Portal Stone
The Portal Stone is the grand, black monolith housed in the Mirror Chamber in Twilight Princess that is the portal to the Palace of Twilight from the Light World. It is also the very stone Ganondorf was chained to during his trial by the Sages before the events of Twilight Princess.
History
The Portal Stone is revealed from the sand in response to the lowering of the Sand Goddess statue that stood in the chamber upon Link's arrival after defeating the dungeon's boss, Stallord. At the same time, the Mirror of Twilight rises from the sand opposite the Portal Stone. In the absence of the Mirror of Twilight, the Portal Stone is dark and solid. However, when the Mirror is fully reformed towards the end of Twilight Princess (and as seen in the cutscene describing Ganondorf's trial) the Stone shines with Twilight markings. As more light from the Mirror hits the Stone, its rocky face contracts at its center in increasingly deeper layers, and transports anyone in the light of the Mirror passage to the Twilight Realm. These layers are notable for their inclusion of Ancient Hylian text and the Triforce symbol, the latter of which exists at the stone's deepest layer.
During the Failed Execution of Ganondorf, the Stone was activated in order to imprison Ganondorf in the Twilight Realm after he disposed of the Water Sage in the respective cutscene in Twilight Princess. Likewise, Link must reform the Mirror of Twilight to reactivate the Stone and enter the Twilight Realm to face off with Zant.
In the finale of Twilight Princess, Midna shatters the Mirror altogether and exits the Light World via the Portal Stone. With the Mirror shattered, the Stone returns to its dull, sheer state.
Trivia
- When the Portal Stone is activated, the resulting opening bears some resemblance to the "inside" of a Gate of Time, as both are receding tunnels composed of layered circles (though the latter is made up of gears, while the former is seemingly composed of light). The respective natures of the two are obviously very different, however.
- It is not clear if the Portal Stone itself is necessary for activating the Mirror of Twilight, or if any sheer surface will do. It is possible that the stone was simply used for the purpose of expediting the Mirror's use and ensuring it could be activated with minimal effort.
Gallery
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Both the Portal Stone and the Mirror of Twilight, atop the Arbiter's Grounds
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The Sages condemning Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm via the Portal Stone
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The dull Portal Stone after the shattering of the Mirror of Twilight
