Triforce

The , also known as the Golden Power, the Master Force, Prime Energy, and the Ultimate Power, 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. The Goddess Hylia was tasked with safeguarding both the world and the Triforce. Though following her rebirth as a mortal, its protection eventually fell to the Royal Family of Hyrule, the Sages, and the Sheikah.
The Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the Triforce of Power is always depicted as the top piece, with the Triforce of Wisdom represented by the lower-left piece, and the Triforce of Courage represented by the lower-right piece. Although the Triforce was in fact created by gods, it can never be used by such, possibly the goddesses' way of giving hope to all the mortal beings in Hyrule.
The Triforce is the ultimate source of power in The Legend of Zelda series, and it serves as the balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage. It has the ability to grant any wish of those who obtain it, regardless of whether the person's intentions are "good" or "evil". It is said that the wish will hold true until the user of the Triforce dies. Some known wishes are King Daphnes' wish in to give hope to "these children", Link and Zelda, and to wash away the old Hyrule, Ganondorf's to burn Hyrule down and conquer it (though he was unsuccessful), as well as Link and Zelda's wish in to give Lorule a new Triforce to replace the one they destroyed. The Triforce can also change the appearance of the Sacred Realm to reflect the heart of the person who enters it, as seen in . 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.
During the Era of the Goddess Hylia in Skyward Sword, Demise and his hordes launched an attack to the Surface in an attempt to get their hands on the omnipotent relic. It is currently unknown whether the Triforce was already located in the Sacred Realm at that point. During the Era of Chaos, the Triforce was already in the Sacred Realm and the ancient Sage Rauru constructed the Temple of Time, which contained the only, sealed entrance to the Sacred Realm. 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 .
==Legends of the Triforce==
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 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.The Triforce contains the essence of the Goddesses. But, unlike the Goddesses themselves, it does not discriminate between those who are good or evil. Therefore, the powerful golden relic is completely neutral; It grants the wishes of whoever obtains 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 (Power in all cases) and transforming the Sacred Realm into a world of evil as well. To gain the full power of the Triforce, the tainted one who touched the Triforce must seek the two remaining 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 like the former, and must defeat them in order to take away their respective pieces.
==Pieces of the Triforce==
As mentioned in the Sheikah legends, when someone with an unbalanced heart touches the Triforce, the sacred relic will split up into three separate pieces: Power, Wisdom and Courage. However, as shown in and , a Triforce piece can be split up even further into many small fragments known as , where reassembling the shattered parts will fully restore said piece. 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 and most prominently in , where the Triforce ends up being whole again.
It is possible for a Triforce piece to be inactive inside its bearer's body and under certain circumstances for it to activate. An example of this scenario, is Link's transformation into a wolf in , when he was first covered by the twilight. Another case, is Ganon's revival by the Triforce of Power when the Sages attempted to execute him, by impaling him with a sword in the same game.
===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 invulnerability, vast strength and an unlimited source of mystical power. As such, due to his sheer desire for ruling the world with an iron fist, Ganon is always the bearer of the Triforce of Power. It represents the top piece of the Triforce.
===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 Princess Zelda, the Triforce of Wisdom's bearer, a myriad of mystical abilities as well as divine wisdom. In , Zelda purposely 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 fully reassemble the Triforce of Wisdom if he hopes to enter Death Mountain, destroy Ganon (taking the Triforce of Power for himself), and save the princess of Hyrule. It represents the lower-left piece of the Triforce.
===Triforce of Courage===
The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of the Goddess of Courage, Farore, the source of all life. Link is usually the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. The Triforce of Courage itself is more than just a mere symbol of Link's exemplary courage, however. Although Link himself is not as skilled at magic like Ganon or Princess Zelda, as his main method of combat is swordplay, the Triforce of Courage, like the other sacred triangles, grants him untold mystical abilities, one of them being protection against dark magic, as seen in Twilight Princess. It is also likely this piece of the Triforce increases Link's courage even further. In , like the Triforce of Wisdom in , this piece of the Triforce was split into eight fragments hidden deep within the Great Sea due to the Hero of Time departing from Hyrule in the events of (or being send back to his childhood by Princess Zelda in Ocarina of Time according to Hyrule Historia). It represents the lower-right piece of the Triforce.
==Wielders of the Triforce==
Few have ever possessed the Triforce, or any fraction thereof. Normally within the franchise, the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage, are held by Ganon, Princess Zelda, and Link respectively. However, there have been other Triforce wielders in the past, possessing the Triforce in its entirety, and it is possible for the three main characters, most often Link, as seen from a few games, to obtain pieces that usually belongs to another. In , after Zelda splits the Triforce of Wisdom, Link fully restores it and also takes the Triforce of Power upon destroying Ganon, and this continues in its sequel when he defeats his shadow counterpart - Dark Link, to gain the Triforce of Courage, ultimately obtaining the complete Triforce by individual terms. The prologue of reveals that the King of Hyrule used the Triforce to keep peace in the kingdom. In , Ganon indeed acquired the complete Triforce and made a wish to conquer Hyrule, yet he was trapped within the corrupted Sacred Realm by the Seal of the Seven Wise Men (Sages), and as such, was unable to fully exploit the Golden Power, and Link ultimately takes the full Triforce for himself to wish peace to Hyrule after killing him. In , Ganondorf was able to reform the complete Triforce, yet before he was able to harness its power, King Daphnes stepped in before him, claimed the Triforce, and entreated the Goddesses to completely flood and destroy Hyrule and save the realm from the villian’s evil. In , Ganondorf possesses Princess Zelda's body, as it is unconfirmed whether or not Midna had been given the Triforce of Wisdom. It was possible that during this battle Ganondorf briefly held both the Triforces of Power and Wisdom. In , 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.
Aside from the three known Triforce holders, to date, three to four other people have possessed a part of the Triforce: prior to and , the Prince of Hyrule possessed the Triforces of Wisdom and Power, though the crest of either did not appear on his hand. In , Princess Zelda conferred her soul (and presumably the Triforce of Wisdom with it) to Midna allowing her to exist in the World of Light.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lYK_8GpHFE In , Yuga comes into possession of the Triforce of Power after he merges with fellow villain Ganon, and later steals the Triforce of Wisdom from Princess Hilda when he further fuses with the Lorule princess, who herself had stolen that piece of the Triforce from Princess Zelda shortly before, making him nearly have complete power. Though Zant in never actually possessed any part of the Triforce, he received his power from Ganon, thus indirectly receiving power from the Triforce of Power. In Echoes of Wisdom, Null, similar to Ganondorf in , attempted to claim the Triforce (or as it called the object, Prime Energy) while using an echo of Princess Zelda in order to ensure its prison was broken. As further insurance towards its plan working, Null deliberately waited until Zelda acquired all of the Goddess Sanctions before ambushing her and forming her echo. However, the Golden Goddesses anticipated this and had the Triforce split amongst itself between the echo, the real Zelda, and Link.
When more than one bearer of the Triforce are in close proximity with one other, their Triforce pieces on their hands will resonate. This is demonstrated in when Link's, Zelda's, and Ganondorf's respective Triforce pieces glow once the young hero reaches the top of Ganon's Castle. In , it is illustrated once again when Ganondorf grabs and chokes Tetra (who was attempting to save Link from him) and his Triforce of Power piece resonates from her necklace, revealing that Tetra is the possessor of the Triforce of Wisdom. The same game also indicates that a wielder's piece resonates even when near an individual with a broken piece, as Tetra's necklace had part of the Triforce of Wisdom removed beforehand.
==Historical Appearances==
===Unified Timeline===
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In , 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. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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, 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. 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 was 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. Princess Zelda assents and returns to her own time with Link and resolves to stay below the clouds to continue guarding the Triforce.
====The Era of Chaos and the Era of Prosperity====
Many years after the events of , 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. 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. 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. 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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Though the Triforce is never mentioned in , 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.Hidemaro Fujibayashi:Nintendo Power Interview
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The history of the Triforce is further elaborated upon in . 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 tried to protect the Triforce and the entrance to the Sacred Realm to the best of their ability, the latter retrieves the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time and unknowingly 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 Power, Wisdom 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 instead 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. When Ganondorf laid his hand upon the Triforce, this prophecy came true; The Triforce indeed shattered, with Ganondorf keeping the Triforce of Power, as Din's blessings is what he believes are the most important, while the Triforce of Wisdom goes to Princess Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage going to Link, respectively. Ganondorf himself used the Triforce of Power to rule over Hyrule for seven years, transforming the kingdom into a dark age.
Eventually, Link, now proclaimed as the Hero of Time, with the power of the Triforce of Courage, ultimately defeats Ganon, allowing Princess Zelda and the Six Sages to send the King of Evil into the void of the Evil Realm. The princess then uses her Triforce of Wisdom and Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his original time (which erases his adult history of saving Hyrule), while Ganondorf, still with the Triforce of Power in his hand, furiously swears to "exterminate" Link's, Zelda's, and the Sages' descendants once the seal is broken, foreshadowing the events of The Wind Waker.
Out of all current games so far, has been the basis of the most rumors on receiving the Triforce in any game to date. Although it is well known that it is actually 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. However, in the beta screenshots of the game, the completed Triforce can be seen inside the Temple of Time where Link can actually pick it up.
=== Child Timeline===
The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganon 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, in order to prevent the danger from ever occurring again.
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The Triforce does not play any direct role in the storyline of . 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. It is also seen on the belt of Cremia, due to herself being the Termian adult counterpart of Malon.
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:See also: The Story of the Interlopers
The word "Triforce" is not used at any point during . 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. Unlike in and , Ganondorf makes no attempt to retrieve the other Triforce parts, despite being in the same position of power as he was in the former: as the "ruler" of Hyrule but lacking omnipotence.
In this game, the wielders of the three parts of the Triforce (Power, Wisdom, Courage) are obviously Ganondorf, Princess Zelda and Link, the same as . 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." 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. Zelda herself tries to use her Triforce of Wisdom revive Link from his wolf form due to Ganondorf's Triforce of Power, but it proved ineffective. Ganondorf himself survived his execution thanks to the Triforce of Power dwelling inside him before he was cast into the Twilight Realm by the Sages.
Link, Princess Zelda, and possibly Ganondorf are not turned to spirits by the Twilight, just as Midna, once she receives Zelda's piece of the Triforce, does not have to transform into a shadow in the Light World, signifying that their Triforce pieces protect them from evil magic. It is worth noting that when Link thrusts the Master Sword into Ganondorf's gaping wound in his chest at the end of the final battle, the villain's Triforce of Power stops glowing on his hand, causing him to slowly die from the mortal blow.
=== 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 Ganon in the final battle. Ganondorf is sealed within the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages but, with Link sent back in time by Princess Zelda, the world is left without a Hero.
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The Triforce of Courage, left in Hyrule after the legendary Hero that appeared in departed from Hyrule (original Japanese text suggests the Triforce split when the Hero "journeyed the flows of time" at 's ending), shattered into eight pieces and hid throughout the kingdom. By the time the events of take place, hundreds of years after the events of the Hero of Time, 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. 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 formerly belonged to the Hero of Time 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 large 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 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, taking the princess to his 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 of conquering Hyrule, but he is stopped as King Daphnes presses his hands upon the iconic golden symbol before him, and then asks the gods to wash the land of Hyrule completely and give a new land to Link and Zelda (to which Ganondorf laughs hysterically and calling the wish foolish), therefore ensuring the Hero of Winds' victory over Ganondorf. Upon closer observation, after the king's sacrificing wish, each piece of the Triforce is seen flying off in opposite directions, possibly implying that the Triforce itself returns to the Sacred Realm after it is used.
The Triforce is referred to as the Triumph Forks by the Fishmen. By the time 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.
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The Triforce is not mentioned at all in 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. 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.
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In , 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 from The Wind Waker. 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 ultimately killed by Ganon in the final battle. With the villain victorious, this allowed the Evil King to obtain the full Triforce, but was however subsequently sealed within the Dark World by Princess Zelda and the other awakened sages, taking the Triforce with him.
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The Triforce is first revealed as a divine manifestation of the Goddesses' power in . 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 himself, Ganon used its power to turn the Golden Land into the Dark World. Raising an army of monsters to assault the land of Hyrule (Light World), 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, including Princess Zelda, 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, the Silver Arrows, and rescuing the seven maidens, Link destroys Ganon inside the Pyramid of Power and recovers the complete Triforce. Instructed by the essence of 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 back to the Golden Land, and restoring peace to Hyrule entirely. The Triforce once again rested in the hands of Hyrule’s Royal Family.
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The Triforce calls to Link from its place in Hyrule Castle in , telling him to accept "their quest". It then sends him to Holodrum. The Triforce is also seen on the pedestals of the Essences of Nature. After defeating Ganon in a Linked Game, the Triforce splits apart and transforms into three birds that fly off in different directions.
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The Triforce calls to Link from its place in Hyrule Castle in , telling him to accept "their quest". It then sends him to Labrynna. The Triforce is also seen on the pedestals of the Essences of Time. After defeating Ganon in a Linked Game, the Triforce splits apart and transforms into three birds that fly off in different directions.
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The Triforce, still split into three pieces after and , appears again in . 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. 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 also gains the Triforce of Wisdom through Princess Hilda after she steals it from 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=====
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, appearing upside-down. Hidla also implies that Lorule's Triforce is not based on the well-known traits of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. As was the case in Hyrule, wars were fought over this Triforce, prompting Hilda's ancestors to destroy it to end the bloodshed. 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. 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. 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 Ravio looks on in shock and Hilda expresses tearful gratitude, seemingly indicating that Lorule is once more in balance.
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While the true Triforce does not appear in , 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. 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.
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In the original , the Triforce of Power and Triforce of Wisdom are introduced and 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 all the pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom to reassemble it, and then battle his way through Ganon's stronghold in Death Mountain to defeat him and recover the Triforce of Power. Link and Zelda then use the two pieces to restore peace to Hyrule. The Triforce of Courage was not yet introduced in the very first game of the franchise.
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The Triforce of Courage is first introduced in , debuting the full essence. 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 many soldiers and monsters set to guard the Great Palace, but even his very shadow. Link overcame these obstacles to ultimately achieve the third Triforce (as he already obtained the Wisdom and Power pieces in the prequel), and used the power of the united relic to wake the deeply slumbering Princess Zelda.
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Like in and , the word "Triforce" never appears in but its design can be seen on architecture, clothing, and weapons. ruins have statues of dragons, owls, and boars which represent Courage, Wisdom, and Power respectfully. When Princess Zelda awakens her power during the , the Triforce symbol appears on the back of her hand, and when she deals the final blow to , a glowing image of the Triforce appears before her being using it to seal away the monster.
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In addition to the various design appearances returning from , the Triforce symbol also appears as a tattoo on 's arm and as a stylized stained glass window in and Sonia's castle. When retrieves the , the Triforce can be seen glowing on the back of Zelda's hand.
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The Triforce in Echoes of Wisdom is never called by its common denomination from past iterations but rather as "Prime Energy", despite sharing it's prefix "Tri" with the goddesses-made guardian species. The Triforce in this game is very similar to its prior appearances, splitting itself in late game when Echoed Zelda tried to seize it, only able to keep the Triforce of Power, sending the two other pieces to the chosen ones, Princess Zelda and Link. Echoed Zelda then fused with Null, granting him enough energy to plunge most Hyrule into the Still World, on an even larger scale than before. It is worth noting that the Triforce of Power could still be physically recovered from Null by Zelda using the Tri Rod pulling ability, causing his demise. After reuniting the Triforce, Zelda and Link both touched it, wishing to save Hyrule from the Still World, getting everything and everyone back to safety and peace.
==Other Appearances==
The Triforce has made several other appearances, including comics, animated shows, and the . 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. As seen in the very first game, it only featured the Triforce of Power and 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 , 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 Oracle series.
* The mainline games in the series where the Triforce was used in its complete form so far are The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, The Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild.
* According to Shigeru Miyamoto, during the development of The Legend of Zelda, the Triforce's fragments were originally planned to be electronic chips, as the in-game setting was set to be in the past and future before it was scrapped. The symbol of the golden relic itself was inspired by the emblem of the Hōjō clan, a samurai family who took control of Japan in the 13th century, and their own symbol is historically identical.
* Link is the only character in to obtain all three of the Triforce pieces individually, based on the events of the original and its sequel, . He manages to fully reassemble the shattered Triforce of Wisdom, which normally belongs to Princess Zelda. When he destroys Ganon with a Silver Arrow, he recovers the Triforce of Power as well. The former game is also the only instance in the franchise where the Triforce of Power is taken away from Ganon entirely. Later, after defeating Dark Link, he gains the Triforce of Courage, which itself would become his standard piece for all future games starting in Ocarina of Time.
*The Triforce resembles the initial state of the Sierpinski Triangle, a famous fractal, a shape that can continuously replicate inside of itself.
*Both instances of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage shattering into smaller pieces in and respectively have the same number of fragments - 8.
*The Master Sword, as seen from some games, often required Link to test great trials of his power, wisdom, and courage to obtain the legendary blade, coincidentally the same forces as the Triforce.
*As seen in a few games such as Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess, the three Triforce pieces inherently share certain mystical abilities such as healing, surviving otherwise fatal blows, and increased raw power for their hosts' own techniques, but they do each possess unique powers corresponding to their roles.
*In Ocarina of Time, its remake, as well as its manga adaptation by Akira Himekawa, when Ganondorf demands Link and Princess Zelda to give their respective Triforce pieces to him before the final battle, the Evil King can be humorously heard calling the Wisdom and Courage parts "toys", as he believes they are too much for the young heroes to handle and have no proper use for them, unlike how the villain intended with the Power piece.
*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 (or golden) Triforce resulted.
*In The Legend of Zelda, the Triforce, specifically the Triforce of Power, can be seen in the title logo and credits. In the same game, this piece is also shown upside-down unlike the Triforce of Wisdom. An inverted Triforce would not be seen in the mainline Zelda games until A Link Between Worlds, released nearly three decades later. The complete Triforce on the title screen would be used for A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds, as well as in the artwork of the Japanese version of The Adventure of Link.
*The Wind Waker is the only game in the series where more than once pieces of the Triforce were broken into smaller fragments, which are the Wisdom and Courage component parts.
*There is a large misconception in A Link to the Past among The Legend of Zelda series community that Ganon wields and fully possesses the power of the complete Triforce during the Final Boss battle (and therefore considering the Hero of Legend to be the ultimate Link in the franchise). Contrary to popular belief, Ganon, although very powerful, does not harness any fragment of the Triforce within him during this encounter, including his usual piece the Triforce of Power, as the villain himself, although he did indeed wished to rule the Golden Land prior to the game's events and plans to do it again for the Light World (Hyrule), he was sealed in the Dark World by the Seven Wise Men and cannot escape with his own power, and consequently requires Agahnim to weaken his seal with the seven Maidens, explained in-game, the instruction manual, and even the official strategy guide. The erroneous belief is likely based on the fact that the full Triforce does appear following Ganon's ultimate defeat. However, the golden relic is seen as its component parts from its own pedestal and not absorbed by anyone before Link makes his peaceful wish with it. This would technically be similar to what was seen later in the Wind Waker when Ganondorf separates the pieces from their respective hosts to reform the Triforce in order to make a wish but fails to do so due to King Daphnes' interference.
*The color of the Triforce is not consistent throughout the games and other media within the franchise. Although normally seen as yellow or golden, there are some cases of the relic or its component parts shown in orange, red, blue, cyan, and even black.
*In spite of being a spin-off appearance, in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Link (who appears as his Twilight Princess incarnation) seemingly possesses the completed Triforce, as in his introduction cutscene of the Subspace Emissary mode, when the hero pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal, the mark of the Triforce appears in his hand with all three sacred triangles resonating.
*Although there is no official name of the complete Triforce like that of its split pieces in the series other than "Triforce", some fans claim the full essence as "Triforce of Faith", due to its ability to grant any wish.
*Unlike Ganon or Princess Zelda, whom their respective Triforce pieces are marked on their right hands, Link is the only character to have his on his left hand.
*In the Super Smash Bros. series starting in Brawl, for any version of Link's Final Smash, he would use the Triforce of Courage to trap an opponent into a giant void shaped like the whole Triforce, before unleashing a series of rapid slashes then hitting them with a powerful blow, shattering it and send the foe flying. This special attack is known as the Triforce Slash.
*Although is the game in the franchise to introduce the full essence of the Triforce, it was not seen in complete form until . However, in the Japanese box art of the game, the full golden relic can be seen behind Link.
* The Triforce of Power is the only piece that has never been split into smaller fragments anywhere in the series, although the planned but cut third entry to the Oracle games had Ganondorf ironically splitting it into multiple parts as a means to safeguard it from Link and Zelda, similar to for the Triforce of Wisdom.
* During the final battle with Ganondorf in , Ganondorf and Zelda retained their Triforce marks on their hands despite the Triforce itself already being used. This aspect was retained in its HD version as well.
* There is minor controversy among some fans that the Triforce is similar the Holy Trinity from real-life Christianity religious beliefs, as each of its three equally powerful pieces represents the same divine source, and contains omnipotent mystical abilities when complete, much like how the Trinity represents God (Father), specifically in connection with Jesus (Son) and the Holy Spirit. The Triforce pieces themselves are also positioned identically to the Trinity symbol, as Power, Wisdom, and Courage respectively match the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
* In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Triforce was used as the logo representing The Legend of Zelda franchise for its respective characters, specifically Link (Young and Adult), Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, and Toon Link.
* Dummied dialogue from Ganondorf just before his death in indicated that those who wielded the Triforce pieces would be reborn and then obligated to confront each other in every age, with his implying such a fate had been preordained by the Golden Goddesses themselves.
* In the Mario Kart series of the Super Mario franchise, specifically Mario Kart 8, the Triforce was used as the emblem for the Triforce Cup, the second cup of the game's The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 DLC.
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
File:TLoZ Series Triforce Black Artwork.png|Artwork of a stylized black Triforce, devoid of energy
File:TLoZ Japanese Logo 3.png|The inverted Triforce of Power in the title logo of The Legend of Zelda (Japanese version)
File:TLoZ NES Title Display.png|The inverted Triforce of Power in the logo of The Legend of Zelda's title screen
File:TLoZ Triforce of Wisdom Artwork.png|Artwork of the Triforce of Wisdom from 
File:TLoZ Triforce Artwork.png|Artwork of the Triforce of Wisdom from 
File:TLoZ Triforce Shard Artwork.png|Link obtaining all the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom in The Legend of Zelda
File:TLoZ Link Using Triforce Artwork.png|Link exposing Ganon with the Triforce of Wisdom from 
File:TLoZ Link Holding the Triforce of Wisdom Artwork.png|Link holding a Triforce piece from 
File:TLoZ Link Holding the Triforce of Wisdom Artwork 2.png|Link holding a Triforce piece from 
File:TLoZ Link Holding the Triforce of Wisdom Artwork 3.png|Link holding a Triforce piece from 
File:TLoZ Triforce of Power.png|The inverted Triforce of Power in The Legend of Zelda after Ganon's defeat
File:TLoZ Link and Zelda Million Publishing Artwork 2.png|Princess Zelda and Link holding the Triforce and Wisdom and Power, respectively, from The Legend of Zelda (artwork)
File:TLoZ Triforce used by Zelda and Link.png|Princess Zelda and Link holding the Triforce of Wisdom and Power, respectively, in The Legend of Zelda (in-game)
File:TLoZ Link Holding the Triforce of Wisdom Artwork 4.png|Link holding a Triforce piece from from the 1994 Japanese NES port
File:TAoL JP FDS Box Artwork.png|The complete Triforce is visible behind Link in the Japanese box art of The Adventure of Link
File:TAoL Link Reading Scroll Artwork.png|Artwork of Link learning about the Triforce pieces from The Adventure of Link
File:TAoL Triforce of Courage.png|Link holding the Triforce of Courage in The Adventure of Link
File:ALttP Japanese title screen.png|The complete Triforce in the title logo of the Japanese version of A Link to the Past
File:ALTTP Triforce on title screen (JP ver.).png|The full Triforce in the title screen of A Link to the Past (Japanese version), without the subtitles
File:ALTTP Triforce intro cutscene.png|The complete Triforce seen in the intro cutscene of A Link to the Past
File:ALttP Triforce Artwork.png|The Triforce within the Pyramid of Power
File:Triforce4.jpg|Artwork of the Triforce from A Link to the Past
File:ALttP Triforce Sacred Realm Artwork.png|Artwork of the Triforce in the Golden Land in A Link to the Past
File:ALttP Essence of the Triforce.png|The essence of the Triforce in A Link to the Past
File:Mascot(female)ending.gif|The Triforce of Wisdom in BS The Legend of Zelda
File:Mascot(male)ending1.gif|The inverted Triforce of Power in BS The Legend of Zelda
File:OoT Triforce Model 2.gif|Triforce from 
File:OoT Triforce Concept.png|Early version of the Triforce from 
File:Triforce glows.png|The Triforce depiction glows in the Temple of Time.
File:OoT Crest of Courage.png|Link with the Triforce of Courage in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Crest of Wisdom.png|Princess Zelda with the Triforce of Wisdom in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Triforce of Power.png|Ganondorf with the Triforce of Power in Ocarina of Time
File:Ganondorf using Triforce of Power OoT.png|Ganondorf angrily using the Triforce of Power to make himself become Ganon in Ocarina of Time
File:OoT Triforce of Courage on Link's hand (ending).png|The Triforce of Courage resonating on Young Link's hand in Ocarina of Time
File:OOS Credits 5.png|The Triforce of Courage on Link's hand in the ending of Oracle of Seasons
File:SSBM Triforce.png|The respective pieces of the Triforce in Link, Ganondorf, and Zelda's hands, as seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee
File:WW Triforce of Wisdom.png|The Triforce of Wisdom on Zelda's hand in The Wind Waker
File:WWHD Triforce of Courage.png|Link holding the restored Triforce of Courage in The Wind Waker HD
File:Triforce WW.png|The Triforce of Courage on Link's left hand in The Wind Waker
File:Ganon Unite Triforce.jpg|Ganondorf uniting the Triforce in 
File:Triforce Unite.jpg|The pieces of the Triforce coming together in 
File:Ganon Triforce.jpg|Ganondorf with the full Triforce in 
File:TWWHD Triforce Shards Render.png|The shattered Triforce of Courage with all of its shards from The Wind Waker HD
File:ALBW Dark Triforce.png|Lorulean Triforce from 
File:ALBW Triforce Reflect.png|The Hyrule and Lorule Triforce as seen in A Link Between Worlds
File:Triforce Courage Chamber SagesALBW.png|Link being granted the Triforce of Courage in 
File:ALBW Yuga Ganon Triforce of Power.png|Yuga Ganon with the Triforce of Power in 
File:ALBW Hilda Holding Triforce of Wisdom.jpg|Princess Hilda seen holding the Triforce of Wisdom in 
File:ALBW Hilda Absorbing Triforce of Wisdom.png|Princess Hilda absorbing the Triforce of Wisdom in A Link Between Worlds
File:ALBW Yuga Ganon 2 Triforce Pieces.png|Yuga Ganon combining the Triforce of Power with the Triforce of Wisdom after stealing the latter in 
File:ALBW Triforce of Courage Piece.png|Link bearing the Triforce of Courage on his left hand in 
File:ALBW Sacred Realm Triforce Touched.png|Princess Zelda and Link wishing upon the Triforce in 
File:ALBW Sacred Realm Triforce.png|The Triforce in Hyrule's Sacred Realm in 
File:ALBW Sacred Realm Triforce Blinding.png|The Triforce shining with a blinding light in 
File:TFH Ending Artwork 4.png|The Links using a Triforce Gateway in 
File:SSBB Toon Link Triforce Slash.jpg|The Triforce used as a Final Smash called Triforce Slash as seen in SSSB. 
File:SSBU Get the Tri4ce! Artwork.png|Artwork of the Fighters reaching for the Triforce from 
File:HWDE Battle of the Triforce.png|Ganondorf using the Triforce in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
File:HW Triforce of Power.png|Lana holding the Triforce of Power in Hyrule Warriors
File:HW Triforce of Wisdom.png|Princess Zelda with the Triforce of Wisdom in Hyrule Warriors
File:HW Triforce of Courage.png|Link with the Triforce of Courage in Hyrule Warriors
File:HW Triforce destroying Ganon.png|The complete Triforce destroying Ganon in Hyrule Warriors
File:Zeldacourage.jpg|An inverted Triforce (possibly Courage) seen in the scrapped third entry of the Oracle games
File:HWAoC Triforce Icon.png|Triforce icon from 
File:TWW Triforce Stained Glass.png|Triforce glass window in The Wind Waker
TLoZ Triforce Sanei Plush.jpg|Triforce plush by San-ei
Nintendo TOKYO TLoZ Promotional Artwork.png|Promotional artwork for merchandise series from Nintendo TOKYO store featuring Triforce
File:Spining Triforce.gif|Spinning Triforce
File:Triforce (VC).png|The pieces of the Triforce in The Legend of Zelda comic
File:Triforce of Power (The Moblins Are Revolting).png|The Triforce of Power in the 1980s TV series
File:Triforce of Wisdom (Underworld Connections).png|The Triforce of Wisdom in the 1980s TV series
File:OoT manga Triforce of Wisdom and Courage.png|Link and Princess Zelda's respective Triforce of Courage and Wisdom resonating in the Ocarina of Time Akira Himekawa manga
File:OoT manga Triforce of Power.png|The Triforce of Power resonating in the Ocarina of Time manga
File:TLoZ Series Triforce Light Box.png|Official merchandise
File:TLoZ Series Triforce Light.png|Official merchandise
File:MK8 Triforce Cup Model.png|Triforce Cup as seen in Mario Kart 8
==See Also==
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de:Triforce
es:Trifuerza
fr:Triforce
it:Triforza
ja:トライフォース
pt-br:Triforce
zh-tw:三角神力