Triforce

"In a realm beyond sight, the sky shines gold, not blue... There, the Triforce's might makes mortal dreams come true."

- The Book of Mudora The Triforce is a sacred golden relic left within the Sacred Realm by the Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, once they finished creating the realm of Hyrule. It was formed at the point where the Goddesses departed, and that area became the Sacred Realm, a realm parallel to Hyrule itself. The Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the Triforce of Power on top, the Triforce of Courage on the right, and the Triforce of Wisdom on the left.

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. Whoever touches it will be granted the wish on their heart, regardless of whether the person has a "good" or "bad" heart. Since the Triforce rests within the Sacred Realm, the Sacred Triangles will change the appearance of the Sacred Realm to reflect the heart of the person who made the wish. Since the Triforce is the basis of Hyrule's providence, a crest bearing the image of the Triforce serves as the official crest of the Royal Family of Hyrule.

It is interesting to note that 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 one game later. This implies that the name "Triforce" initially referred to the shape of the pieces, instead of the number of pieces as is commonly believed.

Legends of the Triforce
For ages after the creation of Hyrule, the Triforce rested within its temple, the Temple of Light in the Sacred Realm, untouched by mortal hands. The Goddesses hid the Triforce in the Sacred Realm in hopes that someone worthy of bearing the titles of the "Forger of Strength," the "Keeper of Knowledge," and the "Juror of Courage" would find it. The Goddesses ordained the Triforce as Hyrule’s providence, the ‘True Force’ to govern all and the ultimate source of power. 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. 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 claims 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 be born.

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 touches it, regardless of their motives. The stronger the wish, the more the wish comes true since the Triforce will express it more powerfully. 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. 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.

Pieces of the Triforce
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. 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. 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.

Triforce of Power
The Triforce of Power embodies the essence of the Goddess of Power, Din, the creator of Hyrule. Whoever holds the Triforce of Power is granted "true power". This power is absolute, making the recipient of Din's blessing a god-like entity, vastly more powerful than any mortal, affording its wielder immortality, invulnerability, 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. 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. 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 Great Flood due to his immense power, which is spoken of in the introduction of The Wind Waker.

In Twilight Princess, Ganondorf retains the Triforce of Power that he had seized, unbeknownst to the Sages, who only understood it to be a "divine prank". 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. Ganondorf seemingly loses the Triforce of Power after he is impaled by the Master Sword at the end of the game.

Triforce of Wisdom
The Triforce of Wisdom embodies the essence of the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru, the author of law. It imparts divine wisdom upon its holder, and grants the holder untold mystical abilities, including the ability to heal others and, presumably, the ability to communicate telepathically. The Triforce of Wisdom leads its holder to make the right decisions, making them wiser than any mortal. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

Triforce of Courage
The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of the Goddess of Courage, Farore, the source of all life. The Triforce of Courage is more than a mere symbol of Link's exemplary courage, 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 left 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. The Triforce of Courage also repels the Shadow Beast who attempts to attack him when he is first dragged into the Twilight.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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. She then sent Impa to find a man courageous enough to defeat the evil monster ; 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Wielders of the Triforce
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. 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. 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. 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. Aside from the three known Triforce Holders, to date, only one other person has possessed a part of the Triforce: in Twilight Princess, Princess Zelda conferred the Triforce of Wisdom to, Midna, allowing her to exist in the World of Light. 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.

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. 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.

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

The Adventure of Link
The Triforce of Courage is first introduced in the second installment of the The Legend of Zelda series. 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. 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.

A Link to the Past
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. Although many tried to find it, none knew of its exact location, not even the Sages, since that knowledge had been lost with time. 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. Upon murdering his companions and claiming the Triforce for his own, Ganon used its power to turn the Golden Land into the Dark World. 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. 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.

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.

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. 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. In that instant, Ganondorf seized his opportunity and attempted to lay claim to the Triforce. 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 iece 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. When Ganondorf laid his hand upon the Triforce this prophecy came true, and the Triforce shattered, sending the three pieces into the bodies of Ganondorf (Power), Princess Zelda (Wisdom) and Link (Courage).

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. The princess uses her Triforce of Wisdom to send Link back to his original time, while Ganondorf, still with the Triforce of Power in his hand, swears to "exterminate" Link and Zelda's descendants once the seal is broken.

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 Sage Medallions, although it is only there for decoration purposes.

Link obtaining the whole Triforce was originally going to be in the game, as seen in the screenshot to the right, but the idea was scrapped in the early states of development. Although if an Action Replay is used, it can be "found" in the debug room. By using a Gameshark code to L-Button levitate in Hyrule Castle Garden, Link can actually get underneath the garden's floor, revealing a Triforce symbol located roughly under where Zelda is standing.

Majora's Mask
The Triforce does not play any direct role in the storyline of Ocarina of Time's sequel. It is, however, depicted throughout the Stone Tower Temple. Fans who support the idea that the Temple was meant to insult Hyrule's Goddesses cite the irreverent display in their arguments.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
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." It then sends him to Holodrum (in Seasons) or Labrynna (in Ages).

The Wind Waker
The Triforce of Courage, left in Hyrule after the legendary Hero that appeared in Ocarina of Time left 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. Eight Triforce Charts 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. The young hero assembles the full Triforce of Courge and shows it before the Gods at the Tower of Gods, who acknowledge Link's courage and accept him as the Hero of Winds.

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." 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. 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. However, Ganondorf eventually finds her and steals her Triforce while in Ganon's Tower. When Link reaches Ganondorf atop his tower, the King of Evil easily takes the Triforce of Courage that the young hero managed to assemble. 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. 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.

The Minish Cap
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.

Twilight Princess

 * See also: The Story of the Interlopers

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. 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 of the interlopers who tried to take over the Sacred Realm and, with it, the Triforce. 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. Also, the wielders of the Triforce are said to be "blessed by the goddesses." 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.

The Triforce symbol can be seen on Link's hand from the beginning of the game, signifying he holds the Triforce of Courage. Moreover, 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.

Phantom Hourglass
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; this symbol is the Triforce.

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."

Nintendo Adventure Books
The Triforce pieces also make an appearance in the Nintendo Adventure Books: The Crystal Trap and The Shadow Prince. The Triforce of Wisdom is situated in the Triforce Room of the North Castle, kept away from the hands of evil. The Triforce of Courage rests within Link's heart while the Triforce of Power is in the possession of Ganon.

In The Crystal Trap, Ganon encases the Triforce of Courage and Wisdom in a Crystal using a spell from the Magic Scroll; however, since the Triforce of Courage is in Link's heart, the young hero became trapped as well. Towards the end of The Shadow Prince, Charles of Moria reveals to be Ganon in disguise and steals the Triforce of Wisdom from the Triforce Room, although Link is successful in retrieving it by slashing Charles's necklace in two, defeating the false knight.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Triforce appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl when Link and young Link perform their Final Smash upon obtaining a Smash Ball. Known as the "Triforce Slash", the Final Smash consists of light shooting out from the Triforce on the back of Link's hand, trapping the opponent as the young hero repeatedly attacks the foe with his sword. The Triforce Slash finishes off with Link making one last powerful slash at the opponent, causing the victim to fly off.

Trivia

 * The Japanese name for the Triumph Forks is Tarai to Hosu which means "Bucket and Hose", whilst Triforce is Toraifosu, 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.
 * WWE superstar Cody Rhodes has a Triforce symbol from The Legend of Zelda series featured on his boots. Rhodes is a big fan of the games, and has admitted to re-playing A Link to the Past yearly.