Ganon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ganon |
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| The Legend of Zelda character | |
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Ganon, as depicted in promotional artwork for The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
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| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
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| Gender | Male |
| Title | Demon King |
| Origin | Gerudo Desert (as Ganondorf) |
Ganon is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda video game series and franchise, as well as the final boss in many Zelda titles. A massive and malevolent creature, he first appeared in the original game, The Legend of Zelda (1986), and has since appeared in the majority of the games in the series. Ganon is the archenemy of the protagonist Link and originally the leader of the Gerudo, a race of humanoid desert nomads before becoming the ruler of his demons. In his original Gerudo form, from which he can change magically, he is known as Ganondorf.
His specific motives vary from game to game, but most often involve capturing Princess Zelda of Hyrule, the games' usual setting, and planning to conquer Hyrule and the world at large. To this end, he seeks the Triforce, an omnipotent artifact that grants any wish its bearer desires, and usually manipulates several other villains to realize his ambitions. In most games, he possesses the Triforce of Power, which gives him godlike strength, boundless mystical power, and invulnerability to all but the most powerful sacred weapons, such as the Master Sword.
As the main villain of the series, Ganon has also appeared in a variety of media and merchandise, including an animated television series, manga and Amiibo. He appears in various spin-off games, such as Hyrule Warriors and Age of Calamity, and also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series.
The character has been well received by critics, becoming one of the most popular and recognizable villains in gaming. He has been praised by critics for providing some of the most memorable boss battles in gaming and has been named as one of the greatest video game villains of all time.
Characteristics
Ganon is the main antagonist in The Legend of Zelda series and is presented as the embodiment of evil. He usually appears as the final boss at the end of each game. A recurring storyline in the series centres around the protagonist Link fighting to save Princess Zelda after she is captured by Ganon. Over the course of the series, Ganon has been depicted in various physical forms. His original human form known as Ganondorf is the king and the only male member of the Gerudo in Ocarina of Time and Four Swords Adventures. He bears the physical traits of the Gerudo race, having red hair, dark skin and pointy ears. He also often transforms into a monstrous beast resembling a giant boar with glowing eyes. Ganon has been given various titles over the series, including "King of Evil", "King of Thieves", "the Dark Lord", "King of Darkness" and "Prince of Darkness".
As the embodiment of evil, the character's presence spreads darkness and wards off good magic, a characteristic which is affirmed by the fairy Navi in Ocarina of Time. Ganon is consumed and powered by his malice and hatred.
The character's motivations typically centre around destroying Hyrule or placing himself in a position of power as ruler.
Powers and abilities
Ganon/Ganondorf is presented as a dangerous foe who is difficult to defeat. He is a formidable warrior and sorcerer, and he is skilled enough a swordsman to combat Link. He is capable of dual-wielding large blades, such as great swords. He also possesses great physical strength. He is typically only defeated by Link with the use of a legendary weapon like the Master Sword or Light Arrows. Due to his near-immortality and indestructible power, he often needs to be sealed away in another realm by magic to prevent him from causing more destruction. However, the character is always reincarnated in a subsequent game, which emphasises his immortality.
Over the course of the Zelda series, Ganon/Ganondorf has demonstrated various magical powers and abilities. These powers originate in his use of dark magic and have varied across the game series. He can use various defensive measures in combat, such as using dark magic to create magical barriers. In the original The Legend of Zelda game he is able to turn himself invisible and uses his magic to propel fireballs at Link. In several games, such as Ocarina of Time, he is able to create shadow clones of himself that possess his skills and abilities but are immune to damage. Ganondorf also has the ability of teleportation, giving him the advantage of sneaking behind his opponent in combat in Twilight Princess. In Ocarina of Time he has the ability to levitate. He has also demonstrated that he can pass between dimensions, such as the Dark World and the Twilight Realm.
Ganon has the power to possess and control other characters. He can also manipulate other characters for his own benefit.
See also
In Spanish: Ganondorf para niños
- Characters of The Legend of Zelda
