Link without the Master Sword is incomplete. It’s a part of him, and it’s a part of every story in the Zelda series. This weapon is one of the most iconic in all gaming history, and so it’s only fitting that it plays a huge part in the story of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
In the game’s predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, obtaining this weapon was a very big deal. That’s still the case in Tears of the Kingdom, where’s it’s an even bigger event to lay claim to this legendary magic blade. It’s also not going to be easy, and in order to find this sword, you’re going to need to find 12 massive hieroglyphs scattered across Hyrule.
As you progress, the mystery surrounding these sigils will unravel, and you’ll realize some truths that have been right in front of you since the very beginning of the game. We’ll walk you through every step of the process, but please be aware there’s no way of going through this without brushing on some major spoilers as part of the story. Still, we’ll try and be as vague as possible.
All TotK Hieroglyph and Tear Locations
There are 12 different Tears hieroglyphs to find in Tears of the Kingdom. While you can find them in any order you want, there’s technically a “correct” order in terms of how the story plays out.
Once you collect every Tear, you’ll get a final flashback that reveals the location of the Master Sword, but we’ll get to that after detailing all 12 locations.
Tear #1 - Where Am I?
The first tear is just to the northwest of Lookout Landing, and you’ll visit it as part of the main story, so there’s no way to miss it. The Tear itself can be found at the top of the hieroglyphs head.
Tear #2 - An Unfamiliar World
The second Tear is in the northwest part of Hyrule, and you’ll likely run into it on your way to Rito Village. The Hieroglyph is painted on the wall of a canyon, so as you’re gliding down look for the little filled-in piece in the middle of the picture.
Tear #3 - Mineru’s Counsel
This hieroglyph is in the shape of the Purah Pad, and it’s straight to the east from the very first Tear. You’ll want to look in the very center of the pad to get the Tear.
Tear #4 - The Gerudo Assault
This one is to the southeast of Lookout Landing, in the West Necluda area. The Tear is near the top of the hieroglyph’s tail but this one can be a bit tricky as it’s actually hidden in a wooded area, meaning you won’t see if from the sky.
Tear #5 - A Show of Fealty
This Tear lies just outside the entrance to Gerudo Canyon. Unless you do that part of the story first, it’ll likely be one of the last you find. It can be a bit tricky to discover, as the hieroglyph is built into a snowy canyon wall, and the Tear itself is a little buried by snow. Look for the ridge we’re flying toward in the image below.
Tear #6 - Zelda and Sonia
We’re at the halfway point, with this Tear being all the way on the west side of the map. It’s most easily accessed by unlocking the Gerudo Highlands tower and then gliding down into the valley where the hieroglyph lies. Look for the Tear on the right side of the image.
Tear #7 - Sonia Is Caught By Treachery
The seventh Tear is all the way on the southeastern tip of the map, right next to Lurellan Village. The village has been infested by monsters and there’s a lengthy side quest to free it, so you might need to do some fighting. Look on the left side of the sword hilt for this one.
Tear # 8 - Birth of the Demon King
Look at the northwest side of the map for this one. The hieroglyph is massive, so it should be easy to spot. The Tear is in the middle of a big snowy mountain.
Tear #9 - The Sages’ Vow
The ninth Tear is all the way on the east side of the map, near the coast on the Talus Plateau. Look on the east side of the hieroglyph.
Tear #10 - A King’s Duty
This Tear is straight to the south of Lookout Landing, on the West banks of Lake Hylia. It’s easiest to reach if you fly up the Popla Foothills tower and glide down. This will easily let you see exactly where the Tear is on the hieroglyph.
Tear #11 - A Master Sword in Time
The last hieroglyph can be found on the northeast part of the map, right near the Thyphlo Ruins. Luckily, this one is easy to spot as it’s shaped like a massive Master Sword. The Tear is on the very tip of the blade, which lies on top of a cliff.
Tear #12 - Tears of the Dragon
The final Tear will immediately be marked on your map as soon as you collect all the others, and it’s in the middle of the spiral beach on the east side of Hyrule. Gemimik Shrine is actually on that same beach if you already completed it, and to find the Tear simply look in the pool surrounded by blue flowers.
How to Get The Master Sword
Before we get into the actual act of getting the Master Sword, is hugely important to note that you’ll need at least two full bars of Stamina. Link has to pull the Master Sword out of the Dragon it’s stuck in, and if you don’t have enough Stamina you simply can’t do it. If you’ve somehow made it this far without any improvements, it’s time to go do some shrines so you can upgrade your stamina.
Once you’ve watched the final scene, you’ll know the Master Sword is now embedded in the head of a pearly white dragon. If you want to retrieve it, you’ll need to get on top of that dragon, so fast travel to the closest Skyview Tower, which is the Ulri Mountain Tower.
Launch up the tower, then instantly veer off to your right toward the twelfth Tear and the floating dragon. You’ll need to use your paraglider combined with Tulin’s Sage ability to get in close, but if you have the two full bars of Stamina, as we noted earlier, you should have no trouble getting in close.
You’ll want to land as close to the dragon’s head as possible, as walking up its body can be tricky and easily make you fall off. Once you’ve reached the head simply press A to interact with the Master Sword, and be ready to hold the button down for the Stamina check. Now, sit back and enjoy the events.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.
“It's dangerous to go alone!” Check out more of Inverse’s Tears of the Kingdom coverage:
- THE INVERSE REVIEW: Tears of the Kingdom Is the Best Nintendo Switch Game Ever Made
- Tears of the Kingdom’s Best New Mechanic Could Change the Series Forever
- Why Zelda Speedrunners Plan to Take It Slow With Tears of the Kingdom
- Tears of the Kingdom Doubles Down on Breath of the Wild’s Best Inspiration
