How are the pieces of the Triforce distributed?

Question

In Ocarina of Time, it is said that Ganondorf takes the Triforce, later it explains that the Triforce split in order to prevent him from having it, and left him with the Triforce of Power because that is what he most desires. But then, how do Link and Zelda get their pieces of the Triforce? Does Link receive the Triforce of Courage and it makes him courageous? Or does he receive it because he's courageous?

Furthermore,if we assume that the Triforce gave power to Ganondorf because that's what he wanted and then distributed the other two in such manner as was necessary to destroy him we have solved the issue in Ocarina of Time, but what about the rest of the games? In Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, it seems as if they had their pieces of the Triforce all along, almost as if it is hereditary, but this does not match with the fact that at the beginning of Wind Waker it specifically states that the world is in the condition that it's in because there was no Hero of Time, which is not possible if the Hero of Time is simply a descendant of the Hero of Time.

Also, it cannot be hereditary, because even though it has never been confirmed, one of the iterations Link and Zelda (Phantom Hourglass,Skyward Sword) probably got married and had kids, given that Link and Zelda are not related, they can't both be descended from those two.

To sum up everything I just said, if the Triforce(s?) is/are not hereditary, how do they end up in the people they do?

While "Destiny" is by far the most common answer, and is technically correct, this question is more "Is there another, more thorough explanation"

Answer 1

This is how I understand it:

1. Ganon gets the triforce (somehow) and wishes for power. He gets only the Triforce of Power
2. The Triforce of Wisdom and Courage are now seperated and go to a suitable canidate. Courage goes to a person capable of great courage, wisdom to the person who is the wisest
3. The Triforce yearns to be complete and have its pieces together. Ganondorf knows this and feels the need to combine the pieces. Most games revolve around this theme. I believe Wind Waker had some dialogue by Ganondorf about the triforce pieces wanting to combine together again
4. Link beats Ganondorf/Ganon and restores peace.

One of two things then happen:

1) The Triforce is then combined again, later to be split before the next game or

2) It remains broken and Ganondorf is sealed away somewhere (The twilight realm, the sacred realm). The Triforce of Wisdom and Courage lay dormant and are passed down the line either through genetics or to the next suitable candidate, it's rather unclear which.

How does the triforce pieces choose their next candidate is summed up as it goes to "those that are most courageous/wise" and may not necessarily be direct descendants to previous owners. I don't believe anywhere in the lore is it stated that Link and Zelda make babies although it is heavily suggested.

Answer 2

Some Possibilities that have been mentioned are that they could:

1. Be hereditary
2. Go to the one worthy of it
3. Go to the one who wants it

Each one individually does not fully answer the question,but what if all three are true?

The Triforce of Courage is given to Link as one capable of great courage. And to a certain extent (as established by canon) "destiny" plays a role. (It is explained in Skyward Sword that "the hero" is destined to rise to defeat the evil)

Ganondorf gets the Triforce of Power in one of two ways. First, he gets it because above all else he desires power. This is how he gets it in Ocarina of Time, but the others are not as clear, in other games he appears to simply "have" it. But, it is established that Ganondorf does not actually "die" at the end of Ocarina of Time, and that he is simply locked away, to return later, which he does. Most likely he simply never lost the Triforce of Power

That leaves only the Triforce of Wisdom, the piece with the least information regarding it. It is unlikely that it goes to one with or capable of great wisdom as it would then be extremely unlikely to end up with the 10 year old Zelda in Ocarina of Time. The reincarnation theory is also unlikely, as unlike every Link and Ganondorf, each Zelda is vastly different. Therefore what is most likely, is that, like the Ocarina of Time, and Zelda's Lullaby, the Triforce of Wisdom is passed down the unbroken royal line across the centuries.

Answer 3

When Ganondorf tries to take the full Triforce, because he has an imbalance in the three elements of the Triforce which heavily weighs towards Power, (as an Avatar of Demise) he isn't seen worthy of the whole Triforce and therefore only gets the piece which resonates with him the best: Power. As a result, the other two pieces go to those with the strongest Wisdom (Zelda, who some could say is the Avatar of Hylia) and Courage. (Link)

If the Triforce remains split, then the pieces would try to remain with those who has the strongest of their element. This is more often than not someone descended from the previous bearer of the Triforce piece.

On a aside note, the same could be said about the Loruleian Triforce, and its elements. If someone tried to grab it with an imbalance of the elements, it is likely it too would split up, and the two remaining pieces going to those with the strongest of the element the piece they get has.

Answer 4

The triforce is split because that's what happened in Ocarina of Time. before this the Triforce was whole and as stated by Zelda in the Temple of Time (before she was captured by Ganondorf). someone had to have an equal balance of Power, Wisdom and Courage in order to gain it. if someone didn't possess a balance of all 3 then the Triforce would split going to those who were destined to be strong in each aspect.

• Ganondorf = Strength
• Zelda and her decedents = Wisdom
• The Verious Links = Courage

You may be asking how what happens in Ocarina of Time relates to the other games. the reason being is that Ocarina of Time is a focal point of the timeline split in the series, and that there is a common lore to the series as confrimed in the Hyrule Historia,

a 276-page book featuring official artwork of The Legend of Zelda series as well as the history of the Zelda universe

bellow is page 69 of Hyrule Historia

the three timelines shown are

• The Child Era: The Events after Ocarina of Time where Zelda sends Link back in time after defeating Ganondorf so he can reclaim the years he lost while he slept in the sacred realm. Link tells Zelda about Ganondorf's plans and the Royal Family is prepared and Ganondorf is subsenently captured. there are theories as to what happened here which lead to the Triforce becoming split such as that Ganondorf was captured inside the Temple of Time.

• The Adult Era: The events after Ocarina of Time where Zelda didn't send Link back in time where Ganondorf breaks out of the sealed Sacred Realm (or the Dark World as it's named in A Link to the Past, hinted by the Sage of Light when Link wakes up in Ocarina of Time) and the gods flood Hyrule to stop Ganondorf because a new Hero never came after The Hero of Time never returned.

• The Hero Defeated Era: Ganondorf defetes Link and takes the remaining Triforce peices becoming the Demon King Ganon, but the Sages seal him in the Dark World but only later seal up the Dark World itself. this is why in this timeline when you see the Triforce (end of A Link to the Past/start og Oricle of Seasons/Ages) the Triforce is 3 seperate triangles rather than the combine one shows in Ocarina of Time

alot of this comes from the wikia which itself is cited by an ING article