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Hey folks! Let's tackle the convoluted timeline of The Legend of Zelda series.
We start with the unified timeline, pre-split, with Skyward Sword, marking the origins of the Master Sword. Every title that comes after falls into one of the three branches following the events of Ocarina of Time.
The Decline Timeline: This harbors the possibility that Link failed in OoT. It includes classics like A Link to the Past, followed by Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons/Ages, and other notable titles leading up to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
Child Link Timeline: Post OoT, Link warns Zelda about Ganondorf's plans, resulting in the latter's arrest. This prevents the events of the adult timeline altogether, leading into Majora's Mask and later Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventures.
Adult Link Timeline: Here, Ganondorf is sealed away by the seven sages. Link is sent back to his own time, leaving the world to face Ganondorf’s eventual return without a hero, resulting in Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and eventually Spirit Tracks.
This complex branching is a source of much debate and fascination within the community. What are your thoughts on these timelines and their implications for the series?
Submitted 7 months ago by ZeldaLoreHound
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Gotta say, seeing Zelda II: The Adventure of Link at the end of the Decline Timeline gives me all the feels. That game was punishing but had a charm to it. I feel like it often gets overlooked, but it shows that even after Link 'failed,' he still kept fighting the good fight in later games. That's pretty inspirational if you think about it.
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One thing that always intrigues me about the timeline is how it displays various incarnations of characters. For example, how does each Zelda compare across timelines? In the Adult Link Timeline, Zelda seems knowledgeable, perhaps due to being a sage and her experiences in OoT. The timeline split is quite clever for storytelling—gives Nintendo the room to explore varied themes and settings while honoring the core elements that make a Zelda game.
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I've always been partial to the Child Link Timeline because Twilight Princess felt darker and more mature. It was such a different atmosphere from Wind Waker, and I dug that. This timeline gives us insight into how things might have played out if Ganondorf got caught early on. Plus, who doesn't love Midna and Wolf Link?
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So we all agree that the Adult Link Timeline has the best storyline, right? For me, Wind Waker was such a fresh take with its art style and ocean setting. It's amazing how the timeline split led to such different experiences in the games that followed. Really shows the versatility of the Zelda series.
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Link's Awakening is my all-time fave and I always thought of it as just a direct follow-up to Link's adventure in OoT. But this timeline stuff really makes you think about the broader universe. I think it's one of the most fascinating storylines in any video game series. Such a rich world they've built, with each branch having a unique feel to it, right?
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Every time someone brings up the Zelda timeline, I whip out my Hyrule Historia like it's a sacred text, lol. Like most, I was pretty confused before its release. But even with Hyrule Historia and subsequent official clarifications, there's something about the Decline Timeline that always gets to me, thinking about a world where Link failed. Adding games like Breath of the Wild makes it even more compelling since it's kinda ambiguous where it fits. My guess? It's a convergence or a new cycle altogether!