Are We Playing a History or a Story?

[Locke]

I never liked the Literal Legend theory. I preferred to think that the games are glimpses into different times in another world, only fictional in relation to our own. The title of the series, among other things, has led many to believe that the stories we experience are fictional in relation to themselves as well. This makes the relationships between separate - related and unrelated - games more complicated.

While the Hyrule Historia lays out the history of this other world, ruling out comparisons to Cinderella, it also points out some elements that make us wonder if what we experience in the games is 100% history.

It’s said that every night, a voice can be heard coming out of the academy toilet saying, “Paper, please.” This ghost story, also featured in Majora’s Mask and Oracle of Ages, might be a story traditionally passed on.

-Hyrule Historia, translated by Patas, hosted on Glitterberri​

A story that is passed on within the Zelda universe would be told to us by an NPC. But we personally encounter actual hands in toilets in OoA and MM. The story manifests itself in the game's world. Does this mean that the game itself is a story, even in relation to its own universe? What does that mean for the timeline?

 

[Dragoncat]

I think we are playing a history, things really happened in that world. If that makes any sense...

 

[You-Know-Who]

Zelda games are very detailed, ruling out story. I think the "Legend" part consists of the artwork, Link's name refered as "Link", and how these games are in the pasts, where more historical facts are refered to as stories or legends. Do keep in mind that Legends doesn't mean its not true. For example, at the beginning of WW, we are told the story of OoT and the events afterwards, yet some things don't match exactly with the original game. The game is pretty much, in my point of view, the true story of the legend spoken around the kingdoms.

I hope this clears it up.

 

[Cfrock]

I think the games tell an accurate history of Hyrule and such. As Voldemort pointed out, the games themselves are sometimes referred to as legends in games further down the timeline, i.e Ocarina of Time in The Wind Waker's intro. The legend doesn't tell us everything we experienced in that game so Ocarina of Time could be seen as the history behind the legend in a way.

The example of the hands in the toilet may stem from the real-world instances we encounter in-game. Stories based on truth, in other words. Like I said, I think we play through a history which later in the timeline becomes a legend.

 

[You-Know-Who]

As Voldemort pointed out, the games themselves are sometimes referred to as legends in games further down the timeline, i.e Ocarina of Time in The Wind Waker's intro.

Thanks for agreeing with me, but beware: Anyone who speaks of my name will die!!!!

 

[SNOlink]

It's kind of hard to say because while I really think it's a history, really history is a story, just with real events. Both can be slightly manipulated for whoever's telling the story. Also, with both there can be many mysterious things about them that don't get answered, especially in Zelda. For me, I think it's a history because most of the things go together quite well that wouldn't go as well in just a fiction story.