Master Sword Legend

Master Sword Legend, from The Legend of Zelda series.

The Master Sword is the legendary blade created long after the dawn of time, forged during the events of Skyward Sword to serve as the ultimate counter to darkness. This sacred artifact began as the Goddess Sword, created by the Goddess Hylia alone, and was later upgraded into the Master Sword through the power of her mortal reincarnation, Zelda. The Goddess Sword was embedded in a pedestal inside the Statue of the Goddess on the floating island of Skyloft. Link drew it to prove he was the prophesied hero, then purified it with Sacred Flames from Faron Woods, Eldin Volcano, and the Lanayru Mining Facility in Lanayru Desert. Its final transformation into the Master Sword occurred when Zelda sealed herself inside a crystal at the Temple of Time in the Sealed Grounds, granting her power to the blade so it could finally defeat Demise.

Quick Facts

Primary wielder: The Hero (Link)
First appearance: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Lore & Background

The Master Sword's creation is rooted in the origins of the entire Zelda timeline. According to legend, three Goddesses bestowed the Triforce, which the Demon King Demise sought to claim. After Hylia drove him back but could not kill him due to her weakened state, she created the Goddess Sword and reincarnated as a mortal named Zelda. She tasked Link with finding Sacred Flames to strengthen the blade. Once Link purified the sword with these flames, Zelda sealed herself inside a crystal at the Temple of Time in the Sealed Grounds to maintain the seal on Demise's imprisoned essence. This act transferred her power into the weapon, upgrading it from the Goddess Sword into the Master Sword. This blade became the seal for Demise's imprisoned essence, as his residual malice and curse were absorbed into the blade, not his consciousness.

Reader's Guide

To obtain the Master Sword in Skyward Sword, players must first draw the Goddess Sword from the statue of Hylia on Skyloft. Link then navigates the Surface overworlds—Faron Woods, Eldin Volcano, and Lanayru Desert—using a Loftwing to travel between areas. In each region, he must complete specific trials to find Sacred Flames, which are used to purify the sword at the Sealed Temple. The process requires defeating enemies and solving environmental puzzles. Once all three flames are collected, Link returns to the Time Gate in Lanayru Desert, where Zelda transforms the blade into the Master Sword. This upgraded weapon is then essential for battling Ghirahim and Demise in the past, as well as using its Skyward Strike ability to trigger magical switches throughout the game.