The Legend of Zeldahas usually followed a classic video game adventure formula: players control Link, a hero empowered by courage, in his quest to rid evil forces from the land of Hyrule. This tried-and-true cycle of light overcoming dark has been the main premise of some of the series' greatest installments, including the latestTears of the Kingdom.
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However, not all these evil forces pose an equal threat to Link in his mission to save Princess Zelda. While some villains reappear constantly to oppose Link’s journey, others show up only once. Whether it’s a recurring boss or a one-time foe, theseZeldavillainshave been the greatest threats to Link’s righteous adventure.
Updated Jun 08, 2025 by Blaise Santi: Fans all across the world have been sinking hours upon hours into the latest installment in the franchise,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.The Switch title features many upgrades to the familiar world ofBreath of the Wild, some brand-new to the franchise while others harken back to past games.
Along the way, fans will encounter some of the most formidable enemies Link has faced off against in the entire series, all of whom threaten the peace and tranquility of Hyrule as a kingdom. These additional enemies from throughout the Zelda franchise are the ones who have tested Link’s will the most.
16Malladus
Malladus appears in the Nintendo DS titleThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracksas the final boss. Imprisoned by the titular Spirit Tracks themselves, Malladus' unleashing is the center of the game’s plot, as his servant Cole creates chaos as the king’s chancellor by threatening to release Malladus from his imprisonment by the Spirits of Good.
Though Malladus is quite a threat to Link and the kingdom of Hyrule, he sadly doesn’t hold a candle to the devastation wrought by forces like Ganon or even Vaati. Nevertheless, he poses quite a dilemma for Link by possessing Princess Zelda during the final fight, turning Link’s greatest ally into his enemy for a short period of time.
15Thunderbird
Compared to most villains throughoutThe Legend of Zeldaas a franchise, Thunderbird is one of the more obscure ones. The boss appears in the second-ever installment of the franchise,Zelda II: The Adventure of Linkfor the NES. However, where the Thunderbird shows its strength is in how it defies its original creators.
As described by the instruction manual forThe Adventure of Link, the Thunderbird was originally created by the King of Hyrule to protect the Triforce. However, by the time Link encounters it in the game, it viciously attacks him and proves to be one of the hardest boss fights in the NES game, which is truly saying something.
14Queen Gibdo
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, unlike its 2017 predecessor, features many more bosses that will seem more familiar to fans of the franchise. One of those is Queen Gibdo, who serves as the final boss of the Lightning Temple, and leads the undead race of creatures known as Gibdo, who originated in the very firstThe Legend of Zeldafor NES.
As the boss of the Lightning Temple, Queen Gibdo is weakest to lightning-based attacks, though her own abilities to summon sandstorms and charge at Link can eat away at players' health. Unless they come in fully prepared, players should be careful when facing this dragonfly-esque ruler of the undead.
13General Onox
General Onox is one of the main antagonists of the GameBoy Color titleOracle of Seasons. The game, like most mainlinePokemongames, has a counterpart inOracle of Ageswith a different villain, Veran. However, Onox is the more menacing of the two version-exclusive final boss characters, reminiscent of the iconicZeldaenemy known as Iron Knuckle.
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Onox’s battle happens to reflect this intimidating design. His attacks deal whopping amounts of damage to Link, who can only pierce Onox’s armor with spin attacks. It can be a pretty difficult fight to maneuver, and might even lead some players to put down their GameBoy Colors and give up on trying to complete this version.
12Ghirahim
There are many divisive thoughts on the Nintendo Wii titleThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, particularly pertaining to its controls. However, its re-release on Nintendo Switch has caused a lot of fans to reflect on the game’s positives. One of those is the menacing and strange antagonist throughout the game, Ghirahim.
In the early sections ofSkyward Sword, Ghirahim appears in Skyloft and kidnaps Zelda, setting Link on an adventure to save her. During numerous fights throughout the game, Ghirahim is an expert swordsman, with the ability to teleport around the room. Fans won’t be judged for becoming frustrated at both Ghirahim’s personality and his fighting style.
11Agahnim
Agahnim appears as one of the primary antagonists in the beloved SNES gameThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. As described by the game’s prologue (as well as its instruction manual), Agahnim is a mysterious wizard who has taken control of Hyrule with dark magic. Even in battle, Link can only deal damage to Agahnim using the Master Sword.
However, Agahnim’s true threat isn’t himself, it’s his ultimate plan. Link eventually discovers that Agahnim is a minion of Ganon, with Agahnim serving as his puppet to resurrect the fallen demon king. For a character who only appears in oneZeldatitle from long ago, Agahnim has certainly left an impression on fans of the franchise.
10Shadow Link
Every hero has a dark side, and Hyrule’s greatest defender is no exception. This reflection possesses all of Link’s movements and abilities,making it just as strong as Link. Some of the toughest fights in the franchise are with Shadow Link or his counterparts, such as Dark Link’s sub-boss encounter inOcarina of Time.
However, the most grueling fight with Shadow Link probably comes in the second installment of the franchise,Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Here, Link’s shadow serves as the game’s final boss and can be frustrating to fight. Some only succeed by ducking in one corner and attacking whenever Shadow Link gets close.
9Twinrova
The Gerudo sisters, Koume and Kotake, first appear inOcarina of Timeduring the Spirit Dungeon. As one of the final dungeons in the game, these two maternal figures to Ganondorf provide one of the most difficult fights for players. Koume attacks with flames, while Kotake attacks with ice, making them a double threat.
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This fight can only be won with the help of Link’s Mirror Shield, which he can use to deflect attacks from one sister onto the other. However, the fight gets more difficult when the two combine to form Twinrova, meaning Link’s counter-attacking must get more precise. Thankfully, these two serve as one of Link’s last tests before the finale.
8Yuga
Yuga has made only one appearance in theZeldaseries,as the main antagonist ofA Link Between Worldsfor Nintendo 3DS. Yuga’s goals as a villain are ambitious, trying to rule over both Hyrule and its counterpart Lorule. This leads Yuga to cross paths with Link, who he delays in stopping him by transforming him into a painting.
Eventually, after harnessing the power of all Seven Sages, Yuga uses his body as a vessel to resurrect the Demon King Ganon. The combination of Yuga and Ganon serves as the final boss of the game, who Link battles in both realities and as a painting. In terms ofZeldavillains, Yuga gets pretty close to his goal before Link defeats him.
7Puppet Ganon
Regular Ganondorf usually serves as the final boss of mostZeldagames. However, in the build-up to the final battle, Link usually comes across a decoy Ganon to face. InOcarina of TimeandTears of the Kingdom, this is Phantom Ganon, but inThe Wind Waker, he faces the creepy yet powerful Puppet Ganon, an automaton operated, literally, by strings.
What makes Puppet Ganon such a significantly difficult villain for Link is his transformation into different forms. After defeating his pig-like form, Puppet Ganon takes on a spider-like form, and then finally a worm-like form. Overall, Puppet Ganon proves to beone of Link’s most versatile and imposing villains to date.
