In taking the formula established in its predecessor and expanding upon it by nearly every metric,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis one of Nintendo’s greatest successes and a worthy follow-up toBreath of the Wild. In Nintendo’s own words, fans can continue to expect open-worldZeldatitles as the future norm for the series, clearly differentiating the new games from older entries in the franchise. However, the shake ups to establishedZeldagameplay aren’t the only major change inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, as both tell a very different story than previous games in the series. Conspicuously, the Triforce was missing from both titles.
TheTriforce has appeared in everyZeldatitlesince the originalLegend of Zeldaon NES and is one of the most important pieces of the series' iconography as well as having a special significance to the overarchingZeldatimeline and lore. Often appearing on the heraldry of the Kingdom of Hyrule or manifesting as the physical object of series antagonist Ganon’s desire for control, the Triforce is meant to represent the ultimate power in theZeldauniverse and is maybe the most recognizable symbol from the franchise. It’s absence in the two most recentZeldagames could spell a very different future for the series.
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The History of the Triforce in The Legend of Zelda’s Canon
Thehistory of the Triforceis an interesting one in that it has two feet planted firmly in both the real and the imaginary. Three smaller triangles coming together to form one larger one is actually a 13th Century Japanese symbol referred to as a Mitsuuroko, or “three scales.” The symbol was associated with the Hojo clan of 12th and 13th-century Japan and would go on to also be used by a number of Japanese entities, explaining how the symbol came to be employed.ed by Shigeru Miyamoto inThe Legend of Zeldaas the symbol of the three goddesses.
In terms of the symbol’s significance in the fictional world of Hyrule, the Triforce is representative of the three powers associated with the triumvirate of goddesses responsible for the creation of the world. The Triforce is made up of Wisdom, Power, and Courage - the three attributes associated with Hyrule’s deities. Whilethe originalLegend of Zeldabroke the Triforce into 8 separate pieces for Link to locate, every subsequent Zelda game has featured the Triforce as three triangles and used it to represent both the object of Ganon’s desire and the capacity for good to triumph over evil when wielded by one pure of heart – The Hero of Time.
What the Triforce’s Absence in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom May Indicate
Despite some speculation regarding the initial images fromTears of the Kingdompossibly indicating the return of the Triforce, the iconicZeldasymbol was nowhere to be found within the game’s story or world. After not appearing in two consecutiveLegend of Zeldatitles, it’s safe to say that Nintendo is omitting its inclusion on purpose. As far as what the reasons are regarding why the Triforce has yet to make an appearance in either of the open-worldZeldagames, its absence may be indicative ofa new branch in theZeldatimeline.
Series producer and newZeldamastermind Eiji Aonuma recently revealed in an interview thatfans should expect more open-worldZeldatitles. This deviation from theZeldaformula makes sense financially in that bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave been massive successes for Nintendo, but some fans are sure to be disappointed in the series continuing to move away from its classic formula. One silver lining is that the new style of gameplay has arrived alongside what may be a brand-new path forward and retcon of canon for theLegend of Zelda, paving the way for theZeldafranchise to stick around for another 35 years.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis out now for the Nintendo Switch.
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