Ganon
Encyclopedia
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character
who is the main antagonist
of Nintendo
's The Legend of Zelda series
of video games. He is the final boss
of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past
. The English version of the A Link to the Past instruction manual adds the surname Dragmire and the fact that his alias means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".
In the games, Ganon is the archenemy of Link and the leader of the Gerudo, a race of desert brigands, until he acquires great magical power to become a king of evil.Ganon is the king of the Gerudo tribe in Ocarina of Time
, and his given title as a boss in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
is "Evil Gerudo King".In the Japanese versions of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess
, Ganon's human form is titled (lit. "Great Demon King Ganondorf"); in the latter, his beast form is titled (lit. "Demon Beast Ganon"). The North American Ocarina of Time uses "Great King of Evil Ganondorf", and the North American Twilight Princess uses "Dark Lord Ganondorf" and "Dark Beast Ganon".
His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often they include capturing Princess Zelda, and planning to achieve the domination of Hyrule
(and presumably the world beyond it). To this end, he seeks the Triforce, a powerful magical relic, which will grant whatever wish the bearer desires, and usually manipulates several other villains to accomplish his plans and ambitions. In most games he already possesses the Triforce of Power, which gives him great strength and makes him invincible to all but certain holy weapons such as the Master Sword. However, Ganondorf's lust for power can never be satisfied, and he seeks the full Triforce to grant his wish of world domination
.
In general, Ganon has been well-received by critics and fans. Ganon was the runner-up in GameFAQs
' "Got Villains?" Character Battle, losing only to Final Fantasy
s Sephiroth. In an episode of G4
's Filter
, he was named the fourth-best villain in video games.
video game The Legend of Zelda, in reference to a humanoid pig character known as Zhu Bajie
(Cho Hakkai in Japanese) from the famed 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West
.
For the development of Ocarina of Time, Ganon was conceived by character designer Satoru Takizawa. Takizawa had imagined Ganon as a "crooked and complex thief, who was basically an all around abominable human being". However, script director Toru Osawa claimed that this image was "not the case". He began to speak of how Ganondorf was meant to have "parts where he is rather good", comparing him to the character of Raoh in Fist of the North Star
. With this idea in mind, Takizawa created a tentative model of Ganondorf based on actor Christopher Lambert
. The end result of Ganondorf was very different from this model, with three forms of the character being created: one of Ganondorf in the beginning; one of Ganondorf seven years later, with long hair; and one of Ganon in the end. Since Ganon was a pig-like creature, Takizawa decided that Ganondorf should transform into such at the end of the game, despite the opinions of other staff members. He decided on making Ganon a beast "with the feeling of a pig" to reference A Link to the Past.
Ganon is named inconsistently throughout the series. In the Japanese versions of the first three games, his name is anglicized as "Gannon". This spelling appears in only two Western releases: the original game, and the extracanonical Zelda's Adventure. Since The Adventure of Link, the name is given as "Ganon". A Link to the Past uses "Ganondorf", as does Ocarina of Time
, aside from a few exceptional uses of "Ganon". Nintendo's current convention is to use "Ganon" for his beast form and "Ganondorf" for the character's human form.
, with Len Carlson as Ganon. Next was the spin-off title BS Zelda no Densetsu, which was broadcast exclusively to Japanese Satellaview
owners. From the game's first broadcast in August 1995 to its last in January 1997, Ganon was voiced by Seizō Katō. The next time a voice actor would be used for the part of Ganondorf would be in Ocarina of Time, where he was voiced by Takashi Nagasako
. Nagasako would also go on to voice Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Melee
and The Wind Waker
. Hironori Miyata
performs the role in Twilight Princess
and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
.
Gregory Lee Kenyon played Ganondorf in the live-action Zelda trailer produced by Rainfall films. It took five hours to complete the makeup for Ganon, which included layers of latex prosthetics, a full wig, a beard, and a set of eyebrows.
, and Twilight Princess. Ganon has temples dedicated to him and is worshiped as a god. sometimes in the course of a single game. However, he does show some knowledge of the fine arts, since he can play his own leitmotif
on an organ in Ocarina of Time.
Ganondorf is portrayed in Ocarina of Time as an ambitious, cunning manipulator, gaining the king's trust before betraying him and tricking Link into opening the Door of Time, allowing Ganondorf to access the power of the gods.
In Twilight Princess, Ganondorf is stated to have been known as a demon thief and an evil magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness. When he obtains the Triforce of Power, he develops a god complex, believing himself to have been chosen by the goddesses to be the ruler of the world.
,He uses magic in A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and The Adventure of Link
, among other titles. able to use magic to attack as well as shapeshift
,He changes between human and beast forms in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. and as the king of the Gerudo is skilled enough a swordsman to combat Link.Ganon acrobatically dodges Link's swings in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. In the former, he dual-wields swords. The Triforce of Power, a magical relic of the goddess Din, makes Ganon stronger, also granting him powers such as transvection
,Ganon flies in A Link to the Past, the TV series The Legend of Zelda
, and Ocarina of Time. In Twilight Princess, he causes Princess Zelda
to fly while possessing her. teleportation
,Ganon can teleport himself and others by various means. He visibly uses this skill in the TV series The Legend of Zelda. In Ocarina of Time, he encloses Princess Zelda in a pink crystal and teleports her to his castle. In Twilight Princess, while in beast form, he uses portals to evade attack. and superhuman strength
. Further, the Triforce piece grants him immortality
: he never shows signs of aging and can survive wounds as severe as being impaled by a sword. Once drastically injured, he can be magically imprisoned by divine intervention, but he may escape. If he is actually killed, his followers may resurrect him.Ganon's minions fail to resurrect Ganon in The Adventure of Link, but partly succeed in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Only sacred weapons such as the Master Sword can hurt Ganon at all.In The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past, Ganon can only be slain by Silver Arrows. In Ocarina of Time and Four Swords Adventure, Light Arrows and the Four Sword, respectively, are necessary to defeat him.
, and wields two large swords. This game also marks the first appearance of his humanoid form: an armor-clad but unarmed Gerudo with dark skin and red hair. Special traits in his human form include muscular figure, sharp canines, yellow eyes, a somewhat long nose, and elongated eyebrows connecting with the hair. Ganondorf is incredibly tall and towers over series protagonist Link and the king's guards. His human form reappears in The Wind Waker with a cloak and two swords and in Twilight Princess with thicker armor, a glowing wound in his chest, and a huge sword which he can wield with one hand. In both The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, Ganondorf also sports a chin curtain.
Ganon made his first appearance in The Legend of Zelda as the main antagonist. Ganon invades Hyrule with his minions, stealing the Triforce of Power. To protect the world from Ganon, Princess Zelda
breaks the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and scatters them across the land, but is then captured. She sends her nursemaid, Impa, to find someone to defeat Ganon. Impa discovers Link, the protagonist of the series. He gathers the Triforce pieces and defeats Ganon, reducing him to a pile of ashes and recovering the Triforce of Power. Afterwards, he brings both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom to Zelda.
Ganon makes no major appearance in the sequel Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, as it focuses on his minions' attempt to revive him by killing Link and spilling Link's blood over Ganon's ashes. If they succeed, Ganon's silhouette appears on the Game Over screen accompanied by his laugh.
He later appeared in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
game A Link to the Past, trapped in a place called the Dark World—formerly called the Sacred Land, before Ganon corrupted it. The game focuses on Ganon's attempt to escape from the Dark World and conquer the Light World, utilizing minions such as the wizard Agahnim to sacrifice the seven descendants of the sages who sealed him away, in order to break the seal. Zelda summons Link to rescue her, but she is captured and sent to the Dark World. Once Link defeats Agahnim, he is sent to the Dark World, where he rescues the seven maidens, defeats Agahnim yet again, and pursues Ganon into his lair, where Ganon is eventually defeated. Link finds the completed Triforce, and uses it to undo everything Ganon has done.
In Link's Awakening
, Dethl, a physical manifestation of the Wind Fish's nightmares, fills the role of the antagonist. During the final battle, Dethl assumes several forms, all of which are based on antagonists and creatures from Link's past. One of Dethl's forms is "Ganon's Shadow" and is constructed from Link's memories of his battle with Ganon in A Link to the Past.
He makes a major appearance in Ocarina of Time in his humanoid
form; in the chronology of the series's story, it is his earliest appearance. Ganon swears his allegiance to the King of Hyrule, in order to betray him and conquer Hyrule Castle. Princess Zelda asks Link to take the Master Sword, a mystical weapon used to defeat evil. After Link finds all the items necessary to take the sword, Zelda and her nursemaid Impa are chased from Hyrule Castle by Ganon. Once Link opens the door protecting the Master Sword and takes it, he falls into a deep sleep, allowing Ganon to steal the Triforce of Power from the room. Seven years later, Link awakens as an adult, and finds Hyrule corrupted by Ganon. Link collects the power of the seven sages—including Zelda, who is kidnapped after she reveals herself. He encounters Ganon, defeating him and escaping from the castle with Zelda. However, Ganon uses the Triforce of Power to turn into his bestial form. Link defeats him with the help of Zelda and the other sages, and Ganon is banished to the Sacred Realm, swearing vengeance against Zelda, the Sages and Link.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo 64 game Majora's Mask
.
Two Game Boy Color
games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
, do not initially have anything to do with Ganon, but once both are linked together and both beaten, two of Ganon's minions, Koume and Kotake, seek to revive him by using Zelda and two oracle
s called Din and Nayru. Ganon is revived in his bestial form, but since Zelda was not sacrificed, he is mindless and is defeated by Link.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the GameBoy Advance game Four Swords.
He appears in the GameCube game The Wind Waker as the main antagonist. Following Ocarina of Time, Ganon escaped from the Sacred Realm. Link having disappeared, no one is able to defeat Ganon, forcing the Hylians to pray to the Goddesses, asking them to flood Hyrule in order to destroy Ganon. When he is confronted in his fortress by the new incarnation of Link, Ganon reveals his motives, finding the three Triforce pieces by capturing both Link and Zelda (for the second time) who hold the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom. After Link fails to defeat Ganon in their first encounter, Link finds the Master Sword and battles Ganon in the sunken Hyrule Castle. Ganon explains his resentment of Hyrule, describing his country as one that is filled with death and despair, and that Hyrule was rich with life—that being his reason for trying to conquer it. However, before Ganon can use the Triforce to revert the flood, it is used to drown Hyrule Castle by the King of Hyrule. Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganon's head, turning him to stone and drowning him with Hyrule Castle.
Ganon makes an appearance late in Four Swords Adventures
, where he is revealed to be the main antagonist and using the wind mage Vaati for his own means. After Vaati is defeated, Link and Zelda do battle with Ganon, sealing him away with the Four Sword.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the GameBoy Advance game The Minish Cap
.
In Twilight Princess, Ganon initially appears in a plot twist midway through the game, though he is the true antagonist behind all of the events of the story. Before the events of the game, Ganon was captured by the Sages and was condemned to death, but, as he was the bearer of the Triforce of Power, the Sages were unable to kill him even with the sacred Sword of the Sages. Subsequently, in his rage, Ganon breaks his chains and kills the Sage of water before claiming the Sword of the Sages for him self. The Sages, desperate to stop the King of Evil, banished him to the Twilight Realm, leaving him with a glowing wound on his chest. In the Twilight Realm, Ganon presents himself as a demonic deity
to Zant, delegating his power and persuading him to attempt conquest of the light world. Ganon does not appear again until the end of the game—in the throne of Hyrule Castle, proclaiming it as his own. He is challenged by Midna
, prompting Ganon to possess Princess Zelda and attack Link before changing to beast form (in a more feral style than previous appearances, mirroring Link's wolf form). Midna recovers and teleports Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field before attempting to defeat Ganon, causing the castle to explode. Ganon appears on horseback, holding Midna's fused shadow and crushing it between his hands to show his victory over Midna. After a battle on horseback, Ganon requests a final duel, using the execution sword as his weapon. Link defeats Ganon, impaling him through the wound in his chest with the Master Sword. After getting up and uttering a few words, the Triforce symbol on his hand disappears, and Zant is shown snapping his own neck in a vision. Ganon gasps, his eyes glaze over, and he seemingly dies standing in place. However his fate is not actually disclosed.
In Phantom Hourglass, Ganon appears in the opening sequence that summarizes the plot of The Wind Waker.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo DS game Spirit Tracks
.
While Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo Wii game Skyward Sword
, his appearance in Ocarina of Time is foreshadowed. Demise, the main villain of the game, states before his ultimate destruction that his hatred will be reborn anew again and again in an endless cycle to torment Link and Zelda's descendants and attack Hyrule. This implies that Ganondorf is the physical personification and reincarnation of Demise's hatred and is the source of his demonic powers before obtaining the Triforce of Power.
Ganon is an unlockable character in both Super Smash Bros. Melee
(where he is based on his appearance in the Nintendo Space World
demo, even wielding the large, cleaver-like sword in one of his victory poses though he cannot actually use it in combat) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
(where he is based on his Twilight Princess design). He is one of four characters from the Zelda series to be playable in the game. In Melee and Brawl, he is referred to by his full name and is a slower, heavier, and more powerful "clone" of Captain Falcon
, performing mostly the same attacks and moves. Eiji Aonuma said that his design team submitted designs for Ganon based on Twilight Princess to the developers of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Ganon appears as one of the main antagonists in the single-player The Subspace Emissary mode, allied with Bowser and Wario
as well as being a servant of Master Hand. His Final Smash is his "Dark Beast: Ganon" form from Twilight Princess, in which he transforms, charges across the screen, and then warps himself back onto the stage.
, which was shown as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show in syndication that year. In the cartoon, Ganon was a brown-skinned anthropomorphic
wild boar and a wizard. He was in possession of the Triforce of Power, and—despite having seemingly endless abilities and magical powers—lost every chance to steal 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 is disintegrated when attacked several times by Link's sword, Zelda's arrows, or the Triforce of Wisdom. He was voiced by Len Carlson
.
In addition to the Zelda cartoon, Ganon (along with 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 continuation of Ganon's appearance in the Zelda cartoon. The episode uses elements from The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link. During the episode, Ganon is revived, double-crosses Mother Brain, and is killed again by the Reflect magic on Link's shield.
In the South Park
episode "Imaginationland Episode III
," Ganon is seen as one of many evil characters battling the good characters.
In the Robot Chicken
episode "Shoe," Ganon appears briefly but is killed by Link, who frees Zelda shortly afterward.
counted one of his appearances among the top ten boss fights of all time, stating "The final battle of every Zelda game sees Link and Ganon locked in a clash of wills, and the fight at the end of Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64 was by far the most dramatic and epic one in Zelda history." A similar article went on to say "As it is, Ganon is one of the toughest bosses around, because of his epic appearances and his tough-as-nails nature. No pushover in any sense, Ganon earns his place in the archives as one of the gaming world's greatest villains." Ganon also received an honorable mention on Impact Lab's similar list: "Link's main adversary just missed the list, but that last fight with Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time (N64) still deserves a shout-out."
On the other hand, Cracked judged Ganon in Twilight Princess an especially disappointing final boss, writing "We went into this battle expecting Darth Maul
, and what we got was C-3PO
."
Ganon ranked in the second slot on GameDaily
's "top ten Nintendo characters that deserve their own games" list, explaining that he is the epitome of cool, and it would be enjoyable to plunder Hyrule instead of saving it. They also ranked him amongst the most persistent video game villains of all time. GamesRadar
listed him second on their list of video game villains who will never stay dead, stating that even though he has broken free from his many seals or even killed, he never seems to change his strategy. IGN
listed Ganon as one of the top 10 characters in need of a spin-off.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who is the main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's The Legend of Zelda series
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
of video games. He is the final boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...
. The English version of the A Link to the Past instruction manual adds the surname Dragmire and the fact that his alias means "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".
In the games, Ganon is the archenemy of Link and the leader of the Gerudo, a race of desert brigands, until he acquires great magical power to become a king of evil.Ganon is the king of the Gerudo tribe in Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
, and his given title as a boss in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in The Legend of Zelda series, co-developed by Capcom and Nintendo. They were released on February 27, 2001 in Japan, May 14, 2001 in North America, and October 5, 2001 in Europe for Nintendo's Game Boy Color...
is "Evil Gerudo King".In the Japanese versions of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
, Ganon's human form is titled (lit. "Great Demon King Ganondorf"); in the latter, his beast form is titled (lit. "Demon Beast Ganon"). The North American Ocarina of Time uses "Great King of Evil Ganondorf", and the North American Twilight Princess uses "Dark Lord Ganondorf" and "Dark Beast Ganon".
His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often they include capturing Princess Zelda, and planning to achieve the domination of Hyrule
Hyrule
The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being , and was created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.-Hyrule:...
(and presumably the world beyond it). To this end, he seeks the Triforce, a powerful magical relic, which will grant whatever wish the bearer desires, and usually manipulates several other villains to accomplish his plans and ambitions. In most games he already possesses the Triforce of Power, which gives him great strength and makes him invincible to all but certain holy weapons such as the Master Sword. However, Ganondorf's lust for power can never be satisfied, and he seeks the full Triforce to grant his wish of world domination
World domination
World Domination or Global Domination may refer to:* World Domination , 2001* World Domination , 2005* World Domination Enterprises, a UK independent rock band* World Domination Recordings, a US record label...
.
In general, Ganon has been well-received by critics and fans. Ganon was the runner-up in GameFAQs
GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
' "Got Villains?" Character Battle, losing only to Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
s Sephiroth. In an episode of G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
's Filter
Filter (TV series)
Filter is an American television series on the G4 cable television channel which follows a countdown format. It was canceled in December 2005, resurrected in a re-formatted form, and then once again was canceled in August 2006. It is currently airing as a commercial break hosted by Candace Baily....
, he was named the fourth-best villain in video games.
Concept and creation
Ganon was originally known as "Hakkai" during development of the Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
video game The Legend of Zelda, in reference to a humanoid pig character known as Zhu Bajie
Zhu Bajie
Zhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three helpers of Xuanzang in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. He is called "Pigsy" or "Pig" in many English versions of the story....
(Cho Hakkai in Japanese) from the famed 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
.
For the development of Ocarina of Time, Ganon was conceived by character designer Satoru Takizawa. Takizawa had imagined Ganon as a "crooked and complex thief, who was basically an all around abominable human being". However, script director Toru Osawa claimed that this image was "not the case". He began to speak of how Ganondorf was meant to have "parts where he is rather good", comparing him to the character of Raoh in Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
. With this idea in mind, Takizawa created a tentative model of Ganondorf based on actor Christopher Lambert
Christopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
. The end result of Ganondorf was very different from this model, with three forms of the character being created: one of Ganondorf in the beginning; one of Ganondorf seven years later, with long hair; and one of Ganon in the end. Since Ganon was a pig-like creature, Takizawa decided that Ganondorf should transform into such at the end of the game, despite the opinions of other staff members. He decided on making Ganon a beast "with the feeling of a pig" to reference A Link to the Past.
Ganon is named inconsistently throughout the series. In the Japanese versions of the first three games, his name is anglicized as "Gannon". This spelling appears in only two Western releases: the original game, and the extracanonical Zelda's Adventure. Since The Adventure of Link, the name is given as "Ganon". A Link to the Past uses "Ganondorf", as does Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
, aside from a few exceptional uses of "Ganon". Nintendo's current convention is to use "Ganon" for his beast form and "Ganondorf" for the character's human form.
Voice Actor portrayal
Since the Zelda series presents dialogue as text, Ganon's voice actors only provide nonverbal noises like shouts, grunts and evil laughter. The first instance in which a voice actor was used for the part of Ganon was in the cartoon series The Legend of ZeldaThe Legend of Zelda (TV series)
The Legend of Zelda is an American animated series based on the The Legend of Zelda video game series for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The plot follows the adventures of Link and Princess Zelda as they defend the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon...
, with Len Carlson as Ganon. Next was the spin-off title BS Zelda no Densetsu, which was broadcast exclusively to Japanese Satellaview
Satellaview
The is a satellite modem add-on for Nintendo's Super Famicom system that was released in Japan in 1995. Available for pre-release orders as early as February 13, 1995, the Satellaview retailed for between ¥14,000 and 18,000 and came bundled with the BS-X Game Pak and an 8M Memory Pak.The...
owners. From the game's first broadcast in August 1995 to its last in January 1997, Ganon was voiced by Seizō Katō. The next time a voice actor would be used for the part of Ganondorf would be in Ocarina of Time, where he was voiced by Takashi Nagasako
Takashi Nagasako
is a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama Prefecture who works at Arts Vision.- Anime :* Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie Trilogy , Mayer* Fencer of Minerva , Teo* New Cutey Honey , Caeser , Leader...
. Nagasako would also go on to voice Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
and The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
. Hironori Miyata
Hironori Miyata
is a Japanese voice actor from Kōchi Prefecture, who is currently affiliated with Arts Vision. He is best known for his roles in Chiisai Kojin Microman and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess .-Television animation:...
performs the role in Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
.
Gregory Lee Kenyon played Ganondorf in the live-action Zelda trailer produced by Rainfall films. It took five hours to complete the makeup for Ganon, which included layers of latex prosthetics, a full wig, a beard, and a set of eyebrows.
Personality
Ganon is depicted as the embodiment of evil. His roles range from savage beast to Machiavellian tyrant to godlike entity,His status as a deity is explained in Ocarina of Time, Four Swords AdventuresThe Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, released as in Japan, is the eleventh installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on March 18, 2004; in North America on June 7, 2004; in Europe on January 7, 2005; and in Australia on April...
, and Twilight Princess. Ganon has temples dedicated to him and is worshiped as a god. sometimes in the course of a single game. However, he does show some knowledge of the fine arts, since he can play his own leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
on an organ in Ocarina of Time.
Ganondorf is portrayed in Ocarina of Time as an ambitious, cunning manipulator, gaining the king's trust before betraying him and tricking Link into opening the Door of Time, allowing Ganondorf to access the power of the gods.
In Twilight Princess, Ganondorf is stated to have been known as a demon thief and an evil magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness. When he obtains the Triforce of Power, he develops a god complex, believing himself to have been chosen by the goddesses to be the ruler of the world.
Abilities
Ganon is a formidable sorcererMagician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
,He uses magic in A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, released as in Japan and often mistakenly called The Adventures of Link, is an action role-playing video game with platforming elements. The second installment in The Legend of Zelda series, it was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment...
, among other titles. able to use magic to attack as well as shapeshift
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
,He changes between human and beast forms in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. and as the king of the Gerudo is skilled enough a swordsman to combat Link.Ganon acrobatically dodges Link's swings in The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. In the former, he dual-wields swords. The Triforce of Power, a magical relic of the goddess Din, makes Ganon stronger, also granting him powers such as transvection
Transvection (flying)
Transvection is the supernatural act of levitating, floating or more specifically flying through the air. While levitation and magical flight can equate to acts of stage magic or astral projection through the use of psychoactive entheogens, transvection usually refers to the experience of bodily...
,Ganon flies in A Link to the Past, the TV series The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda (TV series)
The Legend of Zelda is an American animated series based on the The Legend of Zelda video game series for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The plot follows the adventures of Link and Princess Zelda as they defend the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon...
, and Ocarina of Time. In Twilight Princess, he causes Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
to fly while possessing her. teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
,Ganon can teleport himself and others by various means. He visibly uses this skill in the TV series The Legend of Zelda. In Ocarina of Time, he encloses Princess Zelda in a pink crystal and teleports her to his castle. In Twilight Princess, while in beast form, he uses portals to evade attack. and superhuman strength
Superhuman strength
Superhuman strength, also called superstrength, super-strength, or super strength, is an ability commonly employed in fiction. It is the ability for a character to be stronger than humanly possible...
. Further, the Triforce piece grants him immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
: he never shows signs of aging and can survive wounds as severe as being impaled by a sword. Once drastically injured, he can be magically imprisoned by divine intervention, but he may escape. If he is actually killed, his followers may resurrect him.Ganon's minions fail to resurrect Ganon in The Adventure of Link, but partly succeed in Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Only sacred weapons such as the Master Sword can hurt Ganon at all.In The Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past, Ganon can only be slain by Silver Arrows. In Ocarina of Time and Four Swords Adventure, Light Arrows and the Four Sword, respectively, are necessary to defeat him.
Appearance
Ganon has two basic forms that appear throughout the series: one bestial, and one humanoid. In The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, and Four Swords Adventures, he is a blue, porcine biped wielding a trident. In Ocarina of Time, he bears more resemblance to a giant MinotaurMinotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
, and wields two large swords. This game also marks the first appearance of his humanoid form: an armor-clad but unarmed Gerudo with dark skin and red hair. Special traits in his human form include muscular figure, sharp canines, yellow eyes, a somewhat long nose, and elongated eyebrows connecting with the hair. Ganondorf is incredibly tall and towers over series protagonist Link and the king's guards. His human form reappears in The Wind Waker with a cloak and two swords and in Twilight Princess with thicker armor, a glowing wound in his chest, and a huge sword which he can wield with one hand. In both The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, Ganondorf also sports a chin curtain.
Video games
Ganon has been the primary antagonist of the Zelda series since its inception. As such, he has appeared in most games in the series, some of which hide his existence until late in the game.Ganon made his first appearance in The Legend of Zelda as the main antagonist. Ganon invades Hyrule with his minions, stealing the Triforce of Power. To protect the world from Ganon, Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
breaks the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces and scatters them across the land, but is then captured. She sends her nursemaid, Impa, to find someone to defeat Ganon. Impa discovers Link, the protagonist of the series. He gathers the Triforce pieces and defeats Ganon, reducing him to a pile of ashes and recovering the Triforce of Power. Afterwards, he brings both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom to Zelda.
Ganon makes no major appearance in the sequel Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, as it focuses on his minions' attempt to revive him by killing Link and spilling Link's blood over Ganon's ashes. If they succeed, Ganon's silhouette appears on the Game Over screen accompanied by his laugh.
He later appeared in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game A Link to the Past, trapped in a place called the Dark World—formerly called the Sacred Land, before Ganon corrupted it. The game focuses on Ganon's attempt to escape from the Dark World and conquer the Light World, utilizing minions such as the wizard Agahnim to sacrifice the seven descendants of the sages who sealed him away, in order to break the seal. Zelda summons Link to rescue her, but she is captured and sent to the Dark World. Once Link defeats Agahnim, he is sent to the Dark World, where he rescues the seven maidens, defeats Agahnim yet again, and pursues Ganon into his lair, where Ganon is eventually defeated. Link finds the completed Triforce, and uses it to undo everything Ganon has done.
In Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, known as in Japan, is a 1993 action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy...
, Dethl, a physical manifestation of the Wind Fish's nightmares, fills the role of the antagonist. During the final battle, Dethl assumes several forms, all of which are based on antagonists and creatures from Link's past. One of Dethl's forms is "Ganon's Shadow" and is constructed from Link's memories of his battle with Ganon in A Link to the Past.
He makes a major appearance in Ocarina of Time in his humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
form; in the chronology of the series's story, it is his earliest appearance. Ganon swears his allegiance to the King of Hyrule, in order to betray him and conquer Hyrule Castle. Princess Zelda asks Link to take the Master Sword, a mystical weapon used to defeat evil. After Link finds all the items necessary to take the sword, Zelda and her nursemaid Impa are chased from Hyrule Castle by Ganon. Once Link opens the door protecting the Master Sword and takes it, he falls into a deep sleep, allowing Ganon to steal the Triforce of Power from the room. Seven years later, Link awakens as an adult, and finds Hyrule corrupted by Ganon. Link collects the power of the seven sages—including Zelda, who is kidnapped after she reveals herself. He encounters Ganon, defeating him and escaping from the castle with Zelda. However, Ganon uses the Triforce of Power to turn into his bestial form. Link defeats him with the help of Zelda and the other sages, and Ganon is banished to the Sacred Realm, swearing vengeance against Zelda, the Sages and Link.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo 64 game Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000, North America on October 26, 2000, and Europe on November 17, 2000. The game sold approximately 314,000 copies during its first...
.
Two Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in The Legend of Zelda series, co-developed by Capcom and Nintendo. They were released on February 27, 2001 in Japan, May 14, 2001 in North America, and October 5, 2001 in Europe for Nintendo's Game Boy Color...
, do not initially have anything to do with Ganon, but once both are linked together and both beaten, two of Ganon's minions, Koume and Kotake, seek to revive him by using Zelda and two oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
s called Din and Nayru. Ganon is revived in his bestial form, but since Zelda was not sacrificed, he is mindless and is defeated by Link.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the GameBoy Advance game Four Swords.
He appears in the GameCube game The Wind Waker as the main antagonist. Following Ocarina of Time, Ganon escaped from the Sacred Realm. Link having disappeared, no one is able to defeat Ganon, forcing the Hylians to pray to the Goddesses, asking them to flood Hyrule in order to destroy Ganon. When he is confronted in his fortress by the new incarnation of Link, Ganon reveals his motives, finding the three Triforce pieces by capturing both Link and Zelda (for the second time) who hold the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom. After Link fails to defeat Ganon in their first encounter, Link finds the Master Sword and battles Ganon in the sunken Hyrule Castle. Ganon explains his resentment of Hyrule, describing his country as one that is filled with death and despair, and that Hyrule was rich with life—that being his reason for trying to conquer it. However, before Ganon can use the Triforce to revert the flood, it is used to drown Hyrule Castle by the King of Hyrule. Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganon's head, turning him to stone and drowning him with Hyrule Castle.
Ganon makes an appearance late in Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, released as in Japan, is the eleventh installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on March 18, 2004; in North America on June 7, 2004; in Europe on January 7, 2005; and in Australia on April...
, where he is revealed to be the main antagonist and using the wind mage Vaati for his own means. After Vaati is defeated, Link and Zelda do battle with Ganon, sealing him away with the Four Sword.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the GameBoy Advance game The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, known as in Japan, is the twelfth game in The Legend of Zelda of video games, developed by Capcom, with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 in Japan and Europe and 2005 in North America and Australia...
.
In Twilight Princess, Ganon initially appears in a plot twist midway through the game, though he is the true antagonist behind all of the events of the story. Before the events of the game, Ganon was captured by the Sages and was condemned to death, but, as he was the bearer of the Triforce of Power, the Sages were unable to kill him even with the sacred Sword of the Sages. Subsequently, in his rage, Ganon breaks his chains and kills the Sage of water before claiming the Sword of the Sages for him self. The Sages, desperate to stop the King of Evil, banished him to the Twilight Realm, leaving him with a glowing wound on his chest. In the Twilight Realm, Ganon presents himself as a demonic deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
to Zant, delegating his power and persuading him to attempt conquest of the light world. Ganon does not appear again until the end of the game—in the throne of Hyrule Castle, proclaiming it as his own. He is challenged by Midna
Midna
is one of the main characters in the 2006 Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. She is member of the Twili, a fictional race of magic-wielders, who chooses Link to help her accomplish her goals. While appearing as a diminutive imp, her actual form is human-shaped. She was voiced by...
, prompting Ganon to possess Princess Zelda and attack Link before changing to beast form (in a more feral style than previous appearances, mirroring Link's wolf form). Midna recovers and teleports Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field before attempting to defeat Ganon, causing the castle to explode. Ganon appears on horseback, holding Midna's fused shadow and crushing it between his hands to show his victory over Midna. After a battle on horseback, Ganon requests a final duel, using the execution sword as his weapon. Link defeats Ganon, impaling him through the wound in his chest with the Master Sword. After getting up and uttering a few words, the Triforce symbol on his hand disappears, and Zant is shown snapping his own neck in a vision. Ganon gasps, his eyes glaze over, and he seemingly dies standing in place. However his fate is not actually disclosed.
In Phantom Hourglass, Ganon appears in the opening sequence that summarizes the plot of The Wind Waker.
Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo DS game Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
.
While Ganon does not make an appearance in the Nintendo Wii game Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...
, his appearance in Ocarina of Time is foreshadowed. Demise, the main villain of the game, states before his ultimate destruction that his hatred will be reborn anew again and again in an endless cycle to torment Link and Zelda's descendants and attack Hyrule. This implies that Ganondorf is the physical personification and reincarnation of Demise's hatred and is the source of his demonic powers before obtaining the Triforce of Power.
Other appearances
Ganon appears in his "green boar" form in two of the three CD-i Zelda titles: Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Link: The Faces of Evil. In Zelda's Adventure, he is a large, muscular devil-creature. In the first two of these games, he only requires one hit to defeat, and appears to be a sorcerer of some sort with features based on his cartoon incarnation.Ganon is an unlockable character in both Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
(where he is based on his appearance in the Nintendo Space World
Nintendo Space World
Nintendo World, formerly called Nintendo Space World, Nintendo 64 Space World, Super Famicom Space World, Famicom Space World, and , is a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds...
demo, even wielding the large, cleaver-like sword in one of his victory poses though he cannot actually use it in combat) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
(where he is based on his Twilight Princess design). He is one of four characters from the Zelda series to be playable in the game. In Melee and Brawl, he is referred to by his full name and is a slower, heavier, and more powerful "clone" of Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon
Douglas Jay Falcon, better known by his alias, , is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in F-Zero, and has been called the poster boy of the F-Zero franchise. Nintendo first envisioned Captain Falcon as a flagship character to represent the release of a...
, performing mostly the same attacks and moves. Eiji Aonuma said that his design team submitted designs for Ganon based on Twilight Princess to the developers of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Ganon appears as one of the main antagonists in the single-player The Subspace Emissary mode, allied with Bowser and Wario
Wario
is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario series. The character was designed as another antagonist to Mario , and first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy title Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins as the main antagonist and final boss...
as well as being a servant of Master Hand. His Final Smash is his "Dark Beast: Ganon" form from Twilight Princess, in which he transforms, charges across the screen, and then warps himself back onto the stage.
Appearances in other media
Ganon was the main villain of 1989's The Legend of Zelda cartoonThe Legend of Zelda (TV series)
The Legend of Zelda is an American animated series based on the The Legend of Zelda video game series for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The plot follows the adventures of Link and Princess Zelda as they defend the kingdom of Hyrule from an evil wizard named Ganon...
, which was shown as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show in syndication that year. In the cartoon, Ganon was a brown-skinned anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
wild boar and a wizard. He was in possession of the Triforce of Power, and—despite having seemingly endless abilities and magical powers—lost every chance to steal 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
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
. He is disintegrated when attacked several times by Link's sword, Zelda's arrows, or the Triforce of Wisdom. He was voiced by Len Carlson
Len Carlson
Len Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
.
In addition to the Zelda cartoon, Ganon (along with Link and Zelda) also appeared in Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
, as a secondary villain in the episode "Quest for the Potion of Power". This was something of a continuation of Ganon's appearance in the Zelda cartoon. The episode uses elements from The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link. During the episode, Ganon is revived, double-crosses Mother Brain, and is killed again by the Reflect magic on Link's shield.
In the South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode "Imaginationland Episode III
Imaginationland Episode III
"Imaginationland Episode III", or "Moistening of the Scrotum" , is episode 1112 of Comedy Central's animated TV series South Park. It originally aired on October 31, 2007. It is the concluding episode in a three-part story arc that won the 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for One Hour or...
," Ganon is seen as one of many evil characters battling the good characters.
In the Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
episode "Shoe," Ganon appears briefly but is killed by Link, who frees Zelda shortly afterward.
Reception
Ganon is one of the most popular video-game villains. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
counted one of his appearances among the top ten boss fights of all time, stating "The final battle of every Zelda game sees Link and Ganon locked in a clash of wills, and the fight at the end of Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64 was by far the most dramatic and epic one in Zelda history." A similar article went on to say "As it is, Ganon is one of the toughest bosses around, because of his epic appearances and his tough-as-nails nature. No pushover in any sense, Ganon earns his place in the archives as one of the gaming world's greatest villains." Ganon also received an honorable mention on Impact Lab's similar list: "Link's main adversary just missed the list, but that last fight with Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time (N64) still deserves a shout-out."
On the other hand, Cracked judged Ganon in Twilight Princess an especially disappointing final boss, writing "We went into this battle expecting Darth Maul
Darth Maul
Darth Maul is a fictional character in the science fiction saga Star Wars. He is one of the main antagonists of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
, and what we got was C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
."
Ganon ranked in the second slot on GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
's "top ten Nintendo characters that deserve their own games" list, explaining that he is the epitome of cool, and it would be enjoyable to plunder Hyrule instead of saving it. They also ranked him amongst the most persistent video game villains of all time. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed him second on their list of video game villains who will never stay dead, stating that even though he has broken free from his many seals or even killed, he never seems to change his strategy. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
listed Ganon as one of the top 10 characters in need of a spin-off.
External links
- Ganon at the Great Hyrule Encyclopedia