Legend of Zelda Timeline Theory

[KingBroly]

Ever wondered about how all the Zelda games fit comparison to eachother? What's your take on how all the games come together? This topic always grabbed my attention, because of the sheer amount of evidence that points to tons of different points in the series. It's really pretty crazy how all the games effect the others.

Since this topic is so incredibly general (you could start a good number of threads regarding ANY point in the series), I'll just start with the most debated adn easy to adress note of the whole debate.

Is there a split in the timeline after Ocarina of Time?

Discuss. I'll add my two cents later. Also feel free to adress anything else you want.

EDIT - WARNING! NEW TIMELINE INFORMATION APPROACHING!
http://www.zeldadungeon.net/2010/07/sky ... -timeline/

“Yes there is a master timeline but its confidential document!” explains Aunuma-san. “The only people to have access to that document are myself, Mr. Miyamoto and the director of the title. We cant share it with anyone else! I have already talked to Mr. Miyamoto about this so I am comfortable in releasing this information – this title [Skyward Sword] takes place before Ocarina of Time. if I said that a certain title was ‘the first Zelda game’, then that means that we cant ever make a title that takes place before that! So for us to add titles to the series, we have to have a way of putting the titles before or after each other.”

[Zidane]

GameTrailers gave a great idea of how the timeline works. I'm pretty sure the broken up time line after OoT is the most correct path.

[Creedy316]

this is meh timeline

Minish Cap
Four Swords
Ocarina of Time ------------------------> Windwaker
Majora's Mask Phantom Hourglass
Zelda II: Link's Adventure
Link to the Past
Link's Awakening
Oracle of Seasons/Ages
Twilight Princess


seeing as this timeline on gametrailers or whatever it was came out before TP's release, AND the obvious relation between TP and Link to the Past, i put TP in timeline A

[jab]

Holy crap.

This is the lamest thing i've seen all hour.

The games dont go in any order, if they did, how would anything make any sence??

It's like watching an episode of a show; the next episode doesn't necessarily continue the story from the previous one.

The only ordered ones are as following:

OoT --> MM ----------------------> WW --> PH
OoS <--> OoA
4S --> 4SA

I can't believe you guys actually believed that there was a timeline. Thats like trying to fit together FF games.

Well, i've made my point, if anyone trys to argue, you're automaticly wrong (Yes, Jab is THAT stubborn). But seriously, give this some concideration and thought, and you'll see that it's the only thing that makes any kind of sence at all, I mean, the layout of Hyrule changes drasticly in every game, how do you explain that?

[Zidane]

Actually Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XII do share a time line together. I don't know what's up your ass, but it's well known that the games are in a time line.

[Sinister Gaze]

It's like watching an episode of a show; the next episode doesn't necessarily continue the story from the previous one.

I can't believe you guys actually believed that there was a timeline. Thats like trying to fit together FF games.

Of course there is. What about the obvious relation between OoT, MM, and WW? The connections between ALttP, and the Four Swords games?

I've seen people fit these games together in ways I would have never though, and make plenty of sense (even if no timeline is perfect considerig how the series always relies on the next game to add to the storyline).

Well, i've made my point, if anyone trys to argue, you're automaticly wrong (Yes, Jab is THAT stubborn). But seriously, give this some concideration and thought, and you'll see that it's the only thing that makes any kind of sence at all, I mean, the layout of Hyrule changes drasticly in every game, how do you explain that?

That can actually be explained in plenty of different ways. Expecially considering how the games could be millenia apart for all we know.

My timeline:

MC
OoT
MM<---\--->WW
FSA<---\-->PH
TP<----\--->OoA/OoS
ALttP \
LA \
LoZ \
LoZ II \

It's been a while, but I think that's how my timeline went...
Anyways, the reason I have FSA--->TP, is becuase I'm riding on the hunch that the Dark Mirror from Four Swords Adventures is actually the Twilight Mirror from TP. There is actually evidence to support this, believe it or not:
Twilight Princess decscribes the Twilight Mirror as having an "ancient banished tribe sealed away inside" and of course, the Twili are locked away inside. However, in FSA, Dampe tells you about the origins of the Dark Mirror.....he says the exact same thing, that the Dark Mirror houses an ancient banished tribe.
Basically, they both house an ancient banished tribe, and it simply cannot be coincidence that there are TWO mirrors in Hyrule, each with a tribe that threatened Hyrule at one point, sitting around Hyrule. And of course, we know the Twilight Mirror was broken in TP, so FSA must come first.

I admit, it may be riding on somewhat of a hunch, but at least I have evidence to back it up.

[Creedy316]

huh i never played FSA so awesome point. sounds like your on to something.

and jab, its a videogame. they can do whatever they want with the landscape. if each game had the EXACT. same. landscape. that would frickin boring. thats how i explain that.

as far as story, you cant deny theyre trying to hint to relations between each of the games. Dark World, Twilight World, that thing with the mirrors in FAS and TP as brought out by sinister gaze, and youd have to be retarded not to realize the direct sequels like majoras mask and phantom hourglass. its not like FF where each game is unrelated to the others.

[cortjezter]

personally, i don't think all the games fit together in any meaningful or cohesive way, though some do fit with others in the series.

[NES_Master]

Angry Video game Nerd did a show about this. It's pretty confusing. And really I think Nintendo is making it up as they go along.

[PikminFan7]

i believe that twilight princess is a lot like ocarina of time.

[stinklesAFI]

I always assumed that the general order was

(minish cap)
Ocarina of time
majoras mask
Twilight Princess
wind waker
(Phantom Hourglass)
LoZ
LoZ 2
LoZ link to the past
Four Swords

[Sinister Gaze]

^Actually, Twilight Princess and WindWaker completely contradict eachother, and can't exist in a single timeline.

TP can't be before WW because it interferes with the events that take place after OoT and cause WW to happen. The only way that WW can happen is if there is no Link in Hyrule to interfere with Ganondorf recking havoc, causing the flood. So really, no game besides Majora's Mask (which sets up Links absence in the first place) can come inbetween OoT and WW.
It also can't be after, because in WW, it's understood that the Hylian language was lost (indicated by the Deku Tree speaking in what he refers to as the Ancient Tounge. This would mean that he remembers Link directly and spoke to him in this language, also meaning that it must have been Hylian). This contradicts TP, because the Ooccan shopkeeper tells Link "I can speak a little Hylian". So in order for TP to be after WW, Hyrule would have to be able to speak Hylian, forget, and then rediscover Hylian language and start to use it again. No way.

[Berty200]

I've heard that Miyamoto/Aonuma said that the split timeline theory is true. I also heard they have the timeline on a computer.
I like this one the best: The gametrailers one explains it the easiest.

[DuckHunter]

Time line 1
Zelda II backstory
Minish Cap
Ocarina of Time (Young Link)
Majora's Mask
Link to the Past backstory
Twilight Princess
Four Swords Adventures
A Link to the Past
Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda II: Adventure of Link
Oracle of Seasons/Ages

Time line 2
Zelda II backstory
Minish Cap
Ocarina of Time (Adult Link)
Windwaker
Phantom Hourglass

Minish Cap takes place before Ocarina because it explains the origins of Link's green hat and because it is a prequel to the Four Swords games. Also Ganon is not mentioned in the game.

Then Ganon and the Triforce make their appearances in Ocarina of Time. The second Link is the hero of the game. At the end of Ocarina of time, the time line splits because Link goes back to the past after defeating Ganon in the future.

Windwaker's storyline reveals that it takes place 100 years after Adult Link’s time in Ocarina. Phantom Hourglass takes place after since it is a direct sequel to Windwaker.

Hyrule has sunk into the ocean before Windwaker, so the time line cannot continue...for now. So the rest of the games take place in the first time line.

Majora's Mask takes place in Young Link's time because it is a direct sequel.

The A Link to the Past backstory was about seven wise men sealing the Golden land. These are the seven sages in Ocarina.

Link is stuck in Termina and Ganondorf was never defeated, so the ancient sages banished him to the Twilight Realm. Then a new Link appears 100 years later in Twilight Princess when Ganon escapes the Twilight Realm.

Next, the 4th Link appears in Four Swords Adventures. Four Swords Adventures takes place before A Link to the Past because Ganon steals the powerful Trident in Four Swords Adventures that he also uses during the final battle of A Link to the Past. Also, Ganon’s servant Shadow Link first appears in Four Swords Adventures and later tries to resurrect Ganon in Zelda II.

After the 5th Link defeats Ganon in A Link to the Past, he goes on his adventure in the sequel, Link's Awakening. (Also, the Windfish in the game may be the Ocean King in Phantom Hourglass, because they look similar. Apparently the the game took place in a dream world. In Phantom Hourglass, Link's Adventure took only ten minutes in the real world, suggesting that Link and Tetra somehow got into another dimension. Perhaps this dream dimension is the "link" that joins the time lines.)

After the Triforce is retrieved at the end of the game, Zelda breaks the Triforce of Wisdom into pieces and Link places the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace in order to protect them from evil. However, the next Ganon manages to
obtain the Triforce of Power.

The 6th Link appears years later in the original Legend of Zelda where Link collects pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Since Ganon is killed at the end, the Triforce of Power was obtained.

Zelda II follows after and is a sequel to the original Zelda, with the same Link. According to Zelda II, the first Zelda is sleeping under a spell because she wouldn't tell her brother about where the King hid the Triforce. The prince's wizard friend (who I believe is actually Ganondorf because he was a friend of the royal family in Ocarina and was probably manipulating the prince to get the Triforce) cast a spell on Zelda in anger and died, leaving the prince responsible and guilty. The prince placed Zelda in the castle tower and decreed that all females born to the royal family be named Zelda, in honor of his sister . Link had to place six crystals in different places in Hyrule to get the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace and wake Zelda from the spell. After Shadow Link is defeated, the Triforce becomes whole and Zelda is awakened.

The now united Triforce calls the 7th Link years later and the events of Oracle of Ages and Seasons take place. These games can happen in any order since the player can play any one after the other in order to get the ending.

[Sinister Gaze]

Minish Cap takes place before Ocarina because it explains the origins of Link's green hat and because it is a prequel to the Four Swords games. Also Ganon is not mentioned in the game.

I used to think so too, until just recently. A really good article was written by a member on another site, but I can't seem to find it again. I'ts holds up really well, but has only one flaw that I can think of.

Hyrule has sunk into the ocean before Windwaker, so the time line cannot continue...for now. So the rest of the games take place in the first time line.

This is actually not so true as it once seemed. If you remember, the Koroks in WW were planting seeds all over the Great Ocean in hopes of resurfacing the land. I'ts likley that they succeeded. The idea is that Minish Cap is actually possible after PH because the geography in MC shows that Hyrule is an island-continent, likely becuase of the Koroks' work. This also causes most of the series besides TP and MM to shift to the Adult Timeline.

Link is stuck in Termina and Ganondorf was never defeated, so the ancient sages banished him to the Twilight Realm. Then a new Link appears 100 years later in Twilight Princess when Ganon escapes the Twilight Realm.

Here is an interesting theory.
http://www.zeldauniverse.net/forums/zel ... prank.html

It's called the Divine Prank Theory. It states that when Link traveled back in time at the end of OoT, he left the future (resulting in the broken Triforce of Courage in WW), and came back to the "past". At the ending cutscene in OoT, we see Link trastported back to the Temple of Time, before he ever touched the Master Sword. Also, Ganondorf never conqured the Sacred Realm as a result

It has to be before he touched the Master Sword, because if he did, Ganondorf would simply take the Triforce again, and the future would have to repeat itself. Link would have to sleep for seven years, fight ganon, get sent back in time, all over again.

However, when we see Link at the end of OoT as a child, he still has the Triforce mark on his hand, indicating that he still has the Triforce of Courage, even though he never touched the MS as a child. In other words, he retained the power of the Triforce, and unknowingly broke the Triforce into three pieces, resulting in both Zelda and Ganondorf getting their pieces without knowing it.

Then comes Twilight Princess 100 years later after the child ending of OoT.
Ganondorf is imprisoned for unknown reasons (likely for still attempting to breach the Sacred Realm in the child timeline). The sages attempt to execute him, but fail, when due to some "divine prank" Ganondorf survives when the Triforce of Power wakes up within him.

The problem with this entire cutscene is that it implies that Ganondorf didn't know he had the Triforce of Power in the first place, or else he would have used it to conquer Hyrule, so in other words he was captured trying to obtain the power he already had.

It makes perfect sense when you think about it.

[TYFIGHTER]

Holy crap.

This is the lamest thing i've seen all hour.

The games dont go in any order, if they did, how would anything make any sence??

It's like watching an episode of a show; the next episode doesn't necessarily continue the story from the previous one.

The only ordered ones are as following:

OoT --> MM ----------------------> WW --> PH
OoS <--> OoA
4S --> 4SA

I can't believe you guys actually believed that there was a timeline. Thats like trying to fit together FF games.

Well, i've made my point, if anyone trys to argue, you're automaticly wrong (Yes, Jab is THAT stubborn). But seriously, give this some concideration and thought, and you'll see that it's the only thing that makes any kind of sence at all, I mean, the layout of Hyrule changes drasticly in every game, how do you explain that?

Miyamoto said he has a document on his laptop that shows the entire Zelda timeline. So obviously there is one. It might not make a ton of sense, and might be very confusing... but its there.

[Facepalm]

Besides Wind Waker not referencing Twilight Princess at all (due to making the timeline up as they go along), why can't Wind Waker be included in a singular timeline?
The prologue in the beginning does not mention the events of Ocarina of Time specifically. It mentions the legend of the hero and the legend of Hyrule, but it is extremely vague about actual details. It says Link defeated Ganon, then he left and then Ganon returned. So they combined OoT and TP into one legend, big deal. I don't blame them, seeings as TP hadn't even been written or designed at that time.

Where does the 100 years later figure come from?

[Edjarosu]

Miyamoto said he has a document on his laptop that shows the entire Zelda timeline. So obviously there is one. It might not make a ton of sense, and might be very confusing... but its there.

When Miyamoto first mentioned the elusive timeline document, I was still right there on the Nintendo train. I was pumped. I was ready for every Zelda game to reveal multiple pieces of the puzzle, and for Nintendo to pump out a detailed, multi-game storyline that would captivate me.

In the years since that was mentioned, during which time it has reliably gone unmentioned, and during which time the Zelda canon has gotten muddier and infinitely more indistinct, I've realized that there is no document. There is probably no set timeline at all. They're making it up as they go along.

And you know what? That's absolutely fine. The Legend of Zelda wasn't inspired when Miyamoto went on a vast, millenia-spanning adventure when he was a teenager. It was inspired when he went on a small-scale adventure to a cave near his house when he was a boy. And the times it's at its absolute best are when it's reflecting that -- not trying to be a massive fantasy adventure, but appealing to the side of every gamer that realizes a well-done adventure on a small scale can be just as emotionally involving as an epic quest.

[Jman]

wait what im sorta confused on what you mean

[Clowns8me]

Can I ask why it really matters? I think we should all just play the games and not study quantum physics or Einstien's theory of relativity to find out the timeline.

[thebat]

It is pretty pointless to try to figure out the time line, if there is one. The only true one that can be seen is the Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and now Spirit Tracks time line. For me, it's much more fun to see references to the other games. For example, entering the Temple of Time, in Twilight Princess. I could not see any direct connection with OoT, but it was still exciting to see. It doesn't matter which game came first and why as long as the games are good. The Zelda series has been my favorite for a long time. Not for the story but for the adventure. I think that is what the series is about.

[thresholdXCI]

as started in the legend of ganondorf post in the comentts section, i want to bring the discussion further.
i stated there:

id say that ganondorf is a tragic figure. im pretty sure he sees himself not as evil, merly as the good guy that is misunderstood.
he never tries to be evil, he jsut wants to make the world his vision,because he thinks under his control, the world will be a beter place.
but he is filled with anger and fear, so much that it gets unbearable.
this is clearly shown in wind waker when he doesnt want to kill link and zelda. but after his dreams are shattered, his anger takes over.
i think his demonic side is just a purification of this anger. this is shown in the oracle games where ganon himself s just a vile beast without any mind whatsoever...

while moldyclay replied:

This is true and false.

Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time is just greedy (though insinuated as a result of their being outcast), and the two separate timelines lead into two different Ganondorfs with different feelings.

The Wind Waker Ganon has been imprisoned, seen his people and land get washed away by the sea, and has had a LOT of time to think. He is much wiser, has no intent on killing and is just upset and angry.

Twilight Princess Ganon never fought Link, and he got imprisoned where he wasn't alone and was still just savage.

Later Ganons are incomplete variations of the dark sides of Ganondorf and don't reflect him as a whole at all.

so i replied:

thats partially true.
im with you on the slipt ganon part. but i think the main characteristics stay the same.
you get this when you talk to various "evil" beings in ocarina of time. ingo for example. he praises ganondorf. so he true self was already there. youre right that wind waker ganon is wiser though.
also, i think that the ganon creature is his anger manifestation.
probably influenced by the shadows - what if ganon himself is a different being than ganondorf?
they could have split at one point in time.
what if ganondorf died in wind waker and all that remained was ganaon - in the underworld, trapped, until hundrets of years later, when the original zelda takes place...

my vision of a timeline places zelda1+2 as last games in the adult link timeline, while alttp+oaa/s and la are the alst games in the child timeline, and all thre star the same link. 4swords adventures happened in BOTH timelines, since vaati was sealed before the timeline split, thus was in both timelines...

so i want the discussion to continue here. this is a hot topic with all that cryptic messages the zelda games hold...

---

my personal version of the zelda timeline, with explanations:

the minish cap:
it obviously starts the legend, since eiji aonuma once said, that four swords is the first game. since minish cap shows the origins of both the four sword and vaati, its pretty obvious that this is the first game, and that the link here and in four swords is the same.

four swords:
although zelda tells link that this is the four sword and that it holds vaati inside, link obviously knows that, since he was there. it could be argued that this game features a different link, bt i doubt that. also, its obviously next in timeline since aonuma-san places it before ocarina...

ocarina of time:
obviously ganondorfs origin. his true motivs are already shown here, since he tries to take over hyrule with the triforce. basicaly, parts of the backstory to a link to the apst happens here, also, the now famous and infamous timeline split occurs here, when zelda sends link back in time after the quest is over...

child timeline:
majoras mask:
i continue with the child timeline, since majoras mask came out shortly after ocarina and it focuses on continuing that story. although an amazing game, and if you havent played it yet do so now, because you are missing out on one of the best examples of subtle and yet emotional and powerful story telling ever.

twilight princess:
the back story tells us about the mirror of twilight, and ganondorfs sealing into the dark world, that fits really nicely into the backstory of four swords adventures and a link to the past. makes sense. also, this game features ganon as vile beast once more, like in the end of ocarina of time. but, since this enver happened in this timeline to this ganondorf, is his first transformation into the beast and thus, its rather animal like...

four swords adventures:
continues the dark mirror/mirror of twilight storyline. most people dont realize the huge connection between those stories. heck, dark links even appear in twilight princess. this definately has some connection. i place it after twilight princess because of the trident story, the item that alowed ganon to split from his human form ganondorf and become a sentient being.
i have the theory that, as of this point, ganon and ganondorf are no longer connected, but rather two different beings.

a link to the past:
well, my favourite zelda, and everyone who played it can understand why. but i dont love it for being the template to all whats to come, i love it for the mood. its the only game except majoras mask and maybe twilight princess to an extend, where the world is already doomed. where the real horror already started, you just dont realize it yet.
nothing is happy and shiny here, everyting is dark and moody. six of seven sages already captured. zelda within the enxt few hours. your uncle dying right now. what can a young 12 year old do?
it shows us alot of backstory we already know and some new stuff. also it has ganon as sentient being with his trident.

oracle of ages and seasons:
i put the games like this because then, if you play them in this style, you find the master sword in the lost woods, outside the map. probably because that section belongs already to hyrule. also, the opening ahs the triforce link found in alttp and twinrova is alive, because they havent been killed in ocarinas child timeline...
ganon here is a vile beast not capabl of thinking because his resurrection was not complete. also, the end shows link traveling into the open sea by boat, wich is obviously a reference to the opening in links awakening.
note: this resurrection would have needed a sacrefice, lie the one in zelda 2.

ancient stone tablets:
many do not consider this game canon, and i can see why, but i consider it canon, because it references links awakeing as just happening and has ganon trapped in the dark world. he is not really srong enough to cross to the light world. the resurrection in the oracle games may have failed, but it more or less worked enough to have ganon alive in the dark world...

links awakening:
well, we are at the end. i personally say, link never made it home from his journey...

adult timeline:

four swords adventures:
i think this game happens here aswell because it fits. splits ganon from ganondorf, has vaati who is still sealed in this timeline and also introduces ganon for later games...

some unknown game:
lets say, that the events in the zelda 2 manual happened here. lets say that some evil befell hyrule and there was no hero. so, elda brother sets ut to find the triforceof courage. naturally zelda refuses to give the triforce to somebody whos not the famed hero of time. so she gets put in eternal slumber. when the gods flood hyrule, she is transfered to a new hyrule, a place somewhere behind the horizon...

wind waker:
here we have a flooded hyrule and a defined ganondorf. there is no sight of ganon anywhere. because they split earlier, as i mentioned. in the end, ganondorf dies with hyrule and leaves only ganon...

phantom hourglass:
another gaiden story. probably playing in termina after the flood...

spirit tracks:
we dont know anything about story yet, so lets wait and see...

zelda1:
the original story in wich ganon finally dies. i think this plays in the adult timeline because of hyurles layout. in zelda 2 its obvious that hyrule from zelda1 is in the south of the hyrule of zelda 2. the towns named after the sages, no kakariko.. makes sense, nobody rememebrs what really happened before the flood. hyurle in zelda 2 shows islands aswell...

zelda 2:
ganon is dead. link must kill shadow link. connects four swords adventures again. also, the back story to this game about the spell on princess zelda could fit into my theory abut hyrules flooding...

well, thats my theory...

MOD NOTE: When creating new threads please use both the search feature and some manual browsing to make sure that there are no existing threads about the same thing. Also please do not double post. If you think of something to add later use the 'edit' key. Thanks. -thresholdXCI

edit:
will do, thanx

[roseseeds]

You are burying seeds all over the Great Ocean in hopes of resurfacing the land. The abstraction is that Minish Cap is in fact accessible afterwards PH because the cartography in MC shows that Hyrule is an island-continent.


_________________
Silk flowers

[rodjoh]

I find it impossible to think that there's a single timeline for all Zeldas together.

I don't really care though.

[tanooki141]

They definitely make it up as they go, they may have had, at one time, a vague timeline but now as they casual focus creeps into the the zelda games, i don't see them making references to other games that a new zelda player wouldn't understand. I would love it if they was a timeline and subtle hints in the games to it, but that really isn't something Nintendo would do anymore.