Archive:Timeline Theories/Other Community Theories

Between the 2D Child, 2D Adult, and 2D Split timelines, few unique specimens have fallen deep in the cracks of the community's forums. Some fans insist that the series still follows a linear timeline, as it did during the release of A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening, and still others believe that there may not be a timeline at all. Because the linear timeline has been all but proven true, some of the theories on this page may be "outdated" - they will remain on this page to show the progress of timeline theories as the series progressed over the years. Below is a listing of all of the community's theories that could not be categorized into the 2D Child, 2D Adult, or the 2D Split disciplines.

Chaltab's Single Timeline (ZL)
SS >< TMC - OoT/MM - TP - TWW/PH - ST - FS/FSA - OoS/OoA/LA/ALttP - LoZ/AoL


 * The Wind People from TMC are the Sky People from TP.
 * A war broke out days after Ocarina of Time's final scene. Ganondorf tried to obtain the Triforce and was captured and executed, resurrected, and sealed in the Twilight realm. It's legend was later appended onto the Seal War.
 * A new Hyrule was founded after the flood, either on a new continent or by the Great Deku Tree's plan.
 * The Dark Mirror from FSA is an attempted replica or re-forging of the Twilight Mirror from TP, and contains the Twili.
 * Tbe Dark World from FSA is the same as the spread of Twilight in the first half of TP.
 * Ganondorf from the Adult Timeline is the Ganondorf of TWW. He circumvents the original seal and a second one is placed on his power via the Master Sword. Then he dies from severe cranial trauma.
 * The Ganondorf of TP is given the Triforce of Power by the sealed Ganon from the Adult Timeline.
 * The 'latter half' of the Seal War was FSA; it's legend was combined with the ancient stories of Ganon forming the version we read in the ALTTP manual. That reincarnated Ganondorf became Ganon upon obtaining the Trident, which is of uncertain origin.
 * Oracle takes place before Link's Awakening and ALTTP; The Wind Fish's dream contains elements of prophecy--Aghanim and the full-fledged return of Ganon.)
 * The scroll in AOL's manual was written over several generations and has multiple authors.

Evolving Ganon Timeline

 * Pre-OoT: SS >< [TMC-FS/FSA]
 * Child: OoT-MM-TP
 * Adult: OoT-ALttP-LA-LoZ-AoL-OoX-WW-PH-ST

Close observation of Minish Cap graphics reveal that the hero of man did NOT wear a cap. All other Zelda games regard the cap as a traditional part of the hero's garb, and it is likely Ezlo himself started that tradition. Thus, TMC is the first game, and its arc the fisrt.

Ganon in FSA was a surprise twist, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that this was his first venture into conquest. It is entirely possible that the demon Ganon was originally bound to the trident Ganondorf found, and was forced to abandon him after Link's defeat.

Ganondorf, recognizing the value of such power, immediately began to consider gathering it anew. The legends of the triforce led him to Hyrule, and the events of OoT took place. When Link was sent back with the knowledge of what was to come, a temporal quirk caused the triforce of courage to go to him, and therfore the other two triforces to go to their owners. Thus the execution of Ganondorf failed, and the Sages locked him away in the twilight realm. Majora, sensing the temporal quirk, manipulated a nearby skull into stealing it from the Happy Mask Salesman, and then further manipulated his in an attempt to get Link and the triforce of courage out of the Hyrule timeline completely by killing him in Termina. This happily failed, partially due to Majora's own insanity but mostly due to Link's efforts, and Link was returned to the timeline where he lived a long and happy life. Later in this history, TP occurs.

In the other timeline, due to Link inadvertently bringing the three triforce pieces together, Zelda was able to wish her land healed and people safe. Unfortunately, this sent the triforce back into the Sacred Realm that Ganondorf was now sealed in. After floating around for a bit, Ganondorf bangs into the triforce of Power again, and the events of ALttP take place. The current king, not wanting to make the same mistake twice, rushes in after Link makes his wish and uses the complete Triforce (successfully, whadaya know!) to wish that the triforce was very difficult to find. Meanwhile, Link has a dream, which is LA.

The king's son is rather annoyed about the whole thing, and asks the current Zelda to tell him where all the triforce bits are. She says no. The LoZ backstory takes place. A few decades later, Ganondorf has regathered all the shards of the triforce of power (probably by tricking loads of people to "sacrifice" anything golden to the dark world), and he bursts forth, kidnapping the current Zelda in full expectation that she has the triforce of wisdom. Which she doesn't, so he's annoyed AGAIN. LoZ takes place, and then AoL takes place.

The new Twinrova pair fly off to distant countries, and Link goes off to chase them. OoX takes place... but the trick here is that Twinrova released both Ganon the demon and Ganondorf the man. Ganon the demon isn't all that intelligent, and Link beats him easily. Ganondorf the man, however, once again steps forward from the temple of time! Everybody realizes this is a bad thing, so the Oracles call upon the godesses to flood the land...

And, centuries later, Wind Waker happens. And then Phantom Hourglass, and then Spirit Tracks. Of course, this theory could be complete nonsense.

Jumbie's Split Gaiden Theory (ZL)
Adult: SS >< TMC - OoT - TWW/PH - ST

Child timeline: SS >< TMC - OoT/MM - TP

Gaiden timeline: SS >< TMC - OoT - ALttP/OoS/OoA/LA/(AST) - FS/FSA - LoZ/AoL


 * The Wind People from TMC are the Sky People from TP.
 * TP's prolonged wars are when the Twili's ancestors were banished, and the same wars from ALttP's manual.
 * In a third timeline, Link is absent when Ganondorf takes the Triforce, so the Seal War unfolds instead.
 * The Dark Mirror from FSA is the Mirror of Twilight from TP.
 * Ganondorf and Vaati have the same right to be reborn as new persons as any other Hyrulean.

KnightofHyrule's Legend Timeline
This timeline recognizes that many games in the series appear to be re-tellings of the same story, reflecting the natural evolution that all legends undergo. As the legend of Zelda is passed down from person to person, it changes, it evolves. These 'legends' are organized in chronological order based on events, and not the games themselves.

Sword of the Sky (TMC, SS) - The Imprisoning War (OoT, FSA) - The Ancient Mask (MM, TP) - The Great Cataclysm (ALttP, TWW, TP) - Shattered Triforce (LoZ, TWW) - Hero of Dreams (LA, PH) - Evil's Resurrection (AoL, OoS/A, ST)


 * ALttP, OoT, FSA & TP all detail different versions of the Imprisoning War.
 * The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess each encompass two legends.
 * Four Swords is not listed, but takes place before the Imprisoning War.

Lexxi's Single Timeline (N/A)
SS - OoT/MM - TP - TWW/PH - ST - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA - [TFPRR] - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA/[AST]


 * OoT is the IW of ALttP. Ganon is removed from the sealed Sacred Realm to be executed in TP, and is revived prior to TWW.
 * The hero in TP either is or predates the one who split the Triforce prior to TWW. All heroes who use the Master Sword are the "Hero of Time," whose title has the dual meaning of "Hero who travels through time" and "Hero who appears throughout time."
 * The KoRL is the prince from the AoL Sleeping Zelda story, and OoT Zelda is the Sleeping Princess. The Triforce of Courage is left in the Great Palace after TWW.
 * The kingdom of LoZ/AoL is founded on the islands of the Great Sea, made larger and brought together by the Deku Tree, and christened with the Triforce’s blessing at the end of AoL.
 * The Light Force is a powerful Force Gem introduced after the Triforce leaves the new Hyrule.
 * A new Master Sword is forged in OoA by the Zoras.
 * The Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after OoS/OoA.
 * The Dark Mirror in FSA is a forgery of the Mirror of Twilight.
 * OoT is the IW of ALttP, and TP’s prolonged wars are the wars told as leading up to the IW.
 * The demon Ganon is one entity throughout the entire series, taking on multiple incarnations over time.
 * The Four Sword is sealed in the Sacred Realm by the maidens after FSA. This accounts for Ganon's appearance there in ALttP.

NOTE: This timeline is purely personal, and does not adhere to traditional "canon." See “Lexxi's New Hylian Kingdom Theory” for this theorist's traditional timeline.

Petenu's "Timeblob" Timeline (ZW)
This timeline theory can be reduced to the fundamental statement "any apparent chronological dependencies from one game to another are entirely coincidental."

To elaborate upon this further, the theory posits that when writing the plot and script for any given game, the developers either (a) make numerous dumb mistakes when trying to fit it into the plots of existing games, or (b) don't really care. In essence, each game exists in isolation, in its own universe, but where the out-of-game events of that universe bear many similarities to the universes of the other games.

This can be represented in the following fashion:


 * Some stuff happened - TMC - Some other stuff happened. Meanwhile, in another universe:
 * Some stuff happened - OoT - Some other stuff happened. Meanwhile, in another universe:
 * Some stuff happened - MM - Some other stuff happened. Meanwhile, in another universe:

...and so on.

The Phantom Timeline (ZI)

 * OoT - TWW/PH - ST

SS --- SW - [TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/OoX/LA - LoZ/AoL]
 * OoT/MM -- -- -- - TP
 * OoT/MM -- -- -- - TP

The SW is the single-most important topic of debate sustaining the 2D continuum relation to the 3D timeline on either branch. Sadly the confirmation of the Split Timeline has not provided enough flexibility to resolve the many plot holes, considering the termination of Ganondorf’s threats on both AT and CT timeline branches.

This theory states that the FSS can’t serve a means to connect into the classics on the sole basis of the SW being FSA or as a separate event, nor can it sustain that relation if both AT and CT timelines end with overwriting/taking place of OoT-ALttP intent in the first place – which has not been confirmed retconned in any way by the developers, nor can the FSA story revamp indicate FSA-ALttP intent stayed intact. Yet if it is concluded that FSA story was simplified as an act of not confusing ALttP BS and FSS mythos, with OoT in mind, then it can at least be assumed that the ambiguity was meant to do just that. Thus FSA serves as a bridge between the SW and ALttP at most.

There are three main elements that make up the SW which OoT perfectly reflects in general terms of ALttP's BS:

1. Ganondorf poses a threat to Hyrule and the SR 2. Ganondorf obtains the Triforce in some way shape or form 3. The Sages contain Ganondorf's evil threats

FSA does not match up with the SW because the Triforce does not play a role in-game.

Furthermore there are two games, TP and TWW, which reflect ALttP already: The presence of a future Hero arising to defeat the ancient threat (Ganon) that has risen to power again.

One thing FSA does to the series continuity is that it adds another element to Ganon's origins - this being the Trident. It is uncertain who made the Trident, but its purpose seems to ensure another 'demon (mauo) spreads a Dark World (makai) when and if something happens to the former wielder. There has only ever been one individual throughout the series bearing the "King of Darkness/Evil" title, and it can be inferred that the weapon contains the aura/power (not spirit/soul) of its former holder. Regardless of whether Zelda's quote on the 'ancient demon reborn' holds any or no significance in face of NoA translations errors, the Trident's role reflects developer intent of having FSA try to lead off from an absence of a former Ganon-threat somewhere amongst the timeline. With this logic in mind, FSA is liable to go after any game which ends in Ganon/dorfs threat being removed from Hyrule (this of course does not limit Ganon/dorf having to be dead; he could also be contained/sealed away considering the Trident does not hold his spirit/soul in any way). However, FSA cannot lead from or into any of the classic titles related to ALttP because Nintendo ignored sustaining OoT-ALttP intent on AT and CT timeline branches; it simply can’t work because the SW and its versions of ALttP, TWW and TP, already took place.

If others’ logic deduct that by AT and CT endings overwriting/taking place of OoT-ALttP intent remain evident, the SW is justified as being retconned in theory too. FSA nature only adds framework to this hypothesis, but the argument is the foundation for either beliefs. Yet with the addition of another SW tale, one must also assume the existence of a third Ganon in the series - which this theory does not support by presenting this question:

“How does a New SW solves anything but use a 'New Ganon' as a cop-out on ignoring OoT=SW intent, when FSA story simplifications are concluded to NOT confuse ALttP BS with FSS mythos? If the SW is not FSA, how does the story revamp indicate the event was broken from OoT? Furthermore, how then does this relate the rest of the 3D games to the classics when ALttP has/was the only game to ever do so since 1998?”

If indeed the SW is a separate event from OoT, one must conclude that there is a Ganon residing in the Sacred Realm/Dark World during the course of FSA’s events. Thus the Trident must act as a channeling device through the host whom has been enveloped by the aura of the Trident. The Four Sword’s eventual residence in the Dark World causes SW Ganon to merge with FSA Ganon. While the Phantom Timeline supports this function, it argues that if OoT = SW has not been retconned by developer intent, the SW as a separate event does no benefit in using FSA to relate the classics back into the 3D AT and CT continuums. There are simply two Ganons; one of which has to merge/posses the other in order for OoT-ALttP intent to still make sense with the FSS.

This timeline's middle branch is flexible to swing to either AT or CT continuums should newer developer information outright indicate OoT =/= SW anymore, or that there are two SW-stories going on in one timeline branch. Given the majority reasons for why FSA story simplifications occurred, it’s unlikely the developers wanted another SW-related-story confusing players, given its heavy resemblance to ALttP style in every way.

Either the developers wanted the FSS to connect into the classics, OR have FSA (at least) after a game ending in Ganon/dorf's removal from Hyrule. This theory supports that newer 3D titles will not be FS-related. Thus nullifying connections into either AT or CT branches since the FSS are of 2D nature, and also present restriction for future titles - restrictions which the classics imposed with OoT-ALttP intent in the first place.

Spoon Link's Triple-Split Timeline

 * TWW/PH - ST - FPTRR/CCTLBT

(SS) - TMC - FS - OoT - (Ganon escapes but is killed) - FSA - ALttP/KnS/OoX/LA - LoZ/G&W/AoL
 * MM - TP/LCT
 * MM - TP/LCT

Skyward Sword Link may or may not be the Hero of Men; if he is, then it may be that he used the Master Sword to seal the monsters, and later, Sages secretly and magically moved the Master Sword to the Temple of Time, putting another sword into the Bound Chest(that still worked to seal the monsters), and that sword never really had holy power until it was infused with Elements. That timeline in the middle is the "original timeline". It happens when Link decides not to go back to his own time at the end of OoT, to protect Hyrule. At the same time he did in the backstory of TWW, Ganon escapes, but unlike in the backstory of TWW, Link is there and kills Ganon. (This leaves room for FSA's Ganon.) FPTRR takes place in Deku Tree's Success many years after ST, and the people who live there are descendants of those who didn't leave the Great Sea. LoZ's Ganon is a separate Ganon from OoT's and FSA's. OoX Twinrova is different from OoT's. Perhaps because they were twins they were named Koume and Kotake (they might be popular Gerudo twin names; likewise, the Gerudo probably wouldn't have named another Gerudo king Ganondorf in FSA unless it was tradition) and decided to follow in their footsteps. Also, the Imprisoning War legend is the events of OoT and FSA that, through retellings, ended up as one legend. OoX's Master Sword is not the real thing, it just has the same name. Ganon got from the Four Sword seal to the Sacred Realm between FSA and ALttP when one of the people who got there from one of the natural portals accidentally broke the seal in the Palace of the Four Sword, and the seal was weaker in the Sacred Realm. If the CDi games are to be included just for the sake of it, let's just say they are some weird dreams that LoZ Link and Zelda had.

Three Universe Theory (N/A)
Universe 1

Adult: SS - OoT - TWW/PH - ST

Child: SS - OoT/MM - TP

Universe 2

TMC/FS/FSA - ALttP/LA

Universe 3

LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA


 * Three separate continuities that do not intersect.
 * TMC and FS are notably first in their universes.
 * ALttP's IW is FSA.
 * AoL backstory refers to the first Zelda.

Tounushi's Split Adult Time-Line Theory (N/A)
Adult Time-Line 1: SS - OoT - TWW/PH - ST

Adult Time-Line 2: SS - OoT - ALttP/LA - LoZ/AoL

Child Time-Line :  SS - OoT/MM-TP


 * Wind Waker's opening story seems to give a feeling of a "what if" scenario instead of aLttP: Hero of Time seals Ganon (both) Ganon sneaks/breaks his way through the seal (both), Ganon practically conquers Hyrule (tWW) / Link kills Ganon before Hyrule is completely enslaved (aLttP).
 * tMC-FS/FSA continuity gives such a different story (e.g. light force), that the continuity is basically a Gaiden.
 * Oracles is before or after LoZ/AoL. Difficult to exactly bolt the arc down.  aLttP just had a major crisis, so the knigdom would've taken many years to recover to the level presented in Oracles.  AoL presents a large world that seems to prosper, even only a few years after LoZ, where people were living in caves.  Both options have the whole triforce and Ganon is definitely dead.
 * The "city in the sky" is a concept used in tMC and TP, but neither games' cities are related.
 * Whatever races resemble each other in the ATL2 and CTL is due to the fact that both have a common history from the time before OoT.
 * The ancestors of the Twili might've been the first/most powerful of the groups/tribes to lust, search and war for the Sacred Realm. They might've even existed before the building of the Temple of Time, as they DID MANAGE to enter the realm.  Afterward the goddesses and the spirits banished them to a world between the Sacred Realm and the Real World: Twilight Realm.  The ancient sages built the Temple of Time to prevent this from happening again, at the same time creating the old kingdom of Hyrule to protect the Temple OR granting an earlier kingdom of Hyrule to hold the territory where the Temple resided.  This made the kingdom the envy of other races/tribes/kingdoms or even rival nobles within the kingdom, sparking the Hyrulean Civil War.  The war may have even lasted for centuries on some level of intensity, before reaching its climax and end right before OoT.
 * Peculiarly, Ganondorf didn't seem to be as interested in reassembling the Triforce in TP as he did in the other games. This would be because he received his Triforce of Power "out of the blue" in the CTL, after the events of OoT, much like Zelda receiving her Triforce of Wisdom.  In the ATL, Ganondorf is consumed by his anger and frustration of having the complete Triforce slip from his fingers.  Sure, he might've had ambitions to attain the triforce from the beginning, but in ATL, he strived and failed to attain the Triforce, while in CTL he just received it without any effort on his part.  As he received this "blessing," he went on a thieving rampage, but was caught and tried before making any serious damage.  After harnessing the powers of Twilight, he had no further overriding desire to attain the last pieces of the triforce.
 * The Sealing War is OoT: The story has changed from accurate accounts over the years/centuries, downplaying the Hero of Time and promoting the Hylian Knights (how many could topple an evil kingdom and a demon king ALONE?). The temple of Time was deconstructed and moved OR the Hyrule castle was rebuilt elsewhere, to the east of Kakariko.  The Temple dacayed into ruins as a forest grew around it until the Pedestal of Time and the Master Sword were left.

United Wise Men's Timeline (N/A)
SS - OoT/MM - TP - TWW/PH - ST- TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA - LoZ/AoL


 * The hero in TP either is or predates the one who split the Triforce prior to TWW.
 * The Hyrule in the 2D games was formed by the success of the Koroks and Deku Tree in uniting the islands.
 * The Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after TWW.
 * Ganon is revived in FSA and sealed in the Sacred Realm by the Four Sword.
 * The Triforce is kept by the royal family after ALttP.

NOTE: The council became indifferent over OoX placement, surmising it came either some time after ALttP or around LoZ/AoL

Zero's Timeline
Universe 1: SS - OoT/MM - TP - ALttP - OoS/OoA - LA - TWW/PH - ST - LoZ/AoL Universe 2: TMC - FS -FSA


 * Link does not return to the past in OoT.
 * Link is sent back by the gods to save Terminia and is sent back afterward.
 * Link marries Malon and becomes a Knight of Hyrule, as his late father was, and knowing he has only sealed Ganondorf away, dies full of regret and comes to teach his descedant, Twilight Princess Link, his sword skills.
 * ALttP Link is descended from Twilight Princess Link.
 * ALttP Link goes to have a family and his great grandson is the Link of OoS/OoA and LA
 * The Events of the Great Flood occur, the descendant of the OoS/OoA Link becomes one of the survivors of the Great Flood.
 * TWW Link is the descendant of the descendant of the OoS/OoA Link's descendant that became a survivor of the flood.
 * TWW events occur, Hyrule is flooded, then the events of PH occurs. The events of Spirit Tracks occur.
 * The events of the orginal Legend of Zelda occur, soon followed by AoL.
 * The Vaati series is a separate parallel timeline, it is a seperate alternative universe.

Trivia

 * In regard to theories suggesting that The Minish Cap and its successors precede Ocarina of Time, it should be noted that the Hyrule is said to have existed as a unified kingdom beneath the Royal Family long before the events of The Minish Cap, as noted by King Gustaf. The Hylian Royal Family is said to have existed for generations at the time of Ocarina of Time, which precedes the assumed decade when Hyrule was unified, though this would have been before Hyrule was united into one nation under their rule. Given that many generations of rulers apparently have ruled Hyrule between Gustaf's reign and the events of The Minish Cap, this has led some to doubt the assertion that The Minish Cap (and by extension its two successors) could precede Ocarina of Time.
 * It is also curious to note that while Twinrova was killed by the Hero of Time in the adult branch of Ocarina of Time, they are never killed in the child branch. The Gerudo witches reappear in the Oracle games, leaving theorists to try to determine which branch the two games fall into, though the inclusion of Twinrova can perhaps offer some insight here as the sisters were not killed in the child branch of Ocarina of Time, leaving them open to future inclusion in that branch certainly and possibly narrowing the proper placement of the Oracle games to being somewhere in the so-called Child Timeline.