Key Takeaways
- Ganon plays a minor role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, with a new villain taking the spotlight.
- Ganon’s appearance in the game is brief, and his role is eventually sidelined for a new antagonist named Null.
- Ganon’s reduced role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom may lead to a bigger and better return in future Zelda installments.
Ganon is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable names and faces in gaming, as he has been a prominent antagonist in The Legend of Zelda for decades. The iconic villain has evolved significantly over the course of the series, from his initial depiction as a demon-like creature to his human role in Zelda: Ocarina of Time as the power-hungry king of the Gerudo. Now, he has once again appeared in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom to antagonize the titular princess and prevent her from saving Hyrule from the rifts threatening to swallow it whole.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s portrayal of Ganon is fairly unorthodox for the series, as his antagonistic role is actually undermined by a brand-new villain. However, this might be a blessing in disguise for Link and Zelda’s arch nemesis, as it may make his next appearance all the more worth the wait.
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Princess Zelda Might Not Be the Only Winner Through Her Echoes of Wisdom Protagonist Role
Now that Zelda has been featured in a protagonist role in Echoes of Wisdom, the series should consider promoting other characters to the role as well.
Ganon Has a Big Future Ahead of Him After Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Story Largely Sidelines Ganon
In true Nintendo fashion, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s pre-release footage teased Ganon as its main antagonist, even though that turned out to be far from the truth in the end. In the original announcement trailer for Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Ganon was shown battling Link in what was believed and eventually proven to be the game’s prologue. As such, it was expected that Ganon would play a significant role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s story. The only question was what that role might be.
However, around halfway through Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s story, the titular princess herself faces Ganon in an epic battle within the Still World, complete with a traditional game of Dead Man’s Volley. This is only Ganon’s second appearance in the game, and it actually turns out to be his last. After Ganon meets his demise, an otherworldly being named Null appears, who is later revealed to be one of The Legend of Zelda‘s overarching antagonists, like Zelda: Skyward Sword‘s Demise. This makes Null, not Ganon, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s primary antagonist.
In true Nintendo fashion,
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
‘s pre-release footage teased Ganon as its main antagonist, even though that turned out to be far from the truth in the end.
This is a significant departure from the series’ last two installments, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, both of which featured Ganon in some form and made him quite a terrifying foe for players to overcome. In fact, thanks to the darker themes of these two games and their visual prowess, Ganon was portrayed in a much more foreboding light than he has been in quite some time, especially in Tears of the Kingdom. This ultimately makes Ganon’s simple and sidelined appearance in Echoes of Wisdom a refreshing step in the right direction for the series, as it gives fans a break, however brief or lengthy it may be, from the antagonist many have come to know so well.
Ganon’s Minor Role in Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Will Make His Next Appearance Even Better
Since Ganon was such a huge focus in Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, his undermined appearance in Echoes of Wisdom has given players a chance to experience a brand-new conflict, at least for a moment. It’s assumed that Ganon will eventually return as the antagonist, but whether that happens in the next Legend of Zelda installment or one to come later is currently unknown. Once he does return, however, it will be much more special than it might have been if he had once again taken the role of lead villain in Echoes of Wisdom. This way, Nintendo has an opportunity to further innovate the antagonist and potentially make him bigger and badder than ever before.
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