FSA is the Seal War

[Ivo-goji 0]

Theory: Four Swords Adventures is the Seal War described in A Link to the Past’s backstory

Companion Theory: The events mentioned in AlttP’s backstory broadly refer to events covered directly in Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures (and possibly Skyward Sword, though this remains to be seen).

Less Important Companion Theory: The dark tribe mentioned in FSA is, in fact, the army Ganon used to invade Hyrule, and the reason the invasion failed was because the Hylians imprisoned the lot of them in the Dark Mirror. This idea really isn’t necessary to support the other two theories, but it came up when going over FSA’s backstory, so I figured ‘why not kill three birds with two stones?’.

For the sake of briefness, I shall not include any argument pertaining to Hyrule’s geography (despite a wealth of evidence for the theory in that area), although a few details regarding where things are in the Dark World/Sacred Realm come up. Also I’ve used a number of translations of Japanese text while compiling this article- most can be found at the Legends Alliance forum (the same ganonlord linked us to). I also heavily employed two translations of the Japanese AlttP manual, which can be found here: http://www.zeldalegends.net/files/text/z3translation/z3_manual_story.html

As you will see, some direct quotes have been slightly reworded- this wasn’t entirely intentional and as far as I can tell the meaning was left intact.

So here's the straight dope:

LttP’s Backstory: Ganon sealed in Sacred Realm/Dark World

Art of LttP’s Backstory: Ganon sealed in pyramid/triangle thingy (presumably within Sacred Realm/Dark World)

FSA: Ganon sealed in Four Sword- Four Sword sealed in pyramid thingy within Four Sword Sanctuary

LttP GBA remake: Four Sword’s broken remains in Palace of the Four Sword within a big pyramid within the Sacred Realm/Dark World

According to the Maidens in LttP, Ganon requires the portal Agahnim opened at Hyrule Castle to escape the Dark World. He spends the later half of the game waiting for it to open wide enough for him to get through (that is, the seal was not totally broken). Agahnim can go back and forth between the worlds as he pleases, but Ganon cannot follow, not like it was with Zant. Ganon himself is only ever seen inside the Pyramid- he appears as/within Agahnim at Ganon’s Tower, and as a bat between the Tower and the Pyramid. The Pyramid is located exactly parallel to Hyrule Castle, and it is the portal there Ganon needs to escape the Dark World. There are many other portals across the world he seems to rule, yet he can only use this one. It would seem Ganon is bound to the Pyramid itself, where the Triforce rests, where he was sealed, where the Four Sword’s pieces are hidden. This Ganon does not carry the Triforce with him- instead he carries a trident. Is this the same guy from OoT and TP? His predicament doesn’t match that of ANY continuation of the Ocarina of Time Ganondorf’s activities.

Conjecture: Dark Mirror (before it became dark) was used by ancient sages to travel between the Light World and Sacred Realm, just like the Magical Mirror- Ocarina of Time happens- Link goes back and resets the events of the game, warning the Royal Family in the past- OoT/TP Ganon gets into Sacred Realm without Link’s help and touches Triforce, turning Sacred Realm into the Evil Realm (Dark World)- Ganon is captured and sentenced to death after he tries to build an army and invade Hyrule (an army which may be the clan of darkness/dark tribe that is sealed away in the Dark Mirror by the Hylians; either way, the Hylians were ready for him this time and no bloody conflict or seven years darkness took place)- Ganon still has Triforce of Power, which gives him the strength to escape, killing the Sage of Water- the Ancient Sages freak out and throw him into the Twilight Realm with the Mirror of Twilight (which is not the Dark Mirror, and is not generally used to banish prisoners; the Ancient Sages merely found it convenient at the time)- Ganon waits so many centuries and Zant comes along- Twilight Princess happens- Link shanks Ganon with the Master Sword, killing him and releasing the Triforce of Power, which returns to the Sacred Realm/Dark World- Link and Zelda eventually die and their Triforce pieces too return to the Sacred Realm/Dark World- FSA Ganondorf discovers Trident of Power (maybe relic of the last Ganon’s army, maybe not)- Ganon steals Dark Mirror and ignites the entire story of Four Sword Adventures- Ganon sealed in Four Sword- Four Sword sealed in pyramid thingy within Four Sword Sanctuary, which is actually within the Sacred Realm- Ganon eventually escapes from the Four Sword, but the seal on the Four Sword itself (pyramid thingy) still keeps him bound- Ganon expands pyramid thingy into the Big Pyramid in the Center of the Dark World (not unlike the Pyramid from which he got the Tri-something of Power)- Ganon shatters the Four Sword and creates the Palace of the Four Sword to keep it from ever being used against him again- Ganon finds the Triforce is within the reach of his seal, and wishes to conquer the world, changing the face of the Dark World and introducing the whole “transforming to reflect your true nature” that turns Link into a bunny- Unfortunately for him, this wish does not let him escape from the seal at all- With the Triforce’s power Ganon can influence the Dark World, but cannot physically leave the Pyramid, thanks to the seal- Ganon uses said influence to have Agahnim working to break the seal by abducting the Seven Maidens, descendants of those who sealed him- Link, a descendant of the hero’s bloodline/knight’s bloodline (probably including all the Links that have gone before), inevitably rises to oppose Ganon- Ganon doesn’t realize he is dealing with a reincarnation/descendant of his old foe, and doesn’t realize the kind of threat Link presents wielding the Master Sword and Silver Arrows, having only dealt with the Four Sword in the past (an obstacle Ganon had soundly taken care of)- Link rescues all of the Maidens and shanks Agahnim with the Master Sword- Link reaches the Pyramid and shanks Ganon with the Master Sword and shoots him with Silver Arrows, killing him- Link wishes on the Triforce for..... well, a lot of stuff actually, just watch the credits roll- Dark World eventually gets better- Link restores Four Sword, and I guess just leaves it there

So FSA is kinda of the Seal War (or the Imprisoning War). Not exactly, but its outcome matches up better with the Seal War’s criteria than most games. The developers seem to like stretching out LttP’s back story to create the plots of many games, so there really isn’t any single game that fits all the elements described in the manual. Rather, many games seem to follow its foundation, and in the chronology of things, many can contribute to the events the manual describes. We can expect future games to follow the same pattern.

If that logic isn't quite logical enough for you, here is some even straighter dope:

The original Japanese text of AlttP’s manual purports to give ‘The History of Hyrule’. As in, ALL of it, up to the point of the game.

ALttP Backstory: The gods commanded the people of Hyrule to forge the Master Sword to repel evil and insure that the Triforce was never stolen from the Sacred Realm. Only a person possessing the virtues of a true hero (or has earned the Three Pendants of Virtue) is worthy to wield it and can remove it from its pedestal. It rests in the Lost Woods.

OoT Backstory: The Master Sword was forged to repel evil and to act as the key to the Sacred Realm. Only a person worthy of being called the Hero of Time can wield it and can remove it from the Pedestal of Time. It rests in the Temple of Time. The Temple is sealed behind the Door of Time, which can only be opened by the Three Spiritual Stones and the Song of Time (on the Ocarina of Time).

TP Backstory: The Master Sword was forged by the Ancient Sages to repel darkness should Hyrule be threatened. It can undo evil magic. Only after being judged by the sword’s guardian statues can one pull forth the blade. It rests in the Temple of Time, the ruins of which can be found in the Lost Woods.

ALttP Backstory: Many people search for the Triforce, leading to bloodshed over information on its location.

TP Backstory: A group of Dark Interlopers search for the Triforce, stirring people to blood shed in fierce wars. These Dark Interlopers attempt to enter the Sacred Realm. The Goddesses imprison them in Twilight Realm. The Mirror of Twilight is made to form a link between the Twilight Realm and Light World.

OoT Backstory: A massive civil war between the various peoples of Hyrule brakes out over the location of the Triforce. Ganondorf the Gerudo King helps end this Fierce War/Civil War and put the Hylians in power over Hyrule, but is ultimately out for his own gain.

Ocarina of Time (Ganondorf the Gerudo King of Thieves enters the Sacred Realm and takes the Triforce of Power, unleashing destruction across Hyrule, the Hero of Time travels from the future to prevent Ganondorf’s onslaught from ever occurring)

OoT Backstory: The Sacred Realm reflects the desire in the heart of those who possess the Triforce. If one who is evil possess the Triforce, the Sacred Realm will become an Evil Realm.

ALttP Backstory: Ganondorf, the leader of the thieves, comes upon the Sacred Realm by good fortune and steals the Triforce. And it says to him, “If thou has a desire, then I shall desire it as well”. Because of him the Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World/Evil Realm.

TP Backstory: Ganondorf gets the Triforce of Power, Link’s ancestors get Courage, and Zelda’s ancestors get Wisdom (somehow). Ganondorf is captured (somehow) and taken to the Arbiter’s Grounds to be executed for treason. The prisoner escapes thanks to the Triforce of Power, killing one of the Sages, so the remaining six Ancient Sages instead banish Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm using the Mirror of Twilight. The Mirror of Twilight is kept in the Arbiter’s Grounds.

FSA Backstory: A clan of darkness invades Hyrule and leaves the Trident of Power in the Great Pyramid. These people are sealed in a magic Mirror. This corrupts the Mirror, becoming the Mirror of Darkness. The Mirror of Darkness is hidden in a temple in the Forest of Light to sever its connection from the world.

AlttP’s Backstory: A beautiful Magical Mirror exists that allows travel between the Sacred Realm/Dark World. It is in the hands of the descendants of the Seven Sages.

TP Backstory: The Dark Interlopers’ descendents become the Twili. Zant attempts to gain control of the Twili and become their king, but is shunned, causing him to become enraged. Ganondorf (reduced to a fire-ball-thing) uses Zant to house his power in hopes of escaping the Twilight Realm. And he says to him, “If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it too.”

Twilight Princess (Zant spreads Twilight across Hyrule, Link restores Fused Shadow and dispels Twilight, Link frees Twilight Realm from Zant, Ganondorf returns to Hyrule, Ganondorf is killed, the Mirror of Twilight is utterly destroyed)

Conjecture: The Triforce is restored and made whole again at some point after TP (a few days later, a hundred years later, who knows). Link and Zelda’s heirs cease to carry them. The whole Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm/Dark World (on its own accord, perhaps? Maybe, physically, it was already there, and Ganondorf, Link, and Zelda only had access to the triangles’ power).

AlttP Backstory: Because of Ganondorf’s misuse of the Triforce, darkness poured out from the Dark World, consuming those of greedy intent and causing them to disappear. Because of this darkness, dark clouds filled the sky, and misfortune fell upon people all over Hyrule. The King called upon the Seven Sages of Hyrule and the Group of Knights to seal the source of the evil. At first the Sages searched for the Master Sword and a hero to wield it, in hopes of repelling the evil that was spreading. But the situation proves urgent, as Ganon’s darkness threatened to reach the Royal Palace. So the Sages and the Group of Knights mustered their strength to defeat the evil one, and an epic battle unfolded. The Group of Knights used their bodies as shields during the fierce attack. All of the Knights were killed, but they had bought the Sages time to complete a seal. The people of Hyrule rejoiced in victory, for Ganon’s evil deeds had been undone. The events of the epic battle are spoken of through the generations as the Seal War (or the Imprisoning War).

FSA Backstory: The seal of the Four Sword is protected and watched over by Six Shrine Maidens, Princess Zelda, and her friend Link. If Zelda should receive any vision or sense that some evil threatens Hyrule, she would have the seal of the Four Sword investigated, for fear that Vaati might escape, as he did once before (Four Swords). Consequently, the seal is renewed by the Shrine Maidens periodically. Ganondorf steals the Trident of Power, becoming a mighty King of Darkness. It is possible to open Gates to the Dark World with Moon Pearls. Mages create the Bombos, Quake, and (possibly) Ether Medallions.

Four Swords Adventures (Ganon steals the Mirror of Darkness and uses it to create Shadow Links, Ganon unleashes Vaati the Wind Mage, Ganon attempts to spread the darkness of the Dark World/Evil Realm across Hyrule, opening up portals to the Dark World, people all across Hyrule vanish into the Dark World, the Group of Knights are killed protecting the Royal Jewels/Four Elements, Vaati is killed, Ganon is sealed in the Four Sword, the Four Sword itself is sealed in the Four Sword Sanctuary by a pyramidal barrier)

AlttP Backstory: The Seven Maidens who are the descendants of the Seven Sages must be sacrificed in order to break the Seal. Centuries followed the Seal War. Hyrule entered a time of peace and the matter of the Seal passed into legend. However, one year Hyrule was beset by catastrophes without explanation. Plagues and drought afflicted the land, and no amount of magic could stop any of it. The King became troubled, and had the Seal investigated, but found nothing had changed. The people were left with little hope but to pray to the gods. Then, from no where, a man named Agahnim appeared, and using mysterious magic lifted Hyrule of the catastrophes. Agahnim was haled as a hero, seen as the second coming of the Seven Sages, and invited by the King to be priest at Hyrule Castle. Many people have vanished in search of the Triforce, trapped in the Dark World and transformed by its darkness into a shape that reflect their true nature. One who holds the Moon Pearl can prevent this transformation. The Bombos, Quake, and Ether Medallions are hidden throughout the Light and Dark Worlds.

A Link to the Past (Portals to the Dark World are in places throughout Hyrule, Agahnim undoes the Seal by sacrificing the Seven Maidens, Link recovers the Master Sword, Link enters the Dark World and saves the Seven Maidens, Ganon is killed, Link wishes upon the Triforce, because “Ganon has been destroyed, his Dark World will surely vanish”, eventually anyway)

A Link to the Past GBA Version: In the Pyramid at the center of the Dark World rests the Palace of the Four Sword. Within the Palace are four shards of the Four Sword, each protected by four powerful guardians, the most ferocious beasts in the Dark World. In four additional chambers, four Dark Links (one green, one purple, one red, and one blue) await to battle any who can restore the broken Four Sword. Link apparently restored the Four Sword after slaying Ganon.

Making Four Swords Adventures the Seal War has one major problem- well, two problems, but only one that can’t be explained away without majorly reinterpreting the text.

The Seal War happened centuries after Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm:

Okay, I’ll admit it, the game basically says the Seal War happened right after he found the Sacred Realm. Ganon finding the Sacred Realm, however, doesn’t happen anywhere in FSA. Seeing as the same event is what spawned the Dark World, Ganon’s seizing of the Triforce can only happen BEFORE Four Swords Adventures takes place. It is suggested to have occurred between the events of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. It is no stretch of the imagination to place A Link to the Past after TP- the game makes numerous references to LttP, such as in the Master Sword being in the Lost Woods, mention of a Hero’s bloodline, and Ganondorf repeating the same line to Zant that the Triforce delivered to him in LttP’s manual. Could Twilight Princess or the events in its backstory be the Seal War? I am not so sure. For one thing, Ganon is quite dead (thoroughly shanked, if I do say so) and Triforce-less at the end of the game. Further, though he is cast into the Twilight Realm prior to the game, there is never any ‘sealing’, before or after- indeed, we only have Six Sages to do any sealing, and LttP’s manual clearly lists seven. Granted, my own theory also neglects to answer the question of how Ganon got the Triforce and trades off Seven Sages for Six Shrine Maidens plus Zelda. Though FSA does have a Seal, made by seven people, placed upon Ganon, and unlike either OoT or TP, features a prominent Group of Knights.

‘Group of Knights’ is the proper translation (as far as my sources would suggest) for the Knights that ‘formed a shield with their bodies while the Sages completed the Seal’ mentioned in LttP’s manual and is the name by which the four Knights who protect the Royal Jewels/Four Elements in FSA. Neither OoT, TP, or any other games besides Four Swords Adventures, address who the Group of Knights were or features Knights-by-name very prominently. In both LttP’s manual and Four Sword Adventures, a Group of Knights are totally exterminated in defense of their kingdom. To me this is evidence in favor of FSA being the Seal War. Of course, one argument against this idea is the fact that the Group of Knights in the Seal War apparently battled with Ganon or his forces directly and bought time for the seal to be completed, and that while many were killed their bloodline managed to continue in Link’s family. While I admit that doesn’t match FSA’s Group of Knight directly, it parallels the Four Links quite strongly. Link’s bloodline is also known as the Hero’s bloodline, the same term used to describe those who pass on the knowledge of special sword fighting techniques in Link’s Awakening and Twilight Princess (and also used to describe Link’s family). LttP’s manual claims the Group of Knights serve the Royal Family- FSA affirms that the Group of Knights take orders from the Royal Family- All of the Four Swords Saga, from Minish Cap to FSA, prominently show Link and his relatives/descendants as being close to the Royal Family and serving them in a very official capacity whenever trouble arises (Link is even with Zelda BEFORE something goes horribly wrong, by her side on her command). LttP’s manual states that all of the Group of Knights were killed in the Seal War and none were thought to survive, but the game later claims that Link is descended from a heroic bloodline of Knights who served the Royal Family for many generations. FSA is perfectly consistent with both statements, giving it an amount of credibility over OoT or TP as the Seal War.

The Seven Sages become Seven Shrine Maidens?:

In my defense, Nintendo did the same thing, and they changed species around.>> I have an explanation, though it’s a bit of a stretch. It’s essentially the same argument supporters of OoT being the Seal War propose. The Seven Ancient Sages from TP were the source of the powers of the Seven Elemental Sages of OoT, and it is from the Ancient Sages the Seven Maidens of LttP descend and get their special power to undo the Elemental Sage’s seal. Even that is a bit of a stretch. What I’m going for with FSA- well, the entire Four Swords Saga- is that the Shrine Maidens are the Seven Sages of the Seal War, and can claim this role by being descended from the Ancient Sages.

I look at the backstory of Four Swords, the companion game to the LttP’s GBA remake and prequel to FSA. Vaati the Wind Mage, it is told, went about Hyrule molesting young maidens, apparently look for a bride. Considering the fact that, at the time, he was giant winged eyeball, without any apparent reproductive organs (and evidently not being interested in platonic love- he kidnaped his maidens against their will after all), there was most likely an ulterior motive behind his quest for marriage. His past actions offer a clue- the source of his incredible power is the Light Force he drained from Princess Zelda, a maiden herself possessing great magical abilities. He knew that some of the Light Force still rested within Zelda, and that the Force was passed down through the generations in the blood of female members of the Royal Family. So he sought out maidens of high birth, perhaps kidnaping Zelda, but also taking maidens descended from the Ancient Sages. These girls had powers of their own in their blood, and may have been of interest to Vaati even if they did not possess the particular Force he sought. Eventually a hero wielding the Four Sword arrived and kicked his butt, and the maidens he rescued bore witness of the sword’s power. The claims of the maidens however were ignored by the people. When a new shrine was made for the Four Sword, the seal that kept Vaati trapped within was never renewed- so eventually he escaped. By the time of FSA, six Shrine Maidens plus the Princess and her dear friend Link (strong personal ties between the Royal Family and Hero’s bloodline, a constant in the Four Swords Saga) keep a close eye on the seal and have it renewed regularly. These Shrine Maidens are clearly meant to be descendants of the maidens Vaati kidnaped, directly connected to the Four Sword already. So if the maidens Vaati kidnaped are descended from the Ancient Sages (which would explain his motivation for kidnaping them), and the Shrine Maidens are descended from them, that would also make them descendants of the Seven Sages, and the Seven Maidens who are most likely descended from the Shrine Maidens descendants of the Seven Sages!

Yeah, okay, that is a totally weak and screwed up conjecture, BUT COME ON. I mean..... Seven Shrine Maidens make a Seal on the Four Sword which has a Seal on Ganon- Seven Maidens needed to brake a Seal on Ganon who happens to be in the Dark World which happens to be where the Four Sword is hidden in the remake?! How can one NOT lead to the other?!? FSA is either the Seal War, an extremely direct prologue to the Seal War, or Nintendo is down right evil in their ambition to give chronology hints but then go “Nope, sorry, that order doesn’t work either.” Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

Opinion: Colons are love.

[Ivo-goji 0]

Lack of feedback here:P

[Knuckle 484]

Wasn't the objective of OOT to be the story of the seal war? That is the game where the sacred realm becomes the Dark World, if I remember correctly.

[Ivo-goji 0]

Wasn't the objective of OOT to be the story of the seal war? That is the game where the sacred realm becomes the Dark World, if I remember correctly.

Originally, OoT probably was meant to be the Seal War..... but both the Child and Adult continuation of the game's story (Twilight Princess and Wind Waker) conflict with the backstory of A Link to the Past, though TP may be seen as prelude to the Seal War- Ganondorf says "Think of this as the beginning of a bloodsmeared history of light and darkness!" (I quoteth the Legends Allience forum's translation of that line, though "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!" isn't a huge difference). These words seem to be a hint of things to come. For indeed, Four Swords Adventures and ALttP both have a great deal to do with bloodshed and the conflict between light and darkness (the Light World and Dark World in particular- absent from many games). Plus the plethora of other hints in TP that link it to ALttP mentioned above.

Yet the Child ending of OoT (Twilight Princess's backstory) does not match up with the Seal War at all. No sealing, no seven anythings, Dark World/Evil Relm/Sacred Realm almost completely left out of the equation, and Ganondorf is dead and Triforceless in the end. ALttP can't come between OoT and TP- Triforce of Courge and Triforce of Wisdom were hanging out in the Light World, and Ganondorf spent all his time between twiddling his thumbs (or semi-physical firy-ball appendages) in the Twilight Realm. A Link to the Past must come later. FSA has a new Ganon and the Triforce evidently not in Hyrule (and when it isn't in Hyrule, it is generally in the Sacred Realm/Dark World/Evil Realm). FSA fulfills nearly all of the requirements for the Seal War (including the Group of Knights and the Master Sword NOT making an appearance- issues OoT ignore), all except the whole Seven Sages thing- which I offer a lame explanation for. The bulk of the evidence points towards FSA either being the Seal War, OR an immediate prequel to the actual Seal War.

Is Ocarina of Time the Seal War? No way Jose. It may have been at one time, but a lot has changed....... Yeah, the Sacred Realm became the Dark World, but then Link traveled back in time to BEFORE that happened and screwed us all up. Either Nintendo called a retcon or figured out the original chronology didn't flow smoothly enough.

[Knuckle 484]

That makes sense. I guess that means OOT is the events leading to the seal war, while FSA is the actual war?

[Ivo-goji 0]

Yep. That would seem to be the long and short of it. I think what happened was they found fitting all the games they wanted to make into the bounds of that little backstory in ALttP to be too restricting, so the creators try to stretch the story out........ For example, the manual mentions how Ganondorf got the Triforce, events covered in not one but two whole games (Ocarina and Twilight Princess), yet sums it all up in but a paragraph. Likewise, the Seal War is given as an event that immediately followed the Triforce's theft, but the conflict is apparently played out in or after Four Swords Adventures, another game altogether from the solid continuation of OoT and TP. Then FSA itself has two games dedicated to its backstory (Four Swords and Minish Cap), giving the origin of the Four Sword and Vaati, neither of which appeared in ALttP. However, the remake of ALttP did indeed feature the Four Sword, seemingly tying everything back together. Now Skyward Sword in on the way, a game that will apparently deal with the origins of the Master Sword- an event that has little more than a sentence devoted to it in ALttP's manual. That would seem to be how the designers operate- take the smallest snippet of the story and magnify it into an epic in its own right.

[bootson 2]

you know this is really interesting and i really like your points but i honestly don't have the patience to read all of that shoved together like that lol i would love a more spaced out version but so far seems like you have something very interesting going on