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The Lens of Truth,(OoT | MM | HW)[1][2] also referred to as the Eye of Truth,(OoT)[3] is a recurring Item in The Legend of Zelda series.

Location and Uses[]

Ocarina of Time[]

In Ocarina of Time, the Lens of Truth is found at the Bottom of the Well,[4] where Dead Hand guards it. Link first hears about it when Professor Shikashi in Kakariko Village tells him about a man who could see the truth and whose house stood where the well is now.[5]

The Lens of Truth allows the Hero of Time to see things that are not normally visible to the naked eye, such as fake walls and floors, and invisible objects and even enemies, including Bongo Bongo. It slowly drains the Magic Meter when used.[6] The Lens can also be used to see the contents of Treasure Chests in the Treasure Chest Game, making this mini-game significantly easier.

Despite its usefulness, especially in Bottom of the Well and Shadow Temple, the Lens of Truth is not actually required to complete the game. Any of the puzzles and traps based around it can be avoided and solved through luck, trial-and-error, or expert knowledge of the game.

Majora's Mask[]

In Majora's Mask, the Lens of Truth can be found in the Lone Peak Shrine, a cave east of the Goron Village in Snowhead. The cave can be reached by jumping across invisible platforms, which are revealed by Kaepora Gaebora's feathers.[7] The Lens of Truth in Majora's Mask functions identically as in the game's prequel, but has a zooming effect when triggered on or off, and can now be used to see the souls of deceased characters, such as Darmani III,[8] as well as characters that are totally unnoticeable, such as Shiro.[9] Unlike in Ocarina of Time, the Lens of Truth is required to complete the game.

Other Appearances[]

Hyrule Warriors[]

Lens of Truth HW

Sheik holding the Lens of Truth from Hyrule Warriors

The Lens of Truth is a relic that allows the wielder to dispel illusions in Hyrule Warriors.[10] It was left in The Water Temple by the Hero of Time.[11]

When Impa suspects that the person commanding the Dark Forces during the Era of the Hero of Time is not truly Princess Zelda as she claims, she urges her soldiers to ignore the fake princess's commands to cease their attack. Princess Ruto suggests they use the Lens of Truth, located somewhere in the Water Temple, to prove the alleged Zelda is an impostor.[11] While the Hyrulean Forces encircle the temple, the Zora Princess sneaks into the temple to search for the relic.[12] Ruto easily infiltrates the temple and finds the Lens of Truth, but before she can rejoin with her allies, the fake Zelda closes the Central Hall and traps her.[13][14] Frantic, Ruto instructs the Hyrulean Forces to open the floodgates inside the temple in order to reach the Gatekeeper holding the doors.[15] Pulling the two floodgate switches found in the temple's southeast and southwest rooms causes the moat surrounding the central chamber to recede, allowing the Hyrulean Forces to slay the Gatekeeper and free the Princess, who hands the Lens of Truth to Sheik before retreating the battlefield. Sheik uses the newly-acquired relic to reveal the hidden chamber, housing the Gate of Souls, from which the impostor is issuing her commands, and the Hyrulean Forces quickly engage her in combat.[10] After wearing down the impostor's stamina, Sheik uses the Lens of Truth to reveal their true identity: Wizzro.[16][17]

In Adventure Mode, the Lens of Truth is used as the selector icon for tiles that have not yet been unlocked.

Trivia[]

  • The Lens of Truth is simply a magical magnifying glass based on the Sheikah Eye Symbol.
  • In Ocarina of Time, from a glitch, if Link plays the Song of Storms and then uses the Lens of Truth, it will not drain his Magic Meter.
  • In the beta version of Ocarina of Time, the Spirit Medallion had the effect of the Lens of Truth. This is evidenced by data left in Ocarina of Time pointing the filename of the Spirit Medallion to the effect of the Lens of Truth. This would provide further proof that the Spirit Temple was meant to be completed before the Shadow Temple, since the Lens of Truth is required to navigate the latter.[citation needed]
  • The Lens of Truth in Hyrule Warriors is shown at a much larger size than it appears in Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask.
  • In Twilight Princess, the Howling Stone architectural design resembles the Lens of Truth, with both including the Sheikah Eye Symbol.
  • The sound effect of the Lens of Truth is an edited version of a stock sound by Warner Bros. Sound Effects Library, consisting of music bells ringing. Interestingly, the item uses only the beginning portion of the original sound effect.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapaneseまことのメガネ (Makoto no Megane) (OoT)[18]Same as English.
FranceFrenchEUMonocle de vérité (OoT3D)[19]Monocle of truth
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 129 (OoT | MM)
  2. "You have saved Ruto and obtained the Lens of Truth!" — N/A (Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition)
  3. "The Shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth handed down in Kakariko Village." — N/A (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  4. "I can hear the spirits whispering in this room... "Look for the eye of truth..." That's what they are saying!" — Navi (Ocarina of Time)
  5. "A long time ago... There was a man in this very village who had an eye they said could see the truth! Now usually, you have to train your mind's eye most strenuously to actually see the truth... But this fella, no, they say he had a different way of doing things... His house stood where the well is now..." — Professor Shikashi (Ocarina of Time)
  6. "You found the Lens of Truth! Set it to (C) and press (C) to look through it! Mysterious things are hidden everywhere! Be sure to try to use it outside of the well. Seeing the truth will cost magic power, so press (C) again to stop using it." — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
  7. "I shall take to the air now, flying toward that shrine across the way, so follow behind me. Do not be daunted by appearances. Instead, let your feelings guide you, and the true path shall open before you. Are you ready? Follow behind me!" — Kaepora Gaebora (Majora's Mask)
  8. "......... Can it be? Are you able to see me? If you truly can see me, then follow behind me..." — Darmani III (Majora's Mask)
  9. "I'm shocked. You're the first person who's ever spoken to me. I've been here for many years, waving my arms around and asking for help, but everyone ignores me and passes me by. It's 'cause I'm about as impressive as a stone, right?...I'm used to it, though." — Shiro (Majora's Mask)
  10. 10.0 10.1 "The Lens of Truth has revealed a hidden passageway!" — N/A (Hyrule Warriors)
  11. 11.0 11.1 "We could always use the Lens of Truth... A hero left it in the temple some time ago!" — Ruto (Hyrule Warriors)
  12. "I'll go underwater and find the Lens of Truth. We can meet back up later." — Ruto (Hyrule Warriors)
  13. "Getting in was easy. Now I just need to find the Lens of Truth itself... Here it is! The Lens of Truth! This is exactly what we need... [...] Oh, of course. I feared they were planning to trap me in here, and they have." — Ruto (Hyrule Warriors)
  14. "Zelda's strategy has closed the Central Hall!" — N/A (Hyrule Warriors)
  15. "Go and open the floodgates inside the temple! Doing that should free me! You have to seek out all the keeps with floodgate switches. Understand?" — Ruto (Hyrule Warriors)
  16. "How did you see through my disguise?" — Wizzro (Hyrule Warriors)
  17. "You can't be Zelda. Because... I am Zelda!" — Zelda (Hyrule Warriors)
  18. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 152
  19. [name reference needed]
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