Official Zelda timeline?

[OldNewNewOld]

Nintendo's new Legend of Zelda book titled Hyrule Historia has revealed The Legend of Zelda timeline that fans have been struggling to comprehend for years. Kotaku and the Official Nintendo Magazine are confident that this is the official timeline, but Nintendo may decide to say that this isn't the super secret timeline that they've been guarding for all these years. What do you think?

Main Timeline
1. Skyward Sword
2. Minish Cap
3. Four Swords
4. Ocarina Of Time

Split 1: Link defeats Ganon ? childhood branch
a) Majora's Mask
b) Twilight Princess
c) Four Swords Adventures

Split 2: Link defeats Ganon ? adult branch
a) Wind Waker
b) Phantom Hourglass
c) Spirit Tracks

Split 3: Link fails in Ocarina Of Time
a) A Link To The Past
b) Oracles
c) Link's Awakening
d) The Legend Of Zelda
e) The Legend Of Zelda II

(source) [http://mynintendonews.com/2011/12/21/heres-the-legend-of-zelda-timeline]





I was reading MyNintendoNews [http://mynintendonews.com/2011/12/21/heres-the-legend-of-zelda-timeline] and found this interesting article.
Now that I've read it, this actually makes sense and almost everything fits perfectly.

Also, the split 3 made me happy and sad at the same time. It explained the plot holes between all the titles, but it also means that Ganondorf wins.

What do you guys think?

Spoiler

 

[Jazoni89]

I was almost certain that there was a two way split at ocarina of time, with Adult link, and child Link, but this has proven everyone wrong, and everyone who didn't think there was a timeline to begin with.

I think this leads to more questions than answers. For example, when does Link die? does he die in the bad future when saving Zelda, or the good past before he goes into the spirit realm. How does this impact the future, and set the events of link to the past in motion. It's all rather confusing.

 

[D Moness]

personally i would swap split 2 and 3. In my opinion that would make more sense.

Personally i think nintendo doesn't have an official timeline and is just screwing around with everyone.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I was almost certain that there was a two way split at ocarina of time, with Adult link, and child Link, but this has proven everyone wrong, and everyone who didn't think there was a timeline to begin with.

I think this leads to more questions than answers. For example, when does Link die? does he die in the bad future when saving Zelda, or the good past before he goes into the spirit realm. How does this impact the future, and set the events of link to the past in motion. It's all rather confusing.

I think that split 3 doesn't mean Link dies.
It means that he failed for whatever reason (didn't even try, didn't manage to solve a puzzle but didn't die, wasn't the real hero of time...)
IMO, it's more like a "What if" time line than a "Did happen" timeline.

 

[endtherapture]

So if you die in OoT, A Link To The Past happens?

A Link To The Past is my favourite game, and it has a happy ending, so I like it at the end of the timeline, as like the final defeat of Ganon, but hmm.

 

[gigastrike]

How can there be a separate timeline for failing in Ocarina of Time? The whole point of seperate timelines was that there was an adult world and a child world in that game. When did a failure world come in to play?

Afterthought: Wait...was the failure world the one that you played in as a child, and the child world the one that is created when you beat the game and Zelda sends you back in time? I mean, you never defeat Ganondorf in the child world. He sets his plan into motion, forcing you to go foreward in time until you're old enough to defeat him. After which Zelda sends you further back than you should be if you were just going to the child world, creating a new timeline.

Afterthought 2: Kinda surprised that Link's Awakening isn't in the same arch as Windwaker.

 

[Tallim]

This short film summed it up nicely for me, although doesn't include Skyward Sword:


and a link straight to the start of the "explanation" as there are a couple of minutes before that starts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHCbp5LTgbU&feature=player_detailpage#t=114s

 

[StorytellingIsAMust]

I'm disappointed in Nintendo for revealing an "official" timeline. Now their just ruining the fun of internet arguments. Then again, how many nerds will refuse to believe it because they're too arrogant to admit that they're wrong? Still, all in all, this saddens me.

 

[StorytellingIsAMust]

I'm disappointed in Nintendo for revealing an "official" timeline. Now their just ruining the fun of internet arguments. Then again, how many nerds will refuse to believe it because they're too arrogant to admit that they're wrong? Still, all in all, this saddens me.

 

[madwarper]

So, let me get this straight... This is just a bunch of guys SPECULATING about what a timeline might be?
Unless this has Shigeru Miyamoto's seal of aproval, then there's nothing Official about it.

The only games that can be put into a 'timeline' are the games which are direct sequels: Zelda-> Zelda 2; OoT -> Majora's Mask; Wind Waker -> Phantom Hourglass.

Then again, why the hell would we even need a timeline in the first place? The Star Wars movies have a definitive timeline 1-2-3-4-5-6, but is that the order you watch them in? No. You watch 4-5-6-4-5-6. If you have access to all Zelda games and need an order to play them in, do it in the order they were made.

 

[gigastrike]

The Star Wars movies have a definitive timeline 1-2-3-4-5-6, but is that the order you watch them in? No. You watch 4-5-6-4-5-6.

That made my day.

 

[madwarper]

So, let me get this straight... This is just a bunch of guys SPECULATING about what a timeline might be?
Unless this has Shigeru Miyamoto's seal of aproval, then there's nothing Official about it.

The only games that can be put into a 'timeline' are the games which are direct sequels: Zelda-> Zelda 2; OoT -> Majora's Mask; Wind Waker -> Phantom Hourglass.

Then again, why the hell would we even need a timeline in the first place? The Star Wars movies have a definitive timeline 1-2-3-4-5-6, but is that the order you watch them in? No. You watch 4-5-6-4-5-6. If you have access to all Zelda games and need an order to play them in, do it in the order they were made.

It's not speculation, it's interpretation of a document nintendo themselves made.

Highlights by me.

We have their interpretation... Which IS speculation, as long as it's coming from anyone's mouth other than Shigeru Miyamoto.

 

[galdon2004]

How can there be a separate timeline for failing in Ocarina of Time? The whole point of seperate timelines was that there was an adult world and a child world in that game. When did a failure world come in to play?

Afterthought: Wait...was the failure world the one that you played in as a child, and the child world the one that is created when you beat the game and Zelda sends you back in time? I mean, you never defeat Ganondorf in the child world. He sets his plan into motion, forcing you to go foreward in time until you're old enough to defeat him. After which Zelda sends you further back than you should be if you were just going to the child world, creating a new timeline.

Afterthought 2: Kinda surprised that Link's Awakening isn't in the same arch as Windwaker.

Remember that in Link to the Past, Ganon succeeded in entering the sacred realm and corrupted it into the Dark World, the seven sages then locked him away in the dark world to protect hyrule. So, it makes sense that Link failing in Ocarina of Time would be when Ganon got into the sacred realm and corrupted it.

As for the Child Link storyline, as a child, Link gets proof of Ganondorf's treachery and pre-empts Ganon's plan in the first place, then takes the ocarina with him out of Hyrule so Ganon can never enter the sacred realm where the triforce is hidden.

 

[gigastrike]

As for the Child Link storyline, as a child, Link gets proof of Ganondorf's treachery and pre-empts Ganon's plan in the first place, then takes the ocarina with him out of Hyrule so Ganon can never enter the sacred realm where the triforce is hidden.

1:So yeah, the whole child part of the game.

2: Well, Zelda sends him back in time with knowledge of what Ganondorf is planning to do, and then Ganondorf is sealed away in the Twlight Realm. Link then leaves Hyrule to find Navi (who somehow got lost). I don't think the ocarina has any part in this.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Well I still maintain that there isn't a timeline which Nintendo had actually officially stated at one point. Now I just wish they'd stop contradicting themselves.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

SNIP

It's not speculation, it's interpretation of a document nintendo themselves made.

Highlights by me.

We have their interpretation... Which IS speculation, as long as it's coming from anyone's mouth other than Shigeru Miyamoto.

It technically is speculating, but it does have some credibility.
After all, it's all from a book that Nintendo released. There isn't much to interpret wrong.

I am currently looking at this as the real timeline until Miyamoto denies it.

 

[madwarper]

I am currently looking at this as the real timeline until Miyamoto denies it.

But, that doesn't answer the question of why we even need a timeline in the first place.
Does having a timeline affect the gaming experience of any individual LoZ game? Does is make any LoZ game better than another?

And so, I'm going to look at this list as mere speculation, and the concept of a timeline as meh, until Miyamoto says what is and isn't canon of the universe he created.

 

[Shockolate]

I feel this is necessary:

http://www.dorkly.com/comic/28141/the-legend-of-zelda-the-missing-link

 

[galdon2004]

Ok, the difference is, in the successful version; Ganon is defeated and trapped in the 'void of the Evil realm' and has no power there. When link fails, Ganon uses the triforce to turn the sacred realm into the dark world and pretty much rules it but can't get back to Hyrule.

As for the Ocarina; Link took the Ocarina with him when he left to find Navi. So, even if Ganon escapes the evil realm, he can't get into the sacred realm.