Triforce
Triforce | |
---|---|
action-adventure | |
In-universe information | |
Type | Fictional divine artifact |
Function | Grants any wish to its bearer |
The Triforce (
The three pieces of the Triforce are in the possession of the three main characters of the series, Ganon, Zelda and Link, who each embody one of its virtues: Power, Wisdom and Courage. The Triforce has frequently been the main objective in the series, requiring the player to search for its shards and protect it from Ganon, who seeks its power for evil purposes.
The Triforce is a central motif of The Legend of Zelda series, frequently appearing in Zelda iconography and merchandise. It has appeared in related media, including
Background
Although the Triforce has become associated with
Concept and creation
Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of The Legend of Zelda series, explained his vision for the first game in an interview with Gamekult. He said that the Triforce fragments were originally supposed to be electronic chips, as the game was intended to be set in both the past and the future. This early futuristic concept was abandoned and replaced by a heroic fantasy.[2] In The Legend of Zelda video game, the Triforce was simply described as magical triangles of great power, but its significance was expanded in subsequent games. The first game established it as an object of desire and a central plot device that binds the three characters. Initially comprising two pieces, the third piece, the Triforce of Courage, was introduced in Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link.[3]
Characteristics
The Triforce consists of three equilateral triangles that are joined to create a large equilateral triangle. Its design resembles the
The Triforce can only be wielded by someone who possesses a balance of the three virtues in their heart: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Conversely, if held by someone with an imbalanced heart, it splits into three pieces, with each piece bestowed on a person who represents that quality.
Appearances
The Legend of Zelda series
The Triforce is a common symbol found in the series. It is connected with the Royal Family of Hyrule and displayed as part of the Hyrule Royal Family's signature crest, which combines the Triforce with a fictional bird called a Crimson Loftwing. It is also found on various objects within the games such as the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield[9][10] and on sacred sites, such as the Temple of Time.[11]
In 1986, the original The Legend of Zelda video game introduced the Triforce, which consisted of two pieces, as a central plot device. It involves the hero, Link, embarking on a quest to save Hyrule from the evil Ganon, who has stolen the Triforce of Power. After Princess Zelda splits the Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and scatters them across the land, Link must search for the fragments and reassemble them to rescue Princess Zelda and defeat Ganon.[12]
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987) established the Triforce of Courage as the third piece of the Triforce.[13] The game's instruction manual tells the backstory of Princess Zelda being placed in a magical sleep by a wizard and sets Link's fate as the hero who will wake her by marking the back of his hand with the Triforce.[14] The story involves Link obtaining six crystals and then claiming the Triforce of Courage from the Great Palace. Using the three pieces of the Triforce, he is able to awaken sleeping Zelda from her curse.[15]
The third game in the series titled
Ganon, in his humanoid form of Ganondorf, again pursues his goal of obtaining the Triforce in
When the game duo titled The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (2001) were conceived, they were originally intended to be a trilogy, with each story centred on one of the three virtues of the Triforce.[19] In each game the Triforce initiates the adventure by summoning Link and transporting him to the worlds of Holodrum and Labrynna to collect eight Essences of Nature or Time in order to defeat the games' villains, Onox and Veran.[15]
In
The Triforce does not play a major role in
In
Nintendo published
Despite its prominence in the Zelda series, the Triforce plays no part in the storyline of
Television series
In
Manga and comics
Following the release of The Legend of Zelda video game, a companion manga book titled The Hyrule Fantasy was released in Japan by Wanpaku Comics in September 1986. It follows the game's story, involving the eight fragments of the Triforce.[36] In 1992, a Choose Your Own Adventure-style book was released in Japanese titled The Legend of Zelda: The Triforce of the Gods. It was based on A Link to the Past, though some story elements deviated from the game.[37] Two manga adaptations of A Link to the Past were also published by Ataru Cagiva in 1995 and Akira Himekawa in 2005 with the Japanese title Triforce of the Gods.[38][39] Akira Himekawa also produced a manga book published by Viz Media, which is based on Ocarina of Time and follows the game's plot involving Link's quest to protect the Triforce from Ganondorf.[40] In the early 1990s, Valiant Comics published The Legend of Zelda comic book based on the animated series. In the third issue, Link is corrupted by the Triforce of Power and attacks Zelda to obtain the Triforce of Wisdom. In the fifth issue, the second storyline is titled "The Day of the Triforce", which involves Link battling without his Triforce power due to its disappearance.[41]
Video games
The Triforce has appeared in various other video games. In the series spin-off
Other media
In 2017, Nintendo rolled out an escape room experience across eight cities in North America titled "Defenders of the Triforce".[52]
"Triforce" is also a name given to an arcade board system that was a joint venture from three companies; Namco, Nintendo and Sega using a combination of Nintendo GameCube and Sega GD-ROM hardware inside a Namco cabinet.[53]
In popular culture
The Triforce has been used as a shibboleth and a meme to embarrass newer users of the imageboard website 4chan. Experienced users write it using Unicode characters, but copying and pasting the Triforce results in the symbol becoming misaligned.[54]
Due to its simple design and popularity with gamers, the Triforce has become one of the most popular gaming tattoos.[55] Professional wrestler Cody Rhodes, a longtime Legend of Zelda fan, formerly had the Triforce on his wrestling boots in his early career with the WWE.[56]
The Triforce has inspired the production of Zelda-themed products, including a beer named Triforce IPA.[57]
In 2023, the British metal band DragonForce released a single titled "Power of the Triforce", which is a tribute to The Legend of Zelda series.[58]
Merchandise
The Triforce regularly appears on official Zelda merchandise, including clothing and accessories.[59] It is prominently displayed on the cover of The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia, which is published by Dark Horse.[60] In 2023, it was recreated as a logic puzzle for Nintendo by a Japanese toy manufacturer.[61] Images of the Triforce appear on a set of official t-shirts that were released for the Triforce-themed Splatfest.[62]
Reception
The Triforce has become a recognisable icon of The Legend of Zelda series. It has been carved into headstones and used as a family crest.[63] Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku commented that, although the inspiration for the Triforce is unknown, the symbol is found on the grave of Japanese video game designer Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy, as his family crest or "kamon" (家紋). Florent Gorges, author of The History of Nintendo, opined that the symbol is so ubiquitous in Japan that Yokoi's protégé, Shigeru Miyamoto, could not have ignored it and had reused the design for the Zelda series. Ashcraft also remarked that the Triforce had such an impact on the younger Japanese generation, that the crest is now widely recognised, not as the mitsuuroko symbol, but as the icon of The Legend of Zelda series.[64] In 1999, the Triforce in Ocarina of Time became the centre of a hoax, where a user account successfully convinced the Zelda fandom that the Triforce could be acquired, by posting a series of fake hints that were eventually debunked. Kotaku described it as "one of the greatest hoaxes in video game history".[65] In 2016, Kate Gray of TechRadar noted that players persisted in their search for the Triforce in Ocarina of Time, using various methods of play in the hope of recovering it.[66]
Stephen Totilo, writing for Kotaku, highlighted that in 2016 Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma used the Triforce to reinforce the fixed gender roles of the three main characters in the series. Aonuma stated that the concept of creating a female version of Link, "would mess with the balance of the Triforce" and had been rejected by Nintendo for that reason.[67] Jacob Kastrenakes of The Verge strongly disagreed by commenting that, although the three characters possess and embody the three virtues of the Triforce, the pieces could "theoretically be held by others in Hyrule" and that none of the Triforce pieces relate to gender.[68]
The Triforce has been the subject of interpretation with regards to its significance within the Zelda series. Luke Cuddy considered that the Triforce can be interpreted as a lesson in morality that can be applied in the real world, as each of the three Triforce pieces is equal and could be used by the three main characters for good or evil, depending on how they choose to act.
Luke Plunkett of Kotaku opined that the Triforce is "one of the most iconic designs in the history of video games" and "the object that lies at the heart of The Legend of Zelda".[1] Eurogamer staff commented that the Triforce symbolises "Zelda's perpetually cycling legend" and is the blueprint for every game in the series, with Link representing "agency, curiosity, the eternal innocence", Ganon representing "selfishness, megalomania, destruction" and Zelda representing "insight and direction".[71] Nicole Carpenter for Polygon commented that the Triforce has become a ubiquitous symbol that is widely recognised amongst gamers. She highlighted that it creates a sense of community for many isolated gamers and also provides personal significance to those who find comfort and meaning in its symbolism.[55]
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