Spoiler What Happened to the King in OoT?

[Nicole]

If you've played Ocarina of Time, you probably have gotten to the part where you first meet Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle. There, she tells you her suspicions of the mysterious man called Ganondorf. She also mentions that her father, the King of Hyrule, does not believe her.

Though he is only mentioned once, it is sensible to believe that the King of Hyrule lived somewhere in the Castle. This begs the question: What happened to him when Ganondorf took over? There are several theories I've heard and come up with. I'll connect them together, and ask your opinions on my thoughts here.

First off, the Child and Adult timelines come into play here. It is believed that when Adult Link returns to Hyrule as Young Link, he informs the guards and the King about Ganondorf. The King and the Sages, logically, then use their power to imprison Ganondorf. The cutscene with the sages in Twilight Princess supports this theory.

He [Ganondorf] was the leader of a band of thieves who invaded Hyrule in hopes of establishing dominion over the Sacred Realm.

In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice.

I suspect this "danger" spoken about was Young Link with the knowledge he posessed about Ganondorf's temporary reign in Hyrule. This explains what happens to the King in the Child Timeline. He is safe, like Link, and Ganondorf was sealed away. The next games in the CT commence, and that's the end of that.

But what about the Adult Timeline? Where was the King then?

I believe the King was killed by Ganondorf or an assassin of Ganon's right when Link recieved the Spiritual Stone of Water from Princess Ruto. As Link made his way to Hyrule Castle, Impa knew of the King's murder, and rushed Zelda out of the Castle on horseback. Ganon knew Link had obtained the last Spiritual Stone, and knew it was time to make his move to get into the Sacred Realm. This also explains why you seem to coincidentally meet Impa and Zelda on your way to the castle. It was premeditated by Ganon, planned carefully.

There isn't much to support my AT theory here, other that the Dying Soldier theory. For those of you who don't know, here is the Dying Soldier:

[video=youtube;PCig_h5pBLU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCig_h5pBLU&feature=player_embedded[/video]

(It was the best clip I could find. )

Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, betrayed our King...

This supports my theory that Ganondorf murdered the King of Hyrule.

Zelda's nanny, Impa, sensed danger and escaped from the castle with our princess...

This supports my theory that Impa knew of the King's death and rushed Zelda to safety. However, I'm not sure if the Dying Soldier clip is real. Several users online have confimed it, but I've never seen it myself. If the Dying Soldier theory is fake, it still doesn't necessarily disprove my theory, but it doesn't support it, either.

This is just what I think. Have you ever wondered what happen to the King of Hyrule in OoT? What do you think happened?

 

[DuckNoises]

As for the Hylian Soldier clip, it is actually real. The text is found in the game's data banks. It just serves to reinforce what the player learns after emerging from the Temple of Time as an adult. The notion that he "betrayed the King" is likely a reference to Ganondorf breaking the peace treaty he signed at the beginning of the game, where Zelda is spying on him in the courtyard. The treaty is a ploy to lull Castle Town into a sense of complacency so they won't suspect the attack.

This, as you mentioned, is prevented on the CT when the Hero of Time returns to warn Zelda and her father about the attack and to close the Door of Time to cause Ganondorf's attack to fail. This results in Ganondorf's arrest and attempted execution as shown atop Arbiter's Grounds in TP.

Yes; I believe that Ganondorf killed the Hylian King, as he did with a number of Castle Town citizens. Ganondorf has several incentives to murder the King, and the first is fairly obvious; in order to usurp the throne, the existing monarch has to be killed. Normally, Zelda would take the throne as next of kin, but he is seen chasing her before his attack on Castle Town in order to secure the plan goes successfully. If Zelda is not there, there is no immediate monarch, and Ganondorf is free to assume the throne easily through force and proceed with his attack.
The second and more complicated reason is much more intricate; Ganondorf is trying to get Link and Zelda to seek revenge on him, such that they will both collaborate to defeat him and that he can obtain both the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Wisdom at the same time and gain ultimate power by possessing the whole Triforce. After becoming a fugitive (Sheik) during Ganondorf's seizure of power, Zelda is left with a few things to contemplate. Namely, how she will be reunited with Link and subsequently restore peace to Hyrule and assume the throne. Ganondorf murdering Zelda's family (rather than, say, capturing them) seems to come across as a blatant attempt to distract her from the fact that Ganondorf has Zelda's plan playing perfectly into his own, that Link and Zelda have essentially planned themselves into Ganondorf's trap, which is executed after Link awakens all the Sages. This will make Zelda's decisions emotionally charged and she may be prone to act rashly, because, within all fairness, her family was killed. This is likely why Zelda does not become aware of the final portion to Ganondorf's plan until it is too late.
Ganondorf has also done a similar thing with Link, by striking areas to which Link has an emotional attachment. He laid siege to Kokiri Village and filled it with monsters and imprisoned Saria, effectively destroying what little home Link had (which was little to start with, considering he was an orphan).

Murdering the King of Hyrule effectively kills two birds with one stone for Ganondorf, in allowing him to assume control and providing him with a plan to obtain the entire Triforce by clouding Link and Zelda's judgment.

 

[Vincent]

I'd like to mention a theory of mine that backs up that Ganondorf did indeed kill the king.

We are told that The Wind Waker takes place 100 years or so after Ocarina of Time, correct? In The Wind Waker, we are intoduced to a man claiming to be the King of Hyrule. This mysterious man shows up in places seemingly out of nowhere, and can possess objects as well. This leads me to believe that he is a ghost. There's also the fact that he's the only being left in Old Hyrule, besides the monsters frozen in time. (That is a debate for another time.) How would he survive that long without some kind of aid such as a piece of the Triforce? He wouldn't. He's a lingering spirit that is bound to his land because of past regrets and unfinished business. This is easily foreshadowed through his lines in the game. Not to mention that when he and Ganondorf finally meet in front of the Triforce, there is a feeling if awkwardness surrounding the two. The reason behind that being obvious.

Now, we're sitting here with the fact that there is a ghostly king on the AT, seemingly 100 years after the one in Ocarina of Time was murdered. It only makes sense that Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule was the king that Ganondorf killed in Ocarina of Time.

 

[Nicole]

Now, we're sitting here with the fact that there is a ghostly king on the AT, seemingly 100 years after the one in Ocarina of Time was murdered. It only makes sense that Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule was the king that Ganondorf killed in Ocarina of Time.

I knew that already. For the reasons you provided, plus the fact that WW comes directly after OoT on the Adult Timeline. Also, it makes sense why King Hyrule would be able to become... a boat, you know? And it also makes sense that he would've created the pirate's stone from a gossip stone, seeing as he was around during OoT, when gossip stones were prevelant.

 

[JuicieJ]

Well, if the King was killed, how's he in The Wind Waker? He couldn't be if that were the case. And don't say there was another King, because he knew all about Ganondorf's attack and talked to him as if he knew him personally, so he obviously went through it. He just couldn't match the power of the Triforce of Power. So he obviously fled, or something.

 

[Nicole]

Well, if the King was killed, how's he in The Wind Waker? He couldn't be if that were the case. And don't say there was another King, because he knew all about Ganondorf's attack and talked to him as if he knew him personally, so he obviously went through it. He just couldn't match the power of the Triforce of Power. So he obviously fled, or something.

I don't think you read Vincent's post. He and I share the theory that the king from OoT is the KoRL in WW, only in a ghostly form. Ever notice in WW how he (in human form) can just appear and disappear at will? That's what I meant. I'm not sure exactly how that works, though. It's a tad far-fetched for me to think the King's ghost comes back and posesses a boat, or transforms into a boat. But that's what I'm going with. For now.

 

[JuicieJ]

I don't think you read Vincent's post. He and I share the theory that the king from OoT is the KoRL in WW, only in a ghostly form. Ever notice in WW how he (in human form) can just appear and disappear at will? That's what I meant. I'm not sure exactly how that works, though. It's a tad far-fetched for me to think the King's ghost comes back and posesses a boat, or transforms into a boat. But that's what I'm going with. For now.

Oh, well I didn't read all of it. Anyway, what I said still stands. I mean, the King had the power to silence the war amongst the people of Hyrule in the backstory of Ocarina of Time. I think he could do a bunch of other powerful stuff. Keep in mind, Ganondorf was a Sorceror without his Triforce piece. Who's to say the King didn't have magical powers? (Which he obviously did.)

 

[navi_the_fairy]

Well, if the King was killed, how's he in The Wind Waker? He couldn't be if that were the case. And don't say there was another King, because he knew all about Ganondorf's attack and talked to him as if he knew him personally, so he obviously went through it. He just couldn't match the power of the Triforce of Power. So he obviously fled, or something.

The King in WW may not actually be alive. He could be a ghost. This would also explain how the King managed to take the form of the boat in WW.

 

[JuicieJ]

The King in WW may not actually be alive. He could be a ghost. This would also explain how the King managed to take the form of the boat in WW.

Read my above post for the rebuttle to that.

 

[Locke]

My children... Listen to me.

I have lived regretting the past.
And I have faced those regrets.

If only I could do things over again...
Not a day of my life has gone by without
my thoughts turning to my kindom of old.

I have lived bound to Hyrule.

In that sense, I was the same as Ganondorf.

He seems pretty alive to me. He must be a ghost to have survived that long? Okay, then Ganondorf must be a ghost too. He must be a ghost to disappear when he wants to? Sheik's a ghost too. I agree with the TS for the most part.

 

[Vincent]

He seems pretty alive to me. He must be a ghost to have survived that long? Okay, then Ganondorf must be a ghost too. He must be a ghost to disappear when he wants to? Sheik's a ghost too. I agree with the TS for the most part.

You sir, are just being ridiculous.
The Legend of Zelda is a fictional series based on mystical properties, yes, but the people in the games have lifespans such as we do. No one lives 160 some-odd years. King or not, he was still a man. An average man with the ability to see things for what they truly are. He unified Hyrule because he saw through all of that nonsense being made over the Triforce, and actually did something about it. While everyone else was off being reckless and fighting, this man was building a kingdom. Not necessarily in the literal sense at the time, however. He and his followers were strong enough to overcome the forces of the greedy. They made them all see that what they were doing was pointless, and with that, he created a Kingdom. This was an average man with no magical abilities whatsoever.

When the time came, and Ganondorf betrayed him, he had not the ability to fight back. Neither him or any present guards had the power to stop a powerful sorcerer. The life of Daphness Nohansen Hyrule, an average man, was ended here, at this moment... by the hand of a man that had the power to rule the world. This, being his regret. Thus, as spirits with unfinished business and or certain regrets tend to do, he lingered along with Hyrule, bound to his regrets... his kingdom... his loss. All the while thinking about what he had done wrong... how he could have stopped this all from happening. Eventually he came to a conclusion that the Hero of Time's reincarnate must be out there somewhere. So for possibly decades, he searched, all while never forgetting the reason why. Eventually finding the way out of all of it. This being the Hero of Winds. After all was said and done, his regret set at ease, with the hope... no, knowledge that the future was in safe hands... he decided to let go.
Staying with his land... underwater, I don't see that being ideal. So, he would have peacefully passed on.


Having explained all that, unneeded as it may be... The man we saw in The Wind Waker was a lingering spirit, and nothing more.
He may have used the term "lived" but that doesn't necessarily mean being alive. He used the word figuratively.

Ganondorf survived for as long as he did because he possessed a piece of the Triforce. To go along with that, he was trapped in a realm where there is no conception of time. (This being another theory of mine. Don't bash me on that one.)

Zelda could seemingly disappear at will. It appeared as if she had such an ability because she was using Sheikah illusions, and also, a piece of the Triforce, which gave her magical abilities.

 

[Locke]

Ganondorf survived for as long as he did because he possessed a piece of the Triforce. To go along with that, he was trapped in a realm where there is no conception of time. (This being another theory of mine. Don't bash me on that one.)

I won't argue with this. I've actually used the same arguments in the past I think. But I still don't think there's reason enough to consider Daphnes a ghost or the same king as in OoT.

This is Hyrule...
And I am its king

My power alone could not stop the fiend,
and our only choice was to leave the fate
of the kingdom in the hands of the gods...

Daphnes was Hyrule's king during the flood, meaning he was still alive then. His longevity and magical abilities can be explained in many other ways equally as unlikely as being a ghost.

Ghosts in Zelda are quite obviously so. Composer bros. The hero's shade. Dampé.

Hylians are said to have magical capabilities. Daphnes also held a part of the ToW, granted it may be dormant when split.

 

[Vincent]

Hmm, I don't remember that quote, him saying that they had to leave the kingdom in the hands of the gods. The opening sequence, sure, but not him. That surely is something to consider though, and I feel wrong for so blatantly stating that Daphnes was OoT's king.
All I can really say now, to back that up is that "My power alone cold not stop the fiend" could be referring to the murder in OoT... and Daphnes using "our" could be him referring to himself being there, as a helpless spirit.

Wow... you've really trumped me here.
I'm still sticking to the spirit theory though, different king or not. I mean come on... possessing inanimate objects and appearing in places out of nowhere...

 

[Ronald74]

To add on to Locke's argument...
The King of Hyrule has always had power, great power at that. Even enough to chat with people with the use of stones.
Here's an illustration of my thoughts about Hyrule's monarchs.

OoT's King Died---Ganondorf's Rule---Ganondorf's Seal-----New King (or Zelda, you know, she's next in line)---------------------------------------------------------New King------------------------------------------------------New King--------------------------------(after about one thousand years)-Daphnes Nohansen's Rule------Ganondorf Breaks Out----Flood

The longer the line the longer the time, I mean, it's not really to scale but you can see a king's ruling time is pretty long. Daphnes may have been halfway through his rule and Ganondorf breaks out and the flood occurs. So he was alive as king at the time of Ganondorf's second attack.

 

[JuicieJ]

To add on to Locke's argument...
The King of Hyrule has always had power, great power at that. Even enough to chat with people with the use of stones.
Here's an illustration of my thoughts about Hyrule's monarchs.

OoT's King Died---Ganondorf's Rule---Ganondorf's Seal-----New King (or Zelda, you know, she's next in line)---------------------------------------------------------New King------------------------------------------------------New King--------------------------------(after about one thousand years)-Daphnes Nohansen's Rule------Ganondorf Breaks Out----Flood

The longer the line the longer the time, I mean, it's not really to scale but you can see a king's ruling time is pretty long. Daphnes may have been halfway through his rule and Ganondorf breaks out and the flood occurs. So he was alive as king at the time of Ganondorf's second attack.

Wait, if you're trying to aid Locke in his argument, saying that the King of Ocarina of Time died at the very beginning of your argument (much less anywhere) sure doesn't accomplish that goal.

Oh, and, Locke. I totally didn't think about him saying that, and I don't know why, as I just played the ending of The Wind Waker for the Ganondorf battle a few days ago. I mean, that's the part that comes right out and says that he's the same King as the one in Ocarina of Time. Wow... Well, thanks for bringing it up.