Bane of Evil: Partie Un

Part 1: Essence
In The Legend of Zelda, the Master Sword is a mythical sword that serves as the bane of evil. It can be considered a thread of consistency that ties the series together. Despite being a thread of consistency it has played many different roles throughout the series; it is the bane of evil but it serves this role in varying grades. The blade has other magnificent properties as well. Oftentimes the Master Sword is the best sword available. I myself consider it to be an archetypal sword, one which serves as inspiration for all other swords. I think of the Master Sword most readily when I draw a sword. Its archetypal meaning is relevant somehow - the Master Sword taps into the Jungian collective consciousness. While I would like to know why this is so, I also wish to understand why the Master Sword is generally so memorable and meaningful.

The Master Sword is the ultimate bane of evil; the Legend of Zelda series has pounded this truth in. It is always used to defeat the main agent of evil in whatever games it appears in. This role is certainly fitting for the blade, but its role as a seal for time is arguably more interesting in many different ways. It works as a lock that can keep time fluid or frozen. The process has never been fully explained but its two roles are intricately intertwined. Naturally this face-value answer offers little meaning.

I mentioned earlier that when I think of a sword I think of the Master Sword. I will freely admit that I am biased towards straight-edged blades in terms of design. However, its straightness is an obvious archetypal symbol: straight-edged good succeeds over crooked evil. That symbol is pretty shallow. AT the same time its hilt extends outward in a straight manner, representing stability in some sense. The hilt is symmetrical and balanced but it gives the blade strength in the archetypal consciousness. The hilt suggests another reason why its design befits its role: the hilt is purple, a regal color for those who are noble. This color reinforces the archetypal importance of the blade: it is a powerful, pure, and noble bane of evil, not an indiscriminate tool of butchery.