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Ganon’s Tower

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Back in the sunken kingdom of Hyrule, you’ll return to Hyrule Castle with the completed Triforce. A cutscene plays as the Triforce of Courage joins with Link, and Princess Zelda (Tetra) is safe at the castle – but not for long. Ganondorf appears, kidnaps Zelda in a whirlwind, and retreats to his lair. The protective barrier that once blocked access beyond Hyrule Castle is now dispelled by the power of the Triforce. It’s time to storm Ganon’s Tower, the final dungeon!

Exit Hyrule Castle and you’ll find the path to Ganon’s Tower open. Ride the stone bridge across the flooded landscape (there may be a few last enemies like Moblins or Darknuts roaming outside – you can fight or run past them). Enter the ominous tower and prepare for a series of trials that test everything you’ve learned. This final dungeon is a gauntlet of boss rematches and puzzles leading up to the ultimate battle with Ganondorf.

The Four Boss Rematches

Ganon’s Tower starts off with a large central chamber and four branching paths, each leading to a rematch against a previous dungeon boss. It’s essentially a “boss rush” with mini-trials. The pathways are themed after the elements of those bosses, and you’ll see glowing symbols or carvings indicating which boss lies ahead. Here’s the rundown:

Kalle Demos (Forbidden Woods boss)

Remember the giant plant with tentacles? This rematch plays out similarly, but you’ll find it much easier now. Head down the path (you’ll navigate some vine swinging or flower pod bouncing, similar to the Forbidden Woods mechanics) and you’ll drop into the arena to face Kalle Demos again. Use the Boomerang to target and cut down the vines suspending the plant boss, just like before. Once it crashes down, slash the exposed core with your sword. With the fully powered Master Sword, Kalle Demos goes down in just a few hits this time​. Defeating it will warp you back to the central room, and one of the four seal symbols on the big door will light up.

Gohdan (Tower of the Gods boss)

This was the large stone head and hand statues – essentially a magical guardian. The path to Gohdan’s arena may involve some block puzzles or avoiding laser traps reminiscent of the Tower of the Gods. The fight is the same as before: shoot Gohdan’s two hands and both eyes with arrows to disable them (regular or Light Arrows both work). When the mouth opens after its hands drop, toss a Bomb into Gohdan’s gullet. Two rounds of that should defeat him. He’ll cough up hearts and Magic as before. Once defeated, you’re warped out and another seal on the main door activates.

Jalhalla (Earth Temple boss)

The giant Poe (ghost) from the Earth Temple returns for an encore. The lead-up might have some light/shadow puzzles. In the rematch, use the Mirror Shield to stun Jalhalla by reflecting light onto him, then pick up his big lantern-carrying body and throw him into the spiked pillars around the room (as you did in the Earth Temple). He’ll split into those smaller Poes – cut down as many as you can. With your beefier sword, you might be able to wipe out the whole lot in two cycles. Once Jalhalla’s done, a third symbol lights up in the central hall.

Molgera (Wind Temple boss)

The giant flying sand worm awaits in the final corridor. You’ll traverse a sand-filled passage (likely with fan mechanisms or sand traps akin to the Wind Temple) and drop into Molgera’s pit. Equip the Hookshot and target Molgera’s tongue when it surfaces. Reel the beast in and slash the tongue with the Master Sword. Watch out for the smaller Molgera larvae that spawn – dispatch those so they don’t harass you (a spin attack or quick boomerang toss works). Molgera will dive in and out of the sand – keep an eye on the moving sand to avoid its ambush. After a few rounds, Molgera falls. With the enhanced Master Sword, this fight should end faster than the first time. Upon victory, the last seal on the main door lights up.

After all four bosses are beaten, the giant central door in Ganon’s Tower’s main hall unlocks. You’ve essentially broken Ganon’s defensive barrier by proving yourself against these past foes. Make sure you break any pots in the central room for arrows, magic, or hearts if needed – you’ll want to be stocked up for the next challenges.

The Phantom Ganon Gauntlet

Through the newly opened door, you’ll enter a dark hallway. Suddenly, Phantom Ganon – Ganondorf’s ghostly doppelgänger – appears for a surprise attack! You fought this specter back in the Forsaken Fortress, but this time he has a trick up his sleeve (or cape): he creates multiple copies of himself to confuse you. Pay attention to the one Phantom Ganon that looks slightly more solid or darker than the others – that’s the real one. Face that one and knock his energy orb attacks back at him with your sword (tennis, anyone?), or simply shoot him with a Light Arrow if you’re quick enough (in case you already had Light Arrows; if not, you’ll get them shortly). After a few hits, the real Phantom Ganon falls and vanishes, leaving behind his dark sword on the ground. Here’s the puzzle: the direction the sword’s hilt points is the correct door to go through. All other doors in the room are decoys that lead to looping dead-ends. So, note the direction the sword points, and go through that door.

You will repeat this process through a sequence of rooms – it’s like a maze. Each room, Phantom Ganon (or several copies) attacks, you defeat the real one, then use the dropped sword as a compass to proceed. The order is consistent but using the sword clue makes it straightforward. After a number of these encounters, you’ll eventually enter a differently colored chamber (you might notice the last room looks a bit unique). Defeat Phantom Ganon here and a big treasure chest spawns. Open it to obtain the Light Arrow, the most powerful arrow upgrade in the game! Link can now shoot arrows of pure light, effective at destroying evil.

Phantom Ganon isn’t done trying to slow you down, though. In the next (final) room of the maze, he appears one more time. But now you have the upper hand – literally. A single hit from a Light Arrow will vanquish Phantom Ganon for good. When he falls this time, he leaves his sword behind again. You can actually pick up his dark sword by pressing A. It’s heavy, but Link can carry it. Notice the large sealed doorway with a grinning pig-like face blocking your way (that’s the emblem of Ganon). Go up to that door and throw Phantom Ganon’s sword at it. The sword glows and shatters the barrier, clearing the path. Thus, the phantom puzzle is solved and you can move on. Make sure you have enough Magic and some arrows – there’s often a pot or two with refills around here.

Puppet Ganon – The Penultimate Boss

Proceed through the door and you’ll find a long stairway (or alternately a teleport that takes you up) leading to the top of Ganon’s Tower. Here, you’ll confront Puppet Ganon, the penultimate boss battle. Puppet Ganon is essentially Ganondorf’s twisted magic creating a massive marionette in his own beastly image. The fight has three phases, and it can be one of the trickiest battles in the game if you don’t know what to do. But fear not – here’s a breakdown:

Link faces the colossal Puppet Ganon in its first form. This giant marionette is suspended by cords from the ceiling and will thrash around the room. Using the Boomerang to cut its strings can slow it down, but the true target is the blue orb on its tail, which Link must hit with Light Arrows to damage the boss.

Phase 1 – Puppet Ganon (Humanoid Boar form)

A giant puppet version of Ganon’s pig form hangs from the ceiling by glowing blue cords. It lumbers around the room, swiping with its arms and spinning a long tail that has a blue orb at the end. The objective is to hit that orb with Light Arrows. It’s only vulnerable from behind, so you’ll often need to maneuver to get a clear shot. You can use the Boomerang to target and cut Puppet Ganon’s blue cords to tangle it up and slow its movements. (Cutting all the cords will drop it to the floor temporarily, making the tail easier to hit.) Avoid the swinging arms and the Keese (bats) that occasionally spawn when it spins. Whenever you have an opening, shoot a Light Arrow at the blue orb on the tail. Three successful hits will destroy the first form.

Phase 2 – Puppet Ganon (Spider form)

The puppet transforms into a giant, grotesque spider-like creature (basically a big bulbous puppet with eight limbs). It scuttles to the ceiling, out of view. The only warning you have is its shadow on the floor and a trick: the shallow pool of water on the ground will reflect the spider’s shape above, letting you see where it’s positioning. It will then drop down hard, trying to crush you. Watch the reflection and move aside to avoid being flattened. When the spider puppet lands upside-down, its vulnerable blue orb is exposed on its underside for a moment. Shoot it with a Light Arrow before it flips back up. You won’t have time to get more than one shot per drop, typically. After each hit, the spider will go back up and come crashing down faster, perhaps multiple times in a row. Keep dodging and shooting the blue orb when you can. Three Light Arrows will crack this form as well, transitioning Puppet Ganon to its final phase.

Phase 3 – Puppet Ganon (Worm form)

Now things get wild – Puppet Ganon turns into a long, flying snake-like worm (resembling a Moldorm from classic Zelda). It zips around the room erratically, slithering through the air at high speed. The glowing blue orb is now on its tail end, which it swings around quickly. This phase can be frustrating because the target moves so fast. One strategy is to position yourself in a corner and use the Boomerang or Hookshot to stun the head momentarily, or even toss bait on the ground – funny enough, Puppet Ganon’s worm form will be attracted to All-Purpose Bait for a short moment, giving you a chance at a shot. However, the usual approach is to anticipate its movement: as the worm zooms by, try to fire a Light Arrow at the tail orb when it comes into view. It often circles the room in a pattern; with a bit of practice you can time your shots. If you have plenty of magic, you might spam the arrows a bit to increase your odds of a hit. Hitting the tail stuns the worm briefly. Again, it takes three hits to defeat this final form. After the third hit, Puppet Ganon will collapse and dissolve into dark mist.

Take a moment to breathe – you’ve defeated Puppet Ganon! However, Ganondorf himself is not done. You’ll see a cutscene of Ganondorf mocking Link, then leaping up to the roof of the chamber along with the captive Zelda. A rope (actually Puppet Ganon’s remaining central red cord) will drop from the ceiling, inviting Link to climb up and face him.

The Final Battle – Ganondorf

This is it – the final showdown with Ganondorf awaits at the top of the tower. Use your Grappling Hook to grab onto the dangling rope (the one Puppet Ganon was hanging from) and climb up. You can swing from it to reach some side ledges if you need to break jars for health or magic. When you’re ready, climb all the way up to the hole in the ceiling. Equip your Mirror Shield and Master Sword, and ensure you have some health recovery items just in case. Step into the light to emerge on the rooftop of Ganon’s Tower, a circular arena atop Hyrule’s drowned realm. A beautiful night sky and a curtain of water surrounding Hyrule form the backdrop for this epic fight.

Ganondorf is waiting, wielding dual swords. He has Zelda unconscious at his side. A final cutscene plays: Ganondorf shares a bit of monologue about the wind and Hyrule’s fate, then tosses Zelda aside and attacks. The battle is a swordfight that progresses through a few stages:

One-on-One Duel

At first, it’s just Ganondorf versus Link, blade to blade. Ganondorf is an agile and relentless fighter. He will block most of your frontal attacks and respond with swift strikes of his own. A good strategy is to use your parry (watch for the A-button prompt when Ganondorf is about to strike, or after your attack is blocked – Link can roll around and slice his back). You can also try to land jump attacks or shoot a Light Arrow at him, but Ganondorf dodges arrows quickly (unlike in Ocarina of Time, there’s no easy stun with Light Arrows on him directly). Another tactic: keep Ganondorf’s back turned to where Zelda lies – at this stage, Zelda will occasionally shoot Light Arrows at Ganondorf from the floor if she has a clear shot. If you position Ganondorf between you and Zelda, she might nail him with an arrow, stunning him briefly for you to get hits in. After you land a few blows, Ganondorf changes tactics.

Ganondorf Knocks Out Zelda

Eventually, Ganondorf gets annoyed by Zelda’s interference and quickly strikes her down, knocking her unconscious. Now it’s truly a one-on-one fight without support. Ganondorf’s attacks intensify – he’ll do a jumping slice and other heavy attacks. Continue using your parry (dodge and counter) moves and try not to get cornered. If you get low on health, break the jars around the edges of the arena (if any left) by luring Ganondorf away briefly. This part is about being patient and looking for openings, like after Ganondorf does a jump attack and lands, you can get a quick hit in. The Master Sword is fully powered, but Ganondorf is tough – it takes a good number of strikes to weaken him. Eventually, after enough hits, a brief sequence will trigger where Zelda wakes up again.

Teamwork Finale

Zelda regains consciousness and realizes a new strategy. She calls out to you to use your Mirror Shield. Now, resume the fight but stay locked onto Ganondorf and keep some distance. Zelda will ready a Light Arrow and begin aiming at Ganondorf. Ganondorf is too agile to be hit directly now – he will always dodge her shots if he sees them coming. The key is to distract Ganondorf and reflect the Light Arrow off your shield. You can do this by engaging Ganondorf so that you are facing Zelda with Ganondorf in between. Zelda will shout a signal (or the game prompts you in HD version) once she’s about to fire. At that moment, hold up your Mirror Shield. The Light Arrow will ricochet off your shield and strike Ganondorf from an unexpected angle, stunning him completely. (If it misses, keep maneuvering and try again – you might need to intentionally stand still to bait Ganondorf into an attack, giving Zelda a clear shot at your shield.) Once Ganondorf is paralyzed by the reflected Light Arrow, seize the chance: run up to him and the A-button Finishing Blow prompt will appear. Link leaps into the air and, in a dramatic and rather gruesome finishing move, drives the Master Sword straight into Ganondorf’s forehead, turning him to stone. Congratulations – you’ve defeated the Dark Lord!

What follows is the beautiful and bittersweet ending cinematic. With Ganondorf turned to stone and literally stuck with the Master Sword, the threat is sealed. However, King Daphnes (the King of Hyrule in disguise as the boat) uses the power of the Triforce to make a selfless wish: he wishes for Hyrule to finally be washed away and for Link and Tetra to have a future above the waves, free of the old land’s burden. The ancient kingdom begins to flood as the protective bubble fails. The King, having passed on the legacy, stays behind in the drowning Hyrule, bidding the heroes farewell. Link and Zelda are lifted in a bubble to the surface of the ocean as water engulfs Ganondorf’s petrified form. They emerge safely back in the Great Sea, where Link’s pirate crew (led by Tetra’s second-in-command, Gonzo) finds them drifting. In a touching reunion, Aryll and Grandma (if you completed the side quest to cure her) are okay, and Tetra, now acknowledged as Princess Zelda, plans a new journey. The final scenes show Link and Tetra aboard their ship with the pirates, setting sail to find new land. The King’s parting words echo in their minds as they look toward a hopeful horizon. Roll credits on this wonderful adventure!

Post-game: After the ending, your game file will be marked with a Triforce symbol, indicating you cleared the quest. Wind Waker offers a fun New Game Plus (Second Quest) if you start a new file using that clear data. In the Second Quest, Link wears his casual Outset Island outfit (those snazzy blue pajamas) for the whole adventure, and you start with the Deluxe Picto Box, allowing you to take color photos from the beginning (handy for the Nintendo Gallery quest). You’ll also be able to understand the ancient Hylian text on signs and dialog that was unintelligible in the first playthrough, adding some extra flavor. It’s a nice way to enjoy the game again with a few bonuses.

But for now, sit back and bask in your victory. You’ve conquered The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’s final challenges. From salvaging Triforce treasures across the sea to toppling the mighty Ganondorf, you’ve truly earned the title of Hero of Winds. Well done, adventurer! Now go take that well-deserved break – perhaps by cruising the Great Sea at your leisure, knowing that peace has been restored, and the next adventure awaits just beyond the horizon.