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For the item in The Minish Cap, see Bow of Light.

Light Arrows,(OoT | MM | TWW | TP | BotW)[1][name reference needed] also known as Arrows of Light,(OoT | HWAoC)[2] are recurring Items in The Legend of Zelda series.[note 1]

Mainline appearances[]

The weapon empowers Arrows with sacred light that can easily pierce and destroy evil itself.[5][6][7][8][9] Due to their immense power, they usually can destroy any enemy with just one hit, as seen in The Wind Waker. The Light Arrow, unlike the Fire and Ice Arrows, consumes more of Link's Magic Meter than they do, with the exception of The Minish Cap and Twilight Princess, due to a lack of a Magic Meter.

It is commonly assumed that these Arrows are based on the Silver Arrow from the games predating Ocarina of Time, but they are fundamentally different in that they weaken Ganon's defenses and stun him so Link can freely strike him with the Master Sword. Behaving in the opposite manner, the Silver Arrows are used to damage Ganon directly while the sword stuns him. With the exception of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages where Ganon was not properly revived, the Silver Arrows are the only weapon shown to be capable of truly destroying him in his beast form.

Ocarina of Time[]

OoT3D Fairy Bow Light Arrow Icon

In its debut in Ocarina of Time, Princess Zelda entrusts Link with the Light Arrows in the Temple of Time after all of the Sages have been awakened.[10] Although they do not do any more damage than regular Arrows to normal enemies, they are required to defeat the King of Evil, Ganondorf Dragmire, and are useful in stunning his beast form, the final boss, Ganon. They are also required to dispel the magical barrier that blocks access to the upper levels of Ganon's Castle. An added bonus is the almost-guaranteed side effect that an enemy killed with a Light Arrow drops 50 Rupees.

Majora's Mask[]

MM3D Hero's Bow Light Arrow Icon

In Majora's Mask, the Light Arrows are found in the first half of the Stone Tower Temple and are used to invert the temple in order to continue through the dungeons.[11] Moreover, they are useful for defeating the temple's boss, Twinmolds, and are also helpful during the final boss, Majora's Mask.

Similarly to Ocarina of Time, if Link defeats an enemy with a Light Arrow, 50 Rupees are automatically rewarded. They are identical from Ocarina of Time, but are more powerful against enemies, and are even able to damage fully armored Iron Knuckles.

The Wind Waker[]

In The Wind Waker, Link obtains the Light Arrows in Ganon's Tower by completing the Illusionary Room puzzle and defeating Phantom Ganon the second time. They are used to destroy Phantom Ganon, Puppet Ganon, and Ganondorf.[12][13][14] In the final battle against Ganondorf, Princess Zelda borrows Link's Bow and Light Arrows to fire them at the King of Evil and to stun him.[15]

The Light Arrows are the ultimate weapon in the game, performing a one-hit kill on any enemy except for bosses, even if it is wearing armor, as is the case with Darknuts, and can pierce through multiple targets. However, like in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, they consume Magic and must be used with care.

Twilight Princess[]

See also: Zelda's Bow

In Twilight Princess, Link cannot actually obtain the Light Arrows; they are instead wielded by Princess Zelda. They are granted to her by the four Spirits of Light, who have actually turned into the Light Arrows themselves, after she calls for their aid to banish evil.[16] Along with the Light Arrows, Princess Zelda is given a Bow with which to wield them. In the battle on horseback with Ganondorf, Princess Zelda will fire Light Arrows at him to slow him down, allowing Link to attack Ganondorf with the Master Sword.

Spirit Tracks[]

In Spirit Tracks, the Light Arrows are obtained late in the game. After defeating Byrne with the help of Princess Zelda, and meeting Cole and Malladus at the altar at the top of the Tower of Spirits, Link is told that he must get a weapon from the Sand Temple in order to defeat Malladus. After clearing the Sand Temple, Link claims the Bow of Light. After this, Link's Arrows become Light Arrows, as the Bow of Light replaces his normal Bow. During the final battle, Link must fire a Light Arrow at Princess Zelda's body to free her from Malladus. Shortly after, Princess Zelda fires Light Arrows at Malladus' weak point on his back while Link distract him.

Breath of the Wild[]

Link receives the Bow of Light from Princess Zelda during the fight with Dark Beast Ganon in Breath of the Wild. By scanning the Super Smash Bros. series Zelda amiibo, Link can also receive the Twilight Bow. Both Bows can shoot an unlimited number of Light Arrows. They must be used to attack Ganon's glowing points in order to damage him.

Spinoff appearances[]

Hyrule Warriors series[]

Hyrule Warriors[]

The Light Arrows appear after Ganondorf transforms into Ganon in the "Liberation of the Triforce" Scenario in Hyrule Warriors. Zelda blesses Link's Bow and Arrow set with this upgraded form so that he may attack and stun Ganon with them. She will do the same for other player Warriors as well. Should Zelda or Sheik be the player Warrior, Ruto will grant them instead. They are only effective when the gem on Ganon's forehead glows, when he is about to charge. Otherwise they behave identically to the upgraded version of the standard Bow.

Light Arrows also appear in some of Zelda's combo attacks as part of her Rapier moveset. These do not have the same effect as the Light Arrows in "Liberation of the Triforce", which must be received separately.

In Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends, Tetra is capable of summoning Light Arrows based on the ones from The Wind Waker. During her Focus Spirit Attack, the Light Arrow bursts a giant floating bubble of water, damaging all enemies in range.

In the A Link Between Worlds DLC Pack for Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends, Ravio fires Light Arrows from the upgraded Bow as part of both the Focus Spirit Attack and the Special Attack of his Rental Hammer Weapon. During the Special Attack, the Light Arrows have Bombs attached to them like certain appearances of Bomb Arrows.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity[]



Crossover appearances[]

Super Smash Bros. series[]

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, the Light Arrow is Zelda and Sheik's Final Smash. If Zelda uses it, the first character hit takes 42% damage, and is sent flying at a high angle. As Sheik, the first character hit takes 48% damage, and is sent flying at a horizontal direction. The first character hit is usually guaranteed to be instantly KO'd.

The Light Arrow also appears as several Trophies.

Trophy Information[]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
# Trophy Significant Games Description How to unlock
183 SSBB Light Arrow (Zelda) Trophy Model
Light Arrow (Zelda)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Princess Zelda's Final Smash. She wields a mighty bow of light with which she can attack from afar. Her arrow travels in a straight line and flies through all characters unlucky enough to be in the way. This attack cannot be blocked. The more enemies there are, the higher the chances to get them all with one shot. More is always better! Clear All-Star Mode as Zelda
185 SSBB Light Arrow (Sheik) Trophy Model
Light Arrow (Sheik)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Sheik's Final Smash. After grabbing a Smash Ball, Sheik will be able to wield a bow of light. The arrow fired from this bow has the power to pass through multiple targets, so it will damage all enemies in the direction it flies. This, coupled with its shield-breaking power, makes it even more terrible. Even in Sheik form, Zelda's ability as an archer is undiminished. Clear All-Star Mode as Sheik
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[]
# Trophy Appears in Description How to unlock
3DS Logo WiiU
184 N/A SSBfWU Light Arrow (Zelda) Trophy Model - In many Legend of Zelda games, the sacred Light Arrows are required to defeat the final boss. In this game, Zelda fires one straight across the screen for her Final Smash. If it passes through multiple foes, the ones hit first will take the most damage. The Light Arrow has a lot of launching power, making it great for getting KOs! Clear All-Star mode as Zelda
Light Arrow (Zelda)
187 N/A SSBfWU Light Arrow (Sheik) Trophy Model - Sheik's Final Smash uses a gigantic bow to fire a Light Arrow across the screen. If multiple foes are in its path, it will strike them all, ignoring shields like they're not even there. Sheik's Light Arrow is more damaging than Zelda's, and it launches its victims at a lower angle. Clear All-Star mode as Sheik
Light Arrow (Sheik)

Trivia[]

  • In the French instruction booklet of Ocarina of Time, Light Arrows were mistranslated as "Flèches légères", meaning that these arrows are not heavy.
  • The Light Arrows' one-hit kill ability in The Wind Waker and some other games mirrors how the Silver Arrows functioned in A Link to the Past.
  • Link being electrocuted and not outright vanish by Light Arrows if he is accidentally struck by Zelda during the final battle against Ganondorf in The Wind Waker is a result due to these Arrows being specifically designed to wipe out evil, similar to the Master Sword, but Link himself is a heroic character of pure heart, therefore does not contain any evil.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapanese光の矢 (Hikari no Ya) (OoT)[17]Same as English.
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

Notes

  1. The Light Arrow is also known as the Arrow of Light in Ocarina of Time.[3] However, this name was erased and retconned to Light Arrow in Ocarina of Time 3D.[4]

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 130 (OoT | MM | TWW | TP)
  2. "Deliver instant strong attacks while Luminescent, but the special-attack gauge drains.
    Enemies surrounded by rings of light take increased damage from Arrows of Light.
    " — Allies (Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity)
  3. "And here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses... The power given to the chosen ones... The sacred Arrow of Light!!!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  4. "And here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses... The power given to the chosen ones... The sacred Light Arrow!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  5. "You got the Light Arrow! Set it to (C) and your arrows will be powered up! The light of justice will smite evil!" — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
  6. "You got the Light Arrow! Set it to (C) to power up your arrows. The light of justice shall target evil!" — N/A (Majora's Mask)
  7. "You got the Light Arrow! When you take out your bow, use [R] to change arrowheads, then fire away. The sacred light of these arrows can pierce pure evil itself!" — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  8. "You got the Light Arrow! Now, you can fire arrows filled with sacred light!" — N/A (The Minish Cap)
  9. "Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world... In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!" — Princess Zelda (Twilight Princess)
  10. "The six Sages will open the sealed door and lure Ganondorf back into the Sacred Realm. I will then seal the door to the Sacred Realm from this world. Thus, Ganondorf the Evil King will vanish from Hyrule. Link... In order to do this, I need your courage again. Please protect me while I do my part. And here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses... The power given to the chosen ones... The sacred Light Arrow!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time 3D)
  11. "If you shoot that which releases the sacred golden light into the blood-stained, red emblem outside the temple... it shall rearrange things, in which the earth is born in the heavens and the moon is born on the earth." — Garo Master (Majora's Mask)
  12. "Phantom Ganon, Habitat: Forsaken Fortress, Effective Weapons: Light Arrows, Master Sword" — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  13. "Puppet Ganon, Habitat: Ganon's Castle, Effective Weapon: Light Arrows, This is a gigantic marionette created by Ganon himself. It transforms into three different shapes, but all are vulnerable to rays of light." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  14. "Ganondorf, Base of Operations: Ganon's Castle, Effective Weapons: Light Arrows, Master Sword" — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  15. "I'll use this bow to cover you! Attack him as best you can!" — Princess Zelda (The Wind Waker)
  16. "Zelda's Bow / The weapon used by Zelda during the final battle with Ganondorf. Her arrows were created from the transformed Light Spirits." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 196)
  17. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 151
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