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m (Etymology)
 
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{{Object
{{Timeline}}
 
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|name = Triforce
'''''[[The Legend of Zelda series|Legend of Zelda]]'' Timeline''' theory is perhaps the object of greatest debate amongst fans of the series. Nintendo's unconventional formula of "Gameplay first, Story Later" has arguably produced some of the greatest games of all time, but it has also resulted in an incoherent chronology - full of loose ends, contradictions, and general confusion. Fortunately, this has motivated fans to do all they can to sift, sort, and organize the ''Legend of Zelda'' canon.
 
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|image = [[File:ALBW Triforce.png|200px]]
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|caption = The Triforce from ''A Link Between Worlds''
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|game = See below
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|other = See [[Triforce/Other Appearances|here]]
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|uses = Granting mortals wishes
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|comp = [[Force Gem]]s<br>[[Light Force]]
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|theme music =
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}}
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The '''Triforce''' (pronounced {{IPA|ˈtraɪˌfɔəɹs}} {{respell|TRY|foarss}}){{fact}} is a sacred golden relic left behind by the [[Golden Goddesses]], [[Din (Goddess)|Din]], [[Nayru (Goddess)|Nayru]], and [[Farore (Goddess)|Farore]], once they finished creating the realm, which came to be known as [[Hyrule]].<ref name=Quote4>{{Cite manual|quote=After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=Upon leaving the world, the goddesses left behind the Triforce: three golden triangles. It is said that any wish the possessor of the Triforce desires will come true...|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=70|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The Goddess [[Hylia]] was tasked with the protection of this world and the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The golden goddesses departed from the world they created and left the Triforce in care of the goddess Hylia.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=70|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
   
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The Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the [[#Triforce of Power|Triforce of Power]] is always depicted as the top piece, with the [[#Triforce of Courage|Triforce of Courage]] typically represented by the right piece, and the [[#Triforce of Wisdom|Triforce of Wisdom]] typically represented by the left piece.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The top triangle represents power, the bottom left represents wisdom, and the bottom right represents courage.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=76}}</ref> Although the Triforce was created by gods, it can never be used by one,<ref>{{Cite|For while the supreme power of the Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one. Knowing this power was her last and only hope, the goddess gave up her divine powers and her immortal form.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> possibly the goddesses' way of giving hope to all the mortal beings in Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|Somehow, I think that may have been their way of giving hope to all the mortal beings of the land.|Zelda|SS}}</ref>
   
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The Triforce is the ultimate source of power in the ''Zelda'' series and serves as the balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.<ref>{{Cite|The Triforce...the sacred triangle...it is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> It has the ability to grant the wish of those who obtain it, regardless of whether the person's intentions are "good" or "evil".<ref name=wish/><ref name=Quote13/><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Triforce grants wishes to those who touch it. Since the Triforce does not distinguish between good or evil, it allows both good and bad wishes.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=70|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The Triforce can also change the appearance of the [[Sacred Realm]] to reflect the heart of the person who enters it.<ref name=sheik>{{Cite|If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart...the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise.|Sheik|OOT}}</ref> Since the Triforce is the basis of Hyrule's providence,<ref name=providence/> a crest bearing the image of the Triforce serves as the [[Royal Crest|official crest]] of the [[Royal Family of Hyrule]].
==Overview==
 
Since the days of ''Pong'', videogame storylines have endured an amazing evolution, moving from simple "slay the dragon" conflict, through "save the princess" heroism, and into wonderfully deep epics. Early installments of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series emerged at a very interesting point of this process; a point where the market was divided between casual platformers and plot-focused [[RPG]]s.
 
   
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During the [[Zelda Timeline#The Era of the Goddess Hylia|Era of the Goddess Hylia]], [[Demise]] and his hordes launched an attack to the surface, in an attempt to get their hands on the omnipotent relic.<ref name=demise/> It is currently unknown whether the Triforce was already located in the [[Sacred Realm]] at that point. It is certain though, that during the [[Zelda Timeline#The Era of Chaos|Era of Chaos]] the Triforce was already in the Sacred Realm, and that the ancient Sage [[Rauru]] constructed the [[Temple of Time]], which contained the only, sealed entrance to the [[Sacred Realm]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Rauru, the Sage of Light, constructed the Temple of Time, which contained the only existing entrance to the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce was located.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The legendary Master Sword that lay behind the door served as the final key to the Sacred Realm.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=86|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The Triforce was placed in the [[Temple of Light]], at the center of the Sacred Realm, where it remained undisturbed for many ages until the events of {{OoT}}.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Triforce was placed in the Temple of Light, located in the Sacred Realm, which was now isolated from Hyrule. Protecting the Triforce in the Temple of Light, Rauru became the guardian of the power of the gods.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil...|Rauru|OoT}}</ref>
''Zelda'' found a niche market somewhere in the middle. This is reflected in the storyline of such games as ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'', which are simple and yet inspiring. Over the years, Nintendo has kept to this trend. Developers often focus foremost on gameplay and theme, and generally only decide on a definite storyline close to the completion of development. Resulting games are well-connected to the overall ''Legend of Zelda'' universe - and consider elements of games past - but do not often present immediate or obvious chronological connections.
 
   
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==Legends of the Triforce==
In the early stages, this worked wonderfully. The first five ''Legend of Zelda'' releases were easily understood and organized. In 1998, the timeline had room even for the content of the ''Legend of Zelda'' [[television show]] and [[manga]], as well as the mistakes of [[Nintendo of America|NoA]], which would later be considered non-canonical.
 
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[[File:GoldenLand.png|thumb|right|The Triforce within its resting place in the Sacred Realm]]
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The Goddesses ordained the Triforce as Hyrule’s providence, the ‘True Force’ to govern all and the ultimate source of power.<ref name=providence>{{Cite|And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite manual|quote=A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref> Of all the powerful mystical forces in the realm of Hyrule, none compare to the Triforce; thus, whoever claims the Triforce gains virtual omnipotence, their power, wisdom or courage dwarfed only by the Goddesses themselves.<ref name=Quote2>{{Cite manual|quote=Although it was an inanimate object, the Triforce had the power to bestow three titles which gave the person who received them great powers: "The Forger of Strength", "The Keeper of Knowledge," and "The Juror of Courage."|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref> The Triforce ultimately determines Hyrule's destiny, such that if a person with a righteous heart claims the Triforce, Hyrule will enter into a golden age of peace and prosperity. But, if a person with a wicked heart captures the Triforce, the kingdom will inevitably fall into an age of darkness. However, it is prophesied that if one with an evil heart were to claim the Triforce, a [[Link|Hero]] is destined to stand against him.<ref>{{Cite|When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. [...] Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world...|Sheik|OoT}}</ref>
   
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The Triforce contains the essence of the Goddesses, but unlike the Goddesses, it does not discriminate between those who are good or evil. It grants the wishes of whoever obtains it, regardless of their motives.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=The Triforce, being an inanimate object, cannot judge between good and evil. Therefore, it could not know that Ganon's wishes were evil; it merely granted them.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref> The stronger the wish, the more the wish comes true since the Triforce will express it more powerfully.<ref>{{Cite|The stronger the wish, the more powerful the Triforce's expression of that wish.|Triforce|ALttP}}</ref> The resting place of the Triforce, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that will reflect the heart of the one who enters it and lays claim to the so-called "Sacred Triangle". This being said, one of two things can happen when this event occurs. If the heart of the one that holds the Sacred Triangle in his or her hands is pure and balanced, they will gain the True Force to govern all and the Sacred Realm will become a paradise. However, if the heart of the one that holds the Sacred Triangle does not contain an equal balance of Power, Wisdom and Courage, the Triforce will separate into its three component parts, leaving only the part representing the force that one most believes in and transforming the Sacred Realm into a world of evil as well.<ref name=Quote9>{{Cite|If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> To gain the full power of the Triforce, the one who touched the Triforce must seek the two lost parts that will be held by two special individuals chosen by destiny, who will bear the mark of the Triforce on the backs of their hands.<ref name=Quote10>{{Cite|If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref>
Unfortunately, as time went on the sheer amount of information being introduced into the ''Legend of Zelda'' canon made a complete understanding less possible. Games such as ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]'' seemed to strain the connection between older games, and many fans began to wonder whether the ''Four Swords'' series had a place in the timeline at all.
 
   
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==Pieces of the Triforce==
English fans of the series wanting to learn more of the timeline began to discuss the concept on the Internet, slowly reaching conclusions on those issues which could be resolved and falling into bitter debate on those which could not. They continue to argue, as they eagerly await the release of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass|Phantom Hourglass]]''.
 
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[[File:Triforce Logo.png|right|100px]]
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As mentioned in the [[Sheikah/Sheikah Legends#The Legend of the Sacred Triangle|Sheikah legends]], when someone with an unbalanced heart touches the Triforce, the sacred relic is split up into three pieces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.<ref name=Quote9/> However, as shown in ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''The Wind Waker'', a Triforce piece can be split up even further into pieces known as Triforce Shards. When all three Triforce pieces are in close contact, they will begin to resonate as they attempt to combine into one again.<ref name=resonate/> This is shown towards the end of ''Ocarina of Time'' and most prominently in ''The Wind Waker'', where the Triforce ends up being whole again.<ref>{{Cite|It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down...|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref>
   
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It's possible for a Triforce piece to be inactive inside its bearer's body and under certain circumstances to activate. An example of this scenario, is Link's transformation into a [[Wolf Link|wolf]] in {{TP}}, when he was first covered by the [[Twilight|twilight]].<ref>{{Cite|In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening.|Faron|TP}}</ref> Another case, is Ganon's revival by the Triforce of Power when the [[Sage]]s attempted to execute him, by impaling him with a [[Sword of the Sages|sword]].<ref name=sage/>
==Timeline News (Spoilers)==
 
   
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===Triforce of Power===
*On November 21st, Gametrailer's released a take on the Timeline,
 
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[[File:Triforce of Power.png|The Triforce of Power resonating|left|80px]]
*On January 1st, 2007, the ZU forums and this wiki became fully open to discussion of [[Twilight Princess]].
 
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The Triforce of Power embodies the essence of the Goddess of Power, [[Din (Goddess)|Din]], the creator of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|Din, the goddess of power... [...]With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref> Whoever holds the Triforce of Power is granted "true power".<ref name=Quote2/> This power is absolute, making the recipient of Din's blessing a god-like entity, vastly more powerful than any mortal, affording its wielder invulnerability,<ref name=sage/> vast strength and an unlimited source of mystical power.
   
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The Triforce of Power is one of the two Triforce pieces introduced in the original ''The Legend of Zelda'', where Ganondorf stole it and proceeds to search for the ''Triforce of Wisdom'' to obtain ultimate power and thus be able to conquer Hyrule.<ref name=ganon/> In ''Ocarina of Time'', when [[Ganon]]dorf invaded the [[Sacred Realm]] and claimed the Triforce, the sacred triangles separated, leaving him with only the Triforce of Power, the aspect in which he most believed.<ref>{{Cite|Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> Nevertheless, the Triforce of Power makes Ganondorf unimaginably powerful, granting him unlimited strength and matchless mystical power. He uses this piece of the Triforce to throw Hyrule into chaos in ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''Ocarina of Time''. In the latter, even though the [[Sage#Ocarina of Time|Seven Sages]] send him to the [[Evil Realm]], Ganondorf still retains his Triforce of Power, allowing him to reappear later and cause the goddesses to summon the [[Great Flood]], sealing him in the underwater land of Hyrule. This is spoken of in the introduction of ''The Wind Waker''. <ref name=power>{{Cite|Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand....|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref><ref name=tww>{{Cite|But then...a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero... ...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs. The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods.|Introduction|TWW}}</ref>
==Timeline Principles==
 
{{Main|Timeline Principles}}
 
Timeline theory is often accused of being a collection of irrelevant fan-fiction with no real truth to it. In actuality, a large part of our timeline knowledge is strictly canon; a good deal more consists of simple, well supported inferences based on this canon and the intentions of ''Zelda'''s creators. These principles are held to be true by almost all Timeline theorists. We can combine all this information and conceive five timeline "arcs"
 
   
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In ''Twilight Princess'', Ganondorf gains the Triforce of Power through what the sages referred to as a "Divine Prank".<ref name=sage/> It allows him to survive his execution, but is sent off into the [[Twilight Realm]] which allows him to house the power given to him by his Triforce piece on [[Zant]].<ref>{{Cite|I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too.|Ganondorf|TP}}</ref> Ganondorf seemingly loses the Triforce of Power after he is impaled by the [[Master Sword]] at the end of the game.
* ''OoT''/''MM'' - ''TWW''/''PH''
 
* ''TMC'' - ''FS''/''FSA''
 
* ''ALttP''/''LA'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL''
 
* ''OoS''/''OoA''
 
* ''TP''
 
   
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In {{ALBW}}, [[Yuga]] manages to revive and fuse with Ganon, giving Yuga complete control, and as such, usurps Ganon's Triforce of Power. During the final battle, when Yuga fuses with [[Hilda]] while in [[Painting|portrait]] form, he also takes the Triforce of Wisdom from her.
Beyond that, all timeline theory is an attempt to combine these arcs and achieve a final chronology.
 
   
==Timeline Display==
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===Triforce of Wisdom===
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[[File:Triforce of Wisdom.png|The Triforce of Wisdom resonating|left|80px]]
In order to save space and typing time, fans discussing the broader timeline issues developed a system by which to convey theorised game placements in as little text as possible. Understadning this shorthand is pivotal to understanding timeline jargon.
 
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The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of the Goddess of Wisdom, [[Nayru (Goddess)|Nayru]], the author of law.<ref>{{Cite|Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... [...] Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref> It imparts divine wisdom upon its holder, and grants the holder untold mystical abilities, including the ability to heal others<ref name=heal/> and, presumably, the ability to communicate telepathically. The Triforce of Wisdom leads its holder to make the right decisions,<ref>{{Cite|It is time for you to choose: surrender or die. Oh yes, a question for all the land and people of Hyrule... Life? Or death?!|Zant|TP}}</ref> making them wiser than any mortal.<ref name=Quote2/> The essence of Nayru grants Zelda, the Triforce of Wisdom's bearer, a myriad of mystical abilities as well as divine wisdom. In {{TLoZ}}, Princess Zelda splits up the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and hides them throughout the land, fearing [[Ganon]]'s rule after he steals the Triforce of Power.<ref>{{Cite|PRINCESS ZELDA HAD ONE OF THE TRIFORCE WITH WISDOM. SHE DIVIDED IT INTO "8" UNITS TO HIDE IT FROM {{Typo|GANNON|GANON}} BEFORE SHE WAS CAPTURED.|N/A|TLoZ}}</ref> [[Link]] must reassemble the Triforce of Wisdom if he hopes to enter [[Death Mountain]], destroy Ganon, and save Princess Zelda.
   
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When the Triforce was split into its three aspects in ''Ocarina of Time'', Princess Zelda was imparted with the Triforce of Wisdom.<ref name=wisdom/> This seemingly allowed her to disguise herself as a Sheikah named [[Sheik]] until the return of the [[Hero of Time]]: the Triforce of Wisdom on the back of Sheik's hand shines before revealing her true identity as Princess Zelda. Her possession of the Triforce of Wisdom also makes her the Seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all. The Triforce's power also allows the princess to send Link back to his original time at the end of the game.<Ref name=ocarina>{{Cite|Link, give the Ocarina to me... As a Sage, I can return you to your original time with it.|Princess Zelda|OOT}}</ref> In ''The Wind Waker'', Zelda, in her guise as [[Tetra]], carries a part of the Triforce of Wisdom in the form of a pendant that was given to her by [[Tetra's Mother|her mother]] before she passed away. The remaining fragment is given to her by the [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|King of Hyrule]], thus revealing her true identity as the Princess of Hyrule.<ref name=necklace>{{Cite|This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule. Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it...and to guard it with your life. Am I not correct?|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref> It is explained by the king [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] that the Triforce of Wisdom was given to Tetra's ancestors with the task of protecting it from Ganondorf's grasp.<ref name=ancestor>{{Cite|The Triforce of Wisdom is none other than the sacred power of the gods that we have kept from Ganon's clutches for so many long years. The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting it from evil's grasp.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref>
Terms include: <br />
 
'''Abreviations'''
 
:LoZ: Legend of Zelda (Game) <br />
 
:AoL: Adventure of Link <br />
 
:AlttP: A Link to the Past <br />
 
:LA: Link's Awakening <br />
 
:KnS: Kodai no Sekiban <br />
 
:AST: Kodai no Sekiban (anglicism)<br />
 
:OOT: Ocarina of Time <br />
 
:MM: Majora's Mask <br />
 
:OoA: Oracle of Ages <br />
 
:OoS: Oracle of Seasons <br />
 
:OoX: The Oracle Series <br />
 
:FS: Abreviation for Four Swords <br />
 
:tWW: The Wind Waker <br />
 
:FSA: Four Swords Adventures <br />
 
:TMC: The Minish Cap <br />
 
:TP: Twilight Princess <br />
 
:PH: Phantom Hourglass <br />
 
   
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In ''Twilight Princess'', when Zant transformed the kingdom of Hyrule into a world covered by [[Twilight]], the Triforce of Wisdom seemingly protects Princess Zelda from becoming a spirit in the world of Twilight, much like how Link was protected by his Triforce of Courage.<ref name=wolf>{{Cite|In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening.|Faron|TP}}</ref> Later on in the game, Princess Zelda transfers her powers to the dying Midna in order to save her, thus allowing the [[Twili]] imp to be able to withstand light.<ref name=heal/>
:BS: "Backstory" <br />
 
:SZ: Sleeping Zelda (AoL BS) <br />
 
:IW: Imprisoning War (AlttP BS))<br />
 
   
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In ''A Link Between Worlds'', during the finale, Hilda takes the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda and summons Yuga. When Yuga betrays Hilda and absorbs her, he takes the Triforce of Wisdom for himself.
'''Other Indicators'''
 
:X/Y: Indicates Game X and Game Y have a common Link <br />
 
:X - Y: Indicates Game X and Game Y are seperated by atleast a generation <br />
 
:(X) - Y - (X): Indicates that Game X may be placed in either of two locations
 
   
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===Triforce of Courage===
== Time and the Timeline==
 
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[[File:Triforce of Courage.png|The Triforce of Courage resonating|left|80px]]
{{Main|Hylian Cosmology}}
 
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The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of the Goddess of Courage, [[Farore (Goddess)|Farore]], the source of all life. <ref>{{Cite|Farore, the goddess of courage... [...] With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref> The Triforce of Courage is more than a mere symbol of Link's exemplary courage,<ref>{{Cite|My only mistake was to slightly underestimate the power of this kid... No... It was not the kid's power I misjudged, it was the power of the Triforce of Courage!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref> who is usually its bearer. Though Link is not a skilled sorcerer like Ganondorf or Zelda, the Triforce of Courage, like the other sacred triangles, grants him untold mystical abilities, one of them being some extent of protection against evil magic. In ''Twilight Princess'', the Triforce of Courage, from the very beginning of the game, is already visible in Link's hand. One of the known effects of the Triforce of Courage in the said game is transforming Link into a [[Wolf Link|wolf]] instead of into a lost soul like every other being from the [[Light World]].<ref name=wolf/> The Triforce of Courage also repels the [[Shadow Beast]] who attempts to attack him when he is first dragged into the Twilight. Speculation exists that states that the Triforce also grants its bearer the ability to master any weapon they touch, this theory circumstantially proven by the fact that Link always seems to know how to use a weapon with no training.
   
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Although the Triforce of Courage was not mentioned in the original ''The Legend of Zelda'', it was later introduced in {{TAoL}}. Here, it is revealed that a previous [[King of Hyrule (The Adventure of Link)|King of Hyrule]], fearing the misuse of the Triforce, sealed the Triforce of Courage away in the [[Great Palace]], where only a hero worthy of its power would be able to obtain it after proving himself.<ref name=Quote3>{{Cite manual|quote=You who'll control the Triforce of the future. I shall hand down to you the secrets of the Triforce. There are three kinds of Triforce -- Power, Wisdom, and Courage. [...] Of the three, I have left Power and Wisdom in the kingdom. But the Triforce Courage I have hidden for a reason. Not everybody can use the Triforce. It requires a strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary. Unfortunately, I have not found such a person during my life. [...] But, what will happen if someone else uses the Triforce before then? If it misused, it will produce many evil. The Triforce of Courage is hidden in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death on the largest island in Hyrule.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=9-10}}</ref> Link endured the trials of the Great Palace, including defeating his [[Dark Link|own shadow]], and recovered the Triforce of Courage. Uniting it with the Triforce of Wisdom and Power, he was able to break the spell cast on the sleeping Princess Zelda. ''Ocarina of Time'' reveals that after Ganondorf touched the Triforce in the Sacred Realm, the Triforce split into three pieces, with the Triforce of Courage being imparted to Link.<ref>{{Cite|The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!|Sheik|OOT}}</ref> After Ganon is sealed inside the Evil Realm, Link, still the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, embarks on another journey and leaves the land of Hyrule. This causes him to be separated from "the elements that made him a hero," causing the Triforce of Courage to be split into eight shards and be hidden throughout the kingdom.<ref name=Quote12>{{Cite|Once, long ago, he defeated Ganon and brought peace to the Kingdom of Hyrule... A piece of the Triforce was given to the Hero of Time and he kept it safe, much as Zelda kept hers. That sacred piece is known as the Triforce of Courage. When the Hero of Time was called to embark on another journey and left the land of Hyrule, he was separated from the elements that made him a hero. It is said that at that time, the Triforce of Courage was split into eight shards and hidden throughout the land.|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref> This leads to the events in ''The Wind Waker'', where Link must retrieve the eight shards of the Triforce of Courage from the bottom of the [[Great Sea|ocean]].<ref name=Quote11>{{Cite|If you are able to collect all of them, they will fuse together and complete the piece of the Triforce, once again opening the passage through the waves to Hyrule. Even I do not know where they rest, but this much I do know: they lie hidden somewhere in this Great Sea.|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref>
Understanding the Legend's Timeline may require an understanding of the Legend's concept of time itself. Essentially, time is sequence; first, second, third, and fourth. A very basic concept at first glance, but one that takes on a whole new dimension when "fourth" comes between "first" and "second" and stops "third" from ever occurring.
 
   
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===Triforce Shards===
In four games, the precise nature of time has never remained constant. OOT contains at least two very different mechanics, which theorists often find irreconsiable (and down right strange). OoA's mechanics only begin to make sence when one sacrifices logic to storyline completely, and MM's Goddess of Time throws all to heck by drawing questions of omnipotency into the debate.
 
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[[File:Link-With-Triforce-Piece.png|right|180px|Link with the Triforce Shards]]
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A '''Triforce Shard''' is a fragment of a shattered [[Triforce]]. In order to hide the Triforce from evil, it has been broken into pieces and scattered throughout [[Hyrule]]. Splitting the Triforce not only protects it from evil hands, it also ensures that whoever manages to assemble all the pieces is worthy of possessing it. The Triforce has been fragmented in two games thus far: the original ''The Legend of Zelda'', and in ''The Wind Waker.''
   
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In ''The Legend of Zelda'', in an attempt to keep Ganon from obtaining the remaining Triforce of Wisdom, [[Princess Zelda]] divided the [[Triforce#Triforce of Wisdom|Triforce of Wisdom]] into eight fragments and scattered them throughout the land.<ref name=zelda/> She then sent [[Impa]] to find a man courageous enough to defeat the evil monster<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=At the same time, she commanded her most trustworthy nursemaid, Impa, to secretly escape into the land and go find a man with enough courage to destroy the evil Ganon.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=3}}</ref>; however, Impa is eventually attacked and cornered by Ganon's minions. Just as there seemed no hope, the young adventurer known as Link saves her from peril.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Braving forests and mountains, Impa fled for her life from her pursuers. As she reached the very limit of her energy she found herself surrounded by Ganon's evil henchmen. Cornered! What could she do? ... But wait! All was not lost. A young lad appeared. He skillfully drove off Ganon's henchmen, and saved Impa from a fate worse than death.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=3}}</ref> Impa saw the potential in this boy, and decided he would be the hero to end her search. She presented him with a mission: to find the eight shards of the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Zelda. Link set out to end Ganon's reign of evil and recover both the Triforce of Wisdom and Power.
Generally, it is not an issue most theorists need worry over, and should only be explored by those with a strangely deep interest in the OOT/MM connection.
 
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[[File:Triforce Shard 1.png|left|50px]]
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In the flooded land of Hyrule in ''The Wind Waker'', Link must recover the eight shards of the Triforce of Courage that hid throughout Hyrule after the departure of the Hero of Time.<ref name=Quote12/> With help from [[Tingle|Tingle's]] cartography skills, he sets out to find the [[Triforce Chart]]s that would show him the location of each of the fragments (or only three of them in ''The Wind Waker HD'', where the rest of them can be found directly). It is only after Link assembles the Triforce of Courage that he sets off to fight off Ganondorf and save both the Great Sea and Hyrule.
   
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{{hide|header=The Triforce of Courage Shards from The Wind Waker|content=
== Common Points of Debate ==
 
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<center>
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<gallery caption="Artwork">
   
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File:Triforce Shard 1.png
Beyond these simple arcs, the amount of helpful canon begins to decrease. At this point, disagreements inevitably arise between various theorists who have naturally formed differing interpretations of the small amount of "truth" they have to work with.
 
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File:Triforce Shard 2.png
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File:Triforce Shard 3.png
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File:Triforce Shard 4.png
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File:Triforce Shard 5.png
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File:Triforce Shard 8.png
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</gallery>
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<gallery caption="Menu Icons">
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File:Triforce Shard 1 Small.png
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File:Triforce Shard 2 Small.png
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File:Triforce Shard 4 Small.png
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File:Triforce Shard 5 Small.png
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File:Triforce Shard 8 Small.png
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</gallery>
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</center>
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}}
   
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==Wielders of the Triforce==
=== ''Four Swords'' Related Arguments ===
 
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[[File:Triforce1.jpg|thumb|150px|The Triforce within the Pyramid of Power]]
{{Main|The Oldest Tale}}
 
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Few have ever possessed the Triforce, or any fraction thereof. For the better part of the series, the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage are held by Ganon, Zelda, and Link respectively.<ref name=wisdom>{{Cite|And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom...is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all... It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.|Princess Zelda|OOT}}</ref><ref name=sign>{{Cite|It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening. Look at your awakened form... The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the gods... His power is yours. His is the true power that slept within you. Your name is [Link]. You are the hero chosen by the gods.|Faron|TP}}</ref><ref name=sage>{{Cite|In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice. Yet... By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods. His abiding hatred and lust for power turned to purest malice...|A Sage|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|[Link]... Hero sent by the goddesses... Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses...|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|You have controlled the wind and crossed the seas, and here, near the end of your quest, the power of the gods has been bestowed upon you... Surely, from this moment on, you shall be known as the Hero of Winds...|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref><ref name=bloodline>{{Cite|This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule. Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it...and to guard it with your life. [...] You are the true heir of the royal family of Hyrule...the last link in the bloodline. You are Princess Zelda.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref><ref name=resonating>{{Cite|My Triforce of Power is resonating! Ha! At long last, I have found you... Princess Zelda!|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref> However, there have been other Triforce possessors in the past, possessing the Triforce in its entirety. The prologue of ''The Adventure of Link'' reveals that the [[King of Hyrule (The Adventure of Link)|King of Hyrule]] used the Triforce to keep peace in the kingdom.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=It is said that a long ago, when Hyrule was one country, a great ruler maintained the peace in Hyrule using the Triforce.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=6}}</ref> In ''A Link to the Past'', Ganon acquired the complete Triforce, yet he was trapped within the Sacred Realm by the Seal of the [[Sage]]s, and as such, was unable to fully exploit the Golden Power.<ref name=Quote5>{{Cite manual|quote=One day, quite by accident, a gate to the Golden Land of the Triofrce was opened by a gang of thieves skilled in the black arts. [...] In a long running battle, the leaders of the thieves fought his way past his followers in lust for the Golden Power. After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood-stained hands.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref><ref name=Quote8>{{Cite manual|quote=[...]Ganon's evil army swarmed from the tainted Golden Land into Hyrule and attacked the castle. The wise men and the Knights Of Hyrule combined forces to wage war on this evil horde. [...] However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden Land.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The person who rediscovered the Golden Land was Ganondorf the evil thief. Luckily, he couldn't figure out how to return to the Light World...|One of the Seven Maidens|ALttP}}</ref> In ''The Wind Waker'' Ganon was able to reform the complete Triforce, yet before he was able to harness its power, the [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] stepped in, claimed the Triforce, and entreated the Goddesses to flood Hyrule and save the realm from Ganon’s evil.<ref>{{Cite|It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down...|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref><ref name=Quote13>{{Cite|He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted... That is what you said, is it not, Ganondorf? Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire! Hope! I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule!|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref> In {{TP}}, Ganon possess Zelda's body, as it is unconfirmed whether or not Midna had been gven the Triforce of Wisdom, it was possible that during the battle Ganondorf briefly held both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom. In {{SS}}, Link gathered all three pieces of the Triforce in the [[Sky Keep]], a dungeon in [[Skyloft]] placed there by [[Hylia]] to hide the precious relic until the time her chosen hero arose. He then prayed to it for the eradication of [[Demise]].<ref>{{Cite|Master, I believe at this juncture that a prayer is required. The ultimate goal we have traveled so far for is now within reach. Focus now, and wish with all your might for the destruction of Demise.|Fi|SS}}</ref>
   
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Aside from the three known Triforce Holders, to date, three to four other people have possessed a part of the Triforce: prior to ''The Legend of Zelda'' and ''The Adventure of Link'', the [[Prince of Hyrule]] possessed the Triforces of Wisdom and Power, though the crest did not appear on his hand<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Following the king's death, and with no crest appearing on the hand of the prince, the power of the Triforce that he had inheroted as the new king was incomplete|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=91}}</ref>, in ''Twilight Princess'', Princess Zelda conferred her soul (and presumably the Triforce of Wisdom with it) to [[Midna]] allowing her to exist in the [[Light World|World of Light]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lYK_8GpHFE</ref><ref name=heal>{{Cite|Accept this now, Midna, I pass it to you.|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref> In ''A Link Between Worlds'', [[Yuga]] comes into possession of the Triforce of Power after he merges with Ganon, and later steals the Triforce of Wisdom from Hilda, who had taken it from Zelda shortly before. Though [[Zant]] never actually possessed any part of the Triforce, he received his power from Ganon, thus indirectly receiving power from the Triforce of Power.<ref>{{Cite|I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too.|Ganondorf|TP}}</ref>
Nintendo went out on a rather interesting tangent when they expanded the multiplayer mini-game featured in 2002's ''ALttP'' GBA release. The styles and storylines of the ''Four Swords'' games were so different from the conventional ''Zelda'' that, at first, many theorists did not accept them as a true part of the storyline. Nintendo has since confirmed their relevance, but the controversy continues.
 
   
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When two bearers of the Triforce are in proximity with one other, their Triforce piece will resonate. This is demonstrated in ''Ocarina of Time'' when Link's, Zelda's, and Ganondorf's Triforce pieces glow once the young hero reaches the top of [[Ganon's Tower]].<ref name=resonate>{{Cite|The Triforce parts are resonating... They are combining into one again... The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago... I didn't expect they would be hidden within you two! And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref> In ''The Wind Waker'', it is illustrated once again when Ganondorf grabs [[Tetra]] and his Triforce piece resonates, revealing that Tetra is the possessor of the Triforce of Wisdom.<ref name=resonating/>
Many theorists beleive that at least one of the three games in the FS trilogy should be placed at the begning of the timeline, before even ''Ocarina of Time'', while others insist that ''OoT'' will always come first. Creator [[Timeline Quotes|quotes]] seem to support the former, while small bits of canonical trivia support the latter.
 
   
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==Historical Appearances==
In the end, arguers were again stuck debating principles. What was more important: A developer's quote or contrary canonical evidence?
 
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===Unified Timeline===
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====''Skyward Sword''====
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[[File:Triforce SS.png|thumb|right|300px|The Triforce assembles atop the Statue of the Goddess]]
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In {{SS}}, the Triforce is first referred to during the introduction. When the [[Golden Goddesses|gods of old]] departed from the world, they trusted their ultimate power, the Triforce, in the hands of the goddess [[Hylia]] to protect it.<ref>{{Cite|Handed down by the gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the goddess.|Introduction|SS}}</ref> However, [[Demise]], wanting to make the world his own, gathered an army of monsters and together launched an attack against the people of the surface, murdering them and causing misfortunes all just to get their hands on the power guarded by Hylia.<ref>{{Cite|One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess.|Introduction|SS}}</ref><ref name=demise>{{Cite|In his thirst to make the world his own, Demise readied a massive army of monsters for war. He sought to take the Triforce for himself by force.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> To prevent the great power from falling into the hands of the demonic creatures - and specifically their leader, Demise - Her Grace gathered the surviving humans on a piece of land and sent it to the heavens, beyond the clouds and out of reach from the evil plaguing the land.<ref>{{Cite|To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands... The goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds.|Introduction|SS}}</ref> She then joined forces with the five tribes of the land and defeated Demise, sealing him away in the [[Sealed Grounds]] where he took the new form of [[The Imprisoned]].<ref>{{Cite|With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface.|Introduction|SS}}</ref>
   
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Unbeknownst to anyone, Hylia also hid the entrances to the land where the Triforce lay on this aerial outcropping, in a secret structure called the [[Sky Keep]].<ref>{{Cite|For the safety of all things, she hid the Triforce somewhere within the rock you call Skyloft. However, its location has been kept secret. Even I do not know where it rests now.|Levias|SS}}</ref> Inside this keep were three separate gates which led to another realm, each gate leading to a different piece of the Triforce. Before departing, Hylia also entrusted the guardians of the surface as well as [[Levias]] to teach the chosen hero their part of the "[[Song of the Hero]]", since should the hero succeed in conquering the last trial, the path to the Sky Keep would open to him.<ref>{{Cite|Now that you know the song, I trust you know what to do with it. That old song opens a door to a great trial. Should you succeed in conquering the challenge awaiting you there, I'm certain the path to the Triforce will be revealed to you.|Levias|SS}}</ref> The Sky Keep was sealed for an age below [[Skyloft]], and generations later, when it becomes clear that there is no other way to prevent The Imprisoned from eventually resurrecting himself, [[Princess Zelda|Zelda]] sends Link to learn the "[[Song of the Hero]]",<ref>{{Cite|When Demise is finally gone, there will be no more need for the seal that binds him, and then I'll be able to wake up.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> which would unlock the [[Silent Realm|final trial]] to receive the [[Stone of Trials]] needed to open the path to the Sky Keep. Link succeeds in his task and, with the Triforce in hand, the young hero goes up onto the [[Statue of the Goddess]] and makes his wish: the destruction of Demise. The Triforce's power causes the entire island containing the Goddess Statue to break free from Skyloft and plummet down to the surface, thus returning to its original location at the Sealed Grounds and destroying the Imprisoned just as it attempts to break out once more with the Sky Keep itself.<ref>{{Cite|Furthermore, I have detected the successful eradication of Demise. Your prayers to the Triforce have been heard.|Fi|SS}}</ref> However, subsequent events made it necessary to travel back to the past and defeat Demise there as well. When this is accomplished, [[Impa]] reminds Zelda that she must stay in the past to watch over the Triforce since its might is too powerful to leave in "the grasp of man". She also mentions that once the Triforce has served its purpose, it will be secreted away once again, its existence kept hidden from everyone.<ref>{{Cite|Zelda, I shall watch over the Triforce. Its power is too great to leave in the grasp of man. Dependence on its might is an invitation to disaster.When it has served its purpose, it must be secreted away to lay dormant once again...the knowledge of its existence hidden from mortal history. These are the words the goddess spoke to me long ago. I remember them well. As do you, I'm sure.|Impa|SS}}</ref> Zelda assents and returns to her own time with Link and resolves to stay below the clouds to continue guarding the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite|Look around us! As a child, I always dreamed of a world below. I wanted to see the surface with my own eyes and feel the land's warm breeze on my skin. I... I think I want to live here. I always want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head|Zelda|SS}}</ref>
=== Hand Held Related Arguments ===
 
{{Main|Oracle Confusion}}
 
   
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==== The Era of Chaos and the Era of Prosperity ====
Non-console ''Zelda'' games have never garnered the attention or prestige of their home based cousins. Miyamoto himself has lamented that ''[[LA]]'', ''[[OoS]]'' and ''[[OoA]]'' lack any grand connection to the timeline as a whole. These games--the Oracles titles, specifically--are not only difficult to place, but also somewhat irrelevant. Still, in the meticulous world of timeline theorists, no detail goes unargued.
 
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Many years after the events of ''Skyward Sword'', there was an [[Zelda Timeline#The Era of Chaos|era of chaos]] with wars and fighting over the Triforce that was located in the [[Sacred Realm]]. To put an end to these wars, an ancient sage, [[Rauru]], built over the remains of the [[Sealed Temple]] a new Temple of Time, which contained the only entrance to the Sacred Realm.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Rauru, the Sage of Light, constructed the Temple of Time, which contained the only existing entrance to the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce was located.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=Temple of Time: The only entrance to the Sacred Realm's Temple of Light, the Temple of Time shares the same name as the temple in the Lanayru Desert of the Era of the Goddess Hylia. It is thought that Rauru built the Temple of Time directly over the ruins of the Sealed Temple.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=77}}</ref> Using the [[Master Sword]] and the three [[Spiritual Stones]] as keys to the Sacred Realm, this new temple was the sanctified gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, and its purpose was to protect that gateway, and thus the Triforce, from evildoers who would seek to misuse it.<ref>{{Cite|The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world.|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm...|Rauru|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|So, the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones.|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref> Inside the Temple of Time is a chamber that is home to the [[Master Sword]] and the [[Pedestal of Time]]; however, the entrance to this chamber is sealed by the Door of Time.<ref>{{Cite|But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door of Time. And, in order to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones.|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref> When the Master Sword was infused into the Pedestal of Time, it sealed that gateway in the hopes of preventing all but the most worthy to reach the Sacred Realm, where the sacred Triforce lies within the [[Temple of Light]].
   
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====''The Minish Cap''====
It is common for experienced theorist to devoutly insist that ''LA'' is, was, and will always be ''A Link to the Past's'' first sequel. At the moment, there is no "perfect" place for the ''Oracles'', and most theorists are happy to let it be ambiguously "sometime after ''ALttP''".
 
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[[File:MinishCapTriforce.png|thumb|right|The Triforce above the bell in Hyrule Town]]
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Though the Triforce is never mentioned in {{TMC}}, it can be seen on Link's shield and on Princess Zelda's dress. The Triforce crest can also be found on various places around Hyrule, such as above the bell in [[Hyrule Castle Town#The Minish Cap|Hyrule Town]], or at [[Hyrule Castle]], and on [[King Gustaf|Gustaf]]'s tombstone in the [[Royal Crypt]].
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According to the director of the game, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, it is unknown if the light force, which [[Vaati]] searches for, has some relationship with the Triforce.<ref name="TSA>[http://forums.legendsalliance.com/topic/3059-new-nintendo-power-interview-eiji-aonuma-and-hidemaro-fujibayashi Hidemaro Fujibayashi]:Nintendo Power Interview</ref>
   
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====''Ocarina of Time''====
=== ''OoT''/''MM'' Related Arguments ===
 
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[[File:Triforce (Ocarina of Time).png|thumb|left|The Triforce as seen in ''Ocarina of Time'']]
{{main|Number of Timelines}}
 
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The history of the Triforce is further elaborated upon in {{OoT}}. Its nature of splitting into three pieces when someone with an unbalanced heart touches it is revealed to be one of the many [[Sheikah/Sheikah Legends#The Legend of the Sacred Triangle|Sheikah legends]] spoken of in the game.
   
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[[Ganon]]dorf, the sole male [[Gerudo]] from the [[Gerudo Desert|desert]] in the west of [[Hyrule]], is in search of the Triforce to use it to conquer Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it! And, he wants to conquer Hyrule... no, the entire world!|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref> Although Princess Zelda and Link try to protect the Triforce and the entrance to the Sacred Realm, Link unknowingly retrieves the [[Master Sword]] from the [[Pedestal of Time]] and opens the gates to the Sacred Realm, allowing Ganondorf to enter the realm uncontested.<ref>{{Cite|Geh heh heh! Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm... Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref> In that instant, Ganondorf seized his opportunity and attempted to lay claim to the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite|Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters.|Rauru|OoT}}</ref> However, there was another tale told about the Triforce, one that stated that if a person whose Wisdom, Power and Courage were out of balance 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.<ref name=Quote9/> When [[Ganon]]dorf laid his hand upon the Triforce, this prophecy came true. The Triforce thus shattered, with [[Ganon]]dorf keeping the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom going to [[Princess Zelda]], and the Triforce of Courage going to [[Link]].<ref name=Quote10/>
Time travel is a principle element of Fifth Generation ''Zelda'', factoring in 3 of its 4 games. In developing the game mechanics for ''OoT'', ''MM'', and ''OoA'', Nintendo was far more considered with making the mechanics fun and interesting than being scientifically sound (or even consistent).
 
   
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Eventually, Link, now proclaimed as the Hero of Time, defeats Ganon, allowing Princess Zelda and the six Sages to send the King of Evil into the void of the [[Evil Realm]].<ref>{{Cite|Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!|Rauru|OoT}}</ref> The princess uses her Triforce of Wisdom to send Link back to his original time,<ref name=ocarina/> while Ganondorf, still with the Triforce of Power in his hand, swears to "exterminate" Link and Zelda's descendants once the seal is broken.<ref name=power/>
Attempts to logic out the uncanny mechanics of Time in the ''Zelda'' series have been moderately successful, but the various implications of these conclusions have made the ''OoT''/''MM'' connection the most hotly (and most commonly) debated timeline topic.
 
   
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Out of all current games, ''Ocarina of Time'' has been the basis of the most rumors on receiving the Triforce in a ''Zelda'' game to date. Although it is well known that it is not an item that can be received in the game, many stories and rumors from fans claiming they have obtained the Triforce by doctored photos and such have come up. These rumors were mostly due to an engraving of the Triforce on the Quest Status menu, centered between all of the [[Medallions]], although it is only there for decoration purposes.
=== ''ALttP''/''TWW'' Related Arguments ===
 
{{Main|Ganon Conflicts}}
 
   
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===Child Timeline===
Both ''ALttP'' and ''TWW'' can be placed, with little doubt, a number of centuries after ''OoT'', but there is hardly any direct connection between the games themselves. Which comes first? How can both relationships be preserved? What has been changed by the release of ''FSA''? This is the staging ground for the most brutal, least productive debate in the timeline. A controversy that most theorists have given up on. Is the answer even out there?
 
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The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Time in the final battle. He warns Princess Zelda and the current King of Hyrule of the tragic future that awaited the kingdom involving Ganondorf if nothing was to be done.
   
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====''Majora's Mask''====
== Popular Timelines ==
 
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[[file:MM Pillar East Termina.png|70px|thumb|right|A pillar in Termina Field]]
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The Triforce does not play any direct role in the storyline of {{MM}}. It is, however, depicted throughout the [[Stone Tower]] and the [[Stone Tower Temple]], and on pillars in East [[Termina Field]] just outside of [[Clock Town]]. Fans who support the idea that the Temple was meant to insult Hyrule's Goddesses cite this in their arguments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.zeldainformer.com/2010/10/the-message-of-majoras-mask.html|title=The Message of Majora's Mask|site=Zeldainformer.com}}</ref>
   
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{{Theory|start}}
Despite all the hoopla, most Zelda fans only have a passing interest in the timeline. They care not for the endless debates, and wonder only after the final product, or, in this case, products:
 
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What some fans believe is a distorted Triforce can also be seen below [[Skull Kid]] during the scene where he turns Link into a [[Deku Scrub]]. However, this appears to be a result of the lighting limitations of the game system. Whether it is officially meant to be a reference to the Triforce is undetermined. It should be noted it is gone in the remake.
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{{Theory|end}}
   
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====''Twilight Princess''====
'''The United Wisemen's Theory'''
 
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:''See also: [[Sacred Realm#The Story of the Interlopers|The Story of the Interlopers]]''
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[[File:Zelda's Triforce.png|thumb|left|Princess Zelda revealing she is the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom]]
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The word "Triforce" is not used at any point during {{TP}}. However, the Triforce is obviously well-known since markings of it exist on the [[Hylian Shield]] and on various walls around [[Castle Town]] and [[Hyrule Castle]]. Its power is also spoken of by the ancient Sages of Hyrule who guarded the [[Mirror of Twilight]], and by the [[Light Spirit]] [[Lanayru (Spirit)|Lanayru]] when she tells Link the story of the interlopers who tried to take over the Sacred Realm and, with it, the Triforce.<ref name=sage/> Unlike in ''Ocarina of Time'' and ''The Wind Waker'', Ganondorf makes no attempt to retrieve the other Triforce parts, despite being in the same position of power as he was in ''Ocarina of Time'': as the "ruler" of Hyrule but lacking omnipotence.
   
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In this episode, the wielders of the three parts of the Triforce (Power, Wisdom, Courage) are obviously Link, Zelda and Ganondorf, the same as ''Ocarina of Time''. Each of the Triforce bearers can be seen using their piece of the Triforce at various points in the game, such as when Link is protected by the Triforce of Courage's power when he first enters into the [[Twilight]]. Interestingly, the wielders of the Triforce are said to be "blessed by the goddesses."<ref>{{Cite|Link... Hero sent by the goddesses... Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses...|Princess Zelda|TP}}</ref> Though it is not directly stated, it appears that Zelda transfers her piece of the Triforce to [[Midna]] to save her life when Link brings the dying [[Twili]] imp to the princess.<ref name=heal/>
A large majority of ZU theorists (and other users with a general interest) support a universal Single timeline, originally promoted by the [[Council of ZU]].
 
   
  +
Zelda, Link and possibly Ganondorf are not turned to spirits by the [[Twilight]] just as Midna, once she receives Zelda's Triforce, does not have to transform into a shadow in the Light World, signifying that their Triforce pieces protect them.<ref name=sign/> It is worth noting that when Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganon's chest at the end of the game, Ganon's Triforce of Power stops glowing on his hand.
:''OoT''/''MM'' - ''TP'' - ''TWW''/''PH'' - ''TMC'' - ''FS''/''FSA'' - ''ALttP''/(''KnS'')/''LA'' - (''OoS''/''OoA'') - ''LoZ''/''AoL'' - (''OoS''/''OoA'')
 
   
  +
===Adult Timeline===
'''Jumbie/Arturo (JA) line'''
 
  +
The Adult Timeline is the timeline that follows the events after Link is being sent back to his original time, following the Hero of Time's defeat of Ganondorf in the final battle. Ganondorf is sealed within the [[Sacred Realm]] by the [[Sage#Ocarina of Time|Seven Sages]] but, with Link sent back in time, the world is left without a Hero.
   
  +
====''The Wind Waker''====
:"Child" Line: (''TMC'') - ''OoT''/''MM'' - ''ALttP''/(''LA'')/''KnS'' - ''OoS''/''OoA''(/''LA'') - (''TMC'') - ''FS''/''FSA'' - ''LoZ''-''AoL''
 
  +
[[File:Triforce TWW.png|thumb|left|The Triforce is summoned by Ganondorf]]
  +
[[File:Triforce TWW.jpg|thumb|250px|Daphnes invokes the power of the Triforce before Ganondorf]]
  +
The Triforce of Courage, left in Hyrule after the legendary Hero that appeared in'' Ocarina of Time'' departed from Hyrule (original Japanese suggests the Triforce split when the Hero "journeyed the flows of time" at ''Ocarina of Time'''s end), shattered into eight pieces and hid throughout the kingdom. By the time the events of {{TWW}} take place, the land is now under the [[Great Sea]], with the shards of the Triforce of Courage locked in chests beneath the sea or in secret caves on several islands.<ref name=Quote11/><ref name=Quote12/> [[Triforce Chart]]s that lead to the pieces that lie beneath the sea were drawn and hidden to stop anyone without a courageous heart from assembling it. Link, with the help of [[Tingle]], deciphers the Triforce Charts and retrieves the Triforce Shards from the Great Sea and the islands. The young hero assembles the full Triforce of Courage and shows it before the Gods at the [[Tower of Gods]], who acknowledge Link's courage and accept him as the Hero of Winds.<ref>{{Cite|It would seem the gods have acknowledged you to be a true hero.|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref>
   
  +
In the original release of ''The Wind Waker'', all of the Triforce shards were hidden beneath the sea and had charts leading to them, while in {{TWWHD}} there were only three of them beneath the sea and the rest could be found in the caves where the charts originally were.
:"Adult" Line: ''TMC'' - ''OoT'' - ''TP'' - ''TWW''/''PH''
 
   
  +
It is mentioned in the game that [[Tetra]]'s [[Tetra's Mother|mother]] passed down a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom to her daughter and asked her to "guard it with her life."<ref name=ancestor/><ref name=necklace/> Tetra keeps it in a necklace until [[King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] shows her the other half of the Triforce of Wisdom and uses it to reveal Tetra's true identity as Princess Zelda.<ref name=bloodline/> Since Ganondorf had been looking for Zelda in order to obtain the Triforce of Wisdom from her, the King asks that she stay in the basement of the ancient [[Hyrule Castle]].<ref>{{Cite|Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses. He will not rest until he has found her.|King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref> However, Ganondorf eventually finds her and steals her Triforce, taking the princess to [[Ganon's Tower|his tower]].<ref name=triforce>{{Cite|It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down... The power of the gods... The Triforce! He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted! Already, the crest of wisdom is mine... All that remains... Do not fear. I will not kill you... I merely have need of the power that dwells within you.|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref> When Link reaches Ganondorf atop his tower, the King of Evil easily takes the Triforce of Courage that the young hero managed to assemble.<ref name=triforce/> He unites all three Triforce pieces on top of his tower at long last and tries to make a wish, but he is stopped as King [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] presses his hands upon the golden symbol, and then asks the gods to cover the land of Hyrule completely.<ref name=Quote13/> Upon closer observation, after the king's wish, each piece of the Triforce is seen flying off in opposite directions, possibly implying that the Triforce returns to the [[Sacred Realm]] after it is used.
Note: These theorists have published a series of articles which can be found at [[Zelda Legends]]
 
   
  +
The Triforce is referred to as the Triumph Forks by the [[Fishman|Fishmen]]. By the time ''The Wind Waker'' takes place, the word "Triforce" appears to have been forgotten, possibly due to the [[Great Flood]] and distortions of the old legends of [[Hyrule]]. The "Triforce" legend had been seemingly supplanted by a "Triumph Forks" legend.<ref>{{Cite|'Cause this one guy told me that what was actually buried beneath that weird rock was a chart to this shard of something called a Triforce. Whoever heard of that? That's crazy! There's a big difference between "Triumph Forks" and "Triforce"! I mean, I think someone intentionally buried something misleading there.|Fishman|TWW}}</ref>
'''Darken Poltergeist's (DP) Theory'''
 
   
  +
====''Phantom Hourglass''====
:"Child" Line: ''(TMC)'' - ''OoT''/''MM'' - ''TP'' - ''(TMC)'' - ''FS''/''FSA'' - ''ALttP''/''LA'' - ''(OoA/OoS)'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL'' - ''(OoA/OoS)''
 
  +
{{images|PH}}
  +
The Triforce is not mentioned at all in {{PH}} except for an instance in the [[Temple of the Ocean King]]. Link is told that in order to pass through a door in the Temple, the "sacred crest" must be drawn on it.<ref>{{Cite|In a single stroke, draw the sacred crest to reveal a new path.|N/A|PH}}</ref> There are two valid symbols that open this door, and the one [[Zauz]] shows Link is the Triforce. In addition, the three triangular pedestals that Link must place [[Force Gems]] on to continue in various rooms are in shape of the Triforce, albeit each piece not touching.
   
  +
====''Spirit Tracks''====
:"Adult" Line: ''(TMC)'' - ''OoT'' - ''TWW''/''PH''
 
  +
In {{ST}}, the Triforce is also not mentioned throughout the whole game. It appears on Princess Zelda's dress, on the [[Ancient Gold Piece]] and in the [[Shield of Antiquity]], which is the shield that belonged to the [[Link#The Wind Waker|Hero of Winds]]. It should be noted that while the Triforce, which is considered to be the famous emblem of Hyrule and its [[Hyrule Royal Family]], is nowhere to be seen, the[[Spirits of Good#Symbol of the Spirits| symbol of the Spirits]] appears throughout many places of the "[[new Hyrule]]."
   
  +
===Downfall Timeline===
'''The TripleEspresso9/Impossible II (TEI) Theory'''
 
  +
The Downfall Timeline is the timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle. This allowed the Evil King to obtain the full [[Triforce]], but was subsequently sealed within the [[Dark World]] by [[Princess Zelda]] and the other awakened sages, taking the Triforce with him.
   
  +
====''A Link to the Past''====
:"Child" Line: ''TMC'' - ''FS'' - ''OoT''/''MM''
 
  +
[[File:TriforceALttP.png|left]]
  +
[[File:ALttP Triforce Credits Scene.png|thumb|right|Link obtains the Triforce after defeating Ganon]]
  +
The Triforce is first revealed as a divine manifestation of the Goddesses' power in {{ALttP}}. Bestowed upon Hyrule upon their departure, it lay hidden in the fabled [[Golden Land]], where it beckoned the people of Hyrule to seek it in hopes that someone worthy of its power would find it.<ref name=bearers>{{Cite manual|quote=From its hiding place in the so-called Golden Land where the gods placed it, the Triforce beckoned people from the outside world to seek it in the hope that someone worthy of these titles would find it.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3, 4}}</ref> Although many tried to find it, none knew of its exact location, not even the Sages, since that knowledge had been lost with time.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Many aggressively searched for the wish-granting Triforce, but no one, not even the Hylian sages, was sure of its location; the knowledge had been lost over time.|game=A Link to the Past|page=4}}</ref> Eventually, the search for the Triforce ensued a great war until the evil thief Ganondorf and his minions broke the seal into the hidden land.<ref name=Quote4/><ref name=Quote5/> Upon murdering his companions and claiming the Triforce for his own, Ganon used its power to turn the Golden Land into the [[Dark World]].<ref>{{Cite|Ganon's wish was to conquer the world. That wish changed the Golden Land to the Dark World.|Essence of the Triforce|ALttP}}</ref> 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 [[Sage|Seven Wise Men]] sealed him in the Dark World.<ref name=Quote8/> 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.<ref>{{Cite|Agahnim has seized control of the castle and is now trying to open the seven wise men's seal.|Princess Zelda|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|He is trying to open a larger gate between worlds near the castle using our powers.|One of the Seven Maidens|ALttP}}</ref>
   
  +
After obtaining the [[Master Sword]] and rescuing the seven maidens, [[Link]] defeats Ganon inside the [[Pyramid of Power]] and recovers 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.<ref name=wish>{{Cite|The Triforce is waiting for a new owner. Its Golden Power is in your hands...Now, touch it with a wish in your heart.|Essence of the Triforce|ALttP}}</ref>
:"Adult" Line: ''TMC'' - ''FS'' - ''OoT'' - ''TP'' - ''TWW''/''PH'' - ''ALttP''/''LA'' - ''OoA''/''OoS'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL''
 
   
  +
====''Oracle'' Series====
'''The Late-Placed TWW Theory'''
 
  +
The Triforce plays an identical role in both {{OoA}} and {{OoS}}. During the introduction, the Triforce calls to Link from its place in [[Hyrule Castle]], telling him to accept "their quest."<ref>{{Cite|Accept our quest, hero!|Triforce|Oracle Series}}</ref> It then sends him to [[Holodrum]] (in ''Seasons'') or [[Labrynna]] (in ''Ages''). The Triforce is also seen on the pedestals of the [[Essences of Nature]] and [[Essences of Time]].
   
  +
====''A Link Between Worlds''====
:''OoT''/''MM'' - ''TP'' - ''ALttP''/Oracles''/''LA'' - ''TWW''/''PH'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL''
 
  +
The Triforce appears again in {{ALBW}}. It is stated that, after the events of ''A Link to the Past'', the Triforce was once more split into three pieces. Ganon claimed the Triforce of Power, whilst he was still sealed up; the Triforce of Wisdom stayed with the [[Princess Zelda|Royal Family]]; and the Triforce of Courage merged into the heart of the [[Link|Hero Eternal]], where it slumbers.<ref>{{Cite web|retrieved=November 30, 2013|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve1MG5Xee64 |title=Opening Legend of "A Link Between Worlds" |site=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The Triforce was split into three pieces, separated forever. One piece remains with the royal family. Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed with him. The third piece of the Triforce has vanished, though legend says it is hidden in the spirit of a true hero. It slumbers now somewhere in Hyrule--waiting for the time when the world needs a new hero.|Painting|ALBW}}</ref> To obtain the Triforces of Power and Wisdom, [[Yuga]] captures the seven Sages and Princess Zelda, turning them all into paintings that he then uses to free Ganon. He then merges with Ganon, thus gaining the Triforce of Power, and gains the Triforce of Wisdom through Zelda. Once Link has rescued all of the Sages, they work together to summon the Triforce of Courage, which then enters into Link's possession.
   
  +
=====Lorulean Triforce=====
NOTE: The placement of the FS trilogy is not yet decided.
 
  +
[[File:LorulebackstoryALBW.png|left|thumb|Lorule's Triforce being destroyed]]
  +
[[File:Upside-Down Triforce.jpg|right|thumb|The restored inverted Triforce within Lorule's Sacred Realm]]
  +
Once Link storms Lorule Castle to rescue Zelda, [[Hilda|Princess Hilda]] reveals that, at one time, [[Lorule]] had its own parallel counterpart of the Triforce, which bears the same name and visually resembles an inverted version of Hyrule's. As was the case in Hyrule, wars were fought over this Triforce, prompting Hilda's ancestors to destroy it to end the bloodshed.<ref>{{Cite|My ancestors got rid of the Triforce to stop the war—by destroying it.|Hilda|ALBW}}</ref> Unfortunately, destroying this Triforce threw Lorule out of balance, causing the kingdom to begin crumbling. To save her kingdom, Hilda sent Yuga to Hyrule to steal the Triforce, which would thus restore balance to Lorule, though at the same time condemn Hyrule to the same collapse.<ref>{{Cite|I wish the best for our kingdom. But by ruining Hyrule...? You'd bring the absolute worst in Lorule.|Ravio|ALBW}}</ref> Hilda then takes the Triforce of Wisdom for herself, ordering Yuga to attack Link to obtain the final Triforce. Link succeeds in defeating Yuga, however, prompting an angered Hilda to demand Yuga's Triforce of Power; however, he instead reveals that he never cared for Lorule's fate, merely desiring the Triforce for himself.<ref>{{Cite|My dear, sweet, deluded Hilda...! What care have I to save your crumbling kingdom? It's no better than that hideous Hyrule. When the Triforce is mine, I plan to remake Lorule in MY image.|Yuga|ALBW}}</ref> He then turns Hilda into a painting and merges with her, thus gaining her Triforce of Wisdom. However, with help from Princess Zelda, Link manages to defeat Yuga, freeing both Zelda and Hilda. After [[Ravio]] manages to persuade Hilda of the evil nature of her actions, Hilda agrees to send Link and Zelda back to Hyrule, though seemingly dooming her kingdom in the process. Once back in Hyrule, however, Link and Zelda wish together on Hyrule's Triforce to restore its Lorulean counterpart. As it reappears, Lorule's skies begin to lighten as Hilda expresses tearful gratitude, seemingly indicating that Lorule is once more in balance.
   
  +
====''Tri Force Heroes''====
'''Silver Arrow's split / single Ganon theory'''
 
  +
While the true Triforce does not appear in {{TFH}}, Triforce-shaped portals called '''Triforce Gateways''' appear in [[Hytopia Castle]] and throughout the [[Drablands]]. The Triforce Gateways are the only known entrances to the Drablands. The power of these gateways will only open when three heroes gather, allowing for travel between the worlds.<ref>{{Cite|This is a Triforce gateway. Using its power is the only way to travel to the Drablands. Only when three heroes gather will the Triforce's power awaken and allow for travel between the worlds. The way will not open for one hero alone.|Match Master|TFH}}</ref> Once three heroes arrive, the [[Match Master]] will open the Triforce Gateway and permit them entry. In the [[Hall of the Doppels]], if Link is without allies, then he can still enter the Drablands, but with the presence of two [[Doppel]]s.
   
  +
In each Level of the Drablands are four Stages, with a Triforce Gateway at the end of each one. These gateways will only appear and activate once the [[Links]] have fulfilled certain requirements in each Stage, such as opening a pathway, defeating all enemies, or picking up the available items. Stepping on these gateways will advance the Links to the next Stage.
:''TMC'' - ''OoT''/''MM'' - ''FS''/''FSA'' - ''ALttP''/''LA''/''KnS'' - ''OoS''/''OoA'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL''/''ZG&W''
 
   
  +
====''The Legend of Zelda''====
:''TMC'' - ''OoT'' - ''TP'' - ''TWW''/''PH''
 
  +
[[File:Triforce(BSZelda).gif|left|Triforce in ''BS The Legend of Zelda'']]
  +
In the {{TLoZ}}, the Triforce of Wisdom and Triforce of Power are described as "golden triangles possessing mystical powers" that grant their holders great power.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=In the midst of this chaos in a little kingdom in the land of Hyrule, a legend was being handed down from generation to generation, the legend of the "Triforce"; golden triangles possessing mystical powers.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=3}}</ref> Prior to the events of the game, Ganon attacked the kingdom of Hyrule and stole the Triforce of Power.<ref name=ganon>{{Cite manual|quote=One day, an evil army attacked this peaceful little kingdom and stole the Triforce of Power. This army was led by Ganon, the powerful Prince of Darkness who sought to plunge the World into fear and darkness under his rule.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=3}}</ref> Fearing Ganon's wicked rule, the Princess Zelda split the Triforce of Wisdom into eight shards and hid them in the dungeons beneath Hyrule.<ref name=zelda>{{Cite manual|quote=Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split up the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and bid them throughout the realm to save the last remaining Triforce from the clutches of the evil Ganon.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite manual|quote=[Ganon] held the Triforce of Power. And so, in order to fight off Ganon, Link had to bring the scattered eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom together to rebuild the mystical triangle.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=4}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=If he couldn't do this, there would be no chance Link could fight his way into Death Mountain where Ganon lived.|game=The Legend of Zelda|page=4}}</ref>
   
'''The Miyamoto Order Theory'''
+
====''The Adventure of Link''====
  +
[[File:Zelda II Triforce.png|thumb|right|Link using the power of the united Triforce to awaken Princess Zelda]]
  +
The Triforce of Courage is first introduced in the {{TAoL}}. In the prologue of the game, it is mentioned that a historic [[King of Hyrule (The Adventure of Link)|King of Hyrule]] used the Triforce to keep peace in Hyrule; however, he eventually passed away and, fearing someone would misuse the powers of the Triforce, hid the Triforce of Courage in the [[Great Palace]]. Here, 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.<ref name=Quote3/><ref name=palaces>{{Cite manual|quote=When you have set crystals in all of the statues in the six palaces, the "binding force" placed on the Valley of Death will be removed and you will be able to enter the great palace. There, you must fight the last guarding. And you can obtain the Triforce only be defeating that guardian.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=11}}</ref> 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.<ref name=palaces/>
   
  +
==Other Appearances==
:''OoT''/''MM'' - ''TP'' - ''TWW''/''PH'' - ''TMC'' - ''FS''/''FSA'' - ''LoZ''/''AoL'' - ''OoS''/''OoA'' - ''ALttP''/''LA''
 
  +
{{Main|Triforce/Other Appearances}}
  +
The Triforce has made several other appearances, including ''Zelda'' comics, animated shows, and the {{ssb|Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series}}. Although its manifestation varies, it still holds the role as being a sacred, powerful relic in Hyrule.
   
  +
==Trivia==
NOTE: The Miyamoto Order Theory stems from Miyamoto's heavy involvement in the making of TP, possibly designed to cater to one of the most recent timeline-related comments by Miyamoto about the older titles--in short, that LoZ/AoL comes prior to ALttP.
 
  +
*The Triforce, development-wise, did not start with three pieces. The first game only featured the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce of Courage was added to the group in its sequel. This implies that the name "Triforce" initially referred to the shape of the pieces, instead of the number of pieces as is commonly believed.
  +
*The Japanese name for the Triumph Forks is ''Tarai to Hosu'' which means "Bucket and Hose", whilst Triforce is ''Toraifōsu'', so the name is a pun in both languages (Japanese and English).
  +
*The Triumph Forks are mentioned again as an Easter Egg in ''The Minish Cap'', appearing as titles of books in the Library (The titles appear in [[Hylian Language|Hylian]]. Translated it says Ta Ra I To Ho Su). The books bearing the Triumph Forks titles appear next to other books referencing the original titles of the ''Oracles'' series.
  +
*The Triforce resembles the initial state of the Sierpinski Triangle, a famous fractal, a shape that can continuously replicate inside of itself.
  +
*The [[Golden Goddesses#Physical Appearance|three colors]] that represent each [[Golden Goddesses]], red (Din), blue (Nayru), and green (Farore), are interestingly the three primary colors of visible light. When the three colors are combined, a white light results. When the three golden goddesses combined their essences and left, the yellow Triforce resulted.
  +
*The Triforce of Power is the only piece that hasn't been split into smaller fragments.
   
  +
==Etymology==
'''No Timeline "Legend" Theory'''
 
  +
{{Names Table
  +
|align= left
  +
|name1= Triforce
  +
|name2= Triforce of Power
  +
|name3= Triforce of Wisdom
  +
|name4= Triforce of Courage
  +
|name5= Triforce Shard
   
  +
|ja1= {{Romanize|トライフォース|Toraifōsu|Triforce|3}}
Some fans believe that there is no timeline. The story of Link and Zelda is a legend, a story that has been passed down from person to person, often being changed or told different ways. According to this theory, many games in the series are retellings of the same story, as can be seen by their similarities. Other games, though, are sequels to that story, such as MM.
 
  +
|ja2= {{Romanize|力のトライフォース|Chikara no Toraifōsu|Triforce of Power|3}}
  +
|ja3= {{Romanize|知恵のトライフォース|Chie no Toraifōsu|Triforce of Wisdom|3}}
  +
|ja4= {{Romanize|勇気のトライフォース|Yuuki no Toraifōsu|Triforce of Courage|3}}
  +
|ja5= {{Romanize|トライフォースのかけら|Toraifōsu no Kakera|Triforce Fragment|3}}
   
  +
|esS1= {{exp|Triforce|Trifuerza}}
[[Category:Timeline]]
 
  +
|esS2=
  +
|esS3=
  +
|esS4= {{exp|Triforce of Courage|Trifuerza del Valor}}
  +
|esS5=
  +
  +
|esL1= {{exp|Triforce|Trifuerza}}
  +
|esL2= Trifuerza del Poder
  +
|esL3= Trifuerza de la Sabiduria
  +
|esL4= {{exp|Triforce of Courage|Trifuerza del Valor}}
  +
|esL5=
  +
  +
|frF1= Triforce
  +
|frF2=
  +
|frF3=
  +
|frF4= {{exp|Triforce of Courage|Triforce du Courage}}
  +
|frF5=
  +
  +
|frC1= Triforce
  +
|frC2= Triforce de la force
  +
|frC3= Triforce de la sagesse
  +
|frC4= {{exp|Triforce of Courage|Triforce du Courage}}
  +
|frC5=
  +
  +
|de1= {{de|Triforce}}
  +
|de2= {{de|Triforce|Triforce der Kraft}}
  +
|de3= {{de|Triforce|Triforce der Weisheit}}
  +
|de4= {{de|Triforce|Triforce des Mutes}}
  +
|de5= {{de|Triforce#The Wind Waker|Fragment des Mutes}}
  +
  +
|it1= {{exp|Triforce|Triforza}}
  +
|it2= Triforza della Forza
  +
|it3= Triforza della Saggezza
  +
|it4= {{exp|Triforce of Courage|Triforza del Coraggio}}
  +
|it5= Frammenti di Triforza
  +
  +
|ko1=
  +
|ko2=
  +
|ko3=
  +
|ko4=
  +
|ko5=
  +
  +
|chS1= 三角之力
  +
|chS2= 力量的三角之力
  +
|chS3= 智慧的三角之力
  +
|chS4= 勇气的三角之力
  +
  +
|chT1= 三角之力
  +
|chT2= 力量的三角之力
  +
|chT3= 智慧的三角之力
  +
|chT4= 勇氣的三角之力}}
  +
  +
==Gallery==
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:TriforceLoZArt.png|The Triforce from ''The Legend of Zelda''
  +
File:Triforce LoZ.jpg|Link banishing evil with a piece of the Triforce in ''The Legend of Zelda''
  +
File:Link-Holding-Triforce-Piece.png|Link holding a Triforce piece in ''The Legend of Zelda''
  +
File:Link-Holding-Triforce.png|Link holding a Triforce piece in ''The Legend of Zelda''
  +
File:LinkZeldaTriforceLoZArt.png|Link and Princess Zelda holding Triforce pieces in ''The Legend of Zelda''
  +
File:TriforceALttPTitle.png|The Triforce from ''A Link to the Past''
  +
File:Triforce Ocarina of Time.png|The Triforce from ''Ocarina of Time''
  +
File:Triforce OoT.gif|Triforce from ''Ocarina of Time''
  +
File:Beta Triforce.png|Early version of the Triforce from ''Ocarina of Time''
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File:TWW Triforce.png|The Triforce from ''The Wind Waker''
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File:Triforce WW.png|The Triforce of Courage on Link's left hand
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File:Ganon Unite Triforce.jpg|Ganondorf uniting the Triforce in ''The Wind Waker''
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File:Triforce Unite.jpg|The pieces of the Triforce coming together in ''The Wind Waker''
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File:Ganon Triforce.jpg|Ganondorf with the Triforce in ''The Wind Waker''
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File:GustavHeadstone.png|The Triforce on King Gustaf's tombstone in ''The Minish Cap''
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File:ALBW Dark Triforce.png|Lorulean Triforce from ''A Link Between Worlds''
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File:Triforce Courage Chamber SagesALBW.png|Link being granted the Triforce of Courage in ''A Link Between Worlds''
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File:ALBW Link Courage Hand.png|Link bearing the Triforce of Courage on his left hand in ''A Link Between Worlds''
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File:HildaTriforceWisdom.jpg|Princess Hilda seen holding the Triforce of Wisdom in ''A Link Between Worlds''
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File:YugaFusedwithGanon.png|Yuga Ganon with the Triforce of Power in ''A Link Between Worlds''
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File:Credits Scene 4.jpg|The Links using a Triforce Gateway in ''Tri Force Heroes''
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</gallery>
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==See Also==
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* [[Light Force]]
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{{Ref}}
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{{Items}}
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{{CommonItems}}
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[[Category:Quest Items]]
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[[Category:Symbols]]
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[[Category:Powers]]
  +
[[Category:Items in Skyward Sword]]

Revision as of 16:19, 20 August 2016

Template:Object The Triforce (pronounced /ˈtraɪˌfɔəɹs/ TRY-foarss)[citation needed] is a sacred golden relic left behind by the Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, once they finished creating the realm, which came to be known as Hyrule.[1][2] The Goddess Hylia was tasked with the protection of this world and the Triforce.[3]

The Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the Triforce of Power is always depicted as the top piece, with the Triforce of Courage typically represented by the right piece, and the Triforce of Wisdom typically represented by the left piece.[4] Although the Triforce was created by gods, it can never be used by one,[5] possibly the goddesses' way of giving hope to all the mortal beings in Hyrule.[6]

The Triforce is the ultimate source of power in the Zelda series and serves as the balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.[7] It has the ability to grant the wish of those who obtain it, regardless of whether the person's intentions are "good" or "evil".[8][9][10] The Triforce can also change the appearance of the Sacred Realm to reflect the heart of the person who enters it.[11] Since the Triforce is the basis of Hyrule's providence,[12] a crest bearing the image of the Triforce serves as the official crest of the Royal Family of Hyrule.

During the Era of the Goddess Hylia, Demise and his hordes launched an attack to the surface, in an attempt to get their hands on the omnipotent relic.[13] It is currently unknown whether the Triforce was already located in the Sacred Realm at that point. It is certain though, that during the Era of Chaos the Triforce was already in the Sacred Realm, and that the ancient Sage Rauru constructed the Temple of Time, which contained the only, sealed entrance to the Sacred Realm.[14][15] The Triforce was placed in the Temple of Light, at the center of the Sacred Realm, where it remained undisturbed for many ages until the events of Ocarina of Time.[16][17]

Legends of the Triforce

File:GoldenLand.png

The Triforce within its resting place in the Sacred Realm

The Goddesses ordained the Triforce as Hyrule’s providence, the ‘True Force’ to govern all and the ultimate source of power.[12][18] Of all the powerful mystical forces in the realm of Hyrule, none compare to the Triforce; thus, whoever claims the Triforce gains virtual omnipotence, their power, wisdom or courage dwarfed only by the Goddesses themselves.[19] The Triforce ultimately determines Hyrule's destiny, such that if a person with a righteous heart claims the Triforce, Hyrule will enter into a golden age of peace and prosperity. But, if a person with a wicked heart captures the Triforce, the kingdom will inevitably fall into an age of darkness. However, it is prophesied that if one with an evil heart were to claim the Triforce, a Hero is destined to stand against him.[20]

The Triforce contains the essence of the Goddesses, but unlike the Goddesses, it does not discriminate between those who are good or evil. It grants the wishes of whoever obtains it, regardless of their motives.[21] The stronger the wish, the more the wish comes true since the Triforce will express it more powerfully.[22] The resting place of the Triforce, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that will reflect the heart of the one who enters it and lays claim to the so-called "Sacred Triangle". This being said, one of two things can happen when this event occurs. If the heart of the one that holds the Sacred Triangle in his or her hands is pure and balanced, they will gain the True Force to govern all and the Sacred Realm will become a paradise. However, if the heart of the one that holds the Sacred Triangle does not contain an equal balance of Power, Wisdom and Courage, the Triforce will separate into its three component parts, leaving only the part representing the force that one most believes in and transforming the Sacred Realm into a world of evil as well.[23] To gain the full power of the Triforce, the one who touched the Triforce must seek the two lost parts that will be held by two special individuals chosen by destiny, who will bear the mark of the Triforce on the backs of their hands.[24]

Pieces of the Triforce

Triforce Logo

As mentioned in the Sheikah legends, when someone with an unbalanced heart touches the Triforce, the sacred relic is split up into three pieces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.[23] However, as shown in The Legend of Zelda and The Wind Waker, a Triforce piece can be split up even further into pieces known as Triforce Shards. When all three Triforce pieces are in close contact, they will begin to resonate as they attempt to combine into one again.[25] This is shown towards the end of Ocarina of Time and most prominently in The Wind Waker, where the Triforce ends up being whole again.[26]

It's possible for a Triforce piece to be inactive inside its bearer's body and under certain circumstances to activate. An example of this scenario, is Link's transformation into a wolf in Twilight Princess, when he was first covered by the twilight.[27] Another case, is Ganon's revival by the Triforce of Power when the Sages attempted to execute him, by impaling him with a sword.[28]

Triforce of Power

The Triforce of Power embodies the essence of the Goddess of Power, Din, the creator of Hyrule.[29] Whoever holds the Triforce of Power is granted "true power".[19] This power is absolute, making the recipient of Din's blessing a god-like entity, vastly more powerful than any mortal, affording its wielder invulnerability,[28] vast strength and an unlimited source of mystical power.

The Triforce of Power is one of the two Triforce pieces introduced in the original The Legend of Zelda, where Ganondorf stole it and proceeds to search for the Triforce of Wisdom to obtain ultimate power and thus be able to conquer Hyrule.[30] In Ocarina of Time, when Ganondorf invaded the Sacred Realm and claimed the Triforce, the sacred triangles separated, leaving him with only the Triforce of Power, the aspect in which he most believed.[31] Nevertheless, the Triforce of Power makes Ganondorf unimaginably powerful, granting him unlimited strength and matchless mystical power. He uses this piece of the Triforce to throw Hyrule into chaos in The Legend of Zelda and Ocarina of Time. In the latter, even though the Seven Sages send him to the Evil Realm, Ganondorf still retains his Triforce of Power, allowing him to reappear later and cause the goddesses to summon the Great Flood, sealing him in the underwater land of Hyrule. This is spoken of in the introduction of The Wind Waker. [32][33]

In Twilight Princess, Ganondorf gains the Triforce of Power through what the sages referred to as a "Divine Prank".[28] It allows him to survive his execution, but is sent off into the Twilight Realm which allows him to house the power given to him by his Triforce piece on Zant.[34] Ganondorf seemingly loses the Triforce of Power after he is impaled by the Master Sword at the end of the game.

In A Link Between Worlds, Yuga manages to revive and fuse with Ganon, giving Yuga complete control, and as such, usurps Ganon's Triforce of Power. During the final battle, when Yuga fuses with Hilda while in portrait form, he also takes the Triforce of Wisdom from her.

Triforce of Wisdom

The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru, the author of law.[35] It imparts divine wisdom upon its holder, and grants the holder untold mystical abilities, including the ability to heal others[36] and, presumably, the ability to communicate telepathically. The Triforce of Wisdom leads its holder to make the right decisions,[37] making them wiser than any mortal.[19] The essence of Nayru grants Zelda, the Triforce of Wisdom's bearer, a myriad of mystical abilities as well as divine wisdom. In The Legend of Zelda, Princess Zelda splits up the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and hides them throughout the land, fearing Ganon's rule after he steals the Triforce of Power.[38] Link must reassemble the Triforce of Wisdom if he hopes to enter Death Mountain, destroy Ganon, and save Princess Zelda.

When the Triforce was split into its three aspects in Ocarina of Time, Princess Zelda was imparted with the Triforce of Wisdom.[39] This seemingly allowed her to disguise herself as a Sheikah named Sheik until the return of the Hero of Time: the Triforce of Wisdom on the back of Sheik's hand shines before revealing her true identity as Princess Zelda. Her possession of the Triforce of Wisdom also makes her the Seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all. The Triforce's power also allows the princess to send Link back to his original time at the end of the game.[40] In The Wind Waker, Zelda, in her guise as Tetra, carries a part of the Triforce of Wisdom in the form of a pendant that was given to her by her mother before she passed away. The remaining fragment is given to her by the King of Hyrule, thus revealing her true identity as the Princess of Hyrule.[41] It is explained by the king Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule that the Triforce of Wisdom was given to Tetra's ancestors with the task of protecting it from Ganondorf's grasp.[42]

In Twilight Princess, when Zant transformed the kingdom of Hyrule into a world covered by Twilight, the Triforce of Wisdom seemingly protects Princess Zelda from becoming a spirit in the world of Twilight, much like how Link was protected by his Triforce of Courage.[43] Later on in the game, Princess Zelda transfers her powers to the dying Midna in order to save her, thus allowing the Twili imp to be able to withstand light.[36]

In A Link Between Worlds, during the finale, Hilda takes the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda and summons Yuga. When Yuga betrays Hilda and absorbs her, he takes the Triforce of Wisdom for himself.

Triforce of Courage

The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of the Goddess of Courage, Farore, the source of all life. [44] The Triforce of Courage is more than a mere symbol of Link's exemplary courage,[45] who is usually its bearer. Though Link is not a skilled sorcerer like Ganondorf or Zelda, the Triforce of Courage, like the other sacred triangles, grants him untold mystical abilities, one of them being some extent of protection against evil magic. In Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Courage, from the very beginning of the game, is already visible in Link's hand. One of the known effects of the Triforce of Courage in the said game is transforming Link into a wolf instead of into a lost soul like every other being from the Light World.[43] The Triforce of Courage also repels the Shadow Beast who attempts to attack him when he is first dragged into the Twilight. Speculation exists that states that the Triforce also grants its bearer the ability to master any weapon they touch, this theory circumstantially proven by the fact that Link always seems to know how to use a weapon with no training.

Although the Triforce of Courage was not mentioned in the original The Legend of Zelda, it was later introduced in The Adventure of Link. Here, it is revealed that a previous King of Hyrule, fearing the misuse of the Triforce, sealed the Triforce of Courage away in the Great Palace, where only a hero worthy of its power would be able to obtain it after proving himself.[46] Link endured the trials of the Great Palace, including defeating his own shadow, and recovered the Triforce of Courage. Uniting it with the Triforce of Wisdom and Power, he was able to break the spell cast on the sleeping Princess Zelda. Ocarina of Time reveals that after Ganondorf touched the Triforce in the Sacred Realm, the Triforce split into three pieces, with the Triforce of Courage being imparted to Link.[47] After Ganon is sealed inside the Evil Realm, Link, still the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, embarks on another journey and leaves the land of Hyrule. This causes him to be separated from "the elements that made him a hero," causing the Triforce of Courage to be split into eight shards and be hidden throughout the kingdom.[48] This leads to the events in The Wind Waker, where Link must retrieve the eight shards of the Triforce of Courage from the bottom of the ocean.[49]

Triforce Shards

A Triforce Shard is a fragment of a shattered Triforce. In order to hide the Triforce from evil, it has been broken into pieces and scattered throughout Hyrule. Splitting the Triforce not only protects it from evil hands, it also ensures that whoever manages to assemble all the pieces is worthy of possessing it. The Triforce has been fragmented in two games thus far: the original The Legend of Zelda, and in The Wind Waker.

In The Legend of Zelda, in an attempt to keep Ganon from obtaining the remaining Triforce of Wisdom, Princess Zelda divided the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and scattered them throughout the land.[50] She then sent Impa to find a man courageous enough to defeat the evil monster[51]; however, Impa is eventually attacked and cornered by Ganon's minions. Just as there seemed no hope, the young adventurer known as Link saves her from peril.[52] Impa saw the potential in this boy, and decided he would be the hero to end her search. She presented him with a mission: to find the eight shards of the Triforce of Wisdom and rescue Zelda. Link set out to end Ganon's reign of evil and recover both the Triforce of Wisdom and Power.

Triforce Shard 1

In the flooded land of Hyrule in The Wind Waker, Link must recover the eight shards of the Triforce of Courage that hid throughout Hyrule after the departure of the Hero of Time.[48] With help from Tingle's cartography skills, he sets out to find the Triforce Charts that would show him the location of each of the fragments (or only three of them in The Wind Waker HD, where the rest of them can be found directly). It is only after Link assembles the Triforce of Courage that he sets off to fight off Ganondorf and save both the Great Sea and Hyrule.

The Triforce of Courage Shards from The Wind Waker

Wielders of the Triforce

Triforce1

The Triforce within the Pyramid of Power

Few have ever possessed the Triforce, or any fraction thereof. For the better part of the series, the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage are held by Ganon, Zelda, and Link respectively.[39][53][28][54][55][56][57] However, there have been other Triforce possessors in the past, possessing the Triforce in its entirety. The prologue of The Adventure of Link reveals that the King of Hyrule used the Triforce to keep peace in the kingdom.[58] In A Link to the Past, Ganon acquired the complete Triforce, yet he was trapped within the Sacred Realm by the Seal of the Sages, and as such, was unable to fully exploit the Golden Power.[59][60][61] In The Wind Waker Ganon was able to reform the complete Triforce, yet before he was able to harness its power, the King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule stepped in, claimed the Triforce, and entreated the Goddesses to flood Hyrule and save the realm from Ganon’s evil.[62][9] In Twilight Princess, Ganon possess Zelda's body, as it is unconfirmed whether or not Midna had been gven the Triforce of Wisdom, it was possible that during the battle Ganondorf briefly held both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom. In Skyward Sword, Link gathered all three pieces of the Triforce in the Sky Keep, a dungeon in Skyloft placed there by Hylia to hide the precious relic until the time her chosen hero arose. He then prayed to it for the eradication of Demise.[63]

Aside from the three known Triforce Holders, to date, three to four other people have possessed a part of the Triforce: prior to The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, the Prince of Hyrule possessed the Triforces of Wisdom and Power, though the crest did not appear on his hand[64], in Twilight Princess, Princess Zelda conferred her soul (and presumably the Triforce of Wisdom with it) to Midna allowing her to exist in the World of Light.[65][36] In A Link Between Worlds, Yuga comes into possession of the Triforce of Power after he merges with Ganon, and later steals the Triforce of Wisdom from Hilda, who had taken it from Zelda shortly before. Though Zant never actually possessed any part of the Triforce, he received his power from Ganon, thus indirectly receiving power from the Triforce of Power.[66]

When two bearers of the Triforce are in proximity with one other, their Triforce piece will resonate. This is demonstrated in Ocarina of Time when Link's, Zelda's, and Ganondorf's Triforce pieces glow once the young hero reaches the top of Ganon's Tower.[25] In The Wind Waker, it is illustrated once again when Ganondorf grabs Tetra and his Triforce piece resonates, revealing that Tetra is the possessor of the Triforce of Wisdom.[57]

Historical Appearances

Unified Timeline

Skyward Sword

File:Triforce SS.png

The Triforce assembles atop the Statue of the Goddess

In Skyward Sword, the Triforce is first referred to during the introduction. When the gods of old departed from the world, they trusted their ultimate power, the Triforce, in the hands of the goddess Hylia to protect it.[67] However, Demise, wanting to make the world his own, gathered an army of monsters and together launched an attack against the people of the surface, murdering them and causing misfortunes all just to get their hands on the power guarded by Hylia.[68][13] To prevent the great power from falling into the hands of the demonic creatures - and specifically their leader, Demise - Her Grace gathered the surviving humans on a piece of land and sent it to the heavens, beyond the clouds and out of reach from the evil plaguing the land.[69] She then joined forces with the five tribes of the land and defeated Demise, sealing him away in the Sealed Grounds where he took the new form of The Imprisoned.[70]

Unbeknownst to anyone, Hylia also hid the entrances to the land where the Triforce lay on this aerial outcropping, in a secret structure called the Sky Keep.[71] Inside this keep were three separate gates which led to another realm, each gate leading to a different piece of the Triforce. Before departing, Hylia also entrusted the guardians of the surface as well as Levias to teach the chosen hero their part of the "Song of the Hero", since should the hero succeed in conquering the last trial, the path to the Sky Keep would open to him.[72] The Sky Keep was sealed for an age below Skyloft, and generations later, when it becomes clear that there is no other way to prevent The Imprisoned from eventually resurrecting himself, Zelda sends Link to learn the "Song of the Hero",[73] which would unlock the final trial to receive the Stone of Trials needed to open the path to the Sky Keep. Link succeeds in his task and, with the Triforce in hand, the young hero goes up onto the Statue of the Goddess and makes his wish: the destruction of Demise. The Triforce's power causes the entire island containing the Goddess Statue to break free from Skyloft and plummet down to the surface, thus returning to its original location at the Sealed Grounds and destroying the Imprisoned just as it attempts to break out once more with the Sky Keep itself.[74] However, subsequent events made it necessary to travel back to the past and defeat Demise there as well. When this is accomplished, Impa reminds Zelda that she must stay in the past to watch over the Triforce since its might is too powerful to leave in "the grasp of man". She also mentions that once the Triforce has served its purpose, it will be secreted away once again, its existence kept hidden from everyone.[75] Zelda assents and returns to her own time with Link and resolves to stay below the clouds to continue guarding the Triforce.[76]

The Era of Chaos and the Era of Prosperity

Many years after the events of Skyward Sword, there was an era of chaos with wars and fighting over the Triforce that was located in the Sacred Realm. To put an end to these wars, an ancient sage, Rauru, built over the remains of the Sealed Temple a new Temple of Time, which contained the only entrance to the Sacred Realm.[77][78] Using the Master Sword and the three Spiritual Stones as keys to the Sacred Realm, this new temple was the sanctified gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, and its purpose was to protect that gateway, and thus the Triforce, from evildoers who would seek to misuse it.[79][80][81] Inside the Temple of Time is a chamber that is home to the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time; however, the entrance to this chamber is sealed by the Door of Time.[82] When the Master Sword was infused into the Pedestal of Time, it sealed that gateway in the hopes of preventing all but the most worthy to reach the Sacred Realm, where the sacred Triforce lies within the Temple of Light.

The Minish Cap

File:MinishCapTriforce.png

The Triforce above the bell in Hyrule Town

Though the Triforce is never mentioned in The Minish Cap, it can be seen on Link's shield and on Princess Zelda's dress. The Triforce crest can also be found on various places around Hyrule, such as above the bell in Hyrule Town, or at Hyrule Castle, and on Gustaf's tombstone in the Royal Crypt. According to the director of the game, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, it is unknown if the light force, which Vaati searches for, has some relationship with the Triforce.[83]

Ocarina of Time

Triforce (Ocarina of Time)

The Triforce as seen in Ocarina of Time

The history of the Triforce is further elaborated upon in Ocarina of Time. Its nature of splitting into three pieces when someone with an unbalanced heart touches it is revealed to be one of the many Sheikah legends spoken of in the game.

Ganondorf, the sole male Gerudo from the desert in the west of Hyrule, is in search of the Triforce to use it to conquer Hyrule.[84] Although Princess Zelda and Link try to protect the Triforce and the entrance to the Sacred Realm, Link unknowingly retrieves the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time and opens the gates to the Sacred Realm, allowing Ganondorf to enter the realm uncontested.[85] In that instant, Ganondorf seized his opportunity and attempted to lay claim to the Triforce.[86] However, there was another tale told about the Triforce, one that stated that if a person whose Wisdom, Power and Courage were out of balance 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.[23] When Ganondorf laid his hand upon the Triforce, this prophecy came true. The Triforce thus shattered, with Ganondorf keeping the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom going to Princess Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage going to Link.[24]

Eventually, Link, now proclaimed as the Hero of Time, defeats Ganon, allowing Princess Zelda and the six Sages to send the King of Evil into the void of the Evil Realm.[87] The princess uses her Triforce of Wisdom to send Link back to his original time,[40] while Ganondorf, still with the Triforce of Power in his hand, swears to "exterminate" Link and Zelda's descendants once the seal is broken.[32]

Out of all current games, Ocarina of Time has been the basis of the most rumors on receiving the Triforce in a Zelda game to date. Although it is well known that it is not an item that can be received in the game, many stories and rumors from fans claiming they have obtained the Triforce by doctored photos and such have come up. These rumors were mostly due to an engraving of the Triforce on the Quest Status menu, centered between all of the Medallions, although it is only there for decoration purposes.

Child Timeline

The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Time in the final battle. He warns Princess Zelda and the current King of Hyrule of the tragic future that awaited the kingdom involving Ganondorf if nothing was to be done.

Majora's Mask

MM Pillar East Termina

A pillar in Termina Field

The Triforce does not play any direct role in the storyline of Majora's Mask. It is, however, depicted throughout the Stone Tower and the Stone Tower Temple, and on pillars in East Termina Field just outside of Clock Town. Fans who support the idea that the Temple was meant to insult Hyrule's Goddesses cite this in their arguments.[88]

Theory Warning

What some fans believe is a distorted Triforce can also be seen below Skull Kid during the scene where he turns Link into a Deku Scrub. However, this appears to be a result of the lighting limitations of the game system. Whether it is officially meant to be a reference to the Triforce is undetermined. It should be noted it is gone in the remake.

Twilight Princess

See also: The Story of the Interlopers
Zelda's Triforce

Princess Zelda revealing she is the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom

The word "Triforce" is not used at any point during Twilight Princess. However, the Triforce is obviously well-known since markings of it exist on the Hylian Shield and on various walls around Castle Town and Hyrule Castle. Its power is also spoken of by the ancient Sages of Hyrule who guarded the Mirror of Twilight, and by the Light Spirit Lanayru when she tells Link the story of the interlopers who tried to take over the Sacred Realm and, with it, the Triforce.[28] Unlike in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker, Ganondorf makes no attempt to retrieve the other Triforce parts, despite being in the same position of power as he was in Ocarina of Time: as the "ruler" of Hyrule but lacking omnipotence.

In this episode, the wielders of the three parts of the Triforce (Power, Wisdom, Courage) are obviously Link, Zelda and Ganondorf, the same as Ocarina of Time. Each of the Triforce bearers can be seen using their piece of the Triforce at various points in the game, such as when Link is protected by the Triforce of Courage's power when he first enters into the Twilight. Interestingly, the wielders of the Triforce are said to be "blessed by the goddesses."[89] Though it is not directly stated, it appears that Zelda transfers her piece of the Triforce to Midna to save her life when Link brings the dying Twili imp to the princess.[36]

Zelda, Link and possibly Ganondorf are not turned to spirits by the Twilight just as Midna, once she receives Zelda's Triforce, does not have to transform into a shadow in the Light World, signifying that their Triforce pieces protect them.[53] It is worth noting that when Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganon's chest at the end of the game, Ganon's Triforce of Power stops glowing on his hand.

Adult Timeline

The Adult Timeline is the timeline that follows the events after Link is being sent back to his original time, following the Hero of Time's defeat of Ganondorf in the final battle. Ganondorf is sealed within the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages but, with Link sent back in time, the world is left without a Hero.

The Wind Waker

File:Triforce TWW.png

The Triforce is summoned by Ganondorf

Triforce TWW

Daphnes invokes the power of the Triforce before Ganondorf

The Triforce of Courage, left in Hyrule after the legendary Hero that appeared in Ocarina of Time departed from Hyrule (original Japanese suggests the Triforce split when the Hero "journeyed the flows of time" at Ocarina of Time's end), shattered into eight pieces and hid throughout the kingdom. By the time the events of The Wind Waker take place, the land is now under the Great Sea, with the shards of the Triforce of Courage locked in chests beneath the sea or in secret caves on several islands.[49][48] Triforce Charts that lead to the pieces that lie beneath the sea were drawn and hidden to stop anyone without a courageous heart from assembling it. Link, with the help of Tingle, deciphers the Triforce Charts and retrieves the Triforce Shards from the Great Sea and the islands. The young hero assembles the full Triforce of Courage and shows it before the Gods at the Tower of Gods, who acknowledge Link's courage and accept him as the Hero of Winds.[90]

In the original release of The Wind Waker, all of the Triforce shards were hidden beneath the sea and had charts leading to them, while in The Wind Waker HD there were only three of them beneath the sea and the rest could be found in the caves where the charts originally were.

It is mentioned in the game that Tetra's mother passed down a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom to her daughter and asked her to "guard it with her life."[42][41] Tetra keeps it in a necklace until King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule shows her the other half of the Triforce of Wisdom and uses it to reveal Tetra's true identity as Princess Zelda.[56] Since Ganondorf had been looking for Zelda in order to obtain the Triforce of Wisdom from her, the King asks that she stay in the basement of the ancient Hyrule Castle.[91] However, Ganondorf eventually finds her and steals her Triforce, taking the princess to his tower.[92] When Link reaches Ganondorf atop his tower, the King of Evil easily takes the Triforce of Courage that the young hero managed to assemble.[92] He unites all three Triforce pieces on top of his tower at long last and tries to make a wish, but he is stopped as King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule presses his hands upon the golden symbol, and then asks the gods to cover the land of Hyrule completely.[9] Upon closer observation, after the king's wish, each piece of the Triforce is seen flying off in opposite directions, possibly implying that the Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after it is used.

The Triforce is referred to as the Triumph Forks by the Fishmen. By the time The Wind Waker takes place, the word "Triforce" appears to have been forgotten, possibly due to the Great Flood and distortions of the old legends of Hyrule. The "Triforce" legend had been seemingly supplanted by a "Triumph Forks" legend.[93]

Phantom Hourglass

ST Ferrus Artwork
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The Triforce is not mentioned at all in Phantom Hourglass except for an instance in the Temple of the Ocean King. Link is told that in order to pass through a door in the Temple, the "sacred crest" must be drawn on it.[94] There are two valid symbols that open this door, and the one Zauz shows Link is the Triforce. In addition, the three triangular pedestals that Link must place Force Gems on to continue in various rooms are in shape of the Triforce, albeit each piece not touching.

Spirit Tracks

In Spirit Tracks, the Triforce is also not mentioned throughout the whole game. It appears on Princess Zelda's dress, on the Ancient Gold Piece and in the Shield of Antiquity, which is the shield that belonged to the Hero of Winds. It should be noted that while the Triforce, which is considered to be the famous emblem of Hyrule and its Hyrule Royal Family, is nowhere to be seen, the symbol of the Spirits appears throughout many places of the "new Hyrule."

Downfall Timeline

The Downfall Timeline is the timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle. This allowed the Evil King to obtain the full Triforce, but was subsequently sealed within the Dark World by Princess Zelda and the other awakened sages, taking the Triforce with him.

A Link to the Past

ALttP Triforce Credits Scene

Link obtains the Triforce after defeating Ganon

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, where it beckoned the people of Hyrule to seek it in hopes that someone worthy of its power would find it.[95] Although many tried to find it, none knew of its exact location, not even the Sages, since that knowledge had been lost with time.[96] Eventually, the search for the Triforce ensued a great war until the evil thief Ganondorf and his minions broke the seal into the hidden land.[1][59] Upon murdering his companions and claiming the Triforce for his own, Ganon used its power to turn the Golden Land into the Dark World.[97] 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.[60] 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.[98][99]

After obtaining the Master Sword and rescuing the seven maidens, Link defeats Ganon inside the Pyramid of Power and recovers 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.[8]

Oracle Series

The Triforce plays an identical role in both Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. During the introduction, the Triforce calls to Link from its place in Hyrule Castle, telling him to accept "their quest."[100] It then sends him to Holodrum (in Seasons) or Labrynna (in Ages). The Triforce is also seen on the pedestals of the Essences of Nature and Essences of Time.

A Link Between Worlds

The Triforce appears again in A Link Between Worlds. It is stated that, after the events of A Link to the Past, the Triforce was once more split into three pieces. Ganon claimed the Triforce of Power, whilst he was still sealed up; the Triforce of Wisdom stayed with the Royal Family; and the Triforce of Courage merged into the heart of the Hero Eternal, where it slumbers.[101][102] To obtain the Triforces of Power and Wisdom, Yuga captures the seven Sages and Princess Zelda, turning them all into paintings that he then uses to free Ganon. He then merges with Ganon, thus gaining the Triforce of Power, and gains the Triforce of Wisdom through Zelda. Once Link has rescued all of the Sages, they work together to summon the Triforce of Courage, which then enters into Link's possession.

Lorulean Triforce
LorulebackstoryALBW

Lorule's Triforce being destroyed

File:Upside-Down Triforce.jpg

The restored inverted Triforce within Lorule's Sacred Realm

Once Link storms Lorule Castle to rescue Zelda, Princess Hilda reveals that, at one time, Lorule had its own parallel counterpart of the Triforce, which bears the same name and visually resembles an inverted version of Hyrule's. As was the case in Hyrule, wars were fought over this Triforce, prompting Hilda's ancestors to destroy it to end the bloodshed.[103] Unfortunately, destroying this Triforce threw Lorule out of balance, causing the kingdom to begin crumbling. To save her kingdom, Hilda sent Yuga to Hyrule to steal the Triforce, which would thus restore balance to Lorule, though at the same time condemn Hyrule to the same collapse.[104] Hilda then takes the Triforce of Wisdom for herself, ordering Yuga to attack Link to obtain the final Triforce. Link succeeds in defeating Yuga, however, prompting an angered Hilda to demand Yuga's Triforce of Power; however, he instead reveals that he never cared for Lorule's fate, merely desiring the Triforce for himself.[105] He then turns Hilda into a painting and merges with her, thus gaining her Triforce of Wisdom. However, with help from Princess Zelda, Link manages to defeat Yuga, freeing both Zelda and Hilda. After Ravio manages to persuade Hilda of the evil nature of her actions, Hilda agrees to send Link and Zelda back to Hyrule, though seemingly dooming her kingdom in the process. Once back in Hyrule, however, Link and Zelda wish together on Hyrule's Triforce to restore its Lorulean counterpart. As it reappears, Lorule's skies begin to lighten as Hilda expresses tearful gratitude, seemingly indicating that Lorule is once more in balance.

Tri Force Heroes

While the true Triforce does not appear in Tri Force Heroes, Triforce-shaped portals called Triforce Gateways appear in Hytopia Castle and throughout the Drablands. The Triforce Gateways are the only known entrances to the Drablands. The power of these gateways will only open when three heroes gather, allowing for travel between the worlds.[106] Once three heroes arrive, the Match Master will open the Triforce Gateway and permit them entry. In the Hall of the Doppels, if Link is without allies, then he can still enter the Drablands, but with the presence of two Doppels.

In each Level of the Drablands are four Stages, with a Triforce Gateway at the end of each one. These gateways will only appear and activate once the Links have fulfilled certain requirements in each Stage, such as opening a pathway, defeating all enemies, or picking up the available items. Stepping on these gateways will advance the Links to the next Stage.

The Legend of Zelda

In the The Legend of Zelda, the Triforce of Wisdom and Triforce of Power are described as "golden triangles possessing mystical powers" that grant their holders great power.[107] Prior to the events of the game, Ganon attacked the kingdom of Hyrule and stole the Triforce of Power.[30] Fearing Ganon's wicked rule, the Princess Zelda split the Triforce of Wisdom into eight shards and hid them in the dungeons beneath Hyrule.[50][108] 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.[109]

The Adventure of Link

File:Zelda II Triforce.png

Link using the power of the united Triforce to awaken Princess Zelda

The Triforce of Courage is first introduced in the The Adventure of Link. In the prologue of the game, it is mentioned that a historic King of Hyrule used the Triforce to keep peace in Hyrule; however, he eventually passed away and, fearing someone would misuse the powers of the Triforce, hid the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace. Here, 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.[46][110] 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.[110]

Other Appearances

The Triforce has made several other appearances, including Zelda comics, animated shows, and the Super Smash Bros. series. Although its manifestation varies, it still holds the role as being a sacred, powerful relic in Hyrule.

Trivia

  • The Triforce, development-wise, did not start with three pieces. The first game only featured the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce of Courage was added to the group in its sequel. This implies that the name "Triforce" initially referred to the shape of the pieces, instead of the number of pieces as is commonly believed.
  • The Japanese name for the Triumph Forks is Tarai to Hosu which means "Bucket and Hose", whilst Triforce is Toraifōsu, so the name is a pun in both languages (Japanese and English).
  • The Triumph Forks are mentioned again as an Easter Egg in The Minish Cap, appearing as titles of books in the Library (The titles appear in Hylian. Translated it says Ta Ra I To Ho Su). The books bearing the Triumph Forks titles appear next to other books referencing the original titles of the Oracles series.
  • The Triforce resembles the initial state of the Sierpinski Triangle, a famous fractal, a shape that can continuously replicate inside of itself.
  • The three colors that represent each Golden Goddesses, red (Din), blue (Nayru), and green (Farore), are interestingly the three primary colors of visible light. When the three colors are combined, a white light results. When the three golden goddesses combined their essences and left, the yellow Triforce resulted.
  • The Triforce of Power is the only piece that hasn't been split into smaller fragments.

Etymology

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
Language Name
Triforce Triforce of Power Triforce of Wisdom Triforce of Courage Triforce Shard
Japan Japanese トライフォース 力のトライフォース 知恵のトライフォース 勇気のトライフォース トライフォースのかけら
Canada FrenchCA Triforce Triforce de la force Triforce de la sagesse Triforce du Courage
French Republic FrenchEU Triforce Triforce du Courage
Federal Republic of Germany German Triforce Triforce der Kraft Triforce der Weisheit Triforce des Mutes Fragment des Mutes
Italian Republic Italian Triforza Triforza della Forza Triforza della Saggezza Triforza del Coraggio Frammenti di Triforza
Kingdom of Spain SpanishEU Trifuerza Trifuerza del Valor
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States SpanishLA Trifuerza Trifuerza del Poder Trifuerza de la Sabiduria Trifuerza del Valor

Gallery

See Also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
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  5. "For while the supreme power of the Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one. Knowing this power was her last and only hope, the goddess gave up her divine powers and her immortal form." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  6. "Somehow, I think that may have been their way of giving hope to all the mortal beings of the land." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  7. "The Triforce...the sacred triangle...it is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  8. 8.0 8.1 "The Triforce is waiting for a new owner. Its Golden Power is in your hands...Now, touch it with a wish in your heart." — Essence of the Triforce (A Link to the Past)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted... That is what you said, is it not, Ganondorf? Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire! Hope! I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule!" — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
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  11. "If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart...the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  12. 12.0 12.1 "And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  13. 13.0 13.1 "In his thirst to make the world his own, Demise readied a massive army of monsters for war. He sought to take the Triforce for himself by force." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
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  17. "He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil..." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  18. "A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Although it was an inanimate object, the Triforce had the power to bestow three titles which gave the person who received them great powers: "The Forger of Strength", "The Keeper of Knowledge," and "The Juror of Courage."" (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  20. "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. [...] Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world..." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  21. "The Triforce, being an inanimate object, cannot judge between good and evil. Therefore, it could not know that Ganon's wishes were evil; it merely granted them." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  22. "The stronger the wish, the more powerful the Triforce's expression of that wish." — Triforce (A Link to the Past)
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 "If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  24. 24.0 24.1 "If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  25. 25.0 25.1 "The Triforce parts are resonating... They are combining into one again... The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago... I didn't expect they would be hidden within you two! And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
  26. "It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down..." — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
  27. "In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening." — Faron (Twilight Princess)
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 "In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice. Yet... By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods. His abiding hatred and lust for power turned to purest malice..." — A Sage (Twilight Princess)
  29. "Din, the goddess of power... [...]With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  30. 30.0 30.1 "One day, an evil army attacked this peaceful little kingdom and stole the Triforce of Power. This army was led by Ganon, the powerful Prince of Darkness who sought to plunge the World into fear and darkness under his rule." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  31. "Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  32. 32.0 32.1 "Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand...." — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
  33. "But then...a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero... ...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs. The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods." — Introduction (The Wind Waker)
  34. "I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too." — Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)
  35. "Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... [...] Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 "Accept this now, Midna, I pass it to you." — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  37. "It is time for you to choose: surrender or die. Oh yes, a question for all the land and people of Hyrule... Life? Or death?!" — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  38. "PRINCESS ZELDA HAD ONE OF THE TRIFORCE WITH WISDOM. SHE DIVIDED IT INTO "8" UNITS TO HIDE IT FROM GANNON [sic] BEFORE SHE WAS CAPTURED." — N/A (The Legend of Zelda)
  39. 39.0 39.1 "And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom...is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all... It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  40. 40.0 40.1 "Link, give the Ocarina to me... As a Sage, I can return you to your original time with it." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  41. 41.0 41.1 "This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule. Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it...and to guard it with your life. Am I not correct?" — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  42. 42.0 42.1 "The Triforce of Wisdom is none other than the sacred power of the gods that we have kept from Ganon's clutches for so many long years. The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting it from evil's grasp." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  43. 43.0 43.1 "In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening." — Faron (Twilight Princess)
  44. "Farore, the goddess of courage... [...] With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  45. "My only mistake was to slightly underestimate the power of this kid... No... It was not the kid's power I misjudged, it was the power of the Triforce of Courage!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
  46. 46.0 46.1 "You who'll control the Triforce of the future. I shall hand down to you the secrets of the Triforce. There are three kinds of Triforce -- Power, Wisdom, and Courage. [...] Of the three, I have left Power and Wisdom in the kingdom. But the Triforce Courage I have hidden for a reason. Not everybody can use the Triforce. It requires a strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary. Unfortunately, I have not found such a person during my life. [...] But, what will happen if someone else uses the Triforce before then? If it misused, it will produce many evil. The Triforce of Courage is hidden in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death on the largest island in Hyrule." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 9-10)
  47. "The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!" — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 "Once, long ago, he defeated Ganon and brought peace to the Kingdom of Hyrule... A piece of the Triforce was given to the Hero of Time and he kept it safe, much as Zelda kept hers. That sacred piece is known as the Triforce of Courage. When the Hero of Time was called to embark on another journey and left the land of Hyrule, he was separated from the elements that made him a hero. It is said that at that time, the Triforce of Courage was split into eight shards and hidden throughout the land." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  49. 49.0 49.1 "If you are able to collect all of them, they will fuse together and complete the piece of the Triforce, once again opening the passage through the waves to Hyrule. Even I do not know where they rest, but this much I do know: they lie hidden somewhere in this Great Sea." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  50. 50.0 50.1 "Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split up the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and bid them throughout the realm to save the last remaining Triforce from the clutches of the evil Ganon." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  51. "At the same time, she commanded her most trustworthy nursemaid, Impa, to secretly escape into the land and go find a man with enough courage to destroy the evil Ganon." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  52. "Braving forests and mountains, Impa fled for her life from her pursuers. As she reached the very limit of her energy she found herself surrounded by Ganon's evil henchmen. Cornered! What could she do? ... But wait! All was not lost. A young lad appeared. He skillfully drove off Ganon's henchmen, and saved Impa from a fate worse than death." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  53. 53.0 53.1 "It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening. Look at your awakened form... The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the gods... His power is yours. His is the true power that slept within you. Your name is [Link]. You are the hero chosen by the gods." — Faron (Twilight Princess)
  54. "[Link]... Hero sent by the goddesses... Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses..." — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  55. "You have controlled the wind and crossed the seas, and here, near the end of your quest, the power of the gods has been bestowed upon you... Surely, from this moment on, you shall be known as the Hero of Winds..." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  56. 56.0 56.1 "This necklace you wear is part of a sacred treasure called the Triforce of Wisdom, which has been passed down for many ages within the royal family of Hyrule. Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it...and to guard it with your life. [...] You are the true heir of the royal family of Hyrule...the last link in the bloodline. You are Princess Zelda." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  57. 57.0 57.1 "My Triforce of Power is resonating! Ha! At long last, I have found you... Princess Zelda!" — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
  58. "It is said that a long ago, when Hyrule was one country, a great ruler maintained the peace in Hyrule using the Triforce." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 6)
  59. 59.0 59.1 "One day, quite by accident, a gate to the Golden Land of the Triofrce was opened by a gang of thieves skilled in the black arts. [...] In a long running battle, the leaders of the thieves fought his way past his followers in lust for the Golden Power. After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood-stained hands." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5)
  60. 60.0 60.1 "[...]Ganon's evil army swarmed from the tainted Golden Land into Hyrule and attacked the castle. The wise men and the Knights Of Hyrule combined forces to wage war on this evil horde. [...] However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden Land." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5-6)
  61. "The person who rediscovered the Golden Land was Ganondorf the evil thief. Luckily, he couldn't figure out how to return to the Light World..." — One of the Seven Maidens (A Link to the Past)
  62. "It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down..." — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
  63. "Master, I believe at this juncture that a prayer is required. The ultimate goal we have traveled so far for is now within reach. Focus now, and wish with all your might for the destruction of Demise." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
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  65. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lYK_8GpHFE
  66. "I shall house my power in you... If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it, too." — Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)
  67. "Handed down by the gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the goddess." — Introduction (Skyward Sword)
  68. "One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess." — Introduction (Skyward Sword)
  69. "To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands... The goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds." — Introduction (Skyward Sword)
  70. "With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface." — Introduction (Skyward Sword)
  71. "For the safety of all things, she hid the Triforce somewhere within the rock you call Skyloft. However, its location has been kept secret. Even I do not know where it rests now." — Levias (Skyward Sword)
  72. "Now that you know the song, I trust you know what to do with it. That old song opens a door to a great trial. Should you succeed in conquering the challenge awaiting you there, I'm certain the path to the Triforce will be revealed to you." — Levias (Skyward Sword)
  73. "When Demise is finally gone, there will be no more need for the seal that binds him, and then I'll be able to wake up." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  74. "Furthermore, I have detected the successful eradication of Demise. Your prayers to the Triforce have been heard." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
  75. "Zelda, I shall watch over the Triforce. Its power is too great to leave in the grasp of man. Dependence on its might is an invitation to disaster.When it has served its purpose, it must be secreted away to lay dormant once again...the knowledge of its existence hidden from mortal history. These are the words the goddess spoke to me long ago. I remember them well. As do you, I'm sure." — Impa (Skyward Sword)
  76. "Look around us! As a child, I always dreamed of a world below. I wanted to see the surface with my own eyes and feel the land's warm breeze on my skin. I... I think I want to live here. I always want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head" — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
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  79. "The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  80. "Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm..." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  81. "So, the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  82. "But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door of Time. And, in order to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  83. Hidemaro Fujibayashi:Nintendo Power Interview
  84. "What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it! And, he wants to conquer Hyrule... no, the entire world!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  85. "Geh heh heh! Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm... Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
  86. "Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  87. "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
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  89. "Link... Hero sent by the goddesses... Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses..." — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  90. "It would seem the gods have acknowledged you to be a true hero." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  91. "Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses. He will not rest until he has found her." — King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  92. 92.0 92.1 "It can only be called fate. ...That here, I would again gather the three with the crests. ...That I should lay my hand on that which grants the wishes of the beholder... That when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the gods would have no choice but to come down... The power of the gods... The Triforce! He who touches it will have whatever he desires granted! Already, the crest of wisdom is mine... All that remains... Do not fear. I will not kill you... I merely have need of the power that dwells within you." — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
  93. "'Cause this one guy told me that what was actually buried beneath that weird rock was a chart to this shard of something called a Triforce. Whoever heard of that? That's crazy! There's a big difference between "Triumph Forks" and "Triforce"! I mean, I think someone intentionally buried something misleading there." — Fishman (The Wind Waker)
  94. "In a single stroke, draw the sacred crest to reveal a new path." — N/A (Phantom Hourglass)
  95. "From its hiding place in the so-called Golden Land where the gods placed it, the Triforce beckoned people from the outside world to seek it in the hope that someone worthy of these titles would find it." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3, 4)
  96. "Many aggressively searched for the wish-granting Triforce, but no one, not even the Hylian sages, was sure of its location; the knowledge had been lost over time." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 4)
  97. "Ganon's wish was to conquer the world. That wish changed the Golden Land to the Dark World." — Essence of the Triforce (A Link to the Past)
  98. "Agahnim has seized control of the castle and is now trying to open the seven wise men's seal." — Princess Zelda (A Link to the Past)
  99. "He is trying to open a larger gate between worlds near the castle using our powers." — One of the Seven Maidens (A Link to the Past)
  100. "Accept our quest, hero!" — Triforce (Oracle Series)
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  102. "The Triforce was split into three pieces, separated forever. One piece remains with the royal family. Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed with him. The third piece of the Triforce has vanished, though legend says it is hidden in the spirit of a true hero. It slumbers now somewhere in Hyrule--waiting for the time when the world needs a new hero." — Painting (A Link Between Worlds)
  103. "My ancestors got rid of the Triforce to stop the war—by destroying it." — Princess Hilda (A Link Between Worlds)
  104. "I wish the best for our kingdom. But by ruining Hyrule...? You'd bring the absolute worst in Lorule." — Ravio (A Link Between Worlds)
  105. "My dear, sweet, deluded Hilda...! What care have I to save your crumbling kingdom? It's no better than that hideous Hyrule. When the Triforce is mine, I plan to remake Lorule in MY image." — Yuga (A Link Between Worlds)
  106. "This is a Triforce gateway. Using its power is the only way to travel to the Drablands. Only when three heroes gather will the Triforce's power awaken and allow for travel between the worlds. The way will not open for one hero alone." — Match Master (Tri Force Heroes)
  107. "In the midst of this chaos in a little kingdom in the land of Hyrule, a legend was being handed down from generation to generation, the legend of the "Triforce"; golden triangles possessing mystical powers." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3)
  108. "[Ganon] held the Triforce of Power. And so, in order to fight off Ganon, Link had to bring the scattered eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom together to rebuild the mystical triangle." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 4)
  109. "If he couldn't do this, there would be no chance Link could fight his way into Death Mountain where Ganon lived." (The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 4)
  110. 110.0 110.1 "When you have set crystals in all of the statues in the six palaces, the "binding force" placed on the Valley of Death will be removed and you will be able to enter the great palace. There, you must fight the last guarding. And you can obtain the Triforce only be defeating that guardian." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 11)

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