Timeline Theories?

[Taakeslottet]

I was wondering what everyones take is on the timeline, I know it's a largely disputed topic.

In my opinion it goes:

OoC
MM
LOZ
AoL
LA
OoA/OoS
MC
TWW
PH
TP

[Peregrine]

Minish Cap is largely considered to be the first chronological event in the Zelda time line to date, prior to OoT, and MM.

Twilight Princess is supposed to occur after Majora's Mask and before Wind Waker.

You seem to be missing A Link to the Past, unless I'm overlooking it. That should go prior to Link's Awakening.

In my opinion, and to the best of my understanding, it would go something like:

MC
OoT
MM
TP
WW
PH
LttP
LA
OoA/OoS
LoZ
AoL

But that's not engraved in stone. I don't think I'm forgetting anything, but I'm going by memory, so I could be. And I used to have Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures in that list somewhere, but I forget where I put them. They made sense at the time. I've also heard that the Oracle series goes at the end, which I'm neither for, nor against.

I haven't payed much attention to the timeline recently. I occasionally consider it, but I don't think it's really worth getting into heated debates over.

I'm not especially crazy about the split-timeline theory, but I'm not ready to discard it either.

[Caleb]

Below is the link to a review of the entire Zelda series. This is the last segment of the review by IGN that talks about a theory on the timeline, which is heavily supported by facts within the games and comments by people like Shigeru Miyamoto (the creator, storywriter and overseer) and Eiji Anouma (the director of several of OoT, TP and PH).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXN1BF65WjI

Keep in mind that this was released near the release of Twilight Princess.

It's a very interesting theory, and some other theories that go along the same split timeline share this as well as many other interesting comparisons. For example, one thing I noticed, is that Zelda gives link the Ocarina of Time at the beginning of Majora's Mask. While that may not sound too out of place, realize that Adult Zelda in the future never gave it back, she took it from Link in the future in order to send him back. That means we have two Ocarina of Times floating around.

[Mases]

It really is an impressive video, the Game Trailers split timeline theory video. Has great mixture of evidance from the actual games and from interviews with the developers. I think if one were to believe there is an actual timeline, this is the one to believe.

I personally feel that this is in fact true for the most part. However, I believe that there could quite possible be a ton of games missing in between games within the timeline. Like I really don't see how it gets from A Link to the Past or from Phantom Hourglass to either of the Oracle Titles. I think there also could be a lot more between Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. I also am unsure of a connection with the end of Twilight Princess and the begining of Wind Waker.

I really don't think there is an actual timeline that is documented of any sort. It really is, just the creators making it up as they go along and then leaving us or even them to guess or fit it into the timeline where they thing it fits best.

[Peregrine]

Game Trailers makes too many assertions for my liking. Some of which they might make in the interest of time, but others, I don't like so much.

For one thing, A Link to the Past was billed as something of a prequel to the first two Zelda games. And Link's Awakening is said to occur sometime after A Link to the Past, and is usually considered to involve the same Link. Whether they've retconed that out or not, I'm not sure, but the last I heard, that was still the case.

And they put the Oracle series in two separate time lines. But the way the games play when you link them up doesn't support that. One occurs after the other in the same timeline. The split timeline is worth considering, for a time at least, but I'd put both oracle games in the same timeline.

They put Four Swords Adventures before LttP, which is correct, but still too late in the series if LttP is still considered a prequel of the first two games.

So that throws Game Trailer's theory off. Not entirely, but in the end, their theory is as valid as anyone's.

I think Mases is right in that there's a ton of stories all over the place that haven't been told yet, either in-game, or as a back story.

I think the creators have a tentative timeline set up, but they shuffle it around when they make a new game to fit the game in the timeline. They might even ignore everything they've ever said before about the order of events in order to shoehorn the new game in there. If that's the case, all bets are off. I don't think all bets are off yet, but they could be once a new game is released.

[Mases]

I've embed the youtube video for the Game Trailers Timeline Theory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXN1BF65WjI

I was thinking about this the other day. Aonuma, the current head honcho behind the Zelda series did in fact say that there were two endings to Ocarina of Time.

What I'm thinking though, was he the first one to mention that? I don't remember much talk about the timeline before then because I wasn't as active in the Zelda World. However, I was wandering if in fact it was something that just happened to come up. Like a fan or somebody giving him that type of theory and then him liking it so making it his own theory. Get what I mean?

I really don't know if when Ocarina of Time was complete, they had any idea of what would become known as the 'split timeline' theory. I think the theory was something that was made up afterwards as it seemed rather interesting and somewhat logical.

[xandar]

I believe OoT is first in the timeline because Eiji Aunoma said so.
Second is TP because the worlds are still relatively the same. Not a lot of difference from continental drift. Also, I think OoT would've had a map that was even more similar had the N64 as much power as the Cube.
I suppose you noticed I didn't say Majora's Mask despite the fact that it's clearly a direct sequel. Well I don't think that ever happened. Look at it. All the characters in MM are exact duplicates of characters in OoT. In a few cases, they even have the same name. You know how they say you see your life flash back before your eyes when you die? Well, I think Link Died at the start of MM when he fell. He was in a magic forest at the time when he died, and what do you eat in a magic forest? Magic mushrooms. I figure they made him go a little loopy, and his flashback of his life happened while he was high.
Third, I think Minish Cap because it's referenced to in Wind Waker. Sometime in the starting prophecy scene, it says a few things about the original Hero, and then it says something along the lines of 'An evil Wind blew'. I figure this is Minish Cap, Vaati being the Evil Wind.
Next I figure is Link To the Past, once again figuring by geography. It's not exactly the same, so perhaps a decent gap between this one, maybe even a hundred years.
After that, I think Four Swords followed by FS Adventures. They have to be directly related because in the second one, you automatically know how the Four Sword works, and Zelda doesn't have to explain it.
Then Wind Waker and PH, as another direct sequel after Hyrule has sank, (for which I have not yet figured a reason) and then he loses his way and ends up stranded on an island when his boat crashes. Thusly, Link's Awakening.
That's as far as I ever figured, I dunno where the Oracle Series or the first one goes, and I've also decided that Wand of Gamelon and Faces of Evil never happened, as they were blasphemy, and the second one barely made it into the timeline, but I never figured out how it got into the timeline either. Also, I never played Zelda's Adventure, so I dunno for that one. I might sometime. Maybe. Until that day which may not be ever, I shall leave it out as well. Though I will be thinking about those other ones, and may post again later on the subject if I come up with anything.

[Killswitch]

Minish Cap is largely considered to be the first chronological event in the Zelda time line to date, prior to OoT, and MM.

Twilight Princess is supposed to occur after Majora's Mask and before Wind Waker.

You seem to be missing A Link to the Past, unless I'm overlooking it. That should go prior to Link's Awakening.

In my opinion, and to the best of my understanding, it would go something like:

MC
OoT
MM
TP
WW
PH
LttP
LA
OoA/OoS
LoZ
AoL

But that's not engraved in stone. I don't think I'm forgetting anything, but I'm going by memory, so I could be. And I used to have Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures in that list somewhere, but I forget where I put them. They made sense at the time. I've also heard that the Oracle series goes at the end, which I'm neither for, nor against.

I haven't payed much attention to the timeline recently. I occasionally consider it, but I don't think it's really worth getting into heated debates over.

I'm not especially crazy about the split-timeline theory, but I'm not ready to discard it either.


I think Twilight Princess takes places on the other side of teh Timeline, not with MM. According to the split, that is where it happens, since it runs paralell with Wind Waker.

That and one question about Minish Cap coming first. In the Oracles, Din/Nayru/Farore are about to go to Hyrule, but Veran and Onox come in and capture them. In the Minish Cap, they already live in Hyrule and the game even confirms they are the same Din/Nayru/Farore from the Oracles. Some say its just a cameo, but then again, the game goes out of the way to explain their existance in the Minish Cap.

[Mases]

Killswitch, I remember reading your article over at the Chamber of Sages and thought you made some pretty good points. The Minish Cap being first seems skepticle a bit to begin with. The connections and then confusions make me think of my theory of new true timeline and Nintendo is just improvising it as they go.

However, I do think there are obvious relations between some of the games and eventually, with the help of a few people, plan to make a huge article about it at Zelda Dungeon with diagrams and such. We got some other things we are working on now, in terms of interesting articles though, so this is something down the line.

It seems rather obscure. Did three of them (Din,Nayru,Farore) originally live in Hyrule, leave, and then come back. That is a very general explanition and I'm sure there is much more to it than that.

[Alder Dragon]

I'd have to say that the video from IGN is by far the most impressive I've seen. I'm following that concept for now, at least. Maybe Nintendo will reveal more about the "timeline", if there even is one. Obviously when making LoZ, they weren't thinking into the future about how the timeline would happen, giving the impression that they have just been improvising many of the new titles. Majora's Mask obviously links after OoT, and Link's Awakening after LttP, but some don't really fit in. The Four Swords titles have spawned much controversy, and many are skeptical to if they even have anything to do with the storyline. PH obviously fixed that problem if you've seen the intro movie.

I think future games will change the idea of a Zelda Storyline completely.

[Alder Dragon]

Just a thought.

At the end of LttP, it states "the Master Sword sleeps again... FOREVER!"

wouldn't that ensure that any game that includes the Master Sword takes place before LttP? What about the Wind Waker? Again, this would introduce the split timeline theory.

[Peregrine]

Minish Cap is largely considered to be the first chronological event in the Zelda time line to date, prior to OoT, and MM.

Twilight Princess is supposed to occur after Majora's Mask and before Wind Waker.

You seem to be missing A Link to the Past, unless I'm overlooking it. That should go prior to Link's Awakening.

In my opinion, and to the best of my understanding, it would go something like:

MC
OoT
MM
TP
WW
PH
LttP
LA
OoA/OoS
LoZ
AoL

But that's not engraved in stone. I don't think I'm forgetting anything, but I'm going by memory, so I could be. And I used to have Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures in that list somewhere, but I forget where I put them. They made sense at the time. I've also heard that the Oracle series goes at the end, which I'm neither for, nor against.

I haven't payed much attention to the timeline recently. I occasionally consider it, but I don't think it's really worth getting into heated debates over.

I'm not especially crazy about the split-timeline theory, but I'm not ready to discard it either.


I think Twilight Princess takes places on the other side of teh Timeline, not with MM. According to the split, that is where it happens, since it runs paralell with Wind Waker.

I wasn't considering a split timeline at the time, but yes, I pretty much agree. If we're splitting the timeline, then MM goes one way, and the other way goes TP, WW, PH, and so on.

That and one question about Minish Cap coming first. In the Oracles, Din/Nayru/Farore are about to go to Hyrule, but Veran and Onox come in and capture them. In the Minish Cap, they already live in Hyrule and the game even confirms they are the same Din/Nayru/Farore from the Oracles. Some say its just a cameo, but then again, the game goes out of the way to explain their existance in the Minish Cap.


That's something I 'd have to check on. I don't distinctly remember it. Maybe they were just vacationing in Holodrum and Labrynna, and were on their way back to Hyrule when they were captured.

And as xandar mentioned, OoT was first in the timeline, and Eiji Aunoma did say so. But that was before they published Minish Cap.

The reason I put Minish Cap first, is because the last I heard it was said to be the first in the series. And first in the series is where it seems to fit best for now. It most definitely happens before either of the Four Swords games.

[Alder Dragon]

You know the puzzles like "Anne is shorter than Mike but taller than Jen"; "Jen is older than Alex but younger than Mike"; "Mike is Shorter than Jen but Taller than Alex" etc.

That is kind of how you have to think about the Zelda Timeline.

[Mases]

You know the puzzles like "Anne is shorter than Mike but taller than Jen"; "Jen is older than Alex but younger than Mike"; "Mike is Shorter than Jen but Taller than Alex" etc.

That is kind of how you have to think about the Zelda Timeline.


That is so true it is funny, haha.

I understand completely what you mean by that as well. Unfortunately some of the games to me are just out there and their connections to others are so obscure and random that I don't knoe if you can even use these kinds of puzzles for everything.

[Alder Dragon]

Unfortunately some of the games to me are just out there and their connections to others are so obscure and random that I don't knoe if you can even use these kinds of puzzles for everything.


I know what you mean. A lot of the time some games will contradict themselves, like pointing out that it MUST take place after (insert game) but would only logically take place before it.

Maybe it's just Nintendo's improvisation, not thinking about a real storyline when they produce the games.

[RyanNope]

Heres my theory.

In Oot Link goes to the future to stop Ganondorf but by opening the door of time he allowed Ganondorf to gain all the powers Link was trying to prevent Ganondorf from gaining. At the end of OoT Link is sent back to his own time therefore removing Link from the future altogether. This is where it gets confusing, due to time split. So to make it easy to follow I'll split it up into two sections.

In the past Navi flys away so link goes off to find her thus insinuating MM. Back in Hyrule Ganondorf seeks the power in the sacred realm but is stopped by the sages and sealed in the Twilight Realm, Thus insinuating TP.

In the Future there is no longer a Link in this time so when Ganondorf escapes he begins his reign of terror thus insinuating WW.

Thats all folks. Let me know what you think.

[Avenged]

Heres a piece of my theory.

Ocarina of Time

*split*

Majora's Mask (Child Link timeline, same Link)

Twilight Princess (Adult Link timeline,new Link)

The Wind Waker (child Link timeline, new Link)

A Link to the Past (Adult Link timeline, new Link)

Ok some things to explain.

People wonder why the master sword in ALttP is in the forest and its in the Temple of Time in OoT/TP. Well, its both one and the same location, heres why. For those that have played TP will know that the master sword is in the *ruins* of the Temple of Time...IN THE FOREST. The ToT in OoT is actually near the Lost Woods, it just doesnt appear to be. You all do remember the sacred forest meadow in OoT right? link that to the Sacred Forest where you find the ruins of the ToT in TP...its the same area. So in my theory, ALttP has to follow TP and OoT and be the same Hyrule...but only in Adult Links timeline.

[dan [spam]]

I suppose you noticed I didn't say Majora's Mask despite the fact that it's clearly a direct sequel. Well I don't think that ever happened. Look at it. All the characters in MM are exact duplicates of characters in OoT. In a few cases, they even have the same name. You know how they say you see your life flash back before your eyes when you die? Well, I think Link Died at the start of MM when he fell. He was in a magic forest at the time when he died, and what do you eat in a magic forest? Magic mushrooms. I figure they made him go a little loopy, and his flashback of his life happened while he was high.



you could say the same about phantom hourglass thou
when link falls in the sea.....he dies :/
and the game is just a flashback

[Peregrine]

]


I suppose you noticed I didn't say Majora's Mask despite the fact that it's clearly a direct sequel. Well I don't think that ever happened. Look at it. All the characters in MM are exact duplicates of characters in OoT. In a few cases, they even have the same name. You know how they say you see your life flash back before your eyes when you die? Well, I think Link Died at the start of MM when he fell. He was in a magic forest at the time when he died, and what do you eat in a magic forest? Magic mushrooms. I figure they made him go a little loopy, and his flashback of his life happened while he was high.



you could say the same about phantom hourglass thou
when link falls in the sea.....he dies :/
and the game is just a flashback


*** Bit of a spoiler warning here, for anyone who hasn't finished the game:

But Link and Tetra both disappear, and in the epilogue, they're returned to Tetra's ship, and Tetra remembers everything that happened. So Link's not dead.

[Dark link]

Your video doesn't make sense when it comes to TP Mases, when Ganondorf was offered to the twilight mirror he was offered at Guerdo valley, then a prison camp, well when Ganondorf was banished from hyrule the 6 sages didn't seem to use a mirror, they just banished him using regular magic, no twilight magic involved. Everything else seems correct though.

[Mases]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/29488.html

The Angry Video Game Nerd has released his own timeline theory of sorts. It is a bit dated as he made it over a year ago but it is definately a good watch. He basically says in the end, that the timeline isn't something that is important and it is the gameplay that is really the bright spot of the series, which of course is true. I'm just a big fan of the nerd, so to see him do something on Zelda is great.

[Dark link]

Ok this video is really lagging and i can't really even watch it, is it just me or is this happening to other people too?

Nevermind its working now.

[ssj5goten]

Ylink mm Ww ph mc ooa/oos

oot

ALink Tp lttp aol loz ooa/oos

My Theorie:
Every once in a 100 years a new link and Zelda are born (this is a fact)
Oot: ganondorf still wasn’t transformed into ganon when the game began so it would be the first of the series after the ending link gets send back so the split timeline begins:
After ocarina of time Young Link timeline will begin with majora’s mask there is enough proof I won’t need to explain this.
Because Link wasn’t in hyrule anymore he couldn’t come too fight ganon (or didn’t know) so the goddesses flooded the land. So Wind Waker began. After Windwaker ganon was sealed in stone he couldn’t get out anymore so there is no more ganon.
Phantom hourglass came after Windwaker enough proof for that too.
After phantom hourglass knew there was no more ganon so they came back to hyrule too unflood it again and stayed this time too see if it turned out good (or left incarnations of some sort) which we see in minish cap and ooa/oos. When the minish cap began nobody knew where the master sword was and the legend could have been forgotten after the unflooding or they just don’t mention it in minish cap.
Because nobody knows where the master sword is another legend starts with the picori blade and a new villain vaati. (if this game comes in this order of the timeline it is explainable why there still are moblins creations of ganon).
After minish cap begins oracle of ages or oracle of seasons and again we see din/nayru and farore and because farore is in both in another place the games can’t follow up and are thus in a different timeline also there is no mention of the master sword what so ever and no mention of ganon what so ever.
Now about Adult Link timeline which is somewhat more difficult.
After ocarina of time ganon is still sealed in the sacred realm in this timeline so peace lasts until twighlight princess (where ganondorf is still in a different realm) and also it’s ganondorf which in later games is only ganon but he got send into the sacred realm as ganondorf so that would make sense. There I a bit of a gap between twighlight princess en a link to the past because ganondorf actually dies in TP so I don’t actually know how he got in the sacred realm again. But after link to the past ganondorf dies again this is also the last time the master sword is used (as it says in the ending).
Now that ganon is dead his minions want to revive him so Adventure of link begins but in the whole game the master sword is not mentioned so it backs up my theorie of lttp coming before Aol. Also Link doesn’t know Zelda yet but it’s pretty clear the Zelda and link from Loz and a Aol are the same which means Aol comes before Loz this also explains how ganon came back because there is a big chance that one of his minions got some blood from Link and revived ganon with it.
So Legend of Zelda ganon has got Zelda who Link know’s by know and after Loz ganon is killed again. After this the goddesses send incarnations (or themselves just as in the other timeline) to hyrule to see if everything would go well and ganon would not return. Because of the timelines farore could be in two different places at the same time (more or less).

Well this is my Theorie I can’t figure out where the four swords series would be placed or LA and I know there is a gap between TP and Lttp but other than that I think it’s pretty solid.

[Taron]

oot is alwase first. that is a universaly excepted fact, then mm, again universaly excepted fact, the rest is up to you, but mc might have come even before oot, because Link first gets his hat from Ezlo. the rest is foggy but their are two possibilitys i am sifting thru. the first is the video posted previously, then the second can be found on game stop

[PrinceofDarkness]

I think Twilight Princess takes places on the other side of teh Timeline, not with MM. According to the split, that is where it happens, since it runs paralell with Wind Waker.

That and one question about Minish Cap coming first. In the Oracles, Din/Nayru/Farore are about to go to Hyrule,

They are:? I don't remember that, I thought they lived on those Islands?

In the Minish Cap, they already live in Hyrule and the game even confirms they are the same Din/Nayru/Farore from the Oracles. Some say its just a cameo, but then again, the game goes out of the way to explain their existance in the Minish Cap.

When is this stated? I don't remember this in the game. I need to play the game again but it could be the gods it is referring to and not the oracles of the same name.

Your video doesn't make sense when it comes to TP Mases, when Ganondorf was offered to the twilight mirror he was offered at Guerdo valley, then a prison camp, well when Ganondorf was banished from hyrule the 6 sages didn't seem to use a mirror, they just banished him using regular magic, no twilight magic involved. Everything else seems correct though.

I don't think he possessed the triforce yet he was just super powerful. I think he gained possession of it later after he was banished to that realm. Otherwise them trying to kill him with the power of gold at his command was stupid.

[TheManInTheMoon]

They are:? I don't remember that, I thought they lived on those Islands?Impa (by Zelda's order) was there to bring them back, and at the end of a linked game we see zelda and co. back in hyrule and nayru in an unfamiliar village and din in an unfamilar forest, both of which I assume are in hyrule.
When is this stated? I don't remember this in the game. I need to play the game again but it could be the gods it is referring to and not the oracles of the same name.Their figurines state that they have come from holodrum and labyrnna.

[PrinceofDarkness]

ah thank you I totally forgot that man I need to play the oracle games more, and by figurines in MC do you mean the ones you get at random from the toy guy? cuz I wouldn't really consider the figurines as part of the overall story more like bonuses like the figurines in the smash bros games. They could have also been put in by the creators as a treat and not meant to have any bearing on the chronology of the game. I doubt the toy guy would even know who they are anyway cuz they seem pretty good at keeping a low profile as I've never seen or heard of them in any other games. Also the royal order from impa kind of screws seasons up. Wouldn't messing with din affect the globe and not just one island? and what would the odds be that the temple of seasons would be on the same island she's imprisoned? I don't know I guess I'm trying too hard to make things make logical sense. They are just games. Too much mr. spock is not good.

[Warrior of Light]

Wow! I am new here - never before been a member of a forum or anything like this. Anyway, I wanted to play the Zelda games growing up, but my parents wouldn't let me. They were afraid I would get lost in the games at the time, and I think they were right. Anyway, I'm grown up now and finally getting to play these awesome games. I have started with ALLTP and TP, and am in the middle of both right now. I have been intrigued with the timeline theory, but not having played them all, I am more confused the more I read on the subject. I guess I have two questions at the present -
1. In TP, many people you encounter in the game refer to a great hero in the past. This to my understanding is the golden wolf guy who teaches you all your hidden skills. But my question is this -is the great hero everyone in Hyrule speaks of Link from a previous game, or someone else? If so, which game would he come from ( my reading of the timeline theories thus far would lead me to believe it would be the OoT/MM Link. If that were the case, then is the guy who is teaching TP Link the hidden sword skills a spirit form of the OoT Link? Please no spoilers, I am about halfway through TP, so if I have asked a stupid question which I will later find the answer to, you can just tell me that. Like I said before, I'm new at this so I have a lot to learn.
Question #2: After completing the two games I have, what would be the best way to play the rest of the games in the series? Would it be best to start with the original adventure and play it out in the order of release? OR should I follow one of the timeline theories and play them in (supposed) chronological order of the history of Hyrule OR some other order based simply on gameplay? Hmm - I think too much. That's why I know I am going to love it here....

[Avenged]

Play them however you wish, but I suggest starting with The Legend of Zelda, then The Adventure of Link and so forth.

[Deku Lord]

1. In TP, many people you encounter in the game refer to a great hero in the past. This to my understanding is the golden wolf guy who teaches you all your hidden skills. But my question is this -is the great hero everyone in Hyrule speaks of Link from a previous game, or someone else? If so, which game would he come from ( my reading of the timeline theories thus far would lead me to believe it would be the OoT/MM Link. If that were the case, then is the guy who is teaching TP Link the hidden sword skills a spirit form of the OoT Link? Please no spoilers, I am about halfway through TP, so if I have asked a stupid question which I will later find the answer to, you can just tell me that. Like I said before, I'm new at this so I have a lot to learn.

Within the games the Ancient Warrior has no proven connections with any previous heroes. The 'great hero in the past' is merely something Nintendo may be implying about him. As for real life statements about the Warrior, I do not know of any statements by Nintendo at this point.


Question #2: After completing the two games I have, what would be the best way to play the rest of the games in the series? Would it be best to start with the original adventure and play it out in the order of release? OR should I follow one of the timeline theories and play them in (supposed) chronological order of the history of Hyrule OR some other order based simply on gameplay? Hmm - I think too much. That's why I know I am going to love it here....

If it was me, I would start with the 8-bit adventures, move on to hand helds, and finally 3D adventures.

[PrinceofDarkness]

Impa (by Zelda's order) was there to bring them back, and at the end of a linked game we see zelda and co. back in hyrule and nayru in an unfamiliar village and din in an unfamilar forest, both of which I assume are in hyrule.
Their figurines state that they have come from holodrum and labyrnna.

Something that just came to me regarding this, I started playing MC again and looked at those figures and it appears that holodrum and labrynna might just be there homelands and they are coming to hyrule to live for the first time in MC. Hence why they went back there in the oracle games, they may just have decided to take a vacation or something. I also believe that nayru's figure states that she comes from a long line of oracles from Labrynna.

[Punchout]

I think they go in the order that they where released. Nintendo doesnt have some big plot that will eventually connect. Its not the same link but usually the same gannon although he has hanged so it leads me to beleive their in the correct order already.

[BlueLink57]

Wow! I am new here - never before been a member of a forum or anything like this. Anyway, I wanted to play the Zelda games growing up, but my parents wouldn't let me. They were afraid I would get lost in the games at the time, and I think they were right. Anyway, I'm grown up now and finally getting to play these awesome games. I have started with ALLTP and TP, and am in the middle of both right now. I have been intrigued with the timeline theory, but not having played them all, I am more confused the more I read on the subject. I guess I have two questions at the present -
1. In TP, many people you encounter in the game refer to a great hero in the past. This to my understanding is the golden wolf guy who teaches you all your hidden skills. But my question is this -is the great hero everyone in Hyrule speaks of Link from a previous game, or someone else? If so, which game would he come from ( my reading of the timeline theories thus far would lead me to believe it would be the OoT/MM Link. If that were the case, then is the guy who is teaching TP Link the hidden sword skills a spirit form of the OoT Link? Please no spoilers, I am about halfway through TP, so if I have asked a stupid question which I will later find the answer to, you can just tell me that. Like I said before, I'm new at this so I have a lot to learn.
Question #2: After completing the two games I have, what would be the best way to play the rest of the games in the series? Would it be best to start with the original adventure and play it out in the order of release? OR should I follow one of the timeline theories and play them in (supposed) chronological order of the history of Hyrule OR some other order based simply on gameplay? Hmm - I think too much. That's why I know I am going to love it here....
I think what you're thinking is the guy who teaches you the hidden skills is a link that had already died. Rememeber every 100 years there is a new zelda and link. The teacher is a skeleton with a sword and shield and his name is "The Hero's Shade." I'm guessing hes a dead link. I dont know what the name means but I think it means heros spirit or something.

[Avenged]

How is there a new Zelda and Link every hundred years? LOL I think you're thinking theres a new male Gerudo every 100 years.