Spoiler What Happened to the Six Sages? SPOILERS OF OOT

[Caleb, Of Asui]

If they were dead, they wouldn't make very good sages. I was always under the impression they were just somewhere in the temple, probably watching over you.

Was it ever explained what happened to the original sages? (the group Rauru was part of?)

I think part of the idea of them being dead as sages is that they're capable of performing whatever powers they have as sages, but are disconnected from the mortal world. They definitely are separated from the others they've known and grown up with once they become sages.

As for the original sages, I expect that many of them somehow became obsolete as sages, that they died if the sages aren't already dead before they become sages. It's possible that Skyward Sword will explain more about them, meaning Rauru would more likely than not make an appearance.

 

[PK Love Omega]

Actually, SS is about the creation of the Master Sword. Rauru helped build it's sanctuary (Temple of time, however, it does appear in other places in other games) So maybe he will appear for a couple of seconds, or not.

 

[Red Baron]

I think part of the idea of them being dead as sages is that they're capable of performing whatever powers they have as sages, but are disconnected from the mortal world. They definitely are separated from the others they've known and grown up with once they become sages.

I would tend to think that as we've seen dead sages (Wind Waker), and they were unable to still perform sage-like duties - and we've seen sages being killed (Twilight Princess, though they are quite ethereal here to begin with), that sages must be alive to be sages. Otherwise they'd be quite the unstoppable force.

 

[DuckNoises]

Sorry, but it sounds like he believes they are alive even after they become sages. I thought Saria was killed by Moblins, Ruto killed by frost, Darunia by Volvagia, Impa died from
old age/Gannon[dorf]/Bongo Bongo, and Nabooru was turned into an Iron Knuckle [kinda] by Twinrova, but then you kill here on accident. (Or Twinrova finishes her off, I forgot what happens.)
I suppose they live on as a Sage, but their bodies are dead.

None of these things happen in the game. I don't see the theory of them being dead having much in the way of legs, because I don't see anything in the game that suggests they ever died. They just preside in the Sacred Realm for the majority of the time. Besides, they use their powers to seal Ganon away at the end of the game, which demonstrates that they have the ability to act outside of the Sacred Realm.

 

[PK Love Omega]

It's on the theory board, therefore, it is a theory. It would explain their later abesences. And it's a bit odd that Zora King and Mido are sad at the ceremony. And Nabooru mystical disappears (No black magic, Like seen at the end of the Spirit temple as a child and PG Battle) and is said she haunts Gerudo Desert. (Straight from a gossip stone)

 

[DuckNoises]

It's on the theory board, therefore, it is a theory. It would explain their later abesences. And it's a bit odd that Zora King and Mido are sad at the ceremony. And Nabooru mystical disappears (No black magic, Like seen at the end of the Spirit temple as a child and PG Battle) and is said she haunts Gerudo Desert. (Straight from a gossip stone)

The word "haunts" is not used in that context; it can't be in that context, because it's likely that you find that Gossip Stone before she gets deep inside the Spirit Temple, when you are still a child.

They say that the thief named
Nabooru, who haunts this area, is
a Gerudo.

Observe different interpretations of the word "haunt" below:

haunt
   [hawnt, hahnt; for 10 also hant] Show IPA
verb (used with object)
1.
to visit habitually or appear to frequently as a spirit or ghost: to haunt a house; to haunt a person.
2.
to recur persistently to the consciousness of; remain with: Memories of love haunted him.
3.
to visit frequently; go to often: He haunted the galleries and bars that the artists went to.

In order for the statement to make sense when you read the Gossip Stone, it has to be the third meaning of the word, to frequent. That makes sense, as she visits the Desert Colossus because she is in charge of that Temple.
Nabooru doesn't disappear; you find her brainwashed inside Iron Knuckle armour after you defeat her, right before the Twinrova boss battle.

The reason that Mido and King Zora appear sad is because they never learn what happened to Saria and Ruto, respectively. King Zora and Mido never see them return to their homes, because the Sages awaken in the Sacred Realm. They are seen for the first time flying overhead King Zora and Mido in the physical world of Hyrule, and Mido and King Zora look up, and seem to get a sense that the ethereal beings were Saria and Ruto. Shortly after, they re-materialize into their normal forms. This is just a demonstration of some of their power as sages, not an indication that they are ghosts or were ever dead.

 

[Linkyme]

Ever notice in the cutscene in TP that Ganondorf killed the Water Sage? That means that he killed Princess Ruto, Link's fiancee. Bummer...

 

[crazeh navi]

But ruto cant be dead! Link was supposed to marry her!!!!!

 

[FLUDDzone]

They died? I don't remember any of that in the game. Zelda never died and she's the seventh sage. [/spoiler]At the very end they show you all of the sages physically standing atop Death Mountain.

 

[Scorpion's Claw]

It sounds plausible that Darunia died. He said he was going in but he was afraid because he did not have the hammer that could defeat the beast. Witout the hammer you cannot kill him (just try) and you will die.
Also he was gone when link came in. So if he was not dead where would he hide? And he does not seem like an person that would hide from an battle, especially not one that would lead to the rescue of his people.

For the other characters this is impossible to say because you meet some of then and then their just gone, and some you don't even meet (Impa). But if one died to become an sage, it is reasonable to think that the rest had to die to...

 

[Geniasis]

Ever notice in the cutscene in TP that Ganondorf killed the Water Sage? That means that he killed Princess Ruto, Link's fiancee. Bummer...

Fortunately, Ruto was only the Water Sage in the AT, wheras TP takes place in the Child Timeline.

Link's not off the hook quite yet.

It sounds plausible that Darunia died. He said he was going in but he was afraid because he did not have the hammer that could defeat the beast. Witout the hammer you cannot kill him (just try) and you will die.
Also he was gone when link came in. So if he was not dead where would he hide? And he does not seem like an person that would hide from an battle, especially not one that would lead to the rescue of his people.

For the other characters this is impossible to say because you meet some of then and then their just gone, and some you don't even meet (Impa). But if one died to become an sage, it is reasonable to think that the rest had to die to...

Again, it doesn't make sense that the sages would still be powerful even after death, otherwise there really wouldn't have been any need to awaken new ones. Darunia's case is troublesome, but perhaps he was simply knocked unconscious off the platform somewhere. Or perhaps Rauru just yanks them into the Temple of Light as soon as he has a chance.

 

[Scorpion's Claw]

Again, it doesn't make sense that the sages would still be powerful even after death, otherwise there really wouldn't have been any need to awaken new ones. Darunia's case is troublesome, but perhaps he was simply knocked unconscious off the platform somewhere. Or perhaps Rauru just yanks them into the Temple of Light as soon as he has a chance.

What if sages have problems adapting to changes in the world, and the reason to wake new sages is to get new people that can help with the new problems in the world (therefor take different races, so that they could get all the different perspectives). The old sages had no knowledge about Ganondorf, and they needed new sages, with enough knowledge about Ganondorf. Ganondorf had attacked all of the sages in a way, and therefor they knew how evil he was and maybe how to stop him.

When you die, your physical body die, with your physical strength. The sages never did anything physical, only sage things like making a bridge and sealing Ganon away. Non of this required a physical body.
Then what about the ending where you see the sages on the mountain? Well i at least don't know how a spirit/sage look like, and they might as well look like their physical bodies. And from a third person perspective it might look like they actually are there.

(sry if the text became a bit messy)

 

[FLUDDzone]

Fortunately, Ruto was only the Water Sage in the AT, wheras TP takes place in the Child Timeline.

Child Timeline? How could Link in TP be the young Link in OoT? It's impossible. TP Link is the reincarnation of OoT Link.

 

[Geniasis]

Child Timeline? How could Link in TP be the young Link in OoT? It's impossible. TP Link is the reincarnation of OoT Link.

Yes, but it takes place in the "Child Timeline", namely the timeline where the events of OoT were averted. The "Adult Timeline" is where the events of OoT occurred as depicted in the game, eventually leading to the Wind Waker.

 

[Unlucky Monkey]

I really like the theory of Caleb. I never thought about the fact, most of the sages died in the various dungeons. And the perfect example is Saria. You never saw her in her human form again after she went missing. Damn. The same goes for Impa.

I don't see the theory of them being dead having much in the way of legs, because I don't see anything in the game that suggests they ever died.

Please tell me, what happened to Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda? Did they really die? I think this is a topic to discuss about (any maybe never get an answer). Maybe the Sages are really dead, and became a mighty spirit like these two legendary Jedi

By the way, I love this Artwork (and it presents the Sages as spirits):