The Triforce and the Divine Prank

[Kali075]

This is a Theory I've been thinking about for a while, but I wasn't completely sure whether to put it here or in the Timeline section, as it relates to both.

So in Twilight Princess we learned that in the CT, after Ganondorf's plot was revealed, he was sentenced to be executed. When the sages tried to kill him at Arbiter's Grounds, they were unable to because of some "divine prank" in which he was given the power of the gods, the Triforce of Power. What I didn't understand is why the Triforce was broken at all at this point.

Part of this hinges on exactly when one believes Link was sent back to at the end of OoT. The door of time is open, and yet we then see him visit Zelda, still in her garden, meaning it's prior to Ganondorf's invasion of the castle. So if Ganondorf in the CT never entered the sacred realm and broke the Triforce, why do Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf have their respective pieces in TP?

My theory is that the Triforce transcends time, by which I mean, what happens to it in the Adult Timeline affects the Child Timeline, and vice versa. The timeline split was, after all, caused by Zelda and the Ocarina. She may have had the power to send Link back in time, but I feel like the Triforce is something that is way out of her control.

So at the time of Ganondorf's execution in the CT, the Great Cataclysm had just occurred in the AT. So Ganondorf of both timelines received the Triforce of Power. Link, who would have been in Termina at this time, wasn't there to receive his, so Courage simply waited around for the next Link, the one from TP. And whichever Zelda was alive at that point would have received Wisdom, probably passing it on through the royal family to the Zelda from TP.

I realize that this theory is a little out there. But the "Divine Prank" moment is one of the big moments of the series that I really don't understand, and I was just wondering what people thought about it.

 

[ChargewithSword]

Well , the Sacred Realm has been theorized of not having any time in it so the idea of the Triforce transcending time does hold water. I mean, at the end of OOT you can see that Young Link has the Triforce of Courage on his palm. The chances of this being either divine prank or the longing of the Triforce to find a wielder are both quite possible.

 

[Vincent]

This has always bothered me as well. You bring up some valid points, ones that I was considering myself. I'd like to believe that the Triforce does not exist within any one timeline, making it react on all timelines.

 

[Retro Ganon]

A lot of Christians believe God is outside of time and the universe itself. If we make an analogy to this with respect to the three Goddesses and their essences, the Triforce, the zelda universe may work the same way.

Its kind of hard to explain since the Triforce is partially a physical and spiritual object.

 

[Erimgard]

I woudn't say that the Triforce itself, nor the Sacred Realm, trascend time, but the goddesses do. Given that they are the ones who desginated Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf as the worthy holders of the Triforce pieces (English text says when the Triforce splits "destiny" chooses the holders, Japanese says "the gods" choose the holders), I see it playing out as such:

Link seals Ganon away in the Adult Ending of Ocarina of Time, and is sent back in time to live out his childhood.
Link's Triforce of Courage remains in the Adult Timeline, explaining its lack of an owner in the Wind Waker.
Link arrives back in the Child Timeline before he ever pulled the Master Sword.
The goddesses, being outside of time, know Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf to be the rightfull holders of the Triforce pieces, regardless of Timeline.
Link is granted his ToC, as shown by the glowing symbol on his hand in the Child Ending.
The ToC validates his stories of his battle with Ganon, which explains why Ganondorf is arrested prior to Twilight Princess, instead of being trusted by the King.
Zelda and Ganondorf also recieved their Triforce pieces, although Ganondorf may not have been aware of it, as he apparently still attempted to invade the Sacred Realm prior to TP.
Ganondorf is arrested and executed, but survives when his ToP activates.
The Sages believe this to be some sort of "Divine Prank"

 

[jugglaj91]

For me I don't know if Ganondorf knew he had the ToP. It seemed to appear as if from nowhere and "activated" as it saw fit to save it's bearer. I'm not sure if this holds any truth, just what I got out of the situation.

 

[Retro Ganon]

@ Erimgard

I have an issue with the Gods having control over whom the Triforce pieces go to, especially Ganondorf. We clearly know why Ganondorf only got the ToP on the AT because it was a built-in defense mechanism to keep the True Force away from evil hands. Why the Gods would feel necessary to repeat this process on another timeline, free of anyone touching the Triforce in the first place, is inconceivable.

I would rather support some weird paradox happened. By my little theory, the Triforce holds the essence of the gods thus holds a part of them. Giving plausible reason to believe the Triforce partially is outside time like the gods.