No Time, No Time, Who's Got the Time

[Djinn]

I would not recommend you mention something like this on the Legends Alliance forums, :shake: They really like their timelines.

I used to believe that the developers at Nintendo did not care about creating much of a continuity themselves. And that they would create a new title without a care as to placing it into any timeline. They were only concerned with making a game. And to some extent this is true, however there is some care to maintain a connection between the games. Although it looks to be a halfhearted attempt at best. Not out of little to no concern for the timeline, but connecting titles should be secondary to the overall story of the game. Now they obviously do not want to be hindered by things like placing terrain in the exact same areas and maintain certain characters and items simply for the sake of continuity. As that would take away from the care to make a good game at that time. They are placing much more time and effort into creating the game at hand then filling in the little bits into the overall story. As the story and gameplay of the current game is clearly more important than the need for connection between the current and past titles. And making sure the countryside looks exactly the same as it did in a previous title. Hindering developers like that would likely slow down development and harm the overall game itself. I personally would not like it if the Minish Cap or Twilight Princess was much shorter in content or took an extra six months to develop just so they would match up with OoT perfectly. Besides only a small number of the total Zelda fans give it this kind of thought. Or at least this much deep thought.

Even then, that is why we have forums like this one to discuss the matter.

 

[Jarsh]

I haven't ever considered it because the developers, whenever asked, have confirmed time and time again there is a timeline. Plus, many games make obvious references to each other (ST making references to TWW, TWW making references to OoT, TP making references to OoT, etc.)

And now we have SS being the origin for the Master Sword, with Aonuma quite clearly stating it takes place before OoT.

 

[collinbollin]

well i believe that the originally was no time line, but fans started speculating, so Nintendo tried to incorporate a time line, so as of now we cannot be sure but i think that the game after SS will tie everything together, i hope.
oh and not to be a nit picker but there are 3 spiritual stones

 

[mooper11]

yet, the OoT version of the legend, in your case, was told at the beginning of wind waker. There are many legends in Greek Mythology that all involve a son of Zeus trying to please the gods. Youre on to something, but I think theyre different legends. And what about the games with the Picori Sword?

 

[Locke]

Yes, the literal legend theory comes up a lot. But all you have to do is look at a few developer quotes to see that each game has its unique place on the timeline. AoL was said to take place a few seasons after LoZ. LttP took place before Link went on his adventure. OoT was supposed to tell the backstory of LttP. Every time they release a game, they include references to other games that could only mean that they are distinct events that occur in the same universe at different times.

 

[MajorasMask9]

You know, I've seen a lot of people bring up the possibility that there is no timeline, or some absolutely bizzare theories that barely make sense. Though honestly, the games' placements in a timeline are much less a theory than they are a fact at this point. To me, the fact that so many Zelda games undeniably connect in certain ways, and each tell totally different parts of an overall "story" kind of disproves the idea that it could be a retelling of the same exact story multiple times.

Taking into account what the developers have said, and using common sense, the games really do come together very nicely. There are some exceptions that are up for debate, such as LoZ/AoL/ALttP, LA, MC/FS, and the Oracle games, but even those for the most part have some clear chronology to them. It's just, their placement in an overall timeline is unclear as of now. Nintendo has shown with their recent games that they are starting to care about fitting games into an overall timeline, and I think it's a very safe bet to assume that they will begin to make games that will help link together the rest of the games in the end.

 

[Jimmy]

The similarities between the games are down to the fact it's the same series. It's a formula:

• Boy found on farm/island/forest is somehow awakened and brought into epic events that are taking place
• For some arbitrary reason he has to go around collecting some **** from dungeons/temples to restore/open something
• Boy finds weapon that is necessary to kill big bad boss
• Boy kills big bad boss/defeats him and seals him in other realm with help of sages

Most of the games follow this pretty closely. It's the same as Mario games - Peach is kidnapped by Bowser, Mario runs off around some levels so he can fetch her.

 

[DuckNoises]

There have already been several theories and threads on this topic that were discussed thoroughly. I'll attach this to one of them.

 

[mooper11]

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
They are different legends because they have one thing in common. Subtitles!

 

[audioblogs12]

A Real Discussion About the Literal Legend Theory

It's about time we have a real discussion about the Literal Legend theory. According to the Literal Legend Theory, many of the games of the Legend of Zelda are merely the same legend passed down through generations and changed over time through either the telephone game effect or the copying monks effect. Here's the basic summary of the unchanged part of the story:

Before the actual story, there was a war in the land of Hyrule. The cause of the war was sealed away and should have remained sealed forever.
During the story, a hero gathers three artifacts. Some time after that, in any order, Princess Zelda gets kidnapped, and the hero gets the master sword and then goes to a few more different dungeons to get power from a few people who are either "sages" or decedents of sages. The hero then goes to Ganon's Tower, defeats Ganondorf and saves the day.
After the story, the hero then goes on another adventure involving an entirely different world or dimension.

Does everyone see that with a bit of variation in at least ALttP/(OoX or LA), OoT/MM, and WW/PH?

I add to my Literal Legend:
in WW and in LoZ the hero at some point looks for the pieces of a triforce: either the Triforce of Wisdom for LoZ, or the Triforce of Courage for WW.

---------------------------

Now I understand that the literal legend theory has room to be criticized. I don't exactly believe it either. For example, that particular story is only repeated three times in the entire series. The games that do not reflect that story are Loz/AoL, the FS Series, TP, and ST, which happens to be an indirect sequel to WW/PH. WW(and if the official statement involving ALttP's imprisoning war being OoT was not retconed, ALttP) directly references OoT as its war. All these facts and more point to the Literal Legend theory being incorrect.

What do you humans, hylians, gorons, zoras, kokiri, twili, dekus, fairies, gerudos, Koroks, lokomos, oocca, minish, rito, Sheikah, Subrosian, tokay, anoki, and Yeti have to say about it?

 

[DuckNoises]

This has already been a well-established thread. I'll merge this with that one, but please try and search for a thread topic before posting.

 

[My Dear Epona]

Legend Theory

OK so.. hi
This theory might not make much sense at the beginning but bare with me. I think we can all agree most games have the same sequence of events, and the ones who don't kinda have their own pattern between them. So the main sequence tends to be: Link comes from a humble town evil somehow strikes a part of it and he starts his journey, later he gets tree treasures which enable him the master sword, after getting this he continue the journey getting a sort of sacred power to aid him against the evil.
The other kind of pattern i could find for the other games (I dont count MC or OOX games cause i havent played them) is more direct, link gets into a journey in which he has to go into a lot of temples were he will get a series of objects that being together tend to take you to the final battle. So all the time we are wondering about the order of this events on a lineal or split timeline. Ok WHAT IF, there were only about 3 real events in the whole zelda series, "legends" if you will, which are told year after year, BUT adapted depending on the era they are being told so its easy for the ones who listen to them to identify themselves.
For example. Post civil war :TP
After some kind of flood: WW
In a more advance civilization: ST
What do you think, if am not clear with my thoery please ask, after all english aint my mother language, but after all i want to say, its the LEGEND of zelda :nerd:

 

[ShaneOMac713]

I understand what you mean and I completely agree with you on some parts.

 

[Pen]

I for one think making own Zelda timelines is a very fun and interesting thing to do. Throughout the years I've had a few different versions. However, despite my great joy for timelines, this sure is an interesting theory and is worth consideration. After all, it is called The Legend of Zelda.

 

[Locke]

This has already been a well-established thread. I'll merge this with that one, but please try and search for a thread topic before posting.

What he said.


I still disagree with this. Even with the most recent developer quote about the timeline, in which Miyamoto shows his concern for fans overanalyzing the timeline, he doesn't imply that it doesn't exist. only that the connections aren't perfect. The farthest I'm willing to bend at this point would be to consider the possibility of one game having two sequels, or two prequels. I've seen some convincing arguments showing that both LttP and WW could follow the AT portion of OoT while not being connected to each other, or OoT and FSA could precede LttP. This sort of thing is possible only because of changing intent. The intent is still there, however, that for the most part each adventure is a distinct event.