Forming a more perfect timeline theory

[DorkLink 0]

FS's map has outlying land to the north whereas FSA does not have any land beyond the island itself. This leads me to believe that FSA's map is not canon at all, as if it was placed on the AT, it would have to have land to the north for AoL to take place. Bear in mind that there's no reason the entire block of 3 games has to be grouped together. they can be separate.

Wow, that's a let-down... all this time I thought MC/FS/FSA all fell in back-to-back... if that's the case there's lots of centuries that could've passed between each Four Swords-themed game depending on where in the timeline they would properly fit...

The "OoT first" quote was made in 1998 or sometime before tMC was made. I may or may not be accurate anymore. I'm actually really glad Capcom made the Oracle games. They are absolutely my favorites. As for the OoX placement, the only two possible places are after LttP or AoL, and I decided on AoL because the intro shows Link riding along the sea (which is shown in AoL but not LttP) and OoX Link and AoL both have the TF symbol on their hands whereas LttP Link does not.

Yet another instance of something that's happened in the old NES games that doesn't help to establish where they fit in a timeline with all 15 games in check. The mark of the Triforce on Link's hand in AoL. We see WW, OoT, and TP Link all have the Triforce of Courage mark on the back of their hands. AoL has this too, but is his just a crest, or the Triforce of Courage? But I'm not sure because isn't Link's quest in AoL to retrieve the Triforce of Courage anyway?

if I recall correctly, Vaati is killed at the end of FSA.

Someone [i think Aethix(?)] in my FSA remake for DS post mentioned that Vaati was actually sealed away in the Four Sword along with Ganon at the end of FSA. I'm probably gonna have to play through it again myself to find the right story here... I can't remember now if he's alive or dead

[Slagr 0]

Wow, that's a let-down... all this time I thought MC/FS/FSA all fell in back-to-back... if that's the case there's lots of centuries that could've passed between each Four Swords-themed game depending on where in the timeline they would properly fit...

If you'd played FS you would've seen the part where Zelda describes the impossibly ancient legend of the FS's origin, aka tMC.

Yet another instance of something that's happened in the old NES games that doesn't help to establish where they fit in a timeline with all 15 games in check. The mark of the Triforce on Link's hand in AoL. We see WW, OoT, and TP Link all have the Triforce of Courage mark on the back of their hands. AoL has this too, but is his just a crest, or the Triforce of Courage? But I'm not sure because isn't Link's quest in AoL to retrieve the Triforce of Courage anyway?

WW Link didn;t have the mark as far as I know. TP Link has it because he's the direct reincarnation of OoT Link, and AoL's mark is a sign that he was the chosen one to wake Zelda by finding the ToC. Since OoX Link also has the mark but shows no sign or reason to have the ToC yet still has special abilities because of the mark leads me to believe that they are the same person.

[DorkLink 0]

If you'd played FS you would've seen the part where Zelda describes the impossibly ancient legend of the FS's origin, aka tMC.

It's too bad FS was 4 player only with 4 GBAs and 4 cartridges... I wish I could find it and give it a shot. So it is safe to say that it would go TMC, then FS and then FSA, not back to back like you said, there's more than likely other games that would fit in place between games... now to just figure out what goes where now. lol

WW Link didn;t have the mark as far as I know. TP Link has it because he's the direct reincarnation of OoT Link, and AoL's mark is a sign that he was the chosen one to wake Zelda by finding the ToC. Since OoX Link also has the mark but shows no sign or reason to have the ToC yet still has special abilities because of the mark leads me to believe that they are the same person.

Initially WW Link didn't have the mark; it only showed up on his hand once he re-united the broken Triforce of Courage. TP Link's crest though, is it the actual Triforce of Courage, or just the mark of the hero or whatever? Which I can't really figure out now, cuz both Zelda and Ganondorf have their own respective pieces of the Triforce. I've always wondered how they all got their pieces, especially Ganondorf. I don't believe in that "divine prank" of the Goddesses being the reason, there's gotta be something more to it...

[Slagr 0]

Whoa, I read your line too fast before. You need to move MM over to before TP, not WW. Various developer quotes put it there.

Link's disappearance prior to WW is due to Zelda sending him back in time at the end of OoT, not because he was off in Termina. The fact that TP's Link is stated to be a reincarnation of OoT Link means that TP takes place in the timeline where Link still exists: the CT. Since WW Link is not the HoT, he exists on the line in which Link does not exist: the AT.

other then that, great line.

[DorkLink 0]

Whoa, I read your line too fast before. You need to move MM over to before TP, not WW. Various developer quotes put it there.

Link's disappearance prior to WW is due to Zelda sending him back in time at the end of OoT, not because he was off in Termina. The fact that TP's Link is stated to be a reincarnation of OoT Link means that TP takes place in the timeline where Link still exists: the CT. Since WW Link is not the HoT, he exists on the line in which Link does not exist: the AT.

other then that, great line.

I made the change you mentioned, now I think all that's left that I can think of right now is to try to figure out a better placement for TMC and FS. I checked the intro of FS today, and it looked to me like Vaati doesn't recognize FS's Link, meaning a considerable amount of time likely passed between TMC and FS. What games go between that time is what I'm tryin to figure out. I don't think I should touch FSA and LttP connectivity; they seem pretty plausible to me.

So if I understand you correctly, everything that follows WW and after is AT, and anything after MM&TP is CT?

**Ok now that I think about it, I think I did up the timeline chart too quick. I stuck AT & CT on the wrong flippin' sides >.<**

***Another addition; I just beat FS today, and I was right... FS happens a big chunk of time after TMC, Vaati even says so himself that the Four Sword is useless and rusty and will never defeat him. I'd imagine a sword like the Four Sword would be able to hold Vaati for quite a long time, probably even centuries, and a stretch of time that long could easily degrade the power of the seal. Another interesting thing I noticed was the item called the Gnat Cap. When worn, it shrinks you to the exactly same size as a Picori/Minish. Hell, even the cap looks like the exact same cap Ezlo/Elzo(?) created that Vaati stole.***

Edited 29 Jun 2009 by DorkLink (see edit history)

[Teto 2609]

Sorry for posting this here, but I think this is pretty much a thread for throwing in any theories for you to eat up and spit out, or for confirming or debunking any information we have for you.

Stormsworder was saying that the castle was destroyed during the battle between Midna and Ganondorf at the end of Twilight Princess. Did it say whether it was or not? She says that you just see smoke coming up from the rubble, so was it destroyed do you think?

[DorkLink 0]

I'm currently replaying through the game and I'm conveniently just starting Hyrule Castle at the end of the game, so I should be able to answer that soon. But by all means if you can dig the answer up before I'm done go right ahead

[Stormsworder 0]

I haven't touched my copy of TP in a while, but I seriously think the castle blows up... yet in the end credits, it shows the throne room...

*cues Twilight Zone music*

[Teto 2609]

Edited 14 Jul 2009 by Rain (see edit history)

[Arcane 12]

Whoa. I haven't checked this thread in a while. Good work, all.

[DorkLink 0]

I doubt it's gonna last long now that Nintendo's confirmed that there isn't any kind of split timeline or connection of the series whatsoever... at least not to date.

Can you say "waiting game?"

[Teto 2609]

The creators of the series didn't confirm it, though.

There is still hope gosh darn it.

[DorkLink 0]

It feels like a really thin stread of hope at this point...

But I'll still hold on to it. Just not so tightly

[HylianLink15 0]

This guy mentions something about the 'adult Epona' in the video. I've heard that before somewhere else too. However, if TP happened centuries after MM (like he said in his video), then why would Epona still be alive? If everyone else, all the people that lived in Hyrule during OOT, is dead, then why is a horse still alive? Horses don't live more than 20 years or something. Definitely not longer than humans. Unless it's some king of magical horse, which I personally seriously doubt, because I've never seen Epona do anything 'magical'.

About the existence about the timeline.. Don't think the creators of the series have a 'master timeline' in their minds when they develop the Zelda games. Because they don't. However, this doesn't mean that there isn't a timeline. It's up to us, the fans, to create one. I also think Nintendo enjoys all these discussions. If a game I made was being talked about this much all over the world, I'd feel pretty good too ^^ Also, I think that having these conversations about the timeline is really quite fun. Having an official printed out version of the timeline, stating what happened when, would just take away all the fun, and it would make the Zelda series a little less magical. So yeah, I believe there is a timeline, but it won't come from Nintendo though.

[DorkLink 0]

This guy mentions something about the 'adult Epona' in the video. I've heard that before somewhere else too. However, if TP happened centuries after MM (like he said in his video), then why would Epona still be alive? If everyone else, all the people that lived in Hyrule during OOT, is dead, then why is a horse still alive? Horses don't live more than 20 years or something. Definitely not longer than humans. Unless it's some king of magical horse, which I personally seriously doubt, because I've never seen Epona do anything 'magical'.

About the existence about the timeline.. Don't think the creators of the series have a 'master timeline' in their minds when they develop the Zelda games. Because they don't. However, this doesn't mean that there isn't a timeline. It's up to us, the fans, to create one. I also think Nintendo enjoys all these discussions. If a game I made was being talked about this much all over the world, I'd feel pretty good too ^^ Also, I think that having these conversations about the timeline is really quite fun. Having an official printed out version of the timeline, stating what happened when, would just take away all the fun, and it would make the Zelda series a little less magical. So yeah, I believe there is a timeline, but it won't come from Nintendo though.

Y'know, I never thought of it that way... huh. Interesting perspective on it. I guess I can keep up with my theorizing after all