Master Sword

The Master Sword (マスターソード), also known as the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Sword of Time and the Sword of Resurrection, is a recurring sword in the Legend of Zelda series. It is imbued with the power to vanquish evil. In many games, it is said to be the only sword capable of defeating the malevolent Ganon (Ganondorf, depending on the game) when he has the Triforce of Power. It is directly related to the legend of the Hero of Time and has become one of the most iconic symbols of the Legend of Zelda series, often appearing in other video games. Additionally, the Master Sword has been featured in several Zelda games' logos.

History
In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, it is revealed that the Master Sword was originally the Goddess Sword, a sword created by the goddess Hylia to be used by her chosen hero to defeat Demise and his minions when they had resurrected. Once Hylia had sealed Demise, she created Fi, an artificial spirit which acts as the avatar for the Goddess Sword, to guide her chosen future hero in the future. The Goddess Sword was then placed inside the Statue of the Goddess, in the floating city of Skyloft.

Centuries later, before the Wing Ceremony, Fi manifests in Link`s dream and warns him of the events about to unfold. Before he can hear all of Fi`s words though, Link awakens from his slumber. Later on, during the Wing Ceremony, Link and Zelda are hit by a black tornado while riding on their Loftwings. Zelda is snatched by the tornado, while Link falls to the ground unconscious. In his unconscious state, Link sees Fi once more, who calls out to him. This is followed with Link dreaming of himself failing to save Zelda from falling into a demonic monster`s mouth.

Awakening in a bed, Link learns from Gaepora that his Crimson Loftwing saved him and carried him back to Skyloft. Asked by Gaepora of Zelda`s whereabouts, Link explains the events that transpired, much to Gaepora`s shock. After explaining everything, Link is told by Gaepora to continue resting. Once Gaepora leaves the room however, Link hears a mysterious voice calling out to him.

Following the mysterious voice`s presence, Link is led inside the statue of the Goddess. There he finds the Goddess Sword in its pedestal, followed with Fi appearing from the sword. Introducing herself to a surprised Link, Fi explains to him that he is the hero chosen by Hylia to save the world, before assuring him that Zelda is still alive, to his relief.

Telling Link that he will need to embrace his role if he wishes to save Zelda, Fi instructs him to pull the Goddess Sword from its pedestal. Link willing obliges and proceeds to do so, raising the sword high in the air. Fi then acknowledges Link as her master, with the Master Sword brightly shining in Link`s hand.

Suddenly, Gaepora calls out to Link from behind, surprised at the situation. He then tells Link of the legends of Hylia, Skyloft`s origins, and the Master Sword. Realizing that Link is the chosen hero mentioned in the legends, Gaepora questions how the young man will leave Skyloft when the barrier below prevents him from doing so. In response, Fi gives Link the Emerald Tablet and gives him instructions to creating a small rift within the barrier. Upon doing so, Link learns that he is now able travel down to the surface.

Changing into his newly attained knight uniform, Link goes down to the surface carrying the Goddess Sword with him. During his time at the surface, Link learns from Impa that when the Goddess Sword is bathed in three sacred flames, it will be reforged into a sword of tremendous power. Each time Link bathes the Goddess Sword in one of the flames, the sword becomes empowered and changes its form. Once having bathed it into all three flames, the sword turns into the Master Sword, allowing Link to activate the Gate of Time.

Later on in the story, after Link travels to the past to reunite with Zelda, the Master Sword is blessed by the latter and changes into its final form, becoming the True Master Sword. Becoming an even more powerful weapon, the Master Sword is used by Link to defeat Demise in their duel. Impressed with Link, Demise highly praises him. In his last breath however, Demise states that his hatred and the curse of the Demon Tribe (in the Japanese version) will be reborn in a cycle without end as it evolves, cursing those with the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero. After Demise's body dissolves, his residual consciousness is absorbed into the Master Sword to dissolve over time.

After returning to the present, Link is told by Fi to return the Master Sword back into its pedestal, while also telling him that doing so will cause her to fall into an eternal slumber. Encouraged to do so by a saddened Zelda, Link places the holy sword back into its resting place. He then hears Fi's voice, where she tells Link that she feels happiness for all that he had done and graciously thanks him.

At some point after its creation and Demise's defeat, the Master Sword was embedded into an enchanted pedestal, and the great Temple of Time was built around it to serve as a barrier to the Sacred Realm where the legendary Triforce rested.

Ultimately, the sword and pedestal were both sealed inside a private chamber protected by a mighty stone barrier. Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" could pull the sword from the pedestal and unlock its true power. Presumably this was done to prevent the Triforce from being used for evil just in case the Door of Time was bypassed, as it would be impossible for anyone other than the chosen hero to do so. For many ages, the Master Sword lay hidden in its chamber, awaiting the time when the Hero spoken of in the prophecy would come to claim it.

Legends
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, its origins are explained through an ancient legend which states that when the people of Hyrule began to suspect that the Triforce's power had fallen into the wrong hands, they used fine steel to forge the Master Sword and adorned its hilt with gold and rare jewels. This heavily contradicts the Master Sword's origin shown in Skyward Sword, as it is stated that Hylia was the one who created the Goddess Sword, with the only Hylians shown to have had a hand in turning it into the Master Sword being Link and Zelda.

During The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Princess Zelda states that the Master Sword was crafted by the wisdom of the Ancient Sages. However, no sages are shown having a role in the sword's creation during Skyward Sword.

It is likely that the true origins of the Master Sword have become obscured over time, explaining the varying accounts of its origins in games predating Skyward Sword. However in Breath of the Wild, the Great Deku Tree is shown to be somewhat aware of its true origins, though this is likely due to having existed for many years and/or due to his status, as well as his association with Hylia through the seven unnamed Sword Monks that serve her and oversee the trial to awaken the Master Sword's true splendor. It should be noted that its true origins becoming obscured would not be surprising given Skyward Sword occurs long before the foundation of the Kingdom of Hyrule and it is likely that many myths and legends of the Master Sword's origins came into existence due to its legendary status and association with countless incarnations of the hero.

Design
The Master Sword is a double-edged longsword with no fuller and a purple or blue hilt, although on the box art of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the hilt is golden. The sword's crossguard is noticeably large and elaborate in relation to its pommel, and is reminiscent of the seal of Hyrule's Royal Family. The blade possesses a ricasso, although Link is never portrayed using it. The Triforce is engraved on the base of the blade, and embedded in the crossguard is what appears to be a yellow gemstone.

In The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the state of the gem and crossguard seems to be indicative of the sword's power; when Link first acquires the unawakened Master Sword, the gem in its crossguard is dark, and the guard itself seems to have retracted toward the grip. Only once the sword has been restored to its full power does its hilt regain its signature appearance, and its blade again radiates a mystical light. This theory is reinforced in Skyward Sword during the forging of the Master Sword. The Unpowered Master Sword and the Fully Powered Master Sword have a retracted and an outstretched wing crossguard, respectively.

Abilities
More than mere steel, the Master Sword holds the power to repel those aligned with evil. The magic of the Master Sword also seems to prevent it from ever being physically damaged. In Twilight Princess, the Temple of Time falls into ruin over the centuries, but the Master Sword and its pedestal both appear untouched by the ravages of time when Link discovers it in the Sacred Grove. Though never actually depicted in the series, it is implied that those aligned with evil are incapable of even touching (or wielding) the Master Sword as long as it possesses the power to repel evil and it is this that prevents evil beings from stealing the sword from Link. However it is shown that other people besides Link who are not aligned with evil, such as Princess Zelda (and her various incarnations) are capable of touching, picking up, and holding the Master Sword after it has been removed from its pedestal by Link. Princess Zelda held the sword shortly before the final confrontation with Ganondorf in The Wind Waker, and Princess Zelda placed the Master Sword in its pedestal after Link is placed in the Shrine of Resurrection in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Additionally, the Master Sword sometimes holds the power to unleash a mighty beam to smite enemies. It also has the ability to release the power of the Bombos, Ether, and Quake Medallions seen in A Link to the Past. The Master Sword also seemingly protects its user from evil auras, curses, and transformations. After obtaining the Master Sword in Twilight Princess, Link is no longer involuntarily transformed into his wolf form, except under the influence of the Shadow Crystal Fog within the Palace of Twilight. The Master Sword is also capable of absorbing energy in various forms, ranging from electricity to the Sols, in order to augment its attacks. In Skyward Sword, it inherits the Goddess Sword's ability to unleash Skyward Strikes and is likely related to its ability to unleash Sword Beams depicted in games that take place after Skyward Sword.

The Master Sword also has the ability to dispel magical barriers that other weapons and items are ineffective against. In A Link to the Past, Link must use the Master Sword to destroy the barrier blocking the entrance to the top level of Hyrule Castle to progress through the dungeon, and confront the evil wizard Agahnim. In The Wind Waker, Link finds himself blocked by a magical barrier that encompasses all of Hyrule Castle. A single strike with the fully-restored Master Sword causes the entire barrier to shatter like glass.

Along with these abilities, the Master Sword can also seal evil, as it not only managed to seal away the remains of Demise, but also managed to petrify Ganondorf entirely (including his swords) when Link stabbed him in the forehead with it in The Wind Waker. This sealing power can affect time itself, as Link in Ocarina of Time used it to time travel.

One unexplained aspect of the Master Sword is its scabbard, which somehow always mysteriously appears on Link's back upon obtaining the Master Sword from its pedestal. Though unconfirmed, it is likely that the scabbard itself is magical in nature and linked to the sword itself. In Skyward Sword, the Goddess Sword's scabbard changes along with the Goddess Sword every time it is bathed in the sacred flames until it is transformed into the Master Sword and its scabbard, reinforcing the idea the Master Sword and its scabbard share a mystical connection to one another.

Despite these impressive abilities, the Master Sword is not flawless. For example, in Ocarina of Time, if the user were to be deemed too young to wield the Master Sword, they would be sealed until they mature enough. Also, in The Wind Waker, the Master Sword relied on the prayers of the Sages of Earth and Wind to activate its full power making it incapable of stopping Ganondorf when the sages were killed. It was however shown that the successors of the previous sages can fill in their place and help reactivate the Master Sword's true power. The Master Sword also seemingly cannot be permanently upgraded, as it seems to revert back to its original form upon being placed back in its pedestal. It can however be downgraded permanently unless someone or something remedies it.

In Breath of the Wild, the blade of the Master Sword can be worn, rusty, and attract lightning during thunderstorms. However it is apparently capable of repairing damage over time, as it is shown completely restored to its original undamaged state one century after the Great Calamity. When originally found by Link, the sword is stuck in its pedestal, which requires Link to have the correct "strength" to pull the Master Sword, being thirteen hearts. If he were to try and pull the Master Sword from its pedestal, while lacking the strength to do so, the Master Sword will slowly drain Link`s hearts until he either lets go or dies as a result. Despite boasting the Goddess Hylia's power, the Master Sword's power is not unlimited and will become temporarily unavailable for ten minutes if used too much on enemies not completely affiliated with the Calamity, such as Bokoblins.

It is unknown why the Master Sword sometimes has different abilities and restraints, although it is likely because of game restraints. An alternative reason could be because its abilities and restraints just differs between each wielder.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
According to Hylian legend, The Master Sword can only be wielded by someone brave, honest and strong. The Hylians embedded the blade in a stone monument deep within the Lost Woods, then awaited the day that a worthy warrior would come to claim it. According to the legend, only the true hero, who descends from the Knights of Hyrule, could earn the three Pendants and remove the sword from the stone.

An ancient Hylian message was inscribed on the stone monument that held the Master Sword. Only one well-versed in the Mudoran would be able to translate the script. Decoy swords were also hidden in the woods. They fooled some but paled in comparison to the real thing.

The Master Sword rests in the Lost Woods of northwestern Hyrule. There are many Fake Swords in the forest, and the real one is in a grove. In the grove, there is a pedestal with the master sword in it and ancient Hylian inscribed on it. During the game, Link must obtain the Master Sword in order to defeat the Dark Wizard Agahnim. Before he can wield the sword, however, Link must obtain three Pendants of Virtue from three temples throughout the land. Link does so, defeating Agahnim and ultimately Ganon himself with the sacred blade. At the end of the game, it is stated that after Link placed the Master Sword back into its pedestal, it rested there for eternity, never to be used again. This was however, been proven wrong as of the timeline being revealed. Strangely, even if Link has upgraded his sword to the Tempered Sword or the Golden Sword, when it is placed back into the pedestal, it is shown to be the normal, unaltered Master Sword.

The Master Sword deals twice the damage of the Fighter's Sword, and can fire sword beams when Link's health is full. It also allows Link to obtain and use the Bombos, Ether, and Quake Medallions. Notably, the Master Sword cannot damage Ganon without use of the Spin Attack. Later in the game, Link can upgrade it to the Tempered Sword by bringing it to the Dwarven Swordsmiths. The Tempered Sword can be further upgraded to the Golden Sword by throwing it into the Mysterious Pond at the base of the Pyramid.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Master Sword resides in the Temple of Time, where it serves as the final key to opening the gateway to the Sacred Realm, resting place of the Triforce. The blade is said to be legendary within the game, indicating that it has attained mythical status in the eyes of Hyrule's people, apparently having been wielded by the original Hero of Time. Before Link can obtain it he must collect the three Spiritual Stones and obtain the Ocarina of Time. When Link pulls the sword out of the Pedestal of Time, Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, enters the Sacred Realm and seizes the Triforce. Because Ganondorf's heart is not in balance, the Triforce splits into three parts, leaving Ganondorf with the Triforce of Power. Link and Navi, meanwhile, enter a seven-year slumber until Link is old and mature enough to wield the Master Sword in the fight against Ganondorf, now the King of Evil.

At the end of the game, with evil defeated, Link again lays the Master Sword to rest in its chamber. It seems that the Master Sword later lost it's ability to seal its user if they are deemed too young to wield it, as some of the other incarnations of Link were able to wield it despite being preteens. It also seems that the Master Sword in the Adult Timeline lost some of its powers as well, as it required the prayers of the Sages of Earth and Wind to activate its full power.

The Master Sword deals twice the damage of the Kokiri Sword. As seen in the battles with Phantom Ganon and Ganondorf himself, the blade is able to rebound dark magic back at enemies in a version of Dead Man's Volley. The blade also possesses the ability to transport its wielder back and forth through time via the Pedestal of Time, allowing Link to alter events in both times, and to conquer trials in one time branch that he could not in the other.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
The Master Sword is the second and final upgrade to the Wooden Sword. It can only be obtained in a Linked Game, by delivering a certain secret between games in addition to completing that game's trading quest. Upon completion of the first of either of these tasks, Link's Wooden Sword is upgraded to the Noble Sword. Once the remaining objective is finished, the Noble Sword becomes the Master Sword.

In Oracle of Ages, Link must tell King Zora the secret from the Zora in the Hero's Cave in Holodrum, and complete the trading quest by having Patch repair the Broken Sword. King Zora will give Link a secret in return, which can be used to upgrade his sword in Oracle of Seasons by speaking to Farore.

In Oracle of Seasons, Link must tell the Old Man beneath Tick Tock's Clock Shop the secret from the Old Hag in Lynna City, and complete the trading quest by playing the Phonograph for the music-loving Deku Scrub. The Old Man will give Link a secret in return, which can be used to upgrade his sword in Oracle of Ages by speaking to Farore.

The Master Sword deals four times the damage of the Wooden Sword, and is entirely blue. It is the one of the two swords (the other being the Biggoron's Sword) that can damage General Onox and Ganon without use of the Spin Attack; in combination with the Red Ring, the sword can kill any non-boss enemies in one strike, aside from Blue Lynels, which would require two. It is possible that this Master Sword is not the same as the one that appears in other games: three of the four methods of acquiring it entail it being made from an existing sword, which does not share the Master Sword's traditional origins. However, the fourth method of obtaining it does involve pulling it from an unnamed pedestal in the Lost Woods, similar to how it is found in A Link to the Past and Twilight Princess.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
The Master Sword appears as a secret weapon in the Anniversary Edition for the Nintendo 3DS and the DSi. It is obtained after completing the Realm of Memories, a bonus area added to the Anniversary Edition that features locations from previous Zelda games. The Master Sword can shoot sword beams when Link is at full health.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Master Sword rests in a hidden chamber beneath Hyrule Castle, located deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea. When Hyrule was flooded at the climax of the Great Flood, the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time became the lock and key for a seal that would keep Hyrule and all in it&mdash;primarily Ganondorf and his army&mdash;frozen in time at the bottom of the sea. Only when the sword is drawn again can the seal be broken, and Hyrule reawakened. When Link claims the blade, he awakens Ganondorf's minions from their ancient slumber, unknowingly releasing the King of Evil's full power once again. He tries to cut down Ganondorf, but the villain is completely untouched and gloats that the sword's power is gone.

Link later learns that before he was sealed beneath the waves, Ganondorf caused the Master Sword to lose its power to repel evil by slaying the Sages of Earth and Wind. Link must awaken two new Sages in order to restore that power. With this done, he is able to break the magical barrier protecting Ganon's Tower inside Hyrule. Link then battles Ganondorf atop his tower, and after a long and hard-fought battle, thrusts the Master Sword into the Dark Lord's forehead. Ganondorf then turns to stone, with the Master Sword remaining stuck in his forehead&mdash;presumably for all time. As the waters of the Great Sea overtake Hyrule per Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule's wish, he bids Link and Zelda to "live for the future," and elects to pass with his kingdom while Link and Zelda are delivered safely to the surface.

In this incarnation, the Master Sword is notably smaller than other versions of the blade. This was likely simply a technical decision by the developers, given Link's diminutive size in The Wind Waker, although it is possible that the Master Sword is actually able to magically adapt to the size of its user.

In the Japanese version, however, the game only specifies that drawing the Master Sword released Ganon's minions from their slumber, without even implying that it also sealed Ganon's powers.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Master Sword sleeps in the ruins of the Temple of Time, presumably the very same temple where the Hero of Time set the sword at the end of his adventure in Ocarina of Time. However, the temple has fallen into disrepair, and the surrounding area is now a deep forest.

After Zant curses Link, forcing him to remain as a wolf, Princess Zelda explains that only the Master Sword can cure the evil that cloaks him. Upon touching the blade, Link changes back into a Hylian. If he uses the Hawkeye to look closely at the pedestal, Link can see some small Hylian writing that translates to "Master Sword Master Sword". When he returns to the Sacred Grove later on, Link momentarily inserts the Master Sword into its pedestal to gain access to the Temple of Time as it was in its prime. Inside the restored temple, Link again briefly inserts the Master Sword into its pedestal, this time revealing a hidden path to the dungeon portion of the temple.

Later in the game, Link returns the Sols to their proper place in the Twilight Realm, and their power merges with the Master Sword. This transforms the blade radically as long as it remains within the Twilight Realm: it radiates golden light fiercely, cuts through Shadow Crystal Fog, and defeats Twilit enemies with a single blow. However, inside any of the indoor portions of the Palace of Twilight, the sword has a fainter bluish glow as opposed to the bright golden light the blade emits outdoors. In the final battle against Ganondorf, Link uses the Ending Blow to impale the King of Evil with the Master Sword. After Ganondorf's defeat, peace reigns once again, Link places the sacred blade back into its pedestal during the end credits. This mirrors the endings of Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past, in which the Hero returns the sword to rest, where it awaits the day when it is needed to battle evil once again.

This incarnation of the Master Sword is noticeably longer than the Master Sword of Ocarina of Time, more closely fitting the description of a longsword.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Initially, the Master Sword is called the Goddess Sword, which rests in a pedestal within the hidden chamber inside the Statue of the Goddess, on the floating island of Skyloft. The sword is sentient, and projects its spirit in the shape of an A.I.-like female humanoid named Fi. Fi contacts its predestined owner, Link, in response to the disappearance of Zelda, and to the weakening and inevitable breaking of Demise's seal on the Surface. After leading him to the sword pedestal, Fi informs Link that in order to save Zelda, he must verify his identity as her master and wield her.

As the game progresses, the Goddess Sword is purified and tempered by three sacred flames, each of which physically and spiritually transform the sword, altering its shape and granting it new powers, until it becomes the nearly-completed "Master Sword". Finally, it is blessed by Zelda, the mortal incarnation of the Goddess Hylia, and thus transforms into what the game refers to as the "True Master Sword", which is the incarnation whose appearance most closely resembles that of the Master Sword in other games. Oddly enough, despite its in game description stating that Link is the only one who can wield the Master Sword, if Link replays the first fight with Ghirahim in the Lightning Round he is still able to steal the True Master Sword from Link, though this is most likely the result of a game mechanic or the Ghirahim (and other enemies) fought in the Lighting Round is simply a creation of Lanayru that tests Link's abilities.

Later on in the game, while Link is searching for Eldin's part of the "Song of the Hero", he is ambushed by Bokoblins, and the Master Sword is briefly taken from him. He is then able to recover it at the Volcano Summit, where Fi apologizes for the ordeal.

At the climax of the game, Demise is absorbed into the sword. After absorbing the remains of Demise, the Master Sword is placed within the Sealed Grounds, to allow time for the fiend to be completely dissolved within the blade. This, however, signifies the end of the partnership between Link and Fi as she enters a hibernation cycle, but not before saying goodbye as well as hoping to meet him again in his next life. This may have been a nod to the other incarnations of Link who wielded the Master Sword. The Master Sword later seems to have gained an age restriction to its user as shown Ocarina of Time, until it later lost said restriction in further sequels.

A gameplay mechanic reintroduced in this game is the sword beam; the Goddess Sword has the ability to absorb and release energy from the heavens, known as a Skyward Strike, which is unleashed as a wide sword beam. Initially, these beams have very limited range, and only half the attack power of a regular sword slash, though they are able to knock down opponents. Once the sword is tempered into the Goddess Longsword, the damage a Skyward Strike deals is doubled along with the sword's regular attack power. Once the sword attains its final form as the True Master Sword, the range of Skyward Strikes vastly improves, the time needed to charge the attack is dramatically decreased, and the beam does more damage than before. Unlike in other games with sword beams, Link does not need to be at full health to activate the Skyward Strike, but must first charge his sword by raising the blade high above his head and aiming it skyward, causing it to flash, signaling it is ready to discharge. In the game's Hero Mode, the Skyward Strike behaves from the beginning like the True Master Sword's version of the attack in a regular game, and when the Master Sword is forged, the charging time for the Skyward Strike is completely removed, as Link can simply raise his blade and instantly charge it.

Another mechanic exclusive to the True Master Sword is its ability to break through enemy guards, most notable during the Horde Battle. Whenever weaker enemies such as Bokoblins guard against Link's attack, their guard is broken and they are thrown off balance, leaving them open to another attack.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
The Master Sword lies in the Lost Woods where Link left it at the end of A Link to the Past. the Pendants of Virtue again being required to pull it from the pedestal. It is required to break the seal on Hyrule Castle, and fires beams at full health similarly to A Link to the Past. If the blade and two chunks of Master Ore are taken to the Hyrule Blacksmith, he upgrades it to the Master Sword Lv2, which deals twice the damage the Master Sword deals. If Link then takes the upgraded sword and two more chunks of Master Ore to the Lorule Blacksmith, he will upgrade it to the Master Sword Lv3, which does twice as much damage as the Master Sword Lv2.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In Breath of the Wild, the Master Sword of Resurrection can be found resting on its pedestal, directly south of the Great Deku Tree, within Korok Forest in the Great Hyrule Forest. Princess Zelda gives Link the Master Sword in his quest to defeat Calamity Ganon. However, it is revealed to Link that if a person who is deemed weak attempts to draw the Master Sword from the pedestal, they will slowly lose their life. Link must be powerful enough to be able to draw the blade from its resting slumber and have at least thirteen hearts in order to collect it. Temporary yellow heart containers obtained from staying at inns, stables, or from eating "Hearty" food dishes do not count, thus Link must obtain Heart Containers by trading Spirit Orbs obtained from Shrines to Goddess Statues for Heart Containers or trade by trading any Stamina Vessels to the Horned Statue in Hateno Village to obtain the required number of Heart Containers to obtain the sword. Link must also travel through the Lost Woods to reach Korok Forest where the Master Sword rests, though he can activate the nearby Keo Ruug Shrine make return trips to Korok Forest easier. Unlike past games, once Link has the required number of hearts to remove it, he can travel to the forest to obtain the sword at any point after leaving the Great Plateau.

Though it is referred to as the Master Sword of Resurrection in some official material related to Breath of the Wild, it is known as the Master Sword in-game. It is also referred to as the Sword of Legend ("My Hero"), The Hero's Sword ("The Hero's Sword"), though it is commonly refer by most Hylians as the The Sword that Seals the Darkness.

A heavily-weathered Master Sword resting in its pedestal appears briefly at the end of the 2016 E3 trailer and also in the game's logo with the Silent Princess flower. The European and Japanese collector editions as well as the North American master edition releases contain a statue of the Master Sword with a Silent Princess.

Story
Upon obtaining the Master Sword, Link will gain a new memory. Unlike the other memories in this game, this one does not belong to Link, rather it is a memory of Princess Zelda's. In this later one, she discusses with The Great Deku Tree and reveals that the sword told her that her destiny was not finished. She then places the sword in its pedestal, thus guarded by The Great Deku Tree and the Koroks for a century, waiting for Link's return. In the memory, the Master Sword is shown to be heavily-weathered and rusted, but one hundred years later, the sword looks completely repaired. Like Link recovering from his injuries inside the Shrine of Resurrection, the Master Sword had presumably repaired itself over the years.

Several travelers encountered by Link are searching for the legendary blade, despite only usable by the chosen hero. Traysi also writes a "Rumor Mill" article about it entitled "The Sword That Seals The Darkness", which Link can read at Rito Stable. Humorously, Yolero who works at the Wetland Stable mistakenly believes the hero's legendary weapon to be a Torch called the "Master Torch" which he believes to have found causing him to believe himself to be the legendary hero chosen by the "Master Torch", failing to realize it is just an ordinary torch and if Link shows him the Master Sword, he will mistakenly believe its a an off-brand knockoff of his "Master Torch" and continues to mistakenly believe his torch is the hero's legendary weapon.

Attributes
The Master Sword has a base strength of 30 damage, however, its true holy splendor is awakened in the presence of evil and while Link is in certain areas and near certain enemies, such as Ganon, the blade glows with a characteristic blue aura which effectively serves as game's iteration of the "True Master Sword" as it represents the Master Sword's full powered state. In this true state, the Master Sword's damage is doubled, bringing its strength to 60 damage, making the Blade of Evil's Bane the most powerful single-handed weapon in the game Like all other weapons, it has durability and can be rendered unusable after extensive use. Its durability increases slightly in its "True" glowing state. However, unlike other blades, it does not break completely nor disappears from Link's inventory, and has the ability to auto-repair itself to gradually recover its lost durability after some time, restoring itself back to its original, fully repaired condition.

Furthermore, when the Master Sword is in its true state and has its holy power awakened, its durability is increased slightly, though it can still lose power and must recharge as all the state does is increase its durability which if the sword is used sparingly in this state makes it seem like it doesn't require a recharge. Like all metal weapons, bows, and shields, it attracts lightning during thunderstorms thus Link must either wear the Thunder Helm or Unshockable "Rubber" armor set to protect himself from lightning strikes if he wishes to wield it during thunderstorms. The Master Sword has its own special slot in the weapons inventory thus Link does not need a free space open to carry it. However the Master Sword cannot be mounted on the any of the weapon mounts in his house. The Master Sword cannot be removed from Link's inventory once obtained (with the exception of "Stranded on Eventide" and "EX Trial of the Sword") nor can he be disarmed of it if hit by a Shock Arrow or electric attacks, thus making it immune to the disarming effect of Shock damage. Link can also take a picture of the Master Sword with the Camera Rune to add it to the Hyrule Compendium.

Master Sword Beam
Unlike the other weapons in the game, the Master Sword cannot be "tossed" at enemies. Instead, it will fire Sword Beams, provided that Link is not injured and his health is full of red hearts (yellow extra hearts are not counted). These beams resemble the slash waves produced by the Skyward Strike. Like elemental magic casted by rods, each Master Sword Beam Link fires reduces its durability. Additionally the more Heart Containers Link has the further Link's Master Sword Beams can travel.

Several Hero's Clothes armor sets are based on Link's traditional green tunics from any games, they all grant a set bonus that increase the power of Link's Master Sword beams, though only after being upgraded to Level 2 or higher.

The Master Trials DLC
As part of "The Master Trials" DLC, a new side quest is unlocked called "EX Trial of the Sword" in which Link is directed by a mysterious voice to speak to the Great Deku Tree about a glorious trial. After returning to Korok Forest and approaching the Master Sword's pedestal, a cutscene is triggered where the Great Deku Tree informs Link that the Master Sword has not yet reached its true splendor and that the trial will test him to ensure he is truly worthy of this splendor.

During the trial, the weapons, armor, materials, cooked food, and Champion abilities Link currently possesses are sealed and he must face enemies without the tools he has come to rely on making the trial similar to the "Stranded on Eventide" shrine quest as it forces Link to rely on his Runes and items obtained during the trial.

To start the trial Link must place the Master Sword back in its pedestal and is transported to Sword Monk's Shrine which is made up of 45 floors. Link is unable to access the trial if the Master Sword is in its "recharge" state.

After completing all 45 floors, he finds the Master Sword in a pedestal surrounded by seven unnamed Sheikah Monks responsible for the preparing the trial and now deem Link worthy of the fully awakened Master Sword. They then disappear, having fulfilled their duty, leaving Link to pull out the now fully awakened Master Sword, which causes the sword to remain permanently in its true state allowing Link to use its full power at all times.

Hyrule Warriors
The Master Sword appears as the strongest sword weapon in Link's arsenal. It also serves as a plot device for the story mode of Hyrule Warriors. When Ganondorf's soul was split into four fragments, one fragment was sealed by the Master Sword in the Temple of the Sacred Sword. The sorceress Cia manages to release three of the soul fragments from across the periods of Hyrule's history, but the Master Sword holds the fourth fragment in place until Link raises it from its pedestal. The sword reaches its full power when Link realizes that he has his friends and allies to help him out, as the initial power of the sword leads to Link becoming reckless and overconfident in battle.

Over time, the sword's absence weakens the seal binding the last soul fragment, eventually allowing Ganondorf to be fully resurrected. The sword plays a major role in the final defeat of Ganondorf before Link and Princess Zelda return it to its pedestal.

The Master Sword is unique among Link's weapons, as no duplicates of it can be obtained. Despite is similarities to the Hylian Sword type, the Master Sword has its own unique type that lacks different weapon levels. The Master Sword has one skill which will remain locked until the player unlocks all other weapons and types for each character, at which point it can be unlocked by killing 25,000 enemies with the weapon. The Master Sword will then receive the skill "Evil's Bane" which will give an extra 200 points towards the Master Sword's base attack making the Master Sword the strongest weapon in the game with a base attack of 500. If the skill is not yet unlocked the Master Sword will have a base power of 300.

Like the Hylian Sword type, the Master Sword has a Light Elemental Attribute. Its moves are identical to the Hylian Sword's, but with some modified to be larger or more effective, usually when Link is at full health.

Hyrule Warriors Legends
The Master Sword returns as a unique weapon for Link and its role remains unchanged. However in addition to its Evil's Bane skill, it gains a second skill that increases its base power to 900. The Evil's Bane skill also now only requires 10,000 enemies to unlock it, though still requires that all weapons and types (save for the new Level 4 and DLC weapons) be unlocked. In order to unlock its second skill, all Level 4 (plus-grade) weapons must be unlocked and then Link must defeat 25,000 enemies with it to unlock the skill.

Interestingly, despite returning the Master Sword to its pedestal following Ganon's defeat, Link can still select the Master Sword in the Wind Waker storyline, that takes place after Ganon's defeat.

Soulcalibur II
The Master Sword, along with the Hylian Shield, appears as Link's standard weapon in the Nintendo GameCube version of Soulcalibur II. In the game, it is Link's most balanced weapon.

Super Smash Bros. series
Link wields the Master Sword in battle in all four Super Smash Bros. games. A trophy depicting the Master Sword can also be won in the Adventure Mode of Super Smash Bros. Melee. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Toon Link uses the Master Sword from The Wind Waker. In the Subspace Emissary mode of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Link pulls the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time in the first cutscene he appears in. Link wields the Ocarina of Time version of the weapon in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, and wields the Twilight Princess version in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.

Mario Kart 8
The Master Sword appears in the Temple of Time in Hyrule Castle on Hyrule Circuit. Link also briefly pulls it out when performing a trick, and pulls it out and taunts with it when he is selected on the character select screen.

Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2
In Bayonetta 2 and the Wii U version of Bayonetta, the titular character can equip the Master Sword by using the Hero of Hyrule costume set. It will remain in its scabbard in normal play but will replace the Shuraba if Bayonetta is using that weapon. Additionally she may perform the Spin Attack, a property not normally available to the sword. The Master Sword can also be obtained as a standard weapon in both games where it will function the same way as it would when using the Hero of Hyrule costume regardless as to how Bayonetta is dressed. As a result of overwriting the Shuraba weapon, Bayonetta will wield the sword like a katana, a vastly different style to how Link naturally uses the weapon.

One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X
In ''One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X'', using a Link amiibo will unlock a Link costume for Roronoa Zoro which comes complete with Master Sword and Hylian Shield. In the game, while wearing the Link outfit Zoro wields the Master Sword in his mouth as part of his Santoryu (three-sword style) fighting style.