History Characters / TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildGanonAndYigaClan

The rank and file of the Yiga Clan, composed of men and women. They are found all across Hyrule, disguised as Hylian travelers in an attempt to get close and assassinate Link.

* InterfaceSpoiler: It's easy to tell disguised Yiga Footsoldiers apart from all the other wandering [=NPCs=] -- disguised Yiga will not have a name appear above them when walking past and only having "Traveler" as their name in the dialogue box. That being said, by the time you're talking to them, it's usually too late to back out of a fight, and [=NPCs=] don't have their names hover above their heads until you've talked to them at least once. And some of them will try to talk to you first when you get near them.
* MageMarksman: Yiga Footsoldiers use their teleportation ability in conjunction with their bows to stay just out of Link's reach and snipe him.

** They have similar powers and weapons to their corresponding Champion. Fireblight Ganon wields a large sword like Daruk and can shield itself in an orb of fire like [[spoiler:Daruk's Protection]], Windblight Ganon uses a projectile weapon like Revalinand can control wind like [[spoiler:Revali's Gale]], and Thunderblight Ganon uses a sword and shield like Urbosa and can use lightning like [[spoiler:Urbosa's Fury]]. Waterblight Ganon wields a spear like Mipha, but has no unique power to match her healing, so it uses Sheikah Cryonis magic as an extension of its water powers. Each of the four Blight Ganons were successful in this regard, killing their assigned Champion.

** They have similar powers and weapons to their corresponding Champion. Fireblight Ganon can shield itself in an orb of fire like [[spoiler:Daruk's Protection]], Windblight Ganon can control wind like [[spoiler:Revali's Gale]], and Thunderblight Ganon can use lightning like [[spoiler:Urbosa's Fury]]. Waterblight Ganon is the only exception, as he doesn't have any apparent healing abilities outside of Master Mode, so it uses Link's Cryonis rune as an extension of its water powers. Each of the four Blight Ganons were successful in this regard, killing their assigned Champion.

* CoolMask: They all wear masks.

* EvilRedhead: All of them have long, wild red hair coming from their heads, probably evoking their progenitor's human form. [[spoiler:Calamity Ganon has the same, but has a beard as well.]]
* EyeBeams: Like the Guardians, they can lock on to Link and fire lasers from their single blue eye.

** Fireblight Ganon ignites its sword ablaze and encases itself in a ball of fire that renders it immune to all attacks.

* AttackDrones: In the second phase of the fight, it detaches the spikes projecting from its back and uses them to redirect its shots to confuse Link as well as to fire condensed blasts of wind from its arm cannon.

* ApocalypseCult: The Yiga Clan is devoted to killing Link, which would allow Calamity Ganon to destroy the world unopposed. They've been around since before the Great Calamity, though whether they had any part in bringing him back or if Ganom even knows they exist is left unclear.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: [[GuardsMustBeCrazy Their banana-crazed behavior in the Yiga Hideout]] as well as their [[LargeHam over-the-top leader]] may lead you into thinking that the Yiga Clan are just comical foes like the Bokoblins. But then you learn about [[spoiler:Dorian's backstory as a former Yiga Clan member. The Yiga Clan, in response to his defection, killed his wife and now threaten to kill his children if he does not give up information about Link and Kakariko Village. Even when he complies to their wishes, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness the clan members decide to execute him for outliving his usefulness]], and would have succeeded if Link had not intervened]]. Despite their goofy demeanor, they are still a ruthless and murderous clan carrying out Ganon's will.

* ClarkesThirdLaw: ''Creating A Champion'' reveals that the seemingly mystical aspects of the Yiga Clan's martial arts is likely due to secret Sheikah technology.
* CoolMask: They wear what appear to be inverted Masks of Truth.
* DecapitatedArmy: Subverted. If Master Kohga is defeated, they'll dissipate from their hideout. But that means the entire clan is after Link, with archers (and occasionally a Blademaster) ambushing on the roads. It is a reckless tactic that spreads their forces thin, but it makes Hyrule less safe to travel on foot. The disguised Yiga travelers are still around, but they upped their game by replacing their Vicious Sickles with Demon Carvers.
* DesertBandits: Ironically, they act as a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute to the Gerudos, who are now a ProudMerchantRace. Though they did not originate from the desert, they established a hideout there and stole the Thunder Helm, a Gerudo royal heirloom, to prevent them from reaching Divine Beast Vah Naboris.

* DisproportionateRetribution: The Yiga Clan is known for killing people just for speaking negatively about them or Calamity Ganon. And if a member of the clan tries to leave, both them and their family are marked for death.
* EvilCounterpart: To the Sheikah, using all of their traditional skills and style, but sworn to fight Hyrule rather than protect it. Their insignia is even an inverted version of the Sheikah's.

* FacelessGoons: All members of the Yiga clan wear a face-covering [[CoolMask mask]] with their symbol on it outside of when they are in disguise.

* LesCollaborateurs: The Sheikah are the servants of Goddess Hylia who fight to protect Hyrule from evils like Ganon. The Yiga Clan, on the other hand, willingly fight for Ganon to get their revenge on the people of Hyrule.
* MagicKnight: Are good with both melee weapons and magic. Subverted in that their "magic" likely comes from Sheikah technology.

* AnimalMotif: Like the Shiekah in Kakariko Village, they have dozens of frog statues surrounding their hideout, only with a cloth covering their face with the Yiga eye symbol.
* ApocalypseCult: The Yiga Clan is devoted to killing Link, which would allow Calamity Ganon to destroy the world unopposed. [[spoiler:"The Champion's Ballad" DLC later reveals in Urbosa's flashback that the Yiga Clan had been planning to resurrect Calamity Ganon from the very beginning all this time]].

* BadassBaritone: Their voices are notably deeper than Footsoldiers' and can pack a wallop for Link. This, along with their build, indicates that only men are Blademasters, as they do not disguise themselves as travelers.

** While it is clear that the Yiga Clan was formed as a result of a fallout between the Sheikah and the Hylians, there are different tales of when that split occurred and who founded it. Many Shiekah state that the Yiga Clan was formed shortly after the Shiekah were banished 10,000 years ago. Some, however, say that it was formed ''after'' Calamity Ganon struck 100 years ago. Yiga Clan members claim that Master Kohga founded the clan, while Master Kohga himself states he inherited a technique from his mother's father's side that only a true Yiga leader could do, implying that the clan predates him. The only thing that is certain is that the Yiga Clan was around a century ago, as Yiga Footsoldiers nearly killed Zelda at Gerudo Desert before Link intervened.

* {{Ninja}}: The Yiga Clan, like their rival the Sheikah, are a ninja clan.

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: The Yiga Clan's color aesthetics are primary dark outfits and banners with a red, upside-down version of the Sheikah Eye Symbol.

* TrademarkFavoriteFood: They love [[FruitOfTheLoon Mighty Bananas]], to the point of [[spoiler:keeping a massive stash of them in their base, along with being able to be baited by them in the Yiga Hideout stealth section]]. Without fail, they drop them upon defeat as well.

** '''On the one hand''': Their defeat explosion is different from other enemies, resembling a SmokeOut teleport, and they remain standing when doing so rather than going into a ragdoll state like the other enemies.

* UndyingLoyalty: To Ganon and a lesser extent, Master Kohga. If a Yiga member were to defect, the rest of the clan will punish them severely. [[DecapitatedArmy And defeating their leader will not cause them to fall apart.]] Instead, it makes them to become more determined to kill Link.

The rank and file of the Yiga Clan. They are found all across Hyrule, disguised as Hylian travelers in an attempt to get close and assassinate Link.

* AvengingTheVillain: After Master Kohga's humiliating demise, the disguised Yiga Footsoldiers change their BattleCry in memoriam of their leader. Yiga Archers proceed to ambush Link anywhere on the Hyrulean roads, while disguised footsoldiers start to carry powerful Demon Carvers.

* FacelessGoons: The Yiga clan all wear a mask with their organization's symbol emblazoned on the face and no visible eyeholes. Notably they actually take off their face concealing outfits to disguise themselves, though they will immediately teleport back into their uniform once engaged in combat.

* GlassCannon: Early on, they can hit very hard, but a reasonably strong early-game weapon like the Soldier's Broadsword can take one down in four hits. Even after you kill Master Kohga, they get a health boost and start carrying more powerful Demon Carvers, yet any reasonably stronger weapon you have at that point can still kill them in four hits.
* InterfaceSpoiler: It's easy to tell disguised Yiga Clan Footsoldiers apart from all the other wandering [=NPCs=] -- disguised Yiga will not have a name appear above them when walking past and only having "Traveler" as their name in the dialogue box. That being said, by the time you're talking to them, it's usually too late to back out of a fight, and [=NPCs=] don't have their names hover above their heads until you've talked to them at least once. And some of them will try to talk to you first when you get near them.

* MasterOfDisguise: The Footsoldiers look exactly like typical Hylians at first glance. The only way you'll know they're Yiga is when you talk to them.

* TalkAboutTheWeather: Occasionally, a "traveler" will ask Link if there is going to be good weather soon. Regardless of what Link says, the "traveller" then states to Link that he won't live to see another day, revealing themselves to be a Yiga Footsoldier.
* TeleportSpam: They love to teleport above Link's head to make a diving slash at him, which hits for quite a lot of damage.

* TravelingSalesman: Some of them would disguise themselves as traveling merchants. What gives them away is that they have 99 [[TrademarkFavoriteFood Mighty Bananas]] with a price of 99 Rupees each.

The elite force of the Yiga Clan. Though not as fast or nimble as a Footsoldier, the Blademaster is more powerful and lethal in combat. They usually guard the Yiga Hideout in Karusa Valley, but they can (and will) appear across Hyrule to slaughter anyone who dares oppose Calamity Ganon.

* BadassBaritone: They have a clear, deep voice akin to Ganondorf's and can pack a wallop for Link.

* TheFaceless: We never see what he looks like without his mask.

* KungFuWizard: Subverted. He presents himself as a powerful sorcerer as well as a master ninja, but his seemingly magical techniques are actually technological in nature.

* LaughablyEvil: Despite being the leader of a malevolent ninja clan, he's rather silly. The easiest way to beat him is to trick him into crushing himself with his own stones. He doesn't even ''recognize Link'' initially when encountered, despite Link being his primary target.

* NotSoHarmlessVillain: He's a goofy excuse for a boss, but he is the one who orders the Yiga Clan [[spoiler:which may include the death of Dorian's wife.]]
* OrcusOnHisThrone: He's too lazy to actually find Link himself, despite being his primary goal; instead he just sends out his minions to do the hard work for him. ''Hyrule Compendium'' notes this in Kohga's entry:

* PsychopathicManchild: He throws tantrums when things don't go his way, stomping his foot to the ground, and acts giddy when he finally encounters Link. He is also the leader of a clan dedicated to eliminating the enemies of Calamity Ganon, who would [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destroy the world if set free]].
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Possibly. Yiga travelers state that Master Kohga founded the clan. If that is the case, then Kohga is over a hundred or even around ten thousand years old, since Yiga assassins were seen in Hyrule prior to the Great Calamity and are stated to have been founded after Hyrule banished the Sheikah and their technology. He certainly doesn't ''look'' that old.

* SmallNameBigEgo: He talks a big game, but is nowhere near as dangerous as he thinks he is, which is [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration reflected in how easy the fight against him is]]. Subtly emphasized in "The Champions' Ballad" when [[spoiler:you fight Monk Maz Koshia, who uses Kohga's abilities (teleportation, summoning iron balls) but more effectively, alongside his own techniques (swordfighting, copying himself, firing elemental arrows, making himself giant), and who provides an all around tougher and more elaborate fight than the Yiga leader. Kohga, a guy who has been actively in charge of a group of evil ninjas for at least a century, is a massive dweeb compared to an emaciated, self-mummified guy who had been sitting in the same spot for 10,000 years!]]
* TacticalSuicideBoss: PlayedWith. Whenever he attacks, he has to first drop his barrier, allowing Link to loose an arrow at him and cause his giant stones to fall on his head. During the third round of the fight, he catches on to Link's strategy and keeps the barrier up, but Link gets around it by using Magnesis.

[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildLinkAndZelda Link and Zelda]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]] | '''Ganon and Yiga Clan''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]

* LegendFadesToMyth: Ganondorf's life and actions have been completely forgotten by the people of Hyrule, who only know him as his Calamity Ganon incarnation. They only remnant of his past that survives is a vague legend that he was once a Gerudo.

* BladeBelowTheShoulder: [[spoiler:It has several blades attached to its limbs, including Fireblight Ganon's sword, Waterblight Ganon's spear, and a short LaserSword similar to Thunderblight Ganon's.]]

* BishounenLine: ''Inverted'', in contrast to other incarnations of the character. Though he started out as a Gerudo man, Ganon devolved into an EldritchAbomination made of Malice known as Calamity Ganon. Its first form is [[spoiler:a twisted mishmash of flesh and technology mounted to Ganondorf's rotting skull, barely resembling anything humanoid, and it later reforms into a gigantic, quadrupled demon boar with hooves]].

* BenevolentBoss: He was beloved by the Yiga Clan and his death caused them to

* LegacyCharacter: ''Creating A Champion'' and some of Kohga's in-game dialogue reveals that he inherited his name and his abilities from the previous leader of the Yiga Clan

* PsychopathicManChild: He throws tantrums when things don't go his way, stomping his foot to the ground, and acts giddy when he finally encounters Link. He is also the leader of a clan dedicated to eliminating the enemies of Calamity Ganon, who would [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destroy the world if set free]].

* NoNameGiven: Disguised members of the Clan will generic titles in their dialogue boxes rather than having their own unique name like normal Hylians.

* LesCollaborateurs: The Sheikah are the servants of Goddess Hylia who fight to protect Hyrule from evils like Ganon. The Yiga Clan, on the other hand, willingly fight for Ganon to get their revenge on the people of Hyrule.

* {{Irony}}: Despite them hating Hyrule for rejecting them and their technology, the Yiga Clan seemingly have no interest in using Ancient Tech, preferring to use magic and brute force. The Sheikah, on the other hand, eventually decided to research Ancient Tech and rediscover how to use and create it to help fight Calamity Ganon, something that won them back the favor of Hyrule's people.
* MagicKnight: Are good with both melee weapons and magic.

* MultipleChoicePast: While it is clear that the Yiga Clan was formed as a result of a fallout between the Sheikah and the Hylians, there are different tales of when that split occurred and who founded it. Many Shiekah state that the Yiga Clan was formed shortly after the Shiekah were banished 10,000 years ago. Some, however, say that it was formed ''after'' Calamity Ganon struck 100 years ago. Yiga Clan members claim that Master Kohga founded the clan, while Master Kohga himself states he inherited a technique from his mother's father's side that only a true Yiga leader could do, implying that the clan predates him. The only thing that is certain is that the Yiga Clan was around a century ago, as Yiga Footsoldiers nearly killed Zelda at Gerudo Desert before Link intervened.

* KungFuWizard: He is a master ninja as well as a powerful sorcerer.

* LegacyCharacter: Some of his dialogue suggests that he might not be the first Master Kohga, instead being one in a long line of Yiga Clan leaders.

* DesertBandits: Ironically, they act as SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute to the Gerudos, who are now a ProudMerchantRace. Though they did not originate from the desert, they established a hideout there and stole the Thunder Helm, a Gerudo royal heirloom, to prevent them from reaching Divine Beast Vah Naboris.

* VillainDecay: Downplayed. Ganon is still as much of a threat to Hyrule as he was in the past if not moreso. Calamity Ganon itself may be his most powerful form yet, able to corrupt the Guardians and devastate the world with its mere essence alone. But part of what made Ganon so dangerous in previous games [[SanityHasAdvantages was his intelligence and chessmaster skills]]. Calamity Ganon lacks these traits, and he suffers setback after setback despite destroying much of Hyrule in the process. Zelda was able to contain him within Hyrule Castle for 100 years, and when Link finally confronts Ganon, [[spoiler:the Demon King could only muster a grotesque spider-like form to fight his adversary. If Link frees all the Divine Beasts, Ganon loses half of his health before he can even make his first move. Even when he enters his ultimate form as Dark Beast Ganon, he succumbs to blind rage and becomes predictable enough for Link to outmaneuver and defeat easily. A pitiful fate for the once Great King of Evil.]]

* FacelessGoons: Unlike the Yiga foot soldiers, no Blademasters are ever seen with that their masks.

* UndignifiedDeath: The leader of the Yiga Clan ends up being [[spoiler:crushed by his own spiked ball after falling into a pit. To add insult to injury, Link didn't do anything to cause it; the ball simply rolled back onto Kohga when he wasn't looking and Kohga panics to the point of forgetting his teleportation and levitation powers]].

* BrilliantButLazy: According to his Compendium entry, he's the top master of the Yiga arts, earning him the respect of his underlings, but tends to loaf around in his headquarters.

[[center: [-[[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHeroes Heroes]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildLinkAndZelda Link and Zelda]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildChampions Champions]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildAntagonists Antagonists]] ('''Ganon and Yiga Clan''' | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildMonstersAndMooks Monsters and Mooks]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildRaces Races of Hyrule]] ([[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildHyliansAndSheikah Hylians and Sheikah]] | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOtherRaces Other Races]]) | [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWildOthers Others]]]]-]

* OrcusOnHisThrone: He's not really the most proactive version of Ganon, mostly staying within the corrupted, ruined confines of Hyrule Castle. Justified because he's a SealedEvilInADuel with Zelda and cannot act as he wishes.