The Problem with Ganondorf (spoilers for TotK):
So I've been re-evaluating Ganondorf, the Triforce, and the Master Sword in light of the new TotK information. I'll start with Ganondorf in this post.
In the split timeline, there are, at this point, three different Ganondorfs. There is the OoT-WW / TP / ALttP-OoX-ALBW-Z1, there is the FSA Ganondorf and there is the BotW - TotK Ganondorf
In the linear timeline, there are a few ways to delineate the number of Ganondorfs, depending on your different theories:
Because TotK backstory doesn't have a definitive placement, there are a couple ways to interpret its events. The theory that I thinks works best is that
all of the Ganondorfs in the series
after Ganondorf is sealed are manifestations of the malice/gloom leaking from below Hyrule Castle. It is a corruptive sickness that infects all future Ganondorfs: thus, the Ganondorfs are
individuals infected by this malice. I think this is a reasonable interpretation of events.
So how many Ganondorfs are there? Assuming that each Ganondorf is essentially a separate entity, on the split timeline, there is TotK, OoT/WW, TP, ALttP/OoX/ALBW/Z1/BotW, FSA (5), five Ganondorfs. Technically, OoT Ganondorf is TP on one timeline and ALttP on another timeline, but they are essentially different beings with different backstories and different lives because of the inane split. Using Marvel terminology, they are variants and thus separate.
On the linear timeline, there are a variety of possibilities, each with their own evidence. The linear timeline assumes only one course of Rito evolution: thus, TotK backstory must take place after the flood. So the most possible Ganondorfs is OoT/WW, TotK/BotW, FSA, TP, ALttP/OoX/ALBW/Z1 (5) also 5.
Ganondorf 1 was born in the desert, took over Hyrule, was sealed, escaped, and was sealed with the Master Sword. Ganondorf 2 was born in the desert in the new kingdom and sealed below the castle. Ganondorf 3 was born in the desert and sealed in the Four Sword. Ganondorf 4 was born in the desert, sealed in the Twilight Realm, escaped and was killed by the Master Sword. Ganondorf 5 was born in the desert, found the Sacred Realm, was killed and revived three times until he was killed with the Silver Arrows.
Can we get this to four? The easiest way to get this to four is saying having Ganondorf 3 be unsealed from the Four Sword before either a) becoming Ganondorf 4 or b) becoming Ganondorf 5. Ganondorf 5 is shown to have the Four Sword in his Dark World pyramid; thus the claim: Ganondorf 3 was unsealed from the Four Sword and became Ganondorf 5, bringing the Four Sword with him, is not an unreasonable claim.
Can we get this to three? Not without some difficulty and some faith. To have three Ganondorfs, one must accept that all Ganondorfs after TotK's sealing were simply
phantom manifestations of TotK Ganondorf.
@Moblinking5000 presented a similar case in their thread "My views on the timeline placement of BotW/TotK"
So, I get that alot of people, have been readdressing the timeline debate of where BotW(and in turn, TotK) take place in the Zelda timeline since the release of TotK. I figured that as one of the most prominent theorists on this board, I should do the same. So, here it is: before the release of...
zeldadungeon.net
where they say
And OoT Ganon's spirit and malice is literally a part of TotK Ganon's spirit and malice, so Calamity Ganon stays stuck/sealed to Hyrule Castle for the most part as everything about him at this point literally belongs to TotK Ganon far beneath said castle, establishing a connection between the two.
So while the baby Gerudos that become Ganondorf are different, the malice is the same, and originates from TotK Ganondorf beneath the castle. This then means that Ganondorf 3/5 and Ganondorf 4, while not sharing memories, share Ganondorf 2's malice. And it also explains why FSA Ganondorf and TP Ganondorf have very similar plans: use the spirits from the Dark Mirror and Mirror of Twilight (possibly the same mirror) and a puppet foe (Vaati and Zant) to take over Hyrule.
Even further, it may be that FSA/ALttP Ganondorf and TP Ganondorf are
all just TotK Ganondorf, in much the same way Phantom Zelda is a phantom of Phantom Ganondorf who's a phantom of Ganondorf. Even sealed, his malice is strong enough to make entire beings that act as surrogates. This is a little bit fanfic-y, but it does explain, in-universe, why these Ganondorfs all have very very similar plans: they
are sharing a memory. They remember the dark mirror, and the Sacred Realm, and how to trick kings, and how to use servants etc. They have the same playbook because they are all the same "phantom."
Can we get this to one Ganondorf? Not without even
more difficulty and faith. The only way to have one Ganondorf in the whole series is to have a linear timeline, have TotK Ganondorf's malice corrupt Gerudo male babies, and have WW Ganondorf unsealed from the Master Sword after the Great Flood. This is a very controversial prospect with little evidence, other than the fact that there are Rito and Koroks in BotW and TotK and also the Master Sword isn't in Ganondorf's skull.
The only way for there to be one Ganondorf throughout the entire series for Koume and Kotake to pull the Master Sword for WW (now TotK) Ganondorf's skull, heal him with magic or something, and keep the Master Sword hidden so as not to let the Master Sword fall into Rauru's hands. Then, later, a party referenced in TP's backstory (the Oocca's, the Light Spirits, maybe even the Interlopers) moved the sword to the Temple of Time in the Sacred Grove in the Lost Woods, where it would be found in TP, ALttP, OoS, ALBW, BotW and TotK.
The evidence that TotK Ganondorf is WW Ganondorf is weak. The evidence that the Master Sword was, at some point, removed from WW Ganondorf's skull and placed in the Sacred Grove, however, is strong (on a split timeline as well): there are
too many canonical references to the Great Sea and the events and, most importantly, races, of Wind Waker in MC/FS/FSA, ALBW, BotW, and now TotK to conclude that it takes place on a different timeline to the rest of the series. Korok paintings, shields and items overlapping, characters overlapping, enemies and races in Spirit Tracks
only recurring in Twilight Princess, dev team overlap, Navi Trackers, armor sets, Rock Salt and Zelda's speech, location names, Koroks and Ritos
evolving at all, the only timeline where the Seven Sages worked with Link to successfully defeat Ganondorf, the entire underground of Hyrule being supported by roots and trees and petrified branches: if Wind Waker happened before Tears of the Kingdom, then whatever Master Sword exists during Rauru's time must be hidden or unavailable, most likely intentionally.
So the theory for one Ganondorf across all the games to work on linear goes as follows:
OoT: Ganondorf was born as a reincarnation of Demise's malice, takes over Hyrule and is sealed
WW: The seal weakens, Ganondorf escapes but is trapped under the Great Sea. He escapes to the surface looking for the Triforce before Link plunges the Master Sword into his head, sealing him
TotK Backstory: Some servant of Ganondorf (maybe Twinrova) unseals him from the Master Sword, hiding it from the new kingdom, before Ganondorf is sealed below the castle by Rauru.
MC: Ganondorf's malice seeps out slowly, first forming the army that the Hero of Men defeats
FSA: Ganondorf's malice seeps out stronger, forming a phantom that evades the Gerudo's laws and claims the trident, before being sealed in the Four Sword
TP: Ganondorf's malice seeps out stronger, forming a phantom that seeks out Zant as a vessel in his attempt to cloud the world in darkness (which was his goal in FSA)
ALttP: Ganon is unsealed from the Four Sword, goes into the Sacred Realm now that he knows that the Triforce is still around, and is defeated by Link
OoX: Ganon is resurrected by Twinrova and sealed in Lorule by Link
ALBW: Yuga combines with Ganon before he is defeated and sealed in the Underworld
Z1: Ganon escapes from the underworld and destroys Lesser Hyrule, before he is killed by Link
BotW: Ganon's malice seeps out stronger and forms the first and second "Calamities"
TotK: Ganondorf is unsealed, where he falls to gather strength before being absorbed into his own Secret Stone
If you want two Ganon's, replace "Some servant of Ganondorf (maybe Twinrova) unseals him from the Master Sword, hiding it from the new kingdom" with "A new Ganondorf is born and the Master Sword remains hidden"
If you want four Ganon's, replace "Ganondorf's malice seeps out stronger" with "A new Ganondorf is born"
If you want five Ganon's, replace "Ganon is unsealed from the Four Sword" with "A new Ganondorf is born"
I honestly think there is enough evidence for two Ganondorf's (anyone who thinks TotK backstory happens before OoT basically agrees) and
just enough for one Ganondorf considering the Master Sword debacle (it's in his head and then it isn't in his head, what happened to the Ganondorf who's head it was in?)
