Is the Triforce overkill?

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

If I could could get one wish granted, and the wish had no limitations, I'm sure if I thought about it long enough I could make it very useful. In the Legend of Zelda series the Triforce is a mystical relic that can grant any desire. Its power has been used a few times in the series, but after considering most of the wishes, the full potential of its power seems wasted.

According to legend, the Triforce was left behind by the 3 goddesses after they created Hyrule. It was left at the point where they descended down.

"The land where the goddesses descended down became known as the Sacred Realm." - Lanayru, the Light Spirit (TP)

The Triforce is unique, apparently it is the most powerful relic in existence. This being because it makes any desire a reality.

"The old gods created a Supreme Power that gave anyone who possessed it the ability to shape reality and fulfill any desire. They call it the Triforce." - Zelda (SS)

It really does sound like a grand power, one that, as far as I'm aware, has no equal in the canon series. With it one could warp reality, either for good or evil. And notably there are no restrictions on what can be wished for - it will grant "any" desire, meaning even if it was sick, twisted, and demented, it would still have to be granted. This is really the reason why I think the Triforce is overkill. Any wish can be granted, the Triforce could be responsible for some largely impactful wishes, but in retrospect, the wishes on it were pretty basic.

I've counted 6 successful uses of a Triforce. First by SS Link, later by Ganondorf on the Downfall Timeline, followed by Link unwishing Ganon's wish on that same timeline. In A Link Between Worlds, we learn Lorule's Triforce was used by the Lorulian Royal Family, I assume, to destroy their Triforce (it is possible that a wish could be made on the Triforce for its own destruction. I see it as the only possibility that Lorule's Triforce could have been destroyed). Link and Zelda then used Hyrule's Triforce and wished to restore power to Lorule's Triforce. On the Adult Timeline the King of Hyrule also used the Triforce to make a wish. Most of these wishes, and also wishes that others attempted to make, weren't very impactful. SS Link wished for the eradication of Demise in the present. A better wish would have been the eradication of all evil throughout all time. Ganondorf's ambition for the Triforce is usually to rule the entire world. Why not just wish for the death of the gods and ascend to become a god? There are just so many better wishes that could be made. The only intuitive wishes are the ones in A Link Between Worlds. The Lorulian Royal Family wished to destroy their Triforce. As a result, their world began to collapse. Apparently the Triforce is fundamental to worlds that have them. The wish on Hyrule's Triforce to restore power to Lorule's Triforce displays just how far-reaching the Triforce's power can be - it influenced a parallel universe.

It isn't the fault of the mortals who use the Triforce that they don't use it to its fullest potential, they lack higher perception afterall. Only gods could harness the Triforce in ways that'd push the full potential of its power out. Unfortunately gods cannot wield the Triforce.

"For while the Supreme Power of The Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one." - Zelda (SS)

It's probably a good thing though, by restricting gods from being able to use the Triforce the mortals are spared from what would be a chaotic war of grand proportions. Now if only the mortals could get better insight on their world, and universe, and really grasped the Triforce's power, then they could do some damage.

My conclusion is the Triforce is overkill, it is wasted in mortal hands. I'd be like if we were suddenly swept into the game, hypothetically, and were standing in the Sacred Realm with the Triforce right in front of us. We can wish for literally anything. Immortality, and eternal youth! Sounds good right? We make the wish. Awesome! But then the Triforce disappears, and we end up in Hyrule. We forgot to wish to get back to our own reality, and our own world. Aw ****...

 

[Jirohnagi]

If I could could get one wish granted, and the wish had no limitations, I'm sure if I thought about it long enough I could make it very useful. In the Legend of Zelda series the Triforce is a mystical relic that can grant any desire. Its power has been used a few times in the series, but after considering most of the wishes, the full potential of its power seems wasted.

According to legend, the Triforce was left behind by the 3 goddesses after they created Hyrule. It was left at the point where they descended down.

"The land where the goddesses descended down became known as the Sacred Realm." - Lanayru, the Light Spirit (TP)

The Triforce is unique, apparentely it is the most powerful relic in existence. This being because it makes any desire a reality.

"The old gods created a Supreme Power that gave anyone who possessed it the ability to shape reality and fulfill any desire. They call it the Triforce." - Zelda (SS)

It really does sound like a grand power, one that, as far as I'm aware, has no equal in the canon series. With it one could warp reality, either for good or evil. And notably there are no restrictions on what can be wished for, it will grant "any" desire, meaning even if it was sick, twisted, and demented, it would still have to be granted. This is really the reason why I think the Triforce is overkill. Any wish can be granted, the Triforce could be responsible for some largely impactful wishes, but in retrospect, the wishes on it were pretty basic.

I wouldn't really say the wishes were basic, the Triforce is after all a tool a godmaker if you will. Mortals can use it (as flawed as they are) but the big ol bit here is Desire Humans aren't well versed in ignoring their desires and the gods knew this, it's part of the whole virtues thing, you've got to be wise enough to recognize your desire posess the power to refuse it and the Courage or rather Strength to utilize it without harm. Unfortuneately the only individual who can do this is a mute bastard who ONLY ONCE do we see actually make a wish and damn was it a doozy.

I've counted 6 successful uses of a Triforce. First by SS Link, later by Ganondorf on the Downfall Timeline, followed by Link unwishing Ganon's wish on that same timeline. In A Link Between Worlds, we learn Lorule's Triforce was used by the Lorulian Royal Family, I assume, to destroy their Triforce (it is possible that a wish could be made on the Triforce for it's own destruction. I see it as the only possibility that Lorule's Triforce could have been destroyed). Link and Zelda then used Hyrule's Triforce and wished to restore power to Lorule's Triforce. On the Adult Timeline the King of Hyrule also used the Triforce to make a wish. Most of these wishes, and also wishes that others attempted to make, weren't very impactful. SS Link wished for the eradication of Demise in the present. A better wish would have been the eradication of all evil throughout all time. Ganondorf's ambition for the Triforce is usually to rule the entire world. Why not just wish for the death of the gods and ascend to become a god? There are just so many better wishes that could be made. The only intuitive wishes are the ones in A Link Between Worlds. The Lorulian Royal Family wished to destroy their Triforce. As a result, their world began to collapse. Apparently the Triforce is fundemental to worlds that have them. The wish on Hyrule's Triforce to restore power to Lorule's Triforce displays just how far-reaching the Triforce's power can be - it influenced a parallel universe.

It isn't the fault of the mortals who use the Triforce that they don't use it to its fullest potential, they lack higher perception afterall. Only gods could harness the Triforce in ways that'd push the full potential of its power out. Unfortunately gods cannot weild the Triforce.

"For while the Supreme Power of The Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be weilded by one." - Zelda (SS)

You say it's limited and would've been wiser to eradicate existence through all time but that's a baaaad thing, without contension it's too easy to let standards slip and morality is a hell of a thing, you may think you're doing good but your doing bad, the triforce has no way to see who is good or evil and because ALL humans have a spark of evil in them (it's that lil spark that makes you laugh at the bad things, for instance) then it'd wipe out EVERYONE. We actually get to see how strong the triforce can theorectically be in ALTTP and ALBWs where it's power is used to literally warp a reality and restore a reality. In ALTTP Link literally removes all evil from Hyrule at the current time (doesn't stop Ganon returning but hell he's an odd ball) and undoes all the damage caused by Ganon's attempt to return fully to the light world (TAKE NOTES ZELDA DAMN YOU) and in ALBWs we literally see it bring back a similarly empowered relic in Lorule and it's stated that without the triforce the world will fall into ruin, a wish can even unmake the triforce (again ALBW)

It's probably a good thing though, by restricting gods from being able to use the Triforce the mortals are spared from what would be a chaotic war of grand proportions. Now if only the mortals could get better insight on their world, and universe, and really grasped the Triforce's power, then they could do some damage.

Only way they could get perspective on any of that is to ascend to godhood anyway and the triforce as powerful as it is doesn't seem to be able to do that.

My conclusion is the Triforce is overkill, it is wasted in mortal hands. I'd be like if we were suddenly swept into the game, hypothetically, and were standing in the Sacred Realm with the Triforce right in front of us. We can wish for literally anything. Immortality, and eternal youth! Sounds good right? We make the wish. Awesome! But then the Triforce disappears, and we end up in Hyrule. We forgot to wish to get back to our own reality, and our own world. Aw ****...

Thing is the Triforce isn't Overkill, it's like a magic wishing lamp, if you're not precise in what you want from it, it will do your wish to the Letter...... THE LETTER, King of Hyrule wished for the gods to wash hyrule away and lo n behold the heavens literally opened and a deluge occured wiping out the remains of hyrule (presumably)


I'm gonna put in a little food for though here, We've looked at the almighty power of the triforce and it's ability to give all sorts of shenanigans but we've not looked at the fragility of it. If a possessor of a third of the triforce turns their back on their virtue and the land of hyrule, (even being sent back in time will do this) then that piece is shattered and lost til it's reassembled, or more accurately the indvidual is seperated form that which makes them what they are, the piece can then be lost such as we saw in the DF timeline and in WW. In ALBW we learn a single wish can destroy the triforce and with it the entire land for the land and it's relic are as one.

 

[YIGAhim]

Plot convenience. People all the time waste what they havr on stupidbstuff irl.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

I wouldn't really say the wishes were basic, the Triforce is after all a tool a godmaker if you will. Mortals can use it (as flawed as they are) but the big ol bit here is Desire Humans aren't well versed in ignoring their desires and the gods knew this, it's part of the whole virtues thing, you've got to be wise enough to recognize your desire posess the power to refuse it and the Courage or rather Strength to utilize it without harm. Unfortuneately the only individual who can do this is a mute bastard who ONLY ONCE do we see actually make a wish and damn was it a doozy.

Desire definitely plays a huge factor in the limitation of the Triforce. However, this just reiterates that the flaw with the Triforce lies in the limitation of mortality, which I already brought up.

You say it's limited and would've been wiser to eradicate existence through all time but that's a baaaad thing, without contension it's too easy to let standards slip and morality is a hell of a thing, you may think you're doing good but your doing bad, the triforce has no way to see who is good or evil and because ALL humans have a spark of evil in them (it's that lil spark that makes you laugh at the bad things, for instance) then it'd wipe out EVERYONE. We actually get to see how strong the triforce can theorectically be in ALTTP and ALBWs where it's power is used to literally warp a reality and restore a reality. In ALTTP Link literally removes all evil from Hyrule at the current time (doesn't stop Ganon returning but hell he's an odd ball) and undoes all the damage caused by Ganon's attempt to return fully to the light world (TAKE NOTES ZELDA DAMN YOU) and in ALBWs we literally see it bring back a similarly empowered relic in Lorule and it's stated that without the triforce the world will fall into ruin, a wish can even unmake the triforce (again ALBW)

It might be possible that evil is critical to balance. Yet I wonder was evil even a creation of the gods? If Demise is the root of all evil, did the gods create him? Or perhaps Demise created himself? He was nearly in the class of a god in Hylia's timeframe. I guess the best way to say it is he is a Demon Principality. Hylia was classified a goddess, and they were nearly evenly matched. However Hylia had mastery over time. Demise eventually gained it too, but I assume only after asorbing the Divine power in SS Zelda which orginates from Hylia. With mastery of time he could ensure his own creation. Plus, as the hate curse shows us, he was able to exert an infinite presence in the future through the cycle of reincarnation of his hate. There is alot more we need to learn about the gods though, and their nature, and I plan to hash that out soon in another thread.

Only way they could get perspective on any of that is to ascend to godhood anyway and the triforce as powerful as it is doesn't seem to be able to do that.

We've never seen anyone wish to be a god though. With it's ability to grant "any" desire, it should be able to.

Thing is the Triforce isn't Overkill, it's like a magic wishing lamp, if you're not precise in what you want from it, it will do your wish to the Letter...... THE LETTER, King of Hyrule wished for the gods to wash hyrule away and lo n behold the heavens literally opened and a deluge occured wiping out the remains of hyrule (presumably)

It is overkill though, for mortals. You bring up a good point, it does your wish to the letter, and that makes efficiently using the Triforce difficult. If you aren't super specific on your wish it can come back and bite you.

I'm gonna put in a little food for though here, We've looked at the almighty power of the triforce and it's ability to give all sorts of shenanigans but we've not looked at the fragility of it. If a possessor of a third of the triforce turns their back on their virtue and the land of hyrule, (even being sent back in time will do this) then that piece is shattered and lost til it's reassembled, or more accurately the indvidual is seperated form that which makes them what they are, the piece can then be lost such as we saw in the DF timeline and in WW. In ALBW we learn a single wish can destroy the triforce and with it the entire land for the land and it's relic are as one.

"The three great goddesses, their labors completed departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence." - Great Deku Tree (OoT)

The Triforce is critical to the balance of the world, as the state of Lorule in ALBWs confirms. It is definitely the factor which teeters things, either for balance, or it can topple things and cause chaos. Maybe the gods themselves are linked to the Triforce, and that places even more significance to it.

"For it is in the Sacred Realm one will find the divine relic, the Triforce, which contains the essence of the gods." - Great Deku Tree (OoT)

 

[Beauts]

I would argue the only successful use of the trifroce was in SS and LBW. They the only Link/Zelda's to have proven himself worthy of the power of the triforce. In every other instance, the triforce split apart because it can only be obtained and used by those with all three elements in balance and with good intentions. I can't find the precise quote right now but I'm pretty sure that is stated in Skyward Sword. In every other instance, things go awry or not quite as planned, including when Ganon has the Triforce.

 

[Castle]

The Triforce suffers from being woefully undefined. It is, in the strictest sense, the plot macguffin. There's really no real explanation on what its limitations are, if any, how it works or what it can and cannot do. It just needs to be the thing that the plot runs after.

The reason why is because the Triforce is obviously totally ripped off from "inspired by" the Holy Grail of Arthurian legend. In the legend of King Arthur the Holy Grail served much the same purpose. It would grant great power, wealth and prosperity to whoever possessed it, which is why Arthur and his knights quested heavily for it. Like the Triforce, the Grail was little more than an excuse to form a premise for the various stories surrounding the King Arthur legend. Princess Zelda could even be viewed as analogous to King Arthur in the legend since most of the individual tales involved Arthur's knights going on various episodic adventures during their quest for the grail similar to how Link is the protagonist of each game and not Zelda.

But as the series went on and the lore became moderately more complex (notice I don't use the word "developed") it became kinda necessary to lay down exactly what the Triforce is capable of. But ninty never bothered to do that because they don't care. Now we're left with nothing but some ambiguous treasure that as far as anyone knows can do anything.

What I'd like to know is why the goddesses would leave this divine WMD in mortal hands. Seems awfully cruel to me. According to the Deku Tree the gods created the Triforce to commemorate the creation of Hyrule. But this thing serves to tempt the various peoples of Hyrule and throw them into conflict again and again. The Triforce is a fundamental aspect of almost every creation myth, from Pandora's Box to Satan's apple (what is it with women? ) It seems to be just an essential part of the natural order, which would explain why Lorule fell apart when its Triforce was destroyed.

As overkill, the Triforce seems to be a manifestation of everyone's desires and vices. And there's nothing more destructive than that. In the King Arthur legend, the Holy Grail was a source of much conflict. And even though it brought prosperity to Camelot for a while, it ultimately tore Britain apart and lead to the death of Arthur.