Why Zant is a Success *Spoilers*

[spoiler]

I'm finding it dicouraging how many people seem to hate Zant after he takes his mask off, and it upsets me to hear people saying Nintendo ruined his character. Of course, there is no right or wrong opinion, but I'd like you to see it from my point of view.
1. I highly doubt that Nintendo just made up the story as they went along. Zant's character would have always been intended to be the way it is. Everybody loved how much Midna changed, and I'm sure these changes were all planed beforehand. It's the same with Zant. He was always intended to be portrayed how he was, so it's not like they just took a badass villain and changed him at the last minute.
2. I'd also like to point out that yes, in fact Zant unmasked doesn't look very intimitating. So then, why do you think he would wear a mask then? :wink:
3. Zant, though being an actual character, can be seen as more of a symbol. Indeed, your meetings with him are few and far between, reinforcing this point. Just think, at the start, Zant is some intimidating evil force. Later, you meet him face to face, where you see first hand how powerful and evil he really is. Then, when he is unmasked you see that he is weak and mentally insane*.
Zant is a symbol of Link's obstacles, and what stands in his way, and as Link grows stronger you slowly realise that evil power is not so strong after all.
4. Remember, you're not supposed to like the villain are you? You'd hardly feel satisfied killing some awesome badass, in fact, you'd be sad to see him killed. Is this the case with Zant?
* And yes, he is insane - driven mad by his greed and desire - and not just childish, as he seems. So, Childish? No. Insane? Yes.
Well, that's how I see it. Just think of Zant as a symbol of Link's oppression, and how in reality, though it seems strong it can easily be defeated. I commend Nintendo on creating such a surprising character, which is cleverly executed in this fashion.

I agree with you but I was dissapointed. I thought he would be harder to beatkillerfist

The same can be said for every boss in the game.
Happy_Cloud

That whole quote was just dumb, that's like saying how the bad guy in some kid show, shows the kids overcoming puberty... Nitendo can't make symbolic or a good story. That was the dumbest quote ever it's like the guy pooled it out of his @ss. I can't believe u guys actually get into this stuff peaple think up so they can sound smart. Go read a book or Watch a good movie. Zants character was horrid, his backstory was lame if nitendo would of developed it more than the 5 minutes of what the did it would have been a bit better so no his character sucks.lordsettra12

[QUOTE="lordsettra12"]That whole quote was just dumb, that's like saying how the bad guy in some kid show, shows the kids overcoming puberty... Nitendo can't make symbolic or a good story. That was the dumbest quote ever it's like the guy pooled it out of his @ss. I can't believe u guys actually get into this stuff peaple think up so they can sound smart. Go read a book or Watch a good movie. Zants character was horrid, his backstory was lame if nitendo would of developed it more than the 5 minutes of what the did it would have been a bit better so no his character sucks.ErnestoBananez

I liked Zant.  Sure once the mask came off, so to did his illusion of omnipotence, but where I really think the charcter design went wrong was in the boss battle.  Here we have a guy who teleports into the spring at Lake Hylia, basically B-slaps the Serpent spirit, paralyzes Link and plays wall-ball with Midna's body.  Yet when we fight our telekinetic friend, he blasts us with some fire balls, tries to step on us, stab us, everything but what he should've done and that's "force choke" Link until he turned bluer than a 5 piece rupee.  Not an exciting boss battle no, but as to why he didn't use those powers deserves an explanation.  As does why Midna is still alive after Ganon is seen holding her shadow helmet in triumph post the Power Squid vs Flame Head match.  She wore that stupid thing the whole game as the imp and I am supposed to believe she gave it up without seriously being maimed as the Super Squid?  Bologna!  Instead the next time we see her she looks better than ever.  The curse is broken, yeah I know, but still we should've been looking at a beautiful corpse or at least a comatose one barely clinging to life.  Anyway Zant, yeah, he should've used those telekinetic powers or had them cancelled out by some means, not just ignored.

I liked Zant. Sure once the mask came off, so to did his illusion of omnipotence, but where I really think the charcter design went wrong was in the boss battle. Here we have a guy who teleports into the spring at Lake Hylia, basically B-slaps the Serpent spirit, paralyzes Link and plays wall-ball with Midna's body. Yet when we fight our telekinetic friend, he blasts us with some fire balls, tries to step on us, stab us, everything but what he should've done and that's "force choke" Link until he turned bluer than a 5 piece rupee. Not an exciting boss battle no, but as to why he didn't use those powers deserves an explanation. As does why Midna is still alive after Ganon is seen holding her shadow helmet in triumph post the Power Squid vs Flame Head match. She wore that stupid thing the whole game as the imp and I am supposed to believe she gave it up without seriously being maimed as the Super Squid? Bologna! Instead the next time we see her she looks better than ever. The curse is broken, yeah I know, but still we should've been looking at a beautiful corpse or at least a comatose one barely clinging to life. Anyway Zant, yeah, he should've used those telekinetic powers or had them cancelled out by some means, not just ignored.

pernojo

True. I always wondered why Midna wears he weird helmet, but I figured it was a piece of the fused shawdow because it looks like the other pieces as well. Strange the Zant didn't take that away from here, because in the cutscene of when you enter the Twilight Realm, Zant could've completely overpowered her. Anyways, it was good for a change that there was a second antagonist other than Ganon/Ganondorf, and I think that is why Zant is a sucess. When I first started playing I figured Zant repleced Ganon/Ganondorf, and I thought that the Zelda creators could actually make something out of that. And do you guys really think its possible for someone who's dead to come back alive...three times? In most Zelda games there i a Ganon to defeat, but if he always dies, then how does he come alive? If Ganon's apperance was being questioned, people would most likly fall under the power of Zant, since he is so very mysterious and evil. GamerGirlPwnz

there was noting wrong with Zant, 'cept that he was too easy.......LordAbyssion

[QUOTE="LordAbyssion"]there was noting wrong with Zant, 'cept that he was too easy.......Happy_Cloud

I'll let "The Desert Colossus" speak for me.

"When we finally face Zant as the boss . . . this really isn’t the case. Just because we’ve learned that he’s not the big bad guy, it seems Nintendo was fine with no longer treating him like the villainous traitor that he is. He jumps around like a little kid, moves his body into positions that not even a clown should be able to assume without some sort of twisted surgery, and until Stage 6, he only attacks with a few barrages of Twilight energy orbs. Where is the intense wave of magic that threw Lanayru against the wall and knocked the Hero out before he could draw his sword?! Where’s the power that cursed Midna, brought the Twilight to Hyrule, and was granted to him by Ganondorf himself!?! Having a lot of stages does not mean that Zant is a good boss. In the end, the only real strong point of Zant that makes him even boss-worthy is his excessive amount of health. His strength is merely that it takes a lot of hits to bring him down, not that it’s difficult to hit him, which is always the preference."