Summary
BetweenThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its predecessor,Breath of the Wild, the Triforce has failed to play a significant role in the series' most recent stories, meaning that the nextZeldagame must bring back this vital part of the series' lore. Having long since been established as a key element ofZelda’s overarching cyclical narrative between Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganondorf, theTriforce has been central to theZeldaseriesand often a driving factor in the games' stories. However, even with Ganondorf’s return inTears of the Kingdom, the Triforce was sidelined by the Secret Stones.
WithTears of the Kingdomunlikely to receive a direct sequel, it seems virtually inevitable that the nextZeldagame will be starting from scratch, much like the rest of the series. But regardless of how this new game will develop the broaderZeldacanon further or what direction it will take in terms of story and gameplay, it will need to see a long overdue return of the Triforce in some capacity. Whether the Triforce is restored to its central role or relegated to a plot device in the background,Zelda’s next game should still acknowledge its existence for the sake of the series' continuity.
The Legend of Zelda Cannot Exist Without the Triforce
Even from thebeginning of theZeldatimeline, the Triforce has played an essential role in the games that followed, either as a direct impetus behind the villain’s motives or as a tangential cause of the game’s events. For instance, inThe Wind Waker, the player’s ultimate objective is to gather and restore pieces of the Triforce to defeat Ganondorf, while on the other hand, inA Link Between Worlds, the Triforce is stolen by its villains to resurrect Ganon. However, after not featuring in bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, the Triforce has been unusually absent for many years now.
The Triforce Doesn’t Always Define Zelda, But It Should Be Acknowledged
It should also be recognized that while the Triforce is just as much a key part of the broaderZeldaseries as Link or Ganondorf are, these games aren’t required to limit themselves by the Triforce’s existence. For example,Twilight Princesstook a different approach by introducing things like the Twilight Realm, the Mirror of Twilight, and the Fused Shadow as just a few central components of its story. But the Triforce still made an appearance with its prominent role in thebackstory ofZelda’s Dark Interlopersand its Twilight Realm, meaning thatTwilight Princessdemonstrates how the Triforce can enhanceZelda’s storytelling without overshadowing it.
The Next Zelda Game Needs To Bring Back the Triforce
Though the nextZeldagame could also sideline the Triforce just asBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave, it would be the third modern game to do so and would set a bad precedent for the series moving forward. Instead of leaving an uncertain Triforce for the fourth game after that, the nextZeldagame should in some way at least acknowledge the Triforce during its story, even if it’s only a passing reference. As seen in games likeTwilight PrincessorZelda’sOracle of Ages/Seasonsduology, the Triforce’s involvement can add depth to a story without dominating it overall.
But given that the most recentZeldagames released for the Switch have barely featured the Triforce save forSkyward Sword HD, Nintendo would be wise to put the Triforce front and center in its nextZeldagame to reassure the series' fans. SinceThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its predecessor received critical acclaim, it can be easily forgotten how significantly they departed from the series formula, so the Triforce’s revival could be one wayZeldacan return to its roots. Ultimately, no matter how the nextZeldagame compares followingTears of the Kingdom’s success, it must feature the Triforce at long last.
