Game Theories

Is Ganondorf really a bad guy?

Ganondorf, otherwise known as Ganon, is often the final boss of The Legend of Zelda series, who is after the Triforce and wants to rule over Hyrule. He is often portrayed as the only male out of his race, and in Ocarina of Time the player got to see what would happen if he ruled Hyrule. However, what if this wasn't his own doing and his initial desires became corrupt?

Let's start with his desire for the Triforce. It's not unheard of for a king to desire power, and what greater power than the thing that can shape the entire world. However, he may have not wanted it to begin with. The Triforce was relatively unheard of in Ocarina of Time that most people did not recognize it. How would Ganon know of its existence? This goes back to Skyward Sword where the final boss, Demise, put a curse on the land, claiming that his successor would come back to haunt Hyrule and obtain the Triforce. Most players have speculated this successor to be Ganon based on him fitting most of the prophecy.

We could also assume that this desire may have affected him in his desires for Hyrule. Upon hearing of his race's demise in Wind Waker, Ganon seems to be a bit pissed, yet a lot wiser due to his years of being frozen in time. He had time to reflect on his desire for Hyrule, and his initial desire can be seen. His homeland, Gerudo Desert, was a harsh place to live, with the wind often meaning death for his tribe. In contrast, the soothing wind from Hyrule, with its green grass, often meant life and never promised to hurt people. As the king, Ganon would have wanted what was best for his tribe, so he may have been planning on cooperating with the Hyrulian King in an attempt to live in harmony. He even is shown to be peaceful when he does not strike down the protagonist when he has the upper hand, but explain this desire for a better place for his race to live. Yet his curse swayed his desire and proceeded to take control of Hyrule.