The Golden Goddesses are a recurring group in the Legend of Zelda series. Thought to be the most powerful creatures in the myths and folklore of The Legend of Zelda, these Deities created the world and all the realms it holds, as well as all life forms and the spirit of law that all living creatures were to obey. The Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, are portrayed in most retellings of the legend as three beautiful women with enormous powers who resided in the Heavens.
Upon their departure from Hyrule, the goddesses left the Triforce, the essence of their power, behind. Although they seemingly intended for it to be used for benevolent reasons, it became sought after by malicious beings, causing numerous wars and tragedies. It is widely unknown what sort of personalities they held, but they at the very least seemed to care for others to an extent. It is notable however in the Adult Timeline, that the one time they directly intervened with Hyrule, they for some reason flooded it to stop Ganondorf instead of using their powers to merely vanquish him.
Several items named after the Golden Goddesses are found throughout the series; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time features the magical spells: Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, and Nayru's Love, bestowed upon Link by Great Fairies of Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker features the Pearls of the Goddesses that are needed to raise the Tower of the Gods from the depths of the Great Sea, and each are named after one of the goddesses. In Skyward Sword, Link searched for the three Sacred Flames to power up the Goddess Sword. Link is required to use the Goddess's Harp songs acquired at the Isle of Songs in order to find the Sacred Flames.
The three Oracles of the lands of Labrynna and Holodrum in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons—Din, Nayru, and Farore, respectively the Oracles of Seasons, Ages, and Secrets—are named after the goddesses, but are not implied to be the same characters. The Light Spirits of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and by association, their respective springs and the provinces in which their springs are found, and the Three Dragons from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, share the names of the Golden Goddesses: Faron for Farore, Eldin for Din, and Lanayru for Nayru. Statues dedicated to the Golden Goddesses appeared in the Throne Room of Hyrule Castle. They are depicted as dancing women surrounding the Triforce.
Goddesses[]
Din[]
According to the Great Deku Tree, Din, "with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth." Din, the Goddess of Power, formed the terrain of Hyrule. Her power is represented by the Triforce of Power. As the creator of land, Din is often associated with elements of earth, fire, and volcanic activity. Among all the races in Hyrule, the Goron race best represent Din, due to their rock like physical attributes and raw strength.
In Ocarina of Time, when the Triforce broke into its three main components, Ganondorf was left with Din's piece, symbolizing his seemingly unquenchable lust for power.
Nayru[]
Nayru was the goddess who "poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world." She was revered for creating the laws and physics of the universe that kept it in order. As the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru's wisdom is represented by the Triforce of Wisdom. Since Nayru is often associated with the element of water, the Zora race seem to worship her more than her brethren, to the point of making her mark their symbol.
In Ocarina of Time, when the Triforce broke into its three main components, Nayru's piece chose Zelda as its wielder, deeming her wise enough to handle its power.
Farore[]
Farore, "with her rich soul, created all the living inhabitants in the world to uphold the law." Farore was the Goddess of Courage, and as such, was associated with the Triforce of Courage. As the Goddess that breathed life into the world, Farore is often associated with forests and the element of wind. For this reason, the Kokiri race are considered to be the closest to Farore among all the other races in Hyrule.
In Ocarina of Time, when the Triforce broke into its three main components, Farore's piece was bestowed upon the Hero of Time, Link, whom all three goddesses acknowledged as courageous enough to save Hyrule in its time of need.