The main quest “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom starts after you complete the Great Deku Tree in the Korok Forest freed from Gloom and talked to him.
In the normal course of the game, this happens at the latest as part of the quest “Trail of the Master Sword”. But you can also get to the Korok Forest earlier and look for the tree. You can find detailed directions on our page for the Lost Woods and the forest of the Koroks.
After being freed from the Gloom, the Great Deku Tree shows Link the memory “The Power of the Master Sword”. He then tracks down the legendary hero sword and places a movable marker on the map. This marker does not point to a fixed location, but rather follows the Light Dragon, which has the Master Sword on its forehead.
Navigation
- Requirements for the Master Sword
- Find and track the Light Dragon
- Get to the Light Dragon
- Collect Light Dragon Materials
- Pull out the Master Sword
- Alternative via the dragon tears
- Master Sword find earlier
- Master Sword and charge
- Complete quest and return to Purah
Use
Requirements for the Master Sword
To pull out the Master Sword, Link needs two full green stamina wheels. At the start of the game he has a complete circle. You therefore have to improve the stamina five times on a statue of the goddess. This requires a total of 20 Lights of Blessing, which you can obtain by completing 20 additional shrines.
Yellow additional stamina from courts or Elixir is not taken into account when drawing out the sword. You need two permanent stamina wheels. Anyone who has invested most of their previous blessings in hearts can temporarily exchange some Heart Container for Stamina Vessel at the horned statue under the Lookout Landing.
Opens the inventory and checks the stamina meter. If two complete green Circular Design are present, you meet the only mandatory requirement. An additional stamina potion can be helpful for the flight to the Light Dragon, but does not change the requirements for drawing out the sword.
Find and track the Light Dragon
Opens the map after talking to Great Deku Tree. The yellow main quest marker shows the current position of the Light Dragon and moves with it through the sky. The dragon flies on a large route around Hyrule and never stays permanently in one place.
Zooms out the map far enough and observes the marker for a few seconds. This way you can see in which direction the Light Dragon is flying. Instead of traveling to a Skyview Tower that he has already passed, travel to a tower or sky shrine that is slightly ahead of his current direction of travel.
If you haven’t unlocked all towers yet, our overview will help you activate all Skyview Towers. The more fast travel points available on the surface and sky islands, the easier it will be for you to get in front of the Light Dragon.
Use moving quest marker correctly
The position of the Light Dragon is updated in real time. Therefore, open the map again immediately before jumping from the tower. If the kite is now too far away, look for another fast travel point on its route instead of flying after it with the Paraglider.
The flag only remains active as long as “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” has not yet been completed. After pulling out the Master Sword, she disappears. If you want to collect Light Dragon materials later, you should use the active quest marker beforehand.
Get to the Light Dragon
There are several ways to reach the Light Dragon. The easiest option is a Skyview Tower located in front of the current flight direction. Let yourself be shot up, turn Link towards the kite and open the Paraglider. Activates Tulin’s Gust of Wind to cover distance faster.
Does not only target the head. The long back and tail provide a significantly larger landing area. Once you’re standing on the Light Dragon, you can safely run forward to its head.
Method 1: Launch from a Skyview Tower
This method does not require a Zonai vehicle. Wait until the Light Dragon flies to an unlocked tower and teleport there. Let yourself be shot up and slide onto his back. Endurance dishes can extend the glide if the distance is still a little too great.
Opens the Paraglider early and tries to stay slightly above the kite. If you are too low, use the rising air around his body or first land on a nearby sky island.
Method 2: Launch from a sky island
If the quest marker is near an already activated Sky Shrine, travel directly to the corresponding island. The Light Dragon is often easier to reach from a high sky island than from the surface, as you can glide longer and observe its course better.
Islands with catapults, gliders or prepared Zonai Devices are particularly practical. Use a rocket, a Wing or a Spring to gain additional altitude and then switch to the Paraglider.
Method 3: With a Zonai aircraft
Another option is a simple air motorcycle made of two fans and a Steering Stick. Attach a fan diagonally in front of and one diagonally behind the Steering Stick. Activate the construction and fly directly to the moving target marker.
Take several Zonai Charges or enough battery power with you. Approach the kite from above or from the side, switch off the fans and glide the last few meters with the Paraglider. Do not attempt to land the aircraft directly on his head.
Method 4: Use Missile Shield
Attaches a Zonai Rocket to a sign with the Fuse. Hold up the shield to launch yourself vertically into the air. This method is suitable if you are already standing on an elevated sky island but are still a few meters away from the height.
A single rocket from the surface is usually not enough to reach the Light Dragon. Combine it with a Skyview Tower, a sky island or another aircraft.
Collect Light Dragon Materials
Once you have reached the Light Dragon, you can first walk over its back to its head. Unlike the three elemental dragons, you don’t need any special protective clothing against heat, cold or electricity on the Light Dragon.
Numerous bright thorns grow on its back. Between these thorns lie Light Dragon thorns that can be collected directly. You can get additional materials by hitting certain parts of your body with a weapon or arrow.
- Hit on the body: Light Dragon’s Scale
- Hit on the horn: Light Dragon’s Horn
- Hit on a claw: Light Dragon’s Talon
- Hit on the mouth: splinters from the Shard of Light Dragon’s Fang
- On the back: Light Dragon Thorns
After a successful hit, the dragon temporarily loses its bright glow. After about ten minutes it will glow again and another material can be obtained. The thorns on its back are collected directly regardless of this.
Since the active quest marker is constantly tracking the Light Dragon, this is a good opportunity to collect its materials. After completing the quest, his location will no longer be permanently displayed on the map.
Pull out the Master Sword
Run on the Light Dragon’s back towards its head. The Master Sword is stuck between his eyes in his forehead. Approach the handle and press the button shown to examine the sword.
A short sequence starts in which the Light Dragon defends itself violently and tries to shake Link off. Press and hold the indicated key without interruption. Link’s stamina is slowly used up.
With two full green stamina wheels, the energy is exactly enough to pull out the sword. This is followed by an important cutscene about Zelda, the Light Dragon and the recovery of the Master Sword.
What happens if you don’t have enough endurance?
If Link does not have two complete circles of stamina, he will be shaken off by the Light Dragon before the sword can be released. You will not lose the Master Sword and the quest will remain active. Open the Paraglider immediately, land safely and then improve your endurance.
Yellow extra stamina does not prevent failure. Even a particularly strong endurance dish or an elixir cannot replace the missing permanently unlocked Stamina Vessel.
Save before pulling out
If possible, save the game as soon as you are safely on the Light Dragon’s back. If you fall down, press the wrong button or find that you don’t have enough stamina, you can reload the save game and don’t have to search for the dragon again.
Alternative about the dragon tears
The Master Sword can also be found as part of the quest “The Tears of the Dragon”. This quest starts after “Impa and the Geoglyphs” and takes you to the large geoglyphs in Hyrule.
After examining all eleven regular dragon tears, a twelfth tear will appear on Rist Peninsula in eastern Akkala. After viewing the last memory, the Light Dragon flies comparatively low nearby.
Immediately after the cutscene, teleport to Ulri Mountain Skyview Tower, let yourself be shot up and glide to the Light Dragon. This opportunity is one of the easiest ways to get the Master Sword long before the end of the main story.
Find Master Sword
earlier
Neither “Trail of the Master Sword” nor “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” must be active to receive the sword. The Light Dragon is already flying through the sky as soon as you can freely explore Hyrule. If you know his route and have two stamina wheels, you can reach him at any time.
However, without the help of the Great Deku Tree, no moving quest marker will appear. You must search the skies yourself or intercept the Light Dragon’s route at several Skyview Towers and sky islands. This can take significantly longer.
If you have already received the Master Sword before you talk to the healed Great Deku Tree, “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” will be considered completed immediately upon start. You don’t have to try to find a second Master Sword.
Use
Master Sword and charge
The Master Sword is a one-handed weapon and can be linked to materials like other weapons. For example, use the Fuse with strong monster horns, elemental materials or other items to improve its damage and properties.
The sword does not break permanently. After prolonged use, it loses its energy and cannot be equipped temporarily. After it has been completely discharged, it begins a recharging time of approximately ten minutes. It is then available again with full energy.
A nearly discharged Master Sword will not automatically recharge as long as it can still be used. Completely consumes all remaining energy to start the visible countdown in the weapons menu.
When near certain enemies influenced by Gloom, the blade begins to glow and develops additional power. It is particularly important in the later fight against Phantom Ganon and Ganondorf.
Fuse on Master Sword
Selects the synthesis ability and combines the sword with a material on the ground. The material is not fully visible like with other weapons, but appears as a green glowing projection on the blade. The additional Fuse remains until the sword’s energy is depleted.
After charging, the previous Fuse will disappear and you can attach a new material. Therefore, use strong but replaceable monster parts and save particularly rare materials for the final stage if necessary.
Complete quest and return to Purah
Once Link has successfully pulled the Master Sword from the Light Dragon’s forehead, the main quest “Recovering the Hero’s Sword” will be automatically completed. You don’t have to talk to Great Deku Tree again to actually complete the quest.
Then return to the Lookout Landing and talk to Purah. If you have also found all five sages and completed the previous main quests, the story continues with the final main quest “Destroy Ganondorf”.
Obtain
