Reacting to The Game Theorists Solving the Zelda Timeline

[@Chris-gx1ei]

According from what we got in the No DLC Interview of Fujibayashi and Aonuma, this Founding of Hyrule was meant to be a Refounding after an Old Hyrule got destroyed and completely forgotten. Digging up Pieces of the Lore we find in Japanese we can even see a possible explaination what would have happened to cause Hyrule to fall into Anarchy: A Demon Apocalypse In the Anchient Stone Tablet Quest we read that Rauru and Sonia were hunting down Demons and placing their Remains in Shrines of Light to purify their Evil Energy with Holy Energy to prevent their resurection - everywhere you see a Shrine was once a Demon that has been destroyed by the Hands of Rauru and Sonia, and after their Purpose was finished, Rauru lets you have the Blessings of Light. That's what we know from the English and so on. But Rauru and Sonia weren't simply errasing 152 Demons because they were simply inconvenient... From what we hear from Ganondorf in Japanese before the Final Fight, there was once a Time where the World was a warfield clouded in Darkness, a World where you have to fight in order to thrive, then the Zonai came to bring Light and Peace so that even the Weak can live without worry. The world prior was a world where Ganondorf himself prospered because he was basically a Demi-God on his own even before obtaining Powerful Artifacts, and his goal was to bring this World back to that state. So basically there was at some point a time where Demons roamed the sacred land we know as Hyrule.

[@spudsbuchlaw]

Really great theory! Mine is that New (new?) Hyrule takes place after spirit Tracks, after the flood receded and people found their way back to the old kingdom, thus why a lot of its lore is a mystery to its inhabitants.

[@Gigi4u]

No thats a theory he never directly stated that to be true.

[@RainbowLove487]

I like the idea of the wild era games being at the end of the converging timelines, so far into the future that it is a "new" hyrule.

[@Iffondrel]

This! The most convincing argument I've seen was that this new hyrule was the one created when the great sea receded, leaving behind the forests the koroks planted and the depths of the old hyrule/ the evil realm. Clears up all confusion regarding having koroks, zora and rito, and a new Ganondorf. I think Nintendo really has been keeping their lore straight the whole time.

[@kingdaniel3519]

My issue with that theory is, once a timeline diverges it can NEVER reconverge again. No matter what happens in each timeline, they always move further and further away from each other.

[@Ahouro]

@@kingdaniel3519 Where did you get that it can't reconverge because that have never been confirmed anywhere.

[@kingdaniel3519]

@@Ahouro Physics

[@Ahouro]

@@kingdaniel3519 You do know that the Zelda series is a fantasy not real life and even in real life we don't know if time can be split and reconverge.

[@Wearing3funnyhats]

I liked the game theory about hyrule warriors uniting the timelines for the wild era games

[@jimmyx18f]

It would be cool if there was an official Zelda game (or game trilogy) that results in a timeline convergence. I think the story would be crazy fun.

[@klop4228]

Or rather, Hyrule Warriors explains how specific aspects of the Adult and Downfall timelines can mean BotW and TotK could well still happen in the Child Timeline.

[@Noteturtle90]

Unfortunately that theory ignored the ending of the game, and the fact that there aren't portal lines dividing the regions of BotW

[@Chris-gx1ei]

Though it still wouldnt explain what else happened inbetween unfortunally, considering Hyrule Was at Peace again and Prior to Rauru's Founding of Hyrule - taking place after the entire Timeline according to what Aonuma and Fujibayashi had in mind according to the No DLC Interview - there must have still been a huge Demonic Apocalypse that has destroyed the Previous Kingdom and there was nothing to "bring it back"

[@Chris-gx1ei]

​@Noteturtle90 The Portal Lines were technically reversed afterwards

[@Sarah_H]

re: Hylia giving up her divinity Hylia exists as a Goddess in the Era of the Wild games. NPCs mention her in dialogue, but the strongest evidence for this comes from the Horned Statue, who says that Hylia is the one who imprisoned him in his stone form and subsequently moved him to different locations. He's in a different place in TotK than he was in BotW because Hylia is the one who moved him there (he says so in-game). Zelda carries *the blood of* the Goddess, she is only the mortal incarnation of the Goddess Hylia in Skyward Sword. SS Zelda's bloodline (the bloodline of the Goddess) has continued all the way up to the Wild Era, and Hylia returned to the heavens after SS Zelda, her mortal incarnation, died re: Zelda's death in the Imprisoning War breaks the Bootstrap The Sages failing to seal Ganondorf would also break the Bootstrap, because if Ganondorf is never sealed, Zelda never travels back in time. Zelda travels back in time when she takes hold of Rauru's Secret Stone, while she's under Hyrule Castle investigating the source of the Gloom, which is Ganondorf. If Ganondorf had never been sealed, the Gloom would never have leaked out into the world, and if the Gloom had never leaked out into the world, Zelda never would have gone under the castle to investigate, never would have taken hold of the Secret Stone, and never would have travelled to the past. So she wouldn't have been present when the Sages failed to seal Ganondorf The other pieces of smoking gun evidence that TotK's Founding Era is a refounded Hyrule and that it takes place *after* all the other games: - Founding Era Hyrule's geography. In the memory "An Unfamiliar World", you can see the entrance to the cave that would eventually become the Shrine of Resurrection, and the landscape is similar enough to modern-day BotW/TotK Hyrule that you can pick out other landmarks like the Dueling Peaks (pre-split), Death Mountain, the Pillars of Levia, the blue cliffs surrounding Zora's Domain, Gerudo Highlands, and not to mention the Great Plateau itself - The geoglyph map. It was created in the ancient past, after Zelda's draconification but before BotW's history. It depicts the geoglyphs' positions on the Hyrule landmass, and these positions are still accurate over 10,000 years later. If the landmass had shifted into the form it took in other games, this map would not be accurate; I simply do not believe that the land shifted into the landmass of other games, then shifted right back to a near-identical position, right down to the locations of certain cave entrances - The ancient Sages are identical to their modern-day counterparts, with the only difference being purely cosmetic re: the clothing they wear. AGAIN, I'm not buying that the races evolved away from these forms, into the forms they had in other games, then went right back to their original forms seen in TotK's ancient past - *HYRULE CASTLE.* Hyrule Castle is part of the seal on Ganondorf. If the castle is damaged, the seal is weakened; per Ganondorf's Character Profile in TotK, the seal on him was weakened enough for him to escape in TotK due to the damage to Hyrule Castle during the Calamity of 100 years ago. Hyrule Castle is DESTROYED in OoT, and has different appearances/locations throughout the series. If Hyrule Castle had been disturbed in the time between TotK's Founding Era and TotK's modern-day, the seal on Ganondorf would have been broken and he would have escaped. The fact that he's *still there* in the opening of TotK means that Hyrule Castle was undisturbed from the point it was constructed up until the Calamity 100 years before BotW, not possible if the same Hyrule Castle had existed through the other games

[@jimmyx18f]

I always liked the idea that Skyward Sword created a new timeline when Link went to the past and sealed Demise in the master sword. That would cause the Hylians to be returned to the surface much sooner. Hyrule would have (possibly) been founded earlier and the name Zelda would be unknown. Yes this creates a fourth timeline, but killing demise before you squished avocado demise would have major consequences.

[@hchatnation]

Well that’s actually what happened in the game. Link gets a hold of the Triforce and wishes away Demise in the present time of Skyward Sword. However, because the Gate of Time was activated and they involved the past (immediately after Hylia sealed Demise), Demise still existed in the past. So Link goes back in time, fights Demise, and eradicates him completely. They did effectively shut down any possibility that there would be an offshoot branch off Skyward Sword

[@jimmyx18f]

@@hchatnation I appreciate the reply, but if you destroy Demise in the past, it has to create a different timeline (even if it’s never used). I think this because the removal of Demise in the past would mean there is no imprisoned for Link to fight 3 times throughout the game. He’d already be dead. It’s exactly like the “go back in time and kill your grandpa” paradox. If you kill your grandpa in the past (before he can help create one of your parents), you’ll never be born. So you can’t go back in time to kill your grandpa, unless that act creates a different timeline where you are never born. Now Impa having the goddess bracelet and the fully upgraded master sword being in the sealed temple when the trio return to the present makes no sense with my reasoning, but I just don’t see how killing the antagonist in the past could be part of a closed time loop.

[@kyguy3242]

​@@hchatnationIf Link had resealed Demise in the Sealed Grounds, that would have closed the loop, confirming the bootstrap paradox. But because Link instead sealed Demise within the Master Sword in the past, it creates a grandfather paradox. There would have been no reason for Link to save Zelda and defeat the Imprisoned if a future version of himself permanently defeated Demise in the past. The only explanation for why the present isn't significantly altered by defeating Demise in the past is that it likely created a branching timeline, like what happens in Avengers Endgame.

[@M.P.D.G]

*laughs nervously*

[@ghostly66799]

I’m so glad you did do your research on that, the video that they have done wasn’t researched well and they came up with something that doesn’t work it as happened with their other videos on the timeline which they get called out every time cause they piss the zelda theorist community off

[@Octuber.]

I’m just very curious as to what editing software you use. The quality of your videos amaze me, keep it up bro 💪

[@roberttodd4195]

Also, the breach of Demise existing in Breath and Tears doesn’t make sense if what Game Theory says is true. I think it’s obvious that there’s a split in the timeline that leads to those games, but it’s because Link went back in time to fight Demise in Skyward Sword. That would be an obvious cause for a split right there, but few people acknowledge it.

[@PixelFusionProductions]

Well put. I agree that Tom's assessment is wrong. I did want to bring something up though. While it is true that a Calamity took 10,000 years to happen according to the Sheikah tapestry, there is nothing stating that all instances of the Calamity took that long to emerge. It could be that before the events depicted in the tapestry, it would emerge more frequently. It could also be, and this is what I think, that the battle depicted and the technology used was so effective at eliminating the calamity (It's Malice / Gloom), that when there were no signs of it returning. They then thought it was over, or at least wouldn't be an issue for a very long time, and concluded their technology was no longer needed. Why it was so effective? I think it is because the Sheikah Tech specifically absorbed the Malice as a power source via their addition of the Purification Unit we see on the Sealing Stone. Now, I'm not saying that the Calamity in those ancient times was emerging like every other Tuesday, but I could see the build-up of this malice coming about every hundred or so years, enough that it would be recognized, dreaded, and eventually prepared for. If you are interested in chatting more about theory, you know where to find me. We share a specific server on Discord.

[@hchatnation]

I think you make a good point on that, although it doesn't change the overall message. I think we're in a couple servers feel free to @ me, happy to continue :)

[@benjthewhite]

I get the idea of Ganondorf winning and then Hylia setting in place the events of Skyward Sword, I just don’t understand how Ganondorf could be beaten if the sages lost. Sure Hylia is a goddess but a Ganondorf with a sacred stone seems more powerful than Demise, even if we allow the multiple sacred stones he’d have from beating the sages not be stacked

[@noppornwongrassamee8941]

Because of Zelda's time travel, you could argue that the Wilds/Tears boot strap loop exists in its own branch of the timeline separate from the other three, or one that branching off from one of the other three. The Wilds/Tears branch starts with Zelda arriving from the past. Any mentions of heroes from other timelines is just coincidental, the result of different events resulting in a hero getting an identical name to that of another hero from another timeline.

[@Ahouro]

Doesn't Cac disprove that Totk past happens before Oot as it says that the Gerudo didn't have a male leader after the one who became the Calamity.

[@hchatnation]

There's certainly an argument to be made there. Seeing as how 20,000+ years have passed, the counter would be "only in recorded/recent history a male was never born" but I agree with your assertion

[@stuffz1757]

No, it flat out says that it's Skyward Sword > TotKs past > everything else. Y'all are wrong.

[@Ahouro]

@@stuffz1757 It doesn't do that and if you think it does which exact page is it on and if you can´t provide it then we know that your a liar.

[@cato3277]

@@stuffz1757”flat out” tell me you didn’t read it without telling me you didn’t read it

[@stuffz1757]

@@Ahouro It's on the timeline page, any of them that show the timeline. The period referring to Hyrule prospering under the Hylians and then having "Calamity Ganon" be born, is a condensed version of the timeline from Creating a Champion. The history of Calamity Ganon hasn't changed, ToTK Ganondorf and the Imprisoning War were intentionally forgotten while the history of Calamity Ganon which started with OOT Ganondorf transforming into Ganon is what was passed down in Hyrule. It's: Creation > Age of Gods (includes Skyward Sword, Era of Chaos, and the founding and Imprisoning War) > Age of Myth (includes OOT, and every game of whatever branch these are on) > Ancient Sheikah age > Present day age which includes the lead up to 100 years ago and BOTW and TotK.

[@matheusbender5888]

besides this point, a lot of references like de name of the divine beasts, the armors sets from diferent games and other references made very clear that botw takes place in the end of the time line. totk that mess up the hole thing

[@p.g89]

The only hole in game theory's well..... theory 😂 is that skyward sword, twilight princess and ocarina of time where directly referenced in botw's cutscenes

[@Ahouro]

Wind Waker and Link to the past is also referenced in the Japanese version.

[@TrueKoalaKnight]

Yeah, when I saw the Theorist video I audibly scoffed at it. A fine effort by them, but it falls very short of proper research. As for myself, I believe the entirety of the wild era including the "founding" by Zonai Rauru takes place at least thousands of years after either the Child or Forgotten Timeline. (I refuse to call it the downfall timeline as I think Nintendo's official explanation for it is lame and there are better explanations within OoT itself.) So I still don't have a firm placement, but I'm 100% sure it's not after the Adult Timeline. And I assert that there is no merger of timelines and there likely never will be.

[@goldenlotus3046]

@@TrueKoalaKnight I agree in there being no merger. I think that's a dumb theory that isn't supported by anything except a non cannon spinoff. Nintendo themselves said breath of the wild takes place at the end of all of the timelines. So to me I interrupt that as it's just so far into the future that all the main events that have happened on all three timelines eventually happen in some ways or form in all three timelines to the point where when we look back at history from breath of the wilds point of view.....the histories are so identical, with all the previous games being a single point on the timeline and regarded as nothing but myths and legends, that they might as well be one timeline.

[@TrueKoalaKnight]

@@goldenlotus3046 To be precise, Nintendo said that BotW takes place on one of the branches, but it's so far into the future that it's unclear which events are actually history. I do agree that many parallel events would then happen in all three timelines during that vast amount of time.

[@goldenlotus3046]

@@TrueKoalaKnight do you know the interview? Because I remember them originally saying it happens on all three of them.

[@TrueKoalaKnight]

@@goldenlotus3046 I don't remember the exact interview, no. But I've looked it up many times before and it has come up many times on Zelda Universe forums. To be honest, I don't have time to look it again right now, but I encourage you to fact check me on this just in case I'm in error. 👍

[@risingdawn66isawesome]

NAH SCREAMING NO WAY THEY TOUCHED ZELDA AGAIN IM CACKLING (No bad intentions just funny I never thought they'd do one again but everyone gets to try)

[@Zanetune]

My personal theory is this. Because Nintendo has used the three way split in Ocarina of Time as the basis for all timelines it opens up another split. As in Nintendo can’t say it couldn’t happen because they themselves made and uphold the Ocarina of Time split to this day. Recap, Link defeats Ganon in the future/Adult Timeline then gets sent back in time, where he defeats Ganondorf via exposing his plan, Child Timeline. Now because of this certainty we can observe another split, the very beginning. Skyward Link defeats the Imprisoned in the present day, then is forced to venture to the distant past where Demise had just been sealed, or at the very least where Zelda had just sealed herself to maintain the Demise seal. Once again in two time periods the Demon King was defeated. And yes Demise in the past curses Link and Zelda, but the curse was on their descendants. His hatred will follow there descendants (blood of the goddess, and spirit of the hero.) this curse is two fold, as Zelda is born from Hylia sacrificing her godly form for mortal. Which she just did in the past, before Link came charging in to rescue Zelda from present day Ghirahim. The history of this new branch can still somewhat parallel events of the main timeline, we have an Imprisoning War, we clearly had a version of the Hyrulian Civil War in TotK. Another thing I noticed besides all the Hylia worship in BotW/TotK (as compared to the main timelines), is that the Spirit of the Hero is not as in play as it is in the main timelines. Theres no parallel OoT Link for TotK (past) The only hero we see is the tapestry Hero, and BotW Link. Without a Link to combat the curse properly it’s allowed to fester and grow. Why else is TotK Ganondorf so strong compared to OoT. And because the method of sealing was different (King Rauru sacrificing his life vs. Zelda and the OoT Sages plus Link) his hatred, and the curse, is allowed to fester into a gloom, into a Malicious entity that would come to be known as the Calamity Ganon. I’ll end this here because at this point I’ve written a textbook in the comments.

[@3X3NTR1K]

What pisses me off is this strict adherence to generic SciFi conventions when talking about explicitly magical time shenanigans. Literally no LoZ game involving time mechanics actually follows those rules. A bootstrap paradox means nothing when time is inherently mutable and a goddess of magic is applying an external influence.

[@hchatnation]

The series acknowledges the implications of the effects of time travel so I'd argue it's fair game Ocarina of Time, Song of Storms. Link teaches the song to the old man in the Windmill as an adult, who then teaches the song to Link as a kid. So where did the song come from? Plus the whole, sending Link from one time to another and creating 2 separate, acknowledged timeline branches Skyward Sword's plot forces you to go back in time and defeat Demise even though you wished him away with the Triforce in the current time. The triforce wasn't almighty, powerful enough to wipe away his existence, but in that one time. You have to go back in time to defeat him a 2nd time.

[@3X3NTR1K]

@hchatnation Oh yeah, not saying there isn't some overlap with our normal assumptions. That still leaves a lot of differences though, and a LOT of room for other interpretations. So please - and forgive my overly speculative approach here - consider the following: - In OoT, the reversable 7 year skip serves the in-setting purpose of empowering and enabling Link to defeat Ganondorf. It isn't credited with creating any timeline splits by itself, if anything it seems to be not only stable but self-correcting. - The "too young to wield" thing never happened before or since, because that was the one and only time it needed to work that way. It was by design and for that purpose. - The Song of Storms comes from nowhere from the PLAYERS perspective yes, but that doesn't mean there wasn't an external factor at play. It is song of power to be played on a magical ocarina, and I don't need to say thay Zelda and by extention Hylia had a lot to do with That Whole Thing. If the goddess wanted to teach Link that song and couldn't do it directly, slipping it into a self-correcting time loop might be the EASIEST method. Even if we don't assume she didn't set up the entire scenario to begin with. (Super speculative headcannon incoming!) - OoT served the narrative purpose to create stories in Hyrule that weren't doomed to be the post-apoc setting we had seen in the first two. But what if that purpose extended to the in universe events? What if downfall happened "first", with out any time travel at all? Imagine Link as a child forced to claim the Master Sword well before his time. No skip, no back and forth, just running, training and fighting for seven years straight. Only to be doomed to fall - tired and broken - at the hands of Ganondorf. Would Hylia not be willing to use her power to create a better future? Didn't Zelda want Link to have a better past? Maybe even the spirit of the hero itself was in danger. Perhaps Zelda prayed to Hylia in desperation to act directly, or Link wished on the triforce as a last resort. Some desperate Hail Mary to prevent that Downfall from being the only future. Those seven years are cut out at both ends by the Master Sword, cleaving the Adult Timeline from Downfall to save Hyrules future, and Zelda creating the Child Timeline to save Links own. The future couldn't be saved, so one timeline became three. ... Bonus Theory: Downfall Link is the one who "first" played the Song of Storms.

[@Gabeora]

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[@BR1CK_Lawliet]

I personally believe that Tears of the Kingdom depicts the original founding of Hyrule, seamlessly fitting into the pre-established canon based on all the information we have. It places the events of the game’s ancient past neatly between Skyward Sword and The Minish Cap, creating a natural progression in the timeline. To me, alternative interpretations just don’t hold up as well, if at all. I also believe that the Wild Era is set in the Fallen Hero Timeline. Perhaps Zelda’s time travel, acting as a bootstrap paradox, was the catalyst that forced the Fallen Timeline into existence. Considering that Zelda possesses the full Triforce, she could have been the one to force this split into existence. While other timeline splits stem from the closing of the Door of Time, the all-powerful Triforce may have created a similar divergence-perhaps choosing not to erase or alter the original flow of time, which we know as the Hero is Triumphant timeline, but instead allowing both timelines to coexist.

[@HunterSolomon-k6y]

Press See More to see the whole thing. In Tears of the Kingdom, the Zonai are presented as an advanced, almost divine civilization that helped shape the early world before retreating into the sky. They weren’t literal gods, but their wisdom, technology, and longevity led the mortal races to revere them as such. When their population dwindled, only Rauru and Mineru returned to the surface, becoming the last surviving Zonai. Their actions laid the foundation for Hyrule’s future-Rauru as its first king, Mineru as its archivist, and their family line as the keepers of the Zonai legacy. I believe that Rauru and Sonia’s child, born of Zonai lineage, was none other than the Goddess Hylia. Her Zonai blood granted her an extended lifespan and remarkable abilities, which led the people of Hyrule to revere her as divine. This also explains her extraordinary power over the sky and gravity, as seen in her ability to lift Skyloft into the heavens. Hylia’s ability to lift the island mirrors the Zonai’s creation of the sky islands, suggesting that her deeds weren’t divine miracles, but rather a continuation of her ancestors’ mastery over advanced Zonai magic and technology. By creating Skyloft, Hylia wasn’t just protecting humanity; she was preserving her Zonai heritage, and that connection between the Zonai’s legacy and the future of Hyrule is critical to understanding Hylia’s role in history. This reframes Hylia not as an otherworldly goddess, but as a mortal elevated to godhood through the mythologization of her deeds. It also helps explain her deep investment in protecting Hyrule and her ability to create objects of immense power, such as the Master Sword. The Goddess Sword, which is essentially the precursor to the Master Sword, starts out looking very similar to it: short and green. The green color of the blade suggests the presence of Zonite ore, which is heavily tied to the Zonai in Tears of the Kingdom. If the Goddess Sword was forged with Zonite, it would be another connection to Hylia’s Zonai lineage, showing that the weapon of immense power wasn’t just a divine creation, but a product of Zonai magic and materials. I think that, during her time in the past, Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom might have encountered and even helped raise this infant Hylia. This would create a powerful time loop where Zelda’s actions directly shaped the timeline, strengthening her connection to Hylia’s spirit and influence. In addition, I believe that the creation of the Divine Beasts in Breath of the Wild was an attempt by the ancient Sheikah to recreate the ancient sages. After the events where Rauru and the ancient sages were trying to seal away Demon King Ganondorf, the Sheikah sought to replicate their strength and role in protecting Hyrule. The Divine Beasts themselves could be seen as a new form of the sages, brought to life by Sheikah technology and magic, designed to combat the recurring threat of Ganondorf and his dark power. This is why the Divine Beasts’ masks that Link can wear in BotW and TotK resemble the masks that the ancient sages wore during their battle with Ganondorf. The masks and the Divine Beasts themselves may be symbolic of the sages’ enduring legacy, a way to channel their power and wisdom through the technology of the Sheikah. This also explains why the Divine Beasts were buried under several layers of rock. I also think that Ganondorf, the first Demon King in Tears of the Kingdom, left such a profound imprint on the world that even Demise, the antagonist of Skyward Sword, modeled his appearance after him. Demise’s fiery mane, imposing stature, and armor-like skin all bear a strong resemblance to Ganondorf’s form, especially in his Demon King transformation. This connection suggests that Ganondorf’s hatred and malice were so intense that they transcended time, giving rise to Demise as a spiritual successor. In my interpretation, Ganondorf’s role in Tears of the Kingdom is more than just the origin of the Demon King title-he is the genesis of the eternal cycle of hatred that curses the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the Hero. Demise’s curse becomes a direct continuation of Ganondorf’s resentment toward Hylia and Rauru, perpetuating an endless cycle of conflict. This cyclical relationship between Ganondorf, Demise, Hylia, and Zelda adds a layer of depth to the lore of The Legend of Zelda, emphasizing the series’ recurring themes of legacy, myth, and the enduring struggle between light and darkness. Cliff notes: •The Zonai were an advanced, near-divine civilization that shaped the early world and later retreated into the sky. They weren’t literal gods, but their wisdom, technology, and longevity made others revere them as such. •Only Rauru and Mineru, the last surviving Zonai, returned to the surface, with Rauru becoming Hyrule’s first king and Mineru its archivist. Their lineage kept the Zonai legacy alive. •I believe Rauru and Sonia’s child was the Goddess Hylia, born from Zonai blood. This gave her an extended lifespan and abilities, leading Hyruleans to view her as divine. •Hylia’s abilities, like lifting Skyloft, mirror the Zonai’s control over gravity and the sky islands. Her feats weren’t divine miracles but advanced Zonai magic and technology in action. This suggests she was preserving Zonai heritage while protecting Hyrule. •This theory reframes Hylia as a mortal elevated to godhood through the mythologization of her deeds, not an actual deity. •The Goddess Sword (precursor to the Master Sword) starts as short and green, implying it was made from Zonite ore, which is tied to the Zonai. This reinforces Hylia’s Zonai connection. •Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom might have encountered and raised the infant Hylia, creating a time loop where Zelda shapes the timeline, strengthening her connection to Hylia’s spirit. •The Divine Beasts in Breath of the Wild were likely an attempt by the ancient Sheikah to recreate the ancient sages who fought Ganondorf. They were created using Sheikah technology to combat Ganondorf’s recurring threat. •The masks Link can wear in BotW and TotK resemble the masks worn by the ancient sages, symbolizing the enduring legacy of their power and wisdom channeled through Sheikah technology. •Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom leaves such a lasting imprint on the world that Demise, from Skyward Sword, models his appearance after him. This shows Ganondorf’s malice transcended time, becoming the spiritual origin of Demise. •Ganondorf’s hatred perpetuates the eternal cycle of conflict between light and dark, influencing both Demise and Hylia/Zelda. •This cyclical relationship between Ganondorf, Demise, Hylia, and Zelda deepens the lore of The Legend of Zelda, emphasizing themes of legacy, myth, and the continuous battle between good and evil.

[@BR1CK_Lawliet]

While I understand where you’re coming from, there’s one major issue: the Zonai worshipped Hylia. Evidence of this can be found in the statue of Hylia within King Rauru’s Temple of Time, as well as in the floating islands above Faron, in the room housing Mineru’s Construct Mask. It wouldn’t make sense for both Rauru and Mineru to believe in and worship a “goddess” if that goddess were merely their daughter or niece. Zelda didn’t raise Rauru and Sonia’s child either, as her draconification occurred shortly after the Imprisoning War.

[@HunterSolomon-k6y]

@ The statues of Hylia found on the sky islands and in the Zonai castle don’t necessarily disprove the theory that she was the child of Rauru and Sonia-they could instead reflect the Zonai’s prophetic foresight. As a highly advanced civilization with mastery over time and spiritual insight, the Zonai may have predicted the birth of a figure like Hylia, destined to carry their legacy forward. These statues would not depict the literal Hylia we know but a symbolic figure, honoring the idea of a savior-like child of Zonai lineage who would bridge their waning civilization with the mortal world. This aligns with their understanding of time as cyclical, tying Hylia’s destiny to their advanced technology and magic. Just as prophets in real-world traditions envisioned messianic figures, the Zonai may have created these statues to venerate the foreseen culmination of their heritage, ensuring their influence endured through her deeds.

[@BR1CK_Lawliet]

@ the issue here would be that we can still interact with Hylia to at least some capacity. Rauru also knows how to communicate to her through prayers. Making it unlikely in my eyes. But an alternative I could see instead, is that Zelda, as the Light Dragon, is Hylia. Though I personally don’t believe this.

[@HunterSolomon-k6y]

@ While Rauru does know how to communicate with Hylia through prayer, that doesn’t necessarily mean Hylia existed in her “divine” form before his time. It’s possible that Rauru and Sonia’s child, the one I theorize to be Hylia, was mythologized over time, and Rauru’s prayers were directed toward her spirit or legacy, which became divine in the eyes of future generations. Your point about Rauru’s communication doesn’t contradict my theory; it strengthens it. If Rauru knew how to pray to Hylia, it could imply he had a direct role in establishing the worship of Hylia-perhaps after the events of Tears of the Kingdom-to honor his own child. Additionally, it’s important to note that the Royal Family of Hyrule traditionally reveres the Goddess Hylia and maintains a strong bloodline connection to her, suggesting her origins may be tied to the Zonai. If Sonia and Rauru’s lineage survived, their child could have been elevated to a divine figure over time. Regarding the Light Dragon, while the idea that Zelda as the Light Dragon is Hylia could work symbolically, I’d argue it’s a separate matter. Zelda as the Light Dragon sacrifices herself for Hyrule in a way that parallels Hylia’s original sacrifice in Skyward Sword. Zelda channeling Hylia’s spirit doesn’t require her to be Hylia; it reinforces that Zelda is tied to Hylia through her bloodline, a bloodline I propose originates with Sonia and Rauru. In short, Hylia could have originated as Rauru and Sonia’s child, hidden during the war, whose legend grew into divinity. Rauru’s prayers would not disprove this-rather, they show his reverence for someone deeply significant to him.

[@BR1CK_Lawliet]

@ I see what you mean, but I still disagree due to the fact that Hylia was the one who gifted the Zonai the Secret Stones, generations prior to Rauru and Mineru. This simply wouldn’t make sense to me if Hylia lived after the last Zonai / with the last Zonai.

[@stuffz1757]

Bruh the lore book says, TotKs past happen after Skyward Sword and before MC. Give it up already. Its not a refounding.

[@LuckyNumber39]

@@stuffz1757 you mean TotK's Master Works book?