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Zelda: BOTW Timeline Discussion *UNMARKED SPOILERS*

iFirez

Member
Sorry, just not seeing it. I think this Ganon will take a completely new form, just like Link and Zelda and every other character and race we've seen.

Really? I guess its like one of those optical illusions were we're all seeing different things.

CqdbqAm.gif
 

Seil

Member
where have you seen this?

I believe they're referring to the first scene we see in the super bowl commercial. There's a person in red on the ground who resembles a character we see Link fighting in the Switch presentation trailer. In the trailer we see a large character with an interesting sword and a mask that has an upside down Sheikah Eye symbol on it.

Edit:

 
I believe they're referring to the first scene we see in the super bowl commercial. There's a person in red on the ground who resembles a character we see Link fighting in the Switch presentation trailer. In the trailer we see a large character with an interesting sword and a mask that has an upside down Sheikah Eye symbol on it.

Edit:

=OOOO
 

Pat

Member
Basing a portion of the theory on races not being there isn't a proper way to do so. You're comparing a game that came out within the first couple of titles to games that further expanded on the mythos and they could add new races and creatures. They can give any number of excuses as to why certain races weren't here and there, but ultimately it's a simple enough reason that they didn't think of these races before and now they are putting everything on a timeline.

Check CommonwealthRealms's Zelda Timeline that went out some weeks ago. It's an hour long though but it explains everything based only on the lore of the games AND Hyrule Historia (so no fan-fiction).

They explain how all races became no more after the Imprisonning War before ALTTP (tl;dr they all died and Hylians were weakened but survived and repopulated all zones).
 

iFirez

Member

So I've been thinking about these 'Champions of Hyrule' and how the Gerudo female we've seen must be the fourth right? And each one is our companions in getting to each of the mechanical beasts.But we haven't seen her wearing any blue which links these characters to the royal family, but we do see Zelda wearing blue so maybe she's the fourth... or even fifth?

Anyways, just a thought and hope you guys like that vector art I posted above.
 

Kyolux

Member
Anyways, just a thought and hope you guys like that vector art I posted above.

It's pretty cool alright. I love it.

Just don't put the link on the image next time. It's a bit annoying clicking to enlarge/reduce and getting that new tab open.
 

Pat

Member
So I've been playing Wind Waker HD lately and just saw the cutscene when you meet Ganondorf after getting the Master Sword. He tells Link he was a fool to get the Master Sword since it isn't only a powerful weapon to vainquish darkness, but also the key of the magical seal that restrains him to use his dark powers.

I found that interesting, because as I remember it, the only time the Master Sword gets back to its pedestal is at the end of OoT (Adult Timeline) to imprison Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm. However, The Wind Waker's intro cutscene tells Ganon came back and started destroying Hyrule and the Gods decided to flood the kingdom since no heroes appeared.

That actually doesn't make too much sense. Why is he depraved of his powers in Wind Waker because of the Master Sword locking him down in the old ToT's pedestal, but was able to destroy Hyrule before the Gods flooded the land when the sword was still in his pedestal from OoT? Wasn't he supposed to be under the magical seal?

Does someone, somewhere, took the Master Sword between OoT and WW to destroy Ganon when he came back, but actually failed to do so? Could it be the rumored bad ending from BotW (and the good ending being a new split timeline between OoT and WW)?

Ugh, my head.
 

Soapbox Killer

Grand Nagus
I found what appears to be a paradox in Skyward Sword. The temple of time in the desert has the giant Crest of Hyryle over the land even though Hyrule won't be created for what appears to be a long time. Hyrule Historia even explains the difference in this crest and the Crest of the Goddess (the latter lacking the Triforce).

Is it possible that there is time travel in BotW that would explain this and also open up the possibility that the game explains this? The original temple of time is there for a reason right?
 
I believe they're referring to the first scene we see in the super bowl commercial. There's a person in red on the ground who resembles a character we see Link fighting in the Switch presentation trailer. In the trailer we see a large character with an interesting sword and a mask that has an upside down Sheikah Eye symbol on it.

Edit:

This confuses me a lot because in the one scene from the super bowl trailer, Link had the MS and no slate which implies it's the past then in the switch presentation trailer where he's battling the Sheikah defector he has all his equipment from the present. This guy must be a robot or something weird is going on.
 
Since I haven't posted here in awhile, I'll post the theory I posted in the new trailer thread:

---
Its pretty obvious Zelda is playable from the beginning of the game. When Aonuma said that "she even has the same clothes as Link and the Shiekah slate like Link!" I think that pretty much confirmed it. I'll even go further and to say this is my final theory on playable characters:

In the game informer stuff it was confirmed all weapons break. People just assume this also doesn't mean the Master Sword, however I think despite the trailers tricking you into thinking otherwise, I think in the present game you never actually pick up the Master Sword. Instead this takes place 100 years after the Ocarina of Time's Link is defeated by Ganon in he Downfall Timeline. Link is either truly dead and that they (Shiekah) are calling this guy Link in hopes that he can pull the Master Sword, or it is Link and he is but one playable character.

The one thing that makes me think it isn't the actual Link is no real green tunic, instead we have the blue royal shirt that some other characters have. Except the Gerudo girl who appears not to have that,which if it takes place 100 years after OoT's Link is defeated by Ganon, then it makes since as the Gerudo would be hated by the Hylians for birthing the Calamity Ganon.

So onto the playable characters. I'm pretty much 100% confident that Zelda is playable...but I also think the Zora girl, Gerudo, Goron, and Rito boy are also playable.

Sounds insane right? However if it takes place after OoT Link dies/defeated...then it makes sense since this would be the imprisoning war. In it there was no Link AKA no green tunic Link, and also no Master Sword was used against Ganon as I predicted a few sentences back.

So why do I think they are all playable? Go back the the Slate's voice at the beginning of the game. "You are the Light, our Light. That must shine upon Hyrule once again." Sounds okay if it was just Link about to go on this grand adventure right? But what if all the Sages, AKA Link, Zelda, Zora girl, Gerudo, Goron, and Rito boy were all put into Resurrection Chambers. If they all awake at roughly the same time to complete Shrine Trials as part of their becoming a Sage to stop Ganon, then the Slate Voice would say something like that to each of them right? "You are the Shadow...our Shadow" "You are the Spirit...our Spirit" "You are the Fire...our Fire" etc. it makes perfect sense. And fits the Imprisoning War perfectly if none of these wield the Master Sword in the end which is likely after the "all weapons break" quote. I'd go as far to say that when you start a new game, its randomly generated which character you play as as part of exploring a new world. Six playable Sages. Three girls, three boys, the seventh is the girl locked in the Castle who remains unknown.

Thats my final theory atleast. Theres been so many hints of atleast a girl option from the "that may not be Link" from E3 2014 to Aonuma pointing out the Zelda similarites at the Switch Tree House event but I also think the others characters are playable to, and its been kept a secret because Aonuma wanted to surprise players right from when they start.

Of course I could just as likely be wrong, but when I consider all things revealed and talked about this game I do think something like this will happen. I hope, girl playable character would make this the perfect game. But if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. But with everything considered it seems pretty likely atleast Zelda is playable, and likely all of them.
---

Yeah I know, just mostly me reaching since I want to play as a girl in this game more than any other game, but there are so many things that make me believe that at the very least Zelda will be playable if not all of the characters.

That being said, this is my final theory/prediction of timeline placement and playable characters. Why you ask? Because I will not be viewing anymore Zelda threads due to spoilers. I'll keep reading the cirrent threads, but as soon as a new thread with new info pops up I will officially avoid all Zelda games until after I've played it. (Its gonna be hard!)

Its still likely that only Link is playable, and as Zelda is my favorite series, that won't put me off or anything but I shall hope to the end. Especially for this game, with so many subtle hints.

That being said, while I will stop looking into these threads as soon as the next news pops, will anyone (anyone still reading this post?) please pm me once leaks come out and say if any playable girl is confirmed playable, if its from the beginning, if its randomly generated like my theory, if its a choice, if its new game plus, if its Amiibo locked, or if only Link is playable. Hopefully noone spoils anything other than playable characters, but please this is one thing I'd like to know before release if it gets leaked. (And pm pics/vids of playable characters too if thats how they get leaked!)

Thanks for reading my theories. Had fun reading all the theories of the thread. I do hope regardless of playable characters that its OoT's Link defeat and the end is going back in time to create the ither two timelines. Hyrule Historia was released around the time this started being planned. Come on. XD. Just leaving a what if ending is bad and I hope BOTW was preplanned to have that be the default ending and going back in time to create the other timelines.
 

Jedi2016

Member
The Zelda we see carrying the Slate is in flashbacks. And my theory is that it's the same Slate that will be given to Link 100 years later.
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Can someone please explain this theory that the game takes place in the past and present, and that there are two Zeldas?

We know for a fact we will be unlocking memories as we've seen the menu for them and there's also the fact that much of the dialogue we've heard keeps talking about the past and what occurred 100 years ago and learning about it. And then Miyamoto and Aonuma saying we'll discover our past in tons of interviews. So there's that.

Currently it appears as though all the scenes we've seen featuring Zelda are in the past. Link in those shots always had the Mater Sword, Champions shirt and nothing else. While most other scenes of him alone show a wide variety of weapons, shields and clothing. Zelda as well carries the Sheikah Slate, not Link. Those scenes where she is in a white dress and they're running from Guardians are even more concretely from the past based on what happens in them.

Odds are these are just cutscenes and not interactive, especially given the memories menu we've seen. The chances of actual time travel and playing the past and present is low.

As for two Zeldas there's no indication of that outside of very specific theories. Like the game being a direct sequel to Zelda 2. Or what happens to Zelda during the 100 years Link sleeps, could there be a daughter or granddaughter Zelda that we meet instead. Stuff like that.
 
Everything we've seen from recent interviews also seem to all but confirm Zelda will be in the present as well, and not necessarily just at the end.

So at the very least seems like she won't be stuck in the castle until end boss
 

Skeletos311

Junior Member
http://gonintendo.com/stories/273735-aonuma-remains-coy-on-specific-placement-of-zelda-breath-of-the

Question 3: Where does The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild end up in the Zelda timeline?

I’m not going to tell you where the game ends up in the Zelda timeline before you’ve had the chance to play, but if you watched the third trailer, then you heard about the voice that said Hyrule is a country that went through many battles against Ganon.
I’d say this is a clue as to when the game takes place.
 

I could see some kind of weird Dark Souls-multiplayer working here. Not traditional "Let's party up, bro" type of stuff, but seeing other people show up in the world as Shadow Links or something from time to time could be really interesting.

I don't expect it's there, but it wouldn't be a crazy idea.
 
I know it's a little out of context in this thread, but after that interview with aonuma, will the master sword be really breakable? I mean, it's a legendary sword, preserved across more than a century, and if we would check the other timelines, every game features an indestructible master sword, so having it in BotW breakable, but not in the next game featured in that timeline ( let's say BotW is between 2 already released game) then this make this decision a little more far fetched, don't you agree?
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
I know it's a little out of context in this thread, but after that interview with aonuma, will the master sword be really breakable? I mean, it's a legendary sword, preserved across more than a century, and if we would check the other timelines, every game features an indestructible master sword, so having it in BotW breakable, but not in the next game featured in that timeline ( let's say BotW is between 2 already released game) then this make this decision a little more far fetched, don't you agree?

They've been really coy, so it's hard to tell.

Could be the Master Sword doesn't break but gets rusty and banged up the more you use to the point it's basically useless. And then you have to repair or recharge it.
 

Skeletos311

Junior Member
I know it's a little out of context in this thread, but after that interview with aonuma, will the master sword be really breakable? I mean, it's a legendary sword, preserved across more than a century, and if we would check the other timelines, every game features an indestructible master sword, so having it in BotW breakable, but not in the next game featured in that timeline ( let's say BotW is between 2 already released game) then this make this decision a little more far fetched, don't you agree?

What interview are you talking about? The 51 questions? He said it's a secret in that one.
 
What interview are you talking about? The 51 questions? He said it's a secret in that one.

He said basically that "every weapon in the game are breakable", so does that include the master sword or not? Can we take that as a fact, since it's aonuma himself who said it?
 
I know it's a little out of context in this thread, but after that interview with aonuma, will the master sword be really breakable? I mean, it's a legendary sword, preserved across more than a century, and if we would check the other timelines, every game features an indestructible master sword, so having it in BotW breakable, but not in the next game featured in that timeline ( let's say BotW is between 2 already released game) then this make this decision a little more far fetched, don't you agree?

I think it's more likely that you just won't get the Master Sword in the game as a weapon. It might act as a key for something but I doubt we'll be able to use it as a weapon.
 

Skeletos311

Junior Member
He said basically that "every weapon in the game are breakable", so does that include the master sword or not? Can we take that as a fact, since it's aonuma himself who said it?

But when he was asked about the Master Sword specifically, he said it's a secret.
 
I think it's more likely that you just won't get the Master Sword in the game as a weapon. It might act as a key for something but I doubt we'll be able to use it as a weapon.

Hum, a key? Interesting ! You're the second one who I heard that from. Why not use it? It's a weapon after all, no?
 
Hum, a key? Interesting ! You're the second one who I heard that from. Why not use it? It's a weapon after all, no?

Maybe not a literal key, but like a key item. Like, you need to plunge it into Ganon in order to weaken him but you can't use it as a normal weapon because it's rusted and useless... or something like that.

I think they wanted to stick with the weapon durability mechanic throughout the entire game, and having an unbreakable Master Sword would sorta destroy that mechanic, and having a breakable Master Sword would cause lore issues.
 
Maybe not a literal key, but like a key item. Like, you need to plunge it into Ganon in order to weaken him but you can't use it as a normal weapon because it's rusted and useless... or something like that.

I think they wanted to stick with the weapon durability mechanic throughout the entire game, and having an unbreakable Master Sword would sorta destroy that mechanic, and having a breakable Master Sword would cause lore issues.

Hum, very plausible. I would like to see Link only using it during the final fight against him or something like that, like only usable as a weapon in certains situations instead of not at all since it would turn to be very OP.
 

TreIII

Member
Yep. Seems to be yet another indication that it takes place in a post AoL Hyrule. It just doesn't make sense anywhere else. I'll add this to the OP.

Agreed. Post Z2 would give enough time for Hyrule to feasibily enjoy several centuries of peace thanks to Z1/2 Link reuniting the Triforce. Sea Zora, Rito, Koroks and Gorons could have returned to Hyrule too, after likely *nope.png*-ing out of Hyrule because of the Imprisoning War and several centuries' worth of repeated Ganon attacks, too.

Of course, then Ganon comes back again, anyway, and likely undoes Z1/Z2 Link's work in just 100 years or less. That's gotta suck.

Perhaps the only things I would hope they'd bother elaborating on boils down to two main things. 1) Was the Master Sword really that weak/useless that it was even something that Z1/Z2 Link couldn't be bothered to use? I always thought of it as pretty badass that he got by without the help of the Goddesses' main hookup for Ganon attacks. 2) Is Ganon still on his "NEED LINK BLOOD" tip, and that's the reason Link was put on ice for 100 years?
 

Astral Dog

Member
I just noticed that this is the first time we might get a Ganon who resembles this in a 3d zelda
DpCVHg5.png

The trailer makes him look pretty piggish.

I always hated his beast form in OOT
I want him to look more piggish,but i don't want him to look like that.

Calamuty Ganon deserves a totally fresh design and so far that looks to be the case
 

Caelus

Member
I'm speculating and hoping that the name of the blue flower will be called Breath of the Wild, and encountering them near Goddess Hylia shrines will trigger Link's memories returning.
 
Can anyone list off which races will be featured in BotW? Mark for spoilers to allay concern, but I'm playing through OoT and I'm curious if all the races from that game will be accounted for in BotW, and which additional races from any subsequent game will factor in the game. Even with a larger world map for Nintendo to work with, would any culture still end up on the chopping block. I haven't played Skyward Sword of Twilight Princess. I'm really interested in how they'll be slotted into this world and if they'll be situated in areas that make geographical sense. There's supposed to be a snowy region. Would they go with an Inuit inspired design for the people, if there are people in that area?
 

Kinsei

Banned
Can anyone list off which races will be featured in BotW? Mark for spoilers to allay concern, but I'm playing through OoT and I'm curious if all the races from that game will be accounted for in BotW, and which additional races from any subsequent game will factor in the game. Even with a larger world map for Nintendo to work with, would any culture still end up on the chopping block. I haven't played Skyward Sword of Twilight Princess. I'm really interested in how they'll be slotted into this world and if they'll be situated in areas that make geographical sense. There's supposed to be a snowy region. Would they go with an Inuit inspired design for the people, if there are people in that area?

Zoras
Gorons
Koroks
Gerudo
Rito
Hylians
 

Marlowe89

Member
So did we ever get any information as to which timeline this game takes place in? I don't really want to visit the spoiler thread but I don't mind being spoiled on this specific detail.
 

Jacce

Banned
So did we ever get any information as to which timeline this game takes place in? I don't really want to visit the spoiler thread but I don't mind being spoiled on this specific detail.

Signs point to defeated hero timeline, long long after AoL. In game they state Ganon last attacked 10,000 years ago.
 

Marlowe89

Member
Signs point to defeated hero timeline, long long after AoL. In game they state Ganon last attacked 10,000 years ago.

Wow, 10,000 years? I'll admit I wasn't expecting any two Zelda adventures to be that far apart.

Are there any other important timeline tidbits? I'm hearing the shattered Twilight Mirror is present in the game, but that should be in the child timeline, so...
 
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