Ganon


 * This article contains information about the recurring boss of The Legend of Zelda series. For the biography of the character, see Ganondorf.

Ganon is the alternate form of Ganondorf, the King of Evil. At the moment of the Great Cataclysm, Ganondorf's body became a reflection of his inner self. Ganon remains this way while inside the Dark World, and could change into this form at will while in the Light World.

The Legend of Zelda
Gannon, the Prince of Darkness, invades Hyrule with his evil army, seizes the Triforce of Power and attempts to gather the scattered pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. He imprisons Princess Zelda and keeps her in his lair at Death Mountain. He is killed by Link after getting hit by a Silver Arrow, turning to dust.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Ganon is dead after Link's last encounter with him. His minions try to resurrect him by killing Link and mixing his blood with their masters ashes. If Link dies, his blood is used to resurrect Ganon. In non-Japanesse versions of the game he appears as a shadow on the Game Over screen.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Ganondorf, the Prince of Thieves, was one of many adventurers who traveled from the Light World to the Golden Land to claim the Triforce. Obtaining the power of the Triforce, he made a wish to control the Golden Land and thereby transformed the realm into the Dark World and himself into a pig/boar-form, both of which reflected his corrupt, wicked heart and his greedy nature.

Styling himself as Ganon, King of Evil, he sought to conquer the Light World, as well. Ganon attacked Hyrule with his monstrous armies, but was defeated by the Knights of Hyrule and sealed in the Dark World by the Seven Sages. Years later, Ganon projected his spirit into the Light World through an alternate form, Agahnim, with which he betrayed the King of Hyrule and took over the country. This 'Agahnim' form then tried to break the seal on the Golden Land to allow Ganon to escape it. Link confronted Agahnim in Hyrule Castle and defeated him, but Agahnim managed to send Link into the Dark World before he was beaten.

In the Dark World, Link stormed Ganon's Tower and defeated Agahnim once again. After the battle with Agahnim, he battled Ganon in the Pyramid of Power, where he was bested by a silver arrow. With his final death, the Dark World returned to its former beauty as the Sacred Realm and the Triforce was reunited, with Link as its new master.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Ganon does not actually appear in Link's Awakening, but the final Nightmare takes on his form.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, Ganon first appears in his human form Ganondorf. He is represented as a Gerudo male known as 'The King of Thieves'. Unbeknownst to the King of Hyrule, Ganondorf is trying to obtain power; Princess Zelda suspected of his plan thanks to a vision she had in a dream and decides to try and thwart him with the help of Link.

Later on, in the first phase of the final battle, Ganondorf tried to tear down his own castle on Link and Princess Zelda before seemingly being defeated by Link, as Zelda and Link manage to escape the castle seconds before it finally collapses, they hear a noise in the ruins. When Link investigates the sounds, Ganondorf appears, showing the triforce of power's glow and transforming into Ganon (which is the second phase of 'the final battle' in the game)

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages & Oracle of Seasons
Twinrova attempt to revive the deceased Ganon by lighting the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow by causing havoc in Holodrum and Labrynna. By sacrificing Zelda, the ritual would be complete with the lighting of the Flame of Despair and Ganon would be revived. However, after Link arrives, they are forced to sacrifice themselves instead of Zelda, resurrecting Ganon, but only a lesser form of him.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Ganon briefly appears in the opening narrative of the game, revealing he had escaped from the Dark World and conquered Hyrule. A hero never rose to bring him down, so the gods destroyed Ganon's gains by flooding the land and turning it into the Great Sea, using the Master Sword as a seal on his magic. Powerless, Ganon takes on his Ganondorf form and quietly escapes into the overworld.

Ganon itself does not appear in the main game; however, Ganondorf takes on the form of Puppet Ganon, a giant, wooden, puppet-like version of Ganon. He is held onto the ceiling by ropes and takes on the form of a boar, spider, and Moldorm. Like Ganon from Ocarina of Time, his tail is a weakpoint.

Another depiction of the Ganon form can be seen on the stained glass windows in the Hyrule Castle basement where Link finds the Master Sword. The center window shows the Sages sealing Ganon away at the end of the climactic battle in "Ocarina of Time".

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Ganondorf is not apparently the enemy at first, however when Link arrives at the Forest of Darkness the Deku there are under his control. More is revealed about him in the next area, the Desert of Doubt. The Gerudo there know him, but they dislike him because he entered the Pyramid which is sacred to them. He took the Trident and transformed into Ganon.

After Link defeats Vaati in his palace, the Tower of Winds starts to crumble, and Link and Zelda travel down the tower back to Hyrule. However they are stopped by Ganon, who faces Link in battle. After he is defeated he is locked within the Four Sword.

As the human Ganondorf is shown to properly transform into the blue boar Ganon in this game, some assume that it to occur before A Link to the Past, and other older titles that feature his permanent pig form.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
After his Twilight essence is purged from Princess Zelda's body, the matter compiles together on the castle floor and is pieced into Ganon, who then charges at Link. Link overcomes him through the use of arrows and in his wolf form with the help of Midna. As Ganon is defeated, his body deteriorates, and Ganondorf's soul is reincarnated into his human body.

The Legend of Zelda animated series
Ganon is the main villain of the series; a powerful magical pig-being who holds the Triforce of Power. Ganon constantly plots to steal the remaining pieces of the Triforce from Hyrule, but his attempts are always thwarted by Link and Princess Zelda. Ganondorf's lair lies outside of Hyrule, inside of which is the Evil Jar, a magic jar used to transport enemies back to his lair just before they are killed; this also applies to Ganon, who is saved by the jar a number of times himself.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Ganon is also playable as the final smash of Ganondorf in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he stamps the ground stunning all in line and takes a lunge at the players in front of him.

Gallery
Ganon