Confusing Things About The Legend Of Zelda Timeline

Highlights

The Legend of Zelda’s timeline is split into three, with time travel, retcons, and contradictions making things super confusing.
The release order of Zelda games is non-linear, with the first game set later than most, and Skyward Sword as the first game.
Ganondorf transforming into Ganon in each game leads to confusion, with inconsistencies in the timeline and unclear rules.

As a longtime fan of the Legend of Zelda series, I can’t help but feel a tad exasperated by some of the narrative inconsistencies that have crept into the timeline over the years. Having grown up with Link and his heroic adventures, it’s disconcerting to see these apparent continuity errors pop up.

The “Legend of Zelda” series from Nintendo has been around for more than three decades, and during this period, numerous games have been released. While many of these games share a common storyline, understanding the connections can sometimes give you a headache. In an official capacity, the franchise’s main narrative is divided into three distinct timelines, with some additional “Legend of Zelda” games that aren’t part of the main storyline but are still enjoyable. However, this might make it sound simpler than it really is.

Across these three narratives, there are numerous occurrences of time travel, parallel realities, retcons, and inconsistencies that create a bewildering scenario. To complicate matters further, at least two games appear to be outliers in this continuity, leaving fans puzzled as even Nintendo seems uncertain about the overall plot. Although there’s enough complexity in The Legend of Zelda‘s timeline to fill a book (namely, Hyrule Historia), we’re providing some clarification on the most perplexing aspects here.

1 Non-Linear Releases

The First Game Is Almost The Last

Confusing Things About The Legend Of Zelda Timeline

As a newcomer diving into the world of The Legend of Zelda, I must admit the timeline can be quite perplexing due to its unconventional release order. Normally, I’d expect games in a franchise to follow a chronological sequence, maybe with a prequel here and there. However, it seems like the developers of Zelda have a whimsical dartboard filled with different eras and timelines of their universe. Each time they throw a dart, that’s where the next game is set, making for an intriguing but occasionally confusing narrative journey.

In contrast to popular belief, the initial installment of The Legend of Zelda series, the original game, is actually set further along in the timeline compared to most other games. Conversely, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, released in 2011, marks the beginning of the series. All other games, such as prequels, sequels, and interquels, are either before or after this starting point, or they may be out of canon. Keeping track of Link’s significant accomplishments becomes challenging when players aren’t sure about their sequence or their exact timings within the series.

2 Why Are There Three Timelines?

The Ocarina Of Time Is To Blame

For those well-versed in the narrative of “The Legend of Zelda” series, you’ll recognize that the storyline is divided into roughly three (or so) continuities. This division is rooted in the three potential conclusions from “Ocarina of Time”:

The Downfall/Fallen Hero Timeline: Ganondorf beats Link, becomes Ganon, and makes life miserable in Hyrule for everyone.
The Child Timeline: Link beats Ganon and is sent back to his childhood so he can stop his plot before it starts.
The Adult Timeline: Link defeats Ganon but isn’t sent back in time.

Among all these scenarios, the timeline associated with the game “Downfall” is the hardest to follow. There are other bleak endings in “The Legend of Zelda” series, so why is this particular one given its unique timeline? The creators have never clarified why only Link’s loss in “Ocarina of Time” results in a timeline division, as opposed to other games in the series.

In “Ocarina of Time,” time travel isn’t a unique occurrence. Games like “Skyward Sword,” “Oracle of Ages,” “Majora’s Mask,” and upcoming “Tears of the Kingdom” also incorporate time travel as a story element, but unlike in “Ocarina of Time,” these games don’t create multiple timelines through time travel. Instead, it may be simpler to consider the alternative timeline depicted in some of these games as an imaginative exploration or alternate reality similar to the Marvel Universe’s what-if scenarios.

3 Ganondorf Transforms Into Ganon All The Time

Ganondorf Or Ganon? Make Your Mind Up

Through numerous iterations, Ganondorf consistently poses a persistent challenge for Link, appearing in various guises across different “Legend of Zelda” games. This recurring transformation often leaves fans puzzled, as it’s typically the case that Ganondorf transforms into Ganon after surrendering his human form to seize the Triforce. However, this pattern persists, causing perplexity among fans who reflect upon it.

In the adult Link timeline, understanding each manifestation of Ganondorf isn’t straightforward, given his shift from being sealed as Ganon in the Sacred Realm to reappearing as Ganondorf in Wind Waker, without a clear explanation for this transformation. Conversely, in Twilight Princess, Ganondorf is killed before he could transform, only to resurface later in Four Sword Adventures as Ganon, with no indication of how this change occurred. The inconsistency in his transitions and the lack of clarity on when he transforms into Ganon makes it challenging to follow his various incarnations and the rules that govern them. This is unfortunate, given the significance of Ganondorf to the franchise’s overall lore.

4 What Timeline Are Breath Of The Wild And Tears Of The Kingdom In?

Nintendo Won’t Tell Us

The intricacies surrounding the timelines within “The Legend of Zelda” series have become more puzzling due to the secretive nature of its creators. They consistently decline to reveal to fans which timeline both “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom” are set in, providing only subtle hints in interviews. The era these games are set in (the Wild Era) is evidently at the end of one of the timelines, but the question of which specific timeline remains unanswered.

Some enthusiasts believe that the three primary storylines in the series have merged together, which could account for the numerous references and homages to all games within the franchise found in both titles, even those from far-off timelines. The latest installment, Tears of the Kingdom, is especially perplexing due to its sequel status to Breath of the Wild. While it’s one of the best Legend of Zelda sequels ever made, its conclusion hints at a cyclical timeline within the franchise, as it appears to circle back to the start. Until the creators offer definitive explanations, understanding these two games remains a nearly impossible task.

5 Retcons Make Matters Worse

Don’t Move Entries Around On The Official Timeline

While not all fans of the Legend of Zelda series obsess over the franchise’s chronology, those who do often refer to two helpful resources: the Hyrule Historia and the Zelda Encyclopedia. The original Hyrule Historia timeline, in particular, provided clarity on where the three Game Boy and Game Boy Color Zelda games fit within the broader narrative. For instance, the games Oracle of Ages & Seasons, along with Link’s Awakening, were all set in a timeframe post-A Link to the Past, following the Downfall timeline. This suggests that after saving Hyrule in that game, Link embarked on further adventures, leading to various predicaments.

Initially, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was designed to follow the Oracle titles as a sequel. However, Nintendo later changed this in the Zelda Encyclopedia, making Link’s Awakening a prequel instead. While this didn’t diminish the quality of these Game Boy Color games, it did introduce some confusion into an already complex timeline. The reason behind this change remains unclear, with many speculating that it was done to account for Zelda not recognizing Link in the Oracle games, or simply because Nintendo might not prioritize the timeline as much as dedicated fans do.

6 Four Swords Adventures Confuses The Child Timeline

All It Takes Is One Throwaway Line

Four Sword Adventures” less favorable due to several factors. While other Zelda games may have quirks, its unique multiplayer-focused split mechanic is often criticized as one of the least appreciated. Additionally, this game is problematic for some fans because it disrupts one of the series’ timelines. It’s a sequel to two earlier Child timeline games, “Four Swords” and “Minish Cap,” and sits at the end of the timeline. However, its backstory clearly establishes these connections.

As a longtime fan of the Legend of Zelda series, I find myself quite perplexed by a certain inconsistency I’ve stumbled upon. In the intro of the game, it suggests that Hyrule experienced a period of safety and peace between the original Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures. This seems strange to me because, according to the canon, Ganondorf made numerous appearances during this time, with Twilight Princess taking place before Four Swords Adventures and being particularly turbulent for the people of Hyrule.

7 There Are Multiple Imprisoning Wars

Different Events With The Same Name

Prior to the narrative of “A Link to the Past”, there occurred a significant conflict known as the Imprisoning War. This tumultuous period saw Ganon’s rise, but unfortunately, Link was absent during this time. As a result, the Seven Sages intervened and imprisoned Ganon in the Dark World. This left fans anticipating “Ocarina of Time”, which functioned as a prequel, to delve into the events leading up to the Imprisoning War and explain why Link wasn’t present to thwart it.

In place of clarifying matters, the game “Ocarina of Time” muddled things by introducing the complex split timeline scenario. Initially, the Downfall timeline portrays the events leading to the Imprisoning War; however, it’s quite tangled. Yet, it appears that this intricacy didn’t deter the creators, as they introduced another Imprisoning War in “Tears of the Kingdom“. This new war has Ganon imprisoned beneath Hyrule Castle instead of the Dark World, further adding to the confusion among fans. Similarly, Hyrule is shown to have been established at the end of both “Skyward Sword ” and “Tears of Kingdom“. It’s suggested that the latter could be a “refounding,” but there’s much uncertainty, making things more puzzling for fans.

2024-08-05 07:34