Timeline Discussion

[DJ Twitch]

it was the creators who always followed a timeline.

Not quite. The creators always intended that there would be a timeline, but they didn't follow it at all. They made it up as they went along and changed it as they saw fit.

 

[Moblinking5000]

Lol, literally every series ever makes things up as they go along. I'm sure that Skyward Sword wasn't intended when A Link to the Past was released, nor was Super Metroid intended when Metroid was released. That doesn't invalidate either the Metroid or Zelda timelines, however, and yet people only question the Zelda Timeline.

The only confirmed change is the Oracle titles, which makes more sense than the original placement. Everything else fits with the placements each game was given after release to this day.

 

[darklordoftech]

The fact that Ganondorf’s Castle is called “Ganon’s Castle” in spite of him not becoming “Ganon” until after the destruction of the castle makes me wonder if at some point during development, the intention was for Blue Pig Ganon to inhabit the castle.

 

[DJ Twitch]

The only confirmed change is the Oracle titles, which makes more sense than the original placement. Everything else fits with the placements each game was given after release to this day.

The DT itself was a change that came completely out of the left field. Also, just because the current timeline mostly makes sense in retrospect, doesn't mean people weren't scrambling to put it together because, again, the DT was made up on the spot.

I get that game developers aren't psychics or anything, but adding on to the lore as the sequels pile up is a lot different from changing the very logic of continuity altogether.

 

[Moblinking5000]

The DT itself was a change that came completely out of the left field. Also, just because the current timeline mostly makes sense in retrospect, doesn't mean people weren't scrambling to put it together because, again, the DT was made up on the spot.

I get that game developers aren't psychics or anything, but adding on to the lore as the sequels pile up is a lot different from changing the very logic of continuity altogether.

We have countless interviews saying that OoT deals with the backstory of ALttP from only three days after OoT was released.

The order is still OoT-ALttP in current canon, too. They just came up with a way to make it work with the OoT-TWW and OoT-TP sequences. That's not changing the logic of continuity(whatever that means), that's just reconcilation of all the games that are followups to OoT. As for adding onto the lore they've been doing that since Game #2. Zelda 2 introduced the Triforce of Courage and the concept of Multiple Zeldas, ALttP introduced the concepts of Multiple Links as well as the fact that Ganon was once a man, not to mention the Master Sword and giving a base outline of the creation story, and OoT expanded on the backstory of ALttP by showing Ganondorf in his original human form taking the Triforce and transforming the SR as mentioned in ALttP, etc.

The fact that Ganondorf’s Castle is called “Ganon’s Castle” in spite of him not becoming “Ganon” until after the destruction of the castle makes me wonder if at some point during development, the intention was for Blue Pig Ganon to inhabit the castle.

I'd say that's just the result of Ganon merely being a nickname in-universe, as mentioned in ALttP and HH, and made even more clear in games like The Wind Waker, where he's interchangeably called ''Ganondorf'' and ''Ganon'' despite remaining in human form for the entire game.

 

[DJ Twitch]

We have countless interviews saying that OoT deals with the backstory of ALttP from only three days after OoT was released.

The order is still OoT-ALttP in current canon, too. They just came up with a way to make it work with the OoT-TWW and OoT-TP sequences. That's not changing the logic of continuity(whatever that means), that's just reconcilation of all the games that are followups to OoT. As for adding onto the lore they've been doing that since Game #2. Zelda 2 introduced the Triforce of Courage and the concept of Multiple Zeldas, ALttP introduced the concepts of Multiple Links as well as the fact that Ganon was once a man, not to mention the Master Sword and giving a base outline of the creation story, and OoT expanded on the backstory of ALttP by showing Ganondorf in his original human form taking the Triforce and transforming the SR as mentioned in ALttP, etc.

But the fact that they would have to reconcile anything is my point on how lazy and half assed the timeline is. Yes, some games were connected to others, and yes OoT is the lynchpin of the whole setup, but the problems came when anyone tried to combine everything into a single, coherent narrative.

And I think I misspoke when I said they changed the logic of continuity; I think rules would have a better word for it. Up until HH, there was no indication that a third timeline even existed, they came up with it on the spot, thus going from "the timeline splits when the past is altered" to "oh, time just splits on it's own" The latter becoming a necessity is the whole point; they pissed around until they had to drive head first into the multiverse cliche.

 

[darklordoftech]

One of the worst anti-timeline arguements is that all the games have the same plot. It’s common for sequels to repeat plots. Nobody denies that there’s a Star Wars timeline.

 

[Mangrove]

One of the worst anti-timeline arguements is that all the games have the same plot. It’s common for sequels to repeat plots. Nobody denies that there’s a Star Wars timeline.

The "literal legends" theory is down there with cartoon characters being in a coma/dying/dead the whole time, or cartoons being "post apocalyptic".

 

[Mikey the Gengar]

The "literal legends" theory is down there with cartoon characters being in a coma/dying/dead the whole time, or cartoons being "post apocalyptic".

Character has schizophrenia

 

[Mangrove]

Character has schizophrenia

each main character represents a different mental disorder

EDIT: forgot that this was almost the basis for that Majora's Mask "Link is dead" theory lol

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

each main character represents a different mental disorder

EDIT: forgot that this was almost the basis for that Majora's Mask "Link is dead" theory lol

The five stages of grief theory always worked better under the assumption that Navi died and MM is the emotional journey Link has to take to cope. Link dying and then having to come to terms with his own death never made sense to me, especially because the Hero's Shade, which is confirmed to be the ghost of the Hero of Time, still has lingering regrets preventing him from truly passing on.

The grief theory was also debunked by Aonuma, so Link is Dead is the only dead thing here, a dead theory, lol.

 

[Uwu_Oocoo2]

The five stages of grief theory always worked better under the assumption that Navi died and MM is the emotional journey Link has to take to cope. Link dying and then having to come to terms with his own death never made sense to me, especially because the Hero's Shade, which is confirmed to be the ghost of the Hero of Time, still has lingering regrets preventing him from truly passing on.

The grief theory was also debunked by Aonuma, so Link is Dead is the only dead thing here, a dead theory, lol.

I love the stages of grief theory, its always been one of my favorites. So even though Aonuma debunked it, I say that if its anyone's personal head canon that's cool. I personally follow the official parallel dimension explanation.

 

[darklordoftech]

Could the Spaceworld 2000 video be the Hero of Time helping to capture Ganondorf some time after Majora’s Mask, leading to Ganondorf’s trial and then the execution seen in Twilight Princess?

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

I love the stages of grief theory, its always been one of my favorites. So even though Aonuma debunked it, I say that if its anyone's personal head canon that's cool. I personally follow the official parallel dimension explanation.

I don't think it's bad either, it's pretty cool, just not coupled with Link is Dead.

 

[Moblinking5000]

So, what timeline possibilities would you all like to see explored?

I'd like to see a direct sequel to Twilight Princess. The ending had Link leave Ordon, which suggests a new adventure for that Link. It seems nuts that Nintendo hasn't capitalized on that yet. Plus, it's been forever since we got a new CT game.

I wouldn't mind seeing a post-ST game either since it's also been a long time since getting a new AT game, and I'd like to see the culture of New Hyrule expanded more.