Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)

Even two decades since I first played The Wind Waker on GameCube, its final fight against Ganondorf remains the most vivid memory I have of playing the series growing up. This fight is a standout in the series’ long history for so many reasons. It exemplifies all the best parts of Wind Waker’s revamped combat, requiring skillful dodges and stylish parries to strike at the saber-wielding villain’s heart. Meanwhile, Zelda offers support by firing light arrows to stun the Gerudo King of Thieves and give you an opening, making it feel like a truly cooperative effort to break the cycle our heroes have been caught in for all of these games.

But while the fight feels really good to play, perhaps its greatest strength is in its visual presentation. The battle between Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf takes place in the ruins of old Hyrule, which are flooding throughout the fight. Once Link strikes the final blow, plunging the Master Sword into Ganondorf’s skull, the villain turns to stone as what remains of the old world is flooded and buried in the sea. The entire fight is a literal washing away of the past that has plagued these heroes through multiple reincarnation cycles. Though Breath of the Wild has since made that sentiment a little fuzzier, Wind Waker’s final battle still sells the notion with a dramatic vigor, elevated by a stellar fight. It’s a stunning moment, and while Ganondorf is returning in Tears of the Kingdom, his final battle will have quite a pair of shoes to fill. — Kenneth Shepard