Ganondorf

Ganondorf (ガノンドロフ, Ganondorofu) is a playable character and the true main antagonist in Hyrule Warriors and the major antagonist of the Legend of Zelda series.

His final form as Ganon (ガノン) is playable in one of the two exclusive modes of the game's Boss Pack.

Role in Game
Like most of his other Zelda incarnations, Ganondorf's ambition is to assemble the Triforce for himself and conquer Hyrule. In the Hyrule Warriors continuity, Ganondorf was originally sealed by a previous incarnation of the legendary hero of Hyrule. His soul was split into four fragments and scattered across time and space, with the hero's sword acting as the seal on the one fragment that remained in their world.

However, Ganondorf was still able to sense events around him, and thus came to influence Cia, the watcher of the dimensions. Using her unrequited love for the legendary hero's incarnations and her jealousy towards the woman whose destiny was linked to his, Ganondorf corrupted Cia, expelling all goodness from her heart. The Demon King promptly manipulated his new puppet into assembling the Triforce and opening the Gate of Souls, freeing three fragments of his spirit from their prisons in three different timelines.

With three-fourths of his soul reunited, Ganondorf was able to regain physical form. He promptly betrayed Cia and attempted to take the Triforce from her, intending to use it to free the final spirit fragment and restore his full power. However, Cia managed to fight back, drawing upon the Triforce of Power to seal Ganondorf away between the dimensions. Doing so, however, forced the Dark Sorceress to return the other pieces of the Triforce to their rightful bearers, weakening her even as the Hyrulean Army closed in on her base.

Due to being sealed between dimensions, Ganondorf was able to attack both of his enemies when the Hyrulean Army attacked the Temple of Souls. Despite bringing a substantial army to attack the battling forces after they had weakened each other, the Demon King was unable to overcome his enemies due to not being at full strength. However, he remained confident that his wrath would soon fall upon Hyrule, especially since Link had been forced to weaken the final seal on his soul by drawing the Master Sword to use against Cia's army.

Ganondorf's confidence was soon justified - shortly after Cia's final defeat, the final fragment of his soul was released from the weakening seal. With his full strength restored, Ganondorf recruits Zant and Ghirahim as his followers before launching an assault on Gerudo Desert, raising an army of monsters by defeating their commanders in battle. With his newfound might, the Demon King travelled to the Valley of Souls, where he reclaimed the Triforce of Power from Lana. He then attacked Hyrule Castle, drawing out and defeating Link and Zelda to take their pieces of the Triforce.

With the mystical artifact's complete power at his disposal, Ganondorf summoned unending hordes of monsters to subjugate Hyrule before retiring to Hyrule Castle itself. His dark power corrupted the surroundings into a terrifying stronghold as he readied a ritual to empower himself even further. This would prove to be his downfall, however - with the Demon King occupied, Zelda led her remaining forces to Gerudo Desert, defeating Ganondorf's lieutenants and cutting off the flow of reinforcements to his new base.

With Ganondorf's position weakened, the Hyrulean Army and its allies from across time and space attacked the former Hyrule Castle to stop the Demon King once and for all. Ganondorf initially left the battle to his minions as he continued the ritual of empowerment, unleashing his full power just as his enemies breached his tower. With his enhanced might, he began attacking the Hyrulean Army directly, but they recaptured Hyrule Castle to cut off his power boost before defeating him. In a final attempt to turn the tide, Ganondorf used the Triforce to become the monstrous Ganon, but Zelda granted the Light Arrows to her allies, who used their life force to power up the legendary weapons and defeat the Demon Beast.

Personality
Ganondorf is best characterized by his greed, lust for power, and sadism. Cold and manipulative, he has no qualms in using others to fulfill his own desires.

Quotes

 * See also: Ganondorf/Quotes

Gameplay
Great Sword=
 * X: Ganondorf rises off the ground and then pounds down hard into the ground hard enough to damage enemies. If his meter is full, this allows for a larger area of effect.
 * Y, X (rapid): Ganondorf forcefully plants his swords in the ground, which pops enemies upwards. He then makes repeated diagonal slashes sending out shockwaves at the airborne enemies, then finishes by sending swing both his blades sending out an x-shaped slash. X can be tapped for more hits.
 * Y, Y, X: Ganondorf points his blade skyward, while a large ball of dark energy forms at the tip of the blade. He then slings it forward, with the orb detonating after traveling a set distance forward.
 * Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf rapidly swings both swords in a flurry around him, enclosing him in a sphere of slashes. He then explodes it outward, knocking back enemies.
 * Y, Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf raises both hands up to create a large orb of dark energy. He then quickly lowers it down in front of him before punching it and detonating it, sending out smaller orbs forward in an arc.
 * Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf summons a large arm of dark energy and performs a horizontal swipe.
 * Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y: Ganondorf swings his swords horizontally left and right, then slams them both down into the ground. He then releases a spherical pulse of dark energy from him, and then swings his sword in front of him. He swings his swords three times in front of him before delivering a final blow infused with dark energy.


 * A: Ganondorf raises his sword into the air and rains down lightning bolts around him, infusing his sword with lightning energy. He then swings his sword, firing the lightning energy at enemies.


 * Focus Spirit + A: Ganondorf summons a black shadow in the shape of his demon form, Ganon, to attack nearby enemies.
 * Focus Spirit Finisher: Ganondorf hovers into the air and gathers dark energy around his fists, before slamming his fists down hard onto the ground, knocking back enemies.


 * Weak Point Smash: Ganondorf envelopes his right arm in darkness, forming a large shadow claw that slashs at enemies.

Ganondorf's attacks are a mix of powerful sword slashes and magic attacks. He is rather slow, but his attacks have a large range. Most of his strong attack combos can be charged up, and doing so fills up a special gauge. Said gauge is then used to deliver a powerful move when the player presses the strong attack button.
 * Fighting Style
 * Use of two swords as he does in Wind Waker.
 * C5 references the Warlock Punch from the Smash Bros series.

Added in Legends, can only be used in the Wii U version if registered.
 * -|Trident=
 * X: Ganondorf throws his trident forward, then dashes to catch it.
 * Y, X: Ganondorf jumps into the air swinging his trident.
 * Y, Y, X: Ganondorf rushes forward and swipes a dark arm.
 * Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf throws his trident and it orbits around him in a boomerang fashion, then returns to him after one orbit.
 * Y, Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf jumps into the air doing an uppercut using a shadow arm.
 * Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, X: Ganondorf throws his trident forward like a javelin, then dives after it while punching the ground, erupting strong dark energy.


 * A: Ganondorf throws his trident forward into the ground, then flies into the air and shocks lightning around it.


 * Focus Spirit + A: Using a shadow arm, Ganondorf punches the ground and shoots a ball of dark energy forward.
 * Focus Spirit Finisher: Ganondorf glows the triforce on his left hand then erupts a light explosion.


 * Weak Point Smash: Ganondorf slashes the opponent with the trident, then does a lightning slash, then jumps into the air and slashes the trident, erupting lightning.

DLC only.
 * -|Ganon=
 * Y, Y, Y: Performs a series of claw swipes, and then smashes his fists into the ground.


 * X, X: Creates arcing red lightning along the ground, damaging enemies directly in front of him.


 * Up on the D-Pad: Charge forward ramming his entire body into enemies.


 * LZ: Spins around, knocking back all enemies surrounding him.


 * A: Charges fist with dark energy, then smashes it into the ground damaging all enemies around him.


 * Focus Spirit + A: Pulls out his Trident, and flings it forward causing it to spin around and damaging all enemies directly in front of him self.
 * Focus Spirit Finisher: Ganon gathers dark energy around his fists and rises into the air before slamming the ground.


 * Weak Point Smash: Creates a massive orb of dark energy, slams it onto his opponent, then performs a powerful right hook punch into the orb of energy causing it to explode.
 * Weak Point Smash (vs Boss): Jumps up into the air, slashing the enemies with his trident while ascending, then throws it down ward to have the teeth of the trident pierce the boss monsters body.

Unlike most characters who can use items, Ganon is capable of using a boss monsters abilities in battle and are stocked in his inventory as battle items normally are. In order to use them, Ganon must first find a boss monster, then defeat it to absorb it into him self, to use it's ability.
 * Boss Attacks

Ganon is a hulking beast, capable of damaging boss monsters without needing the nessissary items to make their Weak Point Gauge's appear. but, due to his large size, it makes him an easy target for mobs to gang up on.
 * Fighting Style

Weapons
Great Sword=

Added in Legends, can only be used in the Wii U version if registered.
 * -|Trident=

DLC only.
 * -|Ganon=

Badge Materials

 * See also: Hyrule Warriors/Badges

Attack Badges=
 * -|Defense Badges=
 * -|Assist Badges=

Gallery
Images=

Trivia

 * When fans saw Ganondorf's design upon his initial reveal, they started a meme associating him with various hair care products such as Dove. In response, Nintendo joins in on the fun by claiming he uses a special hair spray.