Timeline Tactic Theories: New Game Placement for Post-Skyward Sword?

Where on the Timeline could we expect the new Zelda U? Let’s venture into Hyrule’s official history to find out.

In Hyrule Historia we were given the wonderfully helpful, yet controversial and somewhat confusing official timeline. With three separate parallels after Ocarina of Time, we see the two successful splits caused by Zelda’s sending of Link back in time and so on. However, we also received the breathtakingly shocking third split: the timeline where the Hero fails. Yes, it’s scary; the whole fan base is aware. For those of you completely in the dark about how in the heck there is a third timeline because Link ultimately dies at the end of Ocarina of Time, check this article out.

If not previously, now you’re cleared up on the “Holy keese Link dies” subject, so we can begin. Since we know the timeline of existing games from Hyrule Historia (which is now outdated because of A Link Between Worlds) we can have a go at finding rifts in the timeline that could have potential for a game to be inserted. So let’s ask the question: where on the timeline would we expect the new Zelda U or a possible game in the future after that? To explore the possibilities, let’s break down the timeline.

First, of course, we have the creation of Land and Sky:

“Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the Goddess of Courage. Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore’s rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law. These three great goddesses returned to the heavens, leaving behind the golden sacred Triforce.” — Ocarina of Time

Soon after this, we have the events of Skyward Sword released in 2011. In Skyward Sword, we learn a myriad of information pertaining to the entire series. Such as the cause and origins for the cycle between the Chosen Three, as well as the reason Zelda is a princess. As you venture from the sky to the surface and back again and again, chasing Zelda around on the world below and getting tormented by Ghirahim, we learn exactly why Link is the only one able to wield the Master Sword and how he, as throughout the series, has an “unbreakable spirit.” After beating the game you listen to Demise curse Link and Zelda, sending them into an eternal cycle between good and evil; the basic bones of the plot for the soon-to-be seventeen Zelda games. Yet we are left with a treat at the end, as usual. We watch the final cut scene of Link and Zelda on the surface, hinting that they were going to start the first Hyrule on the Surface.

After leaving Skyward Sword and the Sky Era in which the events took place, we move on to a “black” time period with just a dash, completely unlabeled and, quite frankly, just there (this dashed era being similar to “The Dark Ages” in real history). After the dash, we go into the Era of Chaos, where a battle for the Triforce overtakes Hyrule. Here, as explained on page 77 in Hyrule Historia, Rauru (the Sage of Light) seals away the Triforce in the Temple of Light, located in the Sacred Realm. The only entrance to the Sacred Realm is in the Temple of Time, sealed by the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time behind the Door of Time which can only be opened when the Hero of Time plays the Song of Time on the Ocarina of Time (say that three times fast). After the Triforce is sealed in the Sacred Realm, an Era of Prosperity follows and Hyrule Kingdom is established.

Take a look back at that black spot between the Sky Era and the Era of Chaos when the Sacred Realm is sealed, bringing in the Era of Prosperity. This dashed spot on the timeline could be nothing but dead space in which Nintendo possibly had nothing at the time to put in there but, well, a dash. However, if we go back to page 77 in Hyrule Historia, there are a grand total of three sentences explaining the events of this dash.

“Created by the Golden Goddesses and protected by the Goddess Hylia, the world eventually became known as Hyrule. The Hylians, descendants of Hylia, lived in Hyrule and possessed magical abilities. After years of peace, a wave of chaos once again engulfed the land.” — Hyrule Historia

So…what happens, nothing? Well, as far as we know, pretty much. Except, if we think about how empty this time period is, it just seems a little bit off, yes? Well, no and yes.

No, because we have a three-sentence explanation about “years of peace,” before chaos came back again. Additionally, Nintendo tends to leave a lot of unfilled spots anyways. How about we ask another question. What exactly was this chaos? Well, it could be one of two things; the first could be the series of battles between those who lusted for the Triforce leading to the events of the Era of Chaos. Seemingly fitting and clear now, right?

Yes, if we consider alternatives to the most obvious theory. What if the chaos mentioned in our three-sentence saga was completely different from that of the Era of Chaos? It’s a plausible idea. So let’s dig a little deeper into the whole series for some answers.

In literally every Zelda game there is a reference to chaos, which usually refers to Ganondorf or the other big evil (depending on the game), or even the Hyrulean Civil War before the events of Ocarina of Time. So could the chaos mentioned in the explanation on page 77 be a reference to Ganondorf or another evil?

Since we can’t necessarily answer that, instead let’s pull up some other information from the series. If you go back and read the excerpt from Hyrule Historia, it has a familiar ring to it, and not because you have read it before. Now, go all the way back up to the creation story from Ocarina of Time. See it? It sounds similar to a creation story. In fact, the majority of the Zelda games have some kind of creation or origin story in the game play…and, on occasion, these origin stories become the basis for new games. So could this dash possibly mean this is where Zelda U will be? Not necessarily, but it is a possibility.

This dash could have the possibility for a game placement, even due to the lack of information of any kind besides what seems to be a cop out version of a creation story. However, we can still speculate and theorize. Now, if we think about the subject matter of the game, you may be thinking that it sounds basically like Ocarina of Time. Yet, how could it be like Ocarina if you don’t have a Temple of Time even built? To get you out of a “This just sounds like Ocarina of Time” mind set, reflect on these few questions:

If this were to be like Ocarina of Time, wouldn’t we need a Temple of Time? More importantly, doesn’t it sound a little ridiculous that Rauru basically stopped the chaos single-handedly? Usually there are a few more people involved when it comes to something as huge as the Triforce, say, oh, maybe Link and Zelda? Furthermore, if Rauru were able to single-handedly end the chaos by shutting the Triforce in the Sacred Realm (inside the Temple of Light sealed off by the Master Sword placed in the Pedestal of Time inside the Temple of Time behind the Door of Time which is only opened by the Hero of Time playing the Song of Time using the Ocarina of Time), he basically could have stopped the events of Ocarina of Time from happening, right? And even if that were true, don’t all of the Sages have to be around to help pull something as huge as that off? Lastly, for something as important as all this, shouldn’t Link and Zelda involved?

Essentially where we are going with this is a set-up to Ocarina of Time of some sort. Yet, with The Minish Cap and Four Swords following the unlabeled era and intervening before Ocarina of Time, there would have to be a set-up for these installments as well. With the striking appearance and similarity between the Spiritual Stones from Ocarina and the Four Elements from The Minish Cap having to be brought to a certain place to obtain a “Holy Sword,” there are multiple connections to play up to each of the games. And don’t forget the “Light Force,” which is defined as “A source of infinite power from the heavens that holds the enormous power of the Force, which originally dwelled in all things.” (p. 78 Hyrule Historia) Surely we can make the connection between the Triforce and the Light Force.

With what we have put together, the game would be a set-up for Ocarina of Time, The Minish Cap, and Four Swords; this would eliminate the dark period following the settlement of the surface and explain the causes for the one of the first hunts for the Triforce/Light Force in early Hyrule’s history. If we may be bold, we could even speculate the game could explain the origin of the Picori and more behind Vaati’s desire to be an Evil Sorcerer.

There is another route we could take with this installment as well. Instead of explaining the origins of Vaati, the new episode could essentially be, as said before, the setup to Ocarina of Time. Yet, how could it be a setup to Ocarina? Well, remember the Spiritual Stones and the Four Elements we referenced? Instead of having to retrieve the Elements, you could possibly have to venture with the Stones, traversing through temples to get to the different tribes. When you reach the different tribes hidden in the safety of their temples, you would give them their respective pieces so as to aid in the protection of the entrance to the Sacred Realm. In addition to this, you would possibly have to deliver to the sages their medallions. If added together, there would only need to be one final temple left, as respective to tradition.

So in reflection, could those three short sentences on page 77 be a foreshadowing of a creation story? Could Nintendo have purposely left this spot on the timeline as it is for a reason? And lastly, could this black era in Hyrule’s history be waiting to be filled with yet another timeless adventure?

Let us know what you think in the comments!