Golden Goddess

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The Golden Goddesses are a recurring trio of deities in The Legend of Zelda series.[1] They are Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the Goddess of Courage, the chief gods and creators of the land that becomes the Hyrule and the extended world that it resides in.[2] It is understood that the Golden Goddesses have always existed, and that they are omnipotent and eternal. Though the Golden Goddesses are the most important gods of the world, they are mentioned by few characters in the series, and knowledge of them has been shown to be limited to the people of Hyrule alone, most races worshiping their own patron deities.

Each of the three Goddesses is associated with a characteristic, common element, and color: Din is power, fire and red; Nayru is wisdom, water and blue; Farore is courage, wind and green. They are the creators of the sacred Triforce that is made up of their three associated characteristics of power, wisdom and courage.

Biography

In most of the history of Hyrule, whenever Ganondorf comes to power and plans to take over the kingdom, the Golden Goddesses appoint a hero, usually Link, to rise and defeat the King of Thieves.[3][4][5][6] Link the hero is trusted with the Triforce of Courage,[4][6] while Princess Zelda is given the Triforce of Wisdom to protect it.[7][8]

A Link to the Past

The Golden Goddesses depicted in the A Link to the Past manual, version from Art & Artifacts

The Golden Goddesses were first mentioned in the game manual of A Link to the Past. The legends of the Golden Goddesses are explained to be derived from scrolls left behind by ancient Hylians.[9] Without naming each Goddess individually, the scrolls explain the Golden Goddesses as those who transformed the World of Chaos into the inhabitable Hyrule. The "God of Power" created the land and fire; the "God of Wisdom" created science and brought order to the land; the "God of Courage" created all life on the world.[10] The Goddesses then departed from the world they created and left behind the Triforce, a small portion of their power that meant to serve as a guide for the people in the new world.[11][12] The Triforce beckoned people from the outside world to search for it in hope that someone worthy would obtain it.[13] The Triforce was accidentally discovered by a gang of thieves and as taken by Ganondorf, which then led into the Imprisoning War and finally the events of A Link to the Past.[14]

Ocarina of Time

The Golden Goddesses shown leaving Hyrule following its creation

In Ocarina of Time, the Golden Goddesses are seen in-game for the first time while the Great Deku Tree details the creation of Hyrule to Link after he vanquishes Gohma. Like in the manual for A Link to the Past, the Golden Goddesses are explained to have created the land of Hyrule before departing and leaving behind the Triforce.[2] The Golden Goddesses are each given names for the first time: Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the Goddess of Courage. The resting place of the Triforce was also referred to as the Sacred Realm for the first time.[15]

The Wind Waker

The people pray to the Goddesses to come to their aid
The statues resembling the Golden Goddesses in The Wind Waker

In The Wind Waker, it is revealed that, after the Hero of Time was sent back to his original time, Hyrule in the Adult Timeline was left without a hero when the seal on Ganondorf broke.[16] Faced by Ganondorf's unstoppable power and with no hero to aid them, the people of Hyrule prayed to the Golden Goddesses to come in their aid.[17] Since the Golden Goddesses knew that to seal the people away along in Hyrule would grant Ganondorf's wish of destroying the land,[18] the Goddesses instructed the Hylians to flee to Hyrule's mountaintops in order to escape the coming flood.[19] Once the people were safely away, the Goddesses caused a torrential downpour, covering the land and turning the mountaintops into islands.[20]

The three pearls required to open the Tower of the Gods are also named after each respective goddess: Din's Pearl, Nayru's Pearl, and Farore's Pearl. Furthermore, the statues that each of the pearls are placed on to open the tower each resemble a Golden Goddess.

Twilight Princess

While never seen during the main events of the game, the Golden Goddesses play a major role in the backstory leading into Twilight Princess. They are stated to have appointed the four Spirits of Light to protect Hyrule,[21][22] and gave the order for the Dark Interlopers to be banished to the Twilight Realm and the Fused Shadows to be locked away.[23]

After freeing the Lanayru Province from Twilight, the Spirit of Light Lanayru reveals to Link where the final Fused Shadow he seeks is located. He then goes on to explain why exactly the Fused Shadows were locked away and forbidden by the Golden Goddesses.[23] Lanayru narrates the story of the Interloper War, which took place after the events of Skyward Sword. The people of Hyrule lived in peace after Skyward Sword, but news of the Sacred Realm and the Triforce eventually spread, causing the Interloper War.[24] It was then that the Dark Interlopers appeared, using their strong magic, the Fused Shadows, to take control of the Sacred Realm.[25] The Golden Goddesses then ordered the Spirits of Light to banish them to the Twilight Realm and seal away their magic.[26] With no connection back to the Light World, the Dark Interlopers would eventually become the Twili race.[27]

While it was impossible for the Twili to return to the Light World, the Golden Goddesses left one link between the two worlds, the Mirror of Twilight.[28] The Golden Goddesses commanded the Sages to guard the Mirror of Twilight after imprisoning the Dark Interlopers.[29]

Phantom Hourglass

Although the World of the Ocean King exists in a different parallel world than the Light World, the Marks of the Goddesses can still be found in the Temple of the Ocean King, making it possible that the Golden Goddesses created the World of the Ocean King as well as the Light World.[30]

Echoes of Wisdom

When the Goddesses created the world from nothingness at the beginning of time, they imprisoned an entity called Null which had existed only to return things to the void. In Echoes of Wisdom, Null begins to create Rifts across Hyrule and captures Link in an effort to claim the Triforce and return the world to nothingness. Rifts swallow the Goddesses' temples at Eldin Volcano, Faron Wetlands, and Mount Lanayru, but they are mended by Zelda. As Zelda saves each temple, the respective Goddess contacts her and tells her of their history with Null. They grant her Din's Sanction, Farore's Sanction, and Nayru's Sanction so that she may approach the Triforce before Null can.[31][32][33]

Other Appearances

A Link to the Past (Himekawa)

Non-Canon Information
The following section is not part of the Zelda canon and should not be taken as such.

In the A Link to the Past manga by Akira Himekawa, after Link rescues Princess Zelda from Agahnim, they enter a church with Zelda's remaining supporters.[34] She briefly explains the Goddesses's creation of the Triforce and the Sacred Realm, along with its power.[35] After a series of events, Link meets Sahasrahla, who in turn retells the story of the Goddesses and the Triforce and explains each Goddesses's role in creating Hyrule.[36] He also reveals that the Triforce itself whispers the wishes of those who touch it to the Goddesses.[37]

Ocarina of Time (Himekawa)

Non-Canon Information
The following section is not part of the Zelda canon and should not be taken as such.

At the beginning of the Ocarina of Time manga by Akira Himekawa, the Great Deku Tree is explaining Hyrule's creation to the Kokiri, describing how each Golden Goddess formed Hyrule.[38] However, he is interrupted by a disagreement between Mido and Link before he can impart the role Farore was responsible for. When the Great Deku Tree is dying because of Gohma, he tells Link the story of the Triforce, the power of the Goddesses and that those who touch it may remake the world in their form.[39] He then instructs Link to bring the Kokiri Emerald to Princess Zelda, as she has been chosen by the Goddesses.[40] When Princess Zelda and Link meet later on, Zelda fully describes the Golden Goddesses's roles in shaping Hyrule and confides in Link the Sacred Realm's secret.[41][42]

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
LanguageNames
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

References

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 11
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Before time began, before spirits and life existed... Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule... Din, the goddess of power... Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... Farore, the Goddess of Courage... Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life-forms who would uphold the law. — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  3. ↑ If a person who has an evil heart gets the Triforce, a Hero is destined to appear...and he alone must face the person who began the Great Cataclysm. — Maiden (A Link to the Past)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Oh! What is this? There, on your hand, the Triforce piece now dwells within you! It is the Triforce of Courage, proof that you are indeed the true hero. You have controlled the wind and crossed the seas, and here, near the end of your quest, the power of the gods has been bestowed upon you... Surely, from this moment on, you shall be known as the Hero of Winds... — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  5. ↑ Oh, chosen one... Accept this final challenge... — Gohdan (The Wind Waker)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening. Look at your awakened form... The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the gods... — Faron (Twilight Princess HD)
  7. ↑ Like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses... — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  8. ↑ And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all... It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  9. ↑ The legends say the mythical gods of Hyrule had as their chosen people the Hylia. These ancient people left scrolls that are the primary source of the legends... (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  10. ↑ According to the Hylian scrolls, the mythical gods descended from a distant nebula to the world that was and created order and life. The God of Power dyed the mountains red with fire and created land. The God of Wisdom created science and wizardry and brought order to nature. And the God of Courage, through justice and vigor, created life — the animals that crawl the land and the birds that soar in the sky. (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  11. ↑ After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce. A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule. (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  12. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 11
  13. ↑ From its hiding place in the so-called Golden Land where the gods placed it, the Triforce beckoned people from the outside world to seek it in hope that someone worthy of these titles would find it. (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3-4)
  14. ↑ One day, quite by accident, a gate to the Golden Land of the Triforce was opened by a gang of thieves skill in the black arts. This land was like no other. In the gathering twilight, the Triforce shone from its resting place high above the world. In a long running battle, the leader of the thieves fought his way past his followers in lust for the Golden Power. After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood-stained hands. He heard a whispered voice: "If thou hast a strong desire or dream, wish for it..." And in reply, the roaring laughter of the brigand leader echoed across time and space and even reached the far-off land of Hyrule. The name of this king of thieves is Ganondorf Dragmire, but he is known by his alias, Mandrag Ganon, which means Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves. (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5)
  15. ↑ And the resting place of the triangles has become the Sacred Realm. — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  16. ↑ The boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legends... But then...a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero... ...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs. The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear. — N/A (The Wind Waker HD)
  17. ↑ Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate. — N/A (The Wind Waker HD)
  18. ↑ Yet all was not lost. For the gods knew that to seal the people away with the kingdom would be to grant Ganon's wish for the destruction of the land. — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker HD)
  19. ↑ So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops. — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker HD)
  20. ↑ When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker HD)
  21. ↑ I am one of four light spirits that protect Hyrule at the behest of the gods. I am Ordona. — Ordona (Twilight Princess HD)
  22. ↑ I am one of the spirits of light who dwell in Hyrule. By the order of the gods, I protect this forest. — Faron (Twilight Princess HD)
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 The dark power that you seek... It waits in a temple set in the bed of Lake Hylia. ...But before seeking it, you must now bear witness to something...and never forget it. You must know that it was the will of the goddesses that we lock away the forbidden power... — Lanayru (Twilight Princess HD)
  24. ↑ For ages, the people lived at ease, content in mind and body... But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensued... — Lanayru (Twilight Princess HD)
  25. ↑ Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. — Lanayru (Twilight Princess HD)
  26. ↑ It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered. — Lanayru (Twilight Princess HD)
  27. ↑ Eventually, most came to call it the Twilight Realm, and from it, none could return to the world of light... They were forever doomed to live in the twilight, flitting in the half-light of dusk, mere shadows of Hyrule... This is the history of the Twili as it has been passed down from our ancestors... — Midna (Twilight Princess HD)
  28. ↑ Though the goddesses forbade us to return to the world of light, they left one link between the light and the darkness. Something called the Mirror of Twilight was passed to the protectors of Hyrule... — Midna (Twilight Princess HD)
  29. ↑ At the command of the goddesses, we sages have guarded the Mirror of Twilight since ancient times. — Sage (Twilight Princess HD)
  30. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 130
  31. ↑ You have demonstrated true power, thus I grant my sanction unto you. — Din (Echoes of Wisdom)
  32. ↑ You have demonstrated true wisdom, thus I grant my sanction unto you. — Nayru (Echoes of Wisdom)
  33. ↑ You have demonstrated true courage, thus I grant my sanction unto you. — Farore (Echoes of Wisdom)
  34. ↑ Let's go to the church. There might be some soldiers hiding there. (A Link to the Past (Himekawa), VIZ Media, pg. 28)
  35. ↑ It began a long time ago. According to legend, the goddesses hid the Triforce in the Sacred Realm... somewhere in this country. They say the Triforce has the power to grant any wish made by the first person who touches it. (A Link to the Past (Himekawa), VIZ Media, pg. 30)
  36. ↑ Long before humans ever existed, the goddesses came down, bringing order and life to the chaos. The goddess of power colored the mountains red with fire. The goddess of wisdom created the magic of science. The goddess of courage used her kind and strong heart to create the other creatures of land, see and sky. (A Link to the Past (Himekawa), VIZ Media, pg. 68, 69)
  37. ↑ It is said Hyrule is where goddesses came down, and our country has many Hylian ruins. There is also an old legend regarding the Triforce. Somewhere under heaven is the golden power... which whispers to the goddesses the wish of any who touch it... (A Link to the Past (Himekawa), VIZ Media, pg. 70)
  38. ↑ Shall I begin? Long, long ago... before the world had taken clear shape... it is said that three goddesses came down to Hyrule. One was Din. She brought fire and sculpted a red land. One was Nayru. With her wisdom she brought law to the world. The last one was... (Ocarina of Time (Himekawa), VIZ Media, vol. 1 pg. 10)
  39. ↑ The Triforce has held the power of the gods since ancient times. Whoever touches it has the power to remake the world in the image of his own heart... (Ocarina of Time (Himekawa), VIZ Media, vol. 1 pg. 34)
  40. ↑ ... There is a princess there who has been chosen by the gods. Give her this stone... The Kokiri's Emerald!! (Ocarina of Time (Himekawa), VIZ Media, vol. 1 pg. 35)
  41. ↑ Long, long ago... before there was any life on land or in the sea... the three Golden Goddesses came down to the chaotic land of Hyrule... Din, the Goddess of Power... whose strength lay in fire, which she used to forge the red earth. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom... who bathed the land in her wisdom and brought order out of the chaos. And Farore, that Goddess of Courage... who protected that order and, from her great heart, brought life to the world... (Ocarina of Time (Himekawa), VIZ Media, vol. 1 pg. 61, 62)
  42. ↑ When these tacks were completed and it was time for the three Golden Goddesses to return to heaven, they left behind a golden pyramid - the Triforce - and the surrounding area became the Sacred Realm... he who gathers the three Spiritual Stones... must stand in this spot with the Ocarina of Time. If he does... the door will open. This is the secret of the Sacred Realm... (Ocarina of Time (Himekawa), VIZ Media, vol. 1 pg. 62, 63)
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