Goddess Statues are recurring Objects in The Legend of Zelda series,[name reference needed][1] each depicting Hyrule's patron goddess, Hylia.
Location and Uses[]
Skyward Sword[]
In addition to the Statue of the Goddess, there are many smaller-scale statues found in various locations in Skyward Sword such as the Skyview and Earth Springs, as well as the Isle of Songs where there are three statues that unlock messages from Hylia for Fi to deliver to Link, allowing her to teach him songs for the Goddess's Harp that will lead him to the first three Trial Gates.
Breath of the Wild[]
In the Era of the Wilds, Goddess Statues are ancient monuments to the Goddess, The Goddess Hylia. Despite their age, they are still used by the denizens of Hyrule Kingdom to pray to the Goddess. There are 20 total Goddess Statues located across Hyrule Kingdom, though only 14 can be prayed to.[note 1] Whenever Link collects four Spirit Orbs, he can pray to any of the Goddess Statues to confer with the Statues to exchange the four Spirit Orbs for a Heart Container or a Stamina Vessel,[2] which will increase Link's Life Gauge or Stamina respectively.[3] If Link runs out of Spirit Orbs after exchanging them for either reward, the Goddess Statues dismiss his and remind him of his journey to return peace to Hyrule Kingdom.[4]
Each major settlement in Hyrule Kingdom contains a Goddess Statue, even in Gerudo Town where belief in the Goddess faded in favor of local religious faith and practices.[1][5] The Goddess Statue in Kakariko Village is adorned with a red bib, which reflects the Japanese cultural influences on the Sheikah.[note 2] Even prior to its construction, the site of Tarrey Town contains a lone Goddess Statue in a pond. Goddess Statues can also be found in the Springs of Courage, Power, and Wisdom. These Goddess Statues are unique in that they guard Ancient Shrines and require offerings of Dinraal's Scales, Farosh's Scales, Naydra's Scales respectively from each of the eponymous Dragons before they reveal the ways to their Ancient Shrines. The oldest known Goddess Statue is located in the Forgotten Temple.[7]
If Link makes use of the Goddess Statue inside the Temple of Time before speaking to the Old Man on its roof, he will appear atop the roof and beckon Link to join him after commenting on the power granted to Link.[8] If not, he will advise him to do so during his explanation.[citation needed]
There also exists a Horned Statue in Hateno Village which allows Link to exchange his Heart Containers and Stamina Vessels. For a price, of course.
Tears of the Kingdom[]
All Goddess Statues from the previous game are still in Tears of the Kingdom, with a few changes. The Goddess Statue at the Forgotten Temple has been toppled due to the Upheaval. The Goddess Statues at the Springs of Wisdom, Courage, and Power wish to restore the statue at the temple, and cannot be used until an offering of their respective dragon's claw has been made to all of them, so Farosh's Claw to the Spring of Courage, and so forth. The state of the Goddess Statue at the Forgotten Temple must also be reported to the Springs, but only for one spring, as once it has been reported to one spring the remaining springs will only ask for the dragon claw.
There are three new Goddess Statues: one at the Emergency Shelter at Lookout Landing, one at the Temple of Time on the Great Sky Island, and one at Dragonhead Island.
The Goddess Statue at the Temple of Time on the Great Plateau cannot be used until the A Call from the Depths Side Adventure is completed.
The Horned Statue has been moved from Hateno Village to the Royal Hidden Passage.
Other Appearances[]
Cadence of Hyrule[]
Several Goddess Statues appear in Cadence of Hyrule, but only as decoration, they do not serve a story purpose.
Nomenclature[]
 Names in other regions  | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | Meaning | |
 | Japanese | 女神像 (Megami Zō) | Goddess Statue |
| This table was generated using translation pages. To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference. | |||
Gallery[]
A promotional image from the Winter 2021 issue of Nintendo Magazine featuring the Spring of Courage's Goddess Statue
A small statue of Hylia from Breath of the Wild
Kakariko Village's Goddess Statue from Breath of the Wild
Rito Village's Goddess Statue from Breath of the Wild
A Goddess Statue from Cadence of Hyrule
A Goddess Statue made from ice from Cadence of Hyrule
See Also[]
Trivia[]
- From an in-universe perspective, the Trophy from The Adventure of Link may be a Goddess Statue, even if its significance may have been forgotten over time. In the international versions of the game, the Trophy even has the same pose, while in the original Japanese version, the item is named the Megami Zō like all confirmed Goddess Statues.
Notes
- ↑ The Temple of Time contains seven Goddess Statues, though only the central Statue can be prayed to.
- ↑ The red bib of Kakariko Village's Goddess Statue is based on Japanese Buddhist statues of お地蔵様 (Ojizō-sama), a bodhisattva who is believed to protect children, pregnant women, and travelers.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oh, the Goddess Statue has been here since long before I was even born." — Muava (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power." — Goddess Statue (Breath of the Wild)
"It appears you have claimed four Spirit Orbs. In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will amplify your being. So tell me what it is that you desire." — Goddess Statue (Breath of the Wild) - ↑ "[Heart Container.] You wish for another Heart Container, yes?" — Goddess Statue (Breath of the Wild)
"[Yes.] I shall grant the power you seek." — Goddess Statue (Breath of the Wild) - ↑ "Go, and bring peace to Hyrule..." — Goddess Statue (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "No one here really believes in that stuff anymore, though, so they tend to avoid stopping here. Kind of like they avoid me..." — Muava (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "Jizo, protector of travelers: Jizo is the first deity most people encounter when they set foot in Japan. This is because he is the protector of travelers. You’ll find Jizo peeking out among the grasses along the road, standing at intersections, overseeing borders, or sitting in a wooden shelter built especially for him. Jizo is at temples too, where sometimes he holds a baby in his arms. He is found at boundaries between places both physical and spiritual, between here and there, life and death.
Jizo, protector of children: Jizo takes care of the souls of unborn children and those who die at a young age. Children “in limbo” in Japan are said to go to a place called sai no kawara, where they must create piles of stones into small towers. But every night the stone towers are destroyed by demons, so the next day the children must make new piles of stones. The making of these towers is to help their parents accrue merit for their own afterlife. This is why you sometimes see stray stones that have been made into little towers alongside Jizo statues. People make them for the souls of these children, to help them achieve their goals. People also leave toys, candy or fruit as offerings at the base of Jizo statues.
Women also pray to Jizo for fertility and easy childbirth. Some temples sell amulets for this purpose." — Amy Chavez, A guide to Jizo, guardian of travelers and the weak | The Japan Times, The Japan Times, published March 31, 2012, retrieved May 6, 2020. - ↑ "You've conquered all of the shrine trials. The monks have prepared a gift for just such an occasion. Head to the Forgotten Temple where the oldest statue of the Goddess stands to see what they have left for you there." — A Gift from the Monks (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "The blessing of the Goddess has made you that much more resilient, I see... Here I am... Get up here—quickly!" — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)