PDA

View Full Version : Timeline!?



SyracuvatTenlii
07-28-2012, 07:27 PM
Alright, so a lot of people are already aware of this, but in December of 2011, Nintendo released and official timeline to the canon of The Legend of Zelda. If you're not aware of this, here are a couple key points that you should be aware of...

--First of all, this is a branching timeline. Whether the timeline of The Legend of Zelda had branching paths depending on certain events had been disputed, with some believing it had to, while others thought the timeline could be linear.
--The main branching point is, of course, the game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
--On this branching point, there are actually 3 different paths the canon can take.
----The hero defeats Ganon, but then goes back to his own time in order to protect the Sacred Realm, then leaves to find his "Special friend" (which although unconfirmed, can be safely assumed to be Navi).
----The hero defeats Ganon and stays in this time, sealing Ganon.
----The hero...falls...? Yes, the possibility is address that Link is defeated by Ganon.
--The Canon pathway is the first possibility, seeing as this specific game ends with Link's victory, after which he leaves.
This does mean that some of the games that are made may not necessarily have happened, but have been alternate possibilities. One thing that I personally might have difficulty getting into my head is that now when I'm playing Twilight Princess, I have to realize that the events taking place here establish that the events in Wind Waker, A Link to the Past, and even THE ORIGINAL LEGEND OF ZELDA GAMES never happened! On the other hand, the events of the original 2 LoZ games are now stating that Link, the "Hero of Time", was defeated by Ganon, which would explain why it's become "dangerous to go alone"...

In the end, however, despite some logical issue I might have with this timeline, I'd like to say that I appreciate the closure that this brings. I know for a fact that there are people out there who have major problems with a timeline even existing, and in the end, despite it bringing some closure, it's probably likely to be further debated, so why not now?

The Question: Do you believe this timeline does justice to the story of The Legend of Zelda? Should it have even had a timeline? Should it have branched or been linear? Or should it have branched, just not like this? I'd love to see how you feel on this.

tinksfinks
07-29-2012, 02:33 PM
It had to be branched. The problem was with the Ocarina of Time story. There was since Link was actually sent back to his childhood, the adult era would have no hero. However, the opposite is also true. If Link had stayed as an adult the child era would have no hero. Therefore it had to be branched. However I don't think Nintendo had been thinking of a timeline until OoT, when they realised that there had to be a branch in order for everything to make sense. Therefore, the games in the "defeated" branch are all the earliest Zelda games. Was it necessary? Yes i do or else the series would become just another "save the princess" like Mario. Zelda is supposed to be deeper and more complex.