Triforce

The Triforce is a sacred golden relic that reappears throughout the Legend of Zelda series. These golden sacred triangles were left behind by the three goddesses of Power, Wisdom and Courage; Din, Nayru and Farore, after they finished creating the land of Hyrule. It was formed at the point where they left the world, but in a different dimension connected to Hyrule called the Sacred Realm. The golden Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the Triforce of Power on top, the Triforce of Wisdom on the left and the Triforce of Courage on the right.

The Triforce has the power to grant the wish of whoever touches it. The Triforce has no noticeable bias against "good" people or "bad" people, as it grants the wishes of anyone, regardless of whether a person is good or bad. However, if the person does not possess an equal balance of Courage, Wisdom, and Power, the Triforce will split into its three separate parts, each piece taking residence in the person that most personifies that particular piece. In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf makes a wish to rule the world, but as he is corrupt and seeks only power, the Triforce splits apart and the Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World, with the Triforce of Power remaining in Ganondorf's hand. It is possible for the three Triforce pieces to be united after being held by three individuals, as Ganondorf on three occasions captures Princess Zelda and waits for Link, to reunite the three pieces. He successfully achieves this in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. If this scenario is typical of a triforce rejoinment, it appears that two of the possessors must be unconscious, but alive, in order for the third possessor to extract the full triforce. Once again, in Twilight Princess, Ganondorf captures Zelda and waits for Link, possibly hoping to do the same. It is possible that Ganondorf kept Zelda alive in both instances because she was needed alive for such a unification of the Triforce to occur. It is because he is unable to reunite the three in Ocarina of Time that, upon being sealed in the Dark World, he is unable to use the Triforce to simply wish himself back to Hyrule. However, when Link battles Ganon in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past he says, "I shall destroy you, and use my wish to rule both worlds forever!".

There is an argument about whether the Triforce is inanimate. On one hand, it seems that it doesn't know good from evil and merely grants wishes. However, a voice claiming that it is the essence of the Triforce speaks to Link at the end of A Link to the Past and at the beginning of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons.

The Legend of Zelda
In the original game, the Triforce of Wisdom and Triforce of Power are described as "Magical Golden Triangles" that grant their holders great power. The game begins with Ganon in possession of the Triforce of Power, and with the Triforce of Wisdom split into eight pieces hidden in the dungeons beneath Hyrule. Link fights his way through the eight dungeons to recover the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. When this has been done, he must battle his way through Ganon's stronghold to defeat him and recover the Triforce of Power.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
The Triforce of Courage is first introduced in the second installment of the Zelda series. In order to safeguard the third part of the Triforce, a former King of Hyrule placed it in the Great Palace, where it could only be obtained by one who could fight his way through six other palaces to break the magical seal left by the king. Guarded by a wizened sage, the Triforce could only be recovered by a hero capable of defeating not only the soldiers and monsters set to guard the Great Palace, but also his very shadow. Link overcomes these obstacles to complete the third Triforce, and uses the power of the united relic to wake the slumbering Princess Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Triforce is first revealed as a divine manifestation of the Goddesses' power in A Link to the Past. Bestowed upon Hyrule upon their departure, it lay hidden in the fabled Golden Land until the evil thief Ganondorf and his minions broke the seal into the hidden land. Upon murdering his companions and claiming the Triforce for his own, Ganon used its power to turn the Golden Land into the Dark World. Within the Dark World, the Triforce has the power to change the shape of anyone who enters from the outside into something that reflects his or her nature. Later in the game the innocent and pure Link was changed into a pink rabbit. Raising an army of monsters to assault the land of Hyrule, Ganon is nearly successful in spreading his evil over all the land. However, he was stopped when the Knights of Hyrule and the Seven Wise Men sealed him in the Dark World. Still in possession of the Triforce, Ganon used the body of Agahnim to crack the seal between worlds by teleporting The Seven Maidens, descendants of the Wise Men, one by one into the Dark World, sealing them in crystals and creating a portal between the worlds.

After retrieving the Pendants of Virtue and the Master Sword, Link rescues the Seven Maidens. He eventually defeats Agahnim once more, and ultimately, Ganon is defeated as well. Instructed by the Triforce to take it with a wish in his heart, Link uses its power to cleanse the evil that had been done by Ganon; healing those who had been wounded by his evil, restoring the Dark World to the Golden Land, and restoring peace to Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The true nature of Triforce receives the most explanation in Ocarina of Time. Here, it was long kept in the Temple of Light in a place called the Sacred Realm, or the "Golden Land". Due to the fact that the Triforce will grant any wish of the one who finds it, many men tried and failed to enter the realm and touch the sacred triangles. Unfortunately, one man succeeds in doing so, an evil man by the name of Ganondorf, a male Gerudo from the desert in the west of Hyrule. Using the young boy Link, he is able to enter the Sacred Realm once Link has opened the portal by releasing the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. In that instant, Ganondorf seized his opportunity and made his wish to the Triforce.

However, there was another tale told about the Triforce, one that stated that if a person whose wisdom, power and courage were not in perfect harmony, would lay his hands on it, the Triforce would shatter into its three separate pieces. The person would keep the Piece of Triforce that represents the thing one most believes in, and the other two pieces would seek out a hiding place in the body of those chosen by destiny. When Ganondorf laid his hand upon the Triforce this prophecy came true, and the Triforce shattered, sending the three pieces; Power, Wisdom and Courage into the bodies of Ganondorf, Princess Zelda and Link, respectively. The Six Sages, along with Princess Zelda, manage to seal Ganondorf and his Triforce of Power in the Void of the Realm.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The only time the Triforce is made reference to is on the blocks outside the entrance of the inverted Stone Tower Temple.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages & The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Triforce plays an identical role in both Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. At the beginning of the game, Link has been called by the Triforce and rides to the place it is kept. The Triforce tells Link of troubles in the lands of Labrynna (Oracle of Ages) and Holodrum (Oracle of Seasons). It transports Link to these lands, in order for the Hero to solve the troubles there.

A Mark of the Triforce appears on Link's right hand in these games. In Oracle of Ages, at one point, Link is the only one with the power to move a special stone with a Triforce mark on it. Impa during Veran's possession of her body, shys away at the sight of it, perhaps indicating that evil ones are sensitive to the aura of the Triforce.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
After the legendary Hero of Time left the world of Hyrule, his Triforce of Courage shattered into 8 pieces, and was locked in chests which were placed at the bottom of the Great Sea. Eight special Treasure Charts were drawn and hidden, to stop anyone without a courageous heart from assembling it. Link eventually assembles it, and when showing it before the Gods at the Tower of the Gods, the Triforce merges with him, showing the acceptance of the Gods, thus making him the Hero of Winds.

Also, Ganondorf unites all three Triforce pieces on top of his tower at long last and tries to make a wish, but he is stopped as Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, the former King of Hyrule, presses his hands upon the golden symbol, and then asks the gods to cover the land of Hyrule completely in water.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The word "Triforce" is not used anywhere in the game. However, the Triforce is obviously well known since markings of it exist on the Hylian Shield and on various walls. Its power is also spoken of by the light spirit, Lanayru. In the game, it is said that Ganondorf, Zelda, and Link have been chosen by the goddesses. This has risen to some debate as to whether or not they actually have their respective pieces of the Triforce or not.

The fact that the marks of the Triforce appear on the hands of all three characters seems to support that it is actually the Triforce. The fact that the Triforce of Courage seems impossible to actually be held by Link during Twilight Princess (the Triforce having never split in the split timeline or the Triforce of Courage being split into eight separate pieces in the single timeline make it impossible for the Triforce of Courage to be physically present in Twilight Princess), the fact the marks on the three characters' hands light up and dim out randomly (including lighting one piece of the Triforce symbol as well as the whole Triforce symbol), the fact that the marks seem to imbue the characters with extra abilities, and the fact that the marks are only referred to as marking those chosen by the gods seem to support that they are not the Triforce (which only lights up when a person receives the Triforce or is near someone else with a Triforce piece and remains visible, only lights up the one Triforce piece that the bearer of the mark owns, and apparently doesn't grant the bearer any extra powers (the only possible exception being Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time)). On the other hand, the Triforce marks that Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf receive seem to act more similarly to the Triforce marks that Link received in Zelda II: Adventure of Link and Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages which mean that Link has been chosen by the gods and gets some extra abilities like being able to read an unreadable language, open a door that has been sealed magically shut, or move a previously unmovable boulder, but doesn't have a piece of the Triforce.

The Ancient Sages stated that it was by some "divine prank" that Ganondorf was chosen by the goddesses. It also is implied that the Triforce of Wisdom was passed down from the Princess Zelda of Ocarina of Time to her successor in Twilight Princess, but since her mark and powers she receives from it act more like the marks on Link's and Ganondorf's hands, it is unlikely that she was using the Triforce of Wisdom during Twilight Princess. Link was also chosen by the goddesses in his time of need (very similar to Ganondorf's situation with the Triforce of Power), and his mark prevented him from becoming a monster or spirit when pulled into the Twilight Realm.

The Fused Shadow, however, is not nearly as powerful as the Triforce, the Triforce being the power of the gods themselves, while the Fused Shadow is merely powerful sorcery wielded by mortals.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Triforce symbol is seen on the wall of the hut of the blacksmith Zauz. The symbol is used to access the Sacred Crest Chamber and the final six floors of the Temple of the Ocean King. Though the actual Triforce isn't mentioned, this symbol could mean that the Temple and Zauz could have something to do with the Triforce even though they come from the World of the Ocean King. This has not been verified by Nintendo.

The Tetraforce
Some fans believe there is a final piece to the Triforce that fits into the center. This theory is called the Tetraforce. The only evidence for this theory, however, is the design on the Hylian Shield in Ocarina of Time, which displays a symbol of the Triforce, a red eagle-like figure, and another golden triangle upside-down. This is also suggested in Phantom Hourglass. There is one spirit representative of each piece of the Triforce (Power, Wisdom, and Courage), but the Spirit of Courage is also the Spirit of Time. And in another game, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, a Goddess of Time is mentioned by Zelda, and there is a Temple of Time. This could be an indication of a last piece, called the Triforce of Time.

The Tetraforce theory does not seem plausible for various reasons:


 * It has never been mentioned at any point in the entire series, even briefly.
 * The Triforce was created by the three goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. There is no fourth goddess and in order for someone to create a fourth piece, they would have to have equivalent power to the goddesses. Moreover, the few individuals who have any where near this ability have shown no capability or interest in creating another piece.
 * The Triforce was always referred to as the Triforce, and never the tetraforce or quadraforce. If the prefix "tri-" is not being used to number the pieces, as in The Legend of Zelda there were only two, than it may be describing the shape that is made when the pieces are joined, which would in this case be a diamond shape.
 * If there was another piece, there are only three Main characters present in almost every game: Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. If there were a fourth piece, there would need to be a whole new main character.

Nevertheless, in Twilight Princess, Midna mentions the gods of Twilight, after Link gets the Master Sword infused with light. They may have created their own Triforce, residing in their own equivalent of the Sacred Realm.

The Light Force from Minish Cap has also been called the true Tetraforce.

Light Force
The Light Force has only appeared in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap thus far. It was the thing the main villain, Vaati, was after in order to become a god.

It is unknown if the Triforce and the light force are the same thing. The light force's portrayal on a stained glass window is of a single golden triangle, similar to the Triforce, which is composed of three golden triangles. Also, both can make the user omnipotent. However, the light force doesn't fit the description of the Triforce in any other aspect. While the Triforce is made out of three smaller triangles (and therefore has a gap in the center), the light force is represented by a full triangle and seemingly not made out of smaller parts.

Some have suggested the Light Force may be another name for the Triforce of Wisdom, since Zelda is its carrier. There's controversy here too, since Zelda's life never depended on her Triforce part; while it is claimed she would die in the extraction process, it doesn't mean she cannot live without it. Also, the Triforce of Wisdom alone cannot grant someone powers similar to the whole Triforce.

What is possible is that it is the light force that gave Zelda her telepathic powers. Vaati claimed it ran through her bloodline, and in Ocarina of Time, Zelda had those powers as a child, which means it is not the Triforce of Wisdom that gave her these powers.

In an interview, Eiji Aonuma stated that it is not the same thing.

Due to the fact that the Light Force is shown as a complete triangle, many have stated that it is the true Tetraforce. In support of this argument, many point to the fact that Vaati absorbed part of the Light Force, but was unable to get it all. Then once Vaati is defeated, Zelda is shown emitting the Triforce as it is known commonly (with three triangles) from her body. This has been thought to be the end of the Tetraforce and the creation of the actual Triforce.

Pieces of the Triforce
The Triforce can be split up into three pieces, which can then be split up even further, as shown in The Legend of Zelda and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, where the Triforce of Courage was split into eight pieces, and in the original Legend of Zelda game, where the Triforce of Wisdom was split into eight pieces. When two people with a Triforce piece come in close contact, the Triforce symbol on their hand will glow and when all three are together (as seen again in both The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time), it is possible that the Triforce will be summoned. The pieces can also glow on their own.

Triforce of Courage
The Triforce of Courage was not actually referenced in The Legend of Zelda and it never appears or is mentioned in the television adaptation of the series; it first appeared in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, where it was held in the Great Palace and had to be recovered by Link to awaken the sleeping Zelda. It is usually associated with Link and is shown on his left hand.

In Ocarina of Time, the Triforce of Courage was given to Link after it splits when Ganondorf touches it (during Link's sleeping state after claiming the Master Sword). In The Wind Waker, it is stated that when the Hero of Time left Hyrule (possibly when Zelda returns Link to his childhood), the Triforce of Courage was broken into eight pieces and scattered, to be recovered one day by another Hero deserving of its power. After restoring the power to the Master Sword in The Wind Waker, Link hauled up all 8 shards of the Triforce of Courage from the sea, and entered Hyrule, submerged in a magic air chamber on the sea floor.

Triforce of Wisdom
This was mentioned in the original Legend of Zelda game, where it was split into eight pieces by Zelda in order to hide it from Ganon. It is usually associated with Princess Zelda.

In The Wind Waker, Tetra the pirate carried a necklace made from a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom; the King of Hyrule carried the other half. When put together, Tetra was revealed to be Zelda.

To hide from Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time, Zelda assumes the guise of Sheik. It is speculated that Zelda used the Triforce of Wisdom to do so. This Triforce Piece is associated with blue and the goddess Nayru. This piece is located in the lower left.

This piece of the Triforce is speculated to be briefly given to Midna by Zelda (to save Midna's life after villainous Zant exposed Midna to the Light Spirit Lanayru's pure light, in an attempt to kill her), in Twilight Princess. It revives Midna, giving her the ability to take on her physical form in the Realm of Hyrule. By giving her part of the Triforce to Midna, Zelda allows Midna and Link to continue their quest to defeat Zant, as well as keeping the Triforce of Wisdom away from Ganondorf, who takes over Hyrule Castle shortly after Midna and Wolf Link set off in search of the Master Sword.

Triforce of Power
This was mentioned in the original Legend of Zelda, but only the fact that it was stolen by Ganon, as the story was not as strong as the later games in the series. It is often associated with Ganon.

In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf (a Gerudo thief and the sole male of the tribe in one hundred years) heard of the legend of the Triforce and lusted after its power, primarily as a tool to subjugate the kingdom of Hyrule and expand his influence. Inadvertently aided by a young hero known as Link and the Hylian princess Zelda, Ganondorf found his way into the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf did not know that to claim the Triforce, one must have all three separate pieces of the Triforce - power, wisdom, and courage - together (worth mentioning is that for someone to receive all three pieces one must believe in all three power, wisdom and courage equally, which we all know that Ganondorf only cared for the power that the Triforce offered).

When Link went through the Door of Time, he obtained the Triforce of Courage. Zelda, by some means, had the Triforce of Wisdom. Ganondorf received the Triforce of Power. Each of the three received the mark of the Triforce on the back of one hand. Ganon was defeated and the power of the Seven Sages, including Zelda, was used to seal him in the Sacred Realm along with the Triforce of Power. Link and Zelda retained their Triforces. The Triforce of Power is associated with the color red and the goddess Din. This piece is located at the top. Although all three fragments as said to have power, the Triforce of Power displays the most, giving Gannondorf/Ganon the powers that make him such a menace, and in some games implies that possessing it makes him immortal.

Bearers of the Triforce
When the Triforce is split and possessed by the three destined individuals, the pieces' influences can be felt by the holders. This can have multiple effects. Ganondorf, in particular, was corrupted even further by his Triforce's power. The Wisdom piece seems to be able to conceal a person's identity or restore it, such as Zelda's alter egos Sheik and Tetra. The Courage piece is not shown as having many powers, but may alter the bearer's chances of survival or victory (as shown by Link winning over seemingly impossible odds). The pieces of the triforce have actually shown to have effects on the bearer's mind, corresponding to which one it is. Ganondorf grew a lust for power when he found the triforce of power. Zelda's wisdom comes from the triforce of wisdom, and Link gained courage from his fragment. It is apparent that not only do they give the user the strengths from their certain powers, but they also lower the user's attributes of the other pieces, most notably with Link, who is shown to act without thinking, and without wish to have authority. Ganondorf is also arrogant, without need for courage. Zelda does not wish to rule with an iron fist, nor does she have the courage to stand up to Ganondorf, and only fights when Link is doing the main work in the battles against Ganondorf.

The Triforce carriers can also sense each other's presence, but not at a great distance (otherwise, Ganondorf would not have to search for Zelda very long in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker). The three bearers are Zelda (wisdom), Ganondorf (power), and Link (courage). The King of Hyrule also held a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom in The Wind Waker, Link found the Wisdom piece in the original game, and it is thought that Midna held the Wisdom piece for a short time. It is also possible for one person to hold the entire Triforce, such as Link in the Oracle games.

Ocarina of Time rumors
The Triforce appears before Link in an early promotional video of Ocarina of Time. Though the Triforce makes appearances throughout Ocarina of Time, there is no way to physically obtain it within the game. However, it is rumored that at some point in the game's development, it was possible for the player to obtain the Triforce. This theory is backed up by an early promotional video released before the game was completed, which appears to show Link discovering the Triforce itself. Many video game hackers have attempted to reverse engineer the game, but there does not seem to be any way to successfully obtain the Triforce as an actual item.

There have been attempts to create faked screenshots using image-editing programs and hacked versions of the game, but these have either been proven to be false, or revealed to be April Fools' jokes.

Television appearances
In the cartoon The Legend of Zelda television show, only the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Power appear. The Triforce of Courage is never mentioned or seen. The Triforces were not golden triangles, but made of colored jewel. Green Emerald color for the Triforce of Wisdom, and Red Ruby Color for the Triforce of Power. Both Triforces floated over a pedestal and occasionally talked in rhyme to the other characters giving information about the current situation. The Triforce of Wisdom had a female voice and the Triforce of Power had a male voice.

In the cartoon television series "Captain N" the characters from Zelda appeared four times and the Triforce appeared in one episode. The Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage were stolen at the beginning of the show but were returned by the end of the episode. Interestingly, Zelda grew steadily weaker during the course of the episode and it was heavily implied that if the missing Triforce sections were not found, she would die. The Triforce of Wisdom remained with Zelda and occasionally gave advice by talking through Zelda. The Triforces were made of some sort of Jewel with gold on the interior and each had the letter for the beginning of their name engraved on them.

Comics
In the The Legend of Zelda comic books produced by Valiant Comics in the early 1990's, the three Triforces are often mentioned. The clearest explanation of the Triforces is in issue #3, "The Power and the Price," where Zelda possesses the Triforce of Wisdom, Ganon keeps the Triforce of Power, and Link possesses the Triforce of Courage within his heart. In the story arc, Link accidentally succeeds in raiding Ganon's chambers and taking the Triforce of Power, empowering him with all of the Triforce's magic. Unfortunately, the same corruption which overtook Ganon and deformed him begins to happen to Link, as he is misusing the Triforce of Power by using it without the wisdom of the Triforce of Wisdom. The comic book adds an additional twist; those who use the Triforce of Power become dependent on it, and because Ganon no longer possesses it, he begins to die, a fate that will now befall Link should he be severed from it. The Triforce of Courage leaves Link due to this misuse and changes to Zelda, until Link realizes the gravity of the situation and the impending loss of his soul by keeping the Triforce of Power. In the end, he throws the Triforce of Power down a bottomless chasm with Ganon trailing after it. The selfless sacrifice causes the Triforce of Courage to return to Link, restoring his life.

Appearances in other Nintendo games
The Triforce is Link's symbol in Super Smash Bros. It returns as his symbol, and Young Link's, in the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and in the third game  Super Smash Bros. Brawl is also used as the symbol for Zelda, Sheik, Toon Link, and Ganondorf. There are three structures in Zelda/Sheik's Target Test in Melee that look exactly like Triforces. The Triforce is also the goal in the second side-scrolling level in Adventure mode, the Underground Maze. In the third game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Triforce appears Link and Toon Link's final smash, as he traps the enemy between two Triforce symbols and relentlessly slashes at them.

In Animal Crossing: Wild World, the Triforce is a furniture item. When used, it separates and assembles in mimicry of the opening to A Link to the Past. In both the original Animal Crossing and Wild World, Katrina, the fortune teller, has the Triforce symbol emblazoned in the far back of her tent. However, it is barely visible in Wild World with her recently discarded crystal ball in front of it.

In Kirby Super Star, The Great Cave Offensive requires Kirby to collect treasures while escaping a vast cave. The final treasure is the distinctively Zelda-like Triforce. In the more recent Kirby: Canvas Curse, a minigame involving joining dots to form images features a Triforce-shaped image.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the Triforce is an unlockable bumper sticker image. It shows on the top of your ship if your Wii console has The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess save data. This must be purchased using friend vouchers sent by registered Wii friends.

Trivia

 * A man legally changed his middle name to "Triforce" in honor of the Legend of Zelda series.
 * In 2008, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes featured a Triforce symbol on his wrestling boots.

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