Zelda Timeline

The Legend of Zelda Timeline details the official chronology of the Legend of Zelda series, as revealed by the December 2011 release of Hyrule Historia in Japan. Hyrule Historia is a compilation of official sources with Eiji Aonuma as its chief editor and therefore represents the developer's view of the chronology most accurately.

''Although the visuals in Hyrule Historia provide an accurate overview of the timeline, more detailed information pertaining to the timeline sourced in Hyrule Historia is translated from the Japanese edition. An official English version will be released in January 2013; there may be discrepancies in translation between the English and Japanese languages that may change the overall intent, structure, or perception of this information and/or timeline.''

History of the Zelda Timeline
Since the days of Pong, video game storylines have endured an amazing evolution, moving from simple "slay the dragon" conflict, through "save the princess" heroism, and into wonderfully deep epics. Early installments of the Legend of Zelda series emerged at a very interesting point of this process; a point where the market was divided between casual platformers and plot-focused RPGs.

Zelda found a niche market somewhere in the middle. This is reflected in the storyline of such games as The Adventure of Link and A Link to the Past, which are simple and yet inspiring. Over the years, Nintendo has kept to this trend. Developers often focus foremost on gameplay and theme, and generally only decide on a definite storyline close to the completion of development. Resulting games are well-connected to the overall Legend of Zelda universe - and consider elements of games past - but do not often present immediate or obvious chronological connections.

In the early stages, this worked wonderfully. The first five Legend of Zelda releases were easily understood and organized. In 1998, the timeline had room even for the content of the Legend of Zelda television show and manga, as well as the mistakes of NoA, which would later be considered non-canonical.

Unfortunately, as time went on the sheer amount of information being introduced into the Legend of Zelda canon made a complete understanding less possible. Games such as The Wind Waker and Four Swords Adventures seemed to strain the connection between older games, and many fans began to wonder whether the Four Swords series had a place in the timeline at all.

Fans of the series wanting to learn more of the timeline began to discuss the concept on the Internet, slowly reaching conclusions on those issues which could be resolved and falling into bitter debate on those which could not. The debate continued for years, with fans dissecting Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Sword. On December 21, 2011, Nintendo of Japan published an official chronology of The Legend of Zelda series in Hyrule Historia, outlining how the games in the series are related to one another.

Timeline Theories
Zelda Timeline Theories are perhaps the object of greatest debate amongst fans of the series. Nintendo's transcendental and thorough method of incorporating the tried-and-true formula of "gameplay first, story later" has arguably produced some of the greatest games of all time, but it has also resulted in an incoherent chronology - full of loose ends, contradictions, and general confusion. Fortunately, this has motivated fans to do all they can to sift, sort, and organize the Legend of Zelda canon.

=Chronology of the Legend of Zelda Series=

"…This is a tale that was passed down by humans such as yourselves…"

The opening line of the chronology section in Hyrule Historia implies that the narration is done by a group of Hyrulean scholars. Since the account presented may contain inaccuracies, the editors of the book invite the readers to give their own interpretation regarding the actual events.

Creation of the World
Hyrule was formed many ages ago through the works of the three Golden Goddesses: Din the Goddess of Power, Nayru the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore the Goddess of Courage. Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule. Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land, created the red earth, and was thus responsible for the creation of the geography of Hyrule. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world, bringing order to a formerly chaotic realm. Farore, with her rich soul, created all life forms that would uphold the law established by Nayru.

The Era of the Goddess Hylia
When the labors of the three great goddesses were completed, they departed the world for the heavens. The three goddesses left behind a symbol of their power, the all-powerful relic known as the Triforce, which when mastered in its entirety would grant the heart's desire of its holder. They trusted their ultimate power, the Triforce in the hands of Her Grace, the Goddess Hylia, to protect it. The Demon King Demise, wanting to make the world his own, gathered an army of monsters and together launched an attack against the people of the surface, murdering them and causing misfortunes in an attempt to get their hands on the power guarded by Hylia.

Hylia gathered the surviving humans on a piece of land and sent it to the heavens, beyond the clouds and out of reach from the evil plaguing the land. In order to keep it from falling into the hands of Demise, Hylia also send the Triforce to The Sky and hid the portals to three pieces of the Triforce within Sky Keep, and enshrined the Goddess Sword inside the Statue of the Goddess, to be found by a chosen hero when the time was right. Now that the humans were safe, the goddess and the five tribes who lived on the surface joined forces and sealed away Demise, restoring peace to the land, although the goddess had suffered "grave injuries".

The Sky Era
Skyloft remained in the sky above the clouds for generations, knowledge of the Surface and the origins of Skyloft becoming mere legend. Despite their dwindling knowledge of their origins, the people of Skyloft still knew of the Goddess Hylia and believed she watched over them to that day, unaware that she was living among them in a mortal form.

On the day of the 25th anniversary of Skyloft's Knight Academy, Zelda is taken to the surface by Demon Lord Ghirahim in an attempt to revive Demise. That night, Link is awakend by the voice of a mysterious spirit, who reveals itself as the sword spirit of the Goddess Sword, created by the goddess Hylia for the purpose of assisting Hylia's chosen hero in fulfilling his destiny. Guided by Fi, Link travels to the Surface in search of Zelda, who herself is guided by Impa to purify her body at the goddess statues to reawaken as the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia. As Zelda and Impa escape from Ghirahim to the past, Link quests to purify the Goddess Sword and power it to become the Master Sword. After traveling to the past, Zelda reveals her true identity to him, and as such must remain in a deep sleep to keep Demise imprisoned within his seal. Link travels back to the present and after learning the Song of the Hero finds the Triforce and successfully wishes upon the destruction of Demise. After Zelda awakens from her sleep, an enraged Ghirahim kidnaps her back to the past, where Demise is still alive. Link follows Ghirahim to the past for a final showdown, but is unable to stop the ritual to revive Demise. The ancient Demon King escapes from his seal, swallows Zelda as The Imprisoned and returns to his original form. Demise announces his intention to take the world as his own now that Hylia is gone, but gives Link the chance to duel him in another realm for the fate of the world. After a fierce fight, Link bests Demise and fatally wounds him. The Demon King stumbles to his feet, congratulating Link, but warns him that it is not over, and that his hatred would be reborn as a being to pursue domination of the world, and those with the blood of the goddess and spirit of the hero in a cycle without end. Link raises his blade and absorbs the remains of the Demon King into the Master Sword.

Link returns from the battle to find Zelda and Groose, and the three return to the Temple of Hylia, where they meet with Impa and prepare to return to their own time. At Fi's behest, Link plunges the Master Sword into a pedestal in the Sealed Temple, leaving it and his partner behind now that her purpose to guide Link had been completed. Saying goodbye to Impa before she destroys the Gate of Time, the three return to their own time where peace has returned and residents of Skyloft take their first steps on the Surface.

The Era of Chaos
Following the defeat of Demise, the world created by the Golden Goddesses and guarded by the Goddess Hylia, became known as Hyrule.

Those descended from the people who were living in ancient times under the protection of the Goddess Hylia were known as Hylians. They were born with magic-infused blood, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry. It is also believed that the Hylians' pointed ears allow them to hear the messages of the gods.

Hyrule knew many years of peace, however, the legend of the Triforce and its power was lusted after by many people, and a wave of chaos descended upon the land of Hyrule as people tried to take this power for themselves. To protect the sacred power, Rauru, the Sage of Light, sealed the entrance to the Sacred Realm within the Temple of Time, with the Master Sword and the Spiritual Stones securing the barriers to its entrance. The Temple of Light, located at the center of the Sacred Realm, became the resting place of the Triforce, while Rauru isolated himself within the temple to continue protecting the sacred relic.

The Era of Prosperity
Those with the blood of the Goddess Hylia, reborn as Zelda, established the kingdom of Hyrule. Hyrule Castle was build at the center of the land, watching over the Temple of Time, which was protecting the Sacred Realm and the Triforce.

Many years passed after the kingdom's establishment. Within the Royal Family of Hyrule, as descendants of the Goddess, many were born with a special power that existed deep within the bloodline and the queen would often be named Zelda after the historical legend.

The Hero of Men
As ages went by and the Kingdom of Hyrule continued to develop in peace, one day the land was suddenly overwhelmed by evil creatures that descended upon it in swarms, driving the world into shadows and bringing the kingdom to near-ruin. As Hyrule neared the brink of collapse, the tiny Picori appeared from the sky and gave the Hero of Men the Picori Blade and the magical Light Force. Using these two special gifts, the Hero drove the beasts back and restored light to the land of Hyrule.

To ensure the beasts could not bring further destruction to the land, the Hero of Men sealed them all within the Bound Chest. Sealing the chest with the Picori Blade itself, the Hero of Men was able to bring the destructive war to an end and brought peace to the kingdom. The Light Force was embodied within the princess of Hyrule to prevent its misuse, shining forth upon the lands within its ruler.

The Hero of the Four Sword
One year, in celebration of when the Picori last came to Hyrule 100 years ago to the day, the festival was unusually grand. Hyrule Castle was hosting a tournament of sword-fighting skill that called to mind the heroes of legend. That year’s champion was a mysterious man by the name of Vaati. He won the tournament with an almost magical ease, and all of Hyrule was abuzz with rumors about this shadowy figure. During the ceremony following the sword competition, Vaati shattered the sacred Picori Blade and opened the Bound Chest, which, for an age, had been sealed by the Picori Blade, trapping evil monsters within. Vaati was after the Light Force, that golden light that was once wielded by the hero mentioned in the legends of the Picori. He subdued the castle guards and turned Princess Zelda to stone before making a speedy departure.

King Daltus asked the young Link to seek out the Picori and ask them to reforge the sacred blade. Traveling to the Minish Woods he met Ezlo, who helped him find the Picori, or Minish as they called themselves. Link met with the elder of Minish Village, who told him that in order to reforge the sacred Picori sword he would require the four Elements, the embodiments of the sacred powers of earth, fire, water, and wind. Once he had gathered the Four Elements, Link brought the Picori Blade—now the White Sword—to the Elemental Sanctuary hidden within the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. There he infused the White Sword with the Elements, fully restoring the sacred Four Sword; a legendary blade with the power to split one warrior into four.

Meanwhile, Vaati had brainwashed King Daltus and shrouded Hyrule Castle in darkness. He had discovered that the sacred Light Force had actually been passed down through Hyrule’s princesses, and so he prepared to extract the Light Force from Princess Zelda. Link rushed to her rescue, and, after vanquishing Vaati, he used the Four Sword’s evil-banishing power to restore Princess Zelda. Vaati had been a Minish, an apprentice of Ezlo, who was also a Minish. Ezlo had made a magical cap with the power to grant wishes, but Vaati had stolen it and used it to become a powerful sorcerer. He had transformed Ezlo into a hat himself, then proceeded to hunt down the Light Force. Now that Vaati had fallen, the wishing cap could be used to restore Hyrule. Princess Zelda put on the cap and wished with all her heart that Vaati’s cruelty might be undone. With her righteous wish and the power of the Light Force that still dwelled within her, many miracles happened as a result and peace returned to the land of Hyrule.

The Resurrection of the Wind Mage
Peace returned briefly to the kingdom of Hyrule, as Vaati was presumed dead, but suddenly he re-appeared to terrorize the land once again. No longer remembering his days as a Picori, or his lust for the Light Force, he made himself a home in the Palace of Winds and he named himself the The Great Sorcerer of the Wind, Vaati. With the power to bend the wind to his will, Vaati goes on a rampage, using this awful power to terrorize many villages of Hyrule. In his assaults on the villages, Vaati would kidnap any beautiful girls who caught his fancy.

Many knights from the castle and other brave men set out to subdue the sorcerer and rescue the girls, but each one fell in turn to Vaati's awesome power. Just as the people had begun to lose hope, a lone young boy traveling with little but a sword at his side appeared. When this boy heard what was happening, he said only, "I will defeat this sorcerer." He boldly entered Vaati's palace, mystically trapped the evil sorcerer inside the blade of his sword, and returned the young girls to their villages. The boy then went deep into the forest and disappeared.

The villagers asked the girls how a boy so young could have saved them all and defeated the sorcerer when no one else could. The young girls told a story of how, with just a wave of his sword, the boy's body shattered into four pieces, each of which then formed a complete copy of the boy. These four young boys then worked together to defeat the sorcerer. The people did not believe the story, but they called it the Four Sword nonetheless. As rumors of the blade's power to divide a person into four entities spread, the people built a shrine to protect it.

Defeat of the Wind Mage
For generations Zelda and her descendants managed the seal of the Four Sword, but one day the seal weakened. Zelda was in Hyrule Castle when she sensed that something unusual was occurring at the Four Sword Shrine. She asked a boy named Link, whom she trusted above anyone else, to accompany her to investigate the happenings at the shrine. As they approached the shrine to check on the seal, a dark figure suddenly appeared and grabbed princess Zelda. The seal on Vaati had weakened over time, and Vaati managed to break out of his prison within the Four Sword.

Having still no memory of his time as a Picori, or the power of the Light Force, Vaati did not recognize the princess and saw her only as a fair maiden. He decided she was to become his bride to commemorate his return and took off with her to his palace. After being instructed by fairies, Link takes the Four Sword from its pedestal and is split into four, as the legend foretold. The Great Fairies could help Link to get to the Palace of Winds, but not until he proved himself courageous enough. After traveling over three different lands and the dungeons they contained, Link and his three other selves confronted the wind mage in the Palace of Winds, the seat of Vaati's power. After an arduous battle between the sorcerer and the heroes, Link was able to reseal Vaati into the Four Sword's blade. Princess Zelda and the people of Hyrule once again kept a watchful eye on the Four Sword.

The Era of the Hero of Time


For reasons not specified, Hyrule entered into a period of fierce war. During this war, a Hylian woman fled the fires of war and entered the Kokiri Forest, giving her newborn baby, named Link, to the Great Deku Tree to be raised as a Kokiri. Finally the war ended and the King of Hyrule unified his country.

When the baby had become a young boy, he had many restless nights as nightmares of an evil man from the desert plagued his sleep. One day, The Great Deku Tree sent the Fairy Companion Navi to summon him. After defeating the monster Gohma within the Deku Tree itself, the guardian of the forest revealed that he had been cursed by the evil Ganondorf and implored Link to take the Spiritual Stone of Forest, the Kokiri Emerald, to Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle. Link hurried to Hyrule Castle to meet Zelda, who told him that Ganondorf plotted to appropriate the sacred power of the Triforce. She and Link schemed to obtain the Triforce before Ganon could. Link would gather the other Spiritual Stones needed to open the Door of Time, and she would play the Ocarina of Time to open the door.



After retrieving the two remaining Spirtual Stones, Link returned to Hyrule Castle only to see Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf. During her flight, Zelda threw the Ocarina of Time into the moat for Link to find. After a brief confrontation with Ganondorf, Link retrieved the Ocarina and proceeded to the Temple of Time. With all the keys in hand, he opened the Door of Time and lifted the Master Sword from its pedestal, opening the entrance to the Sacred Realm. As Link was too young to be the Hero of Time, Link's spirit was sealed in the Temple of Light for seven years.

With the gates of the Sacred Realm unguarded, Ganondorf was able to enter and take the Triforce for his own. However, since his heart was not in balance, the Prince of Darkness was left with only the Triforce of Power. Despite this, Ganondorf was able to use it to conquer the land of Hyrule, as the Hero of Time slept for seven years. After seizing the Triforce and corrupting the Sacred Realm, he caused that corruption to seep into the temples of the Sages, which became infested with all kinds of monsters, so that the Sages-to-be would not be able to fulfill their duty and aid Link.

As Link awakened after seven years, he found Hyrule in ruins. Led by Rauru's and Sheik's instructions, Link managed to cleanse the temples and help each Sage to gain their power. Upon Rauru's advice, he then returned to the Temple of Time, where he found Sheik waiting. His mysterious ally revealed himself to be none other than Princess Zelda, keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom and the seventh Sage, leader of them all. The reunion was cut short when the princess was abducted by Ganondorf. With the Sages help, Link fought his way to the top of Ganon's Tower, clearing the path to Ganondorf for the final showdown between the Hero of Time and the King of Evil.

Downfall Timeline
The is the timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle. Ganondorf obtained the remaining Triforce pieces from Link and Zelda, and was subsequently sealed within the corrupted Sacred Realm by the seven Sages. This timeline branch contains the events of A Link to the Past, the Oracle series, Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda, and The Adventure of Link in that order.

Ganondorf obtains the complete Triforce
After the Hero of Time is defeated at the hands of Ganondorf, the King of Evil extracted the Triforce of Courage from Link and the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda. Obtaining the true power of the complete Triforce, he is transformed into the Demon King Ganon. In a desperate last resort, the Seven Sages seal Ganon along with the complete Triforce away in the Sacred Realm, which was already transformed into the Dark World as a reflection of Ganondorf's evil heart.

The Imprisoning War


Hyrule enjoys a brief period of peace, but as rumors spread of the Golden Power lying in the Sacred Realm, greed-ridden Hyruleans traveled to the Sacred Realm seeking it, never to return. Within the Dark World, they were transformed into monsters by the power of the Triforce and became a part of Ganon's army. As this army grew larger, it poured forth from the Sacred Realm and attacked Hyrule.

The King of Hyrule commanded the Seven Sages of that era to seal the gateway to the Dark World shut, in order to halt Ganon's invasion of the kingdom. The Seven Sages did so under the protection of the Knights of Hyrule. The Knights of Hyrule took the full brunt of the attack from Ganon's monsters, and while they fought courageously to the end, they were nearly wiped out entirely as they did their duty. Their lives were not lost in vain however, as they bought the necessary time for the Seven Sages to create their seal, trapping Ganon's forces in the Dark World and halting the invasion. Though it had come at a very high cost, with this, the war ended in a victory for Hyrule. The people of Hyrule rejoiced nonetheless at the restoration of order and peace to their kingdom, thanks to the efforts of the Seven Sages and the Knights of Hyrule.

A Link to the Past
After the Imprisoning War, the blood of the Hylians diminished significantly compared to how it was in the Hero of Time era. Despite that, the Kingdom of Hyrule remained at peace for many years, until the land was suddenly plagued by a series of misfortunes. The King of Hyrule offered a reward for anyone who could put a stop to them; it was then that the dark wizard Agahnim appeared. Using previously unheard-of magic, the mysterious stranger put a stop the disasters. He was proclaimed a hero and said to be the second coming of the Seven Sages. As a reward for his services, the king appointed him chief advisor and priest at Hyrule Castle. Agahnim used this position and his magic to brainwash all of Hyrule's soldiers, depose the King of Hyrule, and make six of the Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, disappear into the Dark World. He did this in order to break the seal on Ganon, so that he could rule both the Light and Dark worlds. His last remaining victim was Zelda herself. As the princess lay in her prison cell, she used telepathy to call out to Link, who lived near the castle with his uncle.

Link awoke in the middle of the night to find his uncle leaving the house armed with a sword and shield. Despite his uncle's warnings, Link followed the telepathic call to the castle dungeon, where he found his uncle dying. With his last breath, Link's uncle bequeathed him the sword and shield, and told Link that he was the heir to the Knights of Hyrule. Link stormed the castle and rescued Zelda, leaving her in the care of the priest at the Sanctuary. The priest told Link to seek out Sahasrahla, the elder of Kakariko Village.

Sahasrahla told Link to seek out the three Pendants of Virtue in order to discover the Master Sword hidden deep within the Lost Woods. Link found these pendants in the Eastern Palace, Desert Palace, and Tower of Hera. Once he had obtained the legendary blade, however, Agahnim's forces attacked the Sanctuary and kidnapped Zelda. Link ventured into Hyrule Castle once again, only to see Agahnim send Zelda into the Dark World before his very eyes. Link defeated Agahnim atop Hyrule Castle, but Agahnim used the last of his magic to draw Link into the Dark World as well. This was a twisted dimension that transformed anyone into a reflection of their true selves. Link's dark world form was a pink rabbit. He was only able to remain in his human form with the help of the Moon Pearl.

Once trapped in the Dark World, Link could use the Magic Mirror to travel back and forth between worlds and rescue the maidens who were trapped in the Dark World palaces. During his adventures, Link learned that Agahnim was merely Ganon's pawn. He climbed Ganon's Tower and met Agahnim at the top. Link defeated Agahnim once more, but then saw Ganon rise out of Agahnim's crumpled body. Agahnim was in fact Ganon's alter ego. Ganon then fled to the Pyramid of Power in the center of the Dark World, with Link in hot pursuit. They faced off in one final battle, with Link emerging victorious. Link discovered the Triforce which Ganon had hidden deep within his fortress since his victory over the Hero of Time ages ago. He touched it, and his wish restored Hyrule to peace. The king and Link's uncle returned to life, and Link entrusted the Triforce to the Royal Family.

The Trial of the Triforce
After the defeat of Ganon, his surrogate mothers, the witches Twinrova, plotted to revive him. For this ritual, they required three flames to be lit: The Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, and follow these with a human sacrifice. In order to obtain these flames, the witches sent their minions: Onox, General of Darkness, to Holodrum; and Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, to Labrynna.

One day, when Link visited Hyrule Castle, the Triforce beckoned him into its chamber. Once he placed his hands on the Triforce, it transported him to the distant land of Holodrum, where a new adventure began.

The Adventure in Holodrum
Upon awakening in Holodrum, Link met with a group of traveling performers who were watching after a dancer named Din. Link danced with Din, but suddenly a whirlwind appeared and snatched Din away. Din was actually the Oracle of Seasons, and her capture by Onox meant that the seasons in the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. The only way to restore balance to the seasons was to collect the eight Essences of Nature scattered around Holodrum. Link quested for the essences, using the mythical Rod of Seasons in order to manipulate the seasons as he went.

Once Link defeated Onox and rescued Din, he was magically transported to the land of Labrynna, the setting of his second trial. However, even after his death, Onox's actions caused the Flame of Destruction to be lit.

The Adventure in Labrynna


Upon waking up in Labrynna, Link met Impa, who had been attacked by monsters. He helped her by moving a block with the Triforce crest on it. Then, both of them met Nayru, who was singing to animals.

Suddenly, a shadow came out of Impa and possessed Nayru, who was actually the Oracle of Ages. It was Veran, who had used Impa's body to trick Link. Veran used Nayru's time-traveling abilities to go back in time and alter the past. Veran influenced Queen Ambi in the past to build the sinister Black Tower. Link had to use the Harp of Ages to travel back and forth between the present and the past in order to collect the eight Essences of Time and challenge Veran atop the Black Tower. Link was able to drive Veran out of the body of Queen Ambi and defeat her, but he was too late: the Flame of Sorrow had been lit.

The Return of Ganon


In order to light the third and final flame, Twinrova kidnapped Princess Zelda who had arrived in Labrynna. This would complete their dark ritual and light the Flame of Despair. However, Link challenged them and killed them in battle. As a last-ditch effort to complete the sacrifice needed to revive Ganon, the witches offered their own bodies and revived the King of Darkness. However, because the ritual was incomplete, Ganon returned as a mindless beast. Link battled Ganon and killed him, restoring peace to Holodrum and Labrynna.

His quest to stop Ganon's revival complete, Link departed Labrynna by boat.

A Hero's Adventure within a Fleeting Dream
On his sea voyage back to Hyrule, Link ran into a terrible storm. The waves and winds overpowered his boat and sunk it. Link awoke, washed ashore on an island known as Koholint. He was rescued by Marin, a young woman who bore a striking resemblance to Princess Zelda. Upon his attempts to leave the island, its inhabitants insisted that there was nothing beyond the sea. He learned that the only way to get off the island was to collect the Eight Instruments of the Sirens and wake the Wind Fish who slept in an egg atop Mt. Tamaranch.

After traveling all over the island and obtaining the instruments, Link journeyed to the top of the mountain and played the Ballad of the Wind Fish and fought the Nightmare. Upon the Nightmare's defeat, it revealed that if the Wind Fish were to awake, the island would disappear, as it was just a dream of the Wind Fish.

Once Link had defeated the Nightmare and awakened the Wind Fish, he awoke clinging to the driftwood of his ship, adrift on the open seas. Link's whereabouts after this are unknown.

The Golden Era


Following the defeat of Ganon and the recovery of the Triforce, Hyrule entered a Golden Era of peace, in which great and wise rulers governed the land with the strength of the united Triforce at their command.

The Tragedy of Princess Zelda


When the last of the kings to use the Triforce anticipated his death, he hoped to find someone with the innate qualities that were fitting of a worthy possessor of the true Triforce; for if it were to fall in the wrong hands, evil would befall Hyrule. Unfortunately, he was unable to find any such person during his lifespan. Since his own son did not fit this archetype, the King elected to split the relic into its three component parts. Upon his death, the prince, instead of receiving the entire Triforce, inherited only the Triforces of Power and Wisdom. The prince frantically searched for the remaining Triforce of Courage, but in vain. Then, a wizard came to the prince and told him that his younger sister, Zelda, knew the location of the mystical object. The prince demanded that Zelda turn the information over to him, but Zelda refused and, in a rage, the wizard put Zelda into an eternal sleep, himself dying in the process. Overcome with grief, the prince sealed his sleeping sister in the North Castle and ordered that all female descendants of the Hylian monarchy were to be named Zelda. As Zelda was the only one who knew the location of the Triforce of Courage, the relic was lost and the royal family was no longer able to rule using the power of the unified Triforce. No one worthy of using the Triforce appeared and the kingdom was divided and reduced in size.

Evil Creeps In
Many years later, an evil army attacked the little kingdom of Hyrule and stole the Triforce of Power. This army was led by the Demon King Ganon, who once again had been revived and sought to plunge the World into fear and darkness under his rule. Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split the remaining Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and hid them throughout the realm. At the same time, she commanded her most trustworthy nursemaid, Impa, to secretly escape into the land and go find a man with enough courage to destroy the evil Ganon.

Braving forests and mountains, Impa fled for her life from her pursuers. As she reached the very limit of her energy she found herself surrounded by Ganon's evil henchmen, until a young lad appeared who skillfully drove off Ganon's henchmen. Hearing Impa's story, this young traveler, named Link, set out to recover the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. After doing so, he fought his way to Ganon's lair in Death Mountain. Ganon appeared in the form of a demonic beast, devoid of intelligence. Link destroyed the King of Evil, recovered the Triforce of Power and saved Princess Zelda.

The Hero's Quest to Reunite the Triforce
Although Link had defeated Ganon, his underlings remained. Waiting for the return of their master, they continued to cause chaos and disorder in Hyrule. The key to Ganon's resurrection was the blood of Link—the valiant lad that overthrew the King of Evil. The Demon King would be revived by sacrificing Link and sprinkling his blood on the ashes of Ganon.

Meanwhile, Link remained in the little kingdom of Hyrule and lent his hand to its restoration. One day, a strange mark resembling crest of the kingdom appeared on the back of Link's hand as he approached his 16th birthday. Link went to Impa, Princess Zelda's nursemaid, who was shocked when she saw the birthmark. She took Link to the North Castle and told him of the tragedy of the Princess Zelda of old. In order to revive the eternally sleeping Princess, Impa entrusted to Link six Crystals and a scroll so he could reunite the Triforce. The scroll revealed the location of the long-lost Triforce of Courage, which was hidden in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death. Link set out for the six palaces to defeat their Guardian Deities and, using each of the six crystals, dispelled the barrier around the Great Palace. After defeating the final Guardian, and his own shadow, Link retrieved the Triforce of Courage and awoke Princess Zelda from her sleep.

With the Triforce reunited for the first time since Zelda was put to sleep, the revival of Ganon was prevented and peace finally returned to the Kingdom of Hyrule.

Child Timeline
The presence of the Hero who went back and forth in time generated a fork in history, dividing Hyrule’s chronology. The is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Time. He warned Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule of the tragic future that awaited the kingdom involving Ganondorf if nothing was to be done. This turn of events created the timeline containing Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures.

The Hero's Departure
After warning the Royal Family of Hyrule, Link and Zelda spend some unknown amount of time together. Several days later, before he leaves Hyrule in search of his companion Navi, young Link heads to the Lon Lon Ranch to borrow his horse Epona. During Link's last meeting with Zelda, she states her belief that they would meet again. However, before Link departs the land of Hyrule, Princess Zelda gives him the Ocarina of Time to prevent Ganondorf from entering the Sacred Realm and as a memento of the time they spent together. She also teaches Link the Song of Time, a melody that holds a special meaning to her, before handing over the ocarina, mentioning that he should play that melody if something were to happen to him so the Goddess of Time will come to his aid. Link left Hyrule with Epona and went on a personal quest to search for Navi, his fairy companion who left him at the end of his quest.

The Return of the Mischevious Imp
Meanwhile, Skull Kid left Hyrule and somehow reappeared in Termina. The two sibling fairies, Tatl and Tael, stumble upon the Skull Kid taking shelter from a storm in a tree hollow in Termina Field. He tells the fairies that "he had been fighting with his friends and that they had left him all alone." Shivering from the cold, Skull Kid and the fairies huddle for warmth, and a bond between them is formed.

Later on, Skull Kid encounters the travelling Happy Mask Salesman at the crossroads of Hyrule and Termina, the Lost Woods. He steals the evil Majora's Mask, a powerful artifact used by an Ancient Tribe for hexing rituals. The Skull Kid, possessed by the mask, caused mischief for the people of Termina with his fairy companions. He imprisoned his former childhood friends, the Four Giants, within their respective temples, cursed the four worlds of Termina the Four Giants created, and pulled the Moon from its orbit and destined it to crash into Clock Town in order to destroy all of Termina.

Turmoil in Termina
Several months passed during the Hero of Time's search for Navi. Link was found in a mysterious forest, the Lost Woods, where the Skull Kid and his fairy companion encountered the hero and stole his horse, Epona, as well as the Ocarina of Time. During Link's pursuit, the Skull Kid cursed him and turned him into a Deku Scrub. Tatl was left behind by Tael and the Skull Kid. The fairy insisted that Link take her with him as his companion, so that they can work together to find the Skull Kid and her brother Tael.

Link soon discovered that he had wandered into a parallel universe called Termina which was threatened with imminent destruction by its Moon. He met the Happy Mask Salesman, who promised Link that if he was able to recover Majora's Mask from the Skull Kid, he would restore Link to his true form. However, he warned Link that he must leave in three days, so the hero must retrieve the mask and the Ocarina of Time by then. Link then set off in his Deku form, finding himself in Clock Town at the epicenter of Termina. With the help of Tatl and the Great Fairy, he managed to find the Skull Kid atop Clock Tower. With an unearthly shriek, the Skull Kid began to bring the moon down completely to the land. Taking advantage of this, Link fired a Bubble Blast at the Skull Kid, causing him to drop the Ocarina of Time. Upon picking it up, memories of his departure from Hyrule flooded back to Link. After being snapped out of this reverie by Tatl, he played the Song of Time, and was immediately thrown back to the morning that he first entered Clock Town, three days prior.

The Happy Mask Salesman taught Link the Song of Healing, restoring him to his human form. The hero gained the Deku Mask which held the spirit of a Deku. Donning the mask allowed him to transform into Deku Link once again. Upon learning that Link could not recover the Mask, the Salesman grew furious, berating Link and wildly informing him that the Mask, known as Majora's Mask, was an ancient artifact that possessed an apocalyptic power. He again requested that Link recover the Mask, stating his belief in the Hero of Time's strength. Link went to the four temples in the South, North, West, and East in order to free the Four Giants from their prisons and stop the moon from falling. In his travels, Link obtained transformation masks which allowed him to assume the forms of heroes whose souls he had healed with the Song of Healing.

Once Link confronted the Skull Kid again, he summoned the Giants, causing the demon Majora to reveal itself as the source of the Skull Kid's evil. As the moon descended upon the Clock Tower, Link went inside it, where he confronted Majora on an otherworldly plain. Once Majora was defeated, the Hero of Time's secret journey ended with the beginning of the Carnival of Time. Link left Termina for Hyrule on Epona, still searching for his companion Navi.

Ganondorf's Execution


Several years after the failure of his attempted invasion, Ganondorf was taken prisoner in the Arbiter's Grounds prison. When the ancient Sages tried to execute him, however, they discovered to their horror that he had the Triforce of Power, so they activated the Mirror of Twilight and sent him into the Twilight Realm. Here, Ganondorf languished for years, until he met Zant and promised him power in exchange for freedom from his prison.

The Era of Twilight
Ganondorf took the form of a dark god and promised the Twili Zant incredible powers and the throne of the Twilight Realm on one condition: Zant would merge the worlds of Light and Twilight in order to create a world of darkness. Zant agreed, and pledged his undying service to his new master. He used his newfound powers to transform the Twilight Princess Midna into an imp and take the throne before launching his invasion of the light world.

Hyrule was unprepared for the invasion, and Princess Zelda soon found herself with her back against the wall. When given an ultimatum by Zant to surrender or die, she chose to surrender. Zant sent his minions over the land and stole power from the Light Spirits guarding each province, shrouding the kingdom of Hyrule in Twilight.

Midna uncovered the dark magic of her Dark Interloper ancestors in the form of the Fused Shadow. She used its magic to help a youth from Ordon Village named Link, a descendant of the Hero of Time, who had become trapped in the Twilight Realm in the form of a wolf. Twili legend said that the Hero of Light would appear in the form of a sacred beast: in this case, a wolf. Midna struck a deal with Link that she would help him regain his human form if he would help her gather the other pieces of the Fused Shadow in order to defeat Zant. Once Midna and Link had cleared the land of Twilight and gathered the Fused Shadows, Zant revealed himself and stole the Fused Shadows, wounded Midna, and cursed Link to his wolf form once again.

Midna and Link sought the aid of Princess Zelda, who gave up her soul so that Midna could live, and told Link to seek out the Master Sword in the Sacred Grove. The Master Sword dispelled the curse on Link, and allowed him to transform between his human and wolf forms at will. Throughout his adventure, Link learned the secrets of combat from the ghost of his ancestor, the Hero of Time. The Hero had lived a life filled with regret because he could not be a hero in this timeline, so he imparted his wisdom to his descendant.

In order to enter the Twilight Realm and confront Zant, Midna and Link sought the Mirror of Twilight at Arbiter's Grounds, but Zant had shattered it into pieces and scattered it across the land. The Sages who had executed Ganondorf appeared to the pair and told them about Ganondorf's involvement with the darkness which plagued the land. Midna and Link gathered the pieces of the Mirror and entered the Twilight Realm, and Link defeated Zant in single combat. Zant was not fazed, however, boasting that his god Ganon would revive him. In her fury, Midna reclaimed the Fused Shadow and used its power to destroy Zant completely. Link and Midna went to the top of Hyrule Castle in order to battle the King of Darkness, who was in possession of Zelda's lifeless body. He possessed it and forced Link to do battle with the princess. Once he defeated her, Midna revived Zelda and Link defeated Ganon in his beast form. Midna used the Fused Shadow to become a terrifying monster and her struggle with Ganon destroyed the castle itself. Midna transported Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field, where they battled Ganondorf on horseback, and finally Link defeated Ganon in single combat, stabbing him in the chest. Ganon attempted to use the Triforce of Power to revive himself, but discovered that its power had left him. Zant stood on the gateway to the afterlife, mocking Ganon by snapping his own neck just as Ganon died.

Midna was restored to her true form as the beautiful Twilight Princess, and bade farewell to Link and Zelda as she returned to the Twilight Realm. As she left, she shattered the Mirror of Twilight to ensure that its power would never be misused again. Link returned to Ordon Village; however, he later departed with Epona from his hometown.

The Era of Shadow
Hundreds of years passed after Ganondorf's death in Twilight Princess. The people of Hyrule reconciled with Ganondorf's tribe, the Gerudo, and it seemed for a while that peace would prevail in the land. However, a new Ganondorf was born to the Gerudo tribe who was the reincarnation of the King of Darkness that was defeated by the Hero Chosen by the Gods, and violated their taboo on the Ancient Pyramid. He stole the Trident from the pyramid and then stole the Mirror of Darkness from the Temple of Darkness.

Ganondorf schemed to release the ancient sorcerer Vaati from his prison within the Four Sword, and created a dark copy of Link, Shadow Link, with the Mirror. The clouds of darkness covering the land made Zelda uneasy, so she gathered the six shrine maidens to renew the seal upon Vaati. At that moment, Shadow Link appeared and scattered the maidens with his powers. Link drew the sword from its pedestal, splitting into four just as in ancient times. However, this released Vaati from his prison to cause chaos. Ganon used Shadow Link to tear open rifts to the Dark World, pulling the four Knights of Hyrule into his sway and transforming them into Stalfos.

The four Links journeyed throughout Hyrule to rescue the Shrine Maidens, and learned that Ganon was the mastermind behind the darkness plaguing Hyrule. They obtained the four jewels from the Knights, and made their way to the Tower of Winds, where they battled Vaati and Ganon himself, destroying Vaati and sealing Ganon inside the Four Sword forevermore.

Adult Timeline
The presence of the Hero who went back and forth in time generated a fork in history, dividing Hyrule’s chronology. The is the timeline that follows the events after Link is being sent back to his original time, following the Hero of Time's defeat of Ganondorf in the final battle and his subsequent sealing within the corrupted Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages. This turn of events created the timeline containing The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.

The Era without a Hero
Many years after the Hero of Time's victory, the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken for an unknown reason, and Ganondorf managed to escape his imprisonment. Ganondorf intended to make good on his threat to the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages that he would escape one day to make their descendants pay for his imprisonment.

The people of Hyrule hoped that the Hero of Time would show up to save them, but the hero did not appear. Left with no other choice, they pleaded to the three Golden Goddesses. The Goddesses answered their prayers by instructing those chosen to take refuge on the mountaintops before they flooded Hyrule, keeping Ganon and his army trapped in time underneath the waves.

The people of Hyrule would then go on to build a new civilization on the surface of the Great Sea and, with the passing of time, largely forget the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves. On Outset Island, a tradition emerged of having young boys wear the green garb of the Hero of Time for one day on their birthdays.

The Era of the Great Sea
Beneath the waves, Ganon was revived and sought out the two sages who prayed for the power of the Master Sword. He killed them in order to stop the sword's power to repel evil and reach the surface world. He built a base in the Forsaken Fortress and filled it with his dark army. He sought out all young girls with long, pointed ears, in hopes that he would capture the descendant of Princess Zelda. In response, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule also awoke and used his powers to guide a boat called the King of Red Lions on the surface world.

On Outset, a young boy named Link came of age and was given the Hero's Clothes to wear for one day. Unfortunately, this was the day that the terrible bird called the Helmaroc King attacked the island, carrying the pirate captain named Tetra. The bird dropped Tetra on the island, but left with Link's sister Aryll. Link joined forces with Tetra's pirates in order to storm the Forsaken Fortress and rescue Aryll. The Helmaroc King captured Link once he reached Aryll's cell, and showed him to Ganon. Ganon thought the boy was worthless, so the bird threw him into the sea. Luckily, the King of Red Lions rescued Link and brought him to Windfall Island. Along with the magical baton called the Wind Waker, they journeyed across the Great Sea in order to retrieve the Goddess Pearls and open the gateway to Hyrule. Link raised the Tower of the Gods to the surface and proved his worth to be a hero by passing its trials. Then, he ventured down the ancient kingdom of Hyrule and drew the Master Sword from its pedestal.

With the Master Sword in hand, Link went to challenge Ganon in the Forsaken Fortress, but Ganon told him that the sword was powerless to defeat him, because it did not have the power to repel evil. Link went back to Hyrule with Tetra, where the King of Red Lions revealed himself as the King of Hyrule and Tetra as his descendant Princess Zelda. Link then searched for the Sages of Earth and Wind in order to restore the power of the Master Sword. He awakened Medli as Sage of Earth and Makar as Sage of Wind. Their prayers restored power to the Master Sword. Link then searched for the Triforce of Courage, which had been split into eight pieces when the Hero of Time left to return to his own time. Armed with the Triforce and the Master Sword, Link returned to the kingdom beneath the waves and challenged Ganon atop his tower.

Ganon united the Triforce pieces and made a wish that he be the ruler of Hyrule. However, before he could touch the Triforce to make his wish come true, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule touched the Triforce and wished for Hyrule to be washed away, so that his descendants could build a new future above the waves. Ganon was defiant, and faced Link and Zelda in battle. Link stabbed Ganon in his forehead, turning him to stone as the waves crashed around him. The King, staying behind to be buried beneath the waves along with his kingdom, sent Link and Zelda back the surface world in order to begin their new future.

The Era of the Great Voyage
After defeating Ganon, Link and Tetra set out on a new voyage. They reached the waters ruled by the Ocean King to investigate rumors about a mysterious Ghost Ship which had terrorized the ocean. The Ghost Ship appeared and Tetra jumped aboard and was taken away. Link tried to rescue her, but fell into the ocean. He awoke on Mercay Island and met Ciela the fairy and her "grandfather," Oshus.

Link met a sea captain named Linebeck who let him use his ship. After searching for clues in the Temple of the Ocean King with the help of the Phantom Hourglass, Link rescued the Spirits of Power and Wisdom, and discovered Ciela was the Spirit of Courage. Link then boarded the Ghost Ship in order to rescue Tetra, who had been turned to stone. Oshus revealed himself to be the Ocean King and told Link that an evil monster named Bellum had drained her life force. He then affirmed that the only thing which could defeat Bellum was the Phantom Sword.

Link journeyed through the seas to find the three Pure Metals and forge the Phantom Sword. Then, he ventured deep into the Temple once more to confront Bellum. He defeated Bellum, but then Bellum possessed Linebeck and forced him to fight in the form of a powerful knight. Link was able to defeat Bellum without harming Linebeck, and restored Tetra to life. The Ocean King returned Link and Tetra to their world, where only ten minutes had passed since they left. Link was not sure if the entire adventure had been a dream, but then he saw that he carried the empty Phantom Hourglass, and saw Linebeck sailing off into the distance.

The Era of Hyrule's Rebirth
Tetra's pirates eventually landed on a new continent, where the Tower of Spirits stood tall over the landscape. She founded a new kingdom here, connected by the Spirit Tracks which ran across the land. Tetra decreed that her soldiers would wear a green uniform, like that worn by the Hero of Winds.

A century after the kingdom's establishment, the rails began to disappear. Tetra's descendant, Princess Zelda, gave a Royal Engineer named Link a Recruit Uniform and joined him to investigate the Tower of Spirits. Link lived with Niko, the last remaining member of Tetra's pirate crew.

On their way to the Tower, Chancellor Cole revealed himself as a demon whose aim was to revive the Demon King Malladus who had been sealed underneath the Tower of Spirits in ancient times. Cole and Byrne stole her body and left her as a spirit. Link and Zelda sought the advice of the Lokomo sage Anjean, who told them to restore the Tower. In spirit form, Zelda was able to possess the Phantoms which roamed the Tower of Spirits and helped Link advance to the top. Link and Zelda restored the Tower of Spirits by journeying throughout Hyrule and breaking the barriers at each temple so that they could reach the Demon King at the top. Once they reached the top of the tower, Malladus was revived, and Link went into the Dark Realm in order to defeat him. Once Malladus was destroyed and Zelda returned to her body, the Lokomos departed into the heavens, their duty to protect Hyrule fulfilled.