Ending the Great War

[Silver King 0]

A young Hylian boy born with a triangular birth-mark on his hand. A princess with a similar mark with a strange destiny. A demonic warlord with the same mark who would destroy them both and rule the world.

This drama has been played out multiple times in various games, even resulting in an alternate timeline. In the end, the knight and the princess combine forces to defeat the warlord, and the demon-king is sealed away or killed. Fast-forward a few years, and the cycle repeats itself. We've seen the results: destroyed castles, war, invasions from a different demension, kidnapping, the contamination of the Golden Realm, and even a flood that wiped out Hyrule and nearly all of its inhabitants. All of this revolving around three individuals who contain part of the essence of the mystical Triforce.

With the world of Hyrule locked in a century-spanning war between good and evil, great destruction is bound to happen. And, as I've pointed out, it has. These three souls(?) are seemingly trapped in the cycle, forced to fight for as long as Ganon strives for dominion. So, how does one end this grand cycle and put the land to final rest?

It is said that long ago a blade was forged that would repel evil: the Master Sword. In many tales of the Cycle, Link uses this to kill/banish Ganon. However, each time, Ganon still returns.

The Silver Arrows (or Light Arrows) affect Ganon and kill him as well, but they don't seem to offer a permanent ending either.

Sealing the King of Evil into the Dark World proves to be little more than a temporary fix, as he is easily released from his bonds.

So what's the key to ending it all? The same thing that began it: the Triforce.

At the beginning of the Great War, Ganondorf managed to break into the Golden Realm and attempted to steal the Triforce. This resulted in him recieving the Triforce of Power, and the other Triforces being granted to Link and Zelda (and their later incarnations). Throughout the series, Ganondorf has wished to gather all three peices together to have his hearts desire: dominion over Hyrule. However, what if all three peices were gathered, and another, say, Link or Zelda, made another wish? This wish being: to rid Hyrule of Ganon for all time. No more (re)incarnations. No more cycle. No more of the Great War. Hyrule's complete freedom from the taint of Ganon.

Well, that's my theory.

So, what do you all think? Is this a plausible way of ending it all? Could it possible that this could turn up in the future? Your thoughts, please. Thanks.

[Chimetals 344]

if they use this, nintendo will probably be going out for good. i mean, the sonic games have (apparently) digressed horribly, and yeah, they have little in common with the originals, but theyre still being produced. basically, i mean that nintendo isnt about to end the life of one of their main series, unless they themselves are going to end. because whats a zelda game without ganon(dorf) being the final/final-final boss? (although there are a few, if i remember right)

[Silver King 0]

They don't have to use it anytime soon, but I think it's the only way to end it, which would probably end the series. Unless they plan on spinning out the games forever.

[Chase 390]

I see a couple things wrong with the theory. Well, not wrong, but unexplained.

First of all, are we sure Link is aware of the cycle? Wind Waker Link is the perfect example here. He wasn't aware at all, besides knowing about an old "legend" his grandmother told him about, but eventually he became Link regardless.

And the second point is that the LTTP Link actually does make a wish on the full triforce. Now we don't know for sure, but according to the end of the game, everything went back to the way it was and the Master Sword sleeps..forever. So LTTP may be the last game in that timeline.

There's just so many loopholes and inconsistencies that Nintendo can't really end the series in a coherent manner. I figure it will go on for a very, very long time, then eventually release a string of subpar games and then die out in obscurity.

[Sahaqiel 1232]

My problem is that this isn't even a theory, but a hypothetical.

Not only that, but Ganondorf isn't the only evil thing in the series, and he isn't even completely evil, as per the depth displayed in his character during Wind Waker.

Moving to the appropriate section.

Sahaqiel

[pheonix561 2080]

Why don't they just destroy the triforce. Like, wish for it to be destroyed.

[Marquis 9]

I agree that the games do kind of seem to be going on in an infinite loop. Perhaps a way to change the pace would be to play as another of the triforce carriers. Most people would say its too boring to play as a princess getting kidnapped, so that just leaves Ganondorf.

I'd like to see a generic Zelda game from Ganondorf's point of view. How takes control of different parts of Hyrule.

Though there would be a problem with the ending. Since Link always ends up winning, would you actually be able to beat Link, or are you doomed to be defeated from the start?

[Sahaqiel 1232]

Who says Zelda always has to be helpless?

And pheo, it's because most of the time, Link, Zelda, etc. aren't the ones who assemble the whole Triforce. Most of the time, the only people looking to assemble the whole Triforce are the ones trying to mess stuff up. The only time in recent memory where you actually touch the Triforce are in LttP, and you had to wish for the world to get set straight again or something, and in WW, but the king was a dick and wasted the wish on something that would probably happen anyway.

Sahaqiel

[Kalinka Shadow 0]

what about the Bandai Satellaview followup to A link to the Past, the Ancient stone tablets?

[pheonix561 2080]

The ancient stone tablets and the games they were in were officially declared noncanon. No one cares about them anymore.

[Sahaqiel 1232]

Well I mean, people like me still want to at least play it. ):

It's a rare game.

Can copies of it even exist? Never checked.

Sahaqiel

[pheonix561 2080]

I never said I didn't want to play it either, but this is a topic about the official zelda games and how they apply to the timeline, specifically how to end the one plot device that keeps making games happen. Stone tablets have nothing to do with that, so says nintendo.

[phoenix561 0]

I never said I didn't want to play it either, but this is a topic about the official zelda games and how they apply to the timeline, specifically how to end the why are we talking about lame downloadable games all of a sudden one plot device that keeps making games happen. Stone tablets have nothing to do with that, so says nintendo.

[2356 23]

Knuckle? Is that? (bias based on Eridan eyes)

[phoenix561 0]

I was Knuckle, but I closed my eyes and someone glued them shut so now I'm pheo for good.