Triforce
- For the arcade system board, see Triforce (arcade system board)
In the world of the Legend of Zelda series of video games, the Triforce (sometimes called "The Golden Power" or "The Golden Triforce") is a holy relic created by three goddesses. The Triforce consists of three separate parts, each referred to also as a Triforce: the Triforce of Power, associated with red and the goddess Din; the Triforce of Wisdom, associated with blue and the goddess Nayru; and the Triforce of Courage, associated with green and the goddess Farore.
The shape of the Triforce is based on the mon of the Hojo clan in Japan, which claims that the three triangles represent the three scales of a Shinto dragon. Its design is a level 1 Sierpiński gasket.
History
According to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Hylian myth states that the Triforce was bestowed upon the world by the three goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore. The Triforce was created when the goddesses left the realm of Hyrule at the exact point where they left; it houses the essence of the goddesses and it is the ultimate representation of all power, wisdom and courage in Hyrule. The Triforce was guarded in the Temple of Light in a land parallel and reflective of the "normal" Hyrule, known as the Golden Land or Sacred Realm. It has been a subject of dispute whether the Triforce be an inanimate object that cannot distinguish good from evil, or if it is a living entity, as depicted in the end of the game A Link to the Past.
Ganondorf, a Gerudo thief and the sole male of the tribe at the time, heard of the legend of the Triforce and lusted after its power, primarily as a tool to subjugate the kingdom of Hyrule and expand his influence. Inadvertently aided by a young hero known as Link and the Hylian princess Zelda, Ganondorf found his way into the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf did not know that to claim the Triforce, one must have the three facets of the Triforce - power, wisdom, and courage - in perfect alignment. Ganondorf valued power far more than wisdom or courage, so he could only claim the Triforce of Power. The other two Triforces split off; the Triforce of Courage merged with Link and the Triforce of Wisdom merged with Zelda. They were chosen to house the Triforces because they represented courage and wisdom more than any other. Each of the three received the mark of the Triforce on the back of one hand.
Ganondorf, after becoming Ganon, was defeated and the power of the seven Hyrulian Sages, including Zelda, was used to seal him in the Sacred Realm along with the Triforce of Power. Link and Zelda retained their Triforces.
In The Wind Waker, it is stated that when the Hero of Time left Hyrule (supposedly in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask), the Triforce of Courage was broken into eight pieces and scattered, to be recovered one day by another Hero deserving of its power (in this case, the Link from The Wind Waker, the Hero of Winds). After restoring the power to the Master Sword, Link hauled up all 8 shards of the Triforce of Courage from the sea, and entered Hyrule for the 3rd and final time. In this game, Tetra the pirate carried a necklace made from a piece of the Triforce of Wisdom, the King of Hyrule carried the other half. When put together, Tetra was revealed to be Zelda.
In the original The Legend of Zelda, only two triforces are mentioned (power and wisdom). The Triforce of Courage first makes its appearance in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
Power
In The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, it was revealed that one who touches the Triforce has all of their wishes come true; the Triforce reflects the heart of the one who touches it, whether good or evil. In A Link to the Past, Ganon exploited this power to corrupt The Golden Land, turning it into the Dark World, a realm of dark skies and evil creatures. In The Wind Waker, the king of Hyrule, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, touches the Triforce and wishes for Link and Zelda to have hope in defeating Ganondorf.
The Triforce is referred to as the "Golden Power" in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and could have something to do with the Light Force mentioned in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
Other appearances
In Animal Crossing and Animal Crossing: Wild World, the Triforce is a furniture item. When used, it separates and assembles in mimicry of the opening to A Link to the Past. In both the original Animal Crossing and Wild World, Katrina, the fortuneteller, has the Triforce symbol emblazoned in the far back of her tent. However, in Wild World it is barely visible with her recently discarded crystal ball in front of it.
The Triforce is Link's symbol in Super Smash Bros.. It returns as his symbol in the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, as well as the symbol for Zelda, Sheik, Young Link, and Ganondorf. There are two structures in Zelda/Sheik's Target Test that look exactly like Triforces. The Triforce is also the goal in the second side-scrolling level in Adventure mode, the Underground Maze. In the upcoming third game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Triforce appears as Link's "Super Smash" attack, as he traps the enemy between two triforce symbols and relentlessly slashes at them.
"Triforce" is also the name of a 3 man drum & bass DJ crew from Shropshire, UK. The name was used to emphasize the fact the group are a trio, and that each of them covers a different style of the music (in the same way the Triforce in the Zelda series represents three different powers).
References
World of Warcraft has the Golden Flame, which is a reference to this. The same quest line has many other references to the Legend of Zelda series as well. See one posting on Thottbot.com.
In Kirby Super Star, The Great Cave Offensive requires Kirby to collect treasures while escaping a vast cave. The final treasure is the distinctively Zelda-like Triforce.
In the online game Adventure Quest, when you ask the NPC, Robina Hood about Rouge class, she will exclaim, "By the great Tri-Farce, I am A ranger!"
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