Daily Debate: Why Do We Forgive Hilda for Her Crimes, But Not Ganondorf?
Posted on January 09 2020 by John Piland
Usually pretty black and white, the morals of the Zelda series’ characters tend to be pretty clear. There is an evil force that is out only for themselves and will cause untold destruction to achieve their goals. And then there are the people of Hyrule, who must fight back against said evil. However, sometimes the line between good and evil is blurred, and when that happens, what decides if one is worthy of forgiveness?
The two key figures at the center of this question are Princess Hilda of Lorule and Ganondorf, specifically from The Wind Waker. Until the final moments of their games, the moral alignments of these characters seems pretty clear: Hilda is a princess who only wants to help a hero fight back against evil, and Ganondorf is a selfish, reborn king of evil who has never wished for anything but power. Yet, at the end, all that changes. In the cutscene preceding the final boss of A Link Between Worlds, Hilda reveals that it was her intention to steal Hyrule’s Triforce for the benefit of her own world, despite knowing it would spell doom for Hyrule. For Ganondorf, it is revealed just before the final boss in The Wind Waker that he had fallen to darkness and become the tyrant seen in Ocarina of Time, but had initially only wished to provide a better life to his people.
Just as the intended goals of the characters were clear, so are the intended view of their arcs and moral standings. Hilda is someone lead astray by desperation, yet ultimately redeemed, and Ganondorf is someone who started out with the best of intentions, yet fell to darkness and never saw his way out. Is this really the case? Is Ganondorf evil at the end of The Wind Waker? Is Ganondorf, who began with wanting nothing but a better life for his people, any worse than Hilda, who was willing to destroy an entire world for the sake of her own? Do the evil deeds of Ganondorf outweigh that which Hilda was prepared to do?
Why is it Hilda should have forgiveness, but not Ganondorf? Is it wrong to forgive one, but not the other? Should Hilda, or either of them, be forgiven? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
This Daily Debate was suggested by our very own Locke!
John has been a Zelda fan for over 10 years now and is proud to say the series has had a major impact on his life (and wallet). After years of going to Zelda Dungeon for guides or the latest news on the series, John achieved their dream when they joined the writing team in 2019; John can hardly believe how long it’s been. A librarian, he loves meticulously arranging his library of Zelda games and collectibles. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Tears of the Kingdom, John looks forward to the future of the Zelda franchise with enthusiasm, whether that’s the upcoming movie, a new spin-off/remake, or the next big game.
