Gerudo

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Gerudo
Image:GerudoGuard.gif
Game(s) Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask
Four Swords Adventures
Habitat(s) Gerudo Fortress
Pirates' Fortress
Effective Weapons Sword
Hookshot
Bow

The Gerudo are a race of humans introduced in Ocarina of Time. They are named after Gerudo Desert, which was their home in said game. Typical Gerudo traits are round ears, a prominent nose, tanned skin and red hair. The race has an Arabic theme and seems to be based on the Amazons, a "real world" tribe of warrior women. The race consists of almost solely women, with a male being born only once every every hundred years.[1][2] It should be noted that this is only stated and the exact nature of this phenomenon is never explained, leaving many questions unanswered. In order to reproduce, the Gerudo take boyfriends from other human races.[3]

The Gerudo are a warrior race and have been shown to use weapons such as naginata, dual scimitar swords and bow and arrows.[4] In Ocarina of Time, they are capable equestrians,[5][6] while they prefer the use of boats in Majora's Mask, due to their role as pirates. Some members of the tribe possess magical skills, but these individuals are rare.

The Gerudo as a tribe have only appeared in three games, but since the main villain of the series, Ganondorf, is a Gerudo, it is possible to say they appeared in nearly every game. Twinrova also made an appearance outside the context of a Gerudo tribe in the Oracle games.

Contents

Ocarina of Time

Typical Gerudos.
Typical Gerudos.

Ocarina of Time introduced the Gerudo as a mainly female race of warriors and thieves.[7] They live in the Gerudo Desert (more specifically Gerudo Valley), which is located in the northwest of Hyrule.[8] The Gerudo pay a lot of attention to the security of their domain. In order to reach the valley, one first has to cross a bridge. In Link's younger years, it is guarded by several Gerudo and in Link's older years, they have simply decided to destroy it (possibly using horses to cross the gap, like Link did).[9] After that comes Gerudo Fortress, in which the Gerudo supposedly live. There are guards everywhere and it contains a lot of cells used for imprisoning anyone who dares to enter their territory without permission. Gerudo Valley ends with a huge gate that the Gerudo use to make sure no one enters Gerudo Desert without their approval.[10][11] Despite their reserved nature, they do accept outsiders within their ranks, provided that they first prove themselves worthy.[7]

Ganondorf, being the only male at that time, is their king and "god".[12] His second-in-command is Nabooru, who is highly respected by the other Gerudo,[13] but rebels against Ganondorf because she does not approve of his ways.[1] Nabooru herself also has an unnamed second-in-command, who keeps watch over Gerudo Fortress while Ganondorf and Nabooru are gone.[7]

Twinrova.
Twinrova.

Link's first encounter with a member of the Gerudo tribe was when Princess Zelda asked him to look through one of the windows of Hyrule Castle. It was then he and Ganondorf saw each other for the first time[14] and Link's quest to stop Ganondorf started.[15] As for meeting the rest of the tribe, in Link's younger years, he has no chance of entering the Gerudo Desert due to the tight security at the bridge. In Link's older years, the Gerudo have given up on guarding the bridge and simply destroyed it. With Epona's aid, Link managed to cross the gap. Mutoh, the head of the carpenters, asks Link to go find his workers, who have all gone to the Gerudo Fortress to join the ranks of the Gerudo.[16] Accepting Mutoh's request, Link head into Gerudo territory. He managed to bypass the guards and find the first carpenter, now a prisoner in Gerudo Fortress. Before he could free him though, a Gerudo guard, armed with dual scimitar swords, challenged Link to a battle.[17][18] Link managed to defeat her though and went on saving the remaining carpenters, battling another Gerudo guard each time. When he saved all carpenters, he was approached by Nabooru's second-in-command, who complimented him on his success and gave him the Gerudo Membership Card.[7] From then on, Link didn't need to sneak through Gerudo Valley anymore[19] and could participate in some of the Gerudo challenges like horseback archery[4] and the Gerudo Training Ground challenge.[20][21] Link now was also allowed entrance to the Gerudo Desert[22] and was finally able to reach the temple of the sixth Sage: the Spirit Temple, guarded by the Desert Colossus. There, he met Sheik again, who taught him the final song and gave him a hint how to use it.[23] After going back to his younger years, Link used the song to warp back to the Spirit Temple, where he met Nabooru, the leader of the Gerudo, who asked him to help her stop Ganondorf's evil plans.[1][24] Link managed to get the treasure she asked for, but was unable to give them to her because she was spotted by Koume and Kotake and taken away. Again, Link traveled through time, now able to enter the Spirit Temple with the Silver Gauntlets from the past. Deep inside the temple, he fought an Iron Knuckle, who turned out to be a brainwashed Nabooru. The temple's boss turned out to be a Gerudo as well, namely Twinrova. By defeating the two witches, Link awakened the Sage of Spirit: Nabooru, who was more than thrilled about the possibility of revenge this position offered.[25]

Majora's Mask

A Gerudo pirate.
A Gerudo pirate.

The Gerudo reappeared in Majora's Mask, now taking on the role of pirates. Interestingly, they kept the name "Gerudo", even though this tribe did not live in Gerudo Desert or anything with a similar name. Instead, they live in Great Bay in a fortress called Pirates' Fortress. Like in Ocarina of Time, their territory is heavily guarded.[26][27] Their leader is named Aveil, who seems to be the Terminan counterpart of Nabooru's second-in-command.

Aveil.
Aveil.

Unlike their Hyrulean counterparts, Link never is able to win their respect or trust and as such, they only serve as enemies (albeit comical ones). When Link is able to travel to Great Bay, he meets a dying Zora named Mikau. The latter tells Link that he was on a mission to retrieve the eggs of a Zora named Lulu, which were stolen by the Gerudo.[28] Now dying, he begs Link to finish what he had started and return the eggs to the Marine Research Laboratory. Link accepted and headed to the Pirates' Fortress. Using his newly acquired Zora Mask, he found an underwater entrance into the fortress and managed to bypass the first group of guards. Making use of the - unguarded, but filled with traps - sewer system, he found his way deep into the fortress. After bypassing some more guards, Link managed to overhear a conversation between Aveil and one of her underlings. It was revealed that the Skull Kid had told them that the Zora eggs were a key element in obtaining a treasure that would be lying in the Great Bay Temple.[29] It was also stated that they had lost three of the eggs when they were attacked by sea snakes.[30] By shooting a beehive hanging from the ceiling, Link scared Aveil and her underlings away and stole a Zora egg and the Hookshot from them (which they had stolen from the fisherman near the entrance of Great Bay earlier).[31] Making use of his new tool, Link explored the rest of the fortress in search for the remaining three eggs. Link came face to face with three guards[32] similar to the ones he had to fight in order to free the carpenters in Ocarina of Time. Each of them turned out to guard a Zora egg, similar to how each of them guarded one of the carpenters in the previous game.

Link was later informed that the Gerudo were looking for a Zora in green clothing[33] During the end of the game, they were also seen heading somewhere (possibly the sea snakes' lair) on a boat, only to be heading the other way immediately thereafter.

Apart from the Gerudo pirates, Koume and Kotake made an appearance as well. They are more commonly thought to be the Terminan counterparts from the ones met in Ocarina of Time and do not seem to be connected to the Gerudo pirates of Great Bay. They live in Southern Swamp, where they have a potion shop.

Four Swords Adventures

The Gerudo tribe made an unexpected return in Four Swords Adventures. Unlike in the other two games, they are not hostile to outsiders.[34] They live in the Desert of Doubt in the southwest corner of Hyrule. This time however, they do not live in a fortress, but rather in tents. Together with a quote that specifically calls the nomads[35], it seems that the Gerudo in Four Swords Adventures have no set territory. However, like in Ocarina of Time, they guard the entrance to the desert, which suggests that they do live in a set territory.[11] They have a good reputation in Hyrule, not being thieves or pirates this time.[36]

Ganondorf assumes the role of king/guardian of the Gerudo once more.[2] While he is referred to by the Gerudo, he is not seen in his Gerudo form within the game. The leader of the Gerudo is unnamed. When Link enters their territory, he is denied access to the desert. Ganondorf had entered the desert prior to the events of Four Swords Adventures in search of the fabled pyramid, which is a violation of the laws of the Gerudo.[37][38] This pyramid, which is located in the desert, is sacred to the Gerudo and is rumored to contain enormous power. The Gerudo are aware of Ganondorf's lust for power and realize what his intentions are.[2] However, they assume that he will not make it that far and will perish in the desert.[11] Because of Ganondorf's actions, they had blocked the road to the desert. Upon learning of Link's quest though, they reopen the gate again so that he can pass.

Gallery

Gerudo from Ocarina of Time.

Gerudo from Ocarina of Time.

Gerudo from Ocarina of Time.

Gerudo from Majora's Mask.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "First of all, let me introduce myself. I'm Nabooru of the Gerudo. I'm a lone wolf thief. But don't get me wrong! Though we're both thieves, I'm completely different from Ganondorf. With his followers, he stole from women and children, and he even killed people! A kid like you may not know this, but the Gerudo race consists only of women. Only one man is born every hundred years... Even though our laws say that lone male Gerudo must become King of the Gerudo, I'll never bow to such an evil man! By the way, what is your name, kid? Link?! What kind of name is that? Well...anyway..." —Nabooru (Ocarina of Time)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto my people. That child is destined to be the mighty guardian of the Gerudo and the desert. But this child, its heart grew twisted with every passing year. The child became a man who hungered for power at any price." —A Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
  3. ↑ "They say that Gerudos sometimes come to Hyrule Castle Town to look for boyfriends." —A Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "In Gerudo society, those who have great skill in horseback riding and archery are well respected. How about trying horseback archery at the Gerudo's Fortress? If you have a horse, a Gerudo from the fortress will set up your challenge." —A Carpenter (Ocarina of Time)
  5. ↑ "I am the Gerudo master of horseback archery! On top of that, I'm the Gerudo master of horseback riding! Want to try horseback archery for 20 Rupees?" —A Gerudo (Ocarina of Time)
  6. ↑ "They say that the horse Ganondorf rides is a solid black Gerudo stallion." —A Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "I've seen your fine work. To get past the guards here, you must have good thieving skills. I used to think that all men, besides the great Ganondorf, were useless...but now that I've seen you, I don't think so anymore! The exalted Nabooru, our leader, put me in charge of this fortress. Nabooru is the second-in-command to the great Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo Thieves. Her headquarters are in the Spirit Temple, which is at the end of the desert. Say, you must want to become one of us, eh? All right, then! You're in from now on! Take this. With it, you will have free access to all areas of the fortress!" —Nabooru's second-in-command (Ocarina of Time)
  8. ↑ "Link! Wait up, buddy! Hoo hoo! Head south from here to reach Lake Hylia's full, rich waters. If you go west, you'll find Gerudo Valley. There's a hideout of a gang of thieves on the other side of the valley. Well, you're free to go anywhere you want! Ho ho ho...hooo!Kaepora Gaebora" —Ocarina of Time
  9. ↑ "I am a master craftsman. Those Gerudo thieves...they broke the bridge. I want to fix it, but all of my workers are gone! They said working as carpenters isn't cool, and they went to the Gerudo's Fortress to become thieves..." —Mutoh (Ocarina of Time)
  10. ↑ "Hey, rookie! Are you going into the desert? I'll open this gate for you, but... You can't cross the desert unless you pass the two trials." —A Gerudo (Ocarina of Time)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Tell me, travelers, what brings you to these borderlands? Hmm... I see... You come on word of the maidens, eh? Yes, this Ganondorf you speak of is a member of the Gerudo. But his intent is unknown to me. He has flouted the law and fled for the pyramid. To reach the pyramid, one must first pass the trial of the Desert Temple. The villain Ganondorf will no doubt draw his last breath failing this trial. We've blocked the road to the desert to keep other fools from coming. But considering the crisis in Hyrule, we've no reason to stop you brave lads. Go to the entrance of the village and speak to the guards at the gate." —Gerudo leader (Four Swords Adventures)
  12. ↑ "They say that Gerudos worship Ganondorf almost like a god." —A Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)
  13. ↑ "She's just a little girl, but she commands a lot of respect among the Gerudo, Kotake..." —Koume (Ocarina of Time)
  14. ↑ "What happened? Did he see you? Don't worry. He doesn't have any idea what we're planning...yet!" —Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  15. ↑ "We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!" —Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  16. ↑ "Hey, you! If you're going to the fortress, would you mind finding out what my workers are doing over there?" —Mutoh (Ocarina of Time)
  17. ↑ "I have no idea where you come from, but you must have a lot of guts to make it past all the guards around here! All of my fellow carpenters are imprisoned somewhere in here. If you can get us out of here, we'll repay the favor somehow! But be careful! There're sure to be Gerudo guards somewhere around here.... Woo! Watch out!" —Ichiro (Ocarina of Time)
  18. ↑ "Gerudo Thief - When she drops her guard, attack! If you don't defeat her, you'll be captured!" —Navi (Ocarina of Time)
  19. ↑ "From now on, you're free to come and go as you please through the gate to the desert. You'll find the Spirit Temple, where the exalted Nabooru lives, out there in the desert." —Nabooru's second-in-command (Ocarina of Time)
  20. ↑ "You obtained the Gerudo's Membership Card! You can get into the Gerudo's training ground in their hideout." —N/A (Ocarina of Time)
  21. ↑ "Gerudo Training Ground - Only registered members are allowed!" —Sign (Ocarina of Time)
  22. ↑ "Hey, rookie! Are you going into the desert? I'll open this gate for you, but... You can't cross the desert unless you pass the two trials." —A Gerudo (Ocarina of Time)
  23. ↑ "Past, present, future... The Master Sword is a ship with which you can sail upstream and downstream through time's river... The port for that ship is in the Temple of Time... To restore the Desert Colossus and enter the Spirit Temple, you must travel back through time's flow... Listen to this Requiem of Spirit... This melody will lead a child back to the desert." —Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  24. ↑ "I want to ask you a favor... Will you go through this tiny hole and get a treasure that's inside? The treasure is the Silver Gauntlets. If you equip them, you can easily push and pull very heavy things! No, no, no, kid! Don't even think about taking this treasure for yourself! The Silver Gauntlets won't fit a little kid like you if you try to equip them! I want you to be a good boy and give them to me! Ganondorf and his minions are using the Spirit Temple as a hideout. Only the Silver Gauntlets will allow me to sneak deep into the temple. Once there, I'm going to steal all the treasure inside and mess up their plans! How about it? Will you do it?" —Nabooru (Ocarina of Time)
  25. ↑ "By the way... I really messed up... I was brainwashed by those old witches and used by Ganondorf to do his evil will... But isn't it funny? That a person like me could turn out to be the Sage of Spirit! And now, I'm going to fight them as one of the six Sages! Heh heh... I'm going to pay them back for what they did to me!" —Nabooru (Ocarina of Time)
  26. ↑ "The security at the Pirates' Fortress is tight. Sneaking in is no easy task. If you're set on meeting those beautiful pirates, try going to the valley on the other side of town!" —Fisherman (Majora's Mask)
  27. ↑ "The Pirates' Fortress usually is closed off by an iron gate, so you can't get in from here. And even if you did get in, it's not like the pirates would welcome you." —Zora near Pirates' Fortress (Majora's Mask)
  28. ↑ "Have you been to see Lulu out in back by the ocean? Ever since the pirates stole her eggs, she's just been standing out there gazing at the sea and sighing..." —Evan (Majora's Mask)
  29. ↑ "Wait!!! The Zora eggs are the only clue we have about that dragon cloud floating over the bay... If what that strange, masked one says is true... And if we can get our hands on the treasure that lies sleeping in the temple in that dragon cloud... Then we can spend the rest of our lives living the good life! So get a move on and go find them! Now!!!" —Aveil (Majora's Mask)
  30. ↑ "Silence! That's why the Zoras can't send for any help! Now that the eggs are gone, the Zoras should be frantically searching for them. If we don't hurry, the Zoras will get to them before we do! There are four eggs here now. Hurry! Go find the other three eggs before those sea snakes eat them!" —Aveil (Majora's Mask)
  31. ↑ "See, it was long ago when I used to use this thing called a Hookshot to catch fish off the coast... But I was attacked by these pirates, and they took it away with them. They say... it's a legendary treasure.. And I just happened to swipe it from the bottom of the sea, so I hold no grudge against 'em." —Fisherman (Majora's Mask)
  32. ↑ "The pirate found you! Use Z targeting and look for your chance. You're caught if you don't win." —Tatl (Majora's Mask)
  33. ↑ "The pirates were just looking for a Zora dressed in green clothing. Isn't that you? It sounded like the pirates had some unfinished business to settle with you... Did you do something?" —A Zora (Majora's Mask)
  34. ↑ "Welcome. It's been a long time since we've seen any travelers here. This village is our home. We are the dwellers in the desert, the Gerudo tribe. The village is in a bit of an uproar contending with a man who broke our laws. We can't do much for you, but make yourself at home." —A Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
  35. ↑ "Ganon... I've heard that name before. No, wait... It was Ganondorf... But, no... That man was of the Gerudo tribe. I can't imagine these creatures worshipping some desert nomad. There's a Gerudo village in the desert. I doubt there is any connection, but it cannot hurt to check the village. Beyond the village lie ruins and an ancient pyramid. They are so old that no living creature knows very much about them. All I can tell you is that no one who sets foot in the pyramid ever returns. If one of the maidens is there, I fear for her safety." —Red maiden (Four Swords Adventures)
  36. ↑ "The Gerudo honor the desert. They are trustworthy and pure of heart. I cannot imagine one of them is the King of Darkness..." —Red maiden (Four Swords Adventures)
  37. ↑ "Curse that Ganondorf! He broke our laws and left for the pyramid... I don't know what he plans, but I am worried..." —A Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
  38. ↑ "The pyramid is sacred to our people. To have a criminal such as him enter... His presence stains its holy ground." —A Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
The Races of Hyrule
Anouki · Deku · Fairy · Gerudo · Goron · Hylian  · Kokiri · Korok · Minish · Oocca · Rito · Sheikah · Subrosian · Tokay · Twili · Yook · Zora · Zuna

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