The Entire Zelda Universe Explained in 33 Minutes

[@TheMentok]

This video features just under 50 different songs from the Zelda series, handpicked by me. They're all in the description if you enjoy any of them!

[@hydrotatsumaster]

Thank you for including the song credits. Not enough people do that. You're great.

[@Lord_Malkior]

The two oddball picks. 💀

[@Retroman8000]

Which ones are which did u list them? My CD that came with the game doesn't work

[@Retroman8000]

Just found the list, next time put the credits on screen and I'll put u in for an Oscar. Btw it's a long video, why u reading so fast? We already here watching

[@Lord_Malkior]

@@Retroman8000 On a scale from zero-orbital, how high are you?

[@damiencouturee6240]

"Seals are meant to be broken" footage is absolutely awesome lmfao. This channel rocks

[@roguecalvinist]

Seals are meant to be broken LOL

[@LozMajM]

One detail I really liked about ToTK's ending is that Link grabs hold of Zelda's hand, mirroring the beginning of Skyward Sword when Link reaches out for Zelda and misses, causing her to fall to the surface and cause the entire series to happen in the first place. Not sure if it was intentional or not, but I like to think it is

[@winzygamer7086]

Yeah i thought the same too. When he said "he caught her this time", i thought about the parallel between that and zelda falling in skyward sword

[@tumultuousv]

It's definitely more in line with when Link misses Zeldas hand at the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom itself. That being a parallel with skyward sword is pretty possible though.

[@Ceobeatmaker]

A good theory that's out there is that the 3 Zeldas, Sky, BOTW and TOTK directed by the same guy are interactions of the triforce... Sky=Power BOTW=Wisdom TOTK=Courage Color schemes and gameplay reflects these themes and is a possibility why that missed catch in Sky and the beginning of TOTK are book ended by the end of TOTK.

[@Orangenugg7]

Honestly my theory is that Botw and Totk are a completely different thing and all the references are merely fairytales

[@logicaldude3611]

It also mirrors the beginning of this game, which I think is the intent.

[@chrisdaley7581]

So, I've been a fan of LoZ for about 30 years and have watched quite a explanation videos. This has to be the single most comprehensive explanation of the timeline that I've ever seen. The storytelling and weaving is so on point, and the jumping back and forth between alternate realities made this so digestible. Great job here!

[@eleezakhan7838]

“Hyrule which seems to be allergic to peace” WHY IS IT SO TRUE THO I CANT STOP LAUGHING

[@bogwitchsophie]

Mentok out here knowing we needed our fix.

[@TheMentok]

Maan, it’s been too long since the last one. Time flies. I need to post more 😅

[@etherealdragon207]

Addict

[@firionkaiser8291]

One correction. The Link in Triforce Heroes is confirmed to be the same one from ALBW. On the other hand, the name Princess Zelda I suggests that after the original tradition of naming Zelda after SS Zelda may have been forgotten after the events of ALBW/TFH and Possibly Echoes of Wisdom. To the point where Sleeping Zelda is considered the first Zelda in Hyrule. Which is also why it becomes a law once again. WW Link's grandmother may have implied that Link is related to MC Link via the Family Heirloom which is the same shield both MC Link and FS Link used. Although she believes that the HoT used it.

[@SayisSpeakin]

16:49 best moment in the whole video I jumped out my chair lmaooo

[@lpstweetytv5242]

He said what we were all thinking XD

[@lunarlakes]

3:14 Demise only curses Zelda's bloodline, he curses the "spirit of the hero" for Link. So SS Link's descendants are likely not the other Links we see in the other games. iirc the only Link's that are related are the Hero of Time and the Hero of Twilight.

[@lunarlakes]

Take a shot every time I wrote Link

[@kingdaniel3519]

Well, they're the only ones we know for SURE are directly related.

[@AngelPerez-tu1nk]

Hyrule is one of my favorite worlds in fiction. If only it got a break from that goddamned curse

[@etherealdragon207]

The question is, would people accept a change in the status quo. Despite there are games where he is not the villain, original fans might not accept it. As someone who played played Zelda since the Nintendo era, I'm fine with Demise being permanently killing him and letting a new evil replace him.

[@AngelPerez-tu1nk]

@@etherealdragon207 It has been proven to work and allow Ganondorf to be used as something else

[@TheMentok]

I will say this, as I was going through this video, it was refreshing seeing other villains aside from Ganon.

[@AngelPerez-tu1nk]

@@TheMentok Amen

[@toumabyakuya]

@@etherealdragon207 I know I would be fine with it. I would also be fine with a Zelda game that's not a Dungeon Crawler, there are a lot of other genres that they could try: Turn-based RPG, Grid-based Tactical RPG, Visual Novel, you name it.

[@nelsonv1953]

I love the way you mixed in BotW and TotK after the timelines.

[@estefanolivares4159]

I love all the Link sound effects when you mention him in his games.

[@etherealdragon207]

Surprised they haven't tried to use the Triforce to prevent Ganondorf from being reborn.

[@tryingbridge2548]

Likely none of the past incarnations knew about the curse. Only way they could is if Fi woke again.

[@kze24]

@@tryingbridge2548 Or if Hylia told them about the curse

[@lightyoshiman]

@@tryingbridge2548 yea for the most part every time ganondorf is defeated zelda and link think its for good its only a century or so later that he breaks out and zelda and links reincarnation find out he's been doing this for century's now and most of the time the triforce isn't even available or with in their grasp

[@winzygamer7086]

​@@tryingbridge2548zeldas been having mad convos with fi tho in botw and totk

[@mostlyimpulsive3462]

Also even if they stop Ganondorf from ever being reborn again, Demise's curse will simply manifest as some other jerk stomping in, like with Malladus, Veran, or Vaati.

[@Raliceia96]

My theory is that TotK takes place on an alternate timeline created by SS, and that BotW takes place on that timeline, concurrent to the events of the child timeline.

[@UselessGoddess378]

Possibly in the world of the past Demise was slain in. Because even if the game doesn't acknowledge it- c'mon, that's a timeline split. It definitely can't be Adult (Hyrule was literally wished away and is eternally under the sea) and while it could be downfall considering Ganon is kind of a mindless monster 100% of the time in it I'd consider it unlikely. (Edit: and Ganon was super dead in AoL AND Link managed to get the whole Triforce iirc getting Courage at the end. Also the weirdness the entire Late Downfall is.) I'm pretty sure that Ocarina happened in some capacity in the BotW timeline because of the Temple of Time and general continuity stuff and all that, but I dunno.

[@Raliceia96]

That's what I was thinking

[@mikethehunter5212]

It is odd that Nintendo doesn't even acknowledge that as a possibility considering the switch port coming out between BOTW and TOTK. Almost as if they're the only three connected to one another. That's my theory as well until proven otherwise. Makes everyone happy imo.

[@mythosinfinite6736]

It'd work well if it wasn't for the Zora historical records in TotK and BotW recording events from other timelines, such as Princess Ruto being trapped in JabuJabu.

[@Raliceia96]

@@mythosinfinite6736 Princess Ruto was trapped in JabuJabu in OoT, which is the beginning of the child timeline.

[@epicbrady1662]

Echos of wisdom goes after link returns from koholint island to the hyrule of a link to the past

[@Knight_Dragon]

One theory I really like is that the past we see in TotK is actually set after the events of Windwaker, iirc a developer said that the Hyrule we see in the past could actually be a rebuilt hyrule, so what’s 10,000 years in the past in TotK could be thousands of years in the future from other games. Why windwaker specifically? Because we find rock salt everywhere in the game, which is commonly found in places that used to be submerged by ocean , and hyrule was flooded prior to the events of windwaker, and could’ve drained sometime before the past seen in TotK, letting settlers rebuild

[@coledetlor6693]

I like the game theorists idea that Hyrule Warriors is in the timeline just before botw and that's where all 3 timeline connect

[@chancepaladin]

agreed, HW actually ties it all together pretty well, along with tingle, linkle, etc.

[@Aurora-qn2dx]

I Hope next Zelda Will have Hyrule in it's prime like in oot but with the Freedom to explore of totk.

[@philosophicaljay3449]

12:48 Actually, not a new Link, that is A Link Between World's Link.

[@belgarath6388]

And to think that all of those troubles in Hyrule started with three godesses creating the world, then noping out of there leaving an incredible powerful relic and an unfortunate intern, which they did'nt warn about the sealed demon god, to deal with the mess.

[@JitterBob]

What an awesome video!! The timeline of Zelda is super interesting. It may be a bit convoluted in some places, but I’m impressed that they made such a valiant effort to even make it a timeline at all.

[@lightyoshiman]

Mentok our here explaining the Zelda lore better than Nintendo themselves

[@chrislevack405]

Amazing video. Wonderful pacing... fantastic editing... 10 out of 10

[@Damariobros]

19:19 Yo, I did NOT expect a Vaush clip in this video 😭💀

[@jackmorgan8584]

Mentok well done I’m impressed with your knowledge of the lore and for explaining that annoying timeline split and that demise curse anyway good job on the video can’t wait for the next one.

[@diegogutierrez7149]

This was a fun video. Not the first I've seen on the timeline, but I kind of like how you delivered the lines and all that. Such. Good video

[@Young_Gil]

Titles shown on the timeline that are close together basically touching take place in the same era, therefore being the same link for the most part.

[@CrepuscularBean]

"allergic to peace" made me snort

[@snakejazz]

I'm a third of the way in and I love the pacing-to-clarity ratio, if there's such a thing. Didn't drag on and didn't miss details 🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@stormRed]

EoW is gonna be sooo interesting

[@123carol321]

Minish cap was my first zelda game ❤

[@KtCleansAlot]

Perfect timing! I'm going to listen to this while I dust my Zelda collection 👌

[@Datboi_Carlos7]

20:29 i cannot take Ganondorf getting killed seriously when he's making that face 💀💀💀💀

[@2muchvariety]

Amazing video, entertaining and informative!!

[@edbdavis4]

13 seconds in and I knew this was going to be 🔥! Love this!🎉🎉

[@andrewmolk8557]

Echoes comes with an explanation for the very very very beginning of their universe also quite possibly the creator of demise himself

[@Cure-Skywalker]

I have 2 different theories about how BotW-TotK fit. 1. Skyward Sword did a Ocarina of Time and creates a timeline split with all the time traveling they do in the game. 2. The Goddess look at the split timelines spreading further and further apart and said "fucking hell with this shit. Enough!" and merged the timelines back into 1. Also Echo probably takes place around the same general time of Link to the Past/Link Between worlds given the similar map design.

[@OliverStabile]

Number is my head cannon now

[@Ferry1411]

Amazing work! Tinashe's nasty caught me off guard lmao

[@TomMooreT2S]

My perspective on the Zelda timeline: *Canon Timeline* - Skyward Sword - Ocarina of Time - Majora’s Mask - Twilight Princess (- Era of Smash Ultimate Princess Zelda living life at the fullest!) Note: You noticed I didn’t include Minish Cap. Well, I see it as half canon/noncanon because of all Zeldas, Minish Cap garners the least amount of attention in references. No Zelda since seems to have brought it back up. And the last note there after Twilight Princess, just fan fic I have of a post-Twilight era Hyrule and the world beyond it. I always make up overexaggerated stories of Smash Zelda and her Smashing routines. Hehe… *Expanded Timeline* - Ocarina of Time (Adult) - The Wind Waker - Phantom Hourglass - Spirit Tracks *What-if Timeline* - Minish Cap (Link is too late to stop Vaati in final bell chime; Vaati is sealed, not destroyed…) - Four Swords - Four Swords Adventures - A Link to the Past (A Link Between Worlds… I guess…) - Oracle of Seasons/Ages - Link’s Awakening - The Legend of Zelda - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Note: What if Vaati succeeded in draining ALL of the Light Force from Zelda? Now THIS is an entire what-if scenario. Four Swords Adventures is supposedly THE sequel to Four Swords. Ganon makes his first appearance as the blue boar-like demon. I put A Link Between Worlds alongside A Link to the Past because it’s a retelling of that game as opposed to being another sequel (albeit more kidified). I didn’t include Tri-Force Heroes because it has no reason at all to be canon to the series and should’ve been its own thing. Yes, after the Oracle titles, Link “dies” at sea after the events of Link’s Awakening… Don’t deny it, Nintendo. *Unless if Echoes of Wisdom says otherwise…* Overall note: It’s a loose representation of the Zelda timeline made by Lorulean Historian, but I sorted out the entries due to the inconsistencies made by the Era of the Wild Zelda titles. And Speaking of… *Nintendo wanted to start over…* - Tears of the Kingdom (Past) - First Great Calamity (10,000 years ago) - Breath of the Wild (Past) - Breath of the Wild (Present) - Tears of the Kingdom (Present) Note: NO CONNECTIONS to past Zeldas. It’s a reimagining. Why care connecting it to the past? :l

[@tigersnakegaming5530]

Echoes of wisdom would have to introduce a time split at the moment of the creation of the light world. Demise owns one timeline, Null owns the other. From this timeline Nintendo can come up with new ideas.

[@jodybeck2779]

Great vid dude

[@zakvillarreal8236]

Very nice video! It was cool seeing the story for spirit tracks and phantom hourglass. Never could get into them. I like the Lokomo. Haha. Locomotor. Because it's trains

[@etherealdragon207]

Given the art style of Wisdom, I want to say it is around the time of Link's Awakening.

[@DanteCrowlley]

Its interesting how many japanese/asian contents have heavy inpirations on Kabbalah n other systems

[@Solar_gameX]

Usually in Zelda games sequels are one after another so I think echos of wisdom will go after link’s awakening cuz it takes place after link wakes up the wind fish and goes back to hyrule where Ganon sealed Zelda and link brakes her free. That’s all the info I could get from the trailer

[@SN10FILMS]

Okay so I'm new to your channel and man what a find been looking for a story teller to tell the story and break down the timeline for me. Cause I have the Zelda timeline book but still have a hard time figuring out the lost timeline. Now to the end is where more Zelda is the protagonist what's next

[@nathancoote]

Funny how at 6:09, he says that hyrule is alergic to peace.. Lmao.

[@fearXtheXfro]

Finally cookin again

[@UltimateBokanator]

Ganondorf is my guy. Fuck Hyrule

[@WeOnlyEatSoup]

Now THAT was a Zelda video 🔥🔥🔥

[@briandudley4637]

Note. The skyward sword link is only the first link in the games, he is already a reincarnation of the first link who was a direct champion for hylia in her original time.

[@IceAngel_LR]

Fantastic explanation!❤❤

[@kloassie]

Well as long as there aren't any plot holes in the lore 🤷

[@Titantitan001]

Skyward sword was truly amazing. I enjoyed that game a lot playing the HD remake. Really want to play wind waker and twilight too

[@yithanong7593]

So basically all the calamity in the Zelda universe could have been avoided had the first Zelda and Link not procreate?

[@mariekelly5627]

I think the king;s decree makes sense if you consider it a case of tradition vs law. Originally, it was just traditional to name a Princess Zelda, the decree made it any princess HAS to be named Zelda. Also, I also wonder how extensive the royal family is. Does Zelda have any second or third or fourth cousins also named Zelda? Or is it just direct lineage to the throne? That must make for an interesting family reunion.

[@JaidynReiman]

My assumption was it was always the firstborn daughter of the current King.

[@geosen114]

If they ever make a Zelda game; they should title it as: *The Legend of Zelda: Lost Souls* The mechanics of the game would focus on link being able to take the properties of the souls that reside in hyrule - Similar to that of Majoras Mask but you can be of any species. The puzzle solving would be peak.

[@AGibson723]

If princess Zelda splits the Triforce as a power move to keep it from Ganon, then why are the dungeons full of Ganon's minions?

[@HeroOfHyrule22186]

Tbh, I'd put eow after alttp. Let me explain. In the trailer, we see the alttp overworld. But while Link was fighting Ganon in the beginning, Ganon had a double-sided trident. We don't see that anywhere else but Link's Awakening, where he fought the nightmare of Ganon. Link first has to see him wield a double- sided trident before to dream of him fighting with it. Also the art style gave me the impression it would be in the FHT. Especially near Link's Awakening.

[@Leturane]

My guess for Echo of Wisdom would probably pre date the Link Between World. And the Still World is actually Lorule but the Hylian isnt know about the Lorule yet. Just my wild theory lol

[@Maddyellie]

Laughed the Australia reference thank you! From an Australian

[@Syn.]

greatest franchise ever made

[@canaanmorgan4323]

A minor correction, the link from a link to the past and links awakening is the same link going into the oracle games

[@hyper_lynx]

Interestingly, in OoT, Farore is said to have created "all life *that would uphold the law", referencing the laws of nature Nayru had just made. To me it's not completely clear that that included the demon tribe, but it definitely could have.

[@Darkfrogplays]

I think that the memories in totk are actually a different (maybe because of combination of timelines in the world of botw) version of the events of oot and alttp and the time inbetween because the light sage in oot is named rauru ofcourse the imprisoning war is after the downfall of link and the timeline roster also states that ganondorf became demon king ganon(dorf) in oot.. (edit:) also in tp we see ganon get "executed" and has that mark on his chest and in totk in around the same area is where ganon loses gloom due to what i think is a wound created by rauru's arm and that the "combination of timelines" was the reason the ancient history is a little different from what happens in the games in that time. This might also be stating that botw and totk might be more remeniscent of the downfall timeline.. links "death" in botw might also be a nod to this

[@mikaproler]

Just in time for my lunch

[@ClaireSoelberg-op8id]

31:10 Help, this killed me

[@TheBoneHeadClan]

thx for this recap confusing af series

[@zombiesouffle]

Your commentary is so freaking funny

[@HuskiesGaming2000]

There’s echoes of wisdom soon which takes place in the fallen hero I believe

[@stuffz1757]

I despise that no one seems to consider the possibility that the TotK memories are the true founding of Hyrule.

[@swinto4795]

There are many trust me, yes I see that as a bigger chance than it being several millennias after the other games in some kind of merged timeline. The creation story is very similar to skyward sword for it not to be the real founding story lost through generations and changed in the way that it started to revolve around 3 main characters.

[@Clyde-S-Wilcox]

Nope. Too many references to previous games. The founding of Hyrule by Rauru takes place many years after the previous kingdoms have vanished and the broken timelines have healed back into one. There's no other explanation for the BotW scene in which Zelda references past events across all the timelines.

[@KaitouKaiju]

​@@Clyde-S-Wilcoxthe explanation could be her time powers gave her visions

[@stuffz1757]

@@Clyde-S-Wilcox There's zero evidence of the "past kingdom" vanishing or even existing. As far as the game is concerned there's only one Hyrule. Moreover there's no evidence of the timelines merging, or even any implications that that's possible. If you're gonna suggest something that is purely based off of headcanoning, like the refounding idea is, you might as well just assume the Ancient Sheikah had the power to look into other timelines or possibly travel to them, which better explains the presence of multiple timelines being referenced without having to assume all of the other nonsense of a refounding. Edit: this post sounds way meaner than I intended it to, my apologies.

[@mikethehunter5212]

Some people place it before the events of Skyward Sword. Either way, too many inconsistencies for a definitive placement. Best one I've seen is SS (past where Demise is killed), BOTW, and TOTK all take place in a separate timeline.

[@OrbitalFrog_]

My guess is that echos of wisdom goes either in the downfall timeline or after TOTK. While we have seeen boar ganon in other timelines, he’s most prominent in the downfall timeline.

[@drchrisbartlett]

31:54 🎉. Sassy video. Loved it.

[@anonimase4315]

7:40 also known as the basketball timeline

[@lukejones7164]

The era of Rauru & Sonia is suppose to be after Skyward Sword and before everything else

[@JaidynReiman]

This is based on the refounding theory which allegedly Fujibayashi also backed up. Ironically, though, Fujibayashi's comment was discussing a possible refounding of Hyrule after Skyward Sword under the assumption that Hyrule was founded immediately at the end of Skyward Sword (which actually doesn't happen in game). So Fujibayashi himself doesn't even know the lore of some of the more recent games. The person he was interviewing mentioned Hyrule being founded at the end of Skyward Sword. The game never says this and even Hyrule Historia says the founded happened some time later. Fujibayashi doesn't debunk the idea Hyrule was founded at the end of SS, but mentions "maybe it was possibly redounded later". However, the in game backstory of the TOTK founding of Hyrule does somewhat line up with the idea of Hyrule Historia's Era of Chaos immediately being followed by the kingdom being established. Ganondorf heavily implies that before the Zonai arrived the land was filled with war and chaos. However, people take issue with other connections to the lore such as the Zonai never being mentioned, a Ganondorf predating OOT, the style of the character clothing being way different from SS and MC/OOT, etc

[@jesusalonso2179]

Nope. That is nothing BUT A RETCON!!!!

[@Jus-X]

I think the past TOTK takes place after SS, prior to MC. And I think present TOTK takes place waaaaay after the Ganon's of other timelines defeat. IMO.

[@jmw__]

“Somehow, Vaati returned” I feel like we’ve seen this before

[@jix2.042]

all these links, generations upon generations... and all of them love to throw pots

[@aidan3262]

The big qestion remaining for me: How does Zelda exist as an immortal dragon while the events of BOTW occur at the same time?

[@swinto4795]

Only one contradiction here..."In the beginning there was nothing, then three goddesses pulled up from heaven..." where did the heaven come from if there was nothing?

[@libellule4485]

The Big Bang, duh

[@ephraimfarmer3928]

You forgot age of calamity, I think it's somewhere before botw

[@SaveMeMoon]

It's not Canon.

[@ephraimfarmer3928]

@@SaveMeMoon then botw is non cannon too

[@SaveMeMoon]

@@ephraimfarmer3928 Yes it is. The games canon to the franchise are the "The Legend of Zelda" games. Age of Calamity is a Hyrule Warriors game, which Nintendo have clarified are not canon.

[@IsSheAlexander]

I’ve always thought of BotW and TotK as the story as close to the truth as possible while many of the other games are more like epics based on the story Zelda told Rauru and his queen when she traveled to the past. They differ in the way a game of telephone differs. Different people, races, cultures retelling the story from their own perspective.

[@SaveMeMoon]

Yeah no, two games that came out more than 30 years after the franchise started and threw out some of the most iconic aspects of the franchise that had been there from the start do NOT get to come in and be "the truth". If anything they're caricatures.

[@Symptomatic315]

My guess is Echoes happens around the same time as Awakening.

[@zonaldzuck1859]

Had to pause the video and hit the like button when I heard tinashe

[@yakotako717]

BotW and TotK is a new, completty undependent timeline for me, with no connections to previous games.

[@psychedelicartistry]

8:05 LOL 😂 😂

[@Octo445]

Was not expecting Vaush in this

[@gracekim1998]

Well this will probably be longer that 33 minutes since there’s many zeldas and Links in history 😳

[@astranovvaa]

Hyrule is allergic to peace 😂😂😂😂

[@tmatch6075]

The defeated timeline is the timeline where the hero keeps time traveling to a kid and adult and back and forth. Between those 7 years is where there is no hero present to stop Ganandorf. That is the fallen timeline. Not when he dies

[@Mr_Fragezeichen]

"The Hero of Time's defeat: Ganondorf the thief obtained the Triforce of Power and managed to get his hands on Princess Zelda. The Hero of Time, Link, challenged him in a battle that would determine Hyrule's existence, and lost." Hyrule Historia (english version) Page 92.

[@AkiraSeras]

@@Mr_Fragezeichena cool theory I saw was basically the fallen timeline is the original timeline because originally Link was meant to wield the Master Sword a lot earlier but ends up dying due to not being ready and inexperienced when wielding it so The Master Sword to go back in time and changes history to then place Link in a 7 year sleep to then have him be better prepared and experienced with the help of the sages changing the course of History and ensuring his success also explaining why that split being earlier compared to the other two splits so around when Link is a child and gets the Master Sword

[@WyattCoatta]

I thought the a link to the past guy was the same as the oracles because in the hyrule historia the oracles happened before links awakening ?

[@GalekC]

29:49 SUTANDO PROUUUUUD !!

[@octorokreviews]

Just to add my two cents: Wind Waker was the game that destroyed the Zelda timeline, not Ocarina of Time. In context of its release date, Ocarina of Time had a very straightforward placement in the timeline: it's a prequel to A Link to the Past, detailing the historic events of the Sealing War as mentioned in that game. Then Eiji Aonuma decided he wanted to make a pirate game for children, but he also had to make it a sequel to Ocarina of Time, so he wrote a story where Hyrule is flooded and gets destroyed forever. Except... now there's no Hyrule anymore, which means that A Link to the Past can't happen. And since Wind Waker flopped commercially, Aonuma couldn't justify creating a sequel to his new Great Sea universe (which was his original intention), and so was forced to make Twilight Princess - which also contradicted A Link to the Past's narrative by killing off Ganondorf. Skyward Sword, and the Hyrule Historia they released with it, was essentially just a mad dash by Nintendo to keep people interested in the story of these games - it was not, as marketed, the way the timeline was always meant to play out. You can see that plainly with BotW and TotK: if the Hyrule Historia was actually meant to be the sacred text of the Zelda series' timeline, then why would Nintendo's two most prominent releases since then completely ignore it? Frankly: the Zonai are indicative of everything wrong with modern Nintendo's approach to Zelda storytelling - they have no place in the series' lore or storytelling (instead contradicting it), and will inevitably be written out of the universe altogether come the next game - just like with what happened to the Ancient Sheikha and their technology in TotK. Point being: Nintendo doesn't care about this series' storytelling anymore and it frustrates me to no end. I'm coming down to the wire on a four-hour review of Ocarina of Time and it's only made me feel more and more hopeless about the modern Zelda series. Anyway, great video dude. The seal jokes got me good.

[@JaidynReiman]

Tbf to OOT/WW, OOT did end on two separate timelines. The game didn't make it exactly clear, but Link goes back in time at the end to meet Zelda which couldn't happen if he went back right to the point where he left (namely after Zelda already fled the castle). That said I do agree that WW was what originally killed the timeline because the whole point of LTTP's backstory is that the seven sages sealed Ganon away in the sacred realm which later became the dark world. On the other hand, WW was pretty early on in the series. If your complaint is that the modern games don't really care about the story anymore... isn't it really true that they homestly never cared about it very much? The devs primarily go about to make a game they want to make. Then they decide on a story later. And because they like to tie it back into primary games they throw together a loose justification for why the story fits together, but that heavily depends on what they already planned for the game. Ocarina of Time itself is a great example of this. Because if you nitpick the story it is 100% impossible to be the Imprisoning War mentioned in LTTP's backstory. Despite being that's what the devs actually said it was at the time, and the story loosely follows that plot thread. However, Link does wield the Master Sword, which the knights of Hyrule were incapable of doing at the time. Also the imprisoning war is when the blade was forged, but this is contradicted multiple times. In addition, the "descendants of the seven wise men" (sage is a perfectly applicable alternate translation) are all hylian women, but OOT makes the sages all of different races. Your very own example of your ideal form of Zelda stories... very much proves that the "modern Zelda story telling" is not a new concept in the slightest. Ocarina of Time is the first time they really tried to put some effort in the story, ans despite trying to be a prequel to LTTP it still completely contradicts everything about it. And yes you can handwave it with Fi's comment in Skyward Sword, but it doesn't change the facts. In fact, far more likely that line was included just so they can do whatever they want, still reference prior games, but not be strictly bound to ant of them.

[@flayron5514]

None of what you said has anything to do with storytelling... Also placing the entire value of Zelda as a series to its timeline continuity is insane.

[@ultimate_pleb]

I love it when gannondorf is like "it's dorfin' time!" And dorfed all over those guys 😂

[@Vinje92]

19:17 literally Voosh

[@chancepaladin]

well since link can't kill ganon, but zelda can (legend of zelda), I assume zelda's going to finally kill him and end the curse

[@aprilbaker1264]

Lmfao 16:00

[@sintanan469]

My take on the timeline is slightly different than yours here. Things start with creation, which is when the three Golden Goddesses use the Triforce to encase the demon realm inside the surface world. This makes the world serve as a prison for the monstrous forces in the Depths, while the surface world is populated with the various creatures and early tribes, with the chosen races of the goddesses populating the floating islands to watch over the world as the young surface races grow and thrive. This eventually leads into the Age of Hylia. Hylia, and the zonai she rules over as their leader, eventually grow and develop an advanced civilization. The zonai descend to the surface where they are viewed as gods for their magical power and knowledge. The zonai discover zonaite, using the mystical stone to develop complex machinery such as robots, levitating buildings, anti-gravity and more. The zonai stop being observers and incorporate themselves into the lives of the surface tribes. The zonai need for more and more zonaite leads to digging deeper and deeper until they breach the sleeping Depths. As more and more surface dwellers and zonai push into the Depths to mine and quarry more and more, eventually the sleeping monsters are awoken. Lead by the Demon King Demise, the monsters wage war on the surface. This leads to the imprisoning war to seal Demise, and all the events of Skyward Sword. One bit of lore we have to change is the long-eared humans coming from not being chosen by the gods, but as the offspring of human and zonai couples. Then the only big thing we have to add to the chaos of the war are a sect half-zonai calling themselves the Interlopers that join the monster forces out of greed for power and are banished to the Twilight Realm by Hylia where they will eventually become the twili. Oh, and Hylia is a zonai. Considering the series has never nailed down her design officially, I think we can handwave any unofficial art as being artistic license. After that we get to the Age of the Sky with Skyward Sword and all that. Let's change the stupid "1000 years" thing the game has going for it, because it really doesn't work. Link is an orphan of a knight and his wife. Like, say, a knight that did battle during the Imprisoning War alongside Hylia and the zonai. There also haven't been many annual celebrations of loftwing riding, so how about we go for something like 60 to 80 years. The Founding of Hyrule comes next. Rauru and Mineru awaken in one of the sacred ponds in the depths, having survived and finally healed the Imprisoning War as the last two zonai. They make their way to the surface to see the descendants of Skyloft living on the surface. Rauru befriends the daughter of Skyloft Link and Skyloft Zelda: Sonia. Rauru and Sonia go on to properly found the Kingdom of Hyrule as the first king and queen. The kingdom establishes itself in peace until the happy couple stumble across a young hylian girl named Zelda. The memories of Wilds Zelda from TotK play out here like normal with the exception the rito champion is another zora since rito didn't exist yet. We'll chalk that one up to Nintendo not wanting to confuse players when Tulin's champion ancestor is revealed to be a zora. After the memories, Rauru is gone, Sonia is gone, the champions are gone, and the monstrous forces of Ganondorf are roaming Hyrule. Cue the rise of a new champion in Hyrule's time of need. One that traps the monstrous invaders into a mystical chest and seals it with the Picori Blade. These are the events of the War of the Bound Chest set 100 years before the events of Minish Cap. Whether this champion of the bound chest is a child of Rauru and Sonia, wielding the sacred light force granted by their mother's side of the family line or just some random hyrulean taking up arms to protect the land and assisted by the minish beyond just a magical sword we'll likely never know. All we do know is the royal line survives in King Gustaf and his daughter Zelda during the Minish Cap. From here we reach the first timeline split. See, during the finale of Minish Cap you can actually fail to save Zelda by letting time run out. You get a full cutscene of Vaati succeeding in his plans and Hyrule descends into ruin. This is the downfall timeline split. We're moving it here instead of leaving it as a "oh, well, Link was defeated by something in OOT and it split off a downfall timeline."

[@sintanan469]

In the downfall timeline we have a chaotic civil war split Hyrule apart in the chaos after the loss of Gustaf and Zelda's loss of the Sacred Light. Eventually Link is able to rally his efforts and defeat Vaati. Then again during Four Swords. And yet again during Four Sword Adventures. With the chaos caused by Vaati, no more Sacred Light in the royal family to seal evil and keep the Sacred Realm closed, and a kingdom on the verge of snapping, civil war breaks out as the allied races of Hyrule break away. During the chaos of the war, a bandit king from the desert of the Gerudo named Ganondorf Dragmire sneaks into the sacred realm, steals the Triforce, and makes his wish for power. This causes the Triforce to turn the Sacred Realm into the Dark Realm and transform the desert bandit into the beast king Ganon. Zelda rallies together seven sages of the land and seals away Ganon using the power of the sages. This brings an end to the civil war as the princess is able to stabilize the remains of her kingdom. With Hyrule ruined, the allied races abandoning the kingdom, and monsters roaming the land, Zelda rebuilds a lesser Hyrule in what once was the Akkala region in the shadows of Death Mountain. This leads into the generation of Hyrule overseen by King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule and the events of Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, the two Oracle games, _and_ Ancient Stone Tablets while Link was away on his travels. Generations of peace allow time to pass for a new hero to arise for Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes. More generations of peace as lesser Hyrule expands north past the barrier of Death Mountain into the lands beyond and we get a new king: The Wise King, his son Prince Harkinian, and the events of Faces of Evil, Wand of Gamelon, Zelda's Adventure; then the princess is cursed by her brother and becomes the sleeping Zelda of North Hyrule Castle. This leads into the events of Zelda 1 and Zelda 2 for the NES and the completion of the downfall timeline. Meanwhile, back in the heroic timeline, Vaati's plans during the Minish Cap fail as Link is able to defeat the wind mage before he can steal the Sacred Light from Zelda. Hyrule is brought to peace by Zelda and Link, and maintains this peace for about 100 years. Then the Fierce War breaks out between the Gerudo and the Hyruleans. Eventually the war dwindles to an end as the young male of the Gerudo is finally grown up and able to claim rule over the desert tribe. Desert King Ganondorf Dragmire puts his machinations into motion with fake allegiances to the kingdom of Hyrule and various curses placed on the kokiri, goron, and zora. This leads to the events of Ocarina of Time where Princess Zelda, daughter of King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, splits the heroic timeline in two with her attempts to bring peace to a wayward hero. Really, when you think about it, a lot of the problems the adult timeline suffer is all Zelda's fault, but that's for another discussion another time. The child timeline leads to Link warning Zelda of everything going on with Ganondorf, where the two present the evidence to the King, and the Desert King is imprisoned. Link then goes on to spend part of his childhood with his friends before he sets off on an adventure with Epona to find the missing Navi. This leads to Majora's Mask where Link settles his grief at the loss of his friend and returns home. Link grows up to be a royal knight like his father once was, and ends up with Malon as the duties of the kingdom pull Zelda and Ruto away from their childhood friends. Seven years after his imprisonment, Ganondorf is set to be executed at the Arbiter's Grounds, where the execution is botched when the Triforce of Power FOR SOME REASON chooses to separate itself from the Triforce and bond to the fallen desert king. This allows Ganondorf to strike down the Sage of Water Princess Ruto before being banished to the Twilight Realm. Sometime between the execution and Twilight Princess, Link ends up lost in grief in the Lost Woods where he becomes the Hero's Shade. Likely it's the loss of his friend Ruto that eventually breaks his heart. Either way, Malon ends up setting up a ranching village in the safety of the edges of the Lost Woods. This leads to a roughly 100 year gap before Twilight Princess comes and goes. Link's Crossbow Training also fits in here in the timeline. The child side of things wraps up with the events of Hyrule Warriors spurred on by the troubles caused by Cia and Lana. This timeline closes with shadow beast Ganon sealed away by the Master Sword and Sacred Light in the Twilight Realm, forever separated from the power of the Triforce. The adult timeline leads to the line of heroes being broken when Zelda casts Link back in time to relive his childhood, Hyrule flooded by the mystical ocean to seal away Ganondorf when no hero arises to battle the returned Desert King, and the events of Wind Waker where King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule finally collapses the bubble sealing away the old lands of Hyrule to forever wipe the once-great kingdom away. This leaves Link and Tetra to set sail for new lands, found the kingdom of New Hyrule, and lead into the events of Spirit Tracks, Phantom Hourglass, and eventually the Tingle game trilogy of Rosy Rupeeland, Book of Love, and Balloon Fight. Eventually the magic holding the mystical sea over the ruins of Hyrule wanes and the waters recede. The people return to the surface of the once-great kingdom and explore the ruins. The zora return from lands beyond Hyrule to settle a new Zora's Domain, while the rito move to the Hebra Mountains and return Death Mountain and the Eldin region to the goron. The korok seed the land with trees and eventually establish a new Lost Woods in the northern edge of Hyrule. This leads to a golden age of peace as Hyrule prospers and grows. Mystical machinery of the Shiekah spread everywhere across Hyrule. This eventually leads to the events of Breath of the Wild as Calamity breaks free from deep under Hyrule Castle, built on the ruined site of the old castle. Calamity is defeated and sealed away for a time. Breath of the Wild's memories kick in as King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule sends his daughter to awaken her powers and rally champions to prepare for the return of Calamity. The champions fail, Calamity wins, Zelda seals herself and Calamity away as Link recovers for 100 years. Yada yada I typed enough. BotW and TotK play out here.

[@sintanan469]

Finally, as for where Echoes of Wisdom fit in all this... the game appears to take place in a Hyrule inspired by LTTP, but set after LTTP. Which means this would have to be after Link returns from his travels but before we get the events of Link Between Worlds. So: ...LLTP -> Awakening -> Oracle games -> Ancient Stone Tablets -> Echoes of Wisdom ---> Link Between Worlds -> Triforce Heroes...

[@morningstaranalytics3754]

My theory is that echoes of wisdom takes place in the fallen hero timeline🤔

[@vianabdullah2837]

The Zelda timeline makes sense unless if you've already played the games and think about them for 10 seconds to realise that the writers are just making things up on the spot. Like they expect you to believe that Ocarina of Time is a prequel to A Link to the Past but only if you get the non-existent bad ending.. Or forcefully tie The Minish Cap and Breath of the Wild to the other games even though they have their own mythology.

[@KaitouKaiju]

The bad ending occurs every time you get a game over

[@AkiraSeras]

A interesting theory I saw was basically the fallen timeline is the original timeline because originally Link was meant to wield the Master Sword a lot earlier but ends up dying due to not being ready and inexperienced when wielding it so The Master Sword to go back in time and changes history to then place Link in a 7 year sleep to then have him be better prepared and experienced with the help of the sages changing the course of History and ensuring his success also explaining why that split being earlier compared to the other two splits so around when Link is a child and gets the Master Sword