Daily Debate: Does Ganondorf Always Have To Be A Villain?
Posted on November 13 2018 by Sean Gadus
Since his introduction in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf has been a huge part of The Legend of Zelda mythos. This name is usually reserved for the human form of the primary villain, while Ganon is used for the more monstrous form of the character. Ganondorf is depicted as a powerful sorcerer, a dangerous warrior, and a cunning enemy. Most notably, Ganondorf has always existed in direct opposition to our hero, an ultimate ordeal to be conquered.
With this in mind, does Ganondorf always have to be a villain? In previous games, Nintendo has created Gerudo warriors who are not evil incarnate, such as Nabooru and Urbosa. These desert-dwelling heroines have worked with Link and Zelda to protect the world from evil. Is it destined that Ganondorf always has to be the reincarnation of Demise, and thus, take the role of the antagonist? Or could Demise take the form of another? If this was the case, it would open up the opportunity for a different version of Ganondorf, one players haven’t had the chance to see yet.
Since Ganondorf is often portrayed as the wielder of the Triforce of Power, the Gerudo king would be a powerful ally for Link and Zelda. It’d be really exciting and intriguing to see how the writers and designers at Nintendo would redesign Ganondorf as an ally rather than an enemy. Perhaps Link and Ganondorf could be rivals, rather than enemies, competing against each for the affection of the royal family, or even Zelda herself! It would be exciting to see Ganondorf depicted as a young man, one the player can see grow and change throughout the narrative.
What do you think? Does Ganondorf always have to be a villain? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured art by Demo Demo
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. He is currently replaying the narrative ghost story Oxenfree, and taking his first stab at playing Dark Souls. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
