There are many famous and important items in the Legend of Zelda franchise. While some of these did return in Breath of the Wild, not all of them were carried over. With a direct sequel being on its way, there is a possibility for them to make a comeback in this new title.
However, there is one item that has been always important to the Zelda franchise that didn't have a role to play in Breath of the Wild. While images of it do appear in-game, there is no mention of by any character of the Triforce. With there being a lot of mystery surrounding the events that could take place in Breath of the Wild 2, it's very possible for there to be lore that could impact the entire Zelda timeline. If that is the case, then this sure to make an appearance.
History of the Triforce
As an item in the Zelda franchise, the Triforce first appeared in very original Legend of Zelda for the NES and Famicom. There, Link had to recover the eight shards of the Triforce of Wisdom so that he could battle Ganon and recover the Triforce of Power from him. The Triforce of Courage wasn't introduced until its sequel for the NES and Famicom, The Adventure of Link.
Since then, the Triforces remained an important part of many Zelda titles and was often required to save the world from Ganon. There were a few titles, however, that didn't feature it such as Link's Awakening. In the series' in-game history, the Triforce was an object left behind by the goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore after the creation of Hyrule. If someone were to come in possession of all three parts, it will grant that person's wish, no matter what their intentions are with it. Due to its significance, many places in Hyrule have imagery of it everywhere.
Traditionally in the series, Link is the holder of the Triforce of Courage, Zelda is the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, and Ganondorf is the holder of the Triforce of Power. Due to this, their fates are linked together in a never-ending battle that repeats itself with new incarnations in each Zelda game.
The Triforce in Breath of the Wild 2
As mentioned before, the Triforce doesn't make any real physical appearance in Breath of the Wild. This is especially strange due to most Zelda games that feature Link, Zelda, and Ganon have it play some sort of role. Keeping this in mind, what seems to be the corpse of one incarnation of Ganondorf can be seen in the cinematic trailer for Breath of the Wild 2. With Link and Zelda also seemingly exploring old and forgotten parts of Hyrule that are deep underground, the resurrection of Ganondorf could lead to a quest to finding the Triforce once more.
With the Triforce usually being a large part of lore in The Legend of Zelda, it's odd that Zelda didn't quest for the Triforce as a method to stop Ganon in Breath of the Wild. One explanation for this could be that the history of the Triforce could have been lost at this point in the timeline. But due to Zelda's dress in "The Champions' Ballad" DLC having a Triforce symbol on it, the Triforce must still be an important item in the Breath of the Wild timeline. However, it is possible that the Triforce has been reduced to something out of legend, rather than being a real object that others could search for.
Now that Link and Zelda have to fight a new force in the Breath of the Wild 2, the two of them could have to search deep into Hyrule's past history to discover a new way to fight off Ganondorf. During their quest, they could find out the history behind the Triforce and either have to put it back together, or have Link and Zelda assume the roles of the holders of the Triforce of Courage and Wisdom, respectively.
Changing the Zelda Timeline
Fans are indecisive on where Breath of the Wild lies in the Zelda timeline. The common consensus is that Breath of the Wild takes place the furthest in the future than any of the other titles due to the amount of destruction Hyrule had been through during Breath of the Wild's history, with official comments suggesting it is a point of convergence for all timelines.
Still, it's a bit confusing and the exact status of the Triforce could help figure out where exactly Breath of the Wild is in the timeline. After the events of Ocarina of Time, the Zelda timeline becomes a split timeline with three different outcomes. They create the fallen hero timeline, the child timeline, and the adult timeline.
The fallen hero timeline is the timeline in which Link lost to Ganondorf and the Seven Sages along with Zelda had to defeat Ganondorf instead. This timeline contains the games:
- A Link to the Past
- Link's Awakening
- Oracle of Seasons
- Oracle of Ages
- A Link Between Worlds
- Tri Force Heroes
- The Legend of Zelda
- The Adventure of Link
The child timeline is the timeline in which Link defeats Ganondorf and chooses to go back to the past and warn the royal family of Hyrule about Ganondorf. This timeline contains the games:
- Majora's Mask
- Twilight Princess
- Four Swords Adventures
The adult timeline takes place where Link disappears after the events of Ocarina of Time. This timeline contains the games:
- The Wind Waker
- Phantom Hourglass
- Spirit Tracks
It is unknown which branch that Breath of the Wild lies on. However, the Triforce could be the key to figuring this out. Many theorize that Breath of the Wild is on the child timeline due to some theories about similarities in locations with Twilight Princess. It could even be possible that the Triforce in Breath of the Wild could create some sort of new branch or even a looping timeline, causing the events to eternally loop in Hyrule.
Either way, the Triforce's appearance in Breath of the Wild 2 would definitely solidify a lot of the lore and could help answer fans' questions. It could also raise even more questions, giving fans more to theorize about.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development.