Master Sword

The Master Sword, often referred to as the Blade of Evil's Bane, is an ancient sword that reappears throughout the Legend of Zelda series. This sword, crafted by the Ancient Sages, has the power to vanquish beings of evil.

History
At one point in the ancient land of Hyrule, the Ancient Sages forged a sword to repel evil, since they knew evil ones could abuse the Triforce. Made centuries before becoming Link's most beloved weapon, it will not allow itself to be held by just anyone. Only those that are pure of heart and strong of body may lay their hands on the Master Sword.

Design
The Master Sword is a double-edged longsword with no fuller, and either a purple or blue hilt, depending on the game. It has a golden emblem, and the Triforce symbol is engraved onto the blade. In the middle of a hilt is a yellow gem.

The yellow gem appears to be the source of the blade's power. The state of the gem and hilt seems to be a good indication of this power: in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, when the player first acquires the Master Sword, the gem in its center is small and gray and the hilt guard is locked upward, indicating that its power had to be reawakened.

Abilities
More than mere steel, the Master Sword holds the power to repel those aligned with evil and to banish Twilight. The magic of the Master Sword seems to prevent it from ever being physically damaged. It weathered centuries in the elements as the Temple of Time fell into ruin and eventually collapsed, leaving only the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time, both seemingly protected from the tear of time, to remain in the Sacred Grove when the Links of Twilight Princess and A Link to the Past would find the blade and wield it in the same manner as their predecessor and ancestor, the blade's first master, the Hero of Time.

Additionally, the Master Sword sometimes holds the power to unleash a mighty beam to smite enemies. This only works in A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages, and Oracle of Seasons when Link's health is full.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Master Sword first appeared under that very name in A Link to the Past. The legendary blade rests in the Lost Woods of northwestern Hyrule in a pedestal with ancient Hylian inscribed on it. The ancient text says the hero with three symbols of virtue will wield it on cataclysm's eve. However, this is likely relating the story of the sword's first master, the Hero of Time (who was the Legendary Hero at the time of the Great Cataclysm in Ocarina of Time), that triumphed over many enemies on the very eve of the Great Cataclysm and won the three Spiritual Stones, the necessary keys to open the way to the Master Sword. This would mean that the "three symbols of virtue" were the three Spiritual Stones, giving credence to the possibility that the stones may have been transformed into the Pendants of Virtue at some point following the Imprisoning War and retained their role as necessary keys needed to unlock the Master Sword from its resting place.

If the inscription on the Pedestal of Time (the sword's pedestal) is referring to the story of the Hero of Time, this would suggest that the Hero of Time was a descendant of the Knights of Hyrule ("keeping the Knights' line true) and lend credence to the possibility that the Link in A Link to the Past is a descendant of the Hero of Time since it is noted that the Link in A Link to the Past is the last of the Knights' bloodline and that the Hero of Time kept the Knights' line true at the time of the Great Cataclysm (when all the Knights of Hyrule were wiped out). It is the second sword acquired in the game, and the third and fourth swords are more powerful versions of the Master Sword.

At the end of the game, it is stated that after Link placed the Master Sword back into the Pedestal of Time, it rested there for eternity, never to be used again.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, the legendary blade resides in the Temple of Time. Before Link can obtain it, he must collect all the three Spiritual Stones, and get the Ocarina of Time. This sword acts as a kind of key which allows Link to travel through time. It also deals twice as much damage as the Kokiri Sword. When he pulls out the sword, Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves enters the Sacred Realm and takes the Triforce of Power. Link's mind is put in a 7 year stasis until he is old and mature enough to take on Ganondorf, now the King of Evil. The Master Sword can be put back into the Pedestal of Time after Link clears the first temple, the Forest Temple, allowing Link to travel back in time to when he was a youth.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons''
If the player creates a new linked game, Link can obtain a sword called the Master Sword by fulfilling certain tasks. It is twice as damaging as the Noble Sword. However, it is unlikely this is the Master Sword most gamers are familiar with since this sword, unlike the true Master Sword, was not taken from the Pedestal of Time as it has always been previously. Rauru states in Ocarina of Time that only those of the Hero bloodline may pull it from the Pedestal of Time when it is needed, and that was not the case in these two games. It is even stated at the end of A Link to the Past that the true Master Sword rested for eternity afterward, not to be used again in that branch of the timeline, further lessening this sword's chances of being the true Master Sword. Thus, this is likely a similar sword with similar powers, but it is unlikely this is the true Master Sword seen in A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
In The Wind Waker, the Master Sword rests in a hidden chamber beneath Hyrule Castle, located deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea. This Master Sword is also a kind of key, but this one is keeping the evil that haunted Hyrule trapped in time. When Link draws the blade, he awakens Ganon's army from their ancient slumber. Later Link Learns that the Master Sword, after many years of being under the Great Sea, has lost its power to repel evil and Link must awaken two sages in order to regain that power.

After the true power of the Master Sword is regained, Link battles Ganondorf. After a long and hard fought battle, Link thrusts the Master Sword into the forehead of Ganondorf, who turns to stone, leaving the sword stuck in his forehead.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Master Sword still sleeps in the Temple of Time where the Hero of Time had left it, however, the temple is in ruins and the area grew over the Sacred Grove. After Zant curses Link forcing him to remain as a wolf, Princess Zelda explains that only the Master Sword would be able to cleave the evil that cloaked him. Upon drawing the Master Sword, Link changes back into a Hylian.

After Link returns to the Temple of Time, he strikes the Pedestal of Time with the sword to unblock the Door of Time, which had been installed at some point as the main door to the Temple of Time. Going through the Door of Time, Link found himself back in the Temple of Time as it had stood in the days of the Hero of Time, his ancestor. Stabbing the Pedestal of Time with the Master Sword once more revealed a hidden staircase that went through a magical window behind the Pedestal of Time and revealed the dungeon portion of the Temple of Time.

Later in the game, the power of the Sols merge with the Master Sword, making it able to cut through Twilight. This is known as the Light Sword. In the final battle, Link uses the Ending Blow to impale Ganondorf. After Ganondorf's defeat, peace reigns once again, and the Master Sword is put back into the Pedestal of Time during the ending credits, mirroring the end of Ocarina of Time when the Hero of Time laid the blade to rest, awaiting the time when it would again be needed to battle evil.

Super Smash Bros.'' series
In the Super Smash Bros. series of games, Link wields the Master Sword in battle. A trophy depicting the Master Sword can also be won in Adventure Mode.

Soulcalibur II
The Master Sword, along with the Hylian Shield, appears as Link's main weapon in the GameCube version of Soulcalibur II.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
The Master Sword appears as an equippable weapon in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Shining Soul 2
The Master Sword appears as an equippable weapon in Shining Soul 2.

Animal Crossing series
In the Animal Crossing series, the Master Sword appears as a furniture item.

Espada Maestra