Archive:Timeline Theories

Part of a series of articles on the Zelda Timeline

History of the Zelda Timeline Community Timelines Research: Canonical Material Developer Quotes Game Grouping and Plot Arcs Ocarina of Time's Ending Glossary Timeline Abbreviations Interpretation: Deku Tree's Success Ganon Conflicts Hylian Cosmology Split Timeline Disciplines

There is a wide panorama of views on the timeline that includes pretty much any order conceivable. Some of these ideas are better justified than others, but all of them arise from a personal view of the series. As such, with no official categorization of Zelda canon and no officially-released complete timeline, any personal view is as valid as any other view. This does not, however, mean that all views are equally justified. This is where timeline debates arise, and why they are so popular among timeline theorists.

The theories themselves are the fruit of these personal interpretations and the conclusions reached in debate. They are the most important products of timeline discussion and as such it is important for all theorists to carefully examine them before they attempt to draw conclusions on the quality of their content.

Compiled below is a list of all active timeline theories from the ZeldaWiki affiliate sites, for theorist reference and for easy and free access to all paradigms on the Zelda timeline.

2D Child Theories

GentleArtillery's Timeline (ZU)

Child: TMC - OoT/MM - TP - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA
Adult: TMC - OoT - TWW/PH

• The Light Force is the "complete" Triforce, before Vaati drained part of it from Zelda in TMC.
  
• The Twilight Mirror is not the same as the Dark Mirror.
  
• The late part of FSA is the IW.
  
• AoL's backstory takes place between TMC and OoT.
  
• TMC takes place very long before OoT, which means that most of it is forgotten.
  

SkylarkFF's Timeline (ZU)

Child: TMC - OoT/MM - TP - FS/FSA - ALttP - OoS/OoA/LA - LoZ/AoL
Adult: TMC - OoT - WW/PH

• TMC happens before the war that unified the country, which is what brought all the races under one rule.
  
• The IW is a separate event from OoT, or a weird retelling of FSA.
  
• AoL's backstory of the Sleeping Zelda takes place after TP, but the Triforce of Courage is hidden sometime after ALttP but before LoZ.
  
• TP's Twilight Mirror and FSA's Dark Mirror are different.
  
• The are two Ganondorfs. One becomes Ganon through the ToP, and the other through the trident. The second is most likely a reincarnation.
  

2D Adult Theories

Bitterlime's Theory (ZU)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - TMC/FS/FSA - ALttP/OoS/OoA/LA - LoZ/AoL
Child: OoT/MM - TP

• Hyrule of TMC is the result of the Koroks/Deku Tree's success.
  
• The Dark Mirror of FSA is the Twilight Mirror of TP (but not the Magic Mirror of ALttP).
  
• OoT is still the IW, but the OoT Ganon is not the one sealed in ALttP. That is FSA Ganon.
  
• Knowledge of the Triforce, the Sacred Realm and the IW, resurfaced after the waterlevel drop inbetween FSA and ALttP, probably in written form (Book of Mudora).
  
• The AoL manual is still canon, but doesn't happen at the start of the timeline.
  
• The Trident of Power is the reason for blue Ganon.
  
• There are two Ganon(dorf)s: the one from OoT and the one from the 2D games.
  

Erimgard's "Freshly-Picked Oracles" Timeline (ZU)

Adult: OoT - WW/PH - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA - [FPTRR] - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
Child: OoT/MM - TP

• Hyrule of TMC is the result of the Koroks'/Deku Tree's success.
  
• The Dark Mirror of FSA is the Twilight Mirror of TP (but not the Magic Mirror of ALttP).
  
• OoT is still the IW, but the OoT Ganon is not the one sealed in ALttP. That is FSA Ganon.
  
• The AoL manual is still canon, but doesn't have to happen at the start of the timeline.
  
• FPTRR is canon and timeline relevant
  
• LoZ Hyrule does not necessarily have to be the same as TMC Hyrule
  
• Places in TMC Hyrule such as Lon Lon Ranch are not related to the places in OoT, but instead to the islands of FPTRR.
  

NOTE: FPTRR is included with this timeline because it serves as the basis for part of the placement.

Lexxi’s New Hylian Kingdom Theory (ZI)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
Child: OoT/MM - TP

• The kingdom of LoZ/AoL is founded on the islands of the Great Sea, made larger and brought together by the Deku Tree and christened with the Triforce’s blessing at the end of AoL.
  
• The Master Sword is either reforged by the Zoras in OoA.
  
• The Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after OoS/OoA.
  
• The Light Force is a powerful Force Gem introduced after the Triforce leaves the new Hyrule.
  
• The Dark Mirror from FSA is the Mirror of Twilight from TP.
  
• OoT is the IW of ALttP, and TP’s prolonged wars are the wars told as leading up to the IW.
  
• The demon Ganon is one entity throughout the entire series, taking on multiple incarnations over time.
  
• The Four Sword is sealed in the Sacred Realm by the maidens after FSA. This accounts for Ganon's appearance there in ALttP.
  

MoonMan's Subrosian Theory (ZI)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - OoS/OoA - [FPTRR] - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA - LoZ/AoL
Child: OoT/MM - TP

• Ganon of LoZ is the result of Ganon splitting his soul in ALttP to form Agahnim, who was never properly killed.
• The location of the Triforce after OoS/OoA is unknown, either having been hidden or locked away by the royal family or having returned to the Sacred Realm.
• OoS/OoA must come before FPTRR because of the appearance of Subrosians (Translated to Salona in English version) whose ancestors had contact with the hero (OoS/OoA).
• FPTRR must come after TWW due to the island structure of the world.
• TWW-OoS/OoA-FPTRR-TMC-FSA represents a world transitioning from islands to continents.
• OoT is still the IW, but ALttP Ganon is not OoT Ganon, it is FSA Ganon.
• The Master Sword is recovered and reforged in OoA.

NOTE: FPTRR is included with this timeline because it serves as the basis for part of the placement.

2D Split Theories

Digific Writer's Timeline (ZU)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
Child: OoT/MM - TP - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA

• The split creates a double of Ganon/dorf, existing solely in the Adult Timeline, who appears in most of the games which occur on that branch.
• The flooding and destruction of the original land of Hyrule eventually leads to the founding of a new Hyrule; similarities in names, places, and legends between the two Hyrules is due to the passing-down of history from generation to generation.
• The events of OoT and FSA combine to create the IW spoken of in ALttP.

- The Legend of Zelda spoken of in the AoL backstory does not necessarily have to be based on an actual event; it could be a compilation of events or a fable.

Hombre's Double ALttP Theory (ZU)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - TMC/FS/FSA - ALttP(GBA)/LA
Child: OoT/MM - TP - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA - ALttP(SNES)

• Hyrule of TMC is the result of the Koroks'/Deku Tree's success.
  
• The Dark Mirror of FSA is the Twilight Mirror of TP (but not the Magic Mirror of ALttP).
  
• The IW is a separate event, most likely taking place in between FSA and ALttP.
  
• LoZ takes place in Holodrum and the "region of Hyrule" is bigger than just the kingdom Hyrule.
  

Humulation Theory (ZU)

Adult: OoT - TWW/PH - TMC - FS/FSA
Child: OoT/MM - TP - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA
Adult and Child lines merge to lead to ALttP/LA

• The Picori Blade is the Master Sword, but changed and reforged over time.
  
• The Merge is necessary because ALttP's backstory has elements that seem to come from both OoT Adult Side (the Seal) and TP Ganondorf leading a band of thieves in attempt to rule over the Sacred Realm).
  
• The Merge is caused by Ganon's physical body being destroyed in one timeline, and his soul in another. The two separate parts of him on separate timelines merge together, and the timelines themselves do as well.
  

2D Separate Theories

There are no theories in this category at this time.

Single Timeline Theories

Lexxi's Single Timeline (N/A)

OoT/MM - TP - TWW/PH - LoZ/AoL - OoS/OoA - [TFPRR] - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA/[AST]

• OoT is the IW of ALttP. Ganon is removed from the sealed Sacred Realm to be executed in TP, and is revived prior to TWW.
• The hero in TP either is or predates the one who split the Triforce prior to TWW. All heroes who use the Master Sword are the "Hero of Time," whose title has the dual meaning of "Hero who travels through time" and "Hero who appears throughout time."
• The KoRL is the prince from the AoL Sleeping Zelda story, and OoT Zelda is the Sleeping Princess. The Triforce of Courage is left in the Great Palace after TWW.
• The kingdom of LoZ/AoL is founded on the islands of the Great Sea, made larger and brought together by the Deku Tree, and christened with the Triforce’s blessing at the end of AoL.
• The Light Force is a powerful Force Gem introduced after the Triforce leaves the new Hyrule.
• A new Master Sword is forged in OoA by the Zoras.
• The Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after OoS/OoA.
• The Dark Mirror in FSA is a forgery of the Mirror of Twilight.
• OoT is the IW of ALttP, and TP’s prolonged wars are the wars told as leading up to the IW.
• The demon Ganon is one entity throughout the entire series, taking on multiple incarnations over time.
• The Four Sword is sealed in the Sacred Realm by the maidens after FSA. This accounts for Ganon's appearance there in ALttP.
  

NOTE: This timeline is purely personal, and does not adhere to traditional "canon." See “Lexxi's New Hylian Kingdom Theory” for this theorist's traditional timeline.

United Wise Men's Timeline (N/A)

OoT/MM - TP - TWW/PH - TMC - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA - OoS/OoA - LoZ/AoL

• The hero in TP either is or predates the one who split the Triforce prior to TWW.
• The Hyrule in the 2D games was formed by the success of the Koroks and Deku Tree in uniting the islands.
• The Triforce returns to the Sacred Realm after TWW.
• Ganon is revived in FSA and sealed in the Sacred Realm by the Four Sword.
• The Triforce is kept by the royal family after ALttP.
  

NOTE: This timeline is outdated.