Chancellor Cole just might be the most cartoonishly evil character in the Zelda series. While there are a handful of goofy villains, they each have their own values and motivations. Master Kohga, for example, continues the Yiga legacy and seeks revenge for his ancestors being outcast by the royal family. Cole doesn’t seem to have anything like that. His only goal throughout Spirit Tracks is to resurrect the Demon King Malladus, and we’re never told why. We know that Byrne helps with Cole’s evil plan because he hopes that Malladus will bestow great power upon him. However, Cole doesn’t care for such foolish ambition, seemingly overjoyed to be nothing more than the Demon King’s pawn.
Even so, the little demon’s dedication to darkness is nearly unmatched. He spent years masquerading as a human in order to gain the royal family’s trust and get legitimately appointed as chancellor. Other baddies would’ve simply kidnapped the princess, but Cole concocts only the most elaborate plans. Being the self-proclaimed “royal babysitter” was a role he despised, bottling all his rage until the right moment arrived. When he reveals his true nature, we get to hear how much he loathes Zelda through his theme.
The intro is brooding and slow, with a maliciously harmonized bagpipe and dulcimer melody. When the verse comes in, the dulcimer switches to playing chords as the bagpipes take the lead role. The melodic intervals are tight in the first half before it leaps up and crawls back down like a rabid goblin. The bagpipes’ harsh tone reflects the anger within Chancellor Cole, never letting up until the piece temporarily switches to major and opts for a softer string sound. The melody here is altered to be more composed and professional, using the sharp fifth as a passing tone for a lighthearted feel. The bagpipes come back for a series of turnarounds descending into a grim resolution, followed by a spooky motif from the dulcimer. This is where the track loops, creating a cycle of hatred being released and repressed.
Spirit Tracks has a lot of great music, even outside of its iconic main theme. In fact, this may be my favorite villain theme in the entire series, aside from boss battles. It radiates malice to such a degree than not even Ganondorf‘s theme can compare, at least to my ears. It’s such a memorable theme, and for it to come from a maniacal little gremlin with two top hats is nothing short of miraculous.
