"And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here! These toys are too much for you! I command you to return them to me!"
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by whittingtonrhett. Used with permission.
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by whittingtonrhett. Used with permission."Geh heh heh! Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm...Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!"
In the kingdom of Hyrule, there echoes a legend. A legend that tells of a boy... a boy named Link, who battled the forces of evil and took his place among the legends. Yet even a legend such as he had his wits tested by these devious masterminds who threatened the land...
All spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned!
Main Games
- Ganondorf Dragmire, also known as Ganon, is the king of the Gerudo and the reincarnation of Demise's hatred. Initially seeking a better life for his people before succumbing to his own lust for power, Ganondorf enacts various schemes to steal the Triforce and take over Hyrule throughout the franchise, always coming close to victory. Stylish, cunning, and sometimes even tragic across his various appearances, the original Ganondorf has repeatedly proven why he is the eternal nemesis of Link and Princess Zelda.
- Ocarina of Time: In his first chronological appearance, Ganondorf is the charismatic King of Thieves who seeks to steal the Triforce and conquer Hyrule. Falsely swearing allegiance to the King of Hyrule on behalf of the Gerudo, Ganondorf enacts his plan by manipulating the naïve Link and Princess Zelda into gathering the three Spiritual Stones and opening the door to the Scared Realm, allowing him to claim the Triforce of Power and take over the kingdom, even imprisoning the Sages and stifling any potential opposition afterwards to secure his rule. Upon Link's return seven years later, Ganondorf allows him to rescue the Sages in order to lure out the missing Zelda, immediately capturing her and seizing the Triforce of Wisdom when she reveals herself. Challenging Link to face him in his castle with the Triforce of Courage, Ganondorf calmly awaits Link's arrival while playing the organ before engaging the hero in an epic final battle that ends with his transformation into the demonic Ganon. Despite his defeat, Ganondorf inevitably bounces back in all three timelines, solidifying himself as one of gaming's most celebrated villains.
- A Link to the Past: Ganon, the King of Darkness, was once Ganondorf Dragmire, a thief who discovered the Triforce and attempted to conquer Hyrule, only to be defeated and sealed within the Dark World. Sending a weaker extension of himself named Agahnim to the Light World many years later, Ganon gains the King of Hyrule's trust before overthrowing him and capturing the Seven Maidens, casting them into the Dark World to absorb their power and allow him to escape before doing the same to Link when the hero gets in his way. Upon Agahnim's defeat, the fully-powered Ganon prepares to invade Hyrule and confronts Link himself in a final duel, viewing him as a Worthy Opponent and even complimenting his skill in the heat of battle.
- The Wind Waker: Ganondorf, after escaping his imprisonment in the Sacred Realm and forcing the gods to flood the land in order to subdue him, rises once again. Knowing that a hero will arise to oppose him, Ganondorf kills the Sages empowering the Master Sword so it will be useless against him. Desiring to reform the Triforce so he can restore Hyrule under his reign, Ganondorf sends the Helmaroc King to capture young women across the Great Sea in the hopes of finding Princess Zelda and her piece of the Triforce. When Link and Tetra confront him, Ganondorf effortlessly defeats and nearly kills them, discovering that Tetra is Zelda in the process. When Tetra hides in the sunken Hyrule while Link works to restore the Master Sword, Ganondorf takes advantage of his absence by capturing her and ambushing Link when he returns. Luring the hero to his tower, Ganondorf challenges Link with a monstrous puppet and commends his skill when he wins. After lamenting his initial desire to escape the harshness of his desert homeland, Ganondorf attacks Link, successfully reforming the Triforce and nearly succeeding in his goals. Even after his plan is ruined, Ganondorf accepts his death with a quiet chuckle.
- Twilight Princess: Ganondorf was once a fearsome Gerudo thief who plotted to take over Hyrule and escape the harsh conditions of his desert homeland, only to be arrested and banished to the Twilight Realm. Wielding the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf spends the next 100 years plotting his revenge, eventually manipulating the maniacal Zant into helping him escape by granting him the power to overthrow Princess Midna. Returning to the Light World, Ganondorf uses Zant as a distraction to take over Hyrule Castle undetected, turn it into a fortress, and capture Princess Zelda, allowing him to spread his darkness across the land. When confronted by Link and Midna, Ganondorf welcomes them to his castle before engaging in a lengthy battle, during which he shrugs off the power of the Fused Shadow itself and nearly kills Midna. Facing Link in a brutal one-on-one duel, Ganondorf finally meets his end on the edge of the Master Sword, refusing to surrender to the kingdom that took everything from him even in the face of death.
- Link's Awakening: The Owl is the guardian of the Wind Fish's dream, who was overthrown when the Nightmares invaded. Seeking to use Link to awaken the Wind Fish and put an end to the Nightmares, the Owl poses as a friendly guide and tells him that he can only return to Hyrule by waking the Wind Fish, utilizing lies and half-truths as he leads him to hide the true nature of the island. When Link discovers the truth, the Owl dismisses it as a rumor and continues nudging him forward, despite knowing that the quest will end in the the island and all of its inhabitants being erased from existence. Upon Link's victory, the Owl visits him a final time and reveals the truth, thanking him for saving the Wind Fish before vanishing along with the rest of Koholint Island.
- Oracle games: Koume and Kotake, the Twinrova sisters, are a pair of Gerudo witches and Ganon's surrogate mothers, who seek to resurrect their fallen master and get revenge on Link for their past defeat. Setting up a ritual that requires Princess Zelda's sacrifice and the lighting of three magical flames, Twinrova summon Onox and Veran from the Dark World and send them to wreak havoc across the kingdoms of Holodrum and Labrynna in order to light the Flames of Destruction and Sorrow, all without anyone being aware of their involvement until it's too late. Despite their minions' failures, the two flames are successfully lit, allowing Twinrova to kidnap Zelda and light the final Flame of Despair while Link is distracted. Nearly sacrificing the princess and completing the ritual, Twinrova are interrupted by Link, prompting them to teleport the hero away and battle him head-on. When faced with defeat and Zelda's imminent rescue, Twinrova quickly sacrifice themselves in her place, willingly throwing their lives away to give their son another chance at revival.
- The Minish Cap: Vaati the Wind Sorcerer was once a normal Minish boy and Ezlo's apprentice, before stealing his master's wishing cap and transforming into a human mage. Seeking the legendary Light Force to achieve godhood, Vaati tracks its key, the Picori Blade, to Hyrule Kingdom, where he infiltrates and effortlessly wins their annual sword-fighting tournament, allowing him to shatter the blade during the awards ceremony. Failing to find the Light Force but refusing to give up, Vaati instead amasses his own army of monsters, turns the powerful Princess Zelda to stone to keep her out of his way, and possesses the King of Hyrule to keep tabs on the heroes. Allowing Link and Ezlo to upgrade the Picori Blade into the Four Sword and reveal the Light Force's location for him, Vaati discovers that the artifact is hidden within Zelda herself and retreats to Hyrule Castle, converting it into a dark, heavily-fortified lair as he extracts the Light Force from the petrified princess. Coming within mere seconds of finishing before Link's intervention, Vaati uses the power he's already extracted to battle Link through multiple forms, attacking the hero with his full might to the very end.
- Breath of the Wild & Tears of the Kingdom: Misko the Great Bandit was a notorious thief from Hyrule's past, infamous for their crimes and their love of riddles. Scattering their spoils across the land, Misko hid the locations to their treasures behind clever puzzles and obscure hints so that only the smartest and most experienced of adventurers would find them. Honorable to the end, Misko even made clues for their prized possession, the Fierce Deity Sword, in a quest that sends Link back and forth across the furthest reaches of Hyrule, with Misko leaving behind a message of congratulations for the hero when he solves it.
Spin-Off Games
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity: Sooga is the brave, loyal second-in-command of the Yiga Clan, and Master Kohga's personal bodyguard. Rescued by Kohga as a starving youth, Sooga repays his gratitude by becoming the greatest Yiga Blademaster of all time, serving as the field commander while Master Kohga naps in his hideout. On the battlefields, Sooga is a formidable and cunning foe, dividing the Hyrulean forces with feint attacks and sabotaging their equipment to hinder their advances. When the tide of battle turns against him, Sooga honorably withdraws his forces and takes full responsibility for their losses. When Astor betrays the Yiga Clan and sends his minions to harvest Kohga's soul, Sooga defends his master to the very end, making his Last Stand against four Blight Ganons while mortally wounded. His sacrifice moves the Yiga Clan to join Zelda's growing army against Calamity Ganon, with Master Kohga swearing to avenge his dearest comrade and bodyguard.
