Ganondorf, who transforms into the bestial Ganon, is an evil, seemingly immortal being that plagues Hyrule throughout the millennia in The Legend of Zelda. As such, he is the series’ most prolific and recognizable antagonist. And although he has been defeated time and time again, his continuous returns suggest he enjoys a form of immortality.
Although born as a Gerudo man, Ganondorf’s continual assault of Hyrule is fueled by power far beyond mortal limits. During the Events of Ocarina of Time, chronologically his first appearance, Ganondorf gains possession of the Triforce of Power. A third of the full Triforce, the Triforce of Power grants both physical and magical strength on an immense scale. Zelda lore states that the Triforce will split if one with an unbalanced heart attempts to claim it, as Ganondorf experienced. However, the Triforce of Power alone was enough to turn Ganondorf into a near-unstoppable threat as Ganon, a now demonic entity.
Ganondorf Cannot Be Permanently Killed In The Legend Of Zelda
Although Ganondorf has been defeated and even killed on multiple occasions throughout the series, he is just as frequently revived. His surrogate mothers Kotake and Koume, as well as evil sorcerers like Vaati and Agahnim, have all achieved this through various means. It is clear that Ganon will never stay dead for long. Ganondorf even survives his own execution in the backstory to Twilight Princess, necessitating his banishment to the Twilight Realm. Even if the timelines theoretically reconverge in Breath of the Wild, Ganon continues to persist, in spite of the fact that thousands of years have now passed since his birth.
Zelda's Ganondorf Is The Embodiment Of Demise's Curse
Although the Triforce of Power is clearly responsible for a large part of Ganondorf’s strength, his Ganon form continues to exist and be revived even when Link is able to defeat him and claim possession of it. However, it must be noted that Hyrule is actually afflicted by a powerful curse laid by the Demon King Demise. This curse guarantees that an incarnation of Demise’s hatred will pursue the destruction of Hyrule, trapping Link in a cycle of reincarnation as revealed by the ending of Skyward Sword. It seems apparent that this incarnation is Ganondorf himself, and that this is the true reason for his constant revivals.
Perhaps most notably of all, this continues to be the case even after Zelda says that Ganon has abandoned the idea of resurrection in the ending of BOTW. Although he was ultimately killed by Link and Zelda, trailers for Tears of the Kingdom suggest that yet another form of Ganon is about to awaken. The mummified entity below Hyrule Castle bears a strong resemblance to Ganondorf, including having red hair and wearing the Gerudo symbol. Of course, this has not been officially confirmed, so Ganondorf may not be the true villain in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but there is a clear connection being made to him regardless.
Although not perfect, Ganondorf clearly possesses some form of immortality. The Triforce of Power transformed him into a demon capable of surviving almost anything except the Master Sword or Arrows of Light. If not killed, then he can survive being sealed for millennia. At the same time, through Demise, Ganon continually revives even when he is defeated. In one form or another, across multiple timelines, the villain has made it clear that death has no permanent hold over him. This helps to make him so iconic; whether he appears as Ganondorf or Ganon, any The Legend of Zelda game is improved by the King of Evil making an appearance.
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