Spoiler The timeline intended by the developers of the series?

[BaroisLoose]

Many commonly accept the Hyrule Historia and Encyclopedia Timeline to be canon. Though, it actually seems to only be the writers interpretation! Not what the developers intended! So my question is... what's the Timeline by the Developers intention per in-game/manual facts and interviews?

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
It's quite literally called a sequel to the first game! It gives also a backstory known as the Tragedy of Zelda I!

The Timeline as of now is:
The Tragedy of Zelda I>The Legend of Zelda>The Adventure of Link

Great! A simple Timeline!

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Generally was seen as Prequel to the last two games, the back of the box confirms this; "The predecessors of Link and Zelda face monsters on the march when a menacing magician takes over the kingdom."
It also reveals the "origins" of Ganon! He was the leader of a group of Thieves and his real name was Ganondorf.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Was always seen as sequel to A Link to the Past, especially seen with the nightmare taking form of Agahnim, Moldorm and Ganon. Marin and Tarin also seem to be a product of Link's memories with Zelda and his Uncle.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Was originally a game about the Imprisoning War, but it had done many changes. It was seen as the earliest tale as it showed the origins of Ganondorf. Some of the people who worked on it even said it was the Imprisoning War! But that's not the case, it was in a earlier version but not the one we got.

The Timeline in the 90s was now this!
Creation of Hyrule>Forging of the Master Sword>Construction of the Temple of Time>Fierce War>Ocarina of Time>the Imprisoning War>A Link to the Past>Link's Awakening>The Tragedy of Zelda I>The Legend of Zelda>The Adventure of Link

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
It's after Link warns Zelda of Ganondorf's plans. He searches for Navi. It's a very obvious sequel where Link is now in a parallel world!

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
This one is quite tricky... This game has a lot to tie it to Link's Awakening but it also breaks that with Zelda seemingly not recognizing Link. A butchered resurrection of Ganon happens and he's a raging beast. He is defeated yet again.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Aonuma, while he didn't work really much on this project: had confirmed this to be the earliest tale in the Zelda Series.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
This is quite clearly a sequel to Ocarina of Time. Also stated by the Developers, this is in the era where Link had defeated Ganon as an adult.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
This is where it's complicated; the game itself and Aonuma confirmed they're the same Link and Zelda from Four Swords. But, we see Ganondorf turn to Ganon! Many fans had said Aonumas statement is invalid because of that. Ganon then is sealed inside the Four Sword at the end.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
It's a Prequel to Four Swords, we learn the origins of Vaati and the Four Sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Shows what happened after Majora's Mask, Ganondorf is tried to be executed but it fails miserably and he's exiled in the Twilight Realm instead. He's killed by Link afterwards with a trick he learned from the Hero of Time himself! Ganondorf is also called "Demon Thief" which was his nickname in A Link to the Past.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hour Glass
It's a direct sequel for the Wind Waker. Very obvious when playing the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
This is a clear sequel to Phantom Hour Glass, we see a new Link and Zelda as well. Tetra and Link had apparently founded New Hyrule. Though, before their adventures, a Demon King had been sealed there!

The Timeline seems very complicated now at first! But I'll explain the view I have learned soon!

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The origin story for the Master Sword, it also has the first incarnation of Link.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
It's called Triforce of the Gods 2 in Japan, which instantly connects it to A Link to the Past (Triforce of the Gods in Japan), seemingly a semi direct sequel, we also see an Old Man with a green tunic in this game called gramps, presumably the Link from A Link to the Past.

The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes
Was confirmed as direct sequel to A Link Between Worlds by the developers.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Aonuma ones said that this games first chapter is apparently Twilight Princess. While the Game also references Adult, it seemingly is just legend apparently (though, I'm still fine with adult theories!) the book of this game also says that this is the exact same Ganon from Ocarina of Time.

Now... what can the Timeline be? Here the potential "developers intended Timeline"!

Creation of Hyrule>Ancient Battle against Demise and his evil horde of demons>Skyward Sword>establishment of Hyrule Kingdom>The Hero of Men seals away an evil horde with the picori blade>The Minish Cap>Interloper War>Construction of the Temple of Time>Vaati resurrects and kidnaps town girls, he's sealed with the Four Sword by a Hero>Four Swords>Ganondorf, a lone male gerudo steals the Trident of the Demon Tribe>Four Swords Adventures>Twinrova free Ganon from his seal and he adopts the form of a Gerudo again, Twinrova change the rules to make him the King of the Gerudo>Fierce War>Ocarina of Time*

Child Timeline:
Link returns to his childhood and warns Zelda and the King about Ganondorf's evil plans>Majora's Mask>The Hero prepares for Ganondorf's future attack but one day dies awfully>Ganondorf is tried to be executed, but it fails and he's sent in the Twilight Realm instead>Twilight Princess>Centuries later, Ganondorf is revived by a gang of thieves, his followers even had prepared his trident, they go inside the Sacred Realm but he slaughters them all>the Imprisoning War>A Link to the Past>Link journeys away from Hyrule to train for a next big threat>Link's Awakening>Ganon is resurrected but he's sealed away>A Link Between Worlds>Triforce Heroes>Twinrova plan to resurrect Ganon again>Oracle of Seasons and Ages>The Tragedy of Zelda I>Ganon is resurrected, this time not as a mindless beast and he steals the Triforce of Power, he Imprisoned Zelda after hearing she spit the Triforce of Wisdom, Impa tells a young traveler named Link the whole story>The Legend of Zelda>The Adventure of Link>Ganon adapts his Gerudo form yet again after he's resurrected but is sealed afterwards, he with his hatred creates an off-shoot named Calamity Ganon. That'd terrorize Hyrule every 10.000 years>Breath of the Wild>It's sequel

Adult is fairly obvious!
Ganondorf breaks his seal and brings chaos, he rebuilds his tower as well and kills the two sages of the Master Sword, King Daphnes waits for the gods answer and Hyrule is flooded>The Wind Waker>Phantom Hour Glass>Spirit Tracks>one day, the Deku Tree finishes his dream of connecting the islands together and has one giant mass of land!

Whew! This was a very Long thread to make. This is mostly speculation based on in-game and interview evidence ofc. Very interested in your thoughts!

I also forgot to say thanks to a well known lore guy (who you might know from some Zelda theory channels) LoruleanHistorian for this suggestion of the "developers intended Timeline"

I also mostly agree with this "developers intended" Timeline, except with the placement of Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures as you all already knew

 

[Moblinking5000]

So, some issues:

1. The developers said that OoT was a prequel to ALttP even after OoT was released. https://www.zeldadungeon.net/Zelda-Developer-Timeline-Quotes.php

Satoru Takizawa: ''In the previous Zeldas, Ganon has always been a pig. Though we wanted to do something differently this time, we still thought it would be best to have him as a pig in the end, but weren't sure how to go about it. I was really worried, myself. I wanted to know what Miyamoto would think. In the end I realized Miyamoto wouldn't be obsessed about anything like that, and just went through with it myself.

The story in Ocarina of time isn't actually original, it deals with the Sages' Imprisoning War from the Super Famicom's ALttP. Because of the relation, I thought it would be right to leave a part of the pigginess in.

So, what I mean is "pigs will be pigs," hey? When Ganondorf transforms, his human face is pulled away and only the pig remains, it can't be hidden anymore. During the time we were designing him, some of the staff had cold medicine called Kaigen, so they ended up calling Ganon "The God of Colds" or "The Cold Spreader"

From November 24th, 1998. One day after the game released in North America, and three after it was released in Japan.

2. The Ganon in FSA is a different one. Zelda calls him, ''an ancient demon reborn'', even if you don't want to want to go by HH/ZE. If the same one from FSA returned in OoT, why would the king trust him? Why doesn't anyone know about what he did in FSA?

3. Nintendo of Japan(NOT talking about NoA) has the Historia/Encyclopedia timeline on their official site, meaning that it's the timeline that best represents Nintendo's official view.

4. The Official Timeline lines up best with official statements made in interviews and such over the years, meaning it has more ''official backing'' than any other view.

5. BotW doesn't make sense on the CT as the sages from OoT were awakened, which never happened in the CT. Even aside from HH saying that the HoT wasn't remembered(which also contradicts the Zora Mural that talks about Ruto, as he's mentioned there), the Japanese MM intro says that he ''faded from legend'' after his adventure, so no memory of the events existed on the CT.

6. Aonuma said people should play TPHD before BotW, yes, but TPHD had just come out, and he's a businessman, so he had to sell it. He also said something about there being connections to MM in ALBW, but they're on two different branches, lol. He also said, and this time it was in direct reference to the timeline placement, that BotW takes place in a world where there's been many battles with Ganon.

7. How do you explain the towns in AoL being named after the sages from OoT?

8. OoX works better before ALBW, as there's a more clear progression in terms of Ganon's state of mind that way(Ganon loses most of his reason, but is capable of limited speech in OoX, and then from ALBW onwards, we don't hear him speak, but just roar and such).

9. Aonuma said that FSA takes place sometime after FS and that it's a sequel, but there's hints toward FSA Link and FS Link both being the same and being different. Ultimately, Nintendo decided to seperate the two, although if anything, FSA seems to be the one game that was ''in limbo'' at its release, IMO. Aonuma did say that FS on the GBA was, ''the earliest tale'' in a Gamepro interview, though.

 

[BaroisLoose]

So, some issues:

1. The developers said that OoT was a prequel to ALttP even after OoT was released. https://www.zeldadungeon.net/Zelda-Developer-Timeline-Quotes.php

Satoru Takizawa: ''In the previous Zeldas, Ganon has always been a pig. Though we wanted to do something differently this time, we still thought it would be best to have him as a pig in the end, but weren't sure how to go about it. I was really worried, myself. I wanted to know what Miyamoto would think. In the end I realized Miyamoto wouldn't be obsessed about anything like that, and just went through with it myself.

The story in Ocarina of time isn't actually original, it deals with the Sages' Imprisoning War from the Super Famicom's ALttP. Because of the relation, I thought it would be right to leave a part of the pigginess in.

So, what I mean is "pigs will be pigs," hey? When Ganondorf transforms, his human face is pulled away and only the pig remains, it can't be hidden anymore. During the time we were designing him, some of the staff had cold medicine called Kaigen, so they ended up calling Ganon "The God of Colds" or "The Cold Spreader"

From November 24th, 1998. One day after the game released in North America, and three after it was released in Japan.

2. The Ganon in FSA is a different one. Zelda calls him, ''an ancient demon reborn'', even if you don't want to want to go by HH/ZE. If the same one from FSA returned in OoT, why would the king trust him? Why doesn't anyone know about what he did in FSA?

3. Nintendo of Japan(NOT talking about NoA) has the Historia/Encyclopedia timeline on their official site, meaning that it's the timeline that best represents Nintendo's official view.

4. The Official Timeline lines up best with official statements made in interviews and such over the years, meaning it has more ''official backing'' than any other view.

5. BotW doesn't make sense on the CT as the sages from OoT were awakened, which never happened in the CT. Even aside from HH saying that the HoT wasn't remembered(which also contradicts the Zora Mural that talks about Ruto, as he's mentioned there), the Japanese MM intro says that he ''faded from legend'' after his adventure, so no memory of the events existed on the CT.

6. Aonuma said people should play TPHD before BotW, yes, but TPHD had just come out, and he's a businessman, so he had to sell it. He also said something about there being connections to MM in ALBW, but they're on two different branches, lol. He also said, and this time it was in direct reference to the timeline placement, that BotW takes place in a world where there's been many battles with Ganon.

7. How do you explain the towns in AoL being named after the sages from OoT?

8. OoX works better before ALBW, as there's a more clear progression in terms of Ganon's state of mind that way(Ganon loses most of his reason, but is capable of limited speech in OoX, and then from ALBW onwards, we don't hear him speak, but just roar and such).

9. Aonuma said that FSA takes place sometime after FS and that it's a sequel, but there's hints toward FSA Link and FS Link both being the same and being different. Ultimately, Nintendo decided to seperate the two, although if anything, FSA seems to be the one game that was ''in limbo'' at its release, IMO. Aonuma did say that FS on the GBA was, ''the earliest tale'' in a Gamepro interview, though.

On 1. I never said OoT wasn't a Prequel, just that it's not the Imprisoning War.

2. Remember how the Four Swords Saga was made to be an ancient tale which would be forgotten by the time OoT takes place in? Seems like that's one of the reasons.

3. Putting the Timeline on their website does not mean it's a Timeline which the developers intended. This is still not THE Nintendo Timeline and merely a interpretation by the writers of the books.

4. What? No offense but no interview ever said there's a third split, they had said there only were two!

5. The manual confirms it was spread as a story everywhere in Hyrule. The Hero's Shade missing his recognition is BS made by the Historia which doesn't even make sense.

6. Ah, that makes sense.

7. The towns aren't named after the Ocarina of Time sages in my book, but the Seven Sages of the Imprisoning War who are all not related to the OoT ones
Rauru
Kasuto
Saria
Mido
Darunia
Nabooru
Ruto

8. Again, only because he doesn't speak doesn't mean he's mindless, Oracle of Seasons/Ages ties more nicely to the first Zelda game. Zelda does not recognize Link too! And ALBW is practically a semi direct sequel to aLttP! Ganon not talking does not mean he's a mindless idiot. It seems he even takes over a part of Yuga in the final fight. OoX sets up way more to the NES games as Link leaves Hyrule and the Triforce is kept completely by the Royal Family (up until the tragedy happens) also ofc he'd regain his intelligence by the first game.

9. In the game its mostly stated that he's the same one, especially in the Japanese version from my knowledge. Couldn't hear the direct translations though so I'm not sure : p. Aonuma still calls it a direct sequel in the same interview as well!

 

[baajabajao]

I never understood why OoT can't be the Imprisoning War, other than Ganondorf not having the full Triforce which is fixed by the Downfall timeline. Why wouldn't the Sages seal the Sacred Realm immediately after sending Ganon in, instead of leaving it open for hundreds of years until he attacks again?

Also, you can find these quotes about the sages and town names on the page Moblinking referenced:

Toru Osawa: In this game there are 7 sages that appear and instruct Princess Zelda, but 6 of those appear in the Disk System game "Adventure of Link" as town names. We were hinting that the names of the sages in the era of the Imprisoning War spoken of in the Super Famicom Zelda game became town names in AoL.
Eiji Aonuma: We named them after towns in The Adventure of Link so it would appear that the towns had been named after them.

And isn't the Triforce still split after Twilight Princess? So it can't be in the Sacred Realm to set up the events of ALttP.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

up to ocarina of time, things were pretty cut and dry, the immediate games that released after is where things became jumbled, it's clear majora's mask and wind waker are sequels to ocarina in separate times, but then where did that leave link to the past and the rest? I like the idea that they're placed after twilight princess in the child timeline, but was that ever the intention of the developers? to connect link to the past and twilight princess?

it's kinda funny to see that aside the DS games, the zelda games released in the 2000s all just threw different wretches in the timeline from wherever

 

[Spirit]

up to ocarina of time, things were pretty cut and dry, the immediate games that released after is where things became jumbled, it's clear majora's mask and wind waker are sequels to ocarina in separate times, but then where did that leave link to the past and the rest? I like the idea that they're placed after twilight princess in the child timeline, but was that ever the intention of the developers? to connect link to the past and twilight princess?

it's kinda funny to see that aside the DS games, the zelda games released in the 2000s all just threw different wretches in the timeline from wherever

Almost like Aonuma didn't give a damn.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

Almost like Aonuma didn't give a damn.

I actually put two and two together right after I wrote that, ha

 

[BaroisLoose]

I never understood why OoT can't be the Imprisoning War, other than Ganondorf not having the full Triforce which is fixed by the Downfall timeline. Why wouldn't the Sages seal the Sacred Realm immediately after sending Ganon in, instead of leaving it open for hundreds of years until he attacks again?

Also, you can find these quotes about the sages and town names on the page Moblinking referenced:

Toru Osawa: In this game there are 7 sages that appear and instruct Princess Zelda, but 6 of those appear in the Disk System game "Adventure of Link" as town names. We were hinting that the names of the sages in the era of the Imprisoning War spoken of in the Super Famicom Zelda game became town names in AoL.
Eiji Aonuma: We named them after towns in The Adventure of Link so it would appear that the towns had been named after them.

And isn't the Triforce still split after Twilight Princess? So it can't be in the Sacred Realm to set up the events of ALttP.

I already know that interview! I was just saying how it'd make more sense to name it after the Sages of the Imprisoning War (seriously, why would Mido get a town and who's Kasuto? They clearly forgot these two, and they're mostly completely different races except Rauru and Zelda who both are Hylian while the Sages in the IW had all a human-like appearance, one is confirmed Hylian/Sheikah), OoT cannot work as the Imprisoning War for many reasons
1. Ganon's wish in the Imprisoning War was to specifically rule both lands, the Sacred Realm then instantly turned to the Dark World, Hyrule had gotten that same fate nearly, until the Sages did their seal. In Ocarina of Time it apparently only turned to the Evil Realm because of Ganondorfs heart. Though, I believe that's mere legend and the Triforce was more indirect to Ganondorfs wish (example: I WANT POWER OF THE TRIFORCE AND THIS LAND and it ends up with him getting the Triforce of Power and the Sacred Realm getting corrupted.
2. The Sages had to search for the Master Sword in the Imprisoning War, implying its location to be lost by time. Rauru is one of the sages! He sure as hell would know it.
3. The King of Hyrule was alive and well in the Imprisoning War
4. The epic battle with the Knights and Ganon's minions to protect the sages does not happen at all. It's a huge part for it.
5. Ganondorf is only Ganon at the very end and it's in the LIGHT WORLD, he was not in the light world after touching the Triforce, hence why he sends his army.
6. Ganondorf entered the realm with his followers, he vanquished them afterwards and stood triumphant over the Triforce.
7. Ganondorf is sealed away in the Evil Realm, while people could say that when Link left; the Triforce could've gotten to him and when the princess died, her piece could also go to him. That simply isn't the case.
8. We never hear of greedy people disappearing thanks to searching for the Triforce.
9. The Sages could not find someone valiant enough to wield the sword of evil's bane! Ganon's ill will was coming near the castle so they gave that up!

On the Triforce after TP, I believe the Triforce leaving Ganondorf (perhaps also leaving Link and Zelda) happens around the same time where the Final Battle in The Wind Waker happens. There, the Triforce presumably returns to the Sacred Realm. I like to believe that it's the same case for the Triforce in TP.
And we all know what happens after TP in this theorized Timeline with the developers info in mind. So it could be in the Sacred Realm as we see in ALttP.

up to ocarina of time, things were pretty cut and dry, the immediate games that released after is where things became jumbled, it's clear majora's mask and wind waker are sequels to ocarina in separate times, but then where did that leave link to the past and the rest? I like the idea that they're placed after twilight princess in the child timeline, but was that ever the intention of the developers? to connect link to the past and twilight princess?

While I normally put ALttP with FS and FSA all after TP. ALttP being after TP also works greatly! Ganondorf is already known as Demon Thief just like he was in the Imprisoning War! It seems like a very neat connection as well.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

While I normally put ALttP with FS and FSA all after TP. ALttP being after TP also works greatly! Ganondorf is already known as Demon Thief just like he was in the Imprisoning War! It seems like a very neat connection as well.

my add on to that is the master sword, how in twilight princess, the temple of time has mostly deteriorated and being taken over by nature, where in link to the past, it's completely gone with the pedestal just out in the middle of the lost woods, same location basically

 

[BaroisLoose]

my add on to that is the master sword, how in twilight princess, the temple of time has mostly deteriorated and being taken over by nature, where in link to the past, it's completely gone with the pedestal just out in the middle of the lost woods, same location basically

Indeed! It ties it also better to Breath of the Wild with how it'd always then be the same Ganon/dorf, who'd always return in some way and bring chaos just to rule this land!

 

[Moblinking5000]

On...

1. The official timeline is still closer to the orifginal intent. OoT may not be the IW, but it still deals with it by exploring events surrounding it such as the origin of Ganon(dorf) and the transformation of the Sacred Realm into the Dark World(the JP version has Zelda saying that Ganondorf was sealed in the Dark World at the end).

2. The FS was meant to be the earliest tale, yes, but that doesn't mean that it's forgotten. Look at how far BotW is after any other game, then consider that OoT is remembered in game.

3. So why put that timeline on the site? They could've put any old timeline on there, but they made it the one from the Encyclopedia. Why?

4. I'm not talking about the third split, I'm talking about how each game related to another at the time at its release, like ALttP being after OoT, how FS was the earliest tale with the only twogames before it being released after, etc.

5. The Japanese manual? Because the Japanese intro says otherwise.

7. He confirmed in 2008 that the towns are specifically named after the OoT sages:

Eji Aonuma: ''In creating a unique cast of characters, we thought it would be effective to have nonhuman races, each of them invested with different lifestyles and mannerisms. Almost from the beginning we had decided on Kokiri to live in the forest, Gorons to live in the mountains, and Zoras to live in the water.

At first we imagined the Zoras as monsters sort of like mermen, who would be antagonists to humans. The original concept was strong. However, after we had decided Princess Ruto was going to be one of the sages, that image didn't seem to fit anymore, so we changed them to be a friendly race more like humans.

Each of the races has a character fated to become on the sages later on. We named them after towns in The Adventure of Link so it would appear that the towns had been named after them(In the world of Zelda, the ventus of Ocarina of Time occur before the events of The Adventure of Link.) .''

Interviews

www.zeldadungeon.net

8. Does his level of speech PROVE his mind state? No, not necessarily. Is it a useful hint? Yes, absolutely, IMO. In OoT, TWW, TP, and ALttP he gives you a speech before battling you. He doesn't in ALBW, LoZ, or BotW. Why would he suddenly not bother with these speeches when he seems to LOVE giving them? I think it's something people should atleast keep in mind.

9. He says it's a sequel, but not a direct one. TWW is a sequel to OoT, but not a direct one as it doesn't feature the same Link.

Eji Aonuma: ''Well, actually the main reason - there were two main reasons [why] we went with the 2D graphics for the GameCube Four Swords. One was that it was a sequel to the Game Boy Advance Four Swords game, and so for the continuity there we wanted to retain the same graphic style. The second reason was that, as a connectivity game with four players, we found that it would be a lot easier for people to understand what's going on, when all four players are on one screen, when they're looking at it from the top-down perspective rather than a full 3D environment. So that obviously had a big impact on choosing that direction as well.''

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

3. Putting the Timeline on their website does not mean it's a Timeline which the developers intended. This is still not THE Nintendo Timeline and merely a interpretation by the writers of the books.

It doesn't matter, the fact that Nintendo has that timeline on their website means they officially endorse it.

 

[baajabajao]

I already know that interview! I was just saying how it'd make more sense to name it after the Sages of the Imprisoning War (seriously, why would Mido get a town and who's Kasuto? They clearly forgot these two, and they're mostly completely different races except Rauru and Zelda who both are Hylian while the Sages in the IW had all a human-like appearance, one is confirmed Hylian/Sheikah), OoT cannot work as the Imprisoning War for many reasons
1. Ganon's wish in the Imprisoning War was to specifically rule both lands, the Sacred Realm then instantly turned to the Dark World, Hyrule had gotten that same fate nearly, until the Sages did their seal. In Ocarina of Time it apparently only turned to the Evil Realm because of Ganondorfs heart. Though, I believe that's mere legend and the Triforce was more indirect to Ganondorfs wish (example: I WANT POWER OF THE TRIFORCE AND THIS LAND and it ends up with him getting the Triforce of Power and the Sacred Realm getting corrupted.
2. The Sages had to search for the Master Sword in the Imprisoning War, implying its location to be lost by time. Rauru is one of the sages! He sure as hell would know it.
3. The King of Hyrule was alive and well in the Imprisoning War
4. The epic battle with the Knights and Ganon's minions to protect the sages does not happen at all. It's a huge part for it.
5. Ganondorf is only Ganon at the very end and it's in the LIGHT WORLD, he was not in the light world after touching the Triforce, hence why he sends his army.
6. Ganondorf entered the realm with his followers, he vanquished them afterwards and stood triumphant over the Triforce.
7. Ganondorf is sealed away in the Evil Realm, while people could say that when Link left; the Triforce could've gotten to him and when the princess died, her piece could also go to him. That simply isn't the case.
8. We never hear of greedy people disappearing thanks to searching for the Triforce.
9. The Sages could not find someone valiant enough to wield the sword of evil's bane! Ganon's ill will was coming near the castle so they gave that up!

On the Triforce after TP, I believe the Triforce leaving Ganondorf (perhaps also leaving Link and Zelda) happens around the same time where the Final Battle in The Wind Waker happens. There, the Triforce presumably returns to the Sacred Realm. I like to believe that it's the same case for the Triforce in TP.
And we all know what happens after TP in this theorized Timeline with the developers info in mind. So it could be in the Sacred Realm as we see in ALttP.

1. Does this really make a difference? Who even knows what Ganon wished for. And ALttP also mentions the thing about the Dark World reflecting his heart.
2. Fair enough.
3. Ignoring this doesn't bother me too much. The fact is the sages sealed the Sacred Realm, whether it was by the king's order or not.
4. There was probably a pretty big battle when Ganon took over Castle town. Although I don't know how he did this, perhaps the Triforce granted him an army. But clearly the Hyrulean army was pretty much destroyed as mentioned in ALttP.
5. He doesn't have to be trapped in the Dark World to send his army. And why wouldn't he be able to enter the Light World? This could only be the case if there's already some sort of seal containing him, like the one the sages place in the Downfall ending of OoT.
6. This has always been an issue with ALttP's prologue, and was retconned out in the GBA version.
7. I'm not sure what you mean here. He already has the full Triforce in the Downfall ending.
8 and 9. True, but again not essential to the story.

I admit ALttP's backstory fits much better with the Imprisoning War happening many years after OoT as it does in Historia. But it's still true that the Downfall ending of OoT puts everything in place perfectly for the in-game events of ALttP, which I consider more important than the backstory.

But even accepting that OoT isn't the Imprisoning War, it sets up the Imprisoning War too well to justify assuming so much that's not supported by any of the games. Nowhere does it say Ganon's followers revived him after TP, or that he existed before OoT. Of course, HH also makes assumptions like a new Ganondorf in FSA, but from what I know of FSA's story, that seems to be the only possible choice. I mean, it shows him turn into beast Ganon, but without getting the Triforce? Yet somehow the Dark World already exists? And then he gets sealed in the Four Sword, which is never again mentioned in the series. The whole game seems like a nightmare for the timeline.

The Downfall Timeline definitely wasn't consistent with developer intentions at the time, but I feel like they probably accept it to make space for all the older games, because they never followed from OoT as well as WW or TP did.

 

[BaroisLoose]

It doesn't matter, the fact that Nintendo has that timeline on their website means they officially endorse it.

Just like NoA (while yes, the book Timeline is also in NoJ) had put the "Same Link" Timeline on a website. Again, interviews which AREN'T the infamous Miyamoto order seem more accurate for a speculative "developers placement".

 

[BaroisLoose]

1. The official timeline is still closer to the orifginal intent. OoT may not be the IW, but it still deals with it by exploring events surrounding it such as the origin of Ganon(dorf) and the transformation of the Sacred Realm into the Dark World(the JP version has Zelda saying that Ganondorf was sealed in the Dark World at the end).

2. The FS was meant to be the earliest tale, yes, but that doesn't mean that it's forgotten. Look at how far BotW is after any other game, then consider that OoT is remembered in game.

3. So why put that timeline on the site? They could've put any old timeline on there, but they made it the one from the Encyclopedia. Why?

4. I'm not talking about the third split, I'm talking about how each game related to another at the time at its release, like ALttP being after OoT, how FS was the earliest tale with the only twogames before it being released after, etc.

5. The Japanese manual? Because the Japanese intro says otherwise.

7. He confirmed in 2008 that the towns are specifically named after the OoT sages:

Eji Aonuma: ''In creating a unique cast of characters, we thought it would be effective to have nonhuman races, each of them invested with different lifestyles and mannerisms. Almost from the beginning we had decided on Kokiri to live in the forest, Gorons to live in the mountains, and Zoras to live in the water.

At first we imagined the Zoras as monsters sort of like mermen, who would be antagonists to humans. The original concept was strong. However, after we had decided Princess Ruto was going to be one of the sages, that image didn't seem to fit anymore, so we changed them to be a friendly race more like humans.

Each of the races has a character fated to become on the sages later on. We named them after towns in The Adventure of Link so it would appear that the towns had been named after them(In the world of Zelda, the ventus of Ocarina of Time occur before the events of The Adventure of Link.) .''

Interviews

www.zeldadungeon.net

8. Does his level of speech PROVE his mind state? No, not necessarily. Is it a useful hint? Yes, absolutely, IMO. In OoT, TWW, TP, and ALttP he gives you a speech before battling you. He doesn't in ALBW, LoZ, or BotW. Why would he suddenly not bother with these speeches when he seems to LOVE giving them? I think it's something people should atleast keep in mind.

9. He says it's a sequel, but not a direct one. TWW is a sequel to OoT, but not a direct one as it doesn't feature the same Link.

Eji Aonuma: ''Well, actually the main reason - there were two main reasons [why] we went with the 2D graphics for the GameCube Four Swords. One was that it was a sequel to the Game Boy Advance Four Swords game, and so for the continuity there we wanted to retain the same graphic style. The second reason was that, as a connectivity game with four players, we found that it would be a lot easier for people to understand what's going on, when all four players are on one screen, when they're looking at it from the top-down perspective rather than a full 3D environment. So that obviously had a big impact on choosing that direction as well.''

1. I KNOW it's obviously a Prequel to ALttP! I already mentioned that it explores a origin of Ganon/dorf. And well, the Sacred Realm.
2. In The Wind Waker we see the small shields which were very well known in the Four Swords era (Hero of Men, Minish Cap, Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures) being remembered as the Hylian Shield from OoT, which it obviously isn't. We also never see these games being mentioned again which made a ton of people believe they're not Canon. It's fairly simple that these games would likely not have any records! The opening story of Four Swords had already forgotten the events from the Minish Cap AND the Hero of Men!
3. Because they just put the most "active" Timeline one. Again, this Timeline was made by a ton of people who were fans of the games themselves, not Aonuma or anyone else.
4. Your point for FSA just being a "sequel" could work just as well as OoT being a "Prequel". Though FSA has more stuff implying it's directly after FSA with the same Link and Zelda
5. The Japanese intro translated:

"In Hyrule, a legend is handed down by the Royal Family in which a lone boy appears.
After battling an enormous evil and thus saving Hyrule, he vanished from the legend.
Done with the battles across time, he embarked on a secret journey.
A journey in search of an irreplaceable friend whom he had parted with at the end of that adventure…"

they say he leaves the legend as in; leaving the adult era. Where he had fought and defeated Ganon. Not that he was forgotten. (translation is by LoruleanHistorian btw!)

Here the full original version:

" ハイラルに伝わる王家の伝説　そこに一人の少年が登場する
巨悪と戦いハイラルを救ったのち　彼は、伝説から姿を消した
時をこえた戦いを終え　彼は人知れず旅に出た
冒険の終わりで　別れた　かけかえのない　友を探す旅に…"

7. Indeed, Kasuto and Mido would confirm though that their position as Sage is not important to be named after towns, Nabooru was a well known thief, Saria was a good friend of Mido, Darunia was basically the Goron-leader, Ruto was the Zora princess and Rauru constructed the Temple of Time with the other Ancient Sages. He was the one mostly remembered, especially with his other form "Kaepora Gaebora" being thought of as a reincarnation of him. Though, I personally believe the Imprisoning War thing would be neater, this also makes it easy.
8. In the Legend of Zelda, he had commanded his army to catch Impa after he Imprisoned Zelda when hearing that she split the Triforce of Wisdom. I already had done a post about this but you know that one ofc. I think they just didn't add this because they usually only gave text to normal NPC's like old men text, not bosses like Ganon.
9. Many points in FSA confirm it as sequel, while the Aonuma part was me misremembering. The game's introduction is literally structured to introduce you the Link and Zelda who were close childhood friends in the backstory. Aka the ones from Four Swords!

EDIT: Zelda never said he was sealed in the Sacred Realm in the Japanese! But the Underworld (TAoL)/Dark Realm (OoX, ST). Known as the Realm of the Dead/world of darkness. The sky scene with Link, Navi and Zelda may as well take place in the Sacred Realm! The Dark Realm is the same place where Demise and his Horde came from, hence why Ganon comes from the depths of the earth, just like how Demise rushed from the depths.