Nintendo has done strong work to build some strong properties over the years and as much as Mario has become the company’s most prominent, there’s been a real increase in popularity in The Legend of Zelda franchise.
Zelda titles have gone on to define Nintendo consoles just as much as Super Mario games have and Link has grown into one of the most beloved characters from their lengthy history. The Zelda games are full of important characters and relics, but the Triforce is usually a defining artifact in most entries. Many people can recognize the Triforce when they see it, but there’s a lot about it that they don’t know.
10 Created By The Golden Goddesses
There is all sorts of magic and powerful prophecies that fill TheLegend of Zelda series, but the Triforce is viewed as the Holy Grail of the series and it stands to reason that incredible forces are responsible for its creation. These three golden pieces are created by Din, the Goddess of Power; Farore, the Goddess of Courage; and Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. After their assembly of the Triforce, they also constructed Hyrule and Lorule before ascending to the Sacred Realm to watch over the events that transpire.
9 There Is No Fourth Triforce, But There Are More Hyrulean Gods
Due to the Triforce’s design there's been speculation that there's actually a fourth Triforce that's yet to be introduced. However, Zelda's head team of Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto have vetoed this and the Triforce design was slightly altered in Twilight Princess to fight this misinformation. That said, the three Goddesses that created Hyrule all have a piece of the Triforce associated with them and there are more Hyrulean Gods out there who have yet to be revealed, which could bring this topic back into focus.
8 The Triforce Of Power Can Kill Its User
The early '90s feature a short-lived Zelda comic series. The events of the comic shouldn't be considered canon, but they have some interesting things to say in regards to the Triforce. Link steals the Triforce of Power from the tyrannical Ganon and he begins to deteriorate & die after it leaves him.
It explains that the Triforce of Power forces its user to become dependant on it and slowly take over their soul if it's removed from them. Link even experiences a similar fate until he selflessly abandons the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage restores his health.
7 Hyrule Cannot Exist Without The Triforce
The creation of the Triforce is largely linked to both the creation of Hyrule & Lorule, but it turns out that these events are intrinsically tied together and cannot exist without each other. The use of the Triforce affects the larger stability of Hyrule and the condition of one reflects the state of the other. The extremes of this relationship are witnessed when Hilda's ancestors actually wish for the disappearance of the Triforce, which results in the desolation of Lorule and a wave of destruction.
6 The Triforce & The Light Force
There are many Zelda titles that push the franchise in curious directions and the The Minish Cap introduces a very Triforce-like entity known as the Light Force. The game's villain, Vaati, plots to acquire the Light Force and use its power to ascend. Many speculate that the Light Force is a "completed Triforce" or just one of its pieces and it's even depicted on stained glass windows in a manner similar to the Triforce. However, the similarities end there. They're unique forces of power that can co-exist and Eiji Aonuma has confirmed as much.
5 The Power To Grant Wishes
The Triforce is often acknowledged as an instigator to the majority of war and conflict in The Legend of Zelda, so it's not surprising to learn that the Triforce has the ability to grant wishes & transform the state of Hyrule into a reflection of the individual's inner self.
If the person making the wish doesn't have an equal balance of courage, wisdom, and power within them, the Triforce will split into three separate individuals who must be reunited for the wish to be granted.
4 The Triforce Contains The Consciousnesses Of Its Creators
By and large The Legend of Zelda series treats the Triforce as an inanimate object of power, but there are a handle of instances, like in A Link to the Past or the Oracle duology, where the Triforce actually communicates with Link. This voice describes itself as the "essence of the Triforce" and it helps send Link on his adventures to both Labrynna & Holodrum. There's speculation that this essence is the consciousness and memories of the various Goddesses who helped construct the Triforce.
3 The Triforce Of Power Doesn't Cause Corruption, It Amplifies It
Ganondorf's signature piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of Power is treated as the most dangerous of the three. Obtaining this Triforce has led to individuals like Ganondorf and Cia succumbing to dark power, but in Hyrule Warriors, Lana is able to use it without losing herself. This is because Lana is an embodiment of light without evil in her, whereas Cia or Phantom Ganon are already wicked. For this reason, it's often advantageous to have an especially pure individual wield this Triforce piece.
2 Discretion Over Who Unlocks Its Power
The Legend of Zelda treats the Triforce with a great deal of importance and it holds more significance than even the Master Sword. The Triforce is coveted because it can grant insurmountable power to whoever possesses it in its entirety. However, Ganondorf holds the Triforce in the Fallen Hero Timeline, yet he's still able to be defeated and sealed away. It appears that the Triforce maintains limited sentience and can restrict individuals from accessing its full power.
1 Reuniting The Triforce Requires All Bearers Present
This detail may still be open to interpretation since different Zelda games are set in varying timelines that apply different interpretations on certain series elements, such as the Triforce. The Wind Waker features a ceremony where the Triforce is reunited and it's shown that this process involves the people who possess the Triforce pieces together. Notably, Ganondorf spares both Link and Zelda. It's this proximity that makes the extraction of the Triforce possible and also retroactively explains why Ganondorf kept Princess Zelda alive in Ocarina of Time.