General Zelda Triforce or Should I Say Macguffin

[Snow Queen]

Throughout the Zelda series plot tells us we want to gather these cool little triangles called the Triforce because. Personally this is why I've always seen the Triforce as a bad Zelda item because all it is is an object you get that does nothing but advance whatever poorly written plot the Big N decided it would shat out at us. I've never liked Macguffins because the whole game builds up the player's expectations for this shiny cool item that in the end has no gameplay benifits whatsoever. Now I know the Zelda series is full of these sounds-like-muffins but the Triforce is something that has always bothered me because the game implies that this magical Triforce will make me super cool or something(?) But to my dismay this golden triangle is worth about as much as Tingle's soiled unitard in terms of gameplay. You'd think just having a peice of the Triforce would grant a boost to something, like strength, health, whatever, but in the end all it is is a big piece of cheese wheel wrapped firmly in duct tape so you can't eat it.

The reason I wrote this is because I wanted to discuss what sort of benifits the Triforce SHOULD be giving you when it's in you possession. Personally I would think the Triforce should give the player a myriad of power and damage reduction buffs, or maybe new abilities like the swooshy sword blasty from ALttP or something. What are your opinions on the Golden Macguffins?

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

You should be invincible, you should be able to get shot at by arrows but not lose hearts.

 

[Salem]

If they would let us wit's powers, wouldn't that name you uber OP or something?

My problem with the Triforce is that it's both overused and underused, it's overused an a plot device that YOU HAD IT YOU ALL ALONG in OoT and TP.

In WW and LoZ 1, you just gather the pieces and it lets you go somewhere you couldn't go before. In LoZ, the story wasn't entirely clear on what it does so but in WW there was already a clearer plot, so the Triforce pieces should have had a more defined use.

But to me, it doesn't matter, the Triforce just seems to me the macguffin when they can't think of anything else, which is fine with me, foe example in alttp and WW, there were always other character that talked about it and they were chasing after, I think? So it should be an object that LOTS of other characters are trying to get, that makes more desirable to the player I think.

Actually, I think the Triforce should stay a mucguffin, I mean if they would let us wit's powers, wouldn't that name you uber OP or something?

My problem with the Triforce is that it's both overused and underused, it's overused an a plot device that YOU HAD IT YOU ALL ALONG in OoT and TP.

In WW and LoZ 1, you just gather the pieces and it lets you go somewhere you couldn't go before. In LoZ, the story wasn't entirely clear on what it does so but in WW there was already a clearer plot, so the Triforce pieces should have had a more defined use.

But to me, it doesn't matter, the Triforce just seems to me the macguffin when they can't think of anything else, which is fine with me, foe example in alttp and WW, there were always other character that talked about it and they were chasing after, I think? So it should be an object that LOTS of other characters are trying to get, that makes more desirable to the player I think.

 

[Snow Queen]

See, if all it's going to he is a macguffin, then I don't think it should be in the player's possession because it's just too powerful to not have some sort of effect on the player. It's a wish granter, after all.

 

[Seth]

Isn't it only a wish-granter when all 3 pieces are combined? In-game I don't believe anyone has possessed the entire TF as once. I don't recall it ever being clear what the individual pieces do when separated if anything much at all.

 

[Snow Queen]

Isn't it only a wish-granter when all 3 pieces are combined? In-game I don't believe anyone has possessed the entire TF as once. I don't recall it ever being clear what the individual pieces do when separated if anything much at all.

Then they should make it clear.

 

[Hylian_Monolith]

I thought they did make it clear, or at least, it's clear to me if I take bits and pieces we have from different games. The Triforce is a sacred object imbued with divine energy, that the Golden Goddesses left behind on the world they'd made (Hyrule), for an unknown reason. Maybe they're just giving the last of their power so that they'll have drained every drop for some reason, or just to see what happens? That part's never made clear, which bothers me. Either way, Hylia guarded it against evils for a while, but when things got too dangerous she sent it up to Skyloft, where Link got it, and then... later, in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf gets to it and it shatters at his touch because... Floop, I don't remember! It's probably all in the Hyrule Historia, but the timeline of the Triforce isn't what this thread is about.

While I think Nintendo hasn't really done a good job with it as a plot device, that's all it is: A plot device. A divine MacGuffin, that's not meant to be used, but guarded, in case those who would use it do so for evil. I mean, this is just speculation, but how many people honestly have a pure heart or a black heart? Those are two pretty polarizing things to go off. Maybe destiny dictates how it would be used and who would get to it, which would... actually explain a lot.

One way or another, I kind of agree with Salem and kind of don't. My big problem is that they make it seem like something that should affect gameplay, when really it's an object that chooses its guardian based on who you are, to be protected by you. With all three pieces assembled, then yeah, it could be used to make a wish and overturn the balance of the world for good or for evil, but that's probably why the pieces are kept separate, guarded by Impa, Zelda, and Link. Ganondorf's meddlings are just a side effect of the world's need to stay in balance, and ensure that whoever guards the Triforce is ready for threats like him, alongside Demise's curse. But that's just my theory.

Long story short, the Triforce should probably stay a MacGuffin, but Nintendo should tell us WHY instead of leaving us to speculate. So, yeah, Snow Queen, I agree with your points and disagree with your direction.