonai technology into weapons of war, though it's likely his minions have assisted him in building them. He has also gained rudamentary knowledge of the Autobuild techique, letting him build devices instantly while conjuring the necessary components out of raw Zonaite.
Quotes[]
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[]
“ | Who would've thought... I'd be done in like this... And by this guy, of all people! You think I'm just going to let this stand!? Do you!? *ahem* I almost lost my temper there... Argh, what a pain... I can't go out this way. What to do, what to do... Ha! I got it! Meheheheh... Ahahahaha! I need to bust out my serious moves... A secret technique taught by my father's mother's father! It will... destroy you! This is the end! | „ |
~ Master Kohga after being defeated by Link. |
“ | Ahahaha-uh... Huh. Maybe it's a tad too big. Are you still over there? Well, no matter. Pretty soon you'll be gone! And not just from my line of sight! Only the leader of the Yiga Clan... can use this secret technique... It is... the ultimate... | „ |
~ Master Kohga after performing his "ultimate" technique and right before it falls over on him into a large pit. |
“ | Coward! I shall be remembered! The Yiga Clan will track you down to the ends of Hyruuuule! | „ |
~ Master Kohga's last words before his appareant death. |
“ | The leader of the Yiga Clan, a group formed with just a single objective: eliminate Link. He sends his minions all over Hyrule in search of you but tends to spend most of his own time napping and generally loafing about. Despite this, his mastery of the esoteric arts has earned him a deep respect. Even if he were to die, his followers would never give up their one and only task. | „ |
~ Master Kohga's Hyrule Compendium entry. |
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[]
“ | You've got some nerve thinking you can go toe to toe with...MASTER KOHGA! I'll show YOU... YIGA ASSEMBLE! Me excluded of course. | „ |
~ Master Kohga's introduction in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. |
“ | All right, everybody! Let's go get our sweet revenge! | „ |
~ Master Kohga leading the Yiga into battle alongside the rest of the Hyrule United Army in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. |
“ | I'm serving up... a whole lotta hurt! | „ |
~ Master Kohga using his special attack in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. |
“ | Top Banana of the Yiga Clan: The Chief of the Yiga Cian and a uniting force for his unwavering followers. He leaves all tasks, save napping, to his underlings. He works with the Hyrulean army to get revenge for his fallen friends. | „ |
~ Master Kohga's in-game description. |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom[]
“ | The leader of the Yiga Clan, who worship the Demon King. His larger-than-life presence makes him popular and deeply respected. After the Upheaval, Kohga latched on to Zonai devices as a way to increase his power. He had his underlings use the technology to make a variety of bizarre and deadly contraptions to kill you with. | „ |
~ Master Kohga's Hyrule Compendium entry. |
“ | Head of the Yiga Clan, an organization with a grudge against Hyrule. His grandiosity and inexplicable charisma inspire passionate loyalty. Originally thought to have been killed in battle with Link, he survived after falling into the depths of the world. Burning with ambition to join the "Magnificent One" and guide the world to its end, he has sent his acolytes to all corners of Hyrule. | „ |
~ Master Kohga's Character Profile. |
Trivia[]
- Master Kohga is one of the only two bosses in the game to not be related to Malice or the Divine Beasts, the other being Monk Maz Koshia.
- Additionally, it was thought that Master Kohga was killed off for good given that Calamity Ganon never brought him back during Breath of the Wild whenever the Blood Moon rose. By the time of Tears of the Kingdom, he was revealed to have survived his fall which explains why he was never resurrected like the rest of his clan were. He was merely trapped within the Depths for a couple of years.
- If the player enters Kogha's arena from above even after the Thunder Helm quest begins, Kohga will not appear. The game is specifically set so that the battle with him will only be triggered by entering his arena through the secret passage inside the Yiga hideout, which can only be opened from inside the hideout via magnesis.
- According to the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion handbook, Kohga's name is a title passed down to the individual that is recognized as the leader of the Yiga Clan. As such, it is not exactly clear whether the Kohga seen in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are intended to be the same character but given that the two share very identical characteristics and that the Sheikah race are able to live over one hundred years old, it is most likely the two are one and the same.
- As some believe that Master Kohga's defeat by falling into a pit in Breath of the Wild foreshadowed the new underground biome for Tears of the Kingdom, some have jokingly stated that Master Kohga's defeat in the latest game foreshadows that outer space will be a new environment featured in the next Zelda game.
- Master Kohga is the only Yiga clan member not to be affected by the Yiga disguise as he'll instantly recognize Link.
- Some netizens have commented that Master Kohga's pursuit of a Zonai weapon to present to Ganondorf was a fool's errand as Ganondorf already possesses the Seized Construct, a Zonai prototype of the mech Mineru inhabits, making Kohga's quest to give him a similar Zonai construct fruitless.
External Links[]
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Villains | ||
The Demon King's Army Palace Guardians Koholint Island Termina World of the Ocean King Hytopia Tecuums Other Foes Hyrule Warriors Cadence of Hyrule Manga Ganon's Army (CD-I) |