Ganondorf at the End of Twilight Princess

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

One of my biggest complaints regarding TP is that its ending sucked. It felt kind of rushed and left a few glaring holes in the storyline.

The biggest of which in my opinion, relates to Ganondorf and his remains. At the end of the final battle with him, you plunge the Master Sword through his chest and the glowing light which head kept him alive faded. Ganondorf had drawn his final breath.

Next thing we know though, Link has recovered the MS from Ganon's body and gone to wave goodbye to his dolly bird, Midna. Link then returns the MS to its pedestal and rides off into the sunset.

Obvious question: What happened to Ganondorf's remains at the end of TP? I'm largely interested in his physical remains rather than his spiritual ones. But go crazy with both however you wish.

Hope you can come up with something good for this, Rew. 

[TZM]

Well, amongst all of this, ganondorf had gotten the power of the twlight realm, and, since he had pushed the realm back into near the end as it seamed by the top of Hyrule castle, I would think that there may have been, partisally, something still left in the twilight realm, who knows. "His remains may have been buried, who knows, lol.

[KeatonKitsune]

Who says Ganondorf died? Like I’ve said before, Ganondorf has shown a great amount of constitution in the past. How many seemingly fatal blows has he taken in all his appearances?

To answer your question, kind of, I think he got up and hobbled away.

[Hyruleansoldier]

That would have been mighty foolish of Link & Zelda then...

At least in OoT they had a whole scheme of Sages and sealing in the Evil Realm

Sure it would have been rip-off if they Light Spirits suddenly appeared to zap him away, but at least it would have given us slightly more peace of mind...

[HylianPhoenix]

Who says Ganondorf died? Like I’ve said before, Ganondorf has shown a great amount of constitution in the past. How many seemingly fatal blows has he taken in all his appearances?

To answer your question, kind of, I think he got up and hobbled away.

I agree, we don't really know if Ganondorf died or not. I'd say he didn't, and they're keeping it open for a direct sequel to TP, but that's just my opinion...

[KeatonKitsune]

That would have been mighty foolish of Link & Zelda then...

Foolish? Maybe, but I don’t think so... Remember, these two don’t know all that he is capable of. And without the game showing us a corpse fire or something like that, it’d be a long stretch to assume such, methinks.

Besides, regardless of single or split timelines, Ganon comes back later in history as we all know, correct? So unless you place TP at the end of the timeline (I’d love to see that work), you can’t hardly kill him off just yet.

[Hyruleansoldier]

What do you mean they don't know what he's capable off?  Do you think Link has no more memory of beating and imprisoning Ganondorf in OoT's future when he is sent back by Zelda?


Yeah, of course they couldn't have killed him off in TP.  But an attempt to imprison him would sure have been nice...

[TZM]

Maybe the 'body' was merely a construct from the Twilight realm, maybe Ganondorf lost what made him 'human' before that asfter being pushed into there, this could symbolize his losing his humanity and becoming Ganon after this point.

[Hyruleansoldier]

Hold your horses, why the farfetch'd explanations huh?

I wouldn't try to make up anything extraordinary about it.  The way I see it, FSA comes after TP, and in FSA the Gerudo mention Ganondorf making his way to the Desert Pyramid.  GanonDORF.  Somehow I can't help but assume that they're talking about his human form, as it was in TP, still.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

But of course, FSA hints at a totally new Ganondorf...

[Hyruleansoldier]

But of course, FSA hints at a totally new Ganondorf...

How do you figure that?

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Well, the backstory is different from what I recall. I'm going back to FSA this week if all is well, but from what I recall there are bits which don't add up.

Going from TP to FSA with the same Ganondorf isn't exactly smooth. He's somehow got back to being King/Leader (I think they say Leader not King) of the Gerudos for a start. I'll have to go have another look at the game to be certain, unless a certain LionHart can beat me to it.

[Hyruleansoldier]

Well, so?  Wouldn't he still be the leader of the Gerudo, just because in TP we don't SEE any Gerudo's?  I'm sure they wouldn't forget the tyrant that is their lone-male-Gerudo leader of old like that.

... And I'm not even sure they refer to him as their leader in the first place

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

So, we're back to the start of this thread but with a twist and asking how he got from standing on the hill in TP to leading the Gerudo at the start of FSA, eh...?

[Hyruleansoldier]

Well, we'd need some more FSA evidence actually.  Cause even if the FSA Gerudo still refer to him as their leader, that may just as well mean their 'leader of old' --- and lord knows they wouldn't really have gotten a new leader in between, as Ganondorf never REALLY died, catch my drift?

Brings me back to my One Gerudo to Rule Them All thread.

Somehow I think the rise of a new lone male Gerudo leader works like the rise of a new Slayer (think Buffy).  Only when the old ones dies, can a new one rise.  But then we'd have to be sure Ganondorf really *did* die at the end of TP.  Sure the Triforce of Power left him, but he was also kinda gone from his nice spot on the hill.  And as already indicated before, he was standing in a rather awkward position to really be dead-dead.

Still plenty of food for thought...

[KeatonKitsune]

Do you think Link has no more memory of beating and imprisoning Ganondorf in OoT's future when he is sent back by Zelda?

Um..... Yes?

Wait, you think OoT Link is TP Link?

But of course, FSA hints at a totally new Ganondorf...

A hint in which I do not believe. But that’s not for this topic, IMO.

How do you figure that?

Oh gosh, here we go...

*backs away and watches the carnage from a distance* 

[Hyruleansoldier]

Do you think Link has no more memory of beating and imprisoning Ganondorf in OoT's future when he is sent back by Zelda?

Um..... Yes?

Wait, you think OoT Link is TP Link?

Eh, no I don't...

Why did I ask that again?  Ah, well, because it is accepted that Link tells Zelda about Ganny taking over and all that so the King and the Sages decide to "take care of him", right?


Other than that, I'm kind of confuzzled as to where we left off.

[Rew]

Hope you can come up with something good for this, Rew. 

Well, I like to think that Link stashed the body in the basement of his treehouse. And you were wondering why it's so dark down there!

In all seriousness, I don't think it's an accident that our last view of Ganondorf in TP is him standing on the field. (Notice how he starts lying down when Link first thrusts the MS through him, then suddenly he's kneeling when he utters his last words, and finally actually standing up when we last see him. Hmm.) Not only do we not know what really happened to him thereafter, but I think that we are meant not to know. It's not a plothole, IMHO, because I trust Nintendo enough for them to know what they're doing. They perhaps even have the larger timeline in view--certainly future Zelda game(s).

That being said, however, even though Ganon(dorf) is my favorite character in the series, I must admit that even I will be disappointed if he comes right back in a TP sequel (if indeed there is one--I think there will be myself). He needs to wait about a couple games before he can make a grand reentry.

Interesting debate about the continuity of Ganondorf in FSA. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten to that game yet, but when I do, I'll be sure to chime in!

[Hyruleansoldier]

Hope you can come up with something good for this, Rew. 

Well, I like to think that Link stashed the body in the basement of his treehouse. And you were wondering why it's so dark down there!

That settles it for me.

In all seriousness, I don't think it's an accident that our last view of Ganondorf in TP is him standing on the field. (Notice how he starts lying down when Link first thrusts the MS through him, then suddenly he's kneeling when he utters his last words, and finally actually standing up when we last see him. Hmm.) Not only do we not know what really happened to him thereafter, but I think that we are meant not to know. It's not a plothole, IMHO, because I trust Nintendo enough for them to know what they're doing. They perhaps even have the larger timeline in view--certainly future Zelda game(s).

That being said, however, even though Ganon(dorf) is my favorite character in the series, I must admit that even I will be disappointed if he comes right back in a TP sequel (if indeed there is one--I think there will be myself). He needs to wait about a couple games before he can make a grand reentry.

Well, I hope Nintendo is doing just that, as otherwise I'd just remain thorougly displeased with especially that part of TP and its ending.

That being said, I think we can all agree that Ganondorf should be laid to rest for a while.  He won't be in PH, and he should definitely not be in "TP2".  They've never included Ganondorf in two successive games (who were actually pairs, of course).  They went MM after OoT, AoL after LoZ, LA after ALttP,... so...  Goodnight Ganny-boy.

[KeatonKitsune]

Why did I ask that again?  Ah, well, because it is accepted that Link tells Zelda about Ganny taking over and all that so the King and the Sages decide to "take care of him", right?


Other than that, I'm kind of confuzzled as to where we left off.

Ah, I get what you’re saying now... I think.

I believe we were talking about, er, that is, I was suggesting that Link and Zelda wouldn’t have known that Ganondorf could have survived that battle in TP, and that they likely would have left him for dead, and that he could have hobbled away and recovered to plan for TWW, or whatever game you place after TP. Which was my answer to this topic’s question.

(Notice how he starts lying down when Link first thrusts the MS through him, then suddenly he's kneeling when he utters his last words, and finally actually standing up when we last see him. Hmm.)

Good grief, man! I’d never noticed that before! Amazing.