The Placement of the Oracle series

Even though many theoriests among ZU agree on a timeline that is similar, one of the hardest placements is the oracle series itself. Many reason regarding this is the lack of information and history these two games provide. While at this time it may not be possible to find a correct placement my goal is to team together and find the best possible placement at this time. I wrote this out merely to start a discussion so perhaps "we as timeline theoriests" can work together to find the best placement possible. Note I have used some of this information from my bomber's theory contest admission. I'm working on finding quotes and any more evidence use make this connection possible ,(and even fixing up some of my grammar). Any help will be appreciated considering I, have a busy lifestyle.

At this moment, I believe the oracle series goes after ALttP and LA, but before LoZ and AoL.


The key essential used for placing these games is the presence of the Triforce. Most Zelda games usually has the original quest of Link trying to unite the Triforce. The only games that has the Triforce as a whole is the WindWaker, the Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past and the Oracle of Ages and Seasons. As for the WindWaker, and the end we notice something a little different. No I’m not talking about that depressing flood, but of course I’m talking about the Triforce. When all three Triforce pieces are united they float away, most likely to the sacred realm in which we don’t see again till a Link to the Past. In a Link to the Past it is assumed that the Triforce does not float away but stay with the obtainer according to the legend. The legend says that the Triforce stays with the obtainer unless he dies or he leaves Hyrule. In that case, when the game following a Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening, Link leaves Hyrule on a trip for enlightenment. From this event it is safe to assume that Link bares the Triforce no more. From playing Link’s Awakening many times and viewing many pictures from Link’s Awakening I haven’t notice the Triforce mark on Link’s hand.
Although we have no idea what actually happened to it we know that it lies in Hyrule, but not the sacred realm, since it no longer exists after the ending of a Link to the Past. As for the intro of both the oracle games witness Link in Hyrule one day. Suddenly a strange force drew Link deep within the castle, which he discovers the Triforce. This ties the intro of the oracles with the ending of a Link to the Past. Another remarkable occurrence I found with the Triforce is the voice, or the Essence of the Triforce. Before the release of the Oracle of Ages and the Oracle of Season, A Link to the Past was the only game that featured the Essence of the Triforce. Now we witnessed it in these two games. “Link... Link... Accept the quest of the Triforce!" A coincidence or on purpose? Though I don’t use this compare the importance of this one piece evidence to the others that have been displayed in this theory, I do take it into consideration as it does in fact help bring this game closer to a Link to the Past.

Now there are only two places in the timeline where the oracle series can be placed, either after a Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening or after the Adventure of Link. I personally place the two classic games after A Link to the Past, because there is a very interesting quote on the game box of A Link to the Past. It notes some characters in this game are ancestors of characters in the two classic games.

Some argue that the Oracle series as a whole and very well be placed after the Adventure of Link. Both games have the Triforce present at the end and both even have Ganon dead at the time. Pertaining to the Triforce it is uncertain what exactly happens to it. Does it stay with the obtainer or does it float away? One would assume that it follows the legend that occurred in a Link to the Past. So perhaps it stays with Link. But how does it even end up in the castle? If there is possibly another story after the Adventure of Link, than the Oracle Series most likely does not date after the Adventure of link, even though the Adventure of Link doesn’t even have the Hyrule Castle. Instead there is a North Castle in which hasn’t been explain yet of why it’s there instead of Hyrule castle. Another debate regarding Ganon is a very interesting word that was used at the end of A Link to the Past that describes Ganon. Link destroyed him. Looking up the word in the dictionary we notice it also means to demolish and to kill. There is nothing special about the word destroy, it practically means the same as the other words use to describe Ganon’s defeat. So that doesn’t stop us from placing the Oracle series after the A Link to the Past.

But now it is time to pull out the ultimate weapon that deals with Ganon and the sacred Realm. In these games Ganon is dead and the Twinora witches are trying to revive him. For this procedure they need Link and Zelda’s blood. In the Adventure of Link Ganon’s followers only need Link’s blood to revive Ganon from his death. Perhaps that is a significant difference in these two attempts for revival. In these two games, the appearance of Ganon’s mighty weapons returns again from a Link to the Past, that mighty trident of his. It’s a significant piece of evidence. For those of you who place the Oracle Series after the Adventure of Link, how might you explain the random appearance of the Trident? We only see this weapon in two other games, the Four Sword Adventure and a Link to the Past. Another coincidence?

In these two games sums of quotes describing Ganon and the dark realm (remains of the sacred realm) were found throughout the game. The Twinora witches mention their plan about reviving Ganon from the dark realm. The only game where Ganon was defeated in the sacred/dark realm was in the one and only, the Link to the Past. Again another argument can arise from this, one that supports the Oracle Series coming after the Adventure of Link. In the original Legend of Zelda Ganon was destroyed in the underworld. Some can possibly relate the underworld to the Dark Realm. From my experience playing the game, I say otherwise. The Twinora witches describe the Dark Realm as the remains of a terrible place, which relates to the sacred realm. Other then that, many websites do define the Dark Realm as; the remains of the corrupted Sacred Realm.

Mention many of times in these games was that they need to light the three torches; flame of sorrow, flame of despair and flame of destruction, within the Gerudo Room of rites. Possibly this room can take place in the Gerudo Desert (consider Koume and Kotake are Gerudos) but this also suggest the possibility of Ganon being a Gerudo, or a desert folk, which has been seen in the past games. On top of that after many mentions of rituals to take place in order to revive Ganon, there was no mention of ashes in the Oracle series, which was mention in the Adventure of Link.

In conclusion, I thereby stand as one who is for the placement of the Oracle Series after a Link to the Past but before the two classic games. I do admit this is one of the hardest placements in the timeline, because of the lack of evidence the game and the producers offer. I use the presence of the Triforce, the trident, the essence of the Triforce, the mentions of the Dark Realm and many others that support the correct placement. One of the strongest pieces of evidence is Hyrule Castle itself. There is a castle called North Castle in the Adventure of Link, which is another difference from the oracle series. Perhaps future games will make this placement easier for one to comprehend.

Any suggestions/comments/questions/arguements/ is appreciated.

Although we have no idea what actually happened to it we know that it lies in Hyrule, but not the sacred realm, since it no longer exists after the ending of a Link to the Past.

I'm curious about something. What happens to the Dark World after Link kills Ganon and retrieves the Triforce? Does it simply dissappear, or did it revert back to being the Sacred Realm once more? I don't remember the game saying the Sacred Realm would be destroyed, and I always used to think that the credits with the dark sky becoming blue was showing the Sacred Realm returning to normal...

Also, weren't the two witches slain in adult OoT? Wouldn't this place ALttP, LA, OoA/OoS, LoZ and AoL...all in the child timeline?

The ending credits of ALttP show the camera floating over what I assume if the sacred realm. Some official artwork and the picture showing the Triforce in the sacred realm in the intro of the game support that statement. So I think it's safe to assume that the sacred realm reverted.

Originally Posted by the_Predator

The ending credits of ALttP show the camera floating over what I assume if the sacred realm. Some official artwork and the picture showing the Triforce in the sacred realm in the intro of the game support that statement. So I think it's safe to assume that the sacred realm reverted.

That's what I thought as well, but HeroOfTime5 said something to the extent that after Link kills Ganon and gets the Triforce, both the Dark World AND the Sacred Realm are destroyed.

I belive that the oracles come after AoL because the whole of the triforce is assembled in the castle in both AoL and OoX. In ALttP Link had already used up his wish so the Triforce would go back to the SR. As for the Triforce talking I say it didn't talk in LoZ/AoL because it wasn't whole.

Originally Posted by Anslyn Siles

I'm curious about something. What happens to the Dark World after Link kills Ganon and retrieves the Triforce? Does it simply dissappear, or did it revert back to being the Sacred Realm once more? I don't remember the game saying the Sacred Realm would be destroyed, and I always used to think that the credits with the dark sky becoming blue was showing the Sacred Realm returning to normal...

Also, weren't the two witches slain in adult OoT? Wouldn't this place ALttP, LA, OoA/OoS, LoZ and AoL...all in the child timeline?

hmmm....that's a very interesting question. The only time we here of it after ALttP is in OoX when it is refered to as the dark realm that is still composed of some evil...

As for the witches before they die they said the wanted to hunt Link forever. So maybe that's what they did. They are either ghosts or reincarnations.

Originally Posted by Essence of the Triforce

Ganon was building up his power here so that he could conquer the Light World and make his wish come completely true. But now, you have totally destroyed Ganon, His Dark World will vanish.

I don't think that the Sacred Realm was destroyed in ALttP. Only the "Dark World" which is a manifestation of Ganon's evil spirit. Also, I doubt that the Dark Realm mentioned in the Oracles is the Sacred Realm. I always pictured it as the Zelda equvalent for Hell. Isn't it where Onox and Veran originate too?

For my take on the Oracle placement you can read my Bombers article. I am for the post AoL placement, the article should provide all the details to support my view.

Originally Posted by Uncle Meat

I don't think that the Sacred Realm was destroyed in ALttP. Only the "Dark World" which is a manifestation of Ganon's evil spirit. Also, I doubt that the Dark Realm mentioned in the Oracles is the Sacred Realm. I always pictured it as the Zelda equvalent for Hell. Isn't it where Onox and Veran originate too?

For my take on the Oracle placement you can read my Bombers article. I am for the post AoL placement, the article should provide all the details to support my view.

Hmm...as for the dark realm, I'll think about that but that is possible.

As for your article, first off nicely done. Well written. But one you think you didn't completely answer is the presence of the triforce at the end of AoL. Does it stay with the obtainer, or does it float away like in TWW. If it does float away indeed than OoX cannot be placed after the classics.

Originally Posted by HeroOfTime5

But one you think you didn't completely answer is the presence of the triforce at the end of AoL. Does it stay with the obtainer, or does it float away like in TWW. If it does float away indeed than OoX cannot be placed after the classics.

It doesn't float away, it stays next to the altar where Zelda sleeps. I'm not sure does Link make a wish on it or does the triforce simply dispel the magicians curse. Either way it seems to stay. Here's a video.

EDIT: Note the similarity between the formations of both games.

Uncle Meat, that's a link to Lord Daegra's profile, not a video.

What in the world! I'll fix that in a jiffy.

EDIT: It works now. Sorry about that. The link to Daegra must havee been left in the memory of my compy for some reason.

Originally Posted by Uncle Meat

What in the world! I'll fix that in a jiffy.

EDIT: It works now. Sorry about that. The link to Daega must havee been left in the memory of my compy for some reason.

Agggghhhh watching that game gives me a stomach ache. Well yes you are right but how do we know it doesn't go away after? I mean the reason why it doesn't float away in ALttP is because the legend said it stays with the obtainer. But we don't know if that applies for AoL.

Originally Posted by HeroOfTime5

I mean the reason why it doesn't float away in ALttP is because the legend said it stays with the obtainer.

It doesn't float away because it's already in the Sacred Realm. And what legend to be precise?

Originally Posted by Uncle Meat

It doesn't float away because it's already in the Sacred Realm. And what legend to be precise?

Man i wish zeldalegends was up. But the quote went something like "the triforce stays with the obtainer" than i believe it says something after it saying "if he has a good heart good things will happen....". Ha i'm like the worst person with quotes. sorry.

The Oracle games pretty much destroy themselves. The entire premise of the games is that Onox, Veran and Twinrova are trying to light the flames of sorrow, destruction and despair and sacrificing a human (Zelda) to free Ganon from the Sacred Realm he is sealed away in.

Now, if Ganon is in the Sacred Realm, how is the Triforce out and about to send Link off in the Oracle of Seasons?? Makes no sense. I believe myself that the Oracles games take place sometime shortly after the Imprisoning War. I have been working on a theory with this in it as well, pm if you wanna see early.