Daily Debate: Have Secret Stones Replaced The Triforce In The Lore of Tears of the Kingdom?
Posted on August 12 2023 by Sean Gadus
Spoilers for the Story And Ending of Tears of the Kingdom
Along with the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield, the Triforce is one of the preeminent symbols of the Zelda series. The hallowed golden triangles, which were created by the three Goddesses, are featured in many games in the long-running series. The Triforce is endowed with incredible power, and even a shard or piece of the Triforce can make someone incredibly powerful. In many of the Zelda games, Link obtaining the Triforce, or Link working to prevent a villain from acquiring the Triforce, is a key part of the main quest. While the Triforce has a rich legacy in Zelda history, the Triforce is notably absent from games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. While images of three golden triangles can be seen architecture across the Kingdom of Hyrule, the Triforce itself is never explicitly mentioned in Tears of the Kingdom.
While the Triforce is absent in Tears of the Kingdom, the game introduces objects with some interesting story and lore similarities: Secret Stones. Originally possessed by the Zonai, Secret Stones (aka Tears) are magical objects that give immense power to their wielders.
With this in mind, have Secret Stones replaced the Triforce in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom‘s lore?
Overall, the Secret Stones play an extremely similar role to the Triforce, and I would argue they do replace the Triforce in Tears of the Kingdom. Both Secret Stones and the Triforce are objects that grant immense powers to whoever possesses them. In the Zelda series, the existence and locations of both the Triforce and Secret Stones are carefully protected. It is the theft and use of Queen Sonia’s Secret Stone that transforms Ganondorf into the immensely power Demon King in Tears of the Kingdom. Similarly, it is Ganondorf’s control over the Triforce of Power that transforms him into the Great King of Evil in Ocarina of Time. Additionally, Ganondorf uses the Triforce of Power to transform into the bestial Ganon at the end of Ocarina of Time, while swallowing a Secret Stone is what turns Ganondorf into a fearsome demonic dragon in Tears of the Kingdom.
It will be interesting to see where Nintendo takes the lore of the series after Tears of the Kingdom. With the destruction of the Demon King, it feels like the conclusion of this version of Link and Zelda’s story. Will the next Zelda game feature a continuation of the lore seen in the Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, or will missing pieces of lore like the Triforce return in a new version of Hyrule?
What do you think? Have Secret Stones replaced the Triforce in Tears of the Kingdom‘s lore? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
