Ganon vs. Ganondorf — The Legend of Zelda’s villain name explained

Ganondorf will return as the king of Evil and newly anointed Super Hunk in Tears of the Kingdom: The Legend of Zelda. It was 17 years ago that the last time the villain appeared on screen in a computer game. The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess. Now, he’s reborn — more hydrated than ever — and ready to take on Link and his friends in the upcoming Breath Of The Wild sequel.

But his return raises some general questions. Fans of the show have a lot to say about it. The Legend of Zelda Breath of WildYou might be able to correctly note that Calamity Ganon as well as Dark Beast Ganon appear as the last boss in the game. However, Ganon isn’t (quite) the same as Ganondorf — so here’s the difference between the two terms, explained.

What’s the difference between Ganondorf and Ganon?

It’s very simple: Ganon is used to refer to the villain’s beast form and Ganondorf is used to refer to his human Gerudo form. That’s it!

Both are distinct, as confirmed by the following: The Legend of Zelda EncyclopediaGanondorf entry. They discuss how we first see Ganondorf as a Ganon. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. The book says, “In battle with Link for the other two pieces, Ganondorf tested the limits of his Triforce of Power and transformed into a demon in the form of the Dark Beast, Ganon.”

Ganondorf’s many forms have been seen throughout the entire history of the series. It is not uncommon for his transformation to look like an animal that looks similar to a pig, or have a generally bestial appearance. In some games, Ganondorf is also shown. (In Breath Of The WildWe only see Ganon. They’re one and the same — so let’s just hope that the Ganon form in the Tears Of The KingdomIt’s as hot as the new human form.