I think for me it's more that I don't see the Zonai as something that's been in the back burner for a while. Heck, they're not even the first ancient civilization the series has slotted in. If we were looking at a bunch of consistent design aesthetic and references then it would be one thing...
No.
The very existence of the Zonai and the implication that they were active during the earliest bits of Hyrule is at odds with the kingdom's history as we know it, since they just didn't exist back then. Unfortunately, it's just what the series does. Nintendo seems afraid to offer any direct...