- Joined
- Sep 8, 2021
Hello, before you dive in... I'm always updating this page as I look into new possibilities within the Zelda lore. With that said, I hope you enjoy the read! 
THIS GON' BE GOOD
The downfall time line was an itch that I could never scratch. There were always just too many questions left unanswered. No matter where I looked, I could never find the truth. For a time, I sealed away the the concept having faith that one day the truth would reveal itself. Then nintendo released the trailer for Breathe of the Wild 2. Caught up with work, I unfortunately missed it.
Then Zelda content started flowing into my feed once again. New discoveries were being unearthed that would change the history of Hyrule. A re-release of skyward sword was put on the shelves! Man had awoken! And with a new found spirit, a flame was lit in my heart to discover the greatest secret of the Official Zelda Timeline!
Thus, I began the quest for the mystery shrouded in Hyrule's twisted past...
I started with the back in time theory where THoT goes back to the unified timeline a second time after Majora's Mask. Logically, if CT spawns from link changing the past of AT, then the properties of DT should be the same, right? Unfortunately, the existence of the Hero's Shade mocked this theory. How could the HoT exist in spirit of CT should he have created a new reality?
That wasn't going to work, and the mystery once again faded into obscurity. It seemed that the answers were sealed with the Zelda team... It was starting to look as though my future was going to be cast in shadow once again. However, I'm persistent and was starting to become desperate. So I started tearing up the carpet, breaking the furniture, and searching every corner of the Zelda universe for anything!
Then I came across a strange continuity error at the end of OoT. I noticed that Young Link leaves the Master Sword to meet Zelda before she flees from Ganondorf. Such thing was a strange occurrence as Link had only opened the Door of Time after Zelda fled Hyrule. That could have been a mistake by the developers, except that they continue to hint at this idea in Majora's Mask where Zelda teaches the song of time as a parting grace, rather than an instruction to open the DoT. So, I explored the possibility that the child timeline has a separate history...
It was a concept that was possible considering that CT has a separate future from AT. Outside of Link's perspective, we don't know the history of Hyrule leading up to a possibility where the Door of Time is opened prematurely. And with a new theory + evidence to support it, I knew I was on to something. But then the question continued to ask where the history separates from the UT. So, whenever there's a split, we look to the books.
I turned back to the HH Official Timeline and noticed a quirk in the unified timeline: GBA A Link to The Past existing at the same time of Four Swords. I never really paid much attention to ALttP, nor did I care for anything Capcom Zelda, but the GBA version is specifically placed before the events of Ocarina of Time. Maybe that was just so that FS had a spot on the timeline? Maybe, but then I noticed the Encyclopedia Timeline...
In the encyclopedia timeline, there is no depiction of the GBA ALttP, only Foursword title in text. Other changes were made as well like the placement of ALBW, and the addition of the banishment of Twili. Then, at the bottom of the page a text reads that the timeline is up to the player's imagination, and therefor the timeline changes. Now, one might see that as a jab to Zelda theorists, but as someone who buys into the theory that the player is in fact the Hero's Spirit, I saw it as a clue. Although before I dove in, I did some research into other remakes just to cover my bases.
Interestingly, I discovered that in Skyward Sword HD there's a ng+ oddity that the sword remembers past battles and immediately reaches a max skyward strike, and continues to grow to 4x the power by the end of the game. It was nothing that would truly change the events of the timeline, but a change in continuity none the less. I continued to look into other remakes and noticed the weird quirk of Majora's Mask HD remake where Tatl knows what Tael is going to say on ng+. Once again, minor continuity changes, but changes none the less. So with two remakes having altered events, I was left with no other option but to investigate GBA ALttP.
I decided to do a quick internet search to see the big differences between the snes and GBA port. If you are familiar with the gba port, you probably know about the eery secret ending of the gba version. This ending shows the dark world and the various bosses still alive. Wait, did Link not save the Sacred realm??? Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe this is nothing new to Zelda Theorists. So, I do some theory research. Ater all, it has been some time that I looked into Zelda theory craft.
I'm pretty picky when it comes to zelda theories, and will easily dismiss a theory if something smells fishy. Although I did stumble across the wish theory. A theory posted here. It assumes that Link's wish in ALttP is what enables the HoT to succeed. It was a good possibility considering there was positive feedback among the community. However, the creator didn't have evidence, and there were still questions. Regardless, I continued my search for clues within the source material of the games and turned to the instruction manuals.
The instruction manuals always give a healthy dose of Zelda lore. So I read among the pages and the Legend of Hyrule tells it's usual story of the Goddesses, the Hylians, and the gates to the golden land. The gates were accidently opened by Ganondorf, and the king of thieves claimed the Triforce, made a wish, and the imprisoning war commenced. Typical downfall timeline stuff, ok.
Let's look into the GBA instruction manual. Right off the bat suspicion is raised as it goes on it's own dialogue to point out that the world was in chaos. That couldn't mean much though, right? I knew The Zelda Team was up to something. So I kept reading, and of course, I encounter the change of the Seven Wise men to The Seven Sages... Okay nintendo, Sages aren't something to just lazily throw in there as a minor retranslation. Not to me, at least. But that still wasn't an answer. Just another obscure clue. Until I read the manual again, and then it hit me.
The story of Ganondorf wishing on the Triforce was replaced by another series of events in the gba manual. Instead of Ganondorf finding the relic, it states that no one could locate the relic. And there it was. Undeniable proof that gba ALttP is different than snes ALttP.
But I continued on to the actual game itself just to see what all had changed. I watch the games' opening cut-scenes. And once again it happens... During the snes version opening cut-scene, it states that people aggressively tried to find the entrance to the sacred realm but could not. In the gba version, a portal opened and people aggressively tried to find the Triforce within, but could not. Alright Nintendo, spill the beans. What's going on here? Why does one game have people searching for the gates, and the other where people found it? Why wasn't the Triforce in the sacred realm? So many questions, but with courage in my heart, I kept going.
The game opens up, and I watch as Link's uncle leaves the house. I watch Link follow. I watch Link's uncle die. I watch read Link's Uncle's dying breathes. And there it was again.... In the snes he scolds Link for coming. However in the gba version, He tells Link that it is his fate. It was at this point I knew something huge was about to drop...
Then it happened. Not even 30 minutes into the game and The Zelda team spills the beans. When Link speaks to Sahasrahla for the second time, the old man reveals the crucial lore that undeniably separates the two games completely. I'll put direct quotes from both games to compare side-by-side.
snes version "These Knights Of Hyrule were also guardians of the Pendant Of Courage... Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed in the great war against evil that took place when the seven wise men created their seal. Among the descendants of the Knight Of Hyrule a hero must appear."
GBA version "It has been said that whenever disaster waylays the royal family, a Hero shall emerge from the bloodline of the knights of Hyrule... Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed in the great war against evil that took place when the seven sages created their seal, so it was thought that a hero would never again emerge..."
I couldn't overlook this as just a bad retranslation. The prophecies between the two games were fundamentally different. The Lore is fundamentally different. And the ending is fundamentally different. If my suspicions are correct, this game is evidence of the downfall timeline being more than a what-if scenario, and I have the evidence to support it.
So what would that mean for the history of Zelda as a whole?
Well, if the timeline is accurate, and the lore is true, then gba version does take in fact take place in the unified timeline at the same time as Foursword. This would explain the throwbacks to the era of chaos. It would explain the change from wise men to the sages. Most importantly, it would explain why Ganondorf is never mentioned to discover the gates of the sacred realm. Instead the Hylians had to have discovered it first, and the people were free to enter the sacred realm.
However if man could never find the Triforce then most likely the evil that turned the sacred realm into the dark world was the corruption and malice of man. Following it being sealed by the seven sages during the era of chaos.
But that's just a theory. Although it's a theory I can subscribe to. It has so much supporting evidence. It holds no continuity errors within the official timeline. It connects the DT to the UT in the same way the AT is connected. It maintains the properties of time-travel where existing presents continue to exist. It proves the continuity error at the end of OoT was intentional. Most importantly, it explains the sudden disappearance of GBA ALttP from the encyclopedia's timeline. The evidence is there, and the translation discrepancies are no mistake.
THIS GON' BE GOOD
The downfall time line was an itch that I could never scratch. There were always just too many questions left unanswered. No matter where I looked, I could never find the truth. For a time, I sealed away the the concept having faith that one day the truth would reveal itself. Then nintendo released the trailer for Breathe of the Wild 2. Caught up with work, I unfortunately missed it.
Then Zelda content started flowing into my feed once again. New discoveries were being unearthed that would change the history of Hyrule. A re-release of skyward sword was put on the shelves! Man had awoken! And with a new found spirit, a flame was lit in my heart to discover the greatest secret of the Official Zelda Timeline!
Thus, I began the quest for the mystery shrouded in Hyrule's twisted past...
I started with the back in time theory where THoT goes back to the unified timeline a second time after Majora's Mask. Logically, if CT spawns from link changing the past of AT, then the properties of DT should be the same, right? Unfortunately, the existence of the Hero's Shade mocked this theory. How could the HoT exist in spirit of CT should he have created a new reality?
That wasn't going to work, and the mystery once again faded into obscurity. It seemed that the answers were sealed with the Zelda team... It was starting to look as though my future was going to be cast in shadow once again. However, I'm persistent and was starting to become desperate. So I started tearing up the carpet, breaking the furniture, and searching every corner of the Zelda universe for anything!
Then I came across a strange continuity error at the end of OoT. I noticed that Young Link leaves the Master Sword to meet Zelda before she flees from Ganondorf. Such thing was a strange occurrence as Link had only opened the Door of Time after Zelda fled Hyrule. That could have been a mistake by the developers, except that they continue to hint at this idea in Majora's Mask where Zelda teaches the song of time as a parting grace, rather than an instruction to open the DoT. So, I explored the possibility that the child timeline has a separate history...
It was a concept that was possible considering that CT has a separate future from AT. Outside of Link's perspective, we don't know the history of Hyrule leading up to a possibility where the Door of Time is opened prematurely. And with a new theory + evidence to support it, I knew I was on to something. But then the question continued to ask where the history separates from the UT. So, whenever there's a split, we look to the books.
I turned back to the HH Official Timeline and noticed a quirk in the unified timeline: GBA A Link to The Past existing at the same time of Four Swords. I never really paid much attention to ALttP, nor did I care for anything Capcom Zelda, but the GBA version is specifically placed before the events of Ocarina of Time. Maybe that was just so that FS had a spot on the timeline? Maybe, but then I noticed the Encyclopedia Timeline...
In the encyclopedia timeline, there is no depiction of the GBA ALttP, only Foursword title in text. Other changes were made as well like the placement of ALBW, and the addition of the banishment of Twili. Then, at the bottom of the page a text reads that the timeline is up to the player's imagination, and therefor the timeline changes. Now, one might see that as a jab to Zelda theorists, but as someone who buys into the theory that the player is in fact the Hero's Spirit, I saw it as a clue. Although before I dove in, I did some research into other remakes just to cover my bases.
Interestingly, I discovered that in Skyward Sword HD there's a ng+ oddity that the sword remembers past battles and immediately reaches a max skyward strike, and continues to grow to 4x the power by the end of the game. It was nothing that would truly change the events of the timeline, but a change in continuity none the less. I continued to look into other remakes and noticed the weird quirk of Majora's Mask HD remake where Tatl knows what Tael is going to say on ng+. Once again, minor continuity changes, but changes none the less. So with two remakes having altered events, I was left with no other option but to investigate GBA ALttP.
I decided to do a quick internet search to see the big differences between the snes and GBA port. If you are familiar with the gba port, you probably know about the eery secret ending of the gba version. This ending shows the dark world and the various bosses still alive. Wait, did Link not save the Sacred realm??? Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe this is nothing new to Zelda Theorists. So, I do some theory research. Ater all, it has been some time that I looked into Zelda theory craft.
I'm pretty picky when it comes to zelda theories, and will easily dismiss a theory if something smells fishy. Although I did stumble across the wish theory. A theory posted here. It assumes that Link's wish in ALttP is what enables the HoT to succeed. It was a good possibility considering there was positive feedback among the community. However, the creator didn't have evidence, and there were still questions. Regardless, I continued my search for clues within the source material of the games and turned to the instruction manuals.
The instruction manuals always give a healthy dose of Zelda lore. So I read among the pages and the Legend of Hyrule tells it's usual story of the Goddesses, the Hylians, and the gates to the golden land. The gates were accidently opened by Ganondorf, and the king of thieves claimed the Triforce, made a wish, and the imprisoning war commenced. Typical downfall timeline stuff, ok.
Let's look into the GBA instruction manual. Right off the bat suspicion is raised as it goes on it's own dialogue to point out that the world was in chaos. That couldn't mean much though, right? I knew The Zelda Team was up to something. So I kept reading, and of course, I encounter the change of the Seven Wise men to The Seven Sages... Okay nintendo, Sages aren't something to just lazily throw in there as a minor retranslation. Not to me, at least. But that still wasn't an answer. Just another obscure clue. Until I read the manual again, and then it hit me.
The story of Ganondorf wishing on the Triforce was replaced by another series of events in the gba manual. Instead of Ganondorf finding the relic, it states that no one could locate the relic. And there it was. Undeniable proof that gba ALttP is different than snes ALttP.
But I continued on to the actual game itself just to see what all had changed. I watch the games' opening cut-scenes. And once again it happens... During the snes version opening cut-scene, it states that people aggressively tried to find the entrance to the sacred realm but could not. In the gba version, a portal opened and people aggressively tried to find the Triforce within, but could not. Alright Nintendo, spill the beans. What's going on here? Why does one game have people searching for the gates, and the other where people found it? Why wasn't the Triforce in the sacred realm? So many questions, but with courage in my heart, I kept going.
The game opens up, and I watch as Link's uncle leaves the house. I watch Link follow. I watch Link's uncle die. I watch read Link's Uncle's dying breathes. And there it was again.... In the snes he scolds Link for coming. However in the gba version, He tells Link that it is his fate. It was at this point I knew something huge was about to drop...
Then it happened. Not even 30 minutes into the game and The Zelda team spills the beans. When Link speaks to Sahasrahla for the second time, the old man reveals the crucial lore that undeniably separates the two games completely. I'll put direct quotes from both games to compare side-by-side.
snes version "These Knights Of Hyrule were also guardians of the Pendant Of Courage... Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed in the great war against evil that took place when the seven wise men created their seal. Among the descendants of the Knight Of Hyrule a hero must appear."
GBA version "It has been said that whenever disaster waylays the royal family, a Hero shall emerge from the bloodline of the knights of Hyrule... Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed in the great war against evil that took place when the seven sages created their seal, so it was thought that a hero would never again emerge..."
I couldn't overlook this as just a bad retranslation. The prophecies between the two games were fundamentally different. The Lore is fundamentally different. And the ending is fundamentally different. If my suspicions are correct, this game is evidence of the downfall timeline being more than a what-if scenario, and I have the evidence to support it.
So what would that mean for the history of Zelda as a whole?
Well, if the timeline is accurate, and the lore is true, then gba version does take in fact take place in the unified timeline at the same time as Foursword. This would explain the throwbacks to the era of chaos. It would explain the change from wise men to the sages. Most importantly, it would explain why Ganondorf is never mentioned to discover the gates of the sacred realm. Instead the Hylians had to have discovered it first, and the people were free to enter the sacred realm.
However if man could never find the Triforce then most likely the evil that turned the sacred realm into the dark world was the corruption and malice of man. Following it being sealed by the seven sages during the era of chaos.
But that's just a theory. Although it's a theory I can subscribe to. It has so much supporting evidence. It holds no continuity errors within the official timeline. It connects the DT to the UT in the same way the AT is connected. It maintains the properties of time-travel where existing presents continue to exist. It proves the continuity error at the end of OoT was intentional. Most importantly, it explains the sudden disappearance of GBA ALttP from the encyclopedia's timeline. The evidence is there, and the translation discrepancies are no mistake.
So let's exercise the likely outcome of this theory...
The gba game fates Link to fail his quest. Subsequently, Ganon is free to wish upon the Triforce. We don't know what he wished for, but most likely he wishes for his victory in the future. So, with no hero to stop Ganon, the descendants of the Sages seal Ganon in the sacred realm. Ganon is reincarnated as Ganondorf, The King of Theives. By accident, he discovers the Sprit Temple, an ancient portal to the sacred realm. Ganon claims the Triforce and wishes to rule the land.
This time, we know that Ganondorf wishes to rule the land, granting him dominion over the sacred realm. Following is the imprisoning war, and the Seven wise men seal Ganon in the sacred realm. A new prophecy is told that a hero must appear, and he does. This Link successfully stops Ganon, and claims the Triforce. The Triforce tells Link that this time is safe. What would Link naturally wish for, but to thwart Ganon in the past.
Requeue the events of gba ALttP, but this time the era of Chaos is rewritten as the era of light and dark, spawning the creation of AlttP proper to happen before OoT so that the Hero could succeed. With gba Link succeeding, He is free to wish on the Triforce of that time. In both games the Triforce tells Link that it can't decipher between good and evil. With this Link having no reason to stop Ganon in the past, he would most likely wish that only those with a pure heart can wish upon the Triforce to prevent a future where Ganon could wish upon the Triforce.
Re-queue OoT. Ganondorf reaches the sacred realm, but as Ganondorf touches the Triforce, Link's wish activates and the Triforce splits initiating the AT. Fast-forward to the end of OoT. Zelda sends THoT back to the past. However, he is sent to the events right before the split. Link arrives early, opens the DoT, and wishes for the triforce of power to never existed.
Rewind to the era of light and dark. History is rewritten without the creation of the Triforce of Power. Without the Triforce of Power the land is cast into shadow and begins to crumble. Man desperately begins their search to find a Triforce but is driven mad and begins to create Malice. In the final moments The Hero of Men, rises up and collects the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage. and is blessed with a new Triforce of Power: The Light Force, along with Piccori Blade. The Hero Men fends off the Malice, and the Light Force joins with the two Triforce to save the land. THoM, knowing the outcome of a world without a Light force and possessing a complete Triforce, wishes for a bright future.
The History of light and Dark is once again is rewritten leading up to the events of Ganondorf unable to obtain a Triforce of Power in CT, and what should have been Ganondorf's execution. However the new history writes in the Triforce of Power to have always existed, hidden within the Arbiter's Ground. Just as Ganondorf is about to be defeated for good, the Light Force suddenly imbues it's strength within Ganondorf allowing him to survive his imminent destruction. Ganondorf is sealed in the Mirror of Twilight, but eventually breaks free. The Hero of Twilight rises and defeats Ganondorf. However Ganondorf uses the remaining Power of the Light Force to wish that the history of light and dark is written in blood before he dies.
THE DOWNFALL TIMELINE IS SOLVED
The gba game fates Link to fail his quest. Subsequently, Ganon is free to wish upon the Triforce. We don't know what he wished for, but most likely he wishes for his victory in the future. So, with no hero to stop Ganon, the descendants of the Sages seal Ganon in the sacred realm. Ganon is reincarnated as Ganondorf, The King of Theives. By accident, he discovers the Sprit Temple, an ancient portal to the sacred realm. Ganon claims the Triforce and wishes to rule the land.
This time, we know that Ganondorf wishes to rule the land, granting him dominion over the sacred realm. Following is the imprisoning war, and the Seven wise men seal Ganon in the sacred realm. A new prophecy is told that a hero must appear, and he does. This Link successfully stops Ganon, and claims the Triforce. The Triforce tells Link that this time is safe. What would Link naturally wish for, but to thwart Ganon in the past.
Requeue the events of gba ALttP, but this time the era of Chaos is rewritten as the era of light and dark, spawning the creation of AlttP proper to happen before OoT so that the Hero could succeed. With gba Link succeeding, He is free to wish on the Triforce of that time. In both games the Triforce tells Link that it can't decipher between good and evil. With this Link having no reason to stop Ganon in the past, he would most likely wish that only those with a pure heart can wish upon the Triforce to prevent a future where Ganon could wish upon the Triforce.
Re-queue OoT. Ganondorf reaches the sacred realm, but as Ganondorf touches the Triforce, Link's wish activates and the Triforce splits initiating the AT. Fast-forward to the end of OoT. Zelda sends THoT back to the past. However, he is sent to the events right before the split. Link arrives early, opens the DoT, and wishes for the triforce of power to never existed.
Rewind to the era of light and dark. History is rewritten without the creation of the Triforce of Power. Without the Triforce of Power the land is cast into shadow and begins to crumble. Man desperately begins their search to find a Triforce but is driven mad and begins to create Malice. In the final moments The Hero of Men, rises up and collects the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage. and is blessed with a new Triforce of Power: The Light Force, along with Piccori Blade. The Hero Men fends off the Malice, and the Light Force joins with the two Triforce to save the land. THoM, knowing the outcome of a world without a Light force and possessing a complete Triforce, wishes for a bright future.
The History of light and Dark is once again is rewritten leading up to the events of Ganondorf unable to obtain a Triforce of Power in CT, and what should have been Ganondorf's execution. However the new history writes in the Triforce of Power to have always existed, hidden within the Arbiter's Ground. Just as Ganondorf is about to be defeated for good, the Light Force suddenly imbues it's strength within Ganondorf allowing him to survive his imminent destruction. Ganondorf is sealed in the Mirror of Twilight, but eventually breaks free. The Hero of Twilight rises and defeats Ganondorf. However Ganondorf uses the remaining Power of the Light Force to wish that the history of light and dark is written in blood before he dies.
THE DOWNFALL TIMELINE IS SOLVED
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