Ganon Conflicts

New worlds come and go, plot elements and unique items fade into the past, and it seems as if there is always a new Link popping up. Little is constant in the Legend of Zelda, but Ganon has displayed himself to have lasting power above all else. The various attempts Ganon makes to conquer Hyrule are immensely difficult to co-ordinate. In fact, the interpretation of these events (which dictates a theorists placement of the six storyline "arcs") is the only major difference between individual theories, and by far the area of greatest focus in timeline debate.

Timeline Conflicts
A theorist's opinions on the placement of the 2D games will largely be based on his/her interpretations of smaller issues concerning the nature of Hyrule, Legend, and Ganon himself. Most of these issues are quite polarizing, and a theorist will find a heated argument regardless of which interpretation he chooses to make.

The Imprisoning War
Though it has been demonstrated that the team of designers behind Ocarina intended to recreate the Imprisoning War of A Link to the Past, the degree to which they accomplished this goal has always been a matter of debate. OOT is in no way a perfect match to the events described in AlttP.

Imprisoning War could not take place before the events of Wind Waker as OoT Link was the one who sealed Ganondorf along with the Sages. Imprisoning War could not take place during any exact event of OoT but was triggered by OoT Link's intervening. Because Link was returned to his past by Zelda's use of the Ocarina, Link's actions still occurred so Ganondorf was still able to obtain the Triforce It is never said that Ganondorf himself was sealed in the Dark World during the Imprisoning War.

Ganon vs. Ganondorf
Ganondorf is the Gerudo born as an ordinary man as said in FSA. When he obtained the Trident of Darkness, he learned of his ability to transform into Ganon. After he lost it trying to break the seal on the Four Sword he needed a new way gain the power to become Ganon. When he heard of the Legend of the Triforce he wanted to obtain it to gain more power. But he was too late to obtain it before the Sages sealed it in the Sacred Realm. So he waited until someone opened the entrance to the Sacred Realm for them which was OoT Link. After he obtained the Triforce of Power he was able to obtain his transformation of Ganon again. After Ganondorf's death the Triforce of Power essentially separated Ganon from Ganondorf.

As explained by Demise in Skyward Sword, his hatred will never disappear and manifest as something else that will haunt the descendant of the Link forever.

Ganon will revive each time his slayer passes away, but can be revived early by other means.

In Wind Waker the Master Sword was permanently embedded in Ganondorf and he never had the Triforce of Power in his possession. So Ganon was never recreated.

Ganon's Mortality
In LoZ and AlttP it was made extremely clear to Link that Ganon could not be killed without the Silver Arrows. In the ten Zelda titles since, no canonical text has disputed this assertion, but the silver arrows have not been seen (though Light Arrows have) and some feel that tWW and TP suggest Ganon has died twice regardless. This has resulted in many opinions regarding Ganon's mortality:


 * Only the Silver arrows can kill Ganon. Period. Ganon did not die in tWW, TP, or OoX.
 * Only the Silver arrows can kill Ganon. Period. Ganon did not die in tWW or TP. He did in OoX (which is a special case)*
 * The Silver Arrows are needed to kill Ganon in beast form, but not in human form. Ganon died in tWW, and TP, but not OoX.
 * The Silver Arrows are needed to kill Ganon in beast form, but not in human form. Ganon died in tWW, TP, and OoX (which is a special case)*
 * The Light Arrows do everything the silver arrows do. Ganon died in tWW, and TP, but not OoX.
 * The Light Arrows do everything the silver arrows do. Ganon died in tWW, TP, and OoX (which is a special case)*
 * The Light Arrows and Silver Arrows are simply two names for the same type of arrows. Ganon died in tWW, TP, and OoX (which is a special case)*

Note: *It can be argued that because Ganon was only partly revived in OoX, the rules of his mortality had changed.

The Dark World vs The Twilight Realm
The Dark World is a realm created out of Ganondorf's mind. The Dark World is essentially a twisted world of Hyrule created out of the Sacred Realm.

The Twilight Realm was a world created to prevent the Interlopers from ever returning to the land of Hyrule and obtaining the Triforcee for their own selfish needs. It essentially is a reflection of Hyrule just more black.