Is the downfall the natural timeline?

[Mikey the Moblin]

I'm not one for pokemon, but my wife and children are. I think I get what you are getting at, but I don't think it holds up. If Demise would create a cyclical world where defeating it was just a matter of cycles, I doubt the Hylia would go through the trouble of setting up her own time loop, to defeat him.

perhaps wheel of time is more grokable for you
if shaitan ever won, the pattern would give a "handicap" to the dragon reborn in the next cycle
so the constant warring on the surface world was the wheel spinning over and over, then hylia was like "screw it let's try floating islands"

there's no reasoning for this it's just flinging crap at the wall

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

perhaps wheel of time is more grokable for you
if shaitan ever won, the pattern would give a "handicap" to the dragon reborn in the next cycle
so the constant warring on the surface world was the wheel spinning over and over, then hylia was like "screw it let's try floating islands"

there's no reasoning for this it's just flinging crap at the wall

That is a great reference. Keep in mind, though, the time scales involved. My quick (math free) estimate would basicly place every game before Breath of the Wild in the first era of the wheel, and Breath of the wild probably sitting in the third era, if not even later. Even if Demise (Shaitan) did win, there would be a whole rotation of the wheel, with many ages, yet to play out. This does present an interesting way for the whole franchise to have separate timelines, that loop around into one greater timeline

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

Metatheory: all theories eventually converge into a wheel timeline

 

[YoungGanon23]

ALTTP is more enjoyable when you know OOT Link the Hero of Time and OOT Zelda failed Ganon had now the complete Triforce Darkworld is like Zelda version of Mordor you are the last change of the Kingdom feels like a good movie ending