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“ | Hey kid, you did quite well... It looks like you may be gaining some slight skill... But you have defeated only my phantom... When you fight the real me, it won't be so easy! What a worthless creation that ghost was! I shall banish it to the gap between dimensions! | „ |
~ Ganondorf after Link defeats Phantom Ganon in Ocarina of Time. |
“ | The fabled swordsman who endured my corruption... Who has persisted in slaughtering my servants... Interesting... How is it that you survived my attack? It must have been that wretched arm. No matter. You will not live to see another sunrise. Did my puppet entertain you? She made it so easy to mislead you; to keep you occupied... But such an indirect approach is no longer needed. End this hero's life, my dark servant. Cut him down. | „ |
~ Ganondorf revealing Phantom Ganon to Link in Tears of the Kingdom. |
Phantom Ganon is a major antagonist in the The Legend of Zelda franchise, often serving as a boss in later stages in some of the games. It is a clone created by Ganondorf himself that acts a loyal enforcer to his commands. While it is nowhere near powerful as the original, it still retains power enough to make him a deadly foe.
In Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker and Four Swords Adventure, it was voiced by Takashi Nagasako, same as Ganondorf himself. In Tears of the Kingdom, while disguised as Zelda, it is voiced by Yu Shimamura in the original Japanese, and by Patricia Summersett in the English dub.
Appearance
Phantom Ganon's appearance has varied throughout the series. In Ocarina of Time, Phantom Ganon initially appeared almost exactly as the real Ganondorf did, before revealing its true face to be a frightening skull with no jaw bone and glowing yellow eyes with black irises. He possesses the same jewel on its forehead as the real Ganondorf has, and two large horns on its forehead pointing upwards.
In The Wind Waker and Hyrule Warriors, Phantom Ganon appeared as a large, shadowy ghost-like entity with blue out-lines. Its left arm and right leg resemble are nothing but bones and wears a tattered cape. It has two curved horns on each side of its head, and wields a large shadowy sword. Its appearance in Four Swords Adventure is near identical to how it originally appeared in The Wind Waker, only that it does not wear a cape and is colored purple instead of turquoise.
In Tears of the Kingdom, Phantom Ganon appears similar to Ganondorf's mummified form. The main difference is that its body is almost completely dark and its eyes are glow red. As a Gloom Spawn, it appears as five several long, sinister-looking arms protruding from a puddle of Gloom with an eye in each palm similar to the Demon King's. Once defeated, it reverts back to its true form.
Personality
Much like most monsters and demons that serve under Ganondorf, Phantom Ganon serves faithfully to its lord and creator, able to carry out his tasks and orders without question. Like most of his powerful minions, Phantom Ganon usually serves as a powerful obstacle, guarding a certain item for Link to acquire.
In Tears of the Kingdom, it is depicted as more of an extension of Ganondorf's evil will, carrying over his cunning and deceitful traits when masquerading as Zelda. It serves as a much more active threat across Hyrule, managing to cause various mischief and distress for people without giving away its true nature and is able to ambush Link at random encounters in the form of a Gloom Spawn. Only when Link properly confronts it does it willingly drop the guise and reveal itself to be the Demon King's faithful puppet.
Biography
Unified Timeline
Ocarina of Time
Phantom Ganon is the boss of the Forest Temple. As Link and Navi enter the boss room, they see many identical paintings on the wall of a road leading to a dark castle; Phantom Ganon jumps into one of them with its horse. After disappearing, two Phantom Ganons ride to the front of the painting, and a purple hole appears in one of them, which is the one the real Phantom Ganon will jump out of. As it jumps out, Link has to shoot it with an arrow from the Fairy Bow or hit it with the Hookshot. After taking three hits, it will leave its horse.
It will now start to attack by shooting an electricity ball at Link. He, in turn, has to bounce the ball back at it with his Sword or an empty bottle. It will retaliate, but Link must not give up; after enough times, Phantom Ganon will eventually be hit and fall to the ground, paralyzed. The hero now has to attack it with his Sword. After enough hits, it will be defeated. Link then gains a Heart Container and the Forest Medallion. As for Phantom Ganon, Ganondorf banishes it to the gap between dimensions.
Downfall Timeline
Phantom Ganon likely remained sealed within the gap between dimensions in this timeline.
Child Timeline
Four Swords Adventures
Phantom Ganon appears again as a dungeon boss. It confronts the Links twice, first early in the game at Hyrule Castle, and again in the Temple of Darkness. It fights similarly to Ocarina of Time, where it throws an energy orb at the Links, and they must hit it back. Failure to strike the orb causes fragments to fly out. Once Phantom Ganon is struck by the orb, the Links must run up to it and slash to damage it. In the rematch at the Temple of Darkness, Phantom Ganon can create clones of itself. The real Phantom Ganon will throw green energy orbs, while its copies throw white orbs that break when a Link strikes his sword at it.
Adult Timeline
The Wind Waker
After withdrawing the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link travels back to the Forsaken Fortress to confront Ganondorf and the Helmaroc King to rescue his sister Aryll. Upon arrival, however, his path is blocked by Phantom Ganon. The pair engage in "Dead Man's Volley" during the ensuing battle and Link manages to defeat it. Phantom Ganon vanishes and leaves behind a Treasure Chest containing the Skull Hammer.
Later, after restoring the Triforce of Courage, Link traverses to the submerged Ganon's Tower after Tetra is kidnapped by Ganondorf, where he is again confronted by Phantom Ganon. This time, however, Link must fight it several times in a large maze with many doors. After each defeat, Phantom Ganon drops its sword. By going through the door that the hilt of the sword points at, Link is eventually rewarded with the Light Arrows. After traveling to the next room, Link is confronted a final time and permanently defeats Phantom Ganon solely with the use of his new Light Arrows.
Converged Timeline
Tears of the Kingdom
Phantom Ganon returns as the secondary antagonist of Tears of the Kingdom, serving as the boss of Hyrule Castle and the main enforcer of Ganondorf, where it's disguised as Zelda to lure out Link, as well as cover up her disappearance. It causes much discord throughout Hyrule, such as giving Yunobo a mysterious mask that brainwashes him into a mean-spirited individual, expediting the spread of marbled rock roast to incapacitate the Gorons, siccing the Sludge Like on King Dorephan, having Yunobo attack Link, ordering Moragia to attack Link and Yunobo, ordering Marbled Gohma to attack them and luring Link to Hyrule Castle and siccing the Monster Forces on him. Phantom Ganon can also be encountered as an overworld miniboss, as it may appear when Link defeats a group of Gloom Spawn. It also existed as far back as before Ganondorf became the Demon King, helping its master kill Queen Sonia and claim her Secret Stone to become the Demon King.
Phantom Ganon, while disguised as Zelda, will narrate the Blood Moon cutscenes that tell the player that when it reaches its peak, all slain monsters will be brought back to life and the world is once again threatened. If Link has defeated Phantom Ganon at Hyrule Castle, it will no longer give any monologue during the Blood Moon cutscenes.
Other Media
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Phantom Ganon from Ocarina of Time appears in this game as a sticker. When equipped during the Subspace Emissary, it boosts Ganondorf's darkness elemental attacks by 40.
Hyrule Warriors Legends
Phantom Ganon appears in Hyrule Warriors Legends, where he serves as the main antagonist of the Great Sea Saga, sporting his design from The Wind Waker. This time around, he carries two swords instead of one, likely referencing how his master wielded two swords in the game.
Following the defeat of his master, he takes over his army then gains control of both Cia's powers and the Triforce of Power, using them to open a rift into the Wind Waker era. He is eventually defeated by Link, Lana, and their allies. Together, the team was able to undo his actions in Hyrule.
Descriptions
Ocarina of Time
“ | Phantom Ganon. Attack him when he comes out of one of the pictures! Watch out for the fake one! | „ |
~ Navi about Phantom Ganon during the first phase of his boss battle. |
“ | Phantom Ganon. It's an evil ghost of the Forest Temple! He comes out of one of the pictures. Answer his magic attack with an attack of your own! | „ |
~ Navi about Phantom Ganon during the second phase of his boss battle. |
The Wind Waker
“ | Habitat: Forsaken Fortress. Effective Weapons: Light Arrows, Master Sword. This is a phantom that Ganondorf created in his own likeness. Use your sword to knock back the balls of magic that he hurls, then attack him when he's stunned. Actually, you can also use empty bottles to deflect his magic attacks. |
„ |
~ Phantom Ganon's figurine description in the Nintendo Gallery. |
Tears of the Kingdom
“ | Though it may walk on two legs, this creature is undeniably monstrous in appearance. A sinister aura permeates the air around it. You know little of its attributes or behavior, but its strength and weapon mastery make it a formidable foe. It was first sighted after the Upheaval. Its identity and origins are shrouded in mystery. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon's Hyrule Compendium entry before Link defeats it in Hyrule Castle. |
“ | A monster created from the very flesh and blood of Demon King Ganondorf that will follow his bidding without hesitation. Like the Demon King it so resembles, this huge creature is a master of many weapons. It will attack its foes relentlessly and without mercy. Facing it in battle is inadvisable-unless you want a quick ticket to the afterlife. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon's Hyrule Compendium entry after Link defeats it in Hyrule Castle. |
Quotes (while disguised as Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom)
“ | Witness the blood moon's rise. When its red glow shines upon the land… the aimless spirits of slain monsters return to flesh. Just as they did in a war long past. The world is threatened once again. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon posing as Zelda during the first blood moon after the Upheaval. |
“ | When the glow of the blood-stained moon shines upon the land... the aimless spirits of slain monsters return to flesh. The world is threatened once again. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon posing as Zelda during the blood moons. |
“ | You are far too trusting. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon preparing to murder Queen Sonia. |
“ | At last… I have been waiting for you to arrive. Now, Link… There is something I want to show you. (creates illusion) What do you think? Hyrule Castle. Perfect and glorious. Does it awaken memories? Memories of our time here? Well, really take in every detail… After all, this place… will be the last thing you ever see. | „ |
~ Phantom Ganon revealing its true identity to Link in Tears of the Kingdom. |
Trivia
- Phantom Ganon's boss battle in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, specifically the part with the paintings, served as a main inspiration for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.
- It is possible that the Phantom Ganon in The Wind Waker is not the same one that appears in Ocarina of Time as the one that preceded him was banished into the Gap Between Dimensions, deemed as a "worthless creation". Though it is also possible that he was eventually released by his master and made more powerful.
- An outfit resembling Phantom Ganon from Ocarina of Time appears in both Breath of the Wild (in The Champion's Ballad DLC) and in Tears of the Kingdom. Each equipment increases Link's stealth while wearing the entire set will boost the attack power of bone-type weapons.
- While Phantom Ganon did not appear in every game, there are some individuals who have served a similar role.
- In Link to the Past, an evil wizard called Agahnim is stated to be Ganon's clone.
- In Breath of the Wild, a group of entities created by Calamity Ganon, known as the Blight Ganons, were also similar, and are even referred to as "Phantom Ganons" in the Champion's Ballad DLC. And by the time of Tears of the Kingdom, even Calamity Ganon itself ends up serving as a stand in for Phantom Ganon.
- In Tears of the Kingdom, its weapons (that are also used by its master) have Koume and Kotake's names engraved on them.
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) |