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The Master Sword is a recurring Sword in The Legend of Zelda series. Also known as the Sacred Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane, or the Sword that Seals the Darkness, it is the signature weapon of Link and one of the most integral parts of both the character's visual identity and the franchise as a whole.

Overview

TBA

Location and uses

A Link to the Past

"The hero's triumph on Cataclysm's Eve wins three Symbols of Virtue. The Master Sword he will then retrieve, keeping the knights' line true."

— Engraving on the Master Sword's pedestal, A Link to the Past

In A Link to the Past, Link is instructed to find the Master Sword by Saharasla, in order to defeat Agahnim and stop him from conquering Hyrule. The Master Sword is kept deep in the Lost Woods, accessed through a log tunnel in the northwest corner of the woods; A prophecy is inscribed into the Sword's pedestal in ancient Hylian, which can be translated using the Book of Mudora. To obtain the Master Sword, Link must first obtain all three Pendants of Virtue, which enable him to pull the blade out.

The Master Sword replaces the Fighter's Sword once obtained. It deals double damage, has a slightly longer reach, and grants Link the ability to fire Sword Beams while at full health; It is also required to destroy the magical barrier blocking access to the upper levels of Hyrule Castle, and is used to obtain the Ether Medallion and Bombos Medallion. Finally, the Master Sword's Spin Attacks are the only attack capable of damaging Ganon. After Ganon is defeated and the Dark World is liberated from his control, Link returns the Master Sword to the Lost Woods, where it can rest until the next hero needs it.

In the GBA version, the Master Sword can also break Jars and Skulls. The Master Sword can later be upgraded into the Tempered Sword, and then into the Golden Sword.

Ocarina of Time

In Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword is kept in a hidden chamber in the Temple of Time, behind the Door of Time; The Sword serves as a seal to separate Hyrule from the Sacred Realm, protecting the Triforce from falling into the wrong hands. During the events of the game, Link is sent on a quest by the Great Deku Tree (and later Princess Zelda) to obtain the three Spiritual Stones and enter the Sacred Realm, so that he may claim the Triforce before Ganondorf does. After Link opens the Door of Time by placing the Spiritual Stones on their respective pedestals and playing the Song of Time, he gains access to the hidden chamber, and pulls the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. However, since Link is too young to become the hero of time, his spirit is sealed inside the Chamber of Sages for seven years until he has come of age; During this time, Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm, claims the Triforce of Power, and conquers Hyrule as the King of Evil.

The Master Sword is Adult Link's default weapon. It deals double damage compared to the Kokiri Sword and has a longer reach; Additionally, the Master Sword is the only weapon which deals normal damage against Ganon. After completing the Forest Temple and meeting Sheik at the Temple of Time, Link can use the Master Sword to travel through time; Placing it back in the pedestal sends him back to the child era, before Ganondorf becomes the King of Evil, while drawing it again returns him to the adult era. After Ganondorf is defeated and banished, Zelda sends Link back to the child era with the Ocarina of Time so he can regain his childhood; The young hero leaves the Master Sword in the Temple of Time, preventing the seal from ever breaking.

Twilight Princess

In Twilight Princess,

Breath of the Wild

"The legendary sword that seals the darkness. Its blade gleams with a sacred luster that can oppose the Calamity. Only a hero chosen by the sword itself may wield it."

— Hyrule Compendium description, Breath of the Wild

In Breath of the Wild, the Master Sword was wielded by Link prior to the Great Calamity, after he was discovered to be worthy of drawing the blade from its pedestal in Korok Forest. In "Subdued Ceremony", the speech recited by Zelda states that the Sword is bound to the spirit of the hero, and whether "skyward bound", "adrift in time", or "steeped in the glowing embers of twilight", it always comes to aid him. In Resolve and Grief, Zelda reveals that she can hear the Master Sword talk to her, presumably referring to Fi.

During the Great Calamity,

Tears of the Kingdom

In Tears of the Kingdom, the Master Sword was returned to its pedestal sometime after the events of the previous game, to recharge following Calamity Ganon's defeat. When Gloom begins to leak from Beneath Hyrule Castle, Link and Zelda retrieve the sword to use during their investigation; The Great Deku Tree explains that the Master Sword has been restored to its full power, and reveals that it has the ability to grow stronger when exposed to sacred light, potentially with no limit. Later, when the two confront Ganondorf's mummified body in the Imprisoning Chamber, Link attempts to use the Master Sword to block a steam of Gloom directed at Zelda; The Gloom corrodes and shatters the blade into pieces, although the tip cuts Ganondorf's cheek as it flies off. Ganondorf recognizes the Master Sword for what it is, and expresses disappointment at having defeated Link so easily. When the Upheaval begins and Zelda falls into the chasm below, Link tosses the destroyed Master Sword aside to try and save her.

When Link recovers in the Room of Awakening, he finds the Decayed Master Sword stuck in a nearby rock, with only the hilt and decayed ricasso still intact. In this state, the Master Sword has lost all of its power, with a base damage of 1 and a durability of 5; It cannot be fused, and will not recharge after running out of energy, making it the worst weapon in the game. However, it is required in order to get past several vine walls that block Link's path in the Room of Awakening. Later, after Link passes through the Temple of Time, he discovers a pedestal with a glowing yellow light shining from it; The Master Sword instructs him to place it on the pedestal. When Link does so, the blade is sent back in time via Recall, where it is retrieved by Zelda in the distant past.

The Master Sword assures Zelda that Link is safe in the present, and that it was sent back so that it could recover its strength to face Ganondorf. Now understanding why she was sent back in time, Zelda comes up with a plan to draconify herself, enabling the Master Sword to absorb sacred light over millennia and return to its former glory. After Mineru seals her spirit in the Purah Pad, the rest of the Seven Sages promise to pass on their abilities to their descendants, and the Great Sky Island is equipped with everything Link needs to recover, Zelda swallows a Secret Stone and transforms into the Light Dragon, the Master Sword becoming embedded in a growth on her forehead.

In the present, after Link awakens Mineru, she advises that he recover the Master Sword. To locate the blade, Link must defeat the Phantom Ganon inside the Deku Tree Chasm and purge the Gloom-corrupted fog from Korok Forest; The recovered Great Deku Tree will then mark the Light Dragon's current position on the map. When Link attempts to pull the Master Sword, the Light Dragon reacts in pain and attempts to shake him off; Link needs at least two complete Stamina Wheels to hold on until the Light Dragon calms down and the growth retracts. Once successful, Link draws the Master Sword; The decayed blade has been replaced with one made from the Light Dragon's crystal, and its power is restored. If Link did not already retrieve the Master Sword, he draws it during the battle against the Demon Dragon.

Spin-off appearances

Super Smash Bros.

In every Super Smash Bros. game, Link uses the Master Sword as his primary weapon, alongside the Hylian Shield.

Other appearances

SoulCalibur II

TBA

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

TBA

Nintendo Land

		This legendary sword is imbued with awe-inspiring magical power and can only be wielded by the righteous. That means if you've been very naughty, you probably won't be able to use it.

In Nintendo Land, the Master Sword appears as one of the 200 prizes that can be won using the central tower in Nintendo Land plaza.

My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

In My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the Master Sword is

Super Mario Maker 2

In Super Mario Maker 2, the Master Sword as added as a power-up in the v2.0.0