Triforce of Courage

The Triforce of Courage embodies the essence of the Goddess of Courage, Farore, the source of all life. The Triforce of Courage is more than a mere symbol of Link's exemplary courage, who is usually its bearer. Though Link is not a skilled sorcerer like Ganondorf or Zelda, the Triforce of Courage, like the other sacred triangles, grants him untold mystical abilities, one of them being some extent of protection against evil magic. In Twilight Princess, the Triforce of Courage, from the very beginning of the game, is already visible in Link's left hand. One of the known effects of the Triforce of Courage in the said game is transforming Link into a wolf instead of into a lost soul like every other being from the Light World. The Triforce of Courage also repels the Shadow Beast who attempts to attack him when he is first dragged into the Twilight. Speculation exists that states that the Triforce also grants its bearer the ability to master any weapon they touch, this theory circumstantially proven by the fact that Link always seems to know how to use a weapon with no training.

Although the Triforce of Courage was not mentioned in the original The Legend of Zelda, it was later introduced in The Adventure of Link. Here, it is revealed that a previous King of Hyrule, fearing the misuse of the Triforce, sealed the Triforce of Courage away in the Great Palace, where only a hero worthy of its power would be able to obtain it after proving himself. Link endured the trials of the Great Palace, including defeating his own shadow, and recovered the Triforce of Courage. Uniting it with the Triforce of Wisdom and Power, he was able to break the spell on the sleeping Princess Zelda. Ocarina of Time reveals that after Ganondorf touched the Triforce in the Sacred Realm, the Triforce split into three pieces, with the Triforce of Courage being imparted to Link. After Ganon is sealed inside the Evil Realm, Link, still the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, embarks on another journey and leaves the land of Hyrule. This causes him to be separated from "the elements that made him a hero," causing the Triforce of Courage to be split into eight shards and be hidden throughout the kingdom. This leads to the events in The Wind Waker, where Link must retrieve the eight shards of the Triforce of Courage from the bottom of the ocean.