It’s one of the most recognizable weapons in video games. The Master Sword has become as recognizable as the hero who wields it and is a rare example of a video game weapon gaining such popularity over time. The Legend of Zelda series has spawned many memorable lands, weapons, and items over the years, but nothing beats the recognisability and feeling you get when you finally acquire the Master Sword. It’s often the most powerful weapon in the game, which makes it one of the most – if not the most – desirable items in the entire franchise.

While some of you might not have put that much thought into it, there’s quite a bit to know about the Master Sword. Most game weapons don’t have all that much back-story to them, but something as old and historic as the Master Sword is bound to have one or two interesting tidbits of information to go along with it. You’d be surprised at just how much history this virtual blade has. It’s no wonder it’s so popular. But do you know everything there is to know about it? You’d be surprised at just how much you can learn about the Master Sword. So let’s take a look at 15 crazy things you didn’t know about the Master Sword.

15 It Goes By Many Different Names

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The name is pretty recognizable to gamers everywhere. The Master Sword. You just know instinctively what someone’s talking about when they mention that name. Unlike a lot of game weapons, the Master Sword has kind of transcended its status as an item and gained the kind of following and fan base some characters never achieve. But it’s been called many different things in the games, and you might be surprised to know that most characters don’t even call it by its name. Its most commonly referred to as the legendary sword or something similar to that. Though, it has been given some other names throughout the series such as the Sword of Resurrection and the Blade of Evil’s Bane. But nothing beats the simplicity of, Master Sword.

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While we’ve established that the Master Sword’s origins were most likely related to Skyward Sword, the weapon first made an appearance in A Link to the Past. You might think that because of how popular it is and the frequency in which Link is shown wielding it that it was there from the very first game. But nope, the sword actually came into the picture a little while after. The first mention of a “Master Sword” is in fact found in A Link to the Past. The first game in the series does have a bit of dialogue that says, “master using it and you can have this,” surprisingly, that sword is, in fact, the White Sword and not the Master Sword.

13 Unlocking It In The Oracle Games

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The Oracle series of Zelda games released back in 2001 were some of the better Zelda games to come out on handheld devices. The Game Boy titles linked to each other in various ways, and made it possible to unlock certain things in each game, affecting your experience in the other. Of course, this also applied to the Master Sword and how you were to acquire it. Next to the Master Sword, the Noble Sword was the most powerful sword in the game. The Master Sword was only acquirable by completing one of the games and then unlocking it in the other. Meaning it’s only possible to obtain through a linked game. It might sound tough, but it made getting the legendary item a worthwhile challenge.

12 Its Appearance Varies

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The Master Sword has some pretty distinctive characteristics that have made it one of the most recognizable weapons in gaming history. It has become synonymous with the series, and you won’t find many pictures of Link online that don’t show him wielding the blade. But over the years and many entries in the series, the Master Sword has gone through a few aesthetic changes. Depending on what game you’re playing you might notice some differences in the various designs. The cross guard in Wind Waker looks curled in and gradually expands as the sword gets stronger for example. As the years have passed, and graphics have gotten better – small details like this have become more noticeable adding to the experience.

11 Bayonetta And The Master Sword

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While the Master Sword is considered to be a special weapon in The Legend of Zelda franchise, it’s made appearances outside of the series as well. Of course, we’ve seen it Smash Bros. and Soul Caliber, but one series that you might not recall it appearing in is Bayonetta. The costume set that came with the Wii U port of the original game included a Link skin and of course, the Master Sword as well. Along with looking incredibly badass and a surprisingly fitting skin for Bayonetta, the costume also brought some perks. Aside from taking on its visuals, Bayonetta’s katana also took on some of the Master Swords abilities. If you’re a fan of both games and haven’t heard of this yet, you should definitely check it out for yourself.

via smashbros.com

Link is one of the most popular characters in video game history. Despite the common mistake made with his name, he’s very easily recognizable, and even those who don’t really play games will at least recognize his face. But other than the hero himself, the most recognizable part about him is his sword. In nearly every appearance Link makes outside of the Zelda games, the Master Sword is always by his side. In the many fighting game appearances he’s made, this holds true. In both the Smash Bros. series and Soul Caliber II, Link is seen with his trusty weapon. In all honesty, it would feel pretty weird to see him holding anything but the Master Sword in those games.

9 It Can Be Damaged In Breath Of The Wild

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The Master Sword is this kind of all-powerful weapon that transcends normal expectations. It’s seen as a kind of incredible almost invincible item that can never be destroyed. Breath of the Wild is no doubt a contender for game of the year and is one of the better Zelda games to have come out recently. Along with a bevy of other changes, it added fragility to the Master Sword. Yup, you better be careful of how you use it once you get it, because that thing can break know. Durability and resistance now play a role in when and how you use your Master Sword. It’s an interesting bit of strategy Nintendo implemented into the game and makes it that much more interesting.

8 Skyward Sword Is Its Origin Story

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One of the most confusing elements for any game fan to swallow in regards to the Zelda series is the concept of the timeline in which the many games in the series takes place. The games are certainly not linear and some aren’t even related to each other in the slightest. Nintendo has established an actual timeline to use as reference and so, despite what troubles you might have swallowing the concept, you can always look to it for clarification. According to Nintendo, Skyward Sword is the earliest game in the timeline. The game also serves as the origin story for the Master Sword and shows how the sword came to be and how it eventually transformed into the legendary blade.

7 You Can Upgrade It In Certain Games

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The Master Sword is usually the most powerful weapon you can receive in the game. It means that you’re ready to take on Ganon and save the day, easily going through whoever stands in your way. But some games in the series actually give the player the opportunity to make it stronger. In A Link to the Past the Master Sword can transform a couple of times and ultimately turns into its Golden version. Similarly, in A Link Between Worlds, the sword has a couple of upgrades you can give it – each making it more powerful than it initially was. This often doubles or triples the sword’s strength and makes it quite the force to reckon with.

6 It Appears In One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X

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Aside from the fighting game and Bayonetta cameos, the Master Sword also appears in another game – this time a handheld title. There are so many One Piece games out there that you probably couldn’t tell the difference between most of them. The series has been milked for sure, but one way to differentiate them is by looking at this cool costume found in One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X for the 3DS. If you use a Link amiibo, it will unlock the Master Sword for Zoro in the game as well as Link’s outfit and the Hylian Shield. Zoro uses the sword with his mouth as part of his signature fighting style. It might be a little untraditional, but it’s cool to see nonetheless.

5 It’s A One-Of-A-Kind Weapon In Hyrule Warriors

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Hyrule Warriors is of course, a Dynasty Warriors clone that sees the Zelda franchise navigating strange new waters for the first time in a long while. One such departure is the mass availability of weapons throughput the game. Rather than having an item be unique to a certain character or stage of the game, weapons can be accumulated and stocked en masse. This holds true for most weapons save for one. The Master Sword is still unique in this game. It kind of would’ve felt weird otherwise. You can’t collect multiples and stock them up in the game, there’s just one. It was a good move, as it feels like more of an achievement when using it in combat.

4 Ganon And Wind Waker

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It’s not like the Zelda franchise doesn’t have its fair share of death in it. For a game franchise aimed towards younger audiences, it deals with that quite often. It’s always handled it in a kid friendly way though, and never really in great detail. But funny enough, one of the more cartoonish and innocent entries in the series has one of Ganon’s most violent death scenes. Wind Waker has some of the nicest, most innocent and adorable character designs in the franchise. It really seems like a game Nintendo was pushing to its younger audience. That is until the last boss fight against Ganon. The fight ends with Ganon getting the Master Sword lunged through his forehead, as he proceeds to turn to stone. It was a pretty strange and shocking moment for sure.

3 It’s A Weapon In Fire Emblem Too

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Well, technically. This is the first time we’re seeing the Master Sword make an appearance in another game without paying homage to the Zelda franchise. In Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, there is a sword called the Master Sword that makes an appearance. But it looks to be a Master Sword in name only as it looks nothing like the original. Mystery of the Emblem was released a few years after A Link to the Past, so there’s a chance that this was intentionally done and that the sword was an homage to Zelda. After all, having the actual design for the Master Sword pop up might’ve caused some problems for Intelligent Systems, or maybe Nintendo just didn’t want them to.

via zeldadungeon.net

The Master Sword might be Link’s greatest weapon, but it can also be incredibly dangerous to him in ways you wouldn’t think possible. In most of the Zelda games, you can sort of see it as Link’s destiny to wield the sword, as it signifies the end of his journey and the ultimate weapon in his possession. But in certain circumstances, it can actually harm him. In Ocarina of Time, it’s designed so that Link can’t wield it until he reaches a certain age. Ignoring this would force him into a long slumber until he reaches the appropriate age. Breath of the Wild’s Master Sword will kill Link if he doesn’t have enough hearts to draw it out. It’s a great weapon, but comes with great risk.

1 It Was Inspired By The Legend Of King Arthur

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If this all sounds familiar, that’s probably because it is. As it goes in Zelda lore, only a real hero can retrieve the Master Sword from its resting place and prove that he is capable of fighting Ganon. This is very similar to the legend of King Arthur who pulled the great sword Excalibur from the stone. Though he doesn’t become a great king, Link and Arthur have some pretty similar back stories up to this point. They both go on to be regarded as heroes utilizing the blade they drew from the stone and must defeat a great evil to save the land. The world of Zelda has always been a fantastic, mystic place and now we know why.