Ganon
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| Ganon | |
|---|---|
| Game series | The Legend of Zelda series |
| First game | The Legend of Zelda (1986) |
| Creator(s) | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Voice actor(s) | Len Carlson (TV show); Takashi Nagasako (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Smash Bros. Melee, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker), Hironori Miyata (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) |
Ganon (ガノン?), also known as Ganondorf (ガノンドロフ Ganondorofu?) in his human forms, the King of Evil, is a fictional character and primary antagonist of several games in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. He is by far the most commonly used villain in the series and frequently serves as the final boss, sometimes unexpectedly, thereby giving him the status of arch-enemy to the main protagonist, Link. Although he made numerous appearances in the series, he was first given a backstory in A Link To The Past and it was first shown ingame in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. He was also given a separate backstory in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures in 2004.
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[edit] Character depiction
Various games depict Ganon as a villain with a thirst for power. Whereas earlier games such as A Link to the Past characterized him simply as a power-mad tyrant, he has been depicted with more complexity in some of the later games, such as The Wind Waker, which provides a more understandable reason for Ganon's villainy. It seems though, that his main goal isn't really having power, but using power as a means to gain control over Hyrule. Ganon's roles range from savage beast to warlord.
"Ganondorf" was given as the character's original name in A Link to the Past (while he was a human thief), and the humanoid Ganondorf of Ocarina of Time was known exclusively by that name, up until his transformation at the end of the game. In some cases, this name has been used to refer to the character's human form, while the name "Ganon" is used to describe his bestial pig-like form (it is speculated that this name is derived from that of a blue, boar-like creature from Chinese folklore, which would also explain his color in the original and some subsequent games.) Other times the names are used interchangeably, such as in The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures.
Ganon is an immensely powerful magician, skilled in the powers of darkness. He is also a master swordsman, and possesses great intellect which he uses to manipulate people and creatures to his advantage; despite this he usually uses his magical powers to battle Link. Ganon is also very strong physically and often uses brute force to hit (usually with a weapon) or throw Link across a room or battlefield.
[edit] Game appearances and biography
[edit] The Legend of Zelda
Ganon first appeared in the NES game, The Legend of Zelda. In this game, Ganon attacks the land of Hyrule and steals the Triforce of Power which he uses to overrun the kingdom with monsters. He later kidnaps Zelda and locks her in his lair on Death Mountain, and is the final boss and primary antagonist of the game.
[edit] The Adventure of Link
Ganon only makes a brief cameo in The Adventure of Link, as a shadowy figure in the Game Over screen; the plot of the game partially involves an attempt by Ganon's followers to revive him using Link's blood.
[edit] A Link to the Past
In A Link to the Past, it is said that once Ganon and his army of thieves skilled in dark arts found the entrance to the Golden Land and upon entering the realm he kills his followers and touches the Triforce with "blood stained hands". He wishes to conquer the world and this transforms the Golden Land into the corrupt Dark World. Ganon summons other beings to this land and uses the Triforce to transform them into monsters for his army. His army attacks the land of Hyrule until the knights and the seven sages combine their power and seal Ganon and his army in his corrupt world.
Centuries later, using the form of Agahnim, Ganon returns to Hyrule Castle and overthrows the King. He then kidnaps and transports seven maidens, descendants of the sages, to reside in the Dark World in order to break the sages' seal. When Link ultimately defeats Agahnim in a battle at the top of Ganon's Tower, Ganon flees to the Pyramid of Power, where Link, armed with Silver Arrows and the Master Sword, is finally able to best him and use the Triforce to restore Hyrule and resurrect those Ganon killed.
[edit] Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is known as the King of the Gerudo, by virtue of being the only male in the tribe. Ganondorf learns of the legend of the Triforce and seeks to attain it with the aid of his surrogate servants, Twinrova. He makes attempts to steal the sacred stones to enter the Sacred Realm. It seems that when Link travels to all three places to get the three spiritual stones, they all talk of a man who already traveled to get the stones before Link even started his quest. The Great Deku tree describes a man from the desert who puts a curse on him that eventually kills him after Link goes inside of him. In Goron city, they describe a powerful man who seals Dodongo's Cavern in order to starve the Gorons. In Zora's Domain, Princess Ruto says that their Lord Jabu-Jabu hasn't been the same since "that man" came. He eventually chases Impa and Princess Zelda into hiding, seeking the Ocarina of Time. Noting that Link had attained the Sacred Stones for himself, Ganondorf uses this opportunity to seize the Triforce when Link removes the Master Sword, the final key to the Sacred Realm. His unbalanced heart only allows him to receive the Triforce of Power (with Wisdom and Courage going to Zelda and Link respectively). His Triforce piece allows him to cause numerous disasters for all of Hyrule, and in doing so, become the king.
By the time seven years had passed, he had placed monsters in the Sages' temples to prevent them from hearing their "awakening call". When Link awakened from the Sacred Realm as a young adult, Ganondorf watched him, waiting for when Zelda would reveal herself. Ganondorf is eventually able to capture the final sage - Princess Zelda - forcing Link into a direct confrontation. Although bested by Link in the ensuing battle atop his tower, he uses the remains of his power to destroy his tower, in hope of finishing Link and Zelda. Though they escape, thinking him defeated, Ganondorf comes out of the rubble, and using the Triforce of Power, he transforms into a bipedal sword-wielding pig-like form called Ganon, similar to the Ganon shown in earlier games. After a large battle, the Seven Sages imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm and he vows to return and exterminate Link and Zelda's descendants, as long as the Triforce of Power was still in his hand.
[edit] Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
Ganon was the hidden final boss of Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons in the linked game. He was revived by the Twinrova sisters by causing sorrow in Labrynna, destruction in Holodrum and despair by sacrificing Princess Zelda. But when Link saved Zelda, the ritual was incomplete - Twinrova then used themselves as the sacrifice and Ganon became nothing more than a "mindless beast" bent on destruction, failing to retain his mind.
[edit] The Wind Waker
Ganondorf manipulates the course of events across the game to lead Link to take the Master Sword from its undersea resting place, releasing his power and to lure Link to him in order to steal both Link and Zelda's respective Triforce pieces to put the Triforce back together again and bring Hyrule to the surface, becoming its complete ruler. Ganon reveals to Link that he grew up in a harsh environment where the wind was a destructive force that brought only death, while the wind in Hyrule was a life-giving force. Link and Princess Zelda retalliate with force; eventually defeating Ganondorf by impaling his head with the Master Sword, despite his impressive sword skills, turning him in to stone.
[edit] Four Swords Adventures
Ganondorf is given an entirely new backstory and one that brings more sympathy in this game. Ganon, in his pig form, is the final boss in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. A young Gerudo named Ganondorf is found to have stolen a trident that gives him incredible powers. With this weapon, he began to seize control of parts of Hyrule, spreading evil and creating an army of Dark Links. As in The Wind Waker, Link and Zelda team up to defeat Ganon, eventually sealing him within the Four Sword.
[edit] Twilight Princess
Ganondorf appears in sort of a twist ending in Twilight Princess, though he is really the one behind all of the events that have transpired throughout the story. Many years before the start of the game he was banished to the Twilight Realm after a failed execution by the ancient sages (which left him with a glowing scar wound on his chest). Then, posing as a god, he encounters Zant (who was built up to be the primary antagonist), giving him his power and convincing him to attempt conquest of the light world. He also serves as the final boss of the game in numerous phases, including one appearance as Ganon (in a more feral style than in previous appearances to mirror Link's wolf form). At the end of the game Ganondorf is defeated by Link and impaled through the wound in his chest with the Master Sword. He apparently dies, but what truly became of him after his defeat is unknown.
[edit] CD-i Zelda games
Ganon appears in his "pig" form in all three of the CD-i Zelda titles, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, Link: The Faces of Evil, excluding Zelda's Adventure in which he was a large muscular devil creature. In these versions he only requires one hit to defeat, and appears to be a sorcerer of some sort with features based in his cartoon incarnation. His name is misspelled as Gannon. These games are (in many cases) not considered to be actual Zelda games.
[edit] Games without appearances of Ganon
In other Zelda games, Ganon is hardly touched upon, if at all. He does not appear in Majora's Mask or The Minish Cap where Majora and Vaati fill the roles of primary antagonist, respectively. The Wind Fish's Nightmares assume a form called "Ganon's Shadow" in Link's Awakening, constructed from Link's memories of battling Ganon.
[edit] Super Smash Bros. Melee
Ganondorf is also an unlockable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee, and is based on his appearance in the SpaceWorld demo, even wielding the large, cleaverlike sword in one of his victory poses (though he cannot actually use it in combat). In Melee, he is referred to by his full name, "Ganondorf," and is a slower, heavier, and more powerful "clone" of Captain Falcon, performing mostly the same attacks and moves (although his regular A attack and others are different). In this appearance, Ganondorf was voiced by Takashi Nagasako.
[edit] Animated series appearances
[edit] The Legend of Zelda animated series
Ganon was also the main villain of 1989's Legend of Zelda cartoon, which was shown as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show in syndication that year. In the cartoon, Ganon was peach-skinned anthropomorphic pig and a wizard. He was in possession of the Triforce of Power, and, despite seemingly endless abilities and magical powers that emanated from finger tips he bungled away each and every chance he had to nab the Triforce of Wisdom. He spent most of his time living in his subterranean lair, referred to as his "castle", which was located in the Underworld. He was voiced by the late Len Carlson, who would later go on to voice Klump in Donkey Kong Country.
[edit] Captain N: The Game Master
Ganon (just like Link and Zelda) also appeared in Captain N: The Game Master, as a secondary villain in the episode "Quest For the Potion of Power". This was something of a continuum of Ganon's appearance in the Zelda cartoon. The episode seems to take place after the happenings of the original Zelda game (and maybe even Zelda II), during which Ganon is weakened. Through the course of the episode he becomes revived, double-crosses Mother Brain, and is then killed again by the Reflect magic on Link's shield.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
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Link · Great Fairy · Impa · Malon · Princess Zelda · Tingle and related characters By game |
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