Ideas for Returning to Previous Lore/Chronology for Future Zelda Games

[NoSkinnedKoopa]

Hello everyone! Ever since I finished Breath of the Wild, I just kept thinking what's next for Zelda series. Not just the next the game, but the next few games. And especially how the Zelda chronology will continue with Breath of the Wild's official timeline placement STILL not being clear. (This drives me nuts.) Just like many others, I even have attempted at my own theory of where it goes in the timeline! (Link: https://zeldadungeon.net/forum/thre...ine-breath-of-the-wild-timeline-theory.61862/) But alas, the argument still continues and Nintendo just doesn't want to help... I was out of ideas and my Zelda life became silent.
UNTIL, I watched a wonderful theory video made by Lockstin and Gnoggin on YouTube about how many Zelda games are connected to ALBW's Lorule. (Link: youtube.com/watch?v=guXHxiCAvSU) This opened my mind to something I completely forgot prior to Breath of the Wild. And that was all the loose ends of other timeline events in which future Zelda games can fill in!

So, what I think Nintendo should do with future Zelda installments, chronologically, is FORGET about Breath of the Wild. At least for a bit, and return to making a sequel/prequel for it later down the road. Breath of the Wild's purpose was a test run for the new revolutionary open-world Zelda engine anyway. Aside from BOTW, one of my favorite things about Zelda was its lore. I want Nintendo to make the upcoming installments fill in spots of the timeline where it had loose ends that needed explanation and expansion, along with the gameplay aspects learned from Breath of the Wild. So, here are my ideas for those "loose ends" to be filled in.

1.) Third Hero of Time game, completing a trilogy and prequel to Twilight Princess - This one is a must. The Ocarina chronology is my personal favorite of the series and I'm sure the favorite of many others. Of course, many questions have risen such as how did Link go from saving Termina to Hero's Shade? How did he get that armor he wears in Twilight Princess and lose his eye? Did he ever find Navi or does it even matter to him anymore? How did he return to Hyrule after Termina? What was Ganondorf's impact on the Gerudo following his execution? So many questions, and the ones I mentioned ALONE are enough for Nintendo to come up with a whole story and game for this idea. I think it would be so satisfying to return as the Hero of Time, proving himself once more as a Hero/Warrior. I know in Twilight Princess, he says he fell in battle, but what was the reason for that battle? I know all Links are related by Spirit of the Hero, but the Hero of Twilight is the Hero of Time's descendant, so did he have kids? Could his son have avenged his death? The Hero's Shade was apparently never recognized as an actual hero! With voice acting, this could also make for a dramatic story. All in all, this untold story is worth a game and I hope Nintendo does make it so.
EDIT: This new idea just crept into my head. What if in this proposed game, in the end, you do not die as the Hero of Time and that causes a new timeline split. The original, being that he did die, leads into Twilight Princess. The new, being that you won, leads into a new timeline. Possibly the one that contains Breath of the Wild? Time will tell.

2.) Sequel to Spirit Tracks - Now, this idea is more of an expansion than a needed explanation. Though as of recently, it now does needed an explanation however! Even though after Spirit Tracks we have a happy ending in New Hyrule where no question is really posed, Nintendo just did to happen to place Breath of the Wild at the end of each timeline.* (Saying that it is up for debate.) Whether that is just temporary or complete, it poses a question: How did the Master Sword get removed from Ganondorf's head at the bottom of the sea? Who fished it out? And even if Breath of the Wild is eventually moved from being after Spirit Tracks, this still is a good idea to expand upon. Plus, another incarnation of Demise is soon to come to New Hyrule after Malladus. I proposed a concept where a Victorian-era Zelda would take place, with steam trains, steam boats, and steamy cities. Another console Toon Link game can take place with these ideas. I would love to see it.

3.) Another Zelda game set in Lorule/Termina? - This idea is a bit more abstract, and based off a theory than preexisting lore. Allow to me to explain it with a huge concept. As I mentioned above, I recently watched Lockstin and Gnoggin's video on how many Zelda games are connected to Lorule, even if they are outside Downfall chronology, where the Dark World/Lorule came from. I recommend watching the video for a better understanding. So, if this is true, what if there is a LORULE HISTORIA? A timeline or set of timelines that exist in Lorule aside from Hyrule? In the theory video, it does propose how Termina and the Twilight Realm are connected to Lorule. This concept could make for MANY Zelda games. And to help it, Majora's Mask was present in ALBW, maybe it could be more than an Easter Egg. ALBW also came out after the official Zelda timeline, so maybe it could be setting up for something big that would affect it. This is a huge opportunity Nintendo can use.

Anyway, I know Nintendo usually likes to "take care" of the stories last, but I think now that they have a Zelda engine they want to stick to, they can go back to Zelda lore to explain and expand on unanswered loose ends such as these. They can even use it to connect Breath of the Wild finally! I believe they will do this, it only makes sense. Thank you all so much for reading, and please tell me what you think of my ideas or put your own on what unexplored lore you would like to see in future installments.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Did he ever find Navi or does it even matter to him anymore?

The whole point of MM, I'm pretty sure, was for Link to let go of the past. Navi is either dead, or she is alive but their time together is over and Link has to just move on.

How did he return to Hyrule after Termina?

Same way he got there. Via an interdimensional portal.

I know in Twilight Princess, he says he fell in battle

Uh, no. I don't recall the Hero's Shade ever saying he fell in battle. He simply said he failed to convey the lessons he learned as the hero in his lifetime. It's only theorized he died in battle.

EDIT: This new idea just crept into my head. What if in this proposed game, in the end, you do not die as the Hero of Time and that causes a new timeline split. The original, being that he did die, leads into Twilight Princess. The new, being that you won, leads into a new timeline. Possibly the one that contains Breath of the Wild? Time will tell.

Many fans are already put off by the official timeline as is. Making another split will just make it more complex and further alienate fans. Theorizing is sadly a dying thing in the community and making the timeline more complex, in that regard, is the last thing that should be done. Atleast not for some time. I've considered the possibility of other timelines, and it could work, it just shouldn't be done presently.

3.) Another Zelda game set in Lorule/Termina? - This idea is a bit more abstract, and based off a theory than preexisting lore. Allow to me to explain it with a huge concept. As I mentioned above, I recently watched Lockstin and Gnoggin's video on how many Zelda games are connected to Lorule, even if they are outside Downfall chronology, where the Dark World/Lorule came from. I recommend watching the video for a better understanding. So, if this is true, what if there is a LORULE HISTORIA? A timeline or set of timelines that exist in Lorule aside from Hyrule? In the theory video, it does propose how Termina and the Twilight Realm are connected to Lorule. This concept could make for MANY Zelda games. And to help it, Majora's Mask was present in ALBW, maybe it could be more than an Easter Egg. ALBW also came out after the official Zelda timeline, so maybe it could be setting up for something big that would affect it. This is a huge opportunity Nintendo can use.

I haven't watched the video, but there is no connection between Termina, the Twilight Realm, Lorule, and the Dark World, they are all seperate places. Lorule being a parallel world very closely resembling Hyrule. Termina also being a parallel world but is not as similar to Hyrule. The Dark World is just a corrupt version of the Sacred Realm, and the Twilight Realm is sort of a pocket dimension, I believe.

Termina served it's purpose for plot and seeing a game set there would feel forced. I wouldn't mind seeing games which allow Lorule to be accessed, I wouldn't even mind seeing Lorule in a 3D Zelda game maybe.

 

[Castle]

To me, the only obvious plot continuation is 1. Ninty set up an obvious gap in the Hero of Time's life between Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess. Even before that, it has always felt like the Hero of Time has at least one more adventure left in him.

I would love for a sequel to Ocarina of Time to be set in Hyrule during Link's adulthood after being sent back to his childhood by Zelda. They could do what they did with Zelda II and set it mostly in an area of Hyrule not visited in Ocarina of Time, with the portions of Hyrule from Ocarina of Time getting changed and expanded upon and of course given a graphical overhaul.

The story would give a sense of closure to the Hero of Time's life's story. It could even end in his demise and eventual existence as the Hero's shade. Heck, maybe the Hero's Shade could feature as a transformation, with Link being dead but given a second chance at fulfilling his purpose. It wouldn't be the first time a game protagonist has shifted between living and undead form at will, naturally making it the Dark Souls of Zelda games.

The Oracle games could get their completion with the release of the third game in the Oracle trifecta.

And of course my personal preference would be a continuation of Twilight Princess and #bringbackmidna

Any other continuation would be superfluous, really. We could go back to the very first Link just for giggles, now an adult, in a remade Hyrule from Zelda II. Wind Waker already got its sequels. The last thing Suckward needs is a sequel even if there is tremendous story potential for one - watching Link and Zelda and the new Hyleans struggle to establish a burgeoning Hyrule in an untamed wilderness land still beset by monsters and demons is the natural continuation of that pointless story, but at least it sounds more interesting.

A Link to the Past has no basis for a continuation far as I can tell. I think it would be difficult to set a game in ALttP's hyrule without just reskinning it like they did with ALBW. ALttP Link doesn't have enough (or any) characterization to build a continuation of his character off of. And the story of ALttP is simple and self contained enough that it doesn't leave anything open. You could just have a reskin of ALttP but that's entirely what ALBW did already.

 

[YIGAhim]

There is no connection unless they cook one up out of their brains, which I honestly don't want t happen.

They could do more based off an individual place, but not a connection between them

 

[Moblinking5000]

-A CT game post FSA that goes more in depth on Ganondorf II would be nice since we've only seen him in one game.

-An AT game that establishes a new recurring villain for New Hyrule would be great, too.

-Maybe go back to the pre-OoT part of the timeline, and have some new villains and maybe plots that don't revolve around the Triforce.

-A DT game that is either a BotW prequel(assuming that BotW is a DT game, which I believe it is) or a game that goes more indepth on the IW. There's also tons of room for games between TFH and LoZ with or without Ganon in them.

 

[LinkontheRink]

Agreed here that a sequel to Majora's Mask is needed. More Hero of Time stuff! Whether its him in the game, or even his son, I love this era and want more of it.

 

[Aku]

Looks like Aku's going to be the unpopular one in this thread...

I personally think TP is that third game, as it follows the natural outcome of the CT and the H's S is grown up child OoT Link. He's helping his descendent TP Link learn the secret skills passed down in their family. That's his last heroic act.

 

[Fierce_Deity]

I agree with Aku, TP is pretty much that third game. The fate of Ganon is revealed and in a way the fate of the Hero of Time. Based on some of things the Hero's Shade says implies he didn't have a big adventure and wasn't remembered as a hero. Not sure how you could get a game out of that. As for Navi, I am curious about her fate but a whole game for that answer? Nah. For the most part, between MM and TP nothing happened, Hyrule enjoyed relative peace until Zant's curse. That said I would like another game in the CT that goes back to the darker themes that MM and TP had.