My Zelda Timeline Theory.

[Impa]

Sorry to be a noob, but I'd like to contribute my own timeline. I've done the research. Although it's not perfect, and no Zelda timeline is, it's valid theory, I think.

Alright. So, this theory began itself by centering around the aspect of technology. Interestingly enough, technology in The Legend of Zelda is found only in the past. Noticing this, I planned accordingly.

Most would put Skyward Sword first, proposing that it is the origin of Link and such. However, within the game, you revert Lanayru to a past state constantly. This state is overwhelmingly technologically prosperous - throughout the Zelda series, technology doesn't seem to progress to quite the same level.

Except trains.

To that end, I have put Spirit Tracks(and therefore Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass) before Skyward Sword. And even they aren't the first in this timeline.

The first game in my timeline is The Minish Cap. Not only because Link's hat originates here, but the plot is very basic and forthcoming.

Now. After Skyward Sword comes the Four Swords series, in respective order. It's messy, but it's simple enough at this point to fit as the same Link that once lived in Skyloft.

So is rid of Vaati and Demise. Ganon is our only worry now. Next is an era of Ganon constantly bombarding the same Link with several attempts to take over Hyrule. These consist of A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, and the Oracles.

This is also the era in which we have the three goddesses established, as they hadn't been previously.

And thus comes Ocarina of Time. Although I do have a split coming, it's only for provision - I have nothing for Adult Link's Path yet. On Young Link's Path, I have Majora's Mask; so that Ganon is gone, and that leaves room for Link's Awakening.

Last but not least is Twilight Princess.

So here it is, officially:

===
The Archaic Era/Era of Creation
Goddess Hylia is born. She creates the World, and the Triforce.
The Kingdom of Hyrule is established in dedication to Hylia.
The First Hero, Minish Cap's Link, begins.
Vaati emerges and is defeated by Minish Cap's Link.
===
The Technomagical Era
The Great Flood occurs due to Hylia(think Noah's Ark reasoning).
The Kingdom of Hyrule is automatically unestablished.
Technology and magic flourish.
The Second Hero, Toon Link, begins.
Ganon emerges for the first time, and is defeated by Toon Link.
As Toon Link conquers evil, the sea level slowly declines.
The Imprisoning War over the Triforce begins.
Demise emerges, but is however sealed away.
The Triforce is warped away to Skyloft.
===
The NeoArchaic Era
The Third Hero, Link of Skyloft, begins.
Demise is defeated by Link of Skyloft.
Link of Skyloft descends to the surface, and defeats the revived Vaati and Ganon.
Ganon is sealed away.
===
The Medieval Era
The Fourth Hero, Hylian Link, begins.
Ganon emerges.
Hylian Link defeats Ganon.
Ganon emerges.
Hylian Link defeats Ganon.
Ganon emerges.
Hylian Link defeats Ganon.
Ganon emerges.
Hylian Link defeats Ganon.
Ganon emerges.
Hylian Link defeats Ganon.
Yep.
The three goddesses are established at this point.
===
The Era of the Hero of Time
The Hyrule Unification War begins.
The fifth Hero, The Hero of Time, begins.
The Hero of Time defeats Ganon and Ganondorf.

SPLIT

1. Young Link's Path
The Hero of Time travels to Termina.
Majora emerges, and is defeated.
The Hero of Time now travels on a ship, which lands on Dream Island.
Random stuff happens here.

2. Adult Link's Path
Nothing yet. Maybe the next Zelda game. But this is presumably the path from which the next era begins.

===
The NeoMedieval Era
The Sixth Hero, Ordon Link, begins.
Ordon Link defeats Zant, and Ganondorf's newest reincarnation.



=======

I know it's not perfect, but still.
Tell me what you think.

 

[OracleOfAwesome]

VERY innovative, to say the least. However, the biggest problem is that it specifically says in Wind Waker that it takes place after the events of Ocarina of Time. Also, seeing as that you have nothing on the adult side, it would seem like a good place to but ALttP, what with him being sealed by the sages and whatnot.

 

[Locke]

inb4 official timeline

Technology has been confirmed to not be a factor in the Zelda timeline. They'll include whatever technology is appropriate for the gameplay or atmosphere without regard to timeline placement. It's better to base timelines on important recurring elements, such as the Triforce or Ganon/dorf.


Spirit Tracks can't come before Skyward Sword because it's confirmed to come after Ocarina of Time, which is confirmed after SS. Rather, it's confirmed to take place 100 years after WW (through official statements as well as Tetra and Niko in-game), which is set up in-game as a sequel to OoT.


Hylia did not create Hyrule or the Triforce. The Triforce was said to have been created by the "gods of old" - the three goddesses.
The kingdom of Hyrule isn't established until after Skyward Sword.
We already have a detailed explanation of the great flood in WW. Hylia had nothing to do with it, and it wasn't exactly a Noah's Ark reason.
Again, WW is a sequel to OoT. It clearly describes the Hero of Time sealing Ganondorf. This is not Ganon's first appearance.
LttP's box states that it happens long before LoZ, with a different Link.

 

[Impa]

VERY innovative, to say the least. However, the biggest problem is that it specifically says in Wind Waker that it takes place after the events of Ocarina of Time. Also, seeing as that you have nothing on the adult side, it would seem like a good place to but ALttP, what with him being sealed by the sages and whatnot.

Well, thank you for the compliment. I do realize that about Wind Waker, but hey, I don't claim this to be canon in the slightest. And perhaps you're right about Link to the Past.

inb4 official timeline

Technology has been confirmed to not be a factor in the Zelda timeline. They'll include whatever technology is appropriate for the gameplay or atmosphere without regard to timeline placement. It's better to base timelines on important recurring elements, such as the Triforce or Ganon/dorf.


Spirit Tracks can't come before Skyward Sword because it's confirmed to come after Ocarina of Time, which is confirmed after SS. Rather, it's confirmed to take place 100 years after WW (through official statements as well as Tetra and Niko in-game), which is set up in-game as a sequel to OoT.


Hylia did not create Hyrule or the Triforce. The Triforce was said to have been created by the "gods of old" - the three goddesses.
The kingdom of Hyrule isn't established until after Skyward Sword.
We already have a detailed explanation of the great flood in WW. Hylia had nothing to do with it, and it wasn't exactly a Noah's Ark reason.
Again, WW is a sequel to OoT. It clearly describes the Hero of Time sealing Ganondorf. This is not Ganon's first appearance.
LttP's box states that it happens long before LoZ, with a different Link.

Again, I'm not claiming this to be canon and I realize why this timeline can't be correct. That is what makes it a theory. But I do think that technology should at least be regarded when considering a possible timeline.

 

[Delicious Robot]

Again, I'm not claiming this to be canon and I realize why this timeline can't be correct. That is what makes it a theory. But I do think that technology should at least be regarded when considering a possible timeline.

I don't mean this in a rude way but your definition of a theory is incorrect. A theory is to put it in a detailed manner:

a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena
or
a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.

Your "Theory" has no plausible facts in it:

Like Locke said technology is not a good method for looking at the progression of the games and even when considering it in a timeline it moves backward from Spirit Tracks to Skyward Sword you can even see in game that the past of Lanayru Desert is more advanced than the present in SS.

And then of course there is multiple story points in the series (that Locke also mentioned) that point directly to the Toon Link trilogy taking place after OoT.

A better wording for your idea is not theory but fan-fic which take apart well established facts of a story and skew them to their own design.

 

[Fierce_Deity]

Aside from the fact that a timeline has already been officially released, yours contains a lot of incorrect information regarding who/how Hyrule was created. And you have Hylia creating the Triforce? Tri means three, not one. I believe in every game that mentions the Triforce, the constant has been it's the power from three Goddesses. You place the games away from what Nintendo has said in the past and what Nintendo released last week. The moderators really should request "no new timeline theories" since we have a confirmed timeline from Nintendo.