Master Sword

"But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand... a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the Blade of Evil's Bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light."

- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Master Sword, also known as The Blade of Evil's Bane or as the Sword of Time, is a recurring sword in the. Crafted by the ancient Sages, the Master Sword holds the power to repel evil, and it is usually the only sword that can defeat Ganon in the games it appears in. Ever since the Link from Ocarina of Time retrieved it from the Pedestal of Time and defeated Ganon with it, the Master Sword has become analogous with the legend of the Hero of Time. As such, this legendary weapon is considered to be the most recognized sword in the Zelda series, being displayed in title logos such as in A Link to the Past and appearing as Link's main weapon in other games like Soulcalibur II and the Super Smash Bros. series.

Creation and History
According to Skyward Sword, the goddess Hylia created the Goddess Sword and Fi, the spirit that resides in the Goddess Sword, giving it the purpose of assisting Hylia's chosen hero throughout his journey. The three Sacred Flames are used to temper the Goddess Sword into the Master Sword, purifying it and empowering it with a sacred force, considered to be a divine power that was left by the gods of old. Only after the Master Sword is blessed by the goddess herself, it becomes the True Master Sword and gives it the ability to smite evil.

Eventually, the Temple of Time was built by the ancient Sages and, within it, they placed the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time. However, the entrance to the Master Sword chamber is sealed by the Door of Time. 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. It is said that only the Hero of Time may enter the secret chambers of the temple and draw the Master Sword. If the Hero of Time withdraws the Master Sword from its pedestal, it will once again open the portal to the Sacred Realm, granting access to the Temple of Light.

Discrepancies
According to the English manual of A Link to the Past, after Ganon entered the Golden Land and obtained the Triforce, the people of Hyrule and the Seven Sages created a sword resistant to magic, which could even repulse powers granted by the Triforce. Although the Sages tried to find someone brave to wield the Master Sword, they never found such a person, leaving the Sages, with the aid  of the knights of Hyrule, to seal away Ganon instead.

Although the English manual of A Link to the Past mentions that the Master Sword was not created until after Ganon invaded the Golden Land, the Japanese manual states that it was forged long before the Imprisoning War occurred. Shortly after the creation of the world, the Goddesses instructed the people of Hyrule to forge a sword that would have the power to vanquish anyone who misused the Triforce. The location of the blade was already forgotten by the time of the Imprisoning War, and no hero was found worthy of wielding it.

Interestingly, both the English and Japanese manual of A Link to the Past describe that the Master Sword was forged by the "people of Hyrule", and not necessarily by the Ancient Sages. It isn't until Twilight Princess that Princess Zelda mentions the Ancient Sages forged the Master Sword. However, Skyward Sword, which takes place before the events of Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past, reveals that the Master Sword was originally once known as the Goddess Sword, where it rested in a floating island above the clouds known as Skyloft and was created by Hylia. Link tempers the Goddess Sword into the Master Sword after collecting all three Sacred Flames and receiving a blessing from the Goddess.

Design, Abilities and Characteristics
When the Master Sword was first introduced in A Link to the Past, the sword's grip was red and its cross-guard yellow; however, ever since Ocarina of Time, the grip and color-guard were recolored to blue, retaining the yellow gemstone featured in its original appearance. The Triforce can be seen engraved in the lower part of the blade.

The Master Sword's most known ability is the power to vanquish evil and break curses that involve powerful, dark magic. However, in order to keep the power to repel evil intact, two Sages, known as the Earth Sage and the Wind Sage, are in charge of praying to the gods and thus infuse the Master Sword with the gods' power. Should something happen to these Sages, the Master Sword will weaken and lose its might to combat evil.

Only the true hero that is "pure of heart and strong of body" is capable of wielding the sacred blade, and as such, those with tainted hearts cannot even touch this powerful sword. If a hero who is too young to bear the title that comes with the Master Sword withdraws this blade from its pedestal, the Master Sword will seal away the hero's soul and awaken him when the bearer comes of age to wield it.

The Master Sword also acts as a key to gain entrance to the Temple of Light. If the Master Sword is retrieved from its pedestal in the Temple of Time, the portal to the Sacred Realm will open, eventually leading to the Triforce. Other than acting as the entrance to the Temple of Light, the sacred blade, in conjunction with the Pedestal of Time, has the ability to lock away evil magic and prevent its bearer from using it until the Master Sword is withdrawn from its pedestal. Additionally, the bearer of the sword can travel through time to some extent by simply thrusting the Master Sword into the Pedestal of Time. The hero is able to travel backwards and forwards through the seven years of his life that were lost when he was kept in the Sacred Realm until he was old enough to hold the sword.

When in the Twilight, the Master Sword itself can be infused with the power of the Sols from the Twilight Realm, allowing it to cut through the dark fog that exists in the realm.

A Link to the Past
The Master Sword in A Link to the Past is the legendary blade that rests in the Lost Woods of northwestern Hyrule in a pedestal with ancient Hylian inscribed on it. The ancient text says the hero with three symbols of virtue will wield it on cataclysm's eve, reading: "The Hero's triumph on Cataclysm's Eve wins three Symbols of Virtue. The Master Sword he will then retrieve, keeping the knights' line true."

In order to defeat the evil wizard Agahnim that has taken over Hyrule Castle, Link must obtain the Master Sword. However, before the young hero can wield it, he must first acquire the three Pendants of Virtue that are scattered throughout the land. After doing so, he retrieves the sacred blade from the Pedestal of Time within the Lost Woods, defeating Agahnim with it and, eventually, Ganon. With Hyrule safe from evil, Link places the Master Sword back in its pedestal, never to be used again.

During the course of the game, Link can upgrade the Master Sword to the Tempered Sword and, ultimately, the Golden Sword. Moreover, he can obtain the magic of the Bombos, Quake, and Ether Medallion by holding the Master Sword up into the sky next to certain inscriptions around Hyrule.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword resides in the Temple of Time. To retrieve it from its pedestal, Link must collect the three Spiritual Stones, and play the "Song of Time" on the Ocarina of Time in front of the Door of Time to open the chamber where it is sealed. The Master Sword is the final key to the Sacred Realm and the Temple of Light, which houses the Triforce. Only the one worthy of the title of the Hero of Time can draw the Master Sword; however, since Link was too young to bear such a title, the sacred blade sealed his spirit away in the Chamber of Sages until he came of age to be the Hero of Time. Additionally, because the Master Sword serves as a gateway between Hyrule and the Sacred Realm, Ganondorf was able to access the Temple of Light and steal the Triforce after Link pulled the sword from its pedestal.

After clearing the Forest Temple, Link can travel back to his original time by placing the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time. This becomes necessary as the young hero journeys to awaken the remaining five Sages. Similarly, he can travel seven years into the future by simply taking the sword from its pedestal. Eventually, the young hero confronts the King of Evil and is able to defeat him with the power of the Master Sword along with the help of the Seven Sages. With Hyrule safe from evil, Link lays the sacred blade to rest in its pedestal and closes the Door of Time, returning to the time of his youth before departing to another journey.

The Biggoron's Sword, obtained for completing the Ocarina of Time Trading Sequence, is more powerful than the Master Sword. However, it takes two hands to wield, therefore Link cannot use his Shield to defend himself while using it.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
The Master Sword makes a reappearance in the Oracle series, fittingly as the most powerful sword in the game. When combined with the power of the Red Ring, the Master Sword is capable of taking down almost any boss in two to three Spin Attacks. The only way to unlock the Master Sword is to have finished one of the games, and to have started a Linked Game on the opposite game. When a certain secret in the game is found and told to Farore, she will upgrade the Noble Sword Link currently holds into the Master Sword. However, if Link still has the Wooden Sword, the Wooden Sword will become the Noble Sword, and the Master Sword will be found where the Noble Sword would have been.

The Master Sword, fittingly, is the only sword capable of hurting Ganon without resorting to spin attacks.

The Wind Waker
The Master Sword is predominately referred to as the Blade of Evil's Bane in The Wind Waker's legends and lies in a hidden chamber in Hyrule Castle, deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea. With the Master Sword resting in the Pedestal of Time, the sacred blade serves as a key to seal away Ganondorf's magic, keeping Hyrule frozen in time and all those who inhabit it. However, the Master Sword's use as a key to lock evil away is broken when a young Link unknowingly draws the blade under the direction of the King of Red Lions. In doing so, he unwittingly awakens Ganondorf's army from their ancient slumber and also allows Ganon to use his magic again.

Later, Link learns that since Ganon murdered the Sages of Earth and Wind, Laruto and Fado respectively, the Master Sword had lost its power to repel evil. As such, Link must awaken the two new Sages in order to regain that lost power. It is then explained that those Sages are necessary in order to pray to the gods for the Master Sword and the Hero who wields it and to keep it glowing with the power to repel evil.

When Link first draws the weakened Master Sword from its pedestal, its guard is curved into the blade rather than extending outward as it once did; moreover, the gem that rests at the base of the blade is black rather than gold, and the symbol of the Triforce is missing. As Link awakens the new Sages of Earth and Wind, the Sages return the power to repel evil to the blade: the guard's original position is recovered with the Earth Sage's prayers, and the gem and the Triforce symbol are restored with the prayers of the Wind Sage. When the sword is fully restored, it glows with the power to repel evil, allowing Link to shatter the magical barrier in Hyrule that impedes his path to Ganon's Tower.

After making his way to the top of the tower, Link, with the help of Princess Zelda, fights against Ganondorf using the Master Sword's power. To deal the final blow, the young hero thrusts the sacred blade into Ganondorf's forehead, which causes the King of Evil to completely turn into stone. Hyrule is then flooded by the wishes of the King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, leaving the Master Sword impaled in Ganon's skull as the forgotten kingdom is destroyed by the waves.

Twilight Princess


The Master Sword in Twilight Princess is located deep within the Faron Woods in the Sacred Grove, which are the ruins of the Temple of Time. The blade is said to have once been held by the Legendary Hero.

When Link is permanently turned into a wolf by Zant's magic, Princess Zelda mentions that the Master Sword is the only relic that can break the curse placed on him. Link then ventures to the Sacred Grove and draws the blade from its pedestal, allowing Link to return to his Hylian form. The Master Sword in this game also allows Link access to other numerous hidden temples later in the game, such as the Temple of Time. When Link goes through the Door of Time in the Sacred Grove, he travels back to when the Temple of Time stood tall and before it fell into ruin. Here, Link can briefly thrust the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time, making a set of staircases appear that lead to an unexplored area of the temple that serves as one of the game's dungeons. The sword's initial locations marks a link between A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time, as it resides in the temple's ruins, a place that is notably similar to the sword's resting place in A Link To The Past.

The sword is, in comparison with the shield and the overall height of Link, considerably bigger than in the other 3D releases. Regardless, the general design is consistent throughout them all.

Light-infused Master Sword
In the Palace of Twilight, Link fuses the Master Sword with the power of the Sols. This Light-Infused Master Sword enables Link to defeat most Twilight Monsters in a single blow. The sword is also capable of clearing away the Dark Fog that causes Link to revert back to wolf form. This upgrade is only usable while in the Twilight Realm.

Midna notes that the Sols' light being transferred to the Master Sword is the work of the gods of the Twilight Realm, and that they too are on Link's side.

Some fans believe that during the boss battle against Puppet Zelda, the light infusion of the sword gives it the ability to repel projectile attacks being sent at Link in order to damage the foe. However, there is no evidence to support this as the Master Sword was perfectly able to do this in previous games without the light infusion. In fact, this ability of repelling these evil attacks could be part of the sword's "power to repel evil". The most likely answer is simply because the sword is highly reflective due to the fact the Empty Bottles can be used for the same purpose in a few games of the series.

In the final battle against Ganondorf, Link uses the Ending Blow to thrust the Master Sword into Ganondorf's chest, defeating him. During the ending credits, the sword is shown resting in its pedestal in the Sacred Grove.

Four Swords Anniversary Edition
The Anniversary Edition of Four Swords added a new set of levels, the Realm of Memories. Successfully completing all three levels will unlock the Master Sword on the save file allowing Link to fire Sword Beams when his hearts are full.

Skyward Sword

 * See also: Goddess Sword and Fi

In Skyward Sword, it is revealed that the Master Sword was originally known as the Goddess Sword, which rested in Skyloft, a floating island above the clouds. After sealing Demise, the goddess Hylia created Fi, an intelligent humanoid spirit who resides in the sword, and gave it  the purpose of assisting her chosen hero throughout his journey. Eventually, in order to open the Gate of Time at the Sealed Grounds, Impa explains to Link that he must seek out the three Sacred Flames and purify the sword into their heat. Each time Link bathes the Goddess Sword in one of the flames, the sword is empowered and is physically altered, with Din's Flame tempering the  Goddess White Sword into the Master Sword. Although it is in the same incomplete state as in The Wind Waker, it holds a sacred force of "tremendous power" considered to be a divine power that was left by the gods of old, and it is also capable of activating the Gate of Time.

In the past, Link's sword is then blessed by Zelda to become the True Master Sword. In the form of the True Master Sword, the damage dealt by a sword strike increases threefold, and the Skyward Strike charges much faster and is colored blue. The sword's appearance also slightly changes, similar to The Wind Waker: the cross-guard's position extends outward, and the gem and the Triforce symbol are restored. The Master Sword is used to defeat Demise, whose "residual consciousness" is absorbed into the Master Sword and is sealed away. Link then relinquishes the sword into a pedestal in the Sealed Grounds and, thereafter, Fi enters the Master Sword to sleep forever.

Cross-references
In popular culture, the Master Sword suggests direct comparisons to the Sword in the Stone, a mythical blade wielded by King Arthur at the beginning of his journeys in medieval times. In the French versions of the Zelda games, it is called Excalibur, which seems to support the theory. Just as the sword was set in the stone, the Master Sword is a sword in a pedestal. The Master Sword can only be drawn by the one chosen by destiny. However, the similarities end there. Any perceived connection is merely fan speculation.

A Link to the Past comic
In the A Link to the Past comic, Sahasrahla's Wife elaborates on part of the Master Sword's history: she tells of ancient scrolls that speak of the prosperous people who once inhabited the land of Hyrule. According to the scrolls they made many powerful weapons, including the ultimate treasure, the Master  Sword, crafted specifically to resist evil power and which now rests in  the Lost Woods. Link begins his quest to search for the Master Sword after Agahnim kidnaps Princess Zelda to cast the third and final incantation on her and thus break the seal that binds Ganon to the Dark World. Before Agahnim is able to take her away, Zelda reveals to Link that only the Master Sword can harm Agahnim. The young hero eventually finds Sahasrahla, and although the old man is puzzled as to how someone so young like Link could be searching for the  Master Sword, he tells Link he must recover the Pendants of Virtue  to claim the legendary weapon. After acquiring the three Pendants of Virtue, Link heads out to the Lost Woods and retrieves the legendary weapon out of its pedestal.

Link, now confident with the power of the Master Sword, heads out to battle Agahnim atop Hyrule Castle. Sahasrahla contacts Link and tells him not to trust all his power in the Master Sword, for even the  legendary blade cannot harm Agahnim's body. Link attacks him anyway, but the Master Sword passes right through the evil wizard, which causes him to turn around and paralyze Link by only looking at him. Agahnim then casts Zelda into the Dark World, which causes for Link's rage towards Agahnim begins to channel through the Master Sword  since  the young hero and the legendary blade are as one. Agahnim and Link begin to battle, and after Sahasrahla reveals to the  young hero that the Master Sword was also forged to repel evil magic, Link uses the sword to turn back Agahnim's magic against him and successfully defeat him.

Link also uses the Master Sword to battle against Ganon, which he uses to stun the King of Thieves while Zelda delivers the final blow with the Silver Arrow. With Hyrule now at peace, Link returns the Master Sword to its pedestal in the Lost Woods. The comic's final scene shows the Master Sword overgrown by foliage as  it sleeps, waiting for a new bearer when disaster befalls Hyrule again.

Super Smash Bros. Series
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Adult Link and Toon Link wield the Master Sword in battle. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Master Sword can be obtained as a trophy in the Lottery or picked up in a stage of Adventure Mode or All-Star Mode. The Subspace Emissary from Super Smash Bros. Brawl shows a cutscene where Link pulls out the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time in the middle of a forest when the young hero is first introduced.

Soulcalibur II
The Master Sword is one of Link's weapons in Soulcalibur II, and it can be used with either the Hylian Shield or the Mirror Shield. Since it is Link's most familiar sword, the Master Sword in conjunction with the Hylian Shield is considered to be Link's most balanced weapon.

Trivia

 * The Snake Killer from For The Frog The Bell Tolls is quite similar to the Master Sword. The Snake Killer was pulled from the ground in an area called the "Ice Cave", and was necessary to defeat the final boss, Delarin, who was a snake. An ancient tablet regarding the Snake Killer had this inscribed on it: "When thou seeth thy true friend, the golden sword shalt awaken." When the spring bell had rung, and Richard turned back into a human, the Snake Killer begins to glow, and Prince Hans uses the sword to slay Delarin. [[File:For The Frog The Bell Tolls - Snake Killer.png]]
 * It's worth mentioning that in The Wind Waker, the Master Sword has apparently shrunk and is now small enough to be properly wielded by a child. This could possibly be due to the fact that the Master Sword had lost its power to repel evil.