The Legend of Zelda: Princess Zelda’s Powers, Explained

Compared to Peach or Toadstool, Zelda is easily the more intimidating princess. She’s capable of sealing the King of Evil away into an alternate dimension for centuries, she’s an excellent shot with a bow, and she’s capable of disguising herself as a ninja with magic. The titular character of The Legend of Zelda series has proven herself to be quite a capable adversary for those that oppose her despite frequently finding herself being captured. However, the origin of her magic may have escaped players who have yet to play through The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Unlike the average story, The Legend of Zelda series takes place over thousands of years across multiple timelines. Because of this, most entries star a brand new Link, Zelda, and Ganon alongside a new interpretation of Hyrule. In many ways, the overarching story is about conflicts over generations involving the same bloodlines. It’s a unique plot that allows the writers to add unique personalities and designs to these recurring characters without their new appearances and personas coming off as disorienting or strange.

Link, Zelda, and Ganon frequently appear throughout the timeline and each of their new counterparts brings similar tools or abilities to the table. Ganon is usually depicted with dark magic and the ability to transform into a boar-like beast, and Link is always skilled with a sword and has a varied arsenal to assist him. Zelda uses light magic capable of sealing Ganon away to the sacred realm. While it may seem like these abilities simply stem from the three pieces of the Triforce, Skyward Sword offers an origin story for how Zelda got her signature powers as well as where Link and Ganon come from.

Legend Of Zelda’s Princess Is The Goddess Hylia Reincarnated As A Mortal

Before the events of the first game in the timeline, Skyward Sword, the Goddess Hylia waged a war against Demise and his army of monsters who threatened to steal the Triforce. She protected the humans and Triforce by sending them skyward on a chunk of the earth, and then used her powers to seal Demise in the Sealed Grounds. Hylia knew her seal wouldn’t last forever, so she created Fi and the Goddess Sword for her chosen hero and surrendered her powers to reincarnate as a mortal so that the Triforce could one day be used. Princess Zelda is the Goddess Hylia reincarnated as a human and she’s capable of using those sacred powers as a result.

Skyward Sword ends with Link defeating Demise, but he explains that the spirit of the hero, the goddess, and Demise’s hate will infinitely reincarnate for all eternity. This is why there are multiple incarnations of Link, Zelda, and Ganon that fatefully meet at various parts of the timeline. In the case of Zelda specifically, her royal bloodline also happens to be divine which is why each subsequent Princess Zelda inherits Hylia’s powers. By the time Breath of the Wild happens, the royal family becomes very aware of how these powers work and the queen is responsible for teaching her successor how to control these powers. It’s a fascinating piece of lore that makes the dynamic between the princess, the hero, and the King of Evil even more compelling in The Legend of Zelda franchise.

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