There are plenty of oddities to be found throughoutThe Legend of Zeldatimeline, but one particularly strange situation could easily be explained by a single incident unmentioned in the franchise so far. Of course, with Hyrule existing in one form or another for millennia, it is clear that the games only scratch the surface of its full history. But even so, some of these apparent omissions can be striking in the context of the games themselves.
There are many major events inThe Legend of Zeldathat the series only briefly mentions or alludes to. For example,severalZeldagames use warsto explain the issues faced by Hyrule, but very few large-scale conflicts can actually be seen occurring as part of the main plot. However, the lore of the games also suggests an event with potentially catastrophic consequences for Hyrule must have taken place in a particular branch oftheZeldaseries’ complex timeline, whether or not a currently unknown war also took place around that time.
The Master Sword Disappears From Zelda’s Fallen Hero Timeline
No Explanation Has Been Given To Explain What Happens To It
The Master Sword, Link’s most iconic weapon, is curiously absent in the Fallen Hero timelineafter the events ofA Link Between Worlds. While the blade evidently survives the Hero of Time’s clash with Ganondorf inOcarina of Time, even if its wielder does not, this state of affairs does not last forever. Although the reincarnation of the hero who saves both Hyrule and Lorule inALBWuses the Master Sword to do so, it is nowhere to be found in games set later in the same timeline branch.
The unclear chronological placement ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdommakes it difficult to say if the Master Sword disappears forever afterALBW, but the sword’s absence for a large part of history is still notable.
Of course, from a development standpoint, the reason for the Master Sword’s absence in some of these games is very clear. The Fallen Hero timeline ends with the originalThe Legend of Zeldaand its sequel. However, neither of these two titles featured the Master Sword becausethe legendary blade was one of the many recurring features of theZeldaseries that were introduced inthe hugely influentialA Link to the Past. Nevertheless, the Master Sword’s absence in these games has yet to be explained, a fact that has only been emphasized byEchoes of Wisdom.
Echoes Of Wisdom Proves The Master Sword Could Be Lost
Link’s Signature Weapon Is Still Missing Despite It Now Being Well-Established
While the Master Sword’s absence inThe Legend of ZeldaandThe Adventure of Linkcould be simply attributed to being a peculiarity of the early franchise,Echoes of Wisdomhas now firmly disproven that.The most recentZeldatitle also lacks the Master Sword, despite the weapon now having long-since become iconic. Instead, Link and Zelda wield the Sword of Might; a weapon specifically created byEchoes of Wisdom’s Lueburry, as well as the similar Bow of Might and Bombs of Might.
At first glance, it could be argued that with Lueburry’s assistance, Link simply had no reason to seek out the Master Sword inEoW. Likewise, the Sword of Might being upgradable with collectible Might Crystals gives people more to do during gameplay. But even so,the sword is not even in its traditional place of rest, being watched over by the Deku Tree. This fact even becomes something of a plot point, as Zelda eventually has to give back the Sword of Might for the final battle due to Link having no access to other weapons.
Zelda: Every Scene Where Link Gets The Master Sword, Ranked
Obtaining the Master Sword is a big moment in any Zelda game that features the iconic blade, but some installments give the scene extra reverence.
The events ofEchoes of Wisdomonly seem to confirm thatthe Master Sword was somehow lost after the events ofA Link Between Worlds. Whether this was the result of another war, a costly battle against Ganon, or even simple misfortune is uncertain, but something clearly must have occurred regardless. As a result, this creates a significantmystery surrounding the Master Sword, something that arguably deserves to be explored in full by the franchise in the future.
Link Can Still Save Hyrule Without The Master Sword
Other Swords Can Be Just As Effective In Facing The Forces Of Evil
Given the Master Sword’s significance, it is unfortunate that an event that is so catastrophic to Hyrule has never been depicted, despite manygames being strongly influential on theZeldatimeline. EvenEoWfails to explain the Sword of Evil’s Bane’s disappearance, despite being perfectly placed to do so. On the other hand, it is worth noting that Link has repeatedly saved Hyrule without it both before and after its introduction. Again, the original game is a perfect example of this, butweapons like the Four Sword have also proven worthy substitutes when the Master Sword is unavailable.
The Master Sword’s going missing is a major plot point in theZeldatimeline that has gone completely unaddressed for many years now. The release ofEchoes of Wisdomonly seems to confirm that something must have happened to the legendary weapon. However, it is also worth noting that it can be effectively replaced, and depending on how one viewsBOTW’s timeline placement, the sword may not disappear forever regardless. Nevertheless, it would be very interesting ifThe Legend of Zeldaexplored this strange detail one day, filling in this huge gap in the story of Hyrule.
