Every villain needs their henchmen. Some are devout followers of evil, and others simply don’t know any better. For the Dragon Knight, Volga, he fought against and lost against a powerful foe but decided (with the aid of some dark and powerful magic) that he wanted to be on what he thought was the winning side. A decision he made that his pride will forever keep him from admitting that he was wrong. Or perhaps Cia and Ganondorf really are that charming and manipulative. Motivation aside, Volga, general for Cia’s army, is a fiery knight embodying a classic Legend of Zelda boss.
Hyrule Warriors mashed new and old in an action-packed hack and slash video game. Volga, while a new character to the series, his name and design is reminiscent of Volvagia from Ocarina of Time. In the Prima Games Hyrule Warriors Strategy Guide the designers expressed how they wanted players to look at his character and know “That’s Volvagia.” Volga shifts between human and dragon form but even as a human he appears more draconic. His helm is similar in design to Volvagia’s skull. It hides his eyes to give him an air of mystery. Cia also finds Volga in the Eldin Caves, a fitting place for the dragon of fire and parallel to the dragon of his inspiration.
Unlike Subterranean Lava Dragon Volvagia, Volga has a bit more personality, including a wicked grin to down his enemies with. He is driven by power, violence, and an arrogance that even the likes of Ghirahim can’t stand. Then again, Lord Ghirahim probably doesn’t like the competition and dragons have ruined many of his plans. In the end, Volga’s pride is what leads to his downfall. In his final battle, Cia provides him with unstoppable power. Zelda convinces the knight to fight with his strength and his strength alone. He gives up the power to prove he can win without the aid of others and this decision ultimately leads to his end. However, he expresses he has no regrets with death. A true warrior’s demise.
While canonically Volga meets death’s hand, he’s given more screen time by being a playable character. Unlocked after Chapter 1 of Cia’s Tale, players get a chance to wield the fiery powers of the Dragon Knight. He dashes and flies across the battlefield wielding his weapon of choice, the Dragon Spear. The weapon has four upgrades. The second one, the Stonecleaver Claw, is used in the official artwork. This is most likely because it matches his aesthetic a lot better than the Dragonbone Pike does. While the player doesn’t have access to all his attacks from when he’s an enemy, the gameplay still reflects Volga’s warrior strength within and the dragon heart he harbors.
Volga may just be another villain that stands in the heroes’ way, but he is still a warrior of honor, or at least with enough arrogance and pride to uphold the warrior’s code. He blends both old and new with his very design, representing a game that brought many to love the Legend of Zelda series. He is perhaps the answer to what if the monstrous bosses at the end of each dungeon could speak their mind.
