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A Link Between Worlds What Aspects of Zelda's Backstory Should Be Further Expounded?

Contrary to Nintendo’s typical development principles, The Legend of Zelda franchise traditionally features a greater focus on narrative. Although this usually involves completing three dungeons, followed by a plot twist, traversing more dungeons, and rescuing the damsel in distress, dedicated fans can easily spot the difference from installment to installment. That said, many loopholes and gray areas have presented themselves within the confines of the series’ story over the years.

While some tales like the side story that is Majora’s Mask will likely never be revisited, there are many plot nuances Nintendo could further flesh out in the future. One of the most common fan requests, for example, is for Ninty to probe the Interloper War once more. Prior to Skyward Sword's release it was believed Ghirahim was a member of this faction which Skyward Sword revealed to be false to not ones disappointment.

While a divide certainly exists over whether or not the current timeline should be abandoned completely, a new generation is always a great time to answer age old questions. I have my own thoughts on the matter but I’ll post them at a later time. What aspects of the Zelda backstory should Nintendo expound in the next generation of adventures?
 

izi

Not A Wizard
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Location
Los Angeles
I would enjoy a game where we see Hyrule pre-establishment, however odd that sounds. No "Castle Town" or anything similar. Maybe different colonies/tribes/settlements across a fairly large overworld (if I dare say possibly as large as The Wind Waker, with a new form of getting around?), but no castles, etc. Somewhere between Skyward Sword and The Minish Cap, between where humans/Hylians/Skyloftians had hardly been to the surface to building cities and structures everywhere.
 

JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Location
On the midnight Spirit Train going anywhere
The Interloper War. That was one of the main things I was looking forward to seeing in Skyward Sword, but we never got it. I wasn't upset with the story we got, but I would still have liked to have seen the war, or at least learn the exact events of it in the backstory. With that recent fan translation Axle posted on the main site, it's pretty much indisputable that the Demon Tribe of Skyward Sword's backstory is the Dark Tribe from Four Swords Adventures, as well as the "dark interlopers" from Twilight Princess and the "tribe of evil" from A Link to the Past, making Demise the original King of Darkness and the Demon Tribe a commonly recurring enemy across the Zelda timeline. They deserve a fully fleshed-out explanation. I don't expect any info on them from the upcoming 3DS and Wii U titles, but I do hope to learn their story some time in the future.
 
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Location
Indiana, USA
You mentioned that most modern Zelda games feature a plot twist in the middle of the story that sends Link on a detour or otherwise gives him something else to chase. Before I go into what backstory I'd like expounded on, I want to note that Nintendo should periodically drop the Middle Plot Twist in their Zelda games. I'm not saying they have to let it go forever, but it's starting to make Zelda stories a bit predictable. The first three dungeons have Link chasing something simple and superficial. Then - plot twist! - whatever Link needs in order to right the wrongs (Master Sword, Mirror of Twilight, Gate of Time, etc.) doesn't work and he needs to go and get them to work. It's not bad storytelling, but it's starting to get stale. I'd like a few Zelda stories to occasionally maintain one long narrative without that expected Middle Plot Twist, where Link is constantly uncovering new things about the plot instead of condensing the big revelations into the middle and the end.

That's one thing I'd like done with Zelda stories. Most of my other backstory wants can be summarized in "connect the dark tribe." I'd like for Zelda to start connecting its plots a bit more anyway so Hyrule doesn't feel like a new place each time, but the dark tribe is essentially the reason Zelda games exist in the first place (as far as story goes). Without the demon army from Skyward Sword attacking the surface world and the subsequent eternal curse, Link wouldn't have to take up arms time and time again to defend the land. That doesn't seem to mean nearly as much as it should with the way Nintendo's been going about their plots (although the big reveal only happened after their latest game, Skyward Sword, so I don't think I can complain too much). I want a Zelda game where it's affirmed to players that the dark tribe has been meddling in the affairs of almost every game one way or another and where Link goes back to learn their origins. That way, the reason The Legend of Zelda has more than one game gets a proper explanation and everyone can appreciate it more.

I'm not terribly concerned about Majora's Mask or similar side-games, though I'd love to hear about Majora's origins. It can still be dark and mysterious if we know about its beginnings. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but you can still fear and admire an ancient demonic artifact when you know where it came from. Nintendo just has to handle the plot execution right so it doesn't become something we sympathize with or otherwise stop fearing and hating.

Oh yes, I just thought of something else I'd like explained: what happened to the Gerudo? They just disappeared in Twilight Princess, only to conveniently reappear in Four Swords Adventures later on the same timeline. They didn't show up at all in the Adult Timeline (save for OoT adult Link's adventures), and their presence was merely implied in the Downfall timeline. Where did they come from? Where did they go? Why do they consist of only women except for one male born every hundred years? They're full of history, and it could only add to The Legend of Zelda's awe and wonder.
 

Cfrock

Keep it strong
Joined
Mar 17, 2012
Location
Liverpool, England
I'd like to see some more detail being put into the Gerudo and (preferably) the Sheikah. We know bits and bobs here and there but overall they are a total mystery. In the case of the Sheikah, that mystery may be a beneficial thing (seeing as how they are ninjas or whatever) but just a few more details would be better than pure speculation.

See, one thing I want to know is are the Sheikah an entirely female race too? I mean, we've never seen a male Sheikah (have we?). Sometimes I get it in my head that the Sheikah and the Gerudo were once one and the same, especially since the Gerudo are Theives and use the agility to hide and escape and stuff. They're both quite similar in many ways and I'd love to know if there was a real connection between them.
 
I can't think of many elements to Zelda's backstory that I'd want to see made sense of in a new installment because in a few years it won't matter at all, but while we're here.

If Nintendo give any damn at all about the timeline and overarching legend, i'd like to see an installment either at the beginning or at the end of the decline timeline so- either Before ALttP or after AoL just get some clarity and a little bit canoninity (is that a word?) to the Hero of Time being snuffed out and answering the question of when that actually happened, or to see the future of a dying Hyrule as the one in AoL and beyond seems to be doing. Reall, i just want a game to make that timeline work so i can believe in it a bit more.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
I know I keep mentioning it, but seeing the death of the Hero of Time on the child timeline and just what happened between MM and TP would be very interesting. Also two wild cards are something before ALTTP or WW. The MM's of those timelines. For the hero fails, we can see how Hyrule reacted. For the adult timeline, we could follow adult Link into the future after he defeats Ganon. I know a lot of people want either to reboot, or go to the very end, or the very start of the timeline,but I want something squeezed into those places, fleshing out every detail of that chunk of whatever timeline it is on.
 

Skunk

Floof
Joined
Dec 31, 2011
Location
New York
Gender
Nonbinary
I either want the Interloper war or something between the Hero Fails timeline and OoT. I don't exactly have more explanation as to why, except that they would be interesting stories to visit.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Location
Winifrede
I would personally like to see a back story about the dark past of the Hyrule kingdom. In the Shadow Temple we get a vague message from the wall (a spirit I'm assuming) saying, "Shadow Temple... Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred." Now I would like to know more about that because as far as we can tell it is a peaceful kingdom despite a few points in the beginning. Is it possible that it could have been used as a sort of torture chamber for people they've captured? A jail where they would take dangerous criminals too? Or could it have even been darker than that and was used as a place to sacrifice people to bring glory and power to the royal family who control almost everything in Hyrule. In the game it was full of traps and I don't know what else could explain the monsters, besides Ganondorf, but it was a place full of misery and hatred. Nothing screams demonic and evil as the Shadow Temple does in Ocarina of Time. Also they never really gave us anything about it in any of the other games, unless I have overlooked it, but it is really interesting.

It is up their with my curiosity of the Ikana Kingdom who fell during a war. Who could they have possibly been fighting because as far as we know their aren't any other kingdoms near the canyon and we never got a lot out of the king before and after we defeated him. Who built that temple before Ikana was established and what was it used for? It could have been possible that this was the place the tribe that disappeared created Majora's Mask, but it's possible that maybe the invaders who started of Ikana War were living their and they were right in front of the kingdom the entire time. I mean the leader of the Garo's resided there so it is possible that the Stone Tower was their fortress. They are basically ninjas so they can maneuver up the tower with ease. Like I said I want these two back stories to be revealed or even explained a little bit more in a future Zelda game. I would even settle for an official announcement from Nintendo about this.
 
Joined
Nov 21, 2012
We might not get this as stated above but some things in Majora's Mask I wanted awsnered. Especially who those children on the moon were, backround on Termina and the people who made majora, and feirce diety. It would probably link to our other issues and solve this calamity.
 

Fig

The Altruist
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Location
Mishima Tower
I would really like to see Nintendo focus on the "Civil War/Hylian War" that was described since Ocarina of Time and earlier games. Another interesting story plot that would make a terrific backstory on how Majora's Mask came to be or even on the tribe that created Majora's Mask was formed.
 
T

TimeRider

Guest
I would like to see the war mentioned in OoT and learn more about the past of Hyrule that seems to be troubled..
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Nothing really comes to mind. I love to have a bit of mystery towards certain things and I don't really want Nintendo to focus on one thing that didn't really have much impact in a certain game. I would really like Nintendo make a clean slate and make a new Zelda and leaves some stuff a mystery.
 

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