The Prince of Darkness. The Gerudo King of Thieves. The Dark Ruler.

Ganondorf has held a lot of titles over the years. But no matter which one he goes by, it always strikes fear into the hearts of Hylians everywhere. And no matter which time period he appears in, he always brings havoc and chaos with him in his quest for power.

Since the beast Ganon's first appearance in The Legend of Zelda, Link's greatest foe has served as the boy's final and most difficult test to save the Kingdom. And with his human form's first appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo turned their monster into one of the most iconic villains in video game history. Regardless of which form he takes, Ganondorf offers a unique and challenging experience through a slew of interesting abilities.

His skills tend to vary from game to game, though most of them are often attributed to his mastery of dark magic. If players had only experienced one of the many games in which he appears, it would be understandable if they thought his powers were the same each time. Or for players only familiar with him through his appearances in Super Smash Bros., they may think he was just some big strong guy. But his powers are far greater and far more petrifying than some may realize.

It is right for the people of Hyrule to fear the return of Ganon, as his sheer might brings certain destruction. His prowess over dark magic has given him a diverse set of skills. Here are 20 powers Ganondorf has that are kept secret.

20 He Can Control Creatures

It doesn’t matter which Zelda game he appears in; Ganondorf always comes with a healthy supply of minions. He clearly has some sway over dangerous creatures such as Moblins, Lizalfos, and Stalfos because he infests the dungeons and temples with them throughout each game.

Some of these creatures he may create for his army, while others he may just control. And while one could argue that these creatures are only mindlessly violent, Ganon also holds some kind of influence over larger monsters that operate as bosses. These beasts are usually much stronger and more intelligent than the average enemy. But they all bow down, for one reason or another, to the Demon King.

19 He Can Fly

Being able to fly has got to be one of the biggest advantages someone could have over their opponent, so one must wonder why Ganondorf doesn’t use this ability more often. It was a terrific and imposing way to kick off the fight against him in Ocarina of Time. But even there, he really only used it to float around and didn’t strategically use is to its full advantage.

When he would return in later games, such as The Wind Waker, his ability to fly would apparently be gone.

He would make the possessed Zelda in Twilight Princess fly, but we’ll get to that later.

18 He Can Create Magical Barriers

While Ganondorf knows a plethora of combative magical spells, he has also shown that he is proficient in defensive spells. These can differ in intensity and purpose, but Ocarina of Time saw him use quite a few.

Once Zelda revealed herself to Link, Ganondorf encased her in a crystal barrier. He also created a barrier of dark magic around the entrance of the staircase that led to his throne room, which Link then had to break. And even still, when his fight with Link began, he generated a barrier of such dark magic that the fairy Navi was unable to stay and help her friend. If only he used these defensive spells on himself, maybe Link wouldn’t be able to constantly beat him.

17 He Can Create Copies Of Himself

It must take a pretty powerful person to be able to create a copy of themselves, but such is the mystical strength of Ganondorf. Phantom Ganon, found in the Forest Temple, was one of the most memorable boss fights seen in Ocarina of Time. Though he was significantly weaker, it taught players how the real fight would operate with its own added twist of the paintings. Although, Ganondorf showed no love for his creation when Link was able to defeat it.

He would also create copies of himself in future games. The Wind Waker saw Phantom Ganon as a miniboss in the Forsaken Fortress, while Breath of the Wild saw Calamity Ganon make smaller, elementally charged versions of himself to occupy the Divine Beasts.

16 He Can Cast A Spell To Keep The Sun From Rising

Ganon was only shown to do this on one occasion, but its implications and consequences could have been severe had Link not been able to break the curse. After journeying to a certain island in The Wind Waker, Link found it utterly destroyed.

But he wouldn’t realize the island had been cursed until later.

No matter how long or far he traveled, the sun would not rise. An endless night accompanied by a torrential downpour. Luckily, Link was able to break the curse. But if he hadn’t been, the world and all its inhabitants would have been thrown into complete disarray.

15 Ganondorf's Malice

Even when trapped in another dimension, Ganondorf is still not to be trifled with. The main villain in Twilight Princess is the increasingly bizarre Zant, though it is revealed later that he is working for Ganondorf.

After being banished to the realm of the Twili by the Sages, Ganondorf began concocting his plan to enact his revenge on and return to the land of Hyrule. In that realm, Ganondorf took on the form of a giant, floating, fiery head. While this form doesn’t have the luxury of a body, it is highly impermeable. For example, after he was turned back into this form in the climax, he was able to withstand an attack from Midna in her Fused Shadow form.

14 He Can Destroy Spirits With His Bare Hands

Let that sink in. The Sages seen in Twilight Princess are spirits without bodies, yet Ganondorf was able to destroy one in an instant with his bare hands. After he had been captured for trying to conquer Hyrule once, Ganondorf was sentenced to execution.

Only when the Sages tried, they found they were unable to take his life.

The thing that saved Ganondorf’s life is the exact same thing that likely gives him the power to destroy a spirit. While Link is blessed with the Triforce of Courage and Zelda the Triforce of Wisom, Ganondorf has the Triforce of Power. The strength that comes from this obviously goes beyond the purely physical.

13 He Can Wield Powers Of The Twili

For fans who played through to the end of Twilight Princess, it was obvious that Ganondorf is an extremely powerful being. But the true depths of what he was able to accomplish in that game may have been lost on some players.

Although he is a Gerudo from a separate dimension, he was able to wield the powers of the Twili people.

For the first 2/3 of the game, it was unclear how Zant was able to rise to prominence so quickly. But when it was revealed that Ganondorf was pulling the strings, it showed how magically capable he can be. Some new abilities he used through Zant were opening the Twilight Portals and changing the form of Midna and her people.

12 He Can Possess People

Twilight Princess really did serve to show how many magical abilities Ganondorf could wield. Before the climactic fight with the Demon King, he possessed the beloved Princess Zelda and used her as a puppet to fight Link. The fight operated similarly to those of Phantom Ganon and Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time, but it was chilling to see Zelda in that state.

That wasn’t the only instance he was shown to possess someone, or rather, something.

In Breath of the Wild, before the Great Calamity, Ganon was somehow able to corrupt the Guardians and Divine Beasts and turn them against the heroes. Their greatest weapons then became their greatest threats.

11 He Can Open Portals To Different Dimensions

Though he doesn’t use this ability often, he does use it to gain a significant advantage over those who would presume to put a stop to his plans. There have been a few games where Ganondorf was somehow able to find his way into the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce of Power. The most notable case was Ocarina of Time.

But there are also the events of A Link to the Past. The villainous wizard Agahnim opens up a portal to the Dark World and banishes six of the seven mystical maidens there. But Link finds out later that Agahnim was really Ganon’s alter ego. Sneaky, sneaky Ganon.

10 He Is, Essentially, Immortal

No matter how many times Link is able to put an end to the villainous Ganon, he always finds a way to return. Whether it be through his own plans or resurrection by some demented villain. This could be attributed to his connection to the Triforce of Power, as the Sages in Twilight Princess were unable to execute him.

Skyward Sword, however, offered a much more sinister explanation.

After Link defeated the malevolent being Demise, he put a curse upon Link and Zelda. The reach of this curse would affect their descendants, as he stated that there would always be a great villain reincarnated from his hate to fight against them.

9 He Is Flame Proof

There is a reason the Master Sword is called the Blade of Evil’s Bane. It’s the only weapon in the world of Hyrule than can put a stop to Ganondorf. Though there are weapons like the Light Arrows that can weaken him, the Master Sword is the only thing that can do enough damage to stop him.

One of the most noteworthy instances of Ganon’s resilience was seen in The Wind Waker. After their first encounter with the antagonist showed how painfully outmatched they were, Link and Tetra were rescued by their Rito friends and the dragon Valoo. In one mighty breath, Valoo hit Ganon’s Tower with a direct blaze of fire. But Ganon would walk away unharmed.

8 He Can Shoot Fireballs

Perhaps Ganon has become flame proof through his own use of fire spells. There have been several fights with the big bad where he has hurled multiple fireballs towards Link. As far back as the original The Legend of Zelda, Ganon has shown his love for fireballs. Though he was also shown using similar attacks in the Oracle games.

While fire is one of his favorite elements to use to attack Link, it isn’t the only one. He has also been known to shoot lightning. And then there are his copies from Breath of the Wild that each use one of the four elements.

7 He's Ambidextrous

This may not sound like a power per se, but it certainly gives Ganon the upper hand during a fight. While many of his appearances have shown him wielding a trident in just one of his hands, there have been others that have featured him wielding two massive swords. The climactic boss fight in Ocarina of Time must have been daunting for some players given the size of the beast and his blades.

He also uses two swords in The Wind Waker. And as this fight favors physical combat over magic, Link must stay vigilant in order to find the right moment to strike.

6 He Can Turn Invisible

Just like the power of flight, you have to wonder why more versions of Ganon wouldn’t take full advantage of this useful power. During the boss fight with Ganon in the original The Legend of Zelda, the monster can actually turn invisible. Link must hit him with his sword to turn him visible again.

The way that players are able to figure out his location is because Ganon is constantly shooting fireballs at Link. While Ganon would utilize similar tricks against the hero in future installments, he has yet to use his invisibility again. If he did, I can think of a few fights that would have been much more difficult.

5 He Can Teleport

While Ganon wouldn’t come to rely on invisibility, there is a similar power that he would use in several other games. Through the use of teleportation, Ganon could keep players on their toes throughout the fight. He would use this ability in A Link to the Past while hurling his gigantic trident at Link.

While that is the most memorable fight featuring Ganon’s teleportation, it isn’t the only one. By completing both Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, players would then fight Ganon who would use his teleportation more wisely. He would change up his attacks while teleporting, making it harder for players to figure out what would come next. He also teleports while spinning his trident in Four Swords Adventures.

4 He Can Bring Minions Back To Life

Bringing his minions back to life is another spell that Ganon can’t do often. In Breath of the Wild, common enemies that Link has already defeated are brought back during a Blood Moon. This can occur from 10 pm to midnight, though not on every night. This is the time where Ganon’s power has risen to its peak, or so Zelda tells us.

His minions are much stronger during a Blood Moon, but it isn’t the only instance of Ganon bringing a monster back to life.

In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf was able to resurrect the dragon Volvagia, which was said to have been defeated by a Goron hero long ago.

3 He Can Change The Weather

In his most powerful and frightening beast forms, Ganon has shown that he can affect the weather during a battle. In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf’s transformation into Ganon caused a thunder storm to occur. And in the fight with Calamity Ganon in Breath of the Wild, Ganon causes it to rain as well as turn the sky to a similar shade as it is during a Blood Moon.

One could argue that this is just Nintendo’s way of making the atmosphere suitably catastrophic, but there’s also the curse he puts on Greatfish Isle in The Wind Waker. He causes an endless night as well as non-stop rain.

2 He Can Cause Earthquakes

Terrific storms aren’t the only natural disasters that Ganondorf can cause. On several occasions, he’s been known to cause earthquakes. These can vary in intensity depending on how much power he focuses into them. For example, after Link defeats him in his human form in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf punches the ground so hard that it causes the entire tower to crumble.

There is also his appearance in the Oracle series for the Game Boy Color. His fight came from linking the two games with a password, so Capcom and Nintendo made this battle as ferocious as they could. One of the several abilities Ganon had was causing minor quakes after charging up an attack.

1 He Can Warp Reality

Being able to change reality and locations doesn’t come in handy as often as one might think, but it still shows how Ganondorf is able to bend almost anything to his will. In Ocarina of Time, he altered his throne room to resemble that of a battle arena. Then there are his 2D fights in the Oracle games and Four Swords Adventures, where Ganon showed some minor power to alter the area around him.

But the most significant example of this isn’t even performed directly by Ganondorf.

During the fight with Zant in Twilight Princess, he is able to teleport himself and Link through the different arenas of previous boss fights. And since he was always Ganondorf’s puppet, it’s likely he could’ve gotten this ability from him.