Nintendo's New Zelda Book Reveals Official Timeline

[Kataskopo]

Nah nah nah, you are all wrong! I've heard somewhere, and it actually makes sense: this series are called The Legend of Zelda, meaning the game you play is how the people of that land see the legend of Link and Zelda.

That made much more sense to me, and you don't have to try to shoehorn every Zelda game into a timeline.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

Here's a question, can anyone explain to me where the failure timeline comes from in Ocarina of Time?

 

[RaNDM G]

Except if that's the case, he'd create another timeline to follow when going into the well in Kakariko Village as he also needs to go there to get the Lens of Truth, something Adult Link cannot get that he needs to defeat the Shadow Temple, defeat Bongo Bongo and save Impa. By this logic you've presented, there would have to be a success/fail scenario timeline split here as Impa would potentially die.

As for creating another timeline, it would probably end in the same result. Link fails and Ganondorf takes over Hyrule. Thanks for bringing that up, though. I can't believe I forgot Impa.

There are also apparent plot holes like why isn't the world still destroyed in ALttP if Ganon won and why does Ganon need the power of the Triforce to conquer the Light World? Where does Link fail that the "Seven Wise Men" who sealed Ganon in the Golden Realm could potentially be the Seven Sages? Where does the Master Sword end up after ALttP because it never appears in that timeline again with Link using the Silver Sword/Silver Saber (depends how much you believe cover art is important) instead of the Master Sword. How does ALttP link up story wise with Link's Awakening, considering that the simple word on Nintendo is in question here -- which, as far as I recall, is the only thing linking them?

After defeating Link, Ganondorf invades the Sacred Realm and ascends to god-tier, becoming Ganon. The Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World. This incites the Imprisoning War with Ganon and his army against the Knights of Hyrule and the surviving Sages. Since none of the Knights are pure enough to wield the Master Sword against Ganon, the Sages are forced to imprison him in the Dark World.

After slaying Ganon in Link to the Past, Link returns the Master Sword to the pedestal. It is never used again.

Nintendo confirmed the Magic Sword and Master Sword are two different weapons.

Link's Awakening apparently happens after the end of Oracles, but like you said, there is nothing that links ALttP, Oracles, and LA together besides word of Nintendo.

Overall, this theory holds up better than a streamed timeline any day and Nintendo should really just accept it.

That's defeatist talk!

 

[mionic]

When I first saw/heard/read this I kinda got sad, all these people trying to puzzle the timeline together was a big part of the fandom.
Hmm, wonder why Nintendo decided to release this (Or, as it seems, came up with in retrospect)

 

[Tomas Krystinik]

No no no, this is blasphemy, blasphemy I say! Zelda's timeline is supposed to be a big timey-wimey ball; having most everything fall neatly into a chart makes far too much sense. I'm sure they'll retcon all of this silliness with their next game in the series. It's the sensible thing to do.

 

[Byere]

I do have one question...

If the Victory/Progression timeline is correct, how come Link is a child again in Majora's Mask? Surely that's a follow-on from when he goes back to his childhood?

 

[awdrifter]

They might be planning a game where there are multiple endings that Link can fail so the timeline will split.