Ever since the Zelda series was born, speculation has ran rampant over its true chronological order (which is supposedly locked way down in the Ninty vaults). For a while, it was said there was just one Link, then Wind Waker disproved that theory by saying there were multiple Links. Just how many Links there were depended on who you talked to: some said there were as few as two, to as many as seven! Complicating this further was Miyamoto’s confirmation of a time split, which led to convoluted theories of which games went in what times.
I too have my own theory of the Zelda timeline, which I want to share with you here. I have constantly revised this timeline as I’ve found new information, so it likely will never be finished. It is built on information in the manuals, game events, and what few clues Ninty has left us. I do not claim for this to be the definitive timeline by any means.
That said, here it is:
SB’s Zelda Timeline
Link #1: Ocarina of Time->Majora’s Mask
Miyamoto-sama has explicitly said Ocarina of Time is first, which Majora’s Mask follows a short time later. As for the time split, the “Child Link” time is the main timeline, while the “Adult Link” time ultimately evolves into Termina, and Link crosses back into that time for Majora’s Mask.
Link #2: Twilight Princess (so far)
100 years after Ocarina of Time (confirmed by Ninty developers), TP occurs.
Link #3: A Link to the Past ->Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons->Link’s Awakening->The Legend of Zelda->Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
This is the longest lived Link of the bunch thus far. By the time A Link to the Past opens, the events of Ocarina of Time are now called the Imprisoning War (according to the A Link to the Past manual). At the end of A Link to the Past, Link leaves on a long journey in search of adventures (according to the Link’s Awakening manual). While we don’t know exactly how many adventures Link went on during this journey, we can safely assume the Oracle games were two such adventures; they take place in other lands, and in the endings for both games, we see Link leaving on a boat, most likely the same boat seen at the beginning of Link’s Awakening. Knowing this, we can guess that Link’s Awakening occured on the way back to Hyrule (also confirmed in the Link’s Awakening manual).
By the time Link gets back to Hyrule, it is in ruins thanks to Ganon somehow escaping the Sacred Realm, triggering the original game. Zelda II then follows some years later.
Link #4
The Wind Waker->Phantom Hourglass
100 years after Zelda II, Hyrule floods, creating the Great Sea. Some time after this, Wind Waker occurs, with Phantom Hourglass following some months later.
Link #5
The Minish Cap->Four Swords->Four Swords Adventures
I haven’t played the Four Swords games yet, so I’m not sure where they fall; but I include The Minish Cap with them because The Minish Cap appears to introduce the concept of splitting yourself in four and explains how the Four Sword seen in the Four Swords games was made.
If you have any questions, counterclaims, or new information, drop me a line and let me know!
Happy gaming,
SparklingBlue
smashmastermii
December 8, 2008 at 9:15 am
I dont know, theres still a peice of the puzzle missing or something. See, at the end of TP, Link KILLS Ganon. In the other Zelda games, he just locks him up in sacred realms.
I dont know where everything else fits in, but in OoT, he traps Ganon in the Sacred Realm, and then sets off on a quest into the forest to find an old friend (the skull kid he meets in the lost woods. At the end of MM the skull kid talks about a fairy boy from the forest). He then gets lost in the forest (lost woods, which shows Termina is to the east of hyrule), and ends up in Termina, where MM takes place. Long after MM, Link dies, and Ganon is able to escape from the sacred realm causing a struggle in nature, which floods Hyrule. My guess is the sages risk their lives to protect Hyrule Temple, and the Master Sword. Only one sage survives, the original one with the light medallion, and he becomes the king of Red Lions. Link then saves his sister, and Zelda, and turns Ganon to stone, letting the cave break, flooding him.
More in next post
smashmastermii
December 8, 2008 at 9:16 am
After PH (which doesnt do much for the Storyline), hyrule drains, and ganon breaks free of the Stone bounding, and many years later, gets help from Zant to conquer Hyrule. In the end Link stabs a sword through him and you see Zant snap his neck to Ganon and Ganon actually DROPS DEAD this time. Then Midna returns to the Twilight realm. Now Im guessing the next Zelda game will take place with Zant as a new enamy, and Link will enter the Twilight realm and lock him away in time, but then hell return many years later, till the ultimate enemy comes. A foul demon stronger and eviler than Ganon and Zant. Maybe a fourth goddess of Darkness, and possibly the dark side of the Triforce (not trying to sound like StarWars).
Before OoT is the original Zelda, where Link traps Ganon, then kills Dark Link the next game. ALTTP talks about the imprisonment of Ganon in Zelda1, then Link goes on journeys after ALTTP to LA, OoA, and OoS.
Minish Cap and the 4 Swords could take place inbetween 2 games in a large gap of time, or far after TP, since those all deal with Vaati, not Ganon.
So, technically all the games come in order (or close order), theyre released.
HiGwA
December 10, 2008 at 3:15 am
I'm a fan of the split timeline theory (presented in Gametrailers retrospective). This theory presents 2 Hyrules after OoT.
First has young Link fleeing Hyrule before the war breaks out and heading through events of Majora's and Links Awakening and returning to Hyrule to find out Gannon had won the war, leading to the events of the original 2 NES Games, leading to 4 swords where Gannon acquires the the Trident of Power which he then uses in ALTtP (ALTtP being several ages after the original Link).
Hyrule 2 happens after the end of OoT with Link defeating Gannon as and adult and Zelda sending him back in time. This then goes to Twilight Princess (New Link/ Zelda), and Windwaker (New L/Z).
To solidify the the theory it places OoA, OoS at the same time in the Parallel Timelines at the end of the timelines.
Damn i missed Minnish Cap…. its placed pre OoT (Link has no hat at the beginning, The legend told of a hero, with a green tunic but no hat). every link after this has a hat.
gomaum
December 13, 2008 at 10:29 am
There's one problem in your theory. The King of the Red Lions states in WW that he is actually the last king of Hyrule (Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, or something like that, correct me if i'm wrong) and not the sage of light Rauru that appears in OoT.