In The Legend of Zelda, a franchise where characters keep reincarnating ad nauseum, it’s hard to pinpoint who the strongest version of each Link or Zelda is. After all, their souls have been on so many different adventures at this point that not every single one is going to be comparable.
When it comes down to it, The Legend of Zelda can’t feature a world-threatening narrative in every game. That said, digging deep into the annals of Hylian history does give us an idea of who not only the strongest Link were, but who the strongest characters to grace the series were.
It should be stated that although a case can be made for every incarnation of Link or every final boss to be on this list, measures have been taken to avoid such a conversation. When all is said and done, there really is no merit in ranking all the characters if most of them are just variations of Link. That said, this doesn’t mean this list is inconclusive. Perhaps some Links have been omitted, but they were omitted simply because they didn’t compare to either their counterparts or one of the many villains to chart this list. In a series with so many characters like The Legend of Zelda, some cuts had to be made.
Updated on June 17, 2023, by Gabrielle Huston: With Tears of the Kingdom captivating audiences everywhere, we thought we'd take a look back on this list of extremely powerful characters in the franchise! Do you agree with our ranking? Read on to find out.
31 Thunderbird
The better half of Zelda II’s final boss, the Thunderbird is the final palace challenge Link must face before coming face to face with his shadow.
As a boss, he’s not particularly difficult, but his role in the story does at least suggest, if nothing else, that the Thunderbird is quite a powerful enemy. It’s very unlikely that the Thunderbird is a more dangerous opponent than, say, Ganon, but it does make for a hard enough fight at the end of Link’s journey.
30 Shadow Link
In terms of both gameplay and narrative, Shadow Link is quite the dangerous enemy, reflecting Link’s innermost abilities and bringing them out to the surface. In many respects, Shadow Link is basically a super-powerful version of Link.
Considering the Hero of Hyrule made it this far, it’s only fitting his shadow be just as strong. That said, it’s worth mentioning that this version of Shadow Link is exclusive to Zelda II and has no association with the Hero of Time’s shadow.
29 Hero Of Hyrule
The first Link to chart this list, of the playable variety, that is, the Hero of Hyrule defeated Ganon at 13 and then prevented his resurrection at 16. Although not the youngest playable Link in the series by any means, this younger Link was able to overcome his youth to save Hyrule at a time where it very much needed saving.
What’s particularly interesting about this Link is just how practical a warrior he is. His swordplay isn’t the best, but he’s arguably better versed than most Links. He also has active access to some of the most creative magic in the series. While he was never as threatened as other Links, that didn’t stop him from ending up quite the powerhouse.
28 Agahnim
Ganon’s alter ego in A Link to the Past, Agahnim is basically Ganon boiled down to just magic. He’s not physically strong, but his wizardly is on another level entirely, whisking away maidens to the Dark World and orchestrating Hyrule’s downfall through his equally impressive manipulation skills.
Like Ganon, Agahnim is a being who can only be defeated with the Master Sword, but, even then, Agahnim is invulnerable to all basic attacks. The only way to defeat Agahnim is to use his own magic against him.
27 Twinrova
The fused amalgamation of Ganondorf’s surrogate mothers, Twinrova is one of the strongest mages in the series and the only villain who isn’t a major antagonist or final boss to appear on this list. Typically, bosses just exist to get the job done, but Twinrova is in a league of her own. Two moms for the price of one.
Not only is it strongly suggested that she taught Ganondorf dark magic, but she also gives Link quite the fight in every game she appears in (Majora’s Mask doesn’t count). She also manages to revive Ganon in the Oracle duology by giving her up own life. That’s a level of magical prowess we rarely get to see.
26 Ganondorf (Ocarina Of Time)
Although Ganondorf’s first chronological appearance is closer to the bottom of the list than the top, it’s important to consider the distinction between Ganondorf and Ganon. The former is the man whereas the latter is the beast. In his beast form, Ganon is quite powerful, but Ganondorf is a bit easier to handle.
Although that’s not to say he’s easy to handle in a general sense. Do remember that Ganondorf actually managed to rule Hyrule with an iron fist for seven years, nearly causing the complete extinction of both the Goron and the Zora. It takes a combination of the Master Sword and the Light Arrows for Link to subdue Ganondorf, but even that isn’t enough to defeat him.
25 Yuga
Ganon’s Lorule counterpart, Yuga is a more manipulative and undermining version of the Prince of Darkness. Rather than getting his hands dirty, Yuga orchestrates a scenario where he is able to take over not only Lorule, but nearly Hyrule as well. That said, Yuga’s relative passivity does not make him a pushover by any means.
Yuga’s sorcery is just on par with Ganondorf’s, if not even more powerful. Since Yuga seemingly does not have a “Ganon” counterpart of his own, much of his strength comes from what he is capable of doing with magic alone. Had Ravio not given Link the bracelet when he did, Yuga would have defeated Link in their very first encounter.
24 Vaati
The Legend of Zelda sure has a thing for sorcerers, huh? Vaati’s Minish form and his original body before he became the monstrosity we see in Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures, Vaati was basically your average all-powerful sorcerer. Quite literally, too. In terms of personality, he isn’t all that unique. What does make him unique, however, is his competence.
Vaati nearly gets away with his plans, pushing Link right to the very last possible second. Had Link arrived even a second late to the final battle, Vaati would have sacrificed Zelda and secured his victory. Even then, his magic is strong enough to warp the world around him and nearly bring the royal family to extinction.
23 Hero Of Winds
What makes the Hero of Winds special is the fact that he isn’t special at all. Where other Links embody the Spirit of the Hero, the Hero of Winds is just a young man who managed to fall into the wheel of fate. He was not prophesied nor did destiny call him. He simply answered the call to adventure. Who needs destiny to be a hero?
As a result, he isn’t as powerful as the more divine Links, but he does excel on his own merit. He’s an incredible swordsman in his own right and while he needs quite a lot of help to defeat Ganondorf, he does get the job done masterfully. He’s your regular hero through and through. That’s all the more impressive.
22 Zant
Zant is an interesting villain. Although he ends his life on the verge of what can only be described as a temper tantrum, he is nonetheless far more powerful than his demeanor lets on. This is a man who actually succeeded in locking Hyrule in an apocalyptic stupor before Midna intervened.
Even then, however, Zant’s magic was powerful enough to actually overrun the Twilight Realm. When it comes time for Link to fight him, Zan’ts mania makes it incredibly difficult for players to actually get a read on him. He is unpolished, but overwhelmingly powerful, a combination that naturally winds up very dangerous.
21 Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
Years of solitude hardened Ganondorf by the events of The Wind Waker. He’s calmer, wiser, and more mature than ever. Time has humbled him, but he’s still as dangerous and violent as ever. Now in possession of two katanas, Ganondorf’s final battle with Link nearly ends with the latter decapitated.
He's the best Ganondorf in terms of personality if nothing else.
Interestingly, Ganondorf actually had multiple chances to execute both Link and Zelda, but chose not to. This ultimately ended up being his downfall, but it is worth noting how someone so powerful, and historically evil, actually showed a considerable amount of restraint when fighting his two fiercest rivals.
20 Ganon (Pre-Revival)
This is the Ganon we see most often in the series and the one who helms the Downfall Timeline up until Calamity Ganon makes his appearance. Every time he returns, this Ganon comes back with a vengeance. It isn’t until A Link to the Past where a Link manages to defeat him and, even then, he’s back soon after.
Worth noting, if the Hyrule Historia is to be believed - which is a complicated question but just go with us for now - this is the Ganon who led to the creation of the Downfall Timeline, defeating the Hero of Time during the final hour. It’s a bit morbid to think about Link losing so close to the end, but it’s very much a part of the canon. This Ganon beat Link.
19 Malladus
The second incarnation of the Spirit of Evil we see in the Adult Timeline, Malladus is basically a blue Ganon. It’s suggested he did exist in some form prior to the events of the game, but Cole’s influence brought him back into play. He’s about as dangerous as Ganon, if not a bit more so due to a general lack of weaknesses.
As it takes more to take down Malladus than it does to defeat Ganon at the end of a typical game, it should be accepted that Malladus is Ganon’s better when it comes to raw power.
18 Yuga Ganon
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Since Yuga doesn’t have his own Ganon counterpart, he takes it upon himself to create his own by literally assimilating Ganon’s spirit into himself. Yuga Ganon is basically the regular Ganon, but with way more magical proficiency. For whatever reason, despite being a skilled mage, Ganon rarely if ever uses magic when he’s transformed.
Yuga Ganon is a different beast entirely. Literally. Not only does Yuga Ganon have Ganon’s raw power, he has Yuga’s magical talent. Unfortunately, not even that’s enough to take on Link, but nothing ever is.
17 Vaati Reborn
Upon losing his cool and getting pushed back by Link, Vaati finally gives into his magical powers and allows himself to transform into the gigantic eyeball we all know and love.
Naturally, Vaati Reborn is far stronger than the regular Vaati, channelling far more potent magic at a faster rate. He’s incredibly dangerous and, while he seems to be lacking in the same sentience as his regular counterpart, he’s easily the strongest incarnation of Vaati. It takes four whole Links to put him down!
16 Ganon (Post-Revival)
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Upon being revived by Twinrova, Ganon comes back stronger than ever. Unfortunately, he comes back as mindless as ever as well. With no real sentience, he just attacks Link wildly. His power is actually reflected through the gameplay as this Ganon stands out as one of the hardest final bosses in the series.
Link does ultimately save the day, but this revived Ganon is Ganon at his most primal, indulging in violence not for the sport of it, but because that’s all his nature can muster.
15 Hero Of Time
Whether you know him as the Hero of Time or the Hero’s Shade, this Link is one of the best we’ve seen in the series. He defeats Ganon, saves Hyrule, travels to Termina, defeats Majora, becomes a God (more on that later), and settles down to become one of the finest knights in Hyrule’s royal army.
Even after life, Link’s spirit remains as the mystical ghost who trains the Hero of Twilight into becoming a hero worthy of stopping both Zant and Ganondorf. Of note, the Hero of Time is the only canonical Link to speak more than just a few lines of dialogue. If that isn’t a measure of strength, nothing is.
14 Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)
Twilight Princess’ Ganondorf is easily one of the strongest versions of the character. Not only is he borderline immortal, but he’s also able to nearly overwhelm Link both as a beast and as a man. He possessed Zelda, overpowers Midna, and uses Twilight magic to terrorize Hyrule on a level the country has never seen.
Link has to fight this Ganondorf four times before he finally gets a chance to put an end to the battle. Interestingly, cut dialogue reveals that this Ganondorf was fully familiar with the curse that kept him, Link, and Zelda in the reincarnation cycle. As one of the strongest Ganondorfs we’ve ever seen - bordering on the divine - it’s only fitting he is aware of his fate.
13 Hero Of Twilight
Personally trained by the Hero of Time himself, it should come as no surprise to see the Hero of Twilight so high up on this list. A master swordsman, this Link not only survived an endurance match against Ganondorf at his strongest, he actually managed to win. Without any magic of his own, he fought off Zant, Ganon, and freed Hyrule of the ever-pervasive Twilight.
While he’s more or less a normal bloke in terms of abilities, his wolf form does give him a degree of ferocity others Links tend to last. Surprisingly, he isn’t the strongest Link on this list, but he is one of the strongest overall. If nothing else, he might be the most skilled.
12 Dethl
A nightmare personified, Dethl is the being keeping Koholint Island alive during the events of Link’s Awakening. Although an antagonistic figure in every sense, it’s important to consider Dethl’s role as a harbinger of life. In tormenting the Wind Fish, Dethl has brought life to a dream that would otherwise not exist.
The mere fact that Dethl can enter your dreams, lock you into a slumber, and create a sentient world is a testament to its impossible-to-understand power. It’s a miracle Link was able to defeat it at all.