I’m diving into some lore here, and I can’t help but wonder: Are Ganon and the other characters aware of Demise’s curse? We see Link and Zelda preparing for Ganon’s comebacks throughout time, but does Ganon himself realize he’s part of this cycle? I find it fascinating that he just shows up and thinks, “Alright, time to conquer Hyrule!” Is there more to his character than just mindless ambition, or is that part of the curse? I’d love to hear your thoughts or any insights from the games that might address this! I’m still new to the series and have mainly gleaned info from YouTube, so feel free to share any gems I might have missed!
3 Answers
In my opinion, Ganon knows about the curse on some level, but he’s sort of trapped in the cycle like Link and Zelda. Like, take Twilight Princess—he’s portrayed as super evil, while in Wind Waker, you can feel a bit of empathy for him. It’s like he has layers depending on the game.
It honestly varies from game to game. Zelda is well-educated and knows about the history, so it makes sense she’d be aware. But Link? It’s hit or miss; some Links remember their past lives’ struggles, while others might not. In Breath of the Wild, Link has a close connection to royalty, so he likely knows what’s at stake, but earlier Links might be totally clueless during their adventures. As for Ganon, some versions are definitely more self-aware than others, especially the ones with deeper backstories like in Wind Waker.
Totally, Link’s experience can vary so much! It really plays into how Ganon operates too.
Honestly, I don’t think Ganon is aware of the curse at all. I mean, he’s all about power, right? If he knew he was just a pawn in someone else’s game, he wouldn’t accept that. I doubt he’d want to give any credit to Demise—that’d be defeating to him. If faced with Demise, I think Ganon would try to overthrow him as well.
Exactly! Ganon’s pride wouldn’t let him acknowledge being controlled. He wants to be the ultimate villain!
Yeah, I agree! It’s like each Ganon reflects his circumstances. I feel like the character depth changes the way we interpret his motives.