Lanmola

Template:Boss Lanmolas are reccuring enemies in The Legend of Zelda series.^[1] They are fast and powerful centipedes.^[2] While they were originally normal enemies, they began to serve larger roles in subsequent games in the series, acting as boss or mini-boss. Their first appearance shows them as having an elongated segmented body, with two appendages per segment and a single eye complete with iris; later games show them as clearly having two compound eyes and no appendages, giving them a more worm-like appearance.

Characteristics

The Legend of Zelda

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In The Legend of Zelda, Lanmolas are only found in Level-9 in both Quests and are powerful foes. They come in red and blue varieties, with the latter ones being faster. Like the Moldorms in the game, the Lanmolas grow shorter by one segment with each blow, but only the tail part of their body is weak at first; the head can only be harmed once the remaining segments have been destroyed. Their fast movement, multiple legs and their weakness in the tail actually makes them more akin to Moldorms of later games. When defeated, red Lanmolas may drop either a Heart, a Fairy or one Rupee, while blue Lanmolas may drop either a Heart, one Rupee, five Rupees, or a Clock.^{[note 1]}

A Link to the Past

File:Lanmolasboss.png

A group of three Lanmolas are the bosses of the Desert Palace in A Link to the Past. In this game, they hide underground and occasionally surface to attack, then return to the underground. When they burrow out of the ground, they send bits of rock flying in several directions. The sword is the most common method of dealing with them; however, arrows and the Ice Rod are both effective as well. After two are defeated, the last one will begin to move faster, and creates more bits of rock upon surfacing. Once the final one has been taken care of, Link gets the Pendant of Power and a Heart Container.

Another group of three Lanmolas later return in Ganon's Tower as a mini-boss, where they are fought the same way as before. This time, however, there is a Stone Statue in the room that will occasionally fire beams at Link.

Link's Awakening

File:Lanmola LA.png

In Link's Awakening, a Lanmola appears as a mini-boss guarding the Angler Key in the Yarna Desert. It attacks in the same fashion as those encountered in A Link to the Past, but this time it fights in a patch of quicksand. If Link sinks into the center of the pit, Link will fall into a cave and, after returning, all damage dealt to the Lanmola will be reversed.

One of the final Nightmare's forms is known as Lanmola, but it is fought very differently. It behaves more akin to the Lanmolas of the original The Legend of Zelda, and must be defeated with a powerful attack to the head, like the Magic Rod.

Other Appearances

Ambiguously Canon Information

Ancient Stone Tablets

Three Lanmolas also appear as the boss of Level 5 in Week 3 of Ancient Stone Tablets. Unlike A Link to the Past, the it is possible to obtain the Level 3 Sword in the dungeon before fighting them.

Non-Canon Information

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)

In the A Link to the Past comic by Shotaro Ishinomori, a Lanmola appears after Link, using the Book of Mudora in the Desert of Mystery, reveals a scorpion statue that has the Pendant of Power hanging on it. Before Link can approach it, he sinks into the quicksand and resurfaces on top of a Lanmola. Link tries to attack it with his sword, but its skin is too hard to cause any damage to it.^[4] However, after the Lanmola launches him into the air, he lands on top of the scorpion statue and retrieves the Pendant of Power.^[5] With the pendant's energy in his hand, Link successfully defeats the Lanmola by striking the foe's underbelly with the sword.

Link's Awakening (Cagiva)

Template:Sectstub A Lanmola appears in chapter 3 of the Link's Awakening manga by Ataru Cagiva. Link is able to defeat it with a Spin Attack after using his Shield as footing to compensate for the loose sand surrounding him.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
Language		Name	Meaning
	Japanese	ラネモーラ (Ranemōra)	Lanemola
	French	Lanmola
	German	Lanmola

Gallery

A red Lanmola from The Legend of Zelda
A blue Lanmola from The Legend of Zelda
Artwork of a blue Lanmola from The Legend of Zelda
Lanmola ALttP.png

A Lanmola from A Link to the Past
LanmolasALttP.png

Artwork of Lanmolas from A Link to the Past
Link fighting Lanmolas from A Link to the Past
Lanmola LA.png

A Lanmola from Link's Awakening
Shadow5(Lanmola).gif

The Lanmola form of the Nightmare from Link's Awakening
A Lanmola from A Link to the Past comic
A Lanmola in Ancient Stone tablets

Notes

↑ If Link defeats 10 enemies without getting hit or teleporting with the Recorder, then the 10th enemy defeated will drop five Rupees. However, if the 10th enemy is defeated with a Bomb, then it will drop four Bombs. If Link defeats 16 enemies without getting hit or teleporting, then the 16th enemy will drop a Fairy. After the 16th enemy, Link must get hit and reset the counter to zero in order to achieve this effect again. Defeating Armoses, Like Likes, Keeses, or Gels will not be counted.^[3]

References

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↑ "A gigantic centipede. Attacking his head won't work. Boy! Does he move fast!" (Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 36)
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