Triforce Symbolisms Galore

After finishing Skyward Sword up, I looked back at the game as a whole found that there were several triforce symbolisms in the game.

So first of all let's take a look at the triforce itself.

It's obviously made up of three components. Each represents one of the three goddesses Farore, Nayru, and Din. As we learned in Ocarina of Time each piece has an affinity for one type of characteristic:
Farore = Courage
Nayru = Wisdom
Din = Power
These characteristics are also present along with the triforce symbolisms in Skyward Sword.

The triforce is a big deal in Skyward Sword mainly because of Hylia, the triforce's protector. She was tasked by the "gods of old" to protect the sacred power. Sooner or later though, a war unfolds for this all-powerful object. To protect the humans, Hylia sends a slab of land into the sky, effectively creating Skyloft.

This brings us to the first piece of triforce symbolism. The world/land itself.

The surface world is divided into THREE sections. Each also corresponds to the characteristic that fits with the part of the triforce that they represent.
Farore = Courage = Faron Woods (Greenery and life have the courage to continue existing.)
Nayru = Wisdom = Lanayru Dessert (the aged land has gone from being part ocean and fertile land to an immense barren dessert. Time has given it wisdom.)
Din = Power = Eldin Volcano (the powerful volcano has shaped the land around it).
The Silent Realms in each area confirm this theory. In Faron Woods Link's courage is tested, in Lanayru Desert Link's wisdom is tested, and in Eldin Volcano Link's power is tested.

Also, please notice that Skyloft is situated in the middle of the triforce and that it also has a silent realm.. I will come back to that little detail later.

The three characteristics are further represented by these three symbols. These can be found on the gates of time, with the three dragons, and with the flames that power the Master Sword.


Now, to the obvious representations of the triforce. Link, Zelda, and Demise are the three major characters in the game; they fully embody the three characteristics of the triforce pieces.
Farore = Courage = Link (travels far and wide for Zelda and for the world)
Nayru = Wisdom = Zelda (travels through time for knowledge of her destiny)
Din = Power = Demise (power hungry for the triforce, just like his descendant)


The other not-so-obvious symbolic characters are Fi, Impa, and Ghirahim.
Farore = Courage = Fi (her loyalty and help provides Link with courage)
Nayru = Wisdom = Impa (at first a very hard-headed women she becomes wise and old with age)
Din = Power = Ghirahim (in search of power to restore Demise).


With all these symbolic representations of the triforce, I couldn't help but think that there was more to it than just THREE pieces. Like many crazy Zelda theorists out there, I believe that there is a fourth element. That is the human element.
The first sign of the fourth element comes with Hylia. Basically the fourth goddess to exist in the world of Hyrule, she gives up her immortality to become a mortal in the form of Zelda.
The other representation of the fourth element is Skyloft. As seen in the map above, it is placed between the three major sections. It's where the humans live; it's where they go about their lives.
And finally this guy:

A very good representation of the human element. He goes from a pompous fool to a valuable ally. In the end he possessed the three major characteristics of the triforce. Power (building and using his Gooosenator), Wisdom (just compare his actions at the begginning of the game to those at the end and you will see the wisdom), and Courage (after realizing that Link was the true hero, he still had the courage to find his own destiny.) You could place him in the middle of the triforce with the major characters



Well, I hoped you all like reading my after-thought process It took a long time to write all of this so please comment with your thoughts!

But Link possessed all three characteristics of the Triforce.

Originally Posted by zelda4eva!

Absolutely. Amazing.

Originally Posted by Cereal Bawks

But Link possessed all three characteristics of the Triforce.

I know but, putting it simply, he is the representation of the triforce of courage. He lands in Faron Woods first. The first silent realm he visits is to test his courage. The first flame he gets is Farore's flame. The first part of the triforce that accepts him as a suitable hero is Farore's piece. Not to mention that in the other games Link always wields the triforce of courage.

Originally Posted by Dr. Ludwig

Absolutely. Amazing.

This is the original image if you are interested.

O....M...G. Why are you so intelligent? Did you just sit at home thinking about this? Sorry im so inquisitive, im just imaging you sat at a chair drawing all this out as if your trying to figure out the big bang theory lol.

Originally Posted by Hermione Granger

O....M...G. Why are you so intelligent? Did you just sit at home thinking about this? Sorry im so inquisitive, im just imaging you sat at a chair drawing all this out as if your trying to figure out the big bang theory lol.

Pahaha. Well thanks.

Actually I was thinking about it while I was trying to go to sleep yesterday. It all just came together. I don't know how but it did.

I made the visuals today since I had nothing better to do and my finals are over (thank god!). I do think I went a little overboard.

How come Fi isn't the wisdom part? Impa deserves courage, because she spent most of her life in a temple all alone as proof of her loyalty.

The provinces were also named after the Goddesses: Eldin Lanayru, and Faron. That totally blew my mind when I first learned that.

Originally Posted by marioguy

How come Fi isn't the wisdom part? Impa deserves courage, because she spent most of her life in a temple all alone as proof of her loyalty.

The provinces were also named after the Goddesses: Eldin Lanayru, and Faron. That totally blew my mind when I first learned that.

Well this was my thought process:
Old people are always the wisest. They know many things about the world; emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc. Why? Because of time. Time = Knowledge = Wisdom

At the beginning of Skyward Sword Impa was really obnoxious, acting like Link was anything but the chosen hero. Impa from the future was not obnoxious at all. She immediately and willingly helped Link with whatever he needed. She also knew a lot about everything. All that change and knowledge/wisdom came about because of time.

I chose Fi as the courage part because she is basically supposed to be supporting Link. Along their travels she is contantly encouraging Link to continue his quest. I can see how she could be the wisdom part, though.

I think you may be looking a little too far into this, but it's a bit interesting.

Originally Posted by The Goron Moron

I think you may be looking a little too far into this, but it's a bit interesting.

I know but the fact that I can look this far into it is why I love Zelda games. There is so much more than meets the eye to these games. Just look at all the stuff people have found in Majora's Mask.

Originally Posted by zelda4eva!

At the beginning of Skyward Sword Impa was really obnoxious, acting like Link was anything but the chosen hero. Impa from the future was not obnoxious at all. She immediately and willingly helped Link with whatever he needed. She also knew a lot about everything. All that change and knowledge/wisdom came about because of time.

Old Impa was nice to Link, because she already knew what he was capable of from what he will do in her past. (that sounds odd) Young Impa thought the Goddess messed up by choosing Link, because he didn't seem very heroic.

Originally Posted by zelda4eva!

I know but the fact that I can look this far into it is why I love Zelda games. There is so much more than meets the eye to these games. Just look at all the stuff people have found in Majora's Mask.

I would like to know more about the symbolism in MM.

Didn't the triforce split after Ganon got it from the Sacred Realm. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm not sure.

You lose me at the Girahim, Impa and Fi part.
I can't believe I didn't notice the map placed, I knew the areas represented the triforce pieces individually because, well thats been around a while now.

Originally Posted by marioguy

I would like to know more about the symbolism in MM.

It's a long read but it contains some very interesting meanings/connections for the symbols in Majoras Mask: The Message of Majora's Mask

Originally Posted by Behind_the_Deku_Tree

Didn't the triforce split after Ganon got it from the Sacred Realm. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm not sure.

Yes, this is correct. After Ganon gets into the Sacred Realm the triforce splits because he does not possess Courage or Wisdom so, in order to acquire the complete triforce, he must gather the other pieces which is why he waits for Link and Zelda to appear.
What I am saying in the OP is how the characters each sort of represent the individual pieces not necessarily that they possess them.

Originally Posted by Blake G

You lose me at the Girahim, Impa and Fi part.
I can't believe I didn't notice the map placed, I knew the areas represented the triforce pieces individually because, well thats been around a while now.

I guess I grouped them that way because they each help the three other major characters. Fi helps Link (Courage), Impa helps Zelda (Wisdom), and Ghirahim helps Demise (Power).

That main map from SS and the Triforce REALLY makes sense for me! I cant disagree with that.

But about Demise = Power, Zelda = Wisdom and Link = Courage, I dont know. We can set them up like you said just because the other series aways had they triforce symbolisms, but in SS there isnt a "clear statement" that says about that.