Creation of the World:
The Legend of Zelda timeline begins with the creation of the world by three Golden Goddesses:1. Din, the Goddess of Power: She shaped the physical land and created the planet itself. 2. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom: She brought order to the world, giving it laws and a sense of structure. 3. Farore, the Goddess of Courage: She created life, including all creatures and races that would inhabit the world.
When the Goddesses departed after their creation, they left behind the Triforce, a powerful golden relic made of three triangles, each representing the essence of one of the Goddesses: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. This relic held the ability to grant the wishes of anyone who touched it, shaping the future of the world and becoming the source of endless conflict. The Triforce was hidden in a realm called the Sacred Realm.
The Era of Chaos & the Establishment of Hyrule:
After the creation of the world, a prosperous kingdom known as Hyrule emerged, with its people revering the Golden Goddesses and their Triforce. However, knowledge of the Triforce’s existence led to an era of chaos, where many sought its power for themselves. To protect the world from such chaos, the gods appointed Hylia, a goddess, to watch over the Triforce and safeguard the Sacred Realm.
The Events of Skyward Sword (The Beginning of the Timeline):
At this point in the timeline, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword details the earliest conflict between good and evil. The Demon King Demise sought to claim the Triforce to rule the world, leading to a great war between his forces and those loyal to the Goddess Hylia.• Hylia’s Sacrifice: In a bid to protect the world, Hylia gathered the survivors of this war onto a floating island called Skyloft, sending it above the clouds to shield them from Demise’s armies. She created the Master Sword, a powerful weapon capable of defeating evil, and sealed Demise in a distant realm. Hylia then chose to reincarnate herself as a mortal, in the form of Zelda, to continue protecting the world.
In Skyward Sword, the hero Link emerges to defeat Demise, wielding the Master Sword and working alongside Zelda (the mortal form of Hylia). Demise is eventually defeated but curses Link and Zelda, declaring that his hatred will be reborn throughout time, creating an eternal cycle of conflict between the descendants of Link, Zelda, and Demise’s own reincarnations.
The Era of the Hero of Time & Ocarina of Time (Split Timeline)
Centuries later, Hyrule is a prosperous kingdom. In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo and the reincarnation of Demise, seeks the Triforce to gain power over the land. He manipulates the young hero Link and the Princess Zelda in his quest to access the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce is kept.• Link’s Journey: Link retrieves the Master Sword from the Temple of Time, but this action unknowingly opens the Sacred Realm, allowing Ganondorf to claim the Triforce of Power. However, because Ganondorf’s heart was unbalanced, the Triforce splits into three pieces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Ganondorf keeps the Triforce of Power, while Zelda inherits the Triforce of Wisdom, and Link gains the Triforce of Courage.
Link eventually defeats Ganondorf, but the timeline splits into three distinct branches depending on the outcome of his battle with the Demon King.
The Three-Way Split of the Timeline:1. The Decline Timeline (Link is Defeated by Ganon): • In this timeline, Ganondorf defeats Link and plunges Hyrule into ruin, transforming into the monstrous Ganon. The sages seal Ganon within the Sacred Realm, but it becomes corrupted into the Dark World. • The events of A Link to the Past occur here, where a new Link must venture into the Dark World, retrieve the Master Sword, and defeat Ganon, restoring the Triforce. • Further games in this timeline include Link’s Awakening, A Link Between Worlds, and The Legend of Zelda (NES). 2. The Child Timeline (Link Prevents Ganondorf’s Rise to Power): • After defeating Ganondorf, Link is sent back in time to his childhood, where he warns Princess Zelda of Ganondorf’s treachery before the events of Ocarina of Time can unfold. As a result, Ganondorf is arrested and executed by the sages. • The Twilight Princess occurs here, where Ganondorf survives execution and gains control over the Twilight Realm. A new hero, the reincarnation of Link, must defeat him alongside Princess Zelda and the Twili ruler, Midna. • Majora’s Mask also takes place in this timeline, with young Link embarking on a personal journey to the parallel world of Termina. 3. The Adult Timeline (Link Defeats Ganon and the Kingdom is Lost): • In this timeline, after Ganondorf is defeated in Ocarina of Time, Link and Zelda leave, but with no hero to protect it, Hyrule is left vulnerable. When Ganon returns, the gods flood Hyrule to seal him beneath the ocean, leading to the events of The Wind Waker. • In The Wind Waker, a new hero named Link emerges in a world of islands to defeat Ganondorf and reclaim the Master Sword. The King of Hyrule ultimately wishes for a new future as Hyrule is lost forever beneath the waves. • This timeline continues with Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, where the new Hyrule kingdom is established in a different land.
Recurring Themes and the Eternal Cycle:
Across all timelines, certain themes are consistent:• The Reincarnation of Heroes: Link, Zelda, and Ganon are constantly reincarnated, continuing the eternal cycle of conflict initiated by Demise’s curse. • The Triforce: The relic remains a source of power, driving conflict across generations as villains seek it for control, while the hero and princess protect it. • The Master Sword: Known as the Blade of Evil’s Bane, it is wielded by every incarnation of Link to battle against darkness.
Breath of the Wild (New Era):
The timeline for Breath of the Wild is uncertain but is set many centuries after the fall of a great kingdom. In this game, a reincarnation of Link awakens after 100 years to defeat Calamity Ganon, a primal form of Ganon that has ravaged Hyrule. The game combines elements from all timelines, suggesting a convergence or a new future beyond the three split branches.• Calamity Ganon: Unlike previous incarnations of Ganondorf, Calamity Ganon is a monstrous, destructive force that continually threatens the world. • Zelda’s Role: Princess Zelda in this era inherits both the Triforce of Wisdom and the divine power of Hylia, standing as a guiding force for Link.
With the release of Tears of the Kingdom, this timeline may be further expanded, potentially creating new connections or revelations about the origins of Hyrule, the Triforce, and the eternal battle between good and evil.
Conclusion:
The Legend of Zelda timeline weaves an epic, multi-generational tale of courage, wisdom, and power. The world of Hyrule is shaped by the eternal struggle between Link, Zelda, and Ganon, with the Triforce at the heart of their conflict. This lore has unfolded across multiple games, and with each new entry, more is revealed about the mysterious past, the divine influence of the Goddesses, and the ongoing battle to protect the balance of the world.
Thank you for taking the time to sit down and read the lore. I hope you enjoyed doing so.
This lore does not belong to me and belongs to another creator.
Gaming With Aaron 