Summary
TheLegend of Zeldafranchise boasts some of the best fantasy games in the world, and, of course, fantasy almost always meansdragons. This series' dragons run the gamut from dangerous fire-breathing monsters to grand mythical spirits and everything in between.
If there’s one thing these legendary creatures all have in common, it’s their size.TheLegend of Zeldaseries hassome truly massive dragonsflying through the skies of Hyrule. Link’s adventures bring him face to face with some real titans. Here are ten ofthe largest dragons fans will encounter inThe Legend of Zeldaseries.
The Minish Capis best known forshrinking Link downand sending the hero to tiny, mouse-sized locations throughout Hyrule. There are plenty of foes for the hero to face on a more familiar scale as well, andGleerokis one of the most impressive. This draconic foe has a massive shell to protect it, and it’s hefty enough that Link will need to climb onto the monster’s back if he wants to defeat it.
Interestingly, the manga adaptation of the game states that Gleerok is normally a peaceful creature, until it was mutated into the shelled dragon Link faces by the villainous Vaati.The Legend of Zeldamanga is not canon to the events of the games, but this depiction nonetheless suggests a uniquely tragic angle to this imposing monster.
Argorokis one of the most vicious foes Link will face in his quest tosave Hyrule from the realm of Twilight. This airborne dragon attacks in the City in the Sky, and in order to bring it down, Link will have to rely on the Double Clawshots obtained in the dungeon.
The scale of this massive foe is evident in the intense struggle required to bring it to the ground. Link must use his Iron Boots for extra weight to ground the hefty beast and finish it off. Argorok can be seen from multiple vantage points in the City in the Sky, presenting a major lingering threat to the Oocca who live there, and the final confrontation is a good payoff for this menacing foe.
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Linkis certainly a controversial title, but it has its fair share of memorable moments nonetheless. The game is perhaps most famous for marking the debut of Dark Link, but the draconic serpentBarbais certainly a no less imposing foe.
This lengthy dragon lurks in the Three-Eye Rock Palace, the sixth dungeon in the game, and Link must take it down to restore the Triforce. This serpentine creature towers over Link without even extending all the way out of its lava pit, forcing Link to get airborne in order to score hits on its elevated head.
The Legend of Zelda’s first 3D title is one of the most iconic video games of all time, and many of its memorable encounters are legendary in their own right. The dragonVolvagia, the boss of the Fire Temple, is one such encounter.
This massive fire-breathing serpent lurks in a pit of lava deep beneath the precarious stone platform Link uses to fight it. The hero must smash the creature’s head as soon as it shows its face, which causes it to take to the air and rain fire and boulders down on the Hero of Time. Volvagia’s encounter is one of the most cinematic moments in an already thrilling game, and this titanic serpent is sure to leave an impact on anyOcarina of Timefan.
Faron, Eldin, and Lanayruare a trio of ancient dragons who serve as guardians of the surface world and protectors of the Song of the Hero. Link must visit each to obtain this legendary song and continue his quest to rescue Princess Zelda.
Despite the distinctly humanoid aspect of their appearance, these draconic sages are massive, towering over Link and exuding majesty and power through the elemental magic pulsing through their bodies.Lanayru, in particular, has a special functionas the host of the Lightning Round minigame, allowing Link to fight bosses he’s already slain or even retry Silent Realm challenges.
While the deadly Gleeok made its debut in the very firstZeldagame, modern gamers are more likely to remember their encounter with theterrifying three-headed monstrosities inTears of the Kingdom. These towering foes wield fierce elemental magic and immense primal strength, and Link doesn’t have a hope against them unless he’s extremely well-prepared.
The most intimidating form of this monstrous foe is theKing Gleeok, a true sky tyrant with one head for each of the three elements. There are only four King Gleeok’s inTears of the Kingdom, and each one is more of a threat than most formal dungeon bosses in the game. The legendary might of an elder dragon comes across fantastically through these overwhelming monstrosities.
In terms of sheer size,Valoois hard to miss. He rests at the top of the accurately named Dragon Roost Island, where he watches over the birdlike Rito. His rage is enough to threaten the entire island, sending flaming rocks and rubble cascading down on the helpless Rito below.
Link must venture into Valoo’s mountain and slay the colossal parasitic Gohma, irritating him in order to bring peace to the island and continue his quest. The young hero borrows Valoo’s titanic might in a humorous way during th isboss battle, grappling off the dragon’s tail in order to annoy Valoo into dropping heavy rubble down on the Gohma below.
Breath of the Wildfamously introduced three enormous dragon spirits who soar calmly through the skies of Hyrule and give Link a chance to harvest valuable materials.Tears of the Kingdomintroduced a mysterious fourth dragon.The Light Dragonis smaller than its counterparts, but no less majestic, and many fans were likely surprised to discover the Master Sword itself lodged in the creature’s head.
The true nature of the Light Dragon, its possession of the Master Sword, and how it came to inhabit the skies over Hyrule are mysteries that unfold gradually over the course of the game. Suffice to say, there is much more to this enigmatic serpent than meets the eye.
The three dragon spirits,Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh, are the largest creatures inBreath of the Wild, rivaling the game’s immense Divine Beasts in scale and scope.These massive creatures almost serve as landmarksrather than living creatures, as their serene path through the skies of Hyrule can never be interrupted.
There is one exception to this, of course. ManyBOTWplayers' first encounter with these creatures will be when they discover Naydra, subdued by Malice, at the top of a mountain. The aerial battle to free this diseased dragon from Ganon’s influence is a memorable and very high-stakes adventure that reliably imparts a feeling of restoring the cosmic balance of the world from the ravages of the Calamity.
The titanicDemon Dragon,which appears at the end ofTears of the Kingdom,is one of the largest entities Link has ever faced. Its overwhelming size alone makes it a threat to the entire realm of Hyrule, and as it takes to the skies, Link seems like a tiny ant in comparison.
The final battle ofTears of the Kingdomhas a lot of memorable moments, as Link battles Ganondorf through three different phases. The villain’s increasingly desperate attempts to seize control of Hyrule culminate in a truly awe-inspiring encounter against the largest dragon the franchise has ever seen.
