The Legend of Zeldaseries has an extended history over its massive range of entries, all of which having a unique story. However, a pretty common element throughout the series is the cast of main characters. We’ll see Link as the main character, Zelda as a heroine, and the villain is nearly always Ganon in some form.
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While there are no big issues with Link or Zelda, having Ganon as a recurring villain can often be quite frustrating, especially if he shows up as a surprise villain. The Zelda series has plenty of classic villains that deserve another chance over yet another Ganon reincarnation, so who are the best snubbed Zelda antagonists?
8General Onox And Veran
Two of the more overlooked Zelda games are theOracle of Seasons and the Oracle of Ages, both released simultaneously on the Game Boy Colour. While these games have overlapping stories, they both take place in a separate area with separate villains, with General Onox vying for control over Holodrum in Seasons, and Veran manipulating the world of Labrynna in Ages.
Since these two are earlier Zelda villains, they do not get the most development, however, they have potential, and so do the worlds they hail from. So whether Link returns to Holodrum or Labyrnna, or if the pair of games get remade, these villains could have another shot!
7Bellum
Another overlooked Zelda game is Phantom Hourglass. While The Wind Waker has been remade, and is seen as a classic in the series, its direct follow-up on the DS is not nearly as appreciated and is seen as one of the more obscure titles in the series.
However, something that helps it stand out is that it has an all new villain in the form of Bellum, a massive squid-like creature that is sucking out the life force of beings across the ocean, and manages to petrify Tetra at the start of the game. Bellum has some interesting lore in Phantom Hourglass, and while it is defeated at the end of Phantom Hourglass, if it were to show up somewhere else in the timeline, it could make a threatening foe for Link to face.
6Happy Mask Salesman
While the Happy Mask Salesman is not explicitly a villain, his unnerving smile has been striking fear into the hearts of Zelda fans for decades. For a character named after a supposed jolly disposition, the true nature of this salesman never really gets revealed, and he is still one of the more mysterious figures in the Zelda series.
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He is shown to have procured Majora’s Mask, a dangerous artefact that should have been lost to history, and is shown to have an unnatural connection to it, assaulting Link when he is unable to retrieve it. While the Happy Mask Salesman may not be main villain antagonist material, learning more about his potentially twisted past could be interesting for Zelda fans.
5Twinrova
A Zelda villain that used to hog thelimelight was Twinrova. The twin witches used to appear quite frequently in the Zelda series, featuring as recurring villains in different entries; however, their most memorable appearance is inOcarina of Time, where they have one of the most memorable boss fights in the Spirit Dungeon.
While the bickering sisters have never featured as a primary antagonist, they could make an interesting foe for Link if they fill this position. It would also be great to see what a modern rendition of these twins look like in a newer Zelda entry.
4Ghirahim
Perhaps one of the most controversial entries in the Zelda series isSkyward Sword. While the linear approach and motion controls split the audience upon launch, one element most fans could agree on was Ghirahim being an amazing villain. Ghirahim’s motivations were murky throughout most of the narrative, but his unique flamboyant style of presentation always stood out and made encounters with him exciting and unnerving.
At the end of Skyward Sword, it is revealed the Ghirahim’s true form is Demise’s sword, and that he was his servant all along. This unique role could make Ghirahim an interesting antagonist in a later title, especially since his fate after Skyward Sword is ambiguous.
3Zant
One of the most unique villains throughout theZelda series is Zant. This figure from the Twilight realm is shown to cause chaos when invading Hyrule and causes the main conflict throughout the game. He has a unique design with his outfit giving him a creepy appearance and an even creepier face hidden underneath the mask.
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Even though Zant is eventually revealed to be an agent of Ganon, of course, he is still the most memorable antagonist fromTwilight Princess. His twisted fighting style and unhinged personality made him a fun adversary, so getting to face him again would be a treat for fans of the series.
2Majora
When it comes to mysterious villains in the Zelda series, the figure that is perhaps still the most shrouded in mystery is Majora. The main villain in Majora’s Mask is the titular mask itself, having possessed Skull Kid and causing him to cause havoc around Termina, while also pulling down the scary moon to destroy the land in three days.
However, while we do have some history for this mask, the full truth is still a little foggy. We know that the mask was used in rituals, but we do not know much about the group who was doing this, and what powers they must’ve had to create something as horrifying as Majora.
1Vaati
A recurring villain that has now seemingly been all but forgotten by the Zelda series is Vaati. Vaati was a mainstay in the Zelda series for a few brief years before never appearing again. The evil mage was the main antagonist in Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and most importantly, The Minish Cap, where he got the most attention and development.
The corrupted member of the Picori had a lot of potential that could have been built upon in future games, and with his unique design he could have a fun appearance in future titles, but that potential has unfortunately not been fulfilled.
