Because of the one line of dialogue referring to twilight, then it must be yes. 10,000 years after what we've seen in the Child Timeline though... I just don't know who the Sheikah were and how they came back in such a big way after TP. (We have always assumed the Twili were the Sheikah and were banished to the Twilight Realm for their dark magic... which looks a lot like the Sheikah tech in BoTW).
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Zelda: BOTW Timeline Discussion *UNMARKED SPOILERS*
- Thread starter Durock
- Start date
Because of the one line of dialogue referring to twilight, then it must be yes. 10,000 years after what we've seen in the Child Timeline though... I just don't know who the Sheikah were and how they came back in such a big way after TP. (We have always assumed the Twili were the Sheikah and were banished to the Twilight Realm for their dark magic... which looks a lot like the Sheikah tech in BoTW).
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Posting my timeline musings from the main thread.
I like the theory of this game taking place in the Child timeline concurrently to Zelda 1 in the Downfall timeline, as this is a reimagining of Zelda 1 in many ways.
Inferno313
Banned
The problem with the child timeline, is that Ruto is specifically referenced as a sage of the Zora from centuries ago. But the OOT sages only became sages in the Downfall and Adult timeline, no?
SpiceMelange
Member
There's evidence and contradiction for every single timeline, I don't know why people are still trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. For all we know it's so far ahead in the future the timelines aren't even a thing anymore and collapsed back into one, daggerfall style.
Alec
Member
A timeline collapse is my personal headcanon. And I mean that in a gradual, evolutionary-type way. Not an amazing, magical way. Eventually the timelines "grew" together.
It's too bad there's no evidence to support this. :-\ We need a singular, cosmic being that exists across all space and time to explain it away.
I'm also subscribing to the timeline convergence interpretation now, even though I didn't initially like the idea when it was first thrown around.
The biggest piece of evidence for this is the tunics obtained from the Amiibo. While many people might claim that these are nothing more than easter eggs, their item descriptions are particularly noteworthy because they're phrased in such a way that the tunics are essentially legendary, long-lost items recovered from the ancient past, so there is some sort of intended continuity there relative to BotW's placement.
There's also all the callbacks to the downfall timeline despite the fact that there's an explicit reference to Twilight Princess during the plot as well as the Arbiter's Grounds being present in the game. Some locations are also named after the characters in Wind Waker, including Tingle's brothers as well as King Daphnes. Again, while some might counter that these are just easter eggs, it actually feels more intuitive to me to see them as having some kind of continuity purpose.
So yeah, I'm going with convergence until otherwise noted officially.
The biggest piece of evidence for this is the tunics obtained from the Amiibo. While many people might claim that these are nothing more than easter eggs, their item descriptions are particularly noteworthy because they're phrased in such a way that the tunics are essentially legendary, long-lost items recovered from the ancient past, so there is some sort of intended continuity there relative to BotW's placement.
There's also all the callbacks to the downfall timeline despite the fact that there's an explicit reference to Twilight Princess during the plot as well as the Arbiter's Grounds being present in the game. Some locations are also named after the characters in Wind Waker, including Tingle's brothers as well as King Daphnes. Again, while some might counter that these are just easter eggs, it actually feels more intuitive to me to see them as having some kind of continuity purpose.
So yeah, I'm going with convergence until otherwise noted officially.
After having finished the game's story, here's my take on the timeline including Breath of the Wild:
So, at the end of the Child Timeline, sometime over 10,000 years after Four Swords Adventures, running parallel to the original The Legend of Zelda (not necessarily exactly parallel in time, but it could be) but on a different timeline. I think the games makes this pretty clear, with Zelda's reference to Twilight Princess during her speech in the memory, and because she said that Ganon "gave up on reincarnation" before the Dark Beast Ganon fight. After FSA would be the only time in the timeline during which Ganon(dorf) was known to have been reincarnated (not resurrected), with a second Ganondorf appearing in FSA after the first was killed in TP.
Plus, the Child Timeline makes the most sense in regards to the races that are present in Hyrule in this game. The Rito still raise some questions, but there was that mural added to TPHD that featured Rito, Zora, and Young Link, so it can be assumed that Rito have existed prior in this timeline anyway, separate from Zora, and that Young Link's tales of his journey through time lived on in legend here as well. That could explain why the Zora King spoke of Rito as a sage and all. And remember, the inscription did specify "as told by King Dorephan" so for all we know it's not actually describing the events that really happened in this timeline, but rather the story told of the Hero of Time that lived on despite not actually taking place in this timeline, which was passed down as legend in the Zora royal family and elsewhere.
Of course, this doesn't answer how Ganon was freed from being sealed in the Four Sword, but any number of things could have happened in 10,000+ years' time, and the 10,000 year backstory is vague on how Ganon came back anyway. Geographical discrepancies (like the whole situation with the Great Plateau and Temple of Time) are also ignored, but at this point you just have to accept that locations aren't always going to match up exactly between Zelda games, I guess.
So, at the end of the Child Timeline, sometime over 10,000 years after Four Swords Adventures, running parallel to the original The Legend of Zelda (not necessarily exactly parallel in time, but it could be) but on a different timeline. I think the games makes this pretty clear, with Zelda's reference to Twilight Princess during her speech in the memory, and because she said that Ganon "gave up on reincarnation" before the Dark Beast Ganon fight. After FSA would be the only time in the timeline during which Ganon(dorf) was known to have been reincarnated (not resurrected), with a second Ganondorf appearing in FSA after the first was killed in TP.
Plus, the Child Timeline makes the most sense in regards to the races that are present in Hyrule in this game. The Rito still raise some questions, but there was that mural added to TPHD that featured Rito, Zora, and Young Link, so it can be assumed that Rito have existed prior in this timeline anyway, separate from Zora, and that Young Link's tales of his journey through time lived on in legend here as well. That could explain why the Zora King spoke of Rito as a sage and all. And remember, the inscription did specify "as told by King Dorephan" so for all we know it's not actually describing the events that really happened in this timeline, but rather the story told of the Hero of Time that lived on despite not actually taking place in this timeline, which was passed down as legend in the Zora royal family and elsewhere.
Of course, this doesn't answer how Ganon was freed from being sealed in the Four Sword, but any number of things could have happened in 10,000+ years' time, and the 10,000 year backstory is vague on how Ganon came back anyway. Geographical discrepancies (like the whole situation with the Great Plateau and Temple of Time) are also ignored, but at this point you just have to accept that locations aren't always going to match up exactly between Zelda games, I guess.
After having finally completed the Main Quests yesterday, I have to say I'm not any closer to knowing where it takes place now than before I started. There are references to things from all three timelines. I was dead certain it was after AoL from Aunoma's comments and other hints, but now.... not so much. Needs more investigating!
This is no longer an evidence for the child timeline.
Fans did not listen closely enough to what Zelda said during the ceremony cutscene memory.
Now the strongest timeline evidence is the vanished ocean.
We have sea salt and bones of huge sea creatures everywhere in Hyrule.
Skittzo0413
Member
It really only makes sense in the downfall timeline, especially when you consider Aonuma's hints about the repeated Ganon attacks over the centuries. Ganon doesn't really exist after TP, and Ganon wasn't even really Ganon in TP, he was still Ganondorf. The OoT ending is where he became full-on pig Ganon, never really becoming human again.
Also the mention of Ruto as a sage. That could only be in the Adult and Downfall timelines, and clearly it's not the Adult timeline for many reasons.
It's pretty clear this is post AoL in the Downfall timeline.
There was an ancient ocean in Hyrule long before Skyward Sword.
Also the mention of Ruto as a sage. That could only be in the Adult and Downfall timelines, and clearly it's not the Adult timeline for many reasons.
It's pretty clear this is post AoL in the Downfall timeline.
There was an ancient ocean in Hyrule long before Skyward Sword.
"Pretty clear" is really something else ^^"
And calamity Ganon does not look like Ganon, it looks more like a horrible transformation of Ganondorf.
I think BOTW plays many years after WW/PH/ST.
But it could also be in the downfall timeline. And there is also little chance it's after TP/4SA.
True. But finding sea salt and sea creature bones everywhere is a bit suspect.
But you might be right. Maybe not.
There is indeed a lack of really good eveidence for any timeline.
Skittzo0413
Member
I guess I say it's pretty clear (to me) because a lot of things exclude the other timelines. Meaning, a lot of things would need to have happened behind the scenes (such that we have no idea if they happened or not) in order for this to make sense in any other timeline.
Adult timeline: Great sea would have had to recede. Ganondorf would have had to be rescued from his stone statue and somehow transformed into Calamity Ganon. Triforce would need to be somehow reformed and somehow transferred to Zelda. Zelda/Royal family would have needed to leave New Hyrule and come back to old Hyrule.
Child timeline: Ganondorf would need to be reincarnated- he's dead after TP. Then would have needed to be transformed into Calamity Ganon. OoT sages would need to be "awakened" even though there was no threat of Ganondorf during their lifetimes.
Downfall timeline: Ganondorf is gone, only Ganon exists. Ganon has repeatedly attacked Hyrule many times, never becoming any more human/Gerudo (we know this actually happens). After millennia he has become just a raging force of nature. That's it. No more explanation is needed for this timeline.
Therefore to me, with the backstory we are given, the downfall timeline makes by far the most sense.
Rad Shadow
Banned
Just beat it last night.
Holy amazingness batman!
What a freaking game.
I missed 5 shrines, but man I wish they would have given me a death count. That would have been hilarious.
Love all the costumes.
Loved everything.
Pre-ordered the dlc. Can't freaking wait!
Now I need to korok hunt while I wait.
Holy amazingness batman!
What a freaking game.
I missed 5 shrines, but man I wish they would have given me a death count. That would have been hilarious.
Love all the costumes.
Loved everything.
Pre-ordered the dlc. Can't freaking wait!
Now I need to korok hunt while I wait.
Ganon is reincarnated in that timeline though, Four Swords takes place after TP so that isn't an issue. The sages deal is probably the hardest evidence against the child timeline though and there isn't an explanation for it that doesn't involve major retcons, which isn't impossible.
Skittzo0413
Member
Right that's true, but it is technically a different person. Does he ever become Ganon in Four Swords? I always forget the story in that game.
Fourth Storm
Member
Possibly, but over at Zelda Universe Forums, they claim to have extracted the rest of the prayer that the other characters talk over. In the following verses, there are supposedly references to "crossing the sea" and also something about "once knowing the Golden Power" which seems to reference Wind Waker and ALTTP respectively.
My theory is that Hyrule's history did not really happen in exactly the way it is depicted in the previous games, yet there is some kernel of truth there. It's much the same as how religions and myths started up in the ancient world. "See that Great Plateau there? Want to know how it got here?" *Recount events of Skyward Sword*
Same deal with the Flood Myth in the real world. Now, there's one in Hyrule as well. Did Wind Waker actually happen in Zelda canon? Who knows, but there's salt all over the world that seems to indicate that something happened.
Edit: I see I was beaten to the punch. Oh well. I still have like 95 shrines to do a 3 ancient beasts, but I can't help but discuss this, spoilers and all. I think it's quite interesting what they've done with the lore.
Linkstrikesback
Member
Thing is, if you're going to play that word game, there's twilight...Every evening.
Fourth Storm
Member
I doubt the 10,000 year figure. Seems like the type of symbolic number you'd get in some of the first few books of the Bible. I take it as part of the legend that may not be completely accurate.
Maybe it is 10,000 years, though, and Hyrule's sacred nature means that it never advances too far in technology.
ResidentWeevil13
Member
Has it been discussed at all that there are
Is that evidence of anything or not really?
ruins for the arbiter grounds in Gerudo Desert?
I think that with everything discovered and discussed so far, this one isn't going to be cracked. Just like almost every Zelda game before Hyrule Historia released, it's just not possible to pin it to any one timeline with the information we have.
Personally, I believe that with the game taking place over 10,000 years after any previous Zelda game, and with the multiple references to all the timelines, we're looking at a soft-merging of everything. I don't know how that'd make sense, or the logistics of it, but it seems to be the case.
Personally, I believe that with the game taking place over 10,000 years after any previous Zelda game, and with the multiple references to all the timelines, we're looking at a soft-merging of everything. I don't know how that'd make sense, or the logistics of it, but it seems to be the case.
Ganondorf does become Ganon in FSA by stealing the Trident of Power, yes. In fact, you never even see him as Ganondorf in-game, only as Ganon.
The French and German translations appear to reference TWW and ALttP, but the NoA translation does not. We need someone to extract the audio from the Japanese version and translate it so that we can have final word on the matter.
It doesn't really mean much, since Arbiter's Grounds should have existed during the time of Ocarina of Time, so it should exist in all timelines. We only ever see it in the Child Timeline, but that doesn't mean it's not present in others. I'm personally feeling a Child Timeline placement, but I don't consider Arbiter's Grounds as evidence for that at all.
What's odd about this game is that it seems to be purposely vague about its timeline placement, and with the 10,000+ year backstory, anything's possible, really. It's especially odd because ever since The Wind Waker, each game's place in the timeline in relation to other games was made clear (with the exception of Four Swords Adventures), either by in-game information or via developer interviews. Since Twilight Princess it's been even clearer, and we've been able to easily place new games in the timeline since, with only the pre-OoT classic games, the Oracle series, and FSA leaving us wondering, and that was all cleared up in the Hyrule Historia. So to go from a period where the timeline placement for games was getting increasingly more clear, to, well...whatever we have going on with BotW, strikes me as quite odd. It's because of that that I'm half-expecting a timeline merger of some sorts to be going on here, however they'd explain that. But until we get developer confirmation, I'm still leaning towards it being on the Child Timeline, unless a full translation of the Japanese ceremonial speech is made available and proves that there are indeed references to TWW and ALttP.
My primary issue here with it is all of the references to all of the timelines. I thought a merger of sorts would have been out of the question, but it seems that may no longer be the case. We have islands named after characters from the Adult Timeline and Child Timeline such as Makar Island, Linebeck Island, and Mikau Island. The Divine Beasts themselves are named after ancient sages from the games: Vah Ruta=Princess Ruto, Vah Rudania=Darunia, Vah Medoh=Medli, Vah Naboris=Nabooru. There's a couple of references to Twilight Princess with Zelda mentioning the Twilight in Memory 1 and even what appears to be a broken Mirror of Twilight at the Polmarae (spelling?) Ruins. And, again, there's Aunoma's comments about it being about a Ganon who has been fought multiple times. That the most hints at after AoL, but what about everything else? Technically, those comments COULD apply to a merger as well.
Based on everything we know and have seen, a merger does seem to be the most likely possibility here. Heck if I know HOW they all merged, but after a period of over 10,000 years, I suppose anything could have happened to create that result.
Based on everything we know and have seen, a merger does seem to be the most likely possibility here. Heck if I know HOW they all merged, but after a period of over 10,000 years, I suppose anything could have happened to create that result.
As I posted in the spoiler thread, I believe this game to be a semi-reboot of the timeline. Near the very beginning of the game, the King references that stories of Ganon are passed down through the ages like legends and fairy tales. I interpreted that as meaning the three timelines are all legends and tales of Ganon.
I believe that there is Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time and then more than 10,000 years where the timelines blur as legend and myths, and reboot at Breath of the Wild.
I believe that there is Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time and then more than 10,000 years where the timelines blur as legend and myths, and reboot at Breath of the Wild.
No matter how many times people say this, this is not true. Nearly all games were made as sequels or prequels to others. Most games were connected from the word go.
EmCeeGramr
Member
Semi-relevant, even though it's a pretty weird article (calling Majora's Mask a 2015 game in reference to 3D and acting like it's connection to Ocarina is recent, saying Link to the Past being a prequel was fan speculation, thinking Skyward Sword was a Wii/Wii U dual release, assuming that BotW is a reboot that only vaguely alludes to imagery from other games)
Missed this post earlier. You're right that it seems to be a reference to TWW and ALttP in the German version, and the French version as well. But that's not true of all localizations.
Someone was able to rip the audio from the North American version of the game, and during that part Zelda says "Over the seas of time and distance, when we knew the golden power of the goddess," which isn't really referencing TWW or ALttP at all. The Spanish version apparently doesn't make those references, either. So it seems different localizations took a different direction with this line. We still don't know what the original Japanese version says in full, though, and knowing that would give us the true intent of this line.
All versions do reference Twilight Princess, though, so that much is consistent across all translations.
Sources/links to the isolated audio?
Guys, timeline convergence is a very unlikely thing. Timelines don't just converge. There'd have to have been some kind of major magical event to cause such a thing that would definitely have been mentioned in the game.
So far the only thing remotely in favor of Child Timeline is Zelda's line mentioning twilight, but considering that twilight is not capitalized and that it does not refer to anything specific to Twilight Princess (Zant, Midna, Ganondorf's trial) it can be safe to assume that it's just a tongue-in-cheek reference or it could be a reference to another event involving the Twilight Realm, such as the Interloper War or an unmentioned alternate timeline event.
The Zora history is very specific, though. It talks about Ruto awakening as a sage and fighting alongside Link and Zelda against Ganondorf, who attacked Zora's Domain. This did not happen in Child Timeline. Also, Zora's Domain in BotW is 10,000 years old. It is a different Zora's Domain from the one Ruto defended. In Downfall Timeline, Ganondorf froze Zora's Domain and afterwards the peaceful Zora's were gone from Hyrule. Zora's Domain in ALttP was run by River Zoras and peaceful Zoras were located in lands outside Hyrule. This gives a good base for the resettlement of Zora's Domain 10,000 years ago by the peaceful Zoras.
I hate how articles and posts like these try to make it sound like figuring out the timeline was some huge undertaking. Apart from the Downfall Timeline games and Four Sword Adventures, if you just pay a modicum of attention to the games you'd arrive at the timeline we got in Hyrule Historia.
The article acts like the stained glass room in WW was some grand revelation, but the game opens with a recap of OoT and references OoT repeatedly throughout the game.
It acts like ALttP being a prequel to Zelda 1 is some major discovery:
The only reason there was any disagreement in the past was because OoT was supposed to be a prequel to ALttP, but with WW and TP taking place directly after OoT in both timelines there was no way to really make OoT -> ALttP make sense.
So far the only thing remotely in favor of Child Timeline is Zelda's line mentioning twilight, but considering that twilight is not capitalized and that it does not refer to anything specific to Twilight Princess (Zant, Midna, Ganondorf's trial) it can be safe to assume that it's just a tongue-in-cheek reference or it could be a reference to another event involving the Twilight Realm, such as the Interloper War or an unmentioned alternate timeline event.
The Zora history is very specific, though. It talks about Ruto awakening as a sage and fighting alongside Link and Zelda against Ganondorf, who attacked Zora's Domain. This did not happen in Child Timeline. Also, Zora's Domain in BotW is 10,000 years old. It is a different Zora's Domain from the one Ruto defended. In Downfall Timeline, Ganondorf froze Zora's Domain and afterwards the peaceful Zora's were gone from Hyrule. Zora's Domain in ALttP was run by River Zoras and peaceful Zoras were located in lands outside Hyrule. This gives a good base for the resettlement of Zora's Domain 10,000 years ago by the peaceful Zoras.
I hate how articles and posts like these try to make it sound like figuring out the timeline was some huge undertaking. Apart from the Downfall Timeline games and Four Sword Adventures, if you just pay a modicum of attention to the games you'd arrive at the timeline we got in Hyrule Historia.
The article acts like the stained glass room in WW was some grand revelation, but the game opens with a recap of OoT and references OoT repeatedly throughout the game.
It acts like ALttP being a prequel to Zelda 1 is some major discovery:
The only reason there was any disagreement in the past was because OoT was supposed to be a prequel to ALttP, but with WW and TP taking place directly after OoT in both timelines there was no way to really make OoT -> ALttP make sense.
As far as I've seen: Twilight Princess is referenced twice. Once by Zelda in memory #1, and once by the story tablets along the path to Zora's Domain. Wind Waker is never referenced. Zelda 1/LttP are never referenced.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, there are no landmarks named after characters outside of the Child Link timeline. There is a Darman Lake in Mount Doom, named after Darmani - the Goron from Majora's Mask.
All this leads me to believe it's 15,000+ years after the events of Twilight Princess in the Child Link timeline and the Wind Waker specific elements also eventually occured in this timeline as well (the Rito, Korok's and a Beedle).
Also, if I'm not mistaken, there are no landmarks named after characters outside of the Child Link timeline. There is a Darman Lake in Mount Doom, named after Darmani - the Goron from Majora's Mask.
All this leads me to believe it's 15,000+ years after the events of Twilight Princess in the Child Link timeline and the Wind Waker specific elements also eventually occured in this timeline as well (the Rito, Korok's and a Beedle).
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
I'm not on board with the theory, but it's not unprecedented in fantasy. Dragon Breaks from The Elder Scrolls series are basically this, and Breath of the Wild does take some inspiration from Skyrim, so...
Pretty sure they were joking based on the trivial connection between Links in blue.
royox
Member
Can't be. WW specifically says that when Ganondorf got unsealed the godess sunk hyrule because there was no hero on that timeline.
Also I don't think BOTW's Ganon is the same Ganondorf as in OOt, Tp or WW.
It's still 7AM here. My brain is still not ready for sarcasm lol
Twilight Princess is not mentioned in the Zora history. The Zora history contradicts the idea of this game taking place after Twilight Princess.
Place names are definitely just references. They're just names. A thing to remember is that timelines are also not completely closed off unique universes. People and things in one timeline can easily exist in another timeline since the timelines split from a shared source timeline. They'd be alternate timeline counterparts. Beedle was in Skyward Sword, so his lineage will obviously exist in all timelines. Likewise, Tingle was in Minish Cap and has counterparts in Majora's Mask (Child Timeline) and Wind Waker (Adult Timeline). The only things that are timeline-specific are very specific events.
I'm not saying that the concept is impossible. I'm saying that there's not remotely enough evidence to jump to that conclusion.
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Under ordinary circumstances I would agree, but Nintendo pulled out the Downfall timeline, so I wouldn't put it past them. Again, I don't think this is the case, I'm just saying it's not extremely far-fetched based on Nintendo's past handling of the concept.
For all we know it could be a fourth timeline or total stand-alone reboot (I really hope it isn't). Based on Aonuma's comment that "we should know" where it falls based on the history of Ganon's return I'm not too worried about it, though. But you never know.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
The timeline was in our hearts all along.
Downfall Timeline is a much simpler concept and works that way. It's not an event that would change Hyrule's history books.
Converging Zelda's timelines would be a much bigger undertaking. It would make things waaay more complex, raise so many questions. So much to explain. And it wouldn't be an event that BotW could just gloss over; especially when there is history in the game from SS and OoT's eras.
Well, the Zora history points really hard at Downfall Timeline. Aonuma said it's in a timeline where Ganon attacked a lot, and the most he's attacked is in Downfall. And Downfall is also the timeline where Ganon has previously been refered to as The Great Calamity.
Tal Tal Peaks, Mabe Villiage, Linebeck Island, etc.. There's a lot of landmarks named from things outside the child timeline.
And there is a reference to Zelda 2 in the game, the King kept the tradition of naming the princess "Zelda", a tradition started around the Golden Age of Hyrule (Between A Link to the Past and Zelda 1) after the Prince of Hyrule accidentally cursed Zelda the First (not the first Zelda from Skyward Sword) into a deep sleep and felt extreme guilt. The prince then ordered that all females born into the Royal Family must bear the name "Zelda" so that the tragedy would not be forgotten.
I think for the most part Ragnarok is right. If it's not a merger, then the majority of what he has said seems to be spot on. We have Aunouma's comments, we have King Roam's Diary, we have the Zora tablet... each of these things point to the Decline Timeline. The Zora Tablet could also point to the Adult Timeline.
The Zora Tablet though completely negates the Child Timeline. The Sages from OoT don't go on to become sages at all in that Timeline and Link is never actually the Hero of Legend as technically the events of OoT never happened.
Zelda does mention twilight in that first memory. Now upon hearing it, it's easy to immediately assume 'Twilight Princess'. I know I did. But let's look at the definition of what twilight really is: "a period or state of obscurity, ambiguity, or gradual decline." Hmmm... that could apply to the Sacred Realm after Ganon was sealed away there, couldn't it? A.k.a ALttP's Dark World. Or maybe even Lorule in ALBW.
There's only two things that irks me I want to discuss. The first is the names of the places throughout the world. So many references to other games across all timelines like Linebeck Island and Lake Mikau. Yes, they could just be Easter eggs and if that is the case, I just want to say that I absolutely hate it. I get that it may be there for us Zelda veterans to recognise for nostalgia sake, but it causes so much confusion now with the timeline being official.
And number two, it's Vah Medoh. This is where it makes things interesting. We know from in-game evidence that the Divine Beasts were named in honor of ancient sages. Now while it doesn't outright specify who Medoh was named after, it doesn't take a genius to surmise that that sage is Medli, who also happens to be Princess Ruto's descendant, on the Adult Timeline. I guess Medli could still exist on the Decline Timeline without being a decsendant to Ruto at all? It seems the Ruto are there own race in that timeline rather than an race that evolved from the Zora. So this would mean that Medli still existed but did something significant in another period. Maybe she was the original Champion of Vah Medoh 10,000 years ago?
So just reiterate once more, the vast majority of evidence as provided in-game and from Aunoma himself points to the Decline Timeline. Minus some a potential merger that somehow happened, it's the only one that makes sense based on what we know.
The Zora Tablet though completely negates the Child Timeline. The Sages from OoT don't go on to become sages at all in that Timeline and Link is never actually the Hero of Legend as technically the events of OoT never happened.
Zelda does mention twilight in that first memory. Now upon hearing it, it's easy to immediately assume 'Twilight Princess'. I know I did. But let's look at the definition of what twilight really is: "a period or state of obscurity, ambiguity, or gradual decline." Hmmm... that could apply to the Sacred Realm after Ganon was sealed away there, couldn't it? A.k.a ALttP's Dark World. Or maybe even Lorule in ALBW.
There's only two things that irks me I want to discuss. The first is the names of the places throughout the world. So many references to other games across all timelines like Linebeck Island and Lake Mikau. Yes, they could just be Easter eggs and if that is the case, I just want to say that I absolutely hate it. I get that it may be there for us Zelda veterans to recognise for nostalgia sake, but it causes so much confusion now with the timeline being official.
And number two, it's Vah Medoh. This is where it makes things interesting. We know from in-game evidence that the Divine Beasts were named in honor of ancient sages. Now while it doesn't outright specify who Medoh was named after, it doesn't take a genius to surmise that that sage is Medli, who also happens to be Princess Ruto's descendant, on the Adult Timeline. I guess Medli could still exist on the Decline Timeline without being a decsendant to Ruto at all? It seems the Ruto are there own race in that timeline rather than an race that evolved from the Zora. So this would mean that Medli still existed but did something significant in another period. Maybe she was the original Champion of Vah Medoh 10,000 years ago?
So just reiterate once more, the vast majority of evidence as provided in-game and from Aunoma himself points to the Decline Timeline. Minus some a potential merger that somehow happened, it's the only one that makes sense based on what we know.
WordAssassin
Member
No, the classic green tunic from Zelda 1+2 is from the 8-Bit 30th Anniversary Link amiibo. BotW's tunic is different. The only tunics available in the game are
the Tunic of the Wild and the Dark Link tunic
The Legendary tunics from amiibo are:
Tunic of the Hero (Zelda 1+2)
Tunic of Time (OoT)
Tunic of the Wind (WW)
Tunic of Twilight (TP)
Tunic of the Sky (SS)
I don't remember what it's called but the Fierce Deity tunic is there too
Kind of surprised there's not a Tunic of the Past or something that would give Link his pink hair back, guess LttP isn't important enough to get an amiibo. ):
It's still the Fallen Timeline though, IMO
Fourth Storm
Member
Here's one theory I've had lately. The mention in the Zora monuments of the periodic flooding which used to bring disaster upon the Lanayru region might be used to explain the state of the map in Zelda 1 and 2. I would see this as more evidence for the DT in addition to the other Zora tablet, which recounts Ruto's awakening as a sage.
So, in my reading of the Zora tablets, OoT happens and then, as it states, ages later (perhaps thousands of years and after all the other games in the DT), Vah Ruta is built. Slightly before that, Sea Zora return to the area after previously abandoning it. This event is recounted in the tablet which details the building of BotW Zora's Domain using the Zora's architechtural prowess combined with Hyrule's advanced technology. This same technology was used to build the Divine Beasts around the same time and Ganon is sealed up for the 10,000 years.
So, in my reading of the Zora tablets, OoT happens and then, as it states, ages later (perhaps thousands of years and after all the other games in the DT), Vah Ruta is built. Slightly before that, Sea Zora return to the area after previously abandoning it. This event is recounted in the tablet which details the building of BotW Zora's Domain using the Zora's architechtural prowess combined with Hyrule's advanced technology. This same technology was used to build the Divine Beasts around the same time and Ganon is sealed up for the 10,000 years.
SporeCrawler
Member
Koroks are Kokiris that have been deformed after the flood so the existence of Korok and absence of Kokiris point towards the game being after the flood
Skittzo0413
Member
I've always been in agreement that the map in BotW was based loosely on the AoL map, except the one sticking point there is the location of Death Mountain. The rivers/bays could definitely be explained due to that periodic flooding as you mentioned, but the location of Death Mountain is an issue.
I think Hyrule Historia (or the new book in Japan only) pointed out that the AoL map is supposed to take place almost totally to the north/northeast of Death Mountain from the OoT map. Which I guess throws a wrench in our theories.
Kokiri (according to the Deku Tree from WW) could take the form of Koroks essentially whenever they wanted. I think it was even hinted that they used to be Koroks before OoT and took the form of Kokiri to let Link blend in with them.
EDIT: The Rito being in the game makes a little less sense, as they were supposed to evolve from the Zora. But there's essentially no evidence this takes place in the Adult timeline after the flood.
Fourth Storm
Member
I basically agree with Hyrule Historia and take the map of LoZ to be a small area around Death Mountain. I don't think that we see much of the greater AoL world in BotW. But, if we look at the maps for AoL and LoZ and try to imagine the rest of the OoT/ALTTP Hyrule being below the Death Mountain area, where it should be, we just see a bunch of water. What I find interesting is that it roughly lines up to where we could imagine the Zora River flooding Lanayru.
We know that Hyrule Kingdom greatly declined prior to LoZ. It makes sense for it to enter another Golden Era after AoL and repopulate the areas that it once held in the eras from OoT-->ALBW/TFH.
If we really wanted to, we could point to the ALBW "easter egg" as evidence that Koroks exist in that timeline. Certainly, they seem to have jumped ship along with the other races by the time we reach ALTTP, but OoX shows us that at least some of the races are still around at that time, just not in Hyrule.
There's also the engraving depicting Ritos in TPHD, so it seems the developers are trying to tell us these races can exist in multiple timelines.