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Zant (pronounced /zænt/ zant)[8] is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series, debuting as one of the two main antagonists (alongside Ganondorf) of Twilight Princess.[9] He is the self-proclaimed King of Twilight,[4] although Midna claims he is the King of Shadows.[7] He is the sworn enemy to the Twili who usurps the throne of the Twilight Realm from Midna before the events of Twilight Princess. He regularly appears wearing a helmet that conceals his face, but removes it before his battle with Link. He is a powerful sorcerer and a minion of Ganondorf.

Biography[]

Zant is unusual to the Twili race, and is the self-proclaimed ruler of the Twilight which engulfs much of Hyrule during Twilight Princess. He is portrayed as the primary antagonist for the majority of the game and possesses powers beyond Link's comprehension. There are multiple ways of defeating Zant, the first suspected way being the use of the Fused Shadows. When Zant steals these away from Midna and returns her to the Light World, the only option left to reach and defeat Zant is to find the Mirror of Twilight which will grant access into the Twilight Realm.

Zant served in the royal household of the Twilight Realm, believing that he would be the next to rule. However the Twili were wary of Zant, fearing his ambition and desire for conquest would lead to a repeat of their ancestors' folly.[10] Because of this, rule went to Midna.[11] This led him to lose trust in the Royal Family of the Twilight Realm, which, added onto the fact that he hated how he and his kind were trapped in the Twilight Realm like it was a form of imprisonment, made him seek his own path. Sure enough, Zant, as he bemoaned his rejection, looked to the heavens for an answer.[12]

Ganondorf Dragmire, who was cast into the Twilight Realm by the Sages after his failed execution, appeared to him in a fiery manifestation of his face. Posing as a god-like deity, Ganondorf Dragmire offered to impart Zant with his power.[13][14] Using his newfound power, Zant overthrew Midna, turning her into an imp and depriving her of the magic powers she was granted as leader of the Twili.[15][16][17] He changed the rest of the Twili into Shadow Beasts soon afterwards and proclaimed himself as the "King of Twilight," with the ultimate goal of spreading Twilight across Hyrule so the Twili can be able to return to the world that Zant believed was theirs.[24] Zant invaded Hyrule Castle and gave Princess Zelda the choice of surrendering or facing the annihilation of Hyrule's inhabitants.[25] Princess Zelda, dropping her sword as a symbol of submission, reluctantly gave in to Zant's demands.

Zant012

Zant seated upon the throne within the Palace of Twilight

Soon after, Zant engulfed most of Hyrule in Twilight,[26] a process that was soon reversed by Link. He soon confronts Link and Midna after they finish collecting the Fused Shadow fragments. Zant then steals them from Midna, scolding her for her betrayal,[27] and tries to convince Midna to give him the power she retained as the Twilight Princess and grant her mercy.[24] When Midna refuses, Zant exposes her to the full light of Lanayru,[28] which almost kills her, and places a Shadow Crystal in Wolf Link's forehead, keeping him in his wolf form permanently. The duo escaped Zant with the help of Lanayru, yet their paths crossed again at the Arbiter's Grounds. Zant is surprised to see Link alive, yet he believes that it will be the last time they meet.[29] Zant then places a Scimitar of Twilight into the remains of Stallord before departing, reanimating the creature. After defeating Stallord, Link and Midna discover that Zant had attempted to destroy the Mirror of Twilight but, lacking the true power to do so because of his false leadership, he was only able to shatter it into a quartet of shards, three of which are now scattered across Hyrule.

When Link and Midna meet Zant in the Twilight Realm, he undergoes a change in behavior that drastically contrasts the character that he displayed before. After Zant is defeated, he proclaims that he will be resurrected infinitely by "his god", who is actually Ganondorf Dragmire, and that the curse placed on Midna cannot be lifted unless the Demon King is defeated.[30] Hearing this taunting speech, Midna destroys him with a mere fraction of the Fused Shadow's power.

At the end of the game, a vision of Zant is shown abruptly breaking his neck and this directly results in Ganondorf Dragmire's apparent death.

Characteristics[]

Physical appearance[]

Unmasked zant

Zant without his helmet

Zant is a tall and slender Twili dressed in black and baggy clothing decorated with turquoise Twilight symbols on the sleeves. The sleeves of his robe are long, with eight tassles on each sleeve hanging to the floor. He wears a ceremonial apron upon his chest, which curiously depict symbols and patterns more typical of the Gerudo. For most of the game, Zant dons a metallic helmet designed to resemble a chameleon's head, on the back of each layer of the helmet is a facial decoration. The mouth guard of the helmet is designed to resemble a chameleon's tongue. The front of Zant's shoulder guards are decorated with serpents and his shoes are golden and resemble dragon heads.

Zant keeps his hands hidden for most of the game under his sleeves. He only reveals them once when he reanimates Stallord, where they can be seen vaguely under the darkness. They appear dark gray, discolored from the normal Twilight colors of black and white. It is also noticeable that his arms are abnormally long, extending below his knees, the same length as his sleeves.

Upon removing his helmet, Zant's actual face is revealed to have pale blue skin with purple lips and the emblem of the Twilight Realm engraved on his forehead. Zant's eyes are orange and he is shown to have red hair, though most of it is obscured by the balaclava he wears that covers most of his head and neck save for his face.

Personality[]

Zant Provoke

Zant posing

For most of the game and unlike the Twili members, Zant was born from darkness and presents himself with a mask of calmness and control, always maintaining an upright posture and speaking in a cold, sinister voice. Zant also shows himself to be a cunning and brilliant tactician, having nearly conquered all of Hyrule save for Ordon Province, which was only thwarted because Link was there when a Shadow Beast attempted to steal Ordona's light. Zant also possesses an extreme amount of arrogance and entitlement. Whereas most Twili were content with life in the Twilight Realm, Zant held a megalomaniac belief that they had the right to rule the World of Light. He constantly refers to himself as the King of Twilight and shows full confidence in his ablilites. He also was shown to have an immense hatred of light dwellers due to blaming them for the Twili being sealed away during the Interloper wars, although, ironically enough, his even coming close to conquering Hyrule was the result of aid from a light dweller, Ganondorf. Largely because of her being chosen to helm the throne over himself, Zant also held intense hatred of Midna, although he nonetheless attempted to recruit her to his side at the Lanaryu providence as part of his and Ganondorf's agenda to mix darkness with light.[31]

Zant has also shown himself to be incredibly ruthless in achieving his goals, committing countless atrocities with no sense of compassion or morality. He turned his own people into Shadow Beasts against their will, ordered the execution of Rutela in front of the Zoras for resisting his rule, forced Zelda to surrender under the threat of harming her people and nearly murdered Midna by exposing her to Lanayru's light when she refused to side with him,[32] all without remorse.

Upon his final confrontation with Link and Midna, it is revealed that Zant's earlier persona was a facade and that, in reality, he is a raving lunatic. Zant is shown to be quite unhinged, often going on bizarre tangents, hopping up and down and throwing a tantrum in a manner similar to that of a child; this is briefly seen before he met Ganondorf, in which he is shown collapsing on the ground and banging his head and fists onto it. He implies in his rant that part of the reason for his madness is because he was the only Twili to have any emotion at all and that such was suppressed by decree of the Twili royal family.[33] Zant also shows a near fanatical devotion to Ganondorf, blindly following the Demon King's every command and believing that he would revive him without cease.

Abilities[]

ZantEnergy

Zant summoning the Scimitar of Twilight

After meeting Ganon, Zant gains access to a vast array of magicial abilities. Unlike most Twili, Zant is capable of existing in the World of Light without the need to hide in the shadow of another and can travel between the World of Light and the Twilight Realm at will without the use of the Mirror of Twilight. Zant holds power over Twilight and can corrupt areas of the World of Light with it. Zant can also create objects out of Twilight matter, shown when he creates a Scimitar of Twilight to bring Stallord to life, also showcasing skill in necromancy, often resembling black and red energy he often shoots at foes. Zant, like Midna, is capable of summoning Twilight Portals.

Zant also possesses powerful telekinetic abilities, able to defeat the Light Spirit Lanaryu and humiliate Midna and Link all without waving his arms. Zant can also summon Shadow Beasts, control hand-like statues from a remote location and create holographic doppelgängers of himself to combat enemies. Zant's powers seem vast enough to manipulate reality, conjuring giant floating versions of his helmet throughout the Palace of Twilight, altering his size at will and creating illusions of previous boss arenas. It is heavily implied that these abilities were the result of his pact with Ganon.

In battle, Zant mainly levitates in mid-air and can teleport to avoid attacks. His primary form of attack comes in the form of dark energy blasts which he fires rapidly. Zant also possesses superhuman strength as shown during the second round of the fight where he repeatedly pounds the platform in an attempt to throw Link into the lava pool. Zant can also swim through water and air with ease. During the final round of the fight, Zant wields twin blades. Zant mainly attacks by maniacally flailing and slashing his swords about, often employing them in a deadly high-speed spin attack. Zant can also combine his sword skills with his teleportation ability, making him a very unpredictable opponent in battle. Lastly, Zant showcases an astonishing level of flexibility, able to bend and contort his body in various poses.

Strategy[]

Midna's Comment
Midna says:

You can't let Zant's crazy movements confuse you...

As long as you use the light of the Twilight Realm to your advantage, you'll be fine, Link.

The light in your blade can drive back Zant's magic power!

Zant Energy

Zant in the Forest Temple

Zant is the main boss in the Palace of Twilight. The battle has six phases and they revolve around Zant creating illusions of previous boss or mini-boss arenas. The attacks Zant uses will depend on the area, as well as Link's strategy based on his previous battles. During the first phase of the battle, Zant creates an illusion of the boss room in the Forest Temple, where Link defeated Diababa. Zant will float around the room, above the poisoned water, and fire a barrage of magical attacks at Link before teleporting to a new spot and repeating the process. His attacks can be blocked with the Shield. During his brief moments of visibility, Link can use the Gale Boomerang to knock him out of the air, causing him to hop across the surface of the water and onto dry land. After taking sufficient damage, Zant will alter the appearance of the room, leading to the next phase of the battle.

Zant's second phase takes place in the arena where Link fought Dangoro in the Goron Mines. He will cause the magnetic plate to pitch violently by jumping furiously up and down, before attacking Link with the same magical projectiles used in his first phase. Link can use the Iron Boots, although not required, to offset the platform's movement and either block or evade Zant's attack. Due to his frantic jumps, Zant will be momentarily out of breath, leaving him vulnerable to attacks. After a few hits, he will once again switch to a new arena.

Zant Underwater

Zant in the Lakebed Temple

In Zant's third phase, he will recreate Morpheel's chamber in the Lakebed Temple. He will first summon a massive replica of his helmet from the sand, before appearing inside its mouth, shooting projectiles at Link. In order to attack him, it is necessary for Link to equip his Zora Armor and Iron Boots. When getting close enough, he can use the Clawshot to pull Zant out of the helmet and attack him. After he first sustains damage, Zant then creates four more helmets and the center ground on which Link stands will cave in. The four helmets will hover around Link, with the mouth piece closed; Zant will attack from only one helmet at random. Therefore, Link must position himself accordingly in order to pull him out once more with the Clawshot the moment he revealed himself, thus bringing the third phase to an end.

The battle's fourth phase will take place again inside the Forest Temple, this time in the room where the mini-boss, Ook, was battled. Similar to the baboon, Zant will rapidly hop between the various pillars, teleporting frequently and occasionally stopping to attack Link from above. Once he stops, it is possible to attack him by rolling twice in the pillar atop which Zant is standing (rolling into it once will only cause Zant to momentarily lose his balance). Doing so will cause him to fall, rendering him vulnerable to sword attacks.

Zantbig2

Zant in Snowpeak Ruins

The fifth portion of the battle is fought in the bedroom of the Snowpeak Ruins where Blizzeta was fought. Zant will grow to a monumental size and attack Link by slamming down onto the ground and stomping around the room. His reflection as he is about to land can be seen in the floor; therefore, as he crashes down, he can be struck on his foot by the use of the Ball and Chain, which causes Zant to shrink rapidly and hop around the room, grasping his foot in pain. Link can then rapidly catch up to him and strike him before he has shrunk down to only a fraction of the size of Link. Afterwards, he will grow back in size and repeat his attack. Repeating this strategy once more brings an end to the fifth phase of the fight.

The sixth and final phase of the battle takes place on Hyrule Field, in full view of Hyrule Castle still encased in the golden barrier. Here, the battle will be confined inside a wall of twilight, just like when battling Shadow Beasts. In this phase, Zant will perform various attacks with pair of Scimitars: he will slash at Link with erratic movements, or otherwise spin rapidly towards him in a similar manner to the Great Spin Slash. This spinning attack can be blocked with the shield until he has grown tired, or countered with a quick-spin attack of Link's own, causing him to pause to take a breath. The moment Link strikes him, he will vanish and teleport away from him, readily appearing in order to attack once more. After sustaining much damage, Zant will finally succumb and fall to the ground in a rage, defeated. The arena will then vanish into the throne room of the Palace of Twilight.

Other Appearances[]

Super Smash Bros. Series[]

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Zant appears as a Trophy and a Sticker. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Zant also appears as a Trophy.

Trophy Information[]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
# Trophy Significant Games Description How to unlock
199 SSBB Zant Trophy Model
Zant
Twilight Princess The self-proclaimed king of twilight. Zant is the ringleader scheming to cover Hyrule in twilight. Zant long served under the royal family of the Twilight Realm. Ganondorf grants great power to Zant in exchange for his allegiance, and Zant makes it his ultimate goal to become the supreme leader of both light and dark. Random
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[]
# Trophy Appears in Description How to unlock
3DS Logo WiiU
217 N/A SSBfWU Zant Trophy Model Twilight Princess A strange voice, creepy movements, and eccentric attacks-everything about Zant is unnerving and odd! The self-proclaimed king of the Twilight Realm, he seeks to unite both light and dark into one world for him to rule. Now if only he could deal with that pesky Link fellow... Random
Zant

Sticker Information[]

Sticker Artwork from Effect in The Subspace Emissary Usable by
SSBB Zant Sticker Icon
Zant
Twilight Princess [Weapon] - Attack +7 This sticker is only usable by Link, Zelda, Ganondorf and Toon Link

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]

Zant — Spirit Battle Information

SSBU Zant Spirit Icon
Zant
No. 224
Team Power SSBU Attack Type Icon Attack | 4100 Rank ★★ ADVANCED Fighter(s)
Stage Bridge of Eldin (Battlefield) Theme "Main Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" SSBU Robin Stock Icon 5 Robin
Rule(s) Giant Hazard(s)
Condition(s)
 · The enemy is giant after a little while
 · Timed battle
 · Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poke Balls

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Zant appears as a Spirit with no ability.

Hyrule Warriors[]



File:HW Zant Render
Zant in Hyrule Warriors

In Hyrule Warriors, Zant returns and appears as an antagonist, serving as the boss of the Palace of Twilight and also as a playable character. He attacks with manic strikes of his dual Scimitars and also wields magic powers, many of which originate from his boss battle in Twilight Princess. These include summoning giant versions of his helmet, throwing down totem poles, generating balls of Twilight energy, and controlling a Zant Hand. His Focus Skill is growing to an immense size to stomp his enemies. He has a unique heat gauge that fills as he uses combo attacks. Should he over exert his finishers, Zant will end up fumbling and leaving himself open to attack. Thus, Zant must vent the gauge every so often by using the strong attack button. In this state Zant, can go into a spinning frenzy or release balls of twilight energy. Zant forms an alliance with Cia and is tasked with guarding the Gate of Souls within the palace. He summons Argorok to stall Link and his followers upon their arrival.

Following the defeat of Cia, Zant and Ghirahim are later summoned by Ganondorf to aid him in his quest to obtain the Triforce. Zant and Ghirahim are left in charge of commanding Ganondorf's forces within the Gerudo Desert, but they are defeated once again.

Many of his attacks are in reference to his animations from Twilight Princess. His second combo attack summons a pillar from his Ook phase, including the way he falls off when he overheats, landing backwards on his head. His fifth combo attack, where he grows giant, references his Blizzeta phase. When he overheats, he clutches his foot while hopping and shrinking, just as when hit with the Ball and Chain. Nearly all of his basic attacks reference his attacks with the Scimitars from the final phase of his fight. His Focus Spirit Attack creates the same glyph behind him that he creates when changing the battlefield in his boss fight. He can also summon his hands and a giant version of his helmet in various attacks.

My Nintendo Picross: Twilight Princess[]

MNPTP Zant Sprite

The thirty-ninth puzzle in the Picross series and the twenty-fourth puzzle in the Mega Picross series depict Zant.

Trivia[]

  • Zant's helmet was modeled after a bamboo shoot.[34]
  • Zant is the first major villain to yield a Heart Container.
  • During his boss fight, the music changes slightly to match the arenas Zant warps to. The music includes fragments of the themes from the original boss battles of the respective arenas.
  • The symbol on the front of his garments resembles the Crest of the Gerudo.
  • According to commentary for Twilight Princess, the reason for Zant's change in characterization immediately before the battle against him was to make him more rounded, as well as to add a more humorous aspect to the boss fight against him.[35]

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageName
CanadaFrenchCAXanto[36]
FranceFrenchEUXanto[37]
GermanyGermande-niwa:ZantoZanto[38]
ItalyItalianZant
SpainSpanishEUZant
Latin AmericaSpanishLAZant
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

References

  1. "Usurper King
    ZANT
    " — N/A (Twilight Princess HD)
  2. "But that blessed kingdom has been transformed by the king that rules the twilight..." — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess HD)
  3. "The blight will not stop with Hyrule. Before long, the entire world of light will fall into the hands of the king who rules the twilight." — Ordona (Twilight Princess HD)
  4. 4.0 4.1 "This power is granted to me by my god! It is the magic of the King of Twilight, and you WILL respect it!" — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  5. "Zant. That's the name of the King of Darkness who cast this pall of shadows over your world." — Princess Midna (Twilight Princess HD)
  6. "The helm of the self-proclaimed King of Shadows is in the swamp of the valley of dead trees, south of Dueling Peaks." — Misko's EX Journal 2 (Breath of the Wild)
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Now, don't resent me for all I've put you through. I NEED this thing! Besides, we have to do something about Zant, the one who thinks he is the king of shadows..." — Princess Midna (Twilight Princess HD)
  8. "Additionally, even the boss character Zant from Twilight Princess is playable in this game."Hyrule Warriors Direct, YouTube, published August 4, 2014.
  9. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 276(TP)
  10. "Traitors, ha! You want to know why none would call you king? It was your eyes, Zant. All saw it, a lust for power burning in your pupils... Did you think we'd forget our ancestors lost their king to such greed?" — Princess Midna (Twilight Princess)
  11. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 31
  12. "You speak of magic? Still your tongue for a moment, whelp, and I will tell you of both magic and the oppression of ages...The people of our tribe...a tribe that mastered the arts of magic...were locked away in this world like insects in a cage. In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred...nor even the faintest bloom of desire. And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence! I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess. And why, you ask? Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people! THAT is why! But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler. It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god." — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  13. "I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too." — Ganondorf Dragmire (Twilight Princess)
  14. "My god had only one wish... To merge shadow and light...and make darkness!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  15. "Midna: Princess of the Twilight Realm. A curse placed upon her by Zant causes her to physically transform and lose her magical abilities. In the Light World, she appears as a shadow." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 114)
  16. "But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler." — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  17. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 31
  18. "My Midna... Did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people." — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  19. "No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind! But if we can make their world ours, Midna...light and darkness will meet at last." — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  20. "Our tribe will take back their realm...and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light!" — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  21. "And that, Midna, is why..." — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  22. "I need you." — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  23. "Not just for me, but for all of our people... Lend me your power." — Zant (Twilight Princess HD)
  24. 24.0 24.1 [18][19][20][21][22][23]
  25. "It is time for you to choose: surrender or die. Oh yes, a question for all the land and people of Hyrule... Life? Or death?!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  26. "Twilight covered Hyrule like a shroud, and without light, the people became as spirits." — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  27. "Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me? You are a foolish traitor, Midna. Why do you defy your king?" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  28. "So be it... I will return you to the light world you covet!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  29. "You still live... How astonishing. No wonder some call you "hero". But this is truly a bittersweet reunion... Truly! For I fear this is the last time I will see you alive!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  30. "Midna... Foolish Twilight Princess... The curse on you cannot be broken... It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of the Twili will never return! Already he has descended and been reborn in this world... As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  31. "My Midna… Did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers that oppressed our people. No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind! But if we can their world ours, Midna…light and darkness will meet at last. Our tribe will take back their realm…and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light! Abd that, Midna, is why… I need you. Not just for me, but for all of our people… Lend me your power." — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  32. Quote1 So be it… I will return you to the light world you covet! Quote2
    — Zant
  33. "In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred...nor even the faintest bloom of desire. And it was all the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  34. "【トワプリHD】…マロだ。○面ライ○ーのようなコイツの名前は…「タケノコ型決戦兵器ザント1号」…違うか…。いかにも悪キャラだな…にしてもタケノコって…ダサイな…"Japanese Zelda Twitter, Twitter, published January 27, 2016, retrieved January 27, 2016.
  35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au4ZGt1MReA&t=1m50s
  36. "Xanto" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  37. "Xanto" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  38. "Zanto" — View Warriors (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
The Legend of ZeldaThe Adventure of LinkA Link to the PastLink's AwakeningOcarina of TimeMajora's MaskOracle of SeasonsOracle of AgesFour SwordsThe Wind WakerFour Swords AdventuresThe Minish CapTwilight PrincessPhantom HourglassSpirit TracksSkyward SwordA Link Between WorldsTri Force HeroesBreath of the WildTears of the Kingdom
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