Timeline Glossary

Over the course of the timeline debate, a plethora of terminology has surfaced to describe various facets of the games and the course of events through which they flow. Below are some of those terms, described in detail for the timeline layman:

Adult Timeline

The “Adult Timeline” is one of the two timelines originating from OOT. The Adult Timeline is the timeline that continues after the ending of OoT in which Link defeats Ganon as an adult, and includes TWW and its sequel, PH.

Backstory

“Backstory” consists of events referred to in a given game, but not actually witnessed in that game. Backstory is very important when determining timeline placement, because often backstories reference events from past titles. An example of a backstory would be the SW/IW with respect to ALttP, or the “Fierce War” with respect to OoT.

Canon

“Canon” is the collective set of indisputable facts throughout the LOZ series. Through canon, timeline theorists can gather information with which to make assumptions or look at evidence to interpret in the hopes of creating a coherent timeline theory. The acceptable foundations of canon are called “Canonical Sources”. While the extent to which sources can be considered canonical varies among theorists, most theorists have accepted the following sources as canonical ones: “Story Text” within the official titles themselves, instruction manual story text, and, in the eyes of many—nay, most—“Creator Quotes”.

Canonical Sources

See “Canon”.

Child Timeline

The “Child Timeline” is one of the two timelines originating from OOT. The Child Timeline is the timeline that starts at the ending of OoT in which Link is a child, and that includes MM and TP.

Creator Intent

See “Creator Quotes”.

Creator Quotes

“Creator Quotes” are statements made by the developers of the games about the storyline of the LOZ series that are released to the press. Infamous creator quotes include the “Two Endings” quotes and the “First Story” quote, and, more recently, the "Parallel" quote. The most common sources of such quotes are Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto, the two chief producers and directors of the LOZ series. Typically creator quotes stand as “Canon” unless there is a compelling argument made to disregard them, but theorists are encouraged to determine whether the developers are a good source of information for themselves.

Direct Sequel

A “Direct Sequel”, in the context of the LOZ series, goes beyond simply being the next game in the series timeline. A direct sequel features the same Link character from the previous installment. An example of a direct sequel is MM, which features Link from OoT.

Double Timeline

See “Multiple Timeline” or “Split Timeline”.

False Negative

The “False Negative” is an ontological situation in which the “Lack-of-Evidence Argument” is used to define something, or rather, the lack of evidence for something, as a “negative”, or the nonexistence of said thing. A False Negative argument states that a lack of objective evidence does not constitute nonexistence, or, to put it another way, that a negative cannot be proven. Just because we do not know whether something did or did not happen does not discredit it from having happened at all.

Fierce War

OoT references a “fierce war in our world” that occurred before the king unified the country of Hyrule. During this war, Link was orphaned on the outskirts of the Lost Woods, resulting in his adoption by the Deku Tree as a Kokiri. OoT also implies that the Sheikah were thought to have died out during this war.

TP also references a “great battle” that erupted when word of the SR spread throughout Hyrule. The great battle is called the “prolonged wars” later, during which the Sheikah are also referenced as having been thought to have died out. Because of these similarities, for the purposes of this glossary, the two shall be thought of as one and the same.

Great Flood

The “Great Flood” is a term adopted by timeline theorists to describe the TWW BS, in which the kingdom of Hyrule is flooded by the gods in order to prevent Ganon from conquering it.

Hero of Men

While never specifically conferred as a title, “Hero of Men” is commonly used to refer to the hero in the TMC BS.

Hero of Time

The “Hero of Time” is the heroic title first mentioned in OoT, later referenced in TWW’s BS. In recent months, with TP’s release, a controversy erupted as to what exactly it means to be the HoT. Is the title limited to just OoT Link, or can it be extended to others as well?

Hero of Winds

“Hero of Winds” is the title given to TWW Link by the KoRL after it is discovered that he is, indeed, the true hero, thanks to his ability to assume the ToC into himself and the appearance of its crest on his left hand. It is likely related to his controlling the winds during that game.

Imprisoning War

See “Seal War”.

Lack-of-Evidence Argument

This term may sound familiar to those familiar with theological arguments. The “Lack-of-Evidence Argument” (LEA) is an ontological argument that states that (with respect to timeline debate) if one game leads into another—for example, if Adult OoT leads into TP—then there should be specific, positive, objective proof of that progression. One example of the LEA is a statement by those who place TP in a “Child Timeline”, which says that if TP came after Adult OoT, the HoT would be referenced by name.

When brought into discussion, the LEA is typically met with a counter-argument, the “False Negative” rebuttal.

Multiple Timeline

Not to be confused with a “Split Timeline”, a “Multiple Timeline” is a timeline theory that features two or more timelines with absolutely no relation to one another. Multiple Timeline theories that feature only two timelines are often called “Double Timelines”. Many theorists place the Four Swords Saga in its own timeline, believing that those games are irreconcilable with the other titles. Some Double Timelines break up the series into one timeline for the 2D installments and another for the 3D ones.

Prolonged Wars

See “Fierce War”.

Seal War

The “Seal War” (usually called the “Imprisoning War” by timeline newbies; often abbreviated “SW”)) is a tale that originated in the ALttP BS. It tells of a war that began because the evil thief Ganondorf stole the Triforce from the mystical Sacred Realm. The war ends with Ganon being sealed away by the seven sages.

Single Timeline

A “Single Timeline” is a timeline theory in which there is a single, continuously flowing continuity, unbroken by schisms in time or alternate time realities. STs are sometimes referred to as “Unified Timelines”. A Single Timeline has been rendered all but impossible with recent evidence regarding OOT's relationship to TP.

Sleeping Zelda

The “Sleeping Zelda” story is told in the AoL BS. It relates to us the story of a prince who, when he did not inherit the Triforce in full from his father, as he had expected, approached his sister, Princess Zelda, and confronted her on the issue. When Zelda would not reveal to the prince where the rest of the Triforce was, a wizard cast a sleeping spell on Princess Zelda. The prince was stricken by grief, and so he brought Zelda to the North Castle and ordered that all ladies born into the royal family be named Zelda.

Split Timeline

A “Split Timeline” is a timeline theory in which there are two or more continuities of games, usually resulting from split realities theorized to have been created by time travel. Almost all Split Timelines involve the ending in which Link defeats Ganon leads into one timeline, which follows the storyline of TWW, and the ending in which Link arrives back in the past leads into another, following the storyline of MM and TP.

(NOTE: In some contexts, “Split Timeline” theories are sometimes called “Double Timeline” theories.)

Splitist

A “Splitist” is a timeline theorist who follows the “Split Timeline”.

Story Text

“Story Text” encompasses any item of text in any official LOZ title, or, more narrowly, any text directly related to the main plot of a title’s storyline or that must be encountered in a playthrough of a game that doesn’t involve sequence-breaking. Story text is considered to be canon.

[Category:Timeline]