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FromThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s very first cutscene, the Secret Stones are positioned as important objects that will play a significant role in the game’s story. A mural underneath Hyrule Castle depicts an evil entity known as the Demon King stealing “something of incredible power” from the kingdom - a teardrop-shaped stone.
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Shortly after Link and Zelda see this mural, they come across a similarly-shaped stone on an arm that is seemingly securing the Demon King in place. When the stone falls, Zelda picks it up, which kickstarts the game’s main narrative. The Secret Stones constantly appear throughout the story and are integral to understanding it.
Spoiler warning for major points of Tears of the Kingdom’s story, including the ending!
What Are The Secret Stones?
Secret Stones arespecial Zonai objectsthat Rauru gives to the Sages to aid them in defeating the Demon King. The Secret Stonesheighten their innate powers.
When Zelda falls during Hyrule Castle’s upheaval, she issaved by her Secret Stone amplifying her innate time power, which transports her to the past to the time of Hyrule’s founding.
Here, she sees the events ofthe Imprisoning Warandlearns the importance of the Secret Stones.
Zelda meets with Rauru’s sister, Mineru, to discuss a way to return to the present. Mineru explains thatSecret Stones “amplify the power their owners possess.”
Rather than granting someone new abilities or giving them “mastery and control,” Secret Stones canonly strengthen the power.
The Forbidden Act Of Draconification
Mineru also mentions that the Secret Stones can beused in a forbidden act known as draconification. If someoneswallows a Secret Stone, they will become a dragon, gaining immortality at the cost of their sense of self.
There are two known instances of draconification -Zelda, who swallowed her stone to give the Master Sword to Link, andGanondorf, who desired the power of a dragon to defeat Link.
It’spossible that the three dragons, Farosh, Dinraal, and Naydra, are ancient Zonai who performed the act of draconification, as they have similar features.
It would also explain how Mineru knows the act is possible in the first place, butthis is not confirmed.
The Role Of The Secret Stones
Once Link has completed the shrines on the Great Sky Island and unlocked the entrance to the Temple of Time, Link finds a large Secret Stone, whichtransports him to a strange misty realm after he touches it, where an unconscious Zelda floats before him.
Link takes the princess’ offered hand, whichtransfers a part of her time powers to Link, giving him the Recall ability.
A similar scene occurs when you complete each of the temples -a Secret Stone is revealed, whichTulin, Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo touch, transporting them and Link to a mysterious realm where they speak to their ancestors.
Each ancestor explains that the Demon King caused each region’s disaster, hoping tostop each of them from receiving a Secret Stone and awakening as a Sage.
During the Imprisoning War,Rauru entrusted the Secret Stones to each of the Sages, amplifying each of their powers in hopes of stopping the Demon King. Unfortunately, the Sages were overwhelmed by the Demon King, giving Rauru no choice but to sacrifice himself to seal Ganondorf.
After the battle, Zelda, who had awakened as the Sage of Time, spoke to each of the Sages, asking their people to aid Link when Ganondorf’s seal eventually breaks. Honoring their promise to Zelda, theypassed on their duties to their descendants through the Secret Stones.
Where Did The Secret Stones Come From?
Long before the events of the Imprisoning War, the Zonai people arrived on the surface from the sky. The Zonai were supposedly“descendants of gods,”and there isa mural beneath Hyrule Castle depicting a Zonai surrounded by the Secret Stones, coming down from the sky.
From this, it’s implied thatthe original Zonai who came to the surface were the keepers of the Secret Stones. Being the last two remaining Zonai,Rauru and Mineru inherited them.
Mineru explains thatthe Zonai “bore treasures” from the “same gods”they were descended from -these were the Secret Stones.
Who Has A Secret Stone?
While there are onlyseven Secret Stones in total, various characters take ownership of one.The Secret Stones adapt to whoever is in possession of them, meaning they’re never tied to one person alone.
Rauru, Sage Of Light
Rauru’s Secret Stone amplifies his light power, which “canrepel or destroy evil”. Rauru uses his light power to seal the Demon King, sacrificing himself in the process.
For completing a shrine, Link is rewarded with Rauru’s Light of Blessing, which isimbued with Rauru’s powerand dispels some of the corruption on Link when traded for aHeart Container or Stamina Wheel.
Sonia
Sonia was given a Secret Stone by her husband Rauru, whichamplifies her time power. This allows her to rewind time, like Link’s power, Recall. Ganondorf murders Sonia to steal her Secret Stone from her.
Mineru, Sage Of Spirit
Mineru is the Zonai Sage of Spirit who can separate her spirit from her body. After succumbing to her injuries from the battle with the Demon King,Mineru’s spirit lingered in the Purah Pad, waiting to reunite with her Secret Stone.
Once Link defeats the Seized Construct,Mineru’s spirit transfers to the Secret Stone, whichgoes into the new Construct. Mineru vows to fight alongside Link using the Construct as her body.
The Ancient Sages
After Ganondorf kills Sonia and becomes the Demon King,Rauru entrusts the Zora, Gerudo, Rito, and Goron leaders with Secret Stones, awakening them as Sages.
Theyvow to serve Rauruand aid him in his fight against the Demon King. They alsopromise Zelda that their powers will reawaken through their descendantsto help Link.
Zelda, Sage Of Time
As a descendant of both Rauru and Sonia,Zelda has both light and time powers, but, as Mineru says, only her time powers are enhanced by her Secret Stone.
Zelda’s Secret Stonewas originally Rauru’s, which she picks up when it falls from his arm at the beginning of the game. Sheuses her Secret Stone to become an immortal dragon.
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Ganondorf
Ganondorf, chief of the Gerudo, was desperate to usurp Rauru and take over the newly-founded kingdom of Hyrule. To do so,he sought to obtain a Secret Stone. Ganondorf murders Sonia,stealing her Secret Stone, which transforms him into the Demon King.
In this form,Ganondorf is able to summon monsters to do his biddingand can control a harmful substance known as Gloom.
Ganondorf uses his Secret Stone at the end of the game totransform into the Demon King once again. As a last resort,Ganondorf swallows the Secret Stone, becoming the Demon Dragon in hopes of defeating Link.
Link is able to finally defeat the Demon Dragon byplunging the Master Sword into the Secret Stoneatop its head,causing it to shatter, which means the dragon is no more.
The New Sages
Heeding the words of their ancestors,Tulin, Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo vow to help Linkafter completing their respective temples. Theyuse their Secret Stones to imbue him with a part of their powerthat allows him to call on their avatars on his journey anduse their respective gifts.
At the end of the game,the Sages vow to serve Zeldaand use their abilities to protect Hyrule,mirroring the vow the original Sages made to Rauru.
What Happened To The Secret Stones?
Thefour stones belonging to the Sages remain with themafter the final battle with the Demon King, andZelda’s returns to her when she is reverted to her Hylian form, despite her having swallowed it.
The Secret Stone that Ganondorf stole isdestroyed by Link’s Master Sword, andMineru’s is presumably left behind when she departs, though there isno other Sage to take her place.
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