Triforce

The Triforce is a sacred golden relic left behind by the three goddesses; Din (Power), Nayru (Wisdom), and Farore (Courage) 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 can never distinguish between those who are good or evil. So if an evil one touches it, his wish will be granted. If a good person touches it, his wish will also be granted. But, 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. 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 seems possible for the three Triforce pieces to be united after being held by three individuals, as Ganondorf captures Zelda and waits for Link, apparently believing he can unite the pieces and possess the total power of the 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 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, it also speaks to Link at the end of A Link to the Past and at the beginning of Oracle of Seasons or Oracle of Ages, in a voice that identifies itself as the essence of the Triforce.

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 must fight his way through the eight dungeons to recover the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, and then battle his way through Ganon's stronghold to defeat him and recover the Triforce of Power.

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 overcame these obstacles to achieve the third Triforce, and used the power of the united relic to wake the slumbering Princess 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 was nearly successful in spreading his evil over all the land, but 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 Agahnim to crack the seal between worlds by teleporting the seven maidens, who were descended from the Wise Men, one by one into the Dark World, sealing them in crystals and creating a portal between the worlds. After obtaining the Master Sword and rescuing the seven maidens, Link defeated Ganon and recovered the complete Triforce. Instructed by the Triforce to take it with a wish in his heart, Link used 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.

It should be noted that the Pendants of Power and Wisdom seem to have had their names swapped. The blue pendant is labeled Power, while the red is named Wisdom.

Ocarina of Time
The Triforce is kept in the Temple of Light in a place called the Sacred Realm, or 'Golden Land', where it is kept safe. It is said that the Triforce has the power to grant any wish its beholder desires, and because of this many men have tried to gain access to the Sacred Realm to claim it for themselves. Unfortunately one man succeeded 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 was able to enter the Sacred Realm once Link had 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 out of synchronization with each other should lay their hand upon 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 into the bodies of Ganondorf (Power), Princess Zelda (Wisdom) and Link (Courage).

The Six Sages, along with Princess Zelda, managed to trap Ganon and his Triforce of Power in the Void of the Realm. Some fans believe that the Triforce can be found in Ocarina of Time, often because of a faked screenshot, but up to this day, there is no real method to physically obtain it in the game (Link gets the Triforce of Courage when shattered, but only in storyline).

Majora's Mask
The only time it is referenced is on the blocks outside the entrance of inverted Stone Tower Temple.

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Triforce plays an identical role in these games. At the introduction, it calls to Link from its place in Hyrule Castle, telling him "Accept our quest, Hero." It then sends him to Holodrum (in Seasons) or Labrynna (in Oracle of Ages).

The Wind Waker
The Triforce of Courage, left in Hyrule after the legendary Hero that appeared in Ocarina of Time left the World, shattered into 8 pieces, and was locked in chests in the sea. Eight special Treasure Charts were drawn and hidden, to stop anyone without a courageous heart from assembling it. Link assembled it, and when showing it before the Gods at the Tower of the Gods, the Triforce fused 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 the King of Hyrule presses his hands upon the golden symbol, and then asks the gods to cover the land of Hyrule completely.

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 ancient Sages of Hyrule who guarded the Mirror of Twilight. In the game, the Triforce remains shattered amongst its three holders due to the actions of Ganondorf's future self, which resulted in the shattering of the Triforce across all ages. Ganondorf retained the Triforce of Power, Princess Zelda retained the Triforce of Wisdom, and the young Hero of Time (and later his descendant, the Hero of Twilight) retained the Triforce of Courage. It may be indicated that the Triforce protects its current bearer in the opposite world, as Link, Zelda and Zant are unaffected in the worlds in which they do not belong. Midna nearly dies from exposure to the Light Realm, but after Zelda passes her power to her (the Triforce of Wisdom), she is able to survive in Hyrule. The Fused Shadow 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. This is proven when Ganondorf defeats Midna with the Triforce of Power and easily shatters the Fused Shadow, losing none of his own formidable power and only being defeated when impaled with the Master Sword.

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, showing a symbol of the Triforce, a red eagle-like figure, and another golden triangle upside-down.

The Tetraforce theory does not seem plausible for various reasons:

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.
 * 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 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.

Others have called the Light Force a "Tetraforce". This is a legend stemming from the Hyrulian Shield design from Ocarina of Time. It seemingly shows that there is a fourth piece to the Triforce that had been taken away at some point or disappearing.

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 arguement, 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 (supposedly when Zelda returns Link to his childhood, or when Link went to Termina), 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 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 he end of the episode. 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.

Comic Books
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 in the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and is also used as the symbol for Zelda, Sheik, Young Link, and Ganondorf. There are three structures in Zelda/Sheik's Target Test 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 upcoming third game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Triforce appears as one of Link's special attacks, 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.