The Zelda timeline: It's a secret to everybody... Except for Nintendo.
The timeline in The Legend of Zelda series is a highly debated topic amongst the Zelda community, with split timelines akin to Back to the Future, a singular chronology, and no timeline at all. Eiji Aonuma — current Producer of the series and Shigeru Miyamoto’s right hand man when it comes to Zelda — recently stated that there is, indeed, a timeline to the critically acclaimed franchise. That statement is more a nod to Zelda timeline enthusiasts than anything; they may have super secret timeline documents now, but they didn’t in the past and probably haven’t had an idea of it until after The Wind Waker. Hardcore Zelda fans such as myself have been over analyzing the series and piecing together a jigsaw that doesn’t quite fit for years now, but with a confirmation that The Legend of Zelda actually has a set chronology, it’s time to flesh it out. The following representation of the Zelda timeline, of course, is not fact. It’s also noteworthy that non-canon games such as Link’s Crossbow Training and the forsaken CD-i series are not included. Please note that this article also assumes the reader has basic knowledge of each game’s story.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (1)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
In the same interview in which Aonuma confirmed the existence of a timeline, he also spilled the beans on where Skyward Sword is placed. Ocarina of Time was considered the starting point to the chronology (see below) due to having Ganondorf in his original Gerudo form, but now Skyward Sword is taking that spot. This was obvious after the game’s first story details poured in about it being the Master Sword’s origin story — the Master Sword has appeared in almost every Zelda game. That’s all we currently know about the story; we could even see Ganondorf as a child or the original form of Majora in Skyward Sword.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (2)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Much like Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time is also very easy to place. Not only is it the first appearance of series antagonist Ganondorf, but it is also the debut of the Hero of Time — the original banisher of Ganondorf — who is mentioned in other Zelda titles. After this point things start to get a little wacky. Once Ganondorf is banished to the Sacred Realm at the end of the game, Princess Zelda sends Link to his original time so he can have his childhood back (for the few who may have not played this spectacular game: when Link obtains the Master Sword he is sent seven years into the future in order to better combat Ganondorf, who had then conquered Hyrule). This creates a branching timeline in which there is no Hero of Time Link present — this is called the Adult Timeline. When Link returns to his original time as a child, he then warns Princess Zelda, as she instructed him, of Ganondorf’s evil plans before he can actually carry them out; this is why after the ending credits for Ocarina of Time Link is seen approaching Princess Zelda. After Link gives the warning, he departs on a quest to find his missing companion, Navi, who left upon returning the Master Sword. Link’s travels take him to the parallel land of Termina, as seen in Majora’s Mask — this is the start of the Child Timeline.
Note: The timeline has now split, and this article will continue with the Child Timeline before switching to the Adult Timeline.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (Child Timeline, 1)
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Concerning the timeline, Majora’s Mask has next to no relevance since it takes place in a parallel universe to the rest of the series. It’s a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, making the Link in Majora’s Mask the Hero of Time. It’s never said whether Link returns to Hyrule or even finds Navi, but the fact that the Link in Twilight Princess already seems to possess the Triforce of Courage — making him a direct descendant to the Hero of Time — means that Link must have returned to his homeland at some point.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Child Timeline, 2)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Twilight Princess takes place 100 years after the events of Ocarina of Time. In several cut-scenes throughout the game, the banishment of Ganondorf before he acquires the Triforce of Power the way he did in Ocarina of Time is shown. However, a Sage tells Link and Midna that by some “divine joke”, Ganondorf still gets his hands on the piece from the Twilight Realm where he is sealed. At the end of the game Ganondorf is defeated as the Triforce of Power fades from the top of his hand.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Child Timeline, 3)
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
For many theorists, The Minish Cap once took place before Ocarina of Time. This was due to Ezlo giving Link his iconic green hat at the end of the game, and the belief that the Picori Blade created by the Minish is the Master Sword. However, since Skyward Sword is the tale of the Master Sword’s origin, this theory has been dismissed. The Minish Cap‘s main role in the timeline is to show the creation of the Four Sword, and pave the way for Four Swords Adventures.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (Child Timeline, 4)
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures.
Like The Minish Cap, Four Swords Adventures is nearly irrelevant to the Zelda timeline. Its placement is also highly debated, as many believe that it can be placed almost anywhere in the timeline without consequence. Four Swords Adventures has to be placed on the Child Timeline after The Minish Cap, however. The game has Vaati as one of the main antagonists, who made his first appearance in The Minish Cap, along with the Four Sword. In Four Swords Adventures there’s talk of a “Dark Mirror” and an ancient tribe that was sealed away long ago — the Mirror of Twilight and the Twili tribe from Twilight Princess, respectively. These factors place the game after Twilight Princess in the Child Timeline. At the end of Four Swords Adventures, Ganondorf returns in the form seen in Twilight Princess and uses a dark Trident to transform into his demonic pig form, known as Ganon, but he is sealed away in the Sacred Realm.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Child Timeline, 5)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
Not only do the Hyrules of A Link to the Past, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures look very similar, but Ganon also has possession of the dark Trident from Four Swords Adventures, placing it after the aforementioned game. Ganon also uses Agahnim as a puppet much like he did with Zant in Twilight Princess.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Child Timeline, 6)
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
It’s common knowledge that Link’s Awakening is a direct sequel to A Link to the Past, with several confirmations in the game, including the final boss who morphs into bosses Link has fought in A Link to the Past. The entire game is pointless, though, because it’s the dream of a shipwrecked Link.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons (Child Timeline, 7)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons.
Oracle of Ages and Seasons can switch spots with each other due to their huge irrelevance in the timeline. Their justification in the Child Timeline after A Link to the Past is because in a linked game, the final boss is Ganon with the dark Trident. Twinrova are also in the linked ending, which is only possible in the Child Timeline since they were killed by Adult Link in Ocarina of Time, erasing them from existence in the Adult Timeline.
The Legend of Zelda (Child Timeline, 8 )
The Legend of Zelda.
The Legend of Zelda takes place several hundred years after the events of A Link to the Past. By this time, the land of Hyrule has been taken over by Ganon and a new Hyrule was formed to the north of Death Mountain. The events of The Legend of Zelda take place in the original southern Hyrule. A popular theory places The Legend of Zelda and its sequel in the Adult Timeline after Spirit Tracks as the “New Hyrule” founded after the Great Flood; this doesn’t work though, because Ganon appears in The Legend of Zelda — meaning his demonic form seen in other games from the Child Timeline and not the Gerudo form that was sealed in Ocarina of Time.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Child Timeline, 9)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link serves as the current end point for the Child Timeline. The game also explains why every Princess of Hyrule is named Zelda.
Note: The Child Timeline has now come to an end, and the article will shift to the Adult Timeline. For a refresher — At the end of Ocarina of Time, after the sealing of Ganondorf, Princess Zelda sends Link back to his time so he can experience his childhood. When she does this, it takes Link away from that branching timeline. This means that every Link in the Adult Timeline has no direct relation to the Hero of Time. Ganondorf is also sealed in the Sacred Realm in this timeline.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Adult Timeline, 1)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
After reading through the entire Child Timeline, one common theme can be seen: Ganondorf is usually in his demonic pig form (Ganon). In the Adult Timeline, though, Ganondorf retains his Gerudo form. Even though he’s Ganon at the time of sealing in Ocarina of Time, he becomes his Gerudo form once again; this is seen at the end of Ocarina of Time when Ganondorf is floating in the abyss of his Sacred Realm imprisonment and says that he’ll seek revenge on the descendants of Link and Zelda when the seal fades. Coincidentally, that’s almost exactly what happens. The seal on Ganondorf eventually fades, and the King of Evil attacks Hyrule. The Hylians wait for the Hero of Time to appear once again and defeat the Ganondorf, but he never returns — that’s because he was sent back to his own time. The Gods then flood the land of Hyrule so that Ganondorf can’t take over, as explained in the prologue to The Wind Waker. After a time so long that Hyrule as been forgotten, the Hero of Winds arises and turns Ganondorf to stone at the end of the game by stabbing his head with the Master Sword.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Adult Timeline, 2)
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
Phantom Hourglass is the direct sequel to The Wind Waker. Link and Tetra are off to find a new land for Hyrule, but encounter the Ghost Ship and are thrown into an alternate universe. Like Link’s Awakening, Phantom Hourglass has no relevance to the overall timeline.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Adult Timeline, 3)
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.
Spirit Tracks takes place 100 years after Phantom Hourglass in New Hyrule. Mentions to the Hero of Winds Link are made, and players can even get the old hero’s shield from Old Niko. The only real impact Spirit Tracks has on the overall timeline is the fact that Link and Tetra were able to find a New Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link are sometimes placed after Spirit Tracks, but those such placements can’t be clearly justified as the Hyrule of Spirit Tracks has train tracks going through it and those games do not. Furthermore, Ganondorf is turned to stone at the bottom of the Great Sea in the Adult Timeline, and wouldn’t be in his demonic form that he takes in The Legend of Zelda.
We won’t know the true placement of the Zelda games until Nintendo decides to release the “secret” documents, and that day may never come. For now, feel free to sound off in the comments section below! Do you agree with my placement of the games? What’s your theory as far as the timeline is concerned?
