The supporting villain is a villain who is not the final boss, but plays a large role throughout the game. Actually they play the biggest role. Ghirahim and Zant represent this trend. Do you like them? or are they bad for the series?
Zant wasn't the main villain like Ghirahim was. He was a pawn that had no real power of his own -- at least not to the extent of what he was capable of throughout the events of the game. Ganondorf granted Zant his powers so that he could take advantage of him and gain access to the Light World again. The only underling that's truly been the main antagonist in a Zelda game is Ghirahim. Not even Aghanim was, due to him basically being an extension of Ganon.
Of the six, I only liked three (Veran, Onox, Cole). The remaining three were either Ganon, or weak for my tastes. I do not like the supporting villain role. It's not totally bad - all of the characters are written well for a Zelda game- but for my own tastes it is.
I don't think it's good or bad, just overdone. This has been around seven times in the series--not that it's been done badly, mind you, but the concept has gotten pretty tired.
Of the games I've played, not really. Ghirahim never really did it for me and was actually one of my least favorite parts of the game. Zant had a lot of potential to be fully developed into a cunning villain with his own intentions, but having him go insane and tacking on Ganon at the last minute seemed like a poor descision. Agahnim, but he actually was Ganon in the end, so I don't view him as somebody different. Vaati in Four Swords Adventures felt just as boring and lifeless as he did in the first Four Swords. Thankfully, he was given much more character as a main villain in The Minish Cap. Too bad he couldn't be that way as a supporting villain.
I would like to see a supporting villain start off as links friend and become the enemy (like Bond and Trevelyan in Goldeneye). In the end, he became the enemy due to the true villain, the curse would be broken right before the final battle and Link and the friend take on the main villain. Of course, to break the curse, Link fights the supporting villain, a true classic sword fight.
I don't think it's good or bad, just overdone. This has been around seven times in the series--not that it's been done badly, mind you, but the concept has gotten pretty tired.
I also agree with you. It's overused to death. I would love to see an original baddie that doesn't use a puppet for their personal needs. They should do something like they did in OoT or TMC, where it's only Link versus one main villain.
Overused? I don't think so, the times that they've used a minor villain its turned out pretty good, in fact id say I even prefer ghirahims battle, on top of that his theme and nature is pretty epic in my opinion
I enjoy supporting villains. It's an easy way for Nintendo to incorporate a brand new villain without having to get too intricate with their details (because after all they are usually just pawns)
That being said, it's a substantially bigger payoff when there's only one fully decked out baddy who's been developed throughout the game
Why can't we have a game with villain trade-off? Have there be two villains, equally evil. Start-off with Ganon; kill him halfway through; and have an uber boss at the end(possibly the truest form seen of Demise)
I would like to see a supporting villain start off as links friend and become the enemy (like Bond and Trevelyan in Goldeneye). In the end, he became the enemy due to the true villain, the curse would be broken right before the final battle and Link and the friend take on the main villain. Of course, to break the curse, Link fights the supporting villain, a true classic sword fight.
Overused? I don't think so, the times that they've used a minor villain its turned out pretty good, in fact id say I even prefer ghirahims battle, on top of that his theme and nature is pretty epic in my opinion
"Still...It hardly seems fair, being of my position, to take all of my anger out on you."--"Which is why I promise up front not to murder you..."--"No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life!"
And, I jumped almost out of my skin when he stuck-his-tongue-out, thinking, "He wants to ****ing rape Link!!!!! I can't ****-up!!!!*I was all like and D:*" Along with the motion controls, I've never fought so intensely, before, in a Zelda game(Fighting Majora without the Fierce Deity mask while I was age 10, runs second place, though).
A supporting villain itself isn't a bad thing. What we need is to have both the supporting villain and the main villain actually alive at the same time.
Ghirahim gets a free pass because he's infinitely more interesting than Demise, appears on a frequent basis, and known to be a servant since the beginning.
and D:*" Along with the motion controls, I've never fought so intensely, before, in a Zelda game(Fighting Majora without the Fierce Deity mask while I was age 10, runs second place, though).
