Nice and Squeaky Clean

In this thread, I aim to explain my new timeline. I am not fully supportive of this timeline as I am still swinging between this one and my old one, but I still think this timeline is very nice and sensible. I will start off with the basics and build my way up so you can see how I arrived at this conclusion.

LoZ/AoL

These are obviously the first two games and happen in this order. No debate. A few years later, we got ALttP with LA being the obvious sequel.
The timeline at this time:

ALttP/LA - LoZ/AoL

This order is because all we had to go by at this time was the back of the box of ALttP which told us that it preceded LoZ. Next, we were given OoT, which showed us a "split ending", making us decide what ending the older games would take place after. Obviously, ALttP had to go after the adult ending because of the Seal War, but there were some inconsistencies with ALttP coming directly after OoT. At this time, Shigeru Miyamoto told us the new order, an order that made a bit more sense:

OoT - LoZ/AoL - ALttP/LA

The only inconsistencies at this time were between AoL and ALttP:

1. How the Triforce gets back to the Sacred Realm
2. How Ganon comes back to rediscover the Sacred Realm.

After this was MM, which was the sequel to the child ending of OoT, giving us:

.......... - LoZ/AoL - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM

However, at this point, the concept of the split timeline didn't exist to some people, but MM seemed to have to be parallel to the other timeline for everything to work because as far as everyone knew - and still knows - the Seal War did not happen on the "child timeline". This next game(s) is a little tricky nowadays, but at the time of its release, it would seem pretty blatant.

OoX started off with two things that would have to exist in the ending of whatever game would precede it. These things were:

1. Ganon being dead
2. The Triforce being united and in Hyrule.

The only game at the time that fit this criteria was AoL, which ended with a united Triforce in Hyrule and a (still) dead Ganon. Therefore, the succeeding game to OoX would have to be ALttP. The only connection one can make here though, is the fact that we see the pieces of the Triforce flying a way at the end of OoX. This can mean different things, but if it means that it went back to the Sacred Realm, it sets up nicely for ALttP in that regard.

.......... - LoZ/AoL - OoX - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM

The only inconsistency is Ganon coming back for ALttP. FS was released next and it was said to be the oldest tale in the Zelda series, but I will get to that later. WW is what caused a lot of problems. While games could still work after it because of what Zelda said at the end, it creates inconsistencies for the placement of LoZ:

1. How the Triforce got to Hyrule
2. How Ganon came back
3. How Hyrule came back (no exact proof even now)

Timeline at this point:

.......... - WW - LoZ/AoL - OoX - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM

FSA was originally intended to prequel ALttP and complete the story of the Seal War, but Shigeru Miyamoto decided to "upend the teatable" and simplify the story. Because the story was only simplified, it could possibly still be what it was intended to be. FSA is also the direct sequel to FS, so FS would have to come out of its first place position to join FSA, making OoT the first again.

.......... - WW - LoZ/AoL - OoX - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM

FSA explains a new Ganon and possibly explains how he rediscovers the Sacred Realm for ALttP, resulting in virtually no inconsistencies from LoZ through to LA. TMC is the origin story for the Four Swords series and seems to go before LoZ. The backstory of TMC, the story of the Bound Chest, looks like its the first conflict between humans and monsters in the history of "New Hyrule". TMC must come after it with no games in between, hence the placement before LoZ.

.......... - WW - TMC - LoZ/AoL - OoX - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM

Lastly, TP and PH came out and we all (hopefully) know where they go and why.

.......... - WW/PH - TMC - LoZ/AoL - OoX - FS/FSA - ALttP/LA
OoT
...MM -- TP


Notes on AT Placement of ALttP

If the Seal War can't happen during OoT, then it could happen at any point after WW, preferably around the time of FSA.

As for the existence of the Master Sword:

Originally Posted by A Link to the Past Manual

The Sages first had to search for the existence of the Master Sword and a hero to use it.

Why would the Sages need to find out if the Master Sword even exists, unless it was lost somewhere? Where could it have been lost? Underneath the Great Sea of course! The Sages must have found it and placed it in the Lost Woods. This would also explain why some people know where it is after it had been lost for so long.


There you have it everyone!

Nice and squeaky clean.

I still think FSA adjusts OoX placement as the explanation of the Trident.

WW loses the MS for ALttP all right, but TP's MS placement is still
a closer fit to ALttP

Originally Posted by Cukeman

I still think FSA adjusts OoX placement as the explanation of the Trident.

WW loses the MS for ALttP all right, but TP's MS placement is still
a closer fit to ALttP

The Tridents don't have to be the same. That's like saying that the Kokiri Sword is the Master Sword.

Basically, I made this timeline because I didn't want to give up the nicely flowing arc:

OoT - LoZ/AoL - OoX - ALttP/LA

I know ALttP could be better on the CT, but if I make that movement, I would have to reconstruct my AT, thus destroying the arc I wanted to keep and forcing me to my old timeline:

.................... - WW/PH - ST - FS/FSA - LoZ/AoL
HoM - OoT
.............MM -- TP ------ OoZ ---------- ALttP/LA

That's why I said this at the beginning of the thread:

I am not fully supportive of this timeline as I am still swinging between this one and my old one

It's one timeline or the other for me. It all depends on what timeline ALttP goes in.

A few years later, we got ALttP with LA being the obvious sequel.

My only problem with this, is AST is a large piece of evidence for LA being placed after LttP. So many people place LA in many different locations. Therefore, I feel that if you are to go with LttP/LA you should sneak AST inbetween them.

That is of course if you feel AST is cannon.

At this time, Shigeru Miyamoto told us the new order, an order that made a bit more sense:

I half disagree. Imo the Miyamoto order made far less sense. It was fact, I just don't think it was as logical as the alternatives.

WW is what caused a lot of problems. While games could still work after it because of what Zelda said at the end, it creates inconsistencies for the placement of LoZ:

It creates worse inconsistencies than that lol.

A few years later, we got ALttP with LA being the obvious sequel.

At the time, of course. It 'could' go elsewhere now.

I dislike attempting to create a consistent timeline from the beginning to now (with the exception being the very beginning).

And what makes OoT-LoZ-OoX-LttP a good order now? I mean relying upon a 1998 quote when the series was a third of its current size... maybe, but what else?

And how would the sages find the sword stuck in a stone in an erased underwater kingdom?

^ Table, if that couldn't happen, we would know absolutely nothing about under water life. There would be no sea hunting.

I love you Beemnorv. This was my pre-Split timeline and my second favourite (my current still being my favourite cause I feel special separating the 2D games )

Side Note: I really hate this post I'm about to make, but what if it's developer's intention for LA after OoX. I hate the idea, but my mind is getting swayed.

At the time of OoT, we were given a time line, being OoT--->LoZ/AoL---->ALttP and LA could go anywhere.

So, OoX comes out, and they take that LA could go anywhere into after OoX, as he's sailing away

Don't do this to me Watties.... Don't you dare go in there.... Watties.... Watties?.... WATTIES!

^ I'm depressed about it as well. But if I'm trying to make it correct, I gotta do what seems right. Even though it doesn't.

At the time of OoT, we were given a time line, being OoT--->LoZ/AoL---->ALttP and LA could go anywhere.

However it was clear that the intention was LttP/LA.

LA is such a damn hard game to place. LttP/LA was definitely the intent, however OoX has EVERYTHING (and more) needed to be a prequel to LA. Hell it fits it better than LttP.

Currently if I were to make a timeline, I'd probably have it go LttP/LA... but I don't have a timeline so...

LOZH on ZI made a really interesting point in a thread. If I wasn't lazy I'd quote it

Originally Posted by Beemnorv

As for the existence of the Master Sword:

Why would the Sages need to find out if the Master Sword even exists, unless it was lost somewhere? Where could it have been lost? Underneath the Great Sea of course! The Sages must have found it and placed it in the Lost Woods.

And that's not more of a stretch to say it was left in the Lost Woods at the end of TP to be used again in ALTTP? We're never told WHERE the Sages found the Master Sword, so to say they recovered it from the Great Sea is far too big an assumption.

Then don't do it. aLttP/LA was confirmed once, and nothing to stop it still being. Please don't bugger this up for us! However pretty that boat is!

^That's the problem, though. OoX may have been intended to be a prequel, which would stop it from going LttP/LA, of course.

Originally Posted by River Zora

I love you Beemnorv. This was my pre-Split timeline and my second favourite (my current still being my favourite cause I feel special separating the 2D games )

Thanks, Zora!

Originally Posted by Watties

Side Note: I really hate this post I'm about to make, but what if it's developer's intention for LA after OoX. I hate the idea, but my mind is getting swayed.

At the time of OoT, we were given a time line, being OoT--->LoZ/AoL---->ALttP and LA could go anywhere.

So, OoX comes out, and they take that LA could go anywhere into after OoX, as he's sailing away

.......... - WW/PH - TMC - LoZ/AoL - OoX(/LA) - FS/FSA - ALttP(/LA)
OoT
...MM -- TP

There. It could go in either place. It doesn't even matter anyway.

Originally Posted by Link92

And that's not more of a stretch to say it was left in the Lost Woods at the end of TP to be used again in ALTTP? We're never told WHERE the Sages found the Master Sword, so to say they recovered it from the Great Sea is far too big an assumption.

That's why I said that I am "still swinging between this [timeline] and my old one".

.......... - WW/PH - ST - FS/FSA - LoZ/AoL
OoT
...MM -- TP ------ OoX ---------- ALttP/LA

This one is also nice and squeaky clean.


Also, let's not debate the placement of LA on this thread please. There is absolutely no point as it doesn't affect the placement of any other game.