Within the Sacred Realm

Link spends seven years in the sacred realm. SOMETHING is happening in there. Perhaps an adventure we've yet to play, or perhaps an adventure that we know and love but has eluded us in it's mystery. Of course I'm talking about Majora's Mask. What I'm saying is, the seven years Link spends in the sacred realm is Majora's Mask.

Here's what happens: when Link pulls the sword from the pedestal, he enters an alternate reality, a reality in his mind (just like the Silent Realm from Skyward Sword). Link still believes he is living in the real world. He travels through Hyrule as he would if it was real. He borrows Epona in his search for Navi. He makes an adventure through the Lost Woods, but the adventure is in his mind. He ends up in a place that doesn't really exist, Termina. All of the characters in the world are simply figments of his imagination, of memories of his adventures in Hyrule. If you've played Link's Awakening you'd know this is absolutely possible. This adventure is a test of his courage (again, just like the Silent Realm) to see if he is worthy of wielding the Master Sword. As you know in Majora's Mask there are two possibilities. 1. The moon hits the ground and destroys Termina. In this situation Link would be proved unworthy of wielding the Master Sword. He would wake up from the Sacred Realm, unable to wield the Master Sword. This would cause the Downfall Timeline. 2. Link defeats Majora and proves his worth by returning the Happy Mask Salesman's precious mask. Link awakens wielding the Master Sword and continues his journey through the Adult Timeline as expected.

Have any of you ever messed around with Majora's Mask? You know, the 4th day glitch? Then you've probably seen the bone-chilling scene where Skull Kid, Happy Mask Salesman, and Epona (who by the way is supposed to be dead) are simply standing there. Happy Mask Salesman's eyes follow you..
This is the scene where it is all revealed. The journey is a figment of Link's imagination. Epona stands there calmly, Skull Kid and HMS stand there calmly, it is all in Link's mind.

Some of you may know that Majora's Mask was originally intended to have seven days. One day for every year in the Sacred Realm. Why Nintendo never went through with the other three days or the scene that reveals the truth of the journey, I don't know (ahem, BEN...)

Anyways that's my idea, take a minute to let it resonate.

Your idea is wrong.

MM is simply Link's adventures after being sent back to the past at the end of OOT.

Why would Link remember going back to see Zelda and getting the OOT if it was while he was asleep? Why would he have Epona? Why do you think she's supposed to be dead?

Also Koholint was mostly the Wind Fish's dream. Not Link's. Only a few things came from Link. Like Marin resembling Zelda, and the forms Dethl took.

Originally Posted by silver arrow

Your idea is wrong.

Way to have an open mind..

Originally Posted by silver arrow

Why would Link remember going back to see Zelda and getting the OOT if it was while he was asleep? Why would he have Epona? Why do you think she's supposed to be dead?

What are you talking about? By this time Link barely knows Zelda. She just locks eyes with him and throws him the Ocarina of Time.
He has Epona because he has met Epona already. Epona exists in his mind and can therefore exist in the Sacred Realm. I'm pretty sure Epona is killed because Skull Kid says he "took care of it". It's not a blatant event but it's obviously implied.

Originally Posted by silver arrow

Also Koholint was mostly the Wind Fish's dream. Not Link's. Only a few things came from Link. Like Marin resembling Zelda, and the forms Dethl took.

Same principle applies. In a parallel universe (or dream world, whatever you want to call it) certain events can be manipulated by the subconscious mind of Link.

Originally Posted by silver arrow

MM is simply Link's adventures after being sent back to the past at the end of OOT.

I mean, that's just what the "Official Timeline" says. I have no problem with the Hyrule Historia, it' just the official timeline that I think is stupid. A lot of things are placed really carelessly, I see obvious places where it would fit better (i.e. Phantom Hourglass and Four Swords Adventures)

Originally Posted by Pianoasis

Way to have an open mind..

There's no need to have an open mind here. The events are already spelled out. It's not a dream during his seven year nap.

What are you talking about? By this time Link barely knows Zelda. She just locks eyes with him and throws him the Ocarina of Time.
He has Epona because he has met Epona already. Epona exists in his mind and can therefore exist in the Sacred Realm. I'm pretty sure Epona is killed because Skull Kid says he "took care of it". It's not a blatant event but it's obviously implied.

In MM, there is a flashback where Link gets the OOT from Zelda and recalls the Song of Time. Most likely this occurred when he told her what Ganon was up to which led to his arrest. This is confirmed by TP.

Skull Kid got rid of Epona. We later see that he just imprisoned her. Link gets her back. Also, how can Skull Kid kill Epona if MM is a dream that takes place during the seven year sleep? Epona is clearly fine after he wakes up.

Same principle applies. In a parallel universe (or dream world, whatever you want to call it) certain events can be manipulated by the subconscious mind of Link.

Koholint isn't a parallel universe. A parallel universe cannot be controlled by the subconscious mind either. It's called parallel because it is like his own universe.

Shmarf.. now this makes no sense.

I still think that something happened in the Sacred Realm that caused a timeline split. I think that Link went through some sort of test to prove his worthiness of wielding the Master Sword, and a paradox caused by some sort of time travel created a timeline where he couldn't wield the Master Sword and a timeline where he could.

No, nothing happened. The time Link spent in the Sacred Realm, he was in suspended animation. He was asleep for those 7 years, nothing happened except Ganondorf wreaking havoc in Hyrule.


And its already been said how the Downfall Timeline is created, its when Link is defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle, not by what happened in the Sacred Realm.

Have any of you ever messed around with Majora's Mask? You know, the 4th day glitch? Then you've probably seen the bone-chilling scene where Skull Kid, Happy Mask Salesman, and Epona (who by the way is supposed to be dead) are simply standing there. Happy Mask Salesman's eyes follow you..
This is the scene where it is all revealed. The journey is a figment of Link's imagination. Epona stands there calmly, Skull Kid and HMS stand there calmly, it is all in Link's mind.

Dude...that was a glitch, something that ISN'T suppose to happen. Highly doubt it has an relevance to the timeline.

This is very interesting I must say. This would actually explain so many things that confused me about Majora's Mask, like why was Link searching for Navi? and why does the game take place in another reality? It's all because it was a dream. Also the fact that the Downfall timeline could be based on Link failing in Termina would actually make sense in a way.

However like Silver Arrow said, it's been proved wrong, but you have every right to share your thoughts.

I know you don't like the official timeline that Nintendo has provided us, but keep in mind that it's incomplete. There is always room for new games that could explain the stuff that currently confuses us.

Also the fact that the Downfall timeline could be based on Link failing in Termina would actually make sense in a way.

Its based off of Link failing Hyrule and failing to defeat Ganondorf, Termina has nothing to do with it.

Originally Posted by keyaki

Its based off of Link failing Hyrule and failing to defeat Ganondorf, Termina has nothing to do with it.

I know how it actually happens... I'm just saying if it wasn't based off of Link failing against Ganon. This could make some sense, in a way.

Originally Posted by Mack

I know how it actually happens... I'm just saying if it wasn't based off of Link failing against Ganon. This could make some sense, in a way.

...Maybe, I'll give you that. If anything it could work as a fan-fiction.

'Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Inception'~

I tried approaching this theory with an open mind, ignoring Hyrule Historia and even ignoring the events of games other than the Nintendo 64 titles, but your theory is debunked in the first moments of MM:

In the land of Hyrule, there echoes a legend.
A legend held dearly by the Royal Family that tells of a boy…

A boy who, after battling evil and saving Hyrule,
crept away from that land that had made him a legend…

Done with the battles he once waged across time, he embarked on a journey. A secret and personal journey…

A journey in search of a beloved and invaluable friend.

A friend with whom he parted ways when he finally fulfilled his heroic destiny and took his place among legends…

It seems impossible to reconcile the prologue with your theory.

Originally Posted by DoubleDipDelish

I tried approaching this theory with an open mind, ignoring Hyrule Historia and even ignoring the events of games other than the Nintendo 64 titles, but your theory is debunked in the first moments of MM:



It seems impossible to reconcile the prologue with your theory.

That too.

Never noticed that before :\

It sure was a bold theory, though. Kudos to that, Pianoasis!

That is a very intriguing theory, but I don't think it worked out that way. You're right about there being a big gap while Link was in the Sacred Realm. I suppose that part is up to our imaginations...

OMG I LOVE THIS THEORY! It is probably the best explanation for Majora's Mask out of all the rest here. don't understand why people are being so closed minded, IT'S JUST A THEORY. Give the guy a chance. Anyway, there might yet still be a Zelda game which explains just what happened during Link's disappearance from Hyrule, or even Sheik's Quest...

Originally Posted by Ningan the Lone Ninja

OMG I LOVE THIS THEORY! It is probably the best explanation for Majora's Mask out of all the rest here. don't understand why people are being so closed minded, it's just a theory ffs. Give the guy a chance.

---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

OMG I LOVE THIS THEORY! It is probably the best explanation for Majora's Mask out of all the rest here. don't understand why people are being so closed minded, IT'S JUST A THEORY. Give the guy a chance. Anyway, there might yet still be a Zelda game which explains just what happened during Link's disappearance from Hyrule, or even Sheik's Quest...

Its not being close-minded, its called debunking.

Originally Posted by keyaki

Its not being close-minded, its called debunking.

Originally Posted by silver arrow

Your idea is wrong.

Maybe not you, but certainly some are.

Saying that someone is wrong isn't narrowminded by default. Sometimes, it's just a statement of fact.

Originally Posted by keyaki

Its based off of Link failing Hyrule and failing to defeat Ganondorf, Termina has nothing to do with it.

Yes we know what happens in the downfall timeline. What no one knows is how the downfall timeline came to exist. There is no paradox split or anything to explain why Link would fail against Ganondorf.