The Gerudo are one of The Legend of Zelda’s most recognizable races, and arguably embody the spirit of redemption unlike any other. of the all-female warrior race are easily recognized by their height and red hair, and have appeared in many of the franchise’s most important titles. Of course, the Gerudo are also known for producing Ganondorf, their sole male, and thus following him as their king in the past, but this is no longer the case in the most recent games.

Excluding The Legend of Zelda’s many races to owe this title their prominence either, as the Gorons also originate here, as did the non-hostile Sea Zora (in contrast to the more violent monsters found in prior titles).

The Gerudo’s Modern Heroism Defies Their Origins

Their Depiction In Games Like BOTW Is Far From Their Initial Introduction

In Ocarina of Time, the Gerudo are presented as a group of thieves loyal to Ganondorf, forming the core of his ers. The main exception to this is Nabooru, Ganondorf’s second-in-command, whose dissent eventually leads to her being brainwashed. Over the course of the game, however, the Gerudo’s attitude visibly softens; first, Link gains their respect as he makes his way through their fortress, and during the ending some Gerudo can even be seen amongst those celebrating Ganondorf’s defeat at Lon Lon Ranch. This shows a more noble side to the Gerudo, something which has only become more prominent since.

Of course, in Majora’s Mask, the Gerudo appear to have backslid into villainy by living their lives as pirates. However, the fact that Termina’s inhabitants can be wildly different from their Hyrulean counterparts (as demonstrated by the parallel world’s far more amiable versions of Koume and Kotake) means that the Gerudo of Hyrule cannot themselves be judged by this depiction. Instead, their depiction in Breath of the Wild and all subsequent titles has clearly become their new definitive identity; they are now firmly on the side of good, even opposing their old king when called upon.

Zelda’s Gerudo Exemplify The Power Of Good Over Evil

They Become Much Friendlier People Without Ganondorf

There is no male Gerudo in BOTW ruling over them, and it seems this has been the case for countless years; far longer than the original rate of men being born once per century. As such, it seems that Ganondorf has had no opportunity to reincarnate into his old tribe for a long time, perhaps even thousands of years considering the circumstances of his appearance in Tears of the Kingdom. Of course, the Dragon’s Tear memories do show that when Ganondorf ruled the Gerudo his people assaulted Hyrule. Nevertheless, after his sealing, they have evidently become true allies to Hyrule.

In some ways, TOTK echoes the Gerudo’s redemption journey in Ocarina of Time, albeit on a far grander scale. In both cases, their known history begins with them as a people who are hostile to Hyrule, but in the wake of their king’s defeat they evidently become much closer to the people they once opposed. It is clear that they are loyal to their leadership, but have no inherently evil qualities as a race; instead, given the chance, it is undeniable that they will become far better people than they are under Ganondorf.

The Gerudo Consistently Prove Better Than Ganondorf’s Influence

They Have Risen Far Above What They Were Under His Leadership

By the time of Breath of the Wild it is clear that the Gerudo consider the now-legend of Ganon’s origins amongst them as a mark of shame for their people. As the Gerudo Chiefs of their respective eras, both Urbosa and Riju are resolute in opposing their people’s former king. Moreover, even TOTK’s unnamed ancient Gerudo Sage makes it clear that Ganondorf was not universally beloved by all Gerudo in King Rauru’s time, although it is worth noting that Ganondorf’s own ruthlessness in TOTK likely worked against him here.

In Urbosa’s Diary, available through Breath of the Wild’s The Champions' Ballad DLC, the Gerudo Champion describes her tribe’s connection to Ganondorf as “an association I deeply resent.”

Nevertheless, even in Ocarina of Time the need for brainwashing proves that Ganondorf has never been as popular a ruler as he would likely prefer. No matter the era, the Gerudo become increasingly dissatisfied with him and his methods as he works to further his ambitions. As a result, whenever Ganondorf eventually reappears, whether in a sequel to Tears of the Kingdom or a completely independent title, it is clear that he will never achieve full even amongst his own rightful subjects.

The story of the Gerudo tribe may be inextricably tied with that of Ganondorf, but his evil does not define them. Time and time again, the Gerudo have redeemed themselves when freed of their malevolent king, proving that they are no more evil than any other race in Hyrule. As a result, the story of the Gerudo tribe in The Legend of Zelda is also the franchise’s most powerful story of redemption.