Spoiler Parallel World Theory

[Austin]

A famous fad in time line development is the use of of splits or forks. These splits allow time line theorists to create complex time lines that can make up for the many mysteries of Hyrule. However, some of these mysteries can't be solved by considering time line splits. In ways we'll see that time line splits can only make things worse. This thread is a semi-sequel to my previous Multi-Dimensions Theory. This means that you don't have to read or had read my previous thread to fully understand this theory. However, having it read will can help you out. Like usually, I'll try to provide pictures and answer questions!

This little guy's existence can make/break some of the best time line theories out there. He is hated and loved by Zelda fans, and he even can be creepy. He is the infamous Tingle. If you believe Tingle is truly a magically fairy, then you may not want to read the rest of this thread. However if you don't, I got something interesting to point out. He exists in 4 mentionable games. Majora's Mask, Oracle of Ages, Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures. To make this paragraph go towards my theory, I need to mention few of the games he isn't in. Ocarina of Time, Oracle of Seasons. These two games that somewhat co-exist with Majora's Mask and Oracle of Ages. His existence in one game and no the other suggests that the possibility of two parallel worlds. I also like to mention that he exists in Wind Waker, which in general is believed to be one of the latest games in any time line theory. In simple, the tingle in Wind Waker can't be the same tingle in Majora's Mask. However, one may say that he exists in the Ocarina of Time world, but at a very later date. This theory won't get into depth of which games belong to which world(s), but rather try and show that there must at least two parallel worlds. Depending on the results of this thread, I may may a sequel thread getting into that.

Then there are the existence of these various characters that both exist in Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time. These two games are direct sequels, and I doubt any mere time line split can compensate for these characters' dual existence. However, if we accept the idea of there being two parallel worlds, then this parallel world idea starts to make more sense. I would mention few dual existence characters from the Oracle games such as Bipin, Cap'n, Dimitri etc, but some may consider the games direct sequels without any world transferring.

He is one of the biggest problems in time line theory development! His reappearance through out Legend of Zelda motivate and aggravate us at the same time. He is the man of the hour! He is Gandorf! If previous characters can have dual game existence, then why can't Ganondorf? I know that this is a very bold statement to claim, but if considered then newer and more elaborate time line theories can be formed. If you look back at the statement I mention that Tingle could exist in both worlds, but at different times. If we apply this to Ganondorf and Majora's Mask. We may be able to say that Twilight Princess belonged in the Majora's Mask world. This would explain how there wasn't any mentioning of Ocarina of Time in Twilight Princess, and the advance technology in Twilight Princess. Majora's Mask had a telescope which showed enthusiasm to learn, and it didn't have 7 years suffering due to Ganondorf to hold them back with technology. This is can be a topic all on its own.

If you haven't picked up on it yet, this theory simple says there exists at least two planets in which Legend of Zelda exist. I was hesitant to say two universes because Link was able to transfer from one to the other in Majora's Mask. Each world has it own set of characters, and its time line. I know this idea is bold as it could potentially slap a lot of really good time line theories, but at the same time it gives time line theorist more tools to work with. Specifically, letting theorist take into consideration of multiple character existence (even Ganondorf). Like most theories, this isn't confirm, and is open to debate and discussion. I've left few spots open in my theory because they could make the thread too long for people to want to read. If you wish to tackle those spots, please do! Also, if you have any questions or debates, please post them!

 

[Michael Heide]

Well, we know that the majority (no pun intended) of Majora's Mask is happening in a parallel world. That parallel world even has a name: Termina. And we know that the characters from Termina share certain characteristics with Hyrulians, that they have counterparts there. While some Hyrulians have no opposites at all (every single sage), others have multiple opposites (Ingo has the three Gorman brothers), or even multiple opposites plucked from different times (Malon has the young Romani and the older Cremia), so it comes as no surprise that Tingle (whose Hyrulian counterpart we don't meet until Wind Waker) is in Majora's Mask, but not in Ocarina of Time.

Besides, even the multiple opposites (like Tingle appearing in both Wind Waker and Oracle of Ages) can be explained: Reincarnation is a big part of Hyrule's cyclic history. Almost every generation has a boy named Link. Almost every generation has a princess by the name of Zelda. Ocarina of Time tells us directly that Kaepora Gaebora is a reincarnation of an ancient sage, while Wind Waker's Medli and Makar might be reincarnations of their ancestors Laruto and Fado. If we accept that some people reincarnate looking almost exactly like their previous incarnation, and if we accept that the people of Termina have counterparts in Hyrule (but not necessarily at the same time), then we don't have to worry about Tingle appearing in both WW and OoA.

The Oracle games are a different situation. Neither of them takes place in Hyrule. While it's possible that Link on his journeys gets cast to yet another parallel world like Termina, we have no evidence to that in the games themselves. All we know is that one game takes place on the continent of Labrynna, while the other takes place on the continent Holodrum. Characters like Bipin and the Cap'n are moving from one continent to the other between games. That part is canon. And if Labrynna and Holodrum are not in a parallel dimension, then characters like Tingle, the Windmill Man or the Happy Mask Salesman appearing in Labrynna and Holodrum could be covered by the reincarnation theory.

Ganondorf, however, seems to be the exception here. With the exception of the cameo in Link's Awakening (which can be explained easily, but not without spoilers) and his appearance in Four Swords Adventures (which could be covered by the reincarnation theory), there is no reason to assume that we have multiple Ganons. Yes, the timeline splits after OoT, giving us one Ganon in the Wind Waker timeline and one Ganon in the Twilight Princess timeline, but before the split, they were the same character. It's not hard to map out Ganon(dorf)'s history throughout the games (and yes, spoilers for various Zelda titles will follow):

The leader of the Gerudo tribe in Ocarina of Time ruled over a desert. Unsatisfied and power-hungry, he took over the world with the help of the Triforce. Seven years later, Link defeated him, only to travel back into the past, causing the infamous timeline split. On one side of the timeline, we have Wind Waker, where the backstory tells us that Link wasn't there to stop Ganondorf from rising again, so the goddesses made the oceans rise and changed Hyrule drastically. A new Link from Outset Island defeats him and (as far as we can tell) kills him.
The other timeline has the Link from Ocarina of Time warning Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule, so Ganondorf doesn't rise to power. Instead, the sages banish him into the Twilight Realm, where he returns in Twilight Princess. Just like in Wind Waker, he ends up apparently getting killed. And yet we know from Adventure of Link and the combined Oracle games that Ganon (the boar form of Ganondorf) can be resurrected. Which explains why he can appear (in boar form) in Link to the Past, Legend of Zelda and Adventure of Link.

So if all you're saying is that there are two parallel worlds, that of Hyrule and that of Termina, then I fail to see what's new about that. However, if you theorize that there are more parallel worlds than just those two, then I need more evidence for that to be convinced.

 

[Djinn]

True Majoras Mask does tell us that Termina is a parallel world complete with Terminian versions of Hyrule characters. Friendly shopkeepers Koume and Kotake are a great example of this. They are far different from their Hyruliean counterparts.

Tingle is a different case. It could be said that he had no Hyrule counterpart in OoT but he did in WW, along with an older brother and a kidnapped younger brother/slave. However a side game in the series introduced Uncle Rupee.

The spirit of greed. He warps individuals into Tingles and forces them to collect rupees. This could explain WW Tingle's well overpriced fees for chart translations. Another thing introduced in Tingle's game is that all people captured by Uncle Rupee are made into Tingles. The Grand Fairy tells you this in the game.

In Rupeeland, everyone will be made into a tingle! - The Grand Fairy

Even dogs and birds apparently

Plus we have Tingles appearing in Minish Cap and then there is Purlo in TP who at least dresses in the same way, even wears a small clock. He also has the same love of getting as many rupees out of as many people as possible. He appears to be a con artist out for money.
[img]http://www.zeldawiki.org/images/thumb/a/a0/Purlo.png/130px-Purlo.png

However the concept of other worlds is not a new one in the Zelda Series. The first time we see the Dark World in LttP it appears as a corrupted version of the Light World Hyrule. Most things are in the same place, the village, the forest, even doing things in the swamp palace in one world effects happenings in the other. It is for the most part a perfectly parallel but corrupted world. Then we have other concepts such as the Twili Realm that appears to be a different dimension with it's own physical properties apart from Hyrule. The World of the Ocean King is another parallel world with similar properties.

Now Ganondorf is a different case. We know of two separate outcomes already since WW is the continuation of one outcome of OoT while TP is the continuation of another. In one time he was banished to the Sacred Realm while technically seven years earlier he was banished to the Twili Realm. Now we end up with two Ganondorfs sitting outside of Hyrule's space/time. One Ganondorf is running around causing trouble in TP, there is still another sitting in the Sacred Realm. For the one in the Sacred Realm, which he transformed into the Dark World, we learn from some of the talking trees that time there either moves very slowly or not at all. As the tree says it has been hundreds of years since he last saw a human wandering around. This also explains Ganon's longevity since no one else carrying a triforce piece has any form of immortality. It is generally passed on to a new heir in a family line, according to WW and AoL. While Ganondorf remaining in the Dark World does not appear to age, he remains until the era of LttP. So it is assumed having not died Ganndorf is the same Ganondorf in each title since he spends most of his time in an outside dimension which time has no meaning. Only to every so often escape that world and return to Hyrule to cause trouble again. This leaves no room for reincarnations in Hyrule.

for a Terminian counterpart, there is none. But there is also no counterpart for Link either. No one ever seems to bring up the concept that their respective counterparts might not have survived in their worlds though. Accident or injury can still happen. If Link's Terminian mother never found the Deku Tree then he would have died as a baby, not living with the Kokiri. They seemed to be much more hidden in that world, while beyond a Deku Kingdom. And what if Terminian Ganondorf never learned how to swim? Koume and Kotake of Termina did not live with the Gerudo, so they would not have raised him. He also never would have grown up in a desert yearning for the lands of Hyrule. The situations that molded Hyrulean Ganondorf were not present in Termina so he might not be the same individual. He could possibly be a sailor somewhere out on the sea of Termina, or Clocktown is not worth his time conquering.

 

[Michael Heide]

Ganondorf and Link don't have counterparts in Termina... that we know of. For all we know, they were born centuries before or after the events of Majora's Mask. Other theories have the Fierce Deity and/or Kafei as Link counterparts. And then there is the theory that people who crossed over from one universe to another just don't have a counterpart, I don't know, perhaps as destiny's way of preventing that the two individuals ever meet. That would explain why there is only one Happy Mask Salesman, only one Link and only one Skull Kid.

 

[Locke]

I was expecting to see at least a mention of the Legend of the Fairy.
Are you saying that TP happens in Termina?

Wow, I never noticed Purlo! There's no doubt that he has something to do with Tingle.

Sorry, but I don't see why parallel worlds outside the ones we already know about (that Djinn listed) are necessary. I'll ponder it some more.

 

[Austin]

Well, we know that the majority (no pun intended) of Majora's Mask is happening in a parallel world. That parallel world even has a name: Termina. And we know that the characters from Termina share certain characteristics with Hyrulians, that they have counterparts there. While some Hyrulians have no opposites at all (every single sage), others have multiple opposites (Ingo has the three Gorman brothers), or even multiple opposites plucked from different times (Malon has the young Romani and the older Cremia), so it comes as no surprise that Tingle (whose Hyrulian counterpart we don't meet until Wind Waker) is in Majora's Mask, but not in Ocarina of Time.

Besides, even the multiple opposites (like Tingle appearing in both Wind Waker and Oracle of Ages) can be explained: Reincarnation is a big part of Hyrule's cyclic history. Almost every generation has a boy named Link. Almost every generation has a princess by the name of Zelda. Ocarina of Time tells us directly that Kaepora Gaebora is a reincarnation of an ancient sage, while Wind Waker's Medli and Makar might be reincarnations of their ancestors Laruto and Fado. If we accept that some people reincarnate looking almost exactly like their previous incarnation, and if we accept that the people of Termina have counterparts in Hyrule (but not necessarily at the same time), then we don't have to worry about Tingle appearing in both WW and OoA.

I like your post because it brought up the idea of re-carnation, which I didn't take into consideration. However, as you mention the confirmed re-carnations are of people who take on a different form of their predecessors. Looking at Tingle and the other characters they can't be re-carnated. On the premise confirm re-carnations take different forms, Tingle in WW can't be the recarnated form from MM. The dual world characters can't possible re-carnated, especially since the same Link from OoT goes to MM. This means not enough time has passed for re-carnation to happen. Each generation sees a princess Zelda because that is traditional to name daughters/princess Zelda. The hero can be re-carnated in the various worlds without disrupting my theory.

The Oracle games are a different situation. Neither of them takes place in Hyrule. While it's possible that Link on his journeys gets cast to yet another parallel world like Termina, we have no evidence to that in the games themselves. All we know is that one game takes place on the continent of Labrynna, while the other takes place on the continent Holodrum. Characters like Bipin and the Cap'n are moving from one continent to the other between games. That part is canon. And if Labrynna and Holodrum are not in a parallel dimension, then characters like Tingle, the Windmill Man or the Happy Mask Salesman appearing in Labrynna and Holodrum could be covered by the reincarnation theory.

You bring up a good point of the Towns being different names. There can debate on either Hyrule is a planet/world or a city/region. There also can be debate with the name of Hyrule changing. In WW, the King of Red Lions insists the new land isn't Hyrule. What is stopping it from being named Labrynna? This theory doesn't try and determine a time line, but show evidence that there could be the existence of parallel worlds.

Ganondorf, however, seems to be the exception here. With the exception of the cameo in Link's Awakening (which can be explained easily, but not without spoilers) and his appearance in Four Swords Adventures (which could be covered by the reincarnation theory), there is no reason to assume that we have multiple Ganons. Yes, the timeline splits after OoT, giving us one Ganon in the Wind Waker timeline and one Ganon in the Twilight Princess timeline, but before the split, they were the same character. It's not hard to map out Ganon(dorf)'s history throughout the games (and yes, spoilers for various Zelda titles will follow):

The leader of the Gerudo tribe in Ocarina of Time ruled over a desert. Unsatisfied and power-hungry, he took over the world with the help of the Triforce. Seven years later, Link defeated him, only to travel back into the past, causing the infamous timeline split. On one side of the timeline, we have Wind Waker, where the backstory tells us that Link wasn't there to stop Ganondorf from rising again, so the goddesses made the oceans rise and changed Hyrule drastically. A new Link from Outset Island defeats him and (as far as we can tell) kills him.
The other timeline has the Link from Ocarina of Time warning Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule, so Ganondorf doesn't rise to power. Instead, the sages banish him into the Twilight Realm, where he returns in Twilight Princess. Just like in Wind Waker, he ends up apparently getting killed. And yet we know from Adventure of Link and the combined Oracle games that Ganon (the boar form of Ganondorf) can be resurrected. Which explains why he can appear (in boar form) in Link to the Past, Legend of Zelda and Adventure of Link.

You made very valid argument with one problem. You mention Link wasn't there to stop Ganondorf. Well where is he? If he heard of Ganondorf coming to power he would go back and kick his butt. We know when he goes back in time he retains memories as he returns the master sword, looks for Tatl, and has Epona. If he heard knowledge of Ganondorf attacking, he surely would come and attack. However, if Link is in a different world, then it may be impossible for him to get any knowledge. This will let Ganondorf do his evil bidding.

The the cutscene of Ganondorf being sealed via the mirror gives hint that he didn't have triforce power. He was able to be subdued without the use of a hero. The triforce didn't appear till he just got sealed away, and it was too late for him to use it. In OoT, he had his triforce of power! He had it when he was making peace with King Hyrule with kid Link. He was even sealed away with his triforce of power, which we see he has in WW. In a singular world, this would imply that Ganondorf lost his triforce in between WW and OoT. If he lost it, where would it have gone? Especially with the Triforce of Courage broken up into pieces. The triforce as a whole could not exist.

Also, if you're the type of person to like to link Twili and Majora's Mask's Clan, then this parallel world theory can allow this to happen easier then with split time lines. There isn't enough debate to carry on this discussion. Its just food for thought.

So if all you're saying is that there are two parallel worlds, that of Hyrule and that of Termina, then I fail to see what's new about that. However, if you theorize that there are more parallel worlds than just those two, then I need more evidence for that to be convinced.

I'm not saying there is more then 2 worlds. I'm saying there has to be at least two worlds. There is new stuff with my theory versus the traditional Hyrule and Termina. I'm saying that there exists dual world characters. Since we know there are dual world characters, then we can apply this our main characters (e.g. Tingle, Ganondorf). By dong so, we can come up with more elaborate and new time lines. This also cal allow explanation for mysteries that have haunted theorist for a long time. Good post!

 

[Jimmy]

I don't really view the Tingle issue as an issue, simply because I don't think it's the same character. Tingles (of different colours) also appear in the Minish Cap so I would say it's a different guy each time. The designers use common reference points throughout the series, and recurring characters are just one of those.

You raised a good point with the whole Holodrum/Labrynna perhaps being part of the same dimension as Hyrule, but perhaps not. I think we can agree Termina is an parallel dimension (or universe, whatever you choose to call it).

Yes, we could bring in more parallel universes and create more complex timelines, but ultimately that should not be the goal of the timeline theorist. The aim is to find the best possible explanation, and if we take Occam's Razor (a fairly lofty philosophical point for such a trivial hobby, but still) the simplest explanation is usually the best, not the most complex.

I think that Termina aside it all takes takes place in the same dimension. Most of the map differences are well enough explained by this article anyhow: http://www.zeldauniverse.net/articles/hyrule-a-geography-and-cartography/

 

[Michael Heide]

I like your post because it brought up the idea of re-carnation, which I didn't take into consideration. However, as you mention the confirmed re-carnations are of people who take on a different form of their predecessors.

I'd say that the only differences in Link's or Zelda's respective forms are due to changing art styles. Within the same art style, just compare Minish Cap Link, Wind Waker Link and Spirit Tracks Link. Three different characters (even though at least two are related), and yet they could be identical triplets.

Looking at Tingle and the other characters they can't be re-carnated. On the premise confirm re-carnations take different forms, Tingle in WW can't be the recarnated form from MM.

I singled out MM as the exception, since the Termina characters are duplicates of characters from Hyrule, even if it's from multiple different "time zones", if you will.

Here, let me explain what I mean with a quick sketch:


Note: The placement of the games on the timelines are not confirmed, and I know that some are missing, but that's not the point. I don't think the order of the games matter in this debate. This is just to show that within three days, Link meets counterparts of characters that (in the Hyrule timeline) are at least a hundred years apart (and that's just the infamous translation of Aounuma telling how much time has passed between OoT and WW - it could be much more for all we know).

Each generation sees a princess Zelda because that is traditional to name daughters/princess Zelda.

And yet almost every one of them ends up with the Triforce of Wisdom. I think that's a bit too much for it to be a coincidence based on a common name.

You bring up a good point of the Towns being different names. There can debate on either Hyrule is a planet/world or a city/region. There also can be debate with the name of Hyrule changing. In WW, the King of Red Lions insists the new land isn't Hyrule. What is stopping it from being named Labrynna?

Pretty much everyone in Spirit Tracks calling it Hyrule?

You made very valid argument with one problem. You mention Link wasn't there to stop Ganondorf. Well where is he?

In the other timeline. It's a bit complicated because Link never gets sent back to the past, despite the game telling us this. What happens instead is that he is sent to an alternate past. On his way to the alternate past, he is de-aged (which is consistent with OoT's earlier time travels). He can't be sent to his actual past, because then we would have two young Links, which is clearly not the case. So what happens is that adult Link gets erased from his timeline. For the people who stay in that timeline, he ceases to exist. In the new timeline, a young boy in Kokiri garb appears out of nowhere and warns the princess of Ganondorf's plans. It is unclear if that timeline had its own young Link up to that point and what happened to him if it did, but that's a topic for another thread.

If he heard of Ganondorf coming to power he would go back and kick his butt.

He can't. He's stuck in the other timeline where (for all we know) Zelda never became a sage. The flashback in Twilight Princess at least shows a whole different set of sages. And that is the unlikely case that the Adult-Timeline-Ganondorf oreturned within Link's natural lifespan, which isn't even confirmed. And even if AT-Ganondorf returned just three days later, and if the six surviving sages (YT-Ganondorf killed one) were able to send Link back to the Adult Timeline, then they still don't know about AT-Ganondorf returning.

 

[Locke]

The the cutscene of Ganondorf being sealed via the mirror gives hint that he didn't have triforce power. He was able to be subdued without the use of a hero. The triforce didn't appear till he just got sealed away, and it was too late for him to use it. In OoT, he had his triforce of power! He had it when he was making peace with King Hyrule with kid Link. He was even sealed away with his triforce of power, which we see he has in WW. In a singular world, this would imply that Ganondorf lost his triforce in between WW and OoT. If he lost it, where would it have gone? Especially with the Triforce of Courage broken up into pieces. The triforce as a whole could not exist.

None of this makes sense to me. You saying he had the ToP on the CT ending since Link has the ToC? Then he must have it during the execution, and it just activates in the scene. And what does this have to do with WW? I guess I just don't understand how Ganondorf having the ToP in CT OoT and not having it in TP's BS would require him to lose it at some point on the AT.

 

[Austin]

I'd say that the only differences in Link's or Zelda's respective forms are due to changing art styles. Within the same art style, just compare Minish Cap Link, Wind Waker Link and Spirit Tracks Link. Three different characters (even though at least two are related), and yet they could be identical triplets.
I singled out MM as the exception, since the Termina characters are duplicates of characters from Hyrule, even if it's from multiple different "time zones", if you will.

Here, let me explain what I mean with a quick sketch:
Image removed for scrolling purposes.

Note: The placement of the games on the timelines are not confirmed, and I know that some are missing, but that's not the point. I don't think the order of the games matter in this debate. This is just to show that within three days, Link meets counterparts of characters that (in the Hyrule timeline) are at least a hundred years apart (and that's just the infamous translation of Aounuma telling how much time has passed between OoT and WW - it could be much more for all we know).

According to your picture, it seems that the Tingle in WW isn't the same as the Tingle in MM. It also looks like the two time lines are independent of each other. If that is true, then the two time lines must exist for two different worlds. However, lets assume that the two time lines exist in the same world. The two time lines must result into two very different tangents (or there is a big fork/split). This would be perfectly acceptable, except that Link goes back to the past, after defeating Ganondorf, and is able to reach this tangent time line. This would then imply that the future changes can effect the past changes. This is not possible.

And yet almost every one of them ends up with the Triforce of Wisdom. I think that's a bit too much for it to be a coincidence based on a common name.

What is stopping them from physically inheriting the triforce. For example, Tetra always had piece of the triforce, she got from (inherit) her mother. Ignoring the fact that she could be re-carnated. There is the possibility that the ToW is inherit via blood (mother to daughter to etc). However, if it exists via re-carnation exists. Then that says that for each princess Zelda, they are the re-carnation of her past relative/ancestor. This could mean that princess Zelda could be the re-carnation of her mother or grandmother.

Pretty much everyone in Spirit Tracks calling it Hyrule?

I guess they could have used the old Hyrule name. Still doesn't really disprove the idea of the existence of parallel worlds.

In the other timeline. It's a bit complicated because Link never gets sent back to the past, despite the game telling us this. What happens instead is that he is sent to an alternate past. On his way to the alternate past, he is de-aged (which is consistent with OoT's earlier time travels). He can't be sent to his actual past, because then we would have two young Links, which is clearly not the case. So what happens is that adult Link gets erased from his timeline. For the people who stay in that timeline, he ceases to exist. In the new timeline, a young boy in Kokiri garb appears out of nowhere and warns the princess of Ganondorf's plans. It is unclear if that timeline had its own young Link up to that point and what happened to him if it did, but that's a topic for another thread.

He can't. He's stuck in the other timeline where (for all we know) Zelda never became a sage. The flashback in Twilight Princess at least shows a whole different set of sages. And that is the unlikely case that the Adult-Timeline-Ganondorf oreturned within Link's natural lifespan, which isn't even confirmed. And even if AT-Ganondorf returned just three days later, and if the six surviving sages (YT-Ganondorf killed one) were able to send Link back to the Adult Timeline, then they still don't know about AT-Ganondorf returning.

I understand, and I can see how it is possible for TP to take place in the OoT world. However I'm confused about where the sages came from. Thinking again, there wasn't any mentioning of sages in MM, so the TP may not happen in the MM world.

None of this makes sense to me. You saying he had the ToP on the CT ending since Link has the ToC? Then he must have it during the execution, and it just activates in the scene. And what does this have to do with WW? I guess I just don't understand how Ganondorf having the ToP in CT OoT and not having it in TP's BS would require him to lose it at some point on the AT.

I apologize for the confusion. If we assumed that in TP cut-scene that Ganondorf didn't have his triforce of power. This would explain why he used it at the last moment. He didn't have the triforce of power, till that very last minutes. This gave him a small fighting chance, where he killed/defeated one of the sages. However, if he had his triforce of power this whole time it creates some confusion. Why did he use it at the last minute? He could have just defeated the sages before they could seal him. This would have saved him a bunch of time. From Heides comments and above statment, using a parallel world explanation may not be the best.

 

[Michael Heide]

Oh, the majority of Majora's Mask definitely takes place in a parallel universe, there is no doubt at all. When Link falls down the proverbial and literal rabbit hole, he ends up in Termina. With the exception of Link, Skull Kid and the Happy Mask Salesman (who travel back and forth between the two worlds), Hyrule and Termina appear to be pretty independent of each other.

And yes, that is not the Tingle from Wind Waker, but Tingle's counterpart, just like the Windmill Man, the carpenters and several other characters have counterparts there.

And about the sages: From what we've seen in the games so far, it seems like every generation has one set of sages. The earliest we've seen so far are the seven characters we see in the Twilight Princess flashback. From what we can tell, they were the sages of OoT before Link entered the Temple of Light.
After the seven years, all seven sages have been killed, and they are replaced by the familiar sages: Rauru, Saria, etc.
At one point after that, we get an unknown quantity of sages. The only two we know are Laruto and Fado. It's very likely that those two were the only two sages of their generation.
Finally, in Wind Waker, we have Medli and Makar.

Yes, Majora's Mask doesn't have sages. It's possible that Termina doesn't have sages at all. And Twilight Princess doesn't take place in Termina. It takes place in Hyrule, where Link started at the beginning of Majora's Mask, and where he returned to at the end.

 

[Locke]

And yes, that is not the Tingle from Wind Waker, but Tingle's counterpart, just like the Windmill Man, the carpenters and several other characters have counterparts there.

Again, Legend of the Fairy. WW Tingle refers to MM Tingle as if he existed a long time ago. I think it's just another Tingle, not necessarily the counterpart of the one in WW.

 

[DuckNoises]

I apologize for the confusion. If we assumed that in TP cut-scene that Ganondorf didn't have his triforce of power. This would explain why he used it at the last moment. He didn't have the triforce of power, till that very last minutes. This gave him a small fighting chance, where he killed/defeated one of the sages. However, if he had his triforce of power this whole time it creates some confusion. Why did he use it at the last minute? He could have just defeated the sages before they could seal him. This would have saved him a bunch of time. From Heides comments and above statment, using a parallel world explanation may not be the best.

The reason he hadn't used it up until that point was because he didn't know he had it on the CT; Ganondorf did not know that the Triforce was now split because Link returned from the Adult Timeline with the Triforce of Courage, causing the Triforce of Power to return to the destined individual. This is Ganondorf himself, but it is unclear as to whether or not he knew it would be himself, because he had not split the Triforce on the Child Timeline because he was stopped before doing so.

The Triforce fragments seem to resonate and activate when an individual is in mortal danger, or near another person possessing a Triforce fragment. Take, for example, when Link confronts Ganondorf at the end of OoT in Hyrule Castle, the Triforce of Courage begins to glow on Link's hand. This is where Link first "activates" the Triforce of Courage; it can be inferred that this mechanism is similar for the Triforce of Power for Ganondorf during the execution scene in TP that takes place atop Arbiter's Grounds. Since he wasn't aware that he possessed the ToP, it acted by itself to protect him. As far as we know, this is the first time Ganondorf learns that he possesses the Triforce of Power on the CT.

What is stopping them from physically inheriting the triforce. For example, Tetra always had piece of the triforce, she got from (inherit) her mother. Ignoring the fact that she could be re-carnated. There is the possibility that the ToW is inherit via blood (mother to daughter to etc). However, if it exists via re-carnation exists. Then that says that for each princess Zelda, they are the re-carnation of her past relative/ancestor. This could mean that princess Zelda could be the re-carnation of her mother or grandmother.

It hasn't been proved that the Triforce can be a hereditary trait or that it can be passed on through reincarnation. The only known explanation is this:

If the heart of the one who holds
the sacred triangle has all three
forces in balance, that one will
gain the True Force to govern all.
But, if that one's heart is not in
balance, the Triforce will separate
into three parts:
Power, Wisdom and Courage.
Only one part will remain for the
one who touched the Triforce...the
part representing the force that
one most believes in.
If that one seeks the True Force,
that one must acquire the two
lost parts.
Those two parts will be held
within others chosen by destiny,
who will bear the Triforce mark
on the backs of their hands.

As far as we know, the only way the Triforce is redistributed is through destiny (for example, take how TP Link has the ToC, and is referred to as "the Hero chosen by the Gods"). This could be interpreted to be reincarnation, but that likely isn't the root cause, but merely a correlation.

I'll try my best to explain all the parallel worlds here:

When I say "sub-realities," I am referring to another realm/plane/dimension that is distinct from the primary reality (that side of the Timeline), but is also distinct from the identically-named "sub-realities" of the opposite side of the Timeline. (For example, WW Sacred Realm is not the same as Twilight Princess Sacred Realm) As far as we know, nothing to this date has disproved that these "sub-realities" are not distinct.

Pre-Split Timeline: Confirmed to contain the Hyrule of SS and OoT (other titles are not yet confirmed). Labrynna and Holodrum exist as separate nations/territories/provinces from Hyrule but are unmentioned. Contains the sub-realities: The Sacred Realm, and possibly the Twilight Realm.

Adult Timeline:
A "naturally occurring" continuation of the pre-split timeline. Contains the reality where Ganondorf splits the Triforce after Link obtains the Master Sword, and all subsequent events on the AT. Labrynna and Holodrum exist as separate nations/territories/provinces from Hyrule, but are unmentioned and likely destroyed by the time of the Great Flood. The AT reality possesses several sub-realities: The Sacred Realm, The "Evil Realm" (which may or may not be the Sacred Realm), The Realm of The Ocean King, and the Dark World. If the Twilight Realm exists, it has not yet been mentioned.

Child Timeline: Contains the reality where Ganondorf is stopped before he splits the Triforce, and is banished to the Twilight Realm (note: this primary reality may or may not feature Koholint as part of the main reality; its plane of existence is debatable). Labrynna and Holodrum exist as separate nations/territories/provinces from Hyrule, unmentioned until OoX. The reality of the CT also has the sub-realities: The Sacred Realm, the Twilight Realm, the Dark World, and possibly Koholint, which, again, may or may not be the primary reality of the CT.

Now, the big one: Termina.
Termina exists as a parallel universe, parallel to the entire split timeline. The events of Termina exist in a 3-day, indeterminate cycle (due to Link playing the Song of Time), which ends when the Moon crashes into Termina unmitigated. This 3-day cycle contains elements of the split timeline which happen long before and after the time period where Link enters Termina (sometime relatively soon after returning from the Adult timeline); although paradoxical, Termina only exists for the period in which Link is inside of it, or Termina is only accessible in the period in between Link entering Termina and Link leaving Termina (and it may still continue to exist afterward, and had existed beforehand, both for indeterminate amounts of time). Although its reality is parallel to an amount of time probably larger than itself, the fact of the matter is that Termina is a parallel universe which allows this paradox.

I hope that helped (and/or made sense).

 

[Michael Heide]

Yeah, that sums up what I was trying to say in fewer and better words, thanks.

 

[MrLuigi]

I don't want to get involved, but hey, I like confusion


Ganondorf is stopped from taking over Hyrule because kiddy Link's tattle-tale to the King (mah boi). So at this point, no Triforce of Power for him!
A "divine prank" happens at his execution, he get's it, kills the water sage, moves on.


I always thought it happened like THAT.

In Wind Waker Ganondorf still has it from his banishment>take over>flood>WW's current day. He probably still has it while he's a statue, we don't know.