Timeline: Difference between revisions

The '''Zelda Timeline''' is an ordering of the ''Zelda'' games as their events occur within the fictional universe. This official chronology was revealed in detail in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia]]'', published in December of 2011. Before that, it had been kept a deeply held secret,{{Ref|[[Interview:Electronic Gaming Monthly June 2005|Electronic Gaming Monthly]], June 2005}}{{Ref|[[Interview:Camp Hyrule August 15th 2005|Camp Hyrule]], August 15, 2005}}{{Ref|[[Interview:GameTrailers October 28th 2011|GameTrailers]], October 28, 2011}} even to most of the developers.{{Ref|[[Interview:Official Nintendo Magazine July 21st 2010|Official Nintendo Magazine]], July 21, 2005}} This was done to prevent the developers from falling into the trap of focusing on the storyline instead of the gameplay{{Ref|[[Interview:Game Informer October 2011|Game Informer]], October 2011}} and to allow for more creative flexibility for future releases.{{Unsourced}} Before ''Hyrule Historia'' was published, the timeline was a major topic of debate among ''Zelda'' fans, owing to vague, open-ended, or absent connections between games, as well as many apparent contradictions.

In order to prevent people from gaining access to the Triforce, the Sage of Light, [[Rauru]], kept the relic within the [[Temple of Light]] within the Sacred Realm. Guarding the entrance to the realm was the [[Temple of Time]], in which the pedestal to the Master Sword laid. The only way to enter the realm was to pull the Master Sword. However, the Sword was further guarded by the [[Door of Time]], which could only be opened if one were to obtain the three [[Spiritual Stones]].  

The era where both ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap| The Minish Cap]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords| Four Swords]]'' take place. This era occurs prior to the events of the [[#Era of the Hero of Time|Era of the Hero of Time]], which occurs throughout the time frame of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time| Ocarina of Time]]''.

[[File:Ganondorf-Link.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Link battling Ganondorf from ''Ocarina of Time'']]  

The child that the Deku Tree intended to look after was a young boy named Link. Link had been experiencing strange dreams and is summoned by [[Navi]] to go and see the Great Deku Tree. After Link rids the evil deep within him, the Deku Tree tells Link about [[Ganon|Ganondorf]] and the dark future that lies ahead. The Deku Tree also tasks Link with taking the [[Kokiri's Emerald|Emerald of the Kokiri]] to Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle. After sneaking past the guards, Link arrives at the courtyard where the Princess asks the Hero to find the other two Spiritual Stones, the [[Goron's Ruby]] and the [[Zora's Sapphire]]. After obtaining all of the stones, Link encountered [[Impa]] and Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf, the young Princess was able to toss the [[Ocarina of Time]] time to Link.  

After the defeat of the Demon King Ganon, [[Twinrova]] plotted a scheme to revive the evil King. In order to revive him the twin sorceresses needed three flames: the Flames of [[Flame of Sorrow|Sorrow]], [[Flame of Destruction|Destruction]] and [[Flame of Despair|Despair]]. In order to obtain the flames, Twinrova sent [[Onox]] to the land of [[Holodrum]] and [[Veran]] to [[Labrynna]]. The young hero, Link, who had previously saved Hyrule, was guided to the location of the Triforce in Hyrule Castle. However, upon arrival he was transported to the foreign land of Holodrum.  

When Link awakens in the mysterious land of Holodrum, he is greeted by [[Din (Oracle)|Din]] who danced with him. However, darkness shrouded the land and Din was kidnapped by the general of darkness Onox. Upon the capturing of Din, the land of Holodrum was turned into a land of the four seasons. With the power of the [[Rod of Seasons]] Link was able to control each of the different seasons. Link must retrieve the eight [[Essences of Nature]] from their respective dungeons. After blessing the [[Maku Tree]] with the final Essence, the magical tree produced a [[Huge Maku Seed]]. With the seed, Link was able to infiltrate [[Onox's Castle]] and confront the general. Upon defeating him, the Oracle Din is now saved and the seasons return to normal. However, after the defeat, one of the flames was lit, the Flame of Destruction.

In the backstory to ''[[Zelda II: The Adventure of Link|The Adventure of Link]]'', it mentioned a great King and how he intended to pass down the Triforce after his death. The King believed that after his death, the power of the Triforce would be misused, as if it were to be in the wrong hands, evil would take over Hyrule. He intended to find a successor worthy of handling the Triforce, but was unsuccessful; even his son, the [[Prince of Hyrule]], was not to be trusted. In order to prevent the Prince from gaining the complete Triforce, he split the Triforce of Courage into three parts and hid them across Hyrule. The two predecessors worthy of taking the throne of Hyrule were the Prince and Princess Zelda. However, due to the King being wary of the Prince's character, he only told Princess Zelda the secret of the Triforce. The Prince took on the role of the new King of Hyrule, but due to the Triforce being incomplete, he was unable to wield the true power.

The new King was angry that he couldn't inherit the full power of the Triforce, so he searched throughout the land, but to no avail. It was then that a [[Wizard]] appeared and told the young King that the Princess knew the secret. The King demanded the location of the Triforce of Courage, but Zelda kept to her word. In a fury, the Wizard put Zelda to an eternal sleep and dies in the process.{{Ref|pg. 104|The Wizard. A close confidant to Zelda's elder brother, the king. He dies after using the last of his power to lay a curse upon Princess Zelda.|''Hyrule Historia''}} However, the young King soon regretted his mistakes and lay the Princess in the [[North Palace|North Castle]]. He then stated that every Princess following were to be named after Zelda. With the location of the Triforce only known by the Princess, who was in an eternal slumber, the Kingdom of Hyrule slowly decayed and eventually decreased in size.

[[File:FSA Official Artwork.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Official Artwork from ''Four Swords Adventures'']]  

The great tales of the Hero of Time and the legendary green garb he wore were passed down through many ages. However, for an unknown reason the seal that held Ganondorf weakened. This lead to Ganondorf breaking the seal, and he intended to keep the promise he made to the Hero of Time before he was sealed. Hyrule once again was covered in darkness. The people of Hyrule prayed for the Hero of Time to show up once again, but he was nowhere to be seen.

A hundred years had passed since the establishment of New Hyrule and the railroad tracks across the land started to diminish. Princess Zelda decided to hire a young boy named Link, in order to investigate the Tower of Spirits. She gave Link the Knights outfit, this outfit was the same outfit that the Hero of Winds once wore. On the way to the Tower of Spirits, Link found out [[Chancellor Cole]]'s true intentions, as he wanted to revive the Demon King, known as [[Malladus]]. The evil demon was sealed at the top of the Tower of Spirits and Cole ordered his assistant [[Byrne]] to take Princess Zelda to the Tower in order to release Malladus. However, the Princesses spirit stayed with Link and helped the young hero reach [[Anjean]], who gave the pair instructions on how to restore the Tower. Link travelled across the land of New Hyrule in the [[Spirit Train]], restoring the barriers within the temples. This allowed them to traverse to the top of the Tower where they encountered Malladus in the [[Dark Realm]]. Upon the death of the Demon King, Zelda's spirit was returned to her body and the [[Lokomo]] ascended into the heavens.

Released the following year, in 1987, ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link]]'' was a direct sequel to ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''. It introduced the third piece of the [[Triforce]], the [[Triforce of Courage]].