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(MatPat is not associated with Nintendo and thus irrelevant to this page. Age of Calamity being a semi-prequel to Breath of the Wild is not trivia.)
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[[File:E Timeline.png|thumb|right|x300px|The timeline shown on page 10 of {{E|-}}]]
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The '''''Zelda'' Timeline''' refers to the fictional chronology of {{TLoZ|Series}}.
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[[File:Timeline Hyrule Historia.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The timeline revealed on page 69 of ''Hyrule Historia'']]
  
   
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Though the series began in 1986, [[Nintendo]] did not publish a master timeline until {{HH}} in 2011. The timeline had previously existed in a highly confidential document conceived of at least by 2003.<ref>{{Cite Person|For every Zelda game we tell a new story, but we actually have an enormous document that explains how the game relates to the others, and bind them together.|name=[[Shigeru Miyamoto]]|url= https://www.nintendoforums.com/articles/40/super-play-magazine-interviews-shigeru-miyamoto-about-zelda|title=Interview:Superplay Magazine April 23rd 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Person|quote= Yes, there is a master timeline but it is a confidential document! The only people to have access to that document are myself, Mr. Miyamoto and the director of that title. We can't share it with anyone else!|name= [[Eiji Aonuma]]}}</ref><!-- From Official Nintendo Magazine, supposedly the July 2010 issue.--><ref>{{Cite Person|There is a timeline established, but it is secret.|name=[[Bill Trinen]]|url= https://www.zeldadungeon.net/wiki/Interview:Camp_Hyrule_August_15th_2005|title=Interview:Camp Hyrule August 15th 2005}}</ref> In 2007, producer [[Eiji Aonuma]] confirmed the existence of two parallel timelines branching from {{OoT|-}},<ref>{{Cite Web|quote=The Wind Waker is parallel. In Ocarina of Time, Link flew seven years in time, he beat Ganon and went back to being a kid, remember? Twilight Princess takes place in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years after the peace returned to kid Link's time. In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time. Ganon was sent to another world and now he wants to obtain the power...|author=Eiji Aonuma|published=03-10-2007|retrieved=December 22, 2013|url=http://www.thehylia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1173582355|title=Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview 1|site=The Hylia|}}</ref> now officially named the '''Child Timeline''' and '''Adult Timeline'''.<ref name="encyclopedia-timeline">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |page= 10}}</ref> {{HH|-}} released a third branch named the '''Fallen Hero Timeline''',<ref name="buzzfeed-timeline">{{Cite Web|quote=|author=Nintendo|published= December 2, 2013|retrieved=December 22nd, 2013|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/legendofzelda/the-legend-of-zelda-a-timeline|title="The Legend Of Zelda": A Timeline|site=BuzzFeed}}</ref> which resolved timeline contradictions with respect to the titles released before {{OoT|-}}. The portion of the timeline preceding the three-way split is known only as '''Hylia & the Hero of Time'''.<ref name="encyclo 11">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E|publisher= |page= 11}}</ref> ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion]]'' states that everything before the {{BotW}} backstory has faded to myth.<ref name="CaC 360">{{Cite Book|book= CaC |page= 360}}</ref>
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'''{{LZS|Zelda}} Timeline''' details the official chronology of the ''Legend of Zelda'' series, as revealed by the December 2011 release of {{HH}} in Japan. ''Hyrule Historia'' is a compilation of official sources with [[Eiji Aonuma]] as its chief editor and therefore represents the developer's view of the chronology most accurately.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1215301p1.html |title= The Legend of Zelda Timeline Revealed|site= IGN}}</ref>
  
   
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Nintendo intends for the timeline to be flexible and open to player interpretation, allowing for more creative freedom, and less restrictions.<ref name="encyclopedia-timeline"/><ref name="quote2">{{Cite Web|quote=Famitsu asked series producer Eiji Aonuma, and Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi what the changes meant, and this was their reply: '''Eiji Aonuma, series producer:''' “Well of course it’s at the very end. But, I get what you’re asking, it’s which timeline is it the end of?”
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{{OTOC|450}}
  
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'''Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director:''' “That’s… up to the player’s imagination, isn’t it?” '''Aonuma:''' “Hyrule’s history changes with time. When we think of the next game and what we want to do with it, we might think, 'Oh, this’ll fit well', and place it neatly into the timeline, but sometimes we think, 'Oh crap', and have to change the placement. Actually, the decided history has been tweaked many times.” (laughs)|url=https://www.siliconera.com/2018/08/05/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-has-been-added-to-the-series-official-timeline/|title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Has Been Added To The Series’ Official Timeline|site=Siliconera}}</ref> Whenever a ''Legend of Zelda'' game is created, the developers keep the timeline in mind, but only to an extent, as being too detailed in timeline placements can limit their creativity.<ref>{{Cite Web|'''Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director''' "As you mentioned, we realized that fans have a great time theorizing and enjoy thinking about where things fit on the timeline. That's something that the development team recognizes and it considers, but to an extent. And I say, "to an extent" because if we get too into the weeds or too detailed in that placement, it results in kind of creating restraints for our creativity; the process of creating new ideas becomes restricted because we're so tied up and trying to make this fit into a very specific spot in the timeline. We do consider it, but not to an extent where we feel that our development process feels restricted or constrained."|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/interview/2023/12/07/aonuma-and-fujibayashi-talk-tears-of-the-kingdoms-reception-and-their-approach|title=Aonuma And Fujibayashi Talk Tears Of The Kingdom's Reception And Their Approach To The Timeline|site=Game Informer}}</ref>
   
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==History of the ''Zelda'' Timeline==
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==Hylia & the Hero of Time==
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The beginning of the timeline encompasses the events of {{SS}}, {{TMC}}, {{FS}}, and {{OoT}}, in that order.
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{{Main|History of the Zelda Timeline}}
  
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When the ''Zelda'' series began, the chronology between games was thought to be relatively simple. The second game, {{TAoL}}, was released under the title ''Zelda II'', and was a direct sequel to the original adventure,<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=At the end of a fierce fight, Link overthrew Ganon, took back the Triforce and rescued Princess Zelda. However, is it all really finished? Many seasons have passed since then.|game=TAoL|page=3}}</ref> set some years later as Link reaches adulthood.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=One day, a strange mark, exactly like the crest of the kingdom, appeared on the back of Link's hand as he approached his 16th birthday.|game=TAoL|page=3}}</ref> However, it was not until the release of {{ALttP}} that the history of the franchise was explored in more depth. ''A Link to the Past'' was released as a prequel to the original game,<ref>{{Cite|The predecessors of Link and Zelda face monsters on the march when a menacing magician takes over the kingdom.|{{ALttP}}|Box}}</ref> and was the first game to expand upon the lore of the franchise, in particular the nature of the [[Triforce]] and the origins of the Demon King [[Ganon]]. ''A Link to the Past'' also introduced the concept of there being more than one [[Link]]: a predecessor of the original hero from the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] adventures. ''Link's Awakening'' was released as a sequel to ''A Link to the Past'', following the adventures of the same hero.
  
   
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===Creation of the World===
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The release of {{OoT}} and the subsequent release of {{MM}} caused some confusion. This time, as a prequel to ''A Link to the Past'', it was purported to be a retelling of the events of the [[Imprisoning War]] described in the back story of the [[SNES]] adventure,<ref>{{Cite web|quote=The story in Ocarina of time isn’t actually original, it deals with the Sages’ Imprisoning War from the Super Famicom's ALttP.|author=Satoru Takizawa|published=June 22, 2007|retrieved=December 22, 2013|url=http://www.glitterberri.com/ocarina-of-time/1101-interviews/ganondorf/|title=Ganondorf|site=GlitterBerri's Game Translations|}}</ref> and did indeed focus on the origins of Ganon, for the first time showing his human form of Ganondorf. However, the exact events did not match up as described, and arguments about whether the game really represented the Imprisoning War would continue for many years. These arguments were to be further confused by subsequent games {{TWW}} and {{TP}} both being released as sequels to ''Ocarina of Time'' and seemingly having no recognition of the events of {{ALttP}}, or each other.
  
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{{Main|Creation of the World}}
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Before time began, the three [[Golden Goddesses]] descended upon the chaos that was [[Hyrule]].<ref>{{Cite|Before time began, before spirits and life existed... Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule... Din, the goddess of power... Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... Farore, the goddess of courage... Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=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.|game= OoT|page=5}}</ref> [[Din (Goddess)|Din]], the Goddess of Power, created the earth.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth.|game= OoT|page=5}}</ref> [[Nayru]], the Goddess of Wisdom, bestowed order upon the world.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world.|game= OoT|page=5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=The God of Wisdom created science and wizardry and brought order to nature.|game= ALttP|page=3}}</ref> [[Farore (Goddess)|Farore]], the Goddess of Courage, created life.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law.|game= OoT|page=5}}</ref>
   
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Their labor complete, the goddesses departed for the heavens. They left behind the [[Triforce]], an all-powerful artifact which would grant its holder their heart's desire.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote=After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce. A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule.|game= ALttP|page=3}}</ref>
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In 2001 a timeline of the first eight games was released by {{Wp|Nintendo of America}} on [[Zelda.com|Zelda Universe]].<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021002111625/http://www.zelda.com/lib_timeline.html</ref> This timeline featured the games in the following order: ''Ocarina of Time'', ''Majora's Mask'', ''A Link to the Past'', ''Oracle of Ages'', ''Oracle of Seasons'', ''The Legend of Zelda'', ''The Adventure of Link'', and ''Link's Awakening'', and featured a single Link. This timeline was not generally recognized to be canonical due to lack of involvement from the developers, and the concept of a single Link introducing many inconsistencies and impossibilities, in particular reconciling the events of ''Ocarina of Time'', ''Majora's Mask'' and ''A Link to the Past''.
  
   
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===Era of Hylia===
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''The Wind Waker'' in particular caused huge upheaval for the chronology of the series. By washing [[Hyrule]] away, the events of later games was put into question entirely. Some thought that a single chronology of events was impossible, and indeed, with the release of ''Twilight Princess'', the developers revealed there were two timelines,<ref>{{Cite web|quote=The Wind Waker is parallel. In Ocarina of Time, Link flew seven years in time, he beat Ganon and went back to being a kid, remember? Twilight Princess takes place in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years after the peace returned to kid Link's time. In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time. Ganon was sent to another world and now he wants to obtain the power...|author=Eiji Aonuma|published=03-10-2007|retrieved=December 22, 2013|url=http://www.thehylia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1173582355|title=Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview 1|site=The Hylia|}}</ref> something some fans had only previously speculated upon. The split in the timelines was caused by the ending of ''Ocarina of Time'', with one timeline following the events seen in the future, while the other followed [[Young Link]] as he returned to the past. These are now known as the Adult Link Timeline and the Young Link Timeline. Despite this however, neither ''The Wind Waker'' nor ''Twilight Princess'' could be adequately placed as a prequel to ''A Link to the Past'', and {{FSA}} sat as a wild card, set in a world similar to ''A Link to the Past'' but significantly different to the point where it was also difficult to place in the chronology.
  
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{{Main|Ancient Battle}}
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The Triforce was entrusted to the goddess [[Hylia]] during the '''Era of Hylia''',<ref>{{Cite Book|book= E |publisher= |page= 12}}</ref> known more fully as the '''Era of the Goddess Hylia'''.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= E |publisher= |page= 76}}</ref>
   
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One day, the Demon King [[Demise]] sought to take it and make the world his own. He raised an army of malevolent forces against [[Hyrule]].<ref>{{Cite|One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess.|N/A|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|In his thirst to make the world his own, Demise readied a massive army of monsters for war. He sought to take the Triforce for himself by force.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> Hylia gathered the surviving [[human]]s on an outcrop of earth and sent it to [[The Sky]] beyond a [[Cloud Barrier]] of her creation.<ref>{{Cite|To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands... The goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds.|N/A|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Until now, a {{Color|SS Red|cloud barrier}} created by the goddess has separated the world you know from the one below.|Fi|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The goddess feared for her people. She used her power to send both them and the Triforce into the sky on a slice of earth she cut away from the land.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> The outcrop would later become known as {{Term|SS|Skyloft|link}}. She hid the {{Term|SS|Triforce|link}} there as well.<ref>{{Cite|For the safety of all things, she hid the Triforce somewhere within the rock you call Skyloft. However, its location has been kept secret. Even I do not know where it rests now.|Levias|SS}}</ref>
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On December 21, 2011, Nintendo of Japan published an official chronology of ''The Legend of Zelda'' series in [[Hyrule Historia]], outlining how the games in the series are related to one another. This chronology revealed that there were not just two timelines, but three, and finally reconciled the placement of the original NES and SNES adventures in the timeline by introducing the Fallen Hero Timeline.
  
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{{Clear}}
  
   
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Hylia rallied the Surface tribes of the [[Goron|Gorons]], [[Kikwi]], [[Mogma]], [[Parella]] and the [[Ancient Robot|Ancient Robots]], to fight back the evil forces led by Demise, and sealed them away.<ref>{{Cite|With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface.|N/A|SS}}</ref> She suffered grave injuries in the battle. Knowing the seal on Demise would not hold, she devised a plan.<ref>{{Cite|However, soon after the demon king was imprisoned, it became clear that the seal would not hold long against his fearsome power. Hylia had suffered grave injuries in her battle with the demon king.|Zelda|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|She knew that if he broke free again, there would be no stopping him. And if the demon king were to free himself, it would mean the end of the world for all beings of this land. In order to put an end to the demon king, Hylia devised two separate plans and set them both into motion.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> As the Triforce could not be wielded by a god, Hylia renounced divinity and transferred her soul to the body of a mortal who would come of age when Demise returned.<ref>{{Cite|Her second plan...was to abandon her divine form and transfer her soul to the body of a mortal. ...She made this sacrifice, as you have likely guessed, so that the supreme power created by the old gods could one day be used. For while the supreme power of the Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> She created the [[Goddess Sword]] and the spirit [[Fi]] to aid her chosen hero, who would reveal himself when he drew the sword from its pedestal.<ref>{{Cite|First, she created {{Color|SS Blue|Fi}}. She made the spirit that resides in your sword to serve a single purpose: to assist her {{Color|SS Red|chosen hero}} on his mission.|Zelda|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure. Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear. It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words... When the light of the goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred.|Gaepora|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit.|Fi|SS}}</ref>
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===Timeline Theories===
  
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{{Main|Archive:Timeline Theories|Timeline Theories}}
  
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''Zelda Timeline Theories'' are perhaps the object of greatest debate amongst fans of the series. Nintendo's transcendental and thorough method of incorporating the tried-and-true formula of "gameplay first, story later" has arguably produced some of the greatest games of all time, but it has also resulted in an incoherent chronology - full of loose ends, contradictions, and general confusion. Fortunately, this has motivated fans to do all they can to sift, sort, and organize the ''Legend of Zelda'' canon.
  
   
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===Sky Era===
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==Chronology of the ''Legend of Zelda'' Series==
  
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{{Story}}
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===={{SS|-}}====
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{{Quote|...This is a telling of tales, passed on through the ages by humans...|}}
  
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The chronology section of Hyrule Historia consists of a collection of tales passed down by the people of Hyrule. There are many obscure parts in the account presented that will become perhaps more clear at a later point. Considering also that the account may contain inaccuracies, the editors of the book invite the readers to give their own interpretation regarding the actual events.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Up to this point, the legends of Zelda have been surrounded by myth and mystery, but now, with the help of the following information, you will be able to discover for yourself the real history of Hyrule. [...] This chronicle merely collects information that is believed to be true at this time, and there are many obscured and unanswered secrets that still lie within the tale. As the stories and storytellers of Hyrule change, so, too, does its history. Hyrule's history is a continuously woven tapestry of events. Changes that seem inconsequential, disregarded without even a shrug, could evolve at some point to hatch new legends and, perhaps, change this tapestry of history itself.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=68|publisher=Dark Horse Comics}}</ref>
  
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===Singular Timeline===
  
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====Creation of the World====
  
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[[File:Goddesses.png|thumb|right|The Goddesses create the world, from {{ALttP}}]]
  
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Hyrule was formed many ages ago through the works of the three [[Golden Goddesses]]: [[Din (Goddess)|Din]] the Goddess of Power, [[Nayru (Goddess)|Nayru]] the Goddess of Wisdom, and [[Farore (Goddess)|Farore]] the Goddess of Courage. Before spirits and life existed, these three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|Before time began, before spirits and life existed... Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule... Din, the goddess of power... Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... Farore, the goddess of courage... Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law.|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite manual|quote=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.|game=Ocarina of Time|page=5}}</ref> Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land, created the red earth, and was thus responsible for the creation of the geography of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth.|game=Ocarina of Time|page=5}}</ref> Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world, bringing order to a formerly chaotic realm.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world.|game=Ocarina of Time|page=5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite manual|quote=The God of Wisdom created science and wizardry and brought order to nature.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref> Farore, with her rich soul, created all life forms that would uphold the law established by Nayru.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law.|game=Ocarina of Time|page=5}}</ref>
  
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====The Era of the Goddess Hylia====
  
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{{Main|Ancient Battle}}
  
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[[File:Hylia.png|thumb|right|Hylia and the five races of the surface]]
  
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When the labors of the three great goddesses were completed, they departed the world for the heavens. The three goddesses left behind a symbol of their power, the all-powerful relic known as the [[Triforce]], which when mastered in its entirety would grant the heart's desire of its holder.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce. A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule.|game=A Link to the Past|page=3}}</ref> They trusted the ultimate power in the hands of Her Grace, the Goddess [[Hylia]], to protect it.<ref>{{Cite|Handed down by the gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the goddess.|Introduction|SS}}</ref> The Demon King [[Demise]], wanting to make the world his own, gathered an army of monsters and together launched an attack against the people of the surface, murdering them and causing misfortunes in an attempt to get their hands on the power guarded by Hylia.<ref>{{Cite|One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess.|Introduction|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|In his thirst to make the world his own, Demise readied a massive army of monsters for war. He sought to take the Triforce for himself by force.|Zelda|SS}}</ref>
  
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Hylia gathered the surviving humans on a piece of land and sent it to [[The Sky|the heavens]], beyond the clouds and out of reach from the evil plaguing the land.<ref>{{Cite|To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands... The goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds.|Introduction|SS}}</ref> In order to keep it from falling into the hands of Demise, Hylia also sent the Triforce to [[The Sky]] and hid the portals to three pieces of the Triforce within [[Sky Keep]], and enshrined the [[Goddess Sword]] inside the Statue of the Goddess, to be found by a chosen hero when the time was right.<ref>{{Cite|I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure. Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear. It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words... When the light of the goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred.|Gaepora|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The words I have sworn to keep secret are coming true before my very eyes. The youth will be guided by one born of the blade--one who is also youthful in likeness yet wise with knowledge immeasurable.|Gaepora|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Oral tradition, one of the least reliable methods of information retention and transmission. It appears that critical sections of the passage have been lost over the generations. The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit. He shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of apocalypse from the land. Such is his destiny. With the spirit of the blade at his side, he shall soar over the clouds and plummet below... ...And united with the spirit maiden, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land.|Fi|SS}}</ref> Now that the humans were safe, the goddess and the five tribes who lived on the surface joined forces and sealed away Demise, restoring peace to the land, although the goddess had suffered "grave injuries".<ref>{{Cite|With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface.|Introduction|SS}}</ref>
  
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{{clear}}
  
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====The Sky Era====
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword}}
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Thousands of years later,<ref name="HH 69">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 69}}</ref> during the '''{{Section|Sky Era}}''',<ref name="HH 72">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 72}}</ref> Hylia is reborn as [[Zelda]] in [[Skyloft]].<ref name="HH 73">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 73}}</ref> On the day of the 25th annual [[Wing Ceremony]], she is taken down to the {{Term|SS|Surface|link}} in a tornado created by {{Term|SS|Ghirahim|link}},<ref>{{Cite|The day of the ceremony, Ghirahim's tornado tossed me out of the sky and down to the world below.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> who attempts to have her kidnapped to revive his master {{Term|SS|Demise|link}}.<ref>{{Cite|I MUST have the spirit maiden in order to resurrect my master!|Ghirahim|SS}}</ref> {{Term|SS|Zelda}} is rescued from his minions by {{Term|SS|Impa|link}},<ref>{{Cite|I was nearly captured by the demonic forces, but I was rescued at the last moment by the old woman who lives in the Sealed Grounds.|Zelda|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|I heard my underlings had finally captured the spirit maiden, so of course I rushed over here. What can I say? I was excited. Flustered, even... But what did I find when I arrived? That agent of the goddess... She had once again... You see, what I'm trying to say is... That goddess-serving dog escaped with the girl!|Ghirahim|SS}}</ref><ref name="HH 74">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 74}}</ref> whom Hylia had sent through time to help her mortal self.<ref>{{Cite|Zelda, at the command of the goddess, I passed through the Gate of Time. I did so to protect you and aid the fight to prevent the world's destruction.|Impa|SS}}</ref>
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[[File:SS Skyloft Artwork.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Link riding on his Loftwing with Skyloft in the background]]
  
−
Skyloft remained in the sky above the clouds for generations, with knowledge of the Surface and the origins of Skyloft becoming mere legend. Despite their dwindling knowledge of their origins, the people of Skyloft still knew of the Goddess Hylia and believed she watched over them to that day, unaware that she was [[Princess Zelda#Skyward Sword|living among them in a mortal form]].
  
   
  +
Zelda regains her memories as Hylia.<ref name="HH 75">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 75}}</ref> Her childhood friend, {{Term|SS|Link|link}}, is led by {{Term|SS|Fi|link}} to draw the {{Term|SS|Goddess Sword|link}}, and so is revealed to be Hylia's chosen hero. At the {{Term|SS|Temple of Time|link}}, {{Term|SS|Zelda}} and {{Term|SS|Impa}} flee from {{Term|SS|Ghirahim}} by going through the {{Term|SS|Gate of Time|link}} and destroying it behind them. Link seeks out the three [[Sacred Flames]] to temper his sword into the [[Master Sword]], which he uses to activate the second Gate of Time at the Sealed Temple.<ref name="HH 75"/> He finds {{Term|SS|Zelda}} by using the {{Term|SS|Gate of Time}} to travel back to the Era of Hylia, to a time shortly after when Demise was sealed. Zelda places herself in a thousand-year slumber to sustain the seal.<ref>{{Cite|To ensure that the seal holds, I will remain here in this time...deep in sleep for thousands of years.|Zelda|SS}}</ref>
−
On the day of the 25th anniversary of Skyloft's [[Knight Academy]], Zelda is taken to the surface by Demon Lord [[Ghirahim]] in an attempt to revive Demise. That night, Link is awakened by the voice of a mysterious spirit, who reveals itself as the sword spirit of the Goddess Sword, created by the goddess Hylia for the purpose of assisting Hylia's chosen hero in fulfilling his destiny.<ref>{{Cite|[Link], the goddess created Fi and the great blade she's a part of for very specific reasons.|Zelda|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|First, she created Fi. She made the spirit that resides in your sword to serve a single purpose: to assist her chosen hero on his mission.|Zelda|SS}}</ref> Guided by Fi, Link travels to the Surface in search of Zelda, who herself is guided by [[Impa]] to purify her body at the goddess statues to reawaken as the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia. As Zelda and Impa escape from Ghirahim to the past, Link [[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword#The Sacred Flames|quests to purify the Goddess Sword]] and power it to become the [[Master Sword]]. After traveling to the past, Zelda reveals her true identity to him, and as such must remain in a deep sleep to keep Demise imprisoned within his seal. Link travels back to the present and after learning the [[Song of the Hero]] finds the Triforce and successfully wishes upon the destruction of Demise.
  
−
[[File:SS Link and Demise.png|thumb|200px|left|Link and Demise]]
  
−
After Zelda awakens from her sleep, an enraged Ghirahim kidnaps her back to the past, where Demise is still alive. Link follows Ghirahim to the past for a final showdown, but is unable to stop the ritual to revive Demise. The ancient Demon King escapes from his seal, swallows Zelda as [[The Imprisoned]] and returns to his original form. Demise announces his intention to take the world as his own now that Hylia is gone, but gives Link the chance to duel him in another realm for the fate of the world. After a fierce fight, Link bests Demise and fatally wounds him. The Demon King stumbles to his feet, congratulating Link, but warns him that it is not over, and that his hatred would be [[Ganon|reborn as a being]] to pursue domination of the world, and those with the [[Princess Zelda|blood of the goddess]] and [[Link|spirit of the hero]] in [[The Legend of Zelda (Series)|a cycle without end]]. Link raises his blade and absorbs the remains of the Demon King into the Master Sword.
  
   
  +
Link returns to the present, gathers the [[Triforce]], and uses it to destroy Demise.<ref name="HH 76">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 76}}</ref> Zelda awakens from her agelong slumber only to be kidnapped by Ghirahim.<ref name="HH 76"/> Ghirahim takes her to the past, where Demise is still alive, and uses her soul to revive his master. Link defeats Demise in battle and the Demon King is permanently sealed away in the Master Sword. With his last words, Demise vows an incarnation of his hatred ([[Ganon]]) shall ever follow "those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero" in a cycle without end.<ref>{{Cite|My hate...never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again!|Demise|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!|Demise|SS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|I have confirmed the eradication of the demon king. His residual consciousness has been absorbed into the Master Sword... and is now sealed away.|Fi|SS}}</ref>
−
Link returns from the battle to find Zelda and Groose, and the three return to the Temple of Hylia, where they meet with Impa and prepare to return to their own time. At Fi's behest, Link plunges the Master Sword into a pedestal in the Sealed Temple, leaving it and his partner behind now that her purpose to guide Link had been completed. Saying goodbye to Impa before she destroys the Gate of Time, the three return to their own time where peace has returned and residents of Skyloft take their first steps on the Surface.
  
−
{{clear}}
  
   
  +
Link thrusts the Master Sword into a pedestal in the {{Term|SS|Sealed Temple|link}}; Fi becomes forever dormant in the sword. Link and Zelda return to the present, but Impa stays in the past—in her own time—to watch over the Master Sword. Zelda and Link resolve to live on The Surface and watch over the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite|I... I think I want to live here. I always want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head, and watch over the Triforce.|Zelda|SS}}</ref>
−
====The Era of Chaos and the Sealing of the Sacred Realm====
  
−
[[File:Temple of Time 3.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Pedestal of Time inside the Temple of Time]]
  
−
Following the defeat of Demise, the world created by the [[Golden Goddesses]] and guarded by the Goddess [[Hylia]], became known as [[Hyrule]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Created by the Golden Goddesses and protected by the goddess Hylia, the world eventually became known as Hyrule.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 
   
  +
Zelda ([[Hylia]] reincarnate), Link, and others from [[Skyloft]] repopulated the surface world. Their descendants became known as [[Hylian]]s.{{Note|According to {{HH}}, the Hylians are the descendants of Hylia.<ref name="HH 77">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 77}}</ref> However {{E}} states that Hylia lived ''among'' the Hylians.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 14}}</ref> In {{SS}}, the people of Skyloft are only ever referred to as humans.}} During this time, the land was named [[Hyrule]].<ref name="HH 77"/>
−
Those descended from the people who were living in ancient times under the protection of the Goddess Hylia were known as Hylians. They were born with magic-infused blood, endowing them with psychic powers and skill in wizardry.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=With their magic infused blood, the Hylian people were endowed with psychic powers and skill in wizardry.|game=A Link to the Past|page=4}}</ref> It is also believed that the Hylians' pointed ears allow them to hear the messages of the gods.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=It was also said that their long, pointed ears enabled them to hear special messages from the gods.|game=A Link to the Past|page=4}}</ref>
  
   
  +
===Era of Chaos===
−
Hyrule knew many years of peace, however, the legend of the Triforce, which was located in the [[Sacred Realm]], spread throughout the land. Its power was lusted after by many people, and a wave of chaos descended upon the land of Hyrule as people tried to take this power for themselves.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=After years of peace, a wave of chaos once again engulfed the land. [...] The legend of a supreme power spread throughout the land, whetting the appetites of those who would possess the Triforce and inciting vicious battles between them.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> To protect the sacred power, [[Rauru]], the Sage of Light, constructed the [[Temple of Time]], which contained the only entrance to the Sacred Realm. Rauru sealed the entrance with the [[Master Sword]] and closed the chamber of the Master Sword behind the [[Door of Time]]. The [[Spiritual Stones]] acted as keys to opening the door.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Rauru, the Sage of Light, constructed the Temple of Time, which contained the only existing entrance to the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce was located. [...] The pedestal holding the Master Sword was closed behind the Door of Time, and the keys to opening the door (the Spiritual Stones of forest, fire, and water) were protected by their respective people.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The legendary Master Sword that lay behind the door served as the final key to the Sacred Realm.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=86|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The [[Temple of Light]], located at the center of the Sacred Realm, became the resting place of the Triforce, while Rauru remained in the temple to protect the sacred relic.<ref>{{Cite|The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces.|Rauru|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Triforce was placed in the Temple of Light, located in the Sacred Realm, which was now isolated from Hyrule. Protecting the Triforce in the Temple of Light, Rauru became the guardian of the power of the gods.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=77}}</ref>
  
  +
{{Main|Interloper War}}
−
{{clear}}
  
  +
After many years of peace in Hyrule, word spread of the supreme power of the Triforce. War engulfed the land, heralding the '''{{Section|Era of Chaos}}'''.<ref name="HH 69"/><ref name="HH 77"/> In particular, a group of powerful sorcerers known as the [[Interlopers]] sought dominion over the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce was located. The goddesses sent the [[Spirits of Light]] to banish them to the [[Twilight Realm]].<ref name="encyclo 11"/><ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page=113}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|For ages, the people lived at ease, content in mind and body... But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensued... Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered.|Lanayru (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> To protect the Triforce, the sage [[Rauru]] built a new [[Temple of Time]] at the location of the Sealed Temple, around the pedestal holding the Master Sword — the location of the only entrance to the Sacred Realm.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= Borrowing the name of the legend, Rauru constructed the new Temple of Time on the ruins of the Sealed Temple, and made the Master Sword a key for passage into the Sacred Realm. Since only someone worthy could pull the sword from the pedestal, it would keep those unworthy of the Triforce from entering the Sacred Realm.|book= E |publisher= |page= 25}}</ref> He placed the Triforce in the [[Temple of Light]] and sealed off the Sacred Realm with him inside it in an event called {{Term|Series|Sealing the Sacred Realm|link}}. The Master Sword became the key that joined the Temple of Time to the Temple of Light. It was closed behind the [[Door of Time]].<ref name="HH 77"/><ref name="E 24">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |page= 24}}</ref>
   
−
====The Era of Prosperity====
 +
===Era of Prosperity===
  +
During the '''{{Section|Era of Prosperity}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> Zelda's descendants established the kingdom of Hyrule and became its [[Royal Family of Hyrule|Royal Family]].<ref name="HH 77"/> The {{Plural|Series|Oocca|link}} also participated in Hyrule's founding.<ref>{{Cite|The common opinion is that Hyrule was created by the Hylia people, the race closest to the gods, but...truth be told, there's also a theory saying that in ancient times, there was a race even closer to the gods than the Hylia people, and THEY created it. And they, simultaneously with the birth of the Hylia people, created a new capital, a capital that floated in the heavens.|Shad|TP|Japanese text}}</ref>
−
[[File:HyruleInPeace.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Kingdom of Hyrule]]
  
−
Those with the blood of the Goddess [[Hylia]], reborn as Zelda, established the kingdom of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The descendents of the goddess Hylia, who was reincarnated as Princess Zelda, established the kingdom of Hyrule and became Hyrule's royal family.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> [[Hyrule Castle]] was built at the center of the land, watching over the [[Temple of Time]], which was protecting the Sacred Realm and the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=In order to protect the Triforce, Hyrule Castle was built in the center of Hyrule, where the Temple of Time was located.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=77|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 
   
−
Many years passed after the kingdom's establishment. Within the [[Royal Family of Hyrule]], as descendants of the Goddess, many were born with a special power that existed deep within the bloodline and the queen would often be named Zelda after the historical legend.
 +
Many members of the royal family were born with special powers given that they were blood relatives of the goddess Hylia. Princesses born into the royal family were named Zelda after the goddess reincarnate.<ref name="HH 77" />
−
{{clear}}
  
   
−
====The Force Era====
 +
===Force Era===
−
=====The Hero of Men=====
 +
====The {{Term|TMC|Minish Legend}}====
  +
{{Main|Minish Legend}}
−
[[File:Bound Chest War 4.png|thumb|right|200px|The Legend of the Hero of Men]]
  
  +
[[File:TMC Stained Glass Hero of Men Artwork 2.png|thumb|right|200px|The Legend of the Hero of Men]]
−
As ages went by and the Kingdom of Hyrule continued to develop in peace,<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Force Era|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|page=78}}</ref> one day the land was suddenly overwhelmed by evil creatures that descended upon it in swarms, driving the world into shadows and bringing the kingdom to near-ruin. As Hyrule neared the brink of collapse, the tiny [[Minish|Picori]] appeared from the sky and gave the [[Hero of Men]] the [[Picori Blade]] and the magical [[Light Force]]. Using these two special gifts, the Hero drove the beasts back and restored light to the land of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|A long, long time ago...when the world was on the verge of being swallowed by shadow...The tiny Picori appeared from the sky, bringing the hero of men a sword and a golden light.|Prologue|TMC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Long, long ago, and then even longer before that...Evil creatures appeared in the world of humans. They were powerful, frightening beasts, and they created such trouble! But then the Picori came from the sky, bringing humans powerful magic. With the magic light force and the Picori Blade, the beasts were repelled. And the world of humans once more knew peace, thanks to the Picori.|Marshall|TMC}}</ref>
  
  +
During the '''{{Section|Force Era}}''', Hyrule was attacked by evil beings.<ref name="HH 78">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 78}}</ref> The [[Minish]], known to the Hylians as Picori, descended from the sky to save Hyrule. They brought the [[Picori Blade]] and the [[Light Force]] to the [[Hero of Men]].<ref>{{Cite|The tiny Picori appeared from the sky, bringing the hero of men a sword and a golden light. With wisdom and courage, the hero drove out the darkness.|N/A|TMC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Long, long ago, and then even longer before that...Evil creatures appeared in the world of humans. They were powerful, frightening beasts, and they created such trouble! But then the Picori came from the sky, bringing humans powerful magic. With the magic light force and the Picori Blade, the beasts were repelled. And the world of humans once more knew peace, thanks to the Picori.|Marshall|TMC}}</ref> The Hero sealed the evil beings in the [[Bound Chest]] and locked it with the Picori Blade.<ref>{{Cite|Do you know about that sword, Link? It is called the Picori Blade, and it locks much evil away in that chest.|Minister Potho|TMC}}</ref> To commemorate the event, a [[Picori Festival]] was held once a year.<ref name="HH 78"/> During the festival, the champion of a sword-fighting tournament would earn the right to touch the Picori Blade.<ref>{{Cite|Whoever wins the competition earns the honor of touching the sacred blade.|Minister Potho|TMC}}</ref>
−  
−
To ensure the beasts could not bring further destruction to the land, the Hero of Men sealed them all within the [[Bound Chest]]. Sealing the chest with the Picori Blade itself, the Hero of Men was able to bring the destructive war to an end and brought peace to the kingdom. The Light Force was embodied within the [[Princess Zelda|princess]] of Hyrule to prevent its misuse, shining forth upon the lands within its ruler.<ref>{{Cite|With wisdom and courage, the hero drove out the darkness. When peace had been restored, the people enshrined that blade with care. And the force of the golden light, embodied in Hyrule's princess, shone forth upon the lands.|Stained-glass window|TMC}}</ref>
  
−
{{clear}}
  
   
−
=====The Hero of the Four Sword=====
 +
===={{TMC|-}}====
−
{{Sources}}
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap}}
  +
On the hundredth anniversary of the [[Picori Festival]], a corrupted, power-seeking [[Minish]] named [[Vaati]] wins the sword-fighting tournament. During the award ceremony, Vaati breaks the [[Picori Blade]] and opens the [[Bound Chest]], hoping to find the {{Term|TMC|Light Force|link}}. This unleashes evil onto the Hyrule. He turns Zelda to stone and later kidnaps her when he discovers the Light Force is within her. He uses the Light Force to transform into a [[Vaati's Wrath|winged demon]].
−
[[File:Link ezlo.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Link and Ezlo]]
  
−
One year, in celebration of when the [[Minish|Picori]] last came to Hyrule 100 years ago to the day, the festival was unusually grand. [[Hyrule Castle]] was hosting a tournament of sword-fighting skill that called to mind the [[Link|heroes of legend]]. That year's champion was a mysterious man by the name of [[Vaati]]. He won the tournament with an almost magical ease, and all of Hyrule was abuzz with rumors about this shadowy figure. During the ceremony following the sword competition, Vaati shattered the sacred Picori Blade and opened the [[Bound Chest]], which, for an age, had been sealed by the Picori Blade, trapping evil monsters within. Vaati was after the Light Force, that golden light that was once wielded by the hero mentioned in the legends of the Picori. He subdued the castle guards and turned Princess Zelda to stone before making a speedy departure.
  
   
  +
[[Link]], a blacksmith's apprentice and Zelda's friend, is enlisted by [[King Daltus]] to have the Picori Blade reforged so it can break the curse on Zelda. He teams up with [[Ezlo]], a Minish sage and Vaati's former mentor—Vaati had gained his power when he stole the [[Mage's Cap]] from Ezlo. With the help of {{Term|TMC|Ezlo}} and other {{Term|TMC|Minish}}, Link reforges the Picori Blade and infuses it with the {{Term|TMC|Four Elements|link}} to create the {{Term|TMC|Four Sword|link}}. With it in hand, {{Term|TMC|Link}} vanquishes {{Term|TMC|Vaati}}, breaking the curse on {{Term|TMC|Princess Zelda}}. Zelda uses the {{Term|TMC|Mage's Cap|link}} to wish Hyrule back to normal.
−
[[King Daltus]] asked the young Link to seek out the Picori and ask them to reforge the sacred blade. Traveling to the [[Minish Woods]] he met [[Ezlo]], who helped him find the Picori, or Minish as they called themselves. Link met with the [[Gentari|elder]] of [[Minish Village]], who told him that in order to reforge the sacred Picori sword he would require the four [[Element]]s, the embodiments of the sacred powers of earth, fire, water, and wind. Once he had gathered the Four Elements, Link brought the Picori Blade—now the [[White Sword]]—to the [[Elemental Sanctuary]] hidden within the courtyard of Hyrule Castle. There he infused the White Sword with the Elements, fully restoring the sacred [[Four Sword]]; a legendary blade with the power to split one warrior into four.
  
   
  +
===={{FS|-}}====
−
Meanwhile, Vaati had brainwashed King Daltus and shrouded Hyrule Castle in darkness. He had discovered that the sacred Light Force had actually been passed down through Hyrule's princesses, and so he prepared to extract the Light Force from Princess Zelda. Link rushed to her rescue, and, after vanquishing Vaati, he used the Four Sword's evil-banishing power to restore Princess Zelda. Vaati had been a Minish, an apprentice of Ezlo, who was also a Minish. Ezlo had made a magical cap with the power to grant wishes, but Vaati had stolen it and used it to become a powerful sorcerer. He had transformed Ezlo into a hat himself, then proceeded to hunt down the Light Force. Now that Vaati had fallen, the wishing cap could be used to restore Hyrule. Princess Zelda put on the cap and wished with all her heart that Vaati's cruelty might be undone. With her righteous wish and the power of the Light Force that still dwelled within her, many miracles happened as a result and peace returned to the land of Hyrule.
  
  +
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords}}
  +
Vaati was presumed dead, but soon reappeared. Having no memory of his previous life as a Minish, he declared himself Wind Mage and claimed the [[Palace of Winds]].<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 82}}</ref> He brought terror to the land by kidnapping young maidens. A Hero appeared carrying the [[Four Sword]]. He sealed the demon inside the sword, which was then enshrined in the [[Four Sword Sanctuary]].<ref>{{Cite|Vaati terrorized the people of Hyrule and kidnapped many beautiful girls from their homes. When all hope seemed lost, a young boy carrying little more than a sword appeared. According to the legends, when the boy drew his sword, he split into four, the four-who-are-one worked together to vanquish Vaati. The hero used his sword to bind Vaati in a remote area of Hyrule. The people christened the blade the Four Sword and built a shrine around it. There it remained undisturbed for many years.|N/A|FSA}}</ref>
   
  +
Generations later, [[Vaati]] the Wind Mage breaks free and kidnaps [[Princess Zelda]], taking her to the [[Palace of Winds]]. [[Link]], who witnessed the kidnapping, draws the [[Four Sword]] and is split into four [[Links]]. The Links gather three keys to [[Vaati's Palace]] from the [[Great Fairy|Great Fairies]] in the [[Sea of Trees]], [[Talus Cave]], and [[Death Mountain]]. The Links defeat Vaati in his palace and rescue Princess Zelda. The Wind Mage is once again sealed in the Four Sword, which is returned to its pedestal. Link regains his original form.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 83}}</ref>
−
=====The Resurrection of the Wind Mage=====
  
−
{{Image
  
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|image=Four Swords - Vaati.png
  
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|type= caption
  
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|size=180px
  
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|align=right
  
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|caption=Vaati, the Wind Mage
  
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}}
  
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Peace returned briefly to the kingdom of Hyrule, as Vaati was presumed dead, but suddenly he re-appeared to terrorize the land once again.<ref name=hh82>{{Cite book|quote=The Force Era|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|page=82}}</ref> No longer remembering his days as a Picori, or his lust for the Light Force, he made himself a home in the [[Palace of Winds]] and he named himself The Great Sorcerer of the Wind, Vaati. With the power to bend the wind to his will, Vaati goes on a rampage, using this awful power to terrorize many villages of Hyrule. In his assaults on the villages, Vaati would kidnap any beautiful girls who caught his fancy.
  
   
  +
===Era of the Hero of Time===
−
Many knights from the castle and other brave men set out to subdue the sorcerer and rescue the girls, but each one fell in turn to Vaati's awesome power. Just as the people had begun to lose hope, a lone young boy traveling with little but a sword at his side appeared.
  
  +
[[File:OoT Pedestal of Time Artwork.png|thumb|right|200px|Link draws the [[Master Sword]] from the [[Pedestal of Time]]]]
−
When this boy heard what was happening, he said only, "I will defeat this sorcerer." He boldly entered Vaati's palace, mystically trapped the evil sorcerer inside the blade of his sword, and returned the young girls to their villages. The boy then went deep into the forest and disappeared.
  
  +
Hyrule enters a long period of [[Hyrulean Civil War|civil war]]. During the war, a dying [[Link's Mother|Hylian woman]] flees to the [[Kokiri Forest]] and entrusts her baby boy {{Term|OoT|Link|link}} to the [[Great Deku Tree]]. The boy is raised as a [[Kokiri]].<ref>{{Cite|Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in our world. One day, to escape from the fires of the war, a Hylian mother and her baby boy entered this forbidden forest. The mother was gravely injured... Her only choice was to entrust the child to the Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the forest. The Deku Tree could sense that this was a child of destiny, whose fate would affect the entire world, so he took him into the forest. After the mother passed away, the baby was raised as a Kokiri.|Deku Tree Sprout|OoT}}</ref> Eventually, the [[King of Hyrule]] ends the war and unifies the kingdom.<ref name="HH 84">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 84}}</ref>
   
  +
Around this time Ganondorf was born. This new evil would cause endless destruction across Hyrule over millenia,
−
The villagers asked the girls how a boy so young could have saved them all and defeated the sorcerer when no one else could. The young girls told a story of how, with just a wave of his sword, the boy's body shattered into four pieces, each of which then formed a complete copy of the boy. These four young boys then worked together to defeat the sorcerer. The people did not believe the story, but they called it the [[Four Sword]] nonetheless. As rumors of the blade's power to divide a person into four entities spread, the people built a shrine to protect it.
  
−
{{clear}}
  
−  
−
=====Defeat of the Wind Mage=====
  
−
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords}}
  
−
[[File:Four Swords Intro.png|thumb|left|200px|Link splitting in four after taking the Four Sword]]
  
−
For generations Zelda and her descendants managed the seal of the Four Sword, but one day the seal weakened. Zelda was in Hyrule Castle when she sensed that something unusual was occurring at the Four Sword Shrine. She asked a boy named Link, whom she trusted above anyone else, to accompany her to investigate the happenings at the shrine. As they approached the shrine to check on the seal, a dark figure suddenly appeared and grabbed princess Zelda. The seal on Vaati had weakened over time, and Vaati managed to break out of his prison within the Four Sword.
  
−  
−
Having still no memory of his time as a Picori, or the power of the Light Force, Vaati did not recognize the princess and saw her only as a fair maiden. He decided she was to become his bride to commemorate his return and took off with her to his palace. After being instructed by fairies, Link takes the Four Sword from its pedestal and is split into four, as the legend foretold. The [[Great Fairy|Great Fairies]] could help Link to get to the [[Palace of Winds]], but not until he proved himself courageous enough. After traveling over three different lands and the dungeons they contained, Link and his three other selves confronted the wind mage in the [[Palace of Winds]], the seat of Vaati's power. After an arduous battle between the sorcerer and the heroes, Link was able to reseal Vaati into the Four Sword's blade.<ref name=hh82/> Princess Zelda and the people of Hyrule once again kept a watchful eye on the Four Sword.
  
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{{clear}}
  
−  
−
====The Era of the Hero of Time====
  
−
=====Hyrule Kingdom in Chaos=====
  
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{{Main|Hyrulean Civil War}}
  
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For reasons not specified, Hyrule entered into a period of [[Hyrulean Civil War|fierce war]]. During this war, a [[Link's Mother|Hylian woman]] fled the fires of war and entered the [[Kokiri Forest]], giving her newborn baby, named Link, to the [[Great Deku Tree]] to be raised as a [[Kokiri]]. Finally the war ended and the [[King of Hyrule]] unified his country.<ref>{{Cite|Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in our world. One day, to escape from the fires of the war, a Hylian mother and her baby boy entered this forbidden forest. The mother was gravely injured... Her only choice was to entrust the child to the Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the forest. The Deku Tree could sense that this was a child of destiny, whose fate would affect the entire world, so he took him into the forest. After the mother passed away, the baby was raised as a Kokiri.|Deku Tree Sprout|OoT}}</ref>
  
   
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=====The Boy Followed by a Fairy=====
 +
===={{OoT|-}}====
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[[File:OoT Master Sword Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link draws the Master Sword]]
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}
  +
{{Term|OoT|Ganondorf|link}}, leader of the {{Plural|OoT|Gerudo|link}}, openly swears fealty to the king, but plots to open the {{Term|OoT|Door of Time|link}} to obtain the {{Term|OoT|Triforce|link}}. To that end, he curses the Great Deku Tree in an attempt to wrest from him the [[Kokiri's Emerald]]. With his dying breath, the Great Deku Tree sets {{Term|OoT|Link}} and the fairy {{Term|OoT|Navi|link}} on a quest to stop {{Term|OoT|Ganondorf}}.<ref>{{Cite|Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce... Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend... That evil man who cast the death curse upon me and sapped my power... Because of that curse, my end is nigh... Though your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, I was doomed before you started... Yes, I will pass away soon... But do not grieve for me... I have been able to tell you of these important matters... This is Hyrule's final hope...|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Link... Go now to Hyrule Castle... There, thou will surely meet the Princess of Destiny... Take this stone with you. The stone that man wanted so much, that he cast the curse on me...|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The future depends upon thee, Link... Thou art courageous... Navi the fairy... Help Link to carry out my will...|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref>
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When the baby had become a young boy, he had many restless nights as nightmares of an evil man from the desert plagued his sleep. One day, The Great Deku Tree sent the [[Fairy Companion]] [[Navi]] to summon him. After defeating the monster [[Gohma]] within the Deku Tree itself, the guardian of the forest revealed that he had been cursed by the evil [[Ganon|Ganondorf]] and implored Link to take the Spiritual Stone of Forest, the [[Kokiri Emerald]], to [[Princess Zelda]] at [[Hyrule Castle]].<ref>{{Cite|Now...listen carefully...A wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse upon me...|Great Deku Tree|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Let's go to Hyrule Castle, Link!! Good-bye...Great Deku Tree...|Navi|OoT}}</ref> Link hurried to Hyrule Castle to meet Zelda, who told him that Ganondorf plotted to appropriate the sacred power of the [[Triforce]].<ref>{{Cite|What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it!|Zelda|OoT}}</ref> She and Link schemed to obtain the Triforce before Ganon could. Link would gather the other Spiritual Stones needed to open the Door of Time, and she would play the [[Ocarina of Time (Item)|Ocarina of Time]] to open the door.<ref>{{Cite|We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!|Zelda|OoT}}</ref>
  
   
  +
{{Term|OoT|Link}} meets {{Term|OoT|Princess Zelda|link}}, who like {{Term|OoT|Link}} had premonitions of {{Term|OoT|Ganondorf}}'s treachery.<ref>{{Cite|....... Yes. I told my father about my dream... However, he didn't believe it was a prophecy... But...I can sense that man's evil intentions!|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref> The two plot to open the {{Term|OoT|Door of Time}} and get to the Triforce before Ganondorf.<ref>{{Cite|We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!|Zelda|OoT}}</ref> When {{Term|OoT|Link}} opens the Door of Time and draws the [[Master Sword]] from the [[Pedestal of Time]], he is sealed within the [[Chamber of Sages]] for seven years. He reawakens as the [[Hero of Time]].<ref>{{Cite|Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time....However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time....Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years.|Rauru|OoT}}</ref> In this time, Ganondorf had entered the Sacred Realm, seized the Triforce and transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters.<ref>{{Cite|But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!|Rauru|OoT}}</ref> However, the Triforce had split in three and Ganondorf retained only the Triforce of Power.<ref>{{Cite|If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise. The Triforce...the sacred triangle... it is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true.|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> Link gained the Triforce of Courage,<ref>{{Cite| The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> and Princess Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom.<ref>{{Cite|And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all...|Sheik|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.|Zelda|OoT}}</ref> Ganondorf had used his power to take control of Hyrule Castle, and the Sacred Realm was transformed into the [[Evil Realm]] due to his evil heart.<ref>{{Cite|Your spirit remained in the Sacred Realm...and then the Triforce fell into Ganondorf's hands. He went on to invade the Sacred Realm... Ganondorf had become the Evil King, and the Sacred Realm became a world of evil. All of this is an unfortunate coincidence. I passed myself off as a Sheikah and hoped that you would return. I waited for seven years...|Zelda|OoT}}</ref><ref name="HH 87">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 87}}</ref>
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After retrieving the two remaining Spiritual Stones, Link returned to Hyrule Castle only to see Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf. During her flight, Zelda threw the Ocarina of Time into the moat for Link to find. After a brief confrontation with Ganondorf, Link retrieved the Ocarina and proceeded to the Temple of Time. With all the keys in hand, he opened the Door of Time and lifted the [[Master Sword]] from its pedestal, opening the entrance to the Sacred Realm. As Link was too young to be the Hero of Time, Link's spirit was sealed in the [[Temple of Light]] for seven years.<ref>{{Cite|Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time....However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time....Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years.|Rauru|OoT}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Using the combined power of the {{Term|OoT|Master Sword}} and the {{Term|OoT|Seven Sages|link}}, {{Term|OoT|Link}} and {{Term|OoT|Zelda}} seal {{Term|OoT|Ganondorf}} in the Evil Realm.<ref>{{Cite|Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!|Rauru|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Thank you, Link... Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm! Thus, peace will once again reign in this world...for a time.|Zelda|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 91}}</ref> Ganondorf vows to destroy Link and Zelda's descendants when the seal is one day broken.<ref>{{Cite|Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref>
−
=====The Awakening of the Hero of Time=====
  
−
[[File:OoT Link Ganon Artwork.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Link and Ganondorf in an epic battle.]]
  
−
With the gates of the Sacred Realm unguarded, Ganondorf was able to enter and take the Triforce for his own.<ref>{{Cite|Geh heh heh! Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm...Yes, I owe it all to you, kid!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref> However, since his heart was not in balance, the Prince of Darkness was left with only the Triforce of Power. Despite this, Ganondorf was able to use it to conquer the land of Hyrule, as the Hero of Time slept for seven years. After seizing the Triforce and corrupting the Sacred Realm, he caused that corruption to seep into the temples of the Sages, which became infested with all kinds of monsters,<ref>{{Cite|But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the [[Gerudo]] King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden [[Sacred Realm]]! He obtained the [[Triforce]] from the [[Temple of Light]], and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!|[[Rauru]]|OoT}}</ref> so that the Sages-to-be would not be able to fulfill their duty and aid [[Link]].<ref>{{Cite|One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the [[Forest Temple (Ocarina of Time)|Forest Temple]]. The Sage is a [[Saria|girl I am sure you know]]...Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the [[Sacred Realm]]... Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple... But, if you believe what I'm saying, you should head to [[Kakariko Village]]... Do you understand, Link?|[[Sheik]]|OoT}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Zelda uses the {{Term|OoT|Ocarina of Time (Item)|link}} to return Link to his own time. Link places the Master Sword back in the pedestal and closes the Door of Time. Navi, her mission complete, disappears.
−
As Link awakened after seven years, he found Hyrule in ruins. Led by Rauru's and [[Sheik]]'s instructions, Link managed to cleanse the temples and help each Sage to gain their power. Upon Rauru's advice, he then returned to the Temple of Time, where he found [[Sheik]] waiting. His mysterious ally revealed himself to be none other than Princess Zelda, keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom and the seventh Sage, leader of them all. The reunion was cut short when the princess was abducted by Ganondorf. With the Sages help, Link fought his way to the top of [[Ganon's Tower]], clearing the path to Ganondorf for the final showdown between the Hero of Time and the King of Evil.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganondorf, who had placed Link under surveillance, kidnapped Princess Zelda and brought her to his castle. He attempted to lure Link there also, seeking the final piece of the Triforce. [...] At last, the time had come for the battle with Ganondorf.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=90|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
The timeline splits into three branches after {{OoT|-}}.<ref name="HH 69"/> The [[#Fallen Hero Timeline|Fallen Hero Timeline]] is a branch in which Ganon defeats the Hero of Time. The branch where Link defeats Ganon is itself split in two when Zelda sends Link back in time to childhood. The [[#Child Timeline|Child Timeline]] is the branch that follows Link back to his own time. The [[#Adult Timeline|Adult Timeline]] is the branch where the Hero of Time has disappeared from the world. Inexplicably, the [[Master Sword]] exists in both branches. In the Child Timeline, Link returns it to the Pedestal of Time. In the Adult Timeline, Zelda does it.<ref name="HH 122">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 122}}</ref>
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{{Clear}}
  
   
−
===Split of the Timeline===
 +
==Fallen Hero Timeline==
  +
The '''Fallen Hero Timeline'''<ref name="buzzfeed-timeline"/> is an alternate timeline in which Ganondorf defeats the Hero of Time in battle.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Ganondorf the thief obtained the Triforce of Power and managed to get his hands on Princess Zelda. The Hero of Time, Link, challenged him in a battle that would determine Hyrule's very existence, and lost.|book=HH|page=92|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Ganondorf takes Link's Triforce of Courage and Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom, thus gaining the power of the complete Triforce.<ref>{{Cite Book|book=HH|page=92}}</ref> As a last resort, the Seven Sages, led by Princess Zelda, seal Ganon and the Triforce within the corrupted Sacred Realm, now the [[Dark World]].<ref name="HH 87"/><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The Seven Sages of Hyrule, led by Princess Zelda, sealed Ganon and the Triforce in the Sacred Realm as a final resort.|book=HH|page=92|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise.|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref>
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{{Main|The End of Ocarina of Time}}
  
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<!--THIS NEEDS REFS!-->
  
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Link finally confronted the king of evil in a final battle within [[Ganon's Tower|his tower]]. When Link defeated the evil king, he escaped the tower with Zelda as the castle crumbled around them. However, as the two watched the rubble, Ganondorf emerged. Enraged by his defeat and fueled by the Triforce of Power still within him, he transformed into Ganon, a being of pure evil, and challenged Link one last time. Link managed to weaken Ganon so that Zelda and the six sages could seal him away in the Sacred Realm. Once the battle was over, Zelda used the Ocarina of Time to return Link to his own age before he drew the Master Sword. Link then went to Zelda, and together they convinced the king of Ganondorf's treachery thanks to the pieces of the Triforce which they held. Ganondorf was imprisoned and sealed away for his conspiracy. Because Zelda sent Link back in time, she forever altered the course of Hyrule's history, splitting it in two.
  
   
  +
This timeline branch contains the events of {{ALttP}}, {{LA}}, {{OoS}} and {{OoA}}, {{ALBW}}, {{TFH}}, {{TLoZ}}, and {{TAoL}}.
−
However, in an alternate reality, Link was bested by Ganondorf. Despite his best efforts, he failed to defeat the king of evil, seemingly dooming the kingdom of Hyrule forever.
  
   
−
===Fallen Hero Timeline===
 +
===Imprisoning War===
−
The Fallen Hero Timeline<ref>{{Cite web|quote=The FALLEN HERO Timeline|author=Nintendo|published= December 2, 2013|retrieved=December 22nd, 2013|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/legendofzelda/the-legend-of-zelda-a-timeline|title="The Legend Of Zelda": A Timeline|site=BuzzFeed}}</ref> is the timeline in which Link, the Hero of Time, despite his best efforts, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganondorf the thief obtained the Triforce of Power and managed to get his hands on Princess Zelda. The Hero of Time, Link, challenged him in a battle that would determine Hyrule's very existence, and lost.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=92|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Ganondorf obtained the remaining Triforce pieces from Link and Zelda,<ref>{{Cite book|quote=At last, Ganondorf found himself in the possession of the Triforce of Wisdom that dwelt within Princess Zelda, and the Triforce of Courage that dwelt in Link.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=92|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> and was subsequently sealed within the [[Dark World|corrupted Sacred Realm]] by the seven Sages.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Seven Sages of Hyrule, led by Princess Zelda, sealed Ganon and the Triforce in the Sacred Realm as a final resort.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=92|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> This timeline branch contains the events of {{ALttP}}, the ''[[Oracle Series|Oracle]]'' series, {{LA}}, {{ALBW}}, {{TFH}}, {{TLoZ}}, and {{TAoL}} in that order.
  
−  
−
====Ganondorf obtains the complete Triforce====
  
−
After the Hero of Time is defeated at the hands of Ganondorf, the King of Evil extracted the Triforce of Courage from Link and the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda. Obtaining the true power of the complete Triforce, he is transformed into the Demon King Ganon. In a desperate last resort, the [[Sage#Ocarina_of_Time|Seven Sages]] seal Ganon along with the complete Triforce away in the Sacred Realm, which was already transformed into the Dark World as a reflection of Ganondorf's evil heart.<ref>{{Cite|The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise.|Princess Zelda|OoT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Sacred Realm is a mirror that reflects the hearts of those who set foot in it. An evil heart will turn the realm into a living hell. A pure heart will transform it into paradise. Using the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf became the Demon King. The Sacred Realm was distorted into a nightmarish world where demons ran amuck.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=87|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 
−  
−
====The Imprisoning War====
  
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[[File:ALttP Sages Sealing Artwork.png|right|thumb|The Seven Sages casting the seal]]
  
 
{{Main|Imprisoning War}}
  
{{Main|Imprisoning War}}
  +
After a brief time of peace, the doorway to the Sacred Realm re-opened.{{Note|According to the original SNES manual of {{ALttP|-}}, the Sacred Realm is opened accidentally by a gang of thieves led by Ganondorf. He kills them and takes the Triforce—it is then that the Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World.<ref name="ALttP Manual 5">{{Cite Manual|quote=|game=ALttP|page=5}}</ref> This latter story is inconsistent with {{OoT|-}} where the imbalance of power, wisdom, and courage in Ganondorf caused the Triforce to split apart;<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The Triforce does not discriminate between good and evil desires, but a balance of power, wisdom and courage is required to unlock its full force, and one must demonstrate these qualities through sacred trials. [...] In ''Ocarina of Time'', Ganondorf [...] touches it, and it splits apart. All that remains in him is the Triforce of Power, while Wisdom resides within Princess Zelda and Courage within Link, a boy who will become the Hero of Time. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=13 }}</ref> and with the reference to the [[Fallen Hero Timeline]] in {{E}}, where Ganon takes two of the pieces of the Triforce that Princess Zelda and Link had.<ref name="fails">{{Cite Book|quote=The hero fails. Ganondorf steals the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage and transforms into the Dark Beast Ganon. The Seven Sages, including Princess Zelda, seal the unified Triforce and Ganon in the Sacred Realm. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=11 }}</ref> It was omitted from the manual for {{ALttP&FS}}.}}
−
Hyrule enjoys a brief period of peace, but as rumors spread of the Golden Power lying in the Sacred Realm, greed-ridden Hyruleans traveled to the Sacred Realm seeking it, never to return. Within the Dark World, they were transformed into monsters by the power of the Triforce and became a part of Ganon's army. As this army grew larger, it poured forth from the Sacred Realm and attacked Hyrule.
  
  +
People fought each other to claim the Triforce, but none who entered the Sacred Realm returned. Instead came forth an army of Ganon's demons.{{Note|It is unclear whether this demon army originated from the Dark Realm, or whether it consists of people who entered the Sacred Realm and were then corrupted by it. The original {{ALttP|-}} manual—again inconsistent with all other accounts—states that greedy Hyruleans were drawn to the Sacred Realm to become members of Ganon's army.<ref name="ALttP Manual 5"/>}}
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−
The [[King of Hyrule]] commanded the [[Sage#A_Link_to_the_Past|Seven Sages]] of that era<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Many years later|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=93|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> to seal the gateway to the Dark World shut, in order to halt Ganon's invasion of the kingdom. The Seven Sages did so under the protection of the [[Knights of Hyrule]].<ref name=GBAmanual2>{{Cite manual|quote= The King of Hyrule gathered the seven Sages to find a way to seal the entrance to the Golden Land so that his kingdom would be safe from the evil there|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (GBA version)|page=15}}</ref> The Knights of Hyrule took the full brunt of the attack from Ganon's monsters, and while they fought courageously to the end, they were nearly wiped out entirely as they did their duty.<ref name=Maiden1>{{Cite|As the sages sealed the way to the Dark World, the Knights of Hyrule defended them from the attacks of evil monsters. I heard that the Knights of Hyrule were nearly wiped out in that battle...|Thieves' Town Maiden|ALttP}}</ref><ref name=finalbattle>{{Cite manual|quote= The wise men and the Knights Of Hyrule combined forces to wage war on this evil horde. The Knights took the full brunt of the fierce attack, and although they fought courageously many a brave soul was lost that day, However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden land. All of Hyrule rejoiced at the victory that upheld peace and order over Ganon's evil and chaos.|game= The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|page= 6}}</ref> Their lives were not lost in vain however, as they bought the necessary time for the Seven Sages to create their seal, trapping Ganon's forces in the Dark World and halting the invasion. Though it had come at a very high cost, with this, the war ended in a victory for Hyrule. The people of Hyrule rejoiced nonetheless at the restoration of order and peace to their kingdom, thanks to the efforts of the Seven Sages and the Knights of Hyrule.
 +
The [[King of Hyrule]] commanded the [[Seven Sages]] of that era to seal the gate to the Sacred Realm.<ref name=GBAmanual2>{{Cite Manual|quote= The King of Hyrule gathered the seven Sages to find a way to seal the entrance to the Golden Land so that his kingdom would be safe from the evil there|game= ALttP&FS|page=15}}</ref>{{Note|In the original version of {{ALttP|-}}, the King of Hyrule commanded seven Wise Men.<ref>{{Cite|So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power.|N/A|ALttP}}</ref> {{ALttP&FS}} retcons this text by naming them the Seven Sages instead,<ref>{{Cite|So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power.|N/A|ALttP}}</ref> and {{E}} likewise retains this naming convention.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=One day, evil began to pour forth from the Sacred Realm and the king ordered the Seven Sages to seal the entrance in an event that came to be known as the Imprisoning War. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref>}} They succeeded, though the [[Knights of Hyrule]] who defended them were nearly wiped out.<ref name="E 24" /><ref>{{Cite|As the sages sealed the way to the Dark World, the Knights of Hyrule defended them from the attacks of evil monsters. I heard that the Knights of Hyrule were nearly wiped out in that battle...|Maiden|ALttP}}</ref> Due to the cost of resources and lives in the fight over the Sacred Realm, the Imprisoning War left Hyrule impoverished.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 69}}</ref> The Imprisoning War occured many years after Ganon defeated the Hero of Time in battle.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= HH|publisher= |page= 93}}</ref>
−  
−
Following the destruction of the kingdom during the Imprisoning War, the bloodline of the Hylians diminished significantly compared to how it was in the Hero of Time era. The sages' power waned as well, and the kingdom became a mere shadow of its former glory.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Until the era of the Hero of Time, the kingdom of Hyrule was mostly inhabited by the Hylian people, whose existence was linked to their goddess, Hylia. [...] However, the kingdom fell into ruin during the Imprisoning War, and the bloodline of the Hylians weakened with the ages, until their existence was naught but a thing of the past. The sages' power also waned, and Hyrule, once called the Kingdom of the Gods, became nothing more than an ancient legend.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=93|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
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====The Era of Light and Dark====
 +
===Era of Light and Dark===
  +
{{Tone|Story}}
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=====A Link to the Past=====
  
  +
===={{ALttP|-}}====
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}
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{{Image
  
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|type=caption
  
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|image=Agahnim.png
  
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|size=175px
  
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|align=left
  
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|caption= [[Agahnim]]
  
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}}
  
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The Kingdom of Hyrule remained at peace for many years, until the land was suddenly plagued by a series of misfortunes. The King of Hyrule offered a reward for anyone who could put a stop to them; it was then that the dark wizard [[Agahnim]] appeared. Using previously unheard-of magic, the mysterious stranger put a stop the disasters.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Pestilence and drought, uncontrollable even by magic, ravaged the land. The king of Hyrule, after counsel with his sages, ordered an investigation of the Imprisoned Dark World (as the Golden land had come to be known) but the wise men's seal was apparently intact. He offered rewards for anyone who could find the source of these troubles. In answer to these summons a stranger named Agahnim came and quelled the disasters with a previously unseen form of magic.|game=A Link to the Past <small>([[SNES]] version)</small>|page=6}}</ref> He was proclaimed a hero and said to be the second coming of the Seven Sages. As a reward for his services, the king appointed him chief advisor and priest at [[Hyrule Castle]].<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=As a reward, the king gave him a new position as chief advisor and heir to the Seven Wise Men. The masses proclaimed him their hero.|game=A Link to the Past <small>([[SNES]] version)</small>|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite manual|quote=The people heralded him as a hero; the King proclaimed him to be the second coming of the seven sages, appointed him priest, and invited him to the castle.|game=A Link to the Past<small>(Japanese version)</small>|page=9}}</ref> Agahnim used this position and his magic to brainwash all of [[Soldier|Hyrule's soldiers]],<ref>{{Cite|After Agahnim took over, everyone began to act strangely. I suppose it's only a matter of time before I'm affected, too.|[[Soldier]]|ALttP}}</ref> depose the King of Hyrule,<ref>{{Cite|A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared as from nowhere...and with strange magic powers he eliminated the good king of Hyrule...|Prologue|ALttP}}</ref> and make six of the [[Maiden]]s, descendants of the Seven Sages, disappear into the [[Dark World]].<ref>{{Cite|The wizard, Agahnim, has done something terrible to the other girls...Now only I remain...Agahnim has seized control of the castle and even now is trying to open the sages' seal.|Princess Zelda|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World.|Sahasrahla|ALttP}}</ref> He did this in order to break the seal on Ganon, so that he could rule both the Light and Dark worlds. His last remaining victim was Zelda herself. As the princess lay in her prison cell, she used telepathy to call out to Link, who lived near the castle with his [[Link's Uncle|uncle]].
 
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|image=ALttP-FS Link.png
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|image=ALttP Link Artwork 3.png
 
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|caption=Link, in {{ALttP}}
  
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Following the Imprisoning War, the '''Era of Light and Dark''' began. Many years later, the dark wizard [[Agahnim]] brainwashed all of [[Soldier|Hyrule's soldiers]],<ref>{{Cite|After Agahnim took over, everyone began to act strangely. I suppose it's only a matter of time before I'm affected, too.|Soldier|ALttP}}</ref> murdered the King of Hyrule,<ref>{{Cite|A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared as from nowhere...and with strange magic powers he eliminated the good king of Hyrule...|N/A|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref> and made six of the [[Maiden]]s, descendants of the Seven Sages, disappear into the [[Dark World]].<ref>{{Cite|The wizard, Agahnim, has done something terrible to the other girls...Now only I remain...Agahnim has seized control of the castle and even now is trying to open the sages' seal.|Princess Zelda|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World.|Sahasrahla|ALttP}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda. [...] When the seal broke, the sacrificial maidens were flung into the Dark World. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref> He did this to break the seal on Ganon.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda. With them, he could perform a rite that would break the seal to the Sacred Realm, but Zelda commanded a power that Agahnim had not anticipated. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref> The last remaining victim was Zelda. She used telepathy to call out to Link. Using his dying [[Link's Uncle|uncle]]'s sword, Link freed Zelda from her cell in the dungeon of [[Hyrule Castle]],<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=She reached out telepathically for help. "Help me. Please help me ... I am a prisoner in the dungeon of the castle. My name is Zelda." [...] Despite his uncle's orders, Link could not ignore his dream. He left the house and headed for Hyrule Castle. In the dungeons below, he found his uncle gravely wounded. Desperate and dying, he entrusted Link with his weaponry. "Link, you can do it! Save the princess..." Link fought his way to the cells where he found Zelda locked away. Together, they escaped to a sanctuary where she would be safe. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref> and collected three [[Pendants of Virtue]] to prove he could draw the [[Master Sword]], which recognized him as the Hero.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Link obtained the necessary qualities of courage, power, and wisdom in the form of pendants, and deep within the Sacred Grove, he drew the Master Sword, which recognized him as the fated hero. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref>
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Link awoke in the middle of the night to find his uncle leaving the house armed with a sword and shield. Despite his uncle's warnings, Link followed the telepathic call to the castle dungeon, where he found his uncle dying. With his last breath, Link's uncle bequeathed him the sword and shield, and told Link that he was the heir to the Knights of Hyrule. Link stormed the castle and rescued Zelda, leaving her in the care of the priest at the [[Sanctuary (A Link to the Past)|Sanctuary]]. The priest told Link to seek out [[Sahasrahla]], the elder of [[Kakariko Village]].
  
   
  +
Link fought Agahnim, but he was too late to stop Agahnim from using Zelda and the other maidens to break the seal, which opened a portal in the castle. Link traversed Hyrule and the Dark World to rescue the six maidens along with Zelda, who together broke the barrier to Ganon's Tower.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=After he battled Agahnim, the seal on the Sacred Realm, which had been corrupted by evil and was now the Dark World, was shattered, and a portal opened within the castle. Link traversed both the Light and Dark Worlds in search of the six maidens. Upon saving them, the barrier around Ganon's Tower was broken. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref> Link killed Agahnim and Ganon in battle before Ganon could reach Hyrule, and made a wish on the Triforce to restore everyone who died to Ganon's evil. The Royal Family now possessed the Triforce.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Ganon, in the form of a giant demonic beast, pressed his attack, wielding dark magic and a three-pronged trident. Link, evading the power of darkness, succeeded in destroying him. The Hero laid his hands on the Triforce and wished for peace to return to the world. The people who had been sacrificed, including Link's uncle and the king of Hyrule, were also restored to good health. The Triforce once again rested in the hands of Hyrule's royal family. With Ganon suppressed, the Dark World that had been born of his wicked heart gradually faded away|book=HH|page=97|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Link destroyed Agahnim in their second battle and made his way to Ganon. After a fierce battle, Link vanquished the monster and regained the Triforce. Placing his hand on the Triforce, Link wished to restore the world to its former glory. With that, all who had fallen victim to Ganon's evil were resurrected, and Hyrule was peaceful once more. With the Triforce returned to the protection of the royal family, the Dark World born of Ganon's wicked heart gradually faded away. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=226 }}</ref>
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Sahasrahla told Link to seek out the three [[Pendants of Virtue]] in order to discover the [[Master Sword]] hidden deep within the Lost Woods. Link found these pendants in the [[Eastern Palace (A Link to the Past)|Eastern Palace]], [[Desert Palace (A Link to the Past)|Desert Palace]], and [[Tower of Hera (A Link to the Past)|Tower of Hera]]. Once he had obtained the legendary blade, however, Agahnim's forces attacked the Sanctuary and kidnapped Zelda. Link ventured into Hyrule Castle once again, only to see Agahnim send Zelda into the Dark World before his very eyes. Link defeated Agahnim atop Hyrule Castle, but Agahnim used the last of his magic to draw Link into the Dark World as well. This was a twisted dimension that transformed anyone into a reflection of their true selves. Link's dark world form was a pink rabbit. He was only able to remain in his human form with the help of the [[Moon Pearl]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Those who stepped on the Magical Warp Tiles that served as entrances would be lost to the Dark World, transformed into demons. Link, who possessed the qualities of the Hero, did not become a demon, but was instead turned into an animal (in this case, a pink bunny). He managed to obtain the Moon Pearl, which prevented him from being transformed while in the Dark World, and the Magic Mirror, which allowed him to return to the Light World.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=95|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
===={{LA|-}}====
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Once trapped in the Dark World, Link could use the [[Magic Mirror]] to travel back and forth between worlds and rescue the maidens who were trapped in the Dark World palaces. During his adventures, Link learned that Agahnim was merely Ganon's pawn. He climbed Ganon's Tower and met Agahnim at the top. Link defeated Agahnim once more, but then saw Ganon rise out of Agahnim's crumpled body. Agahnim was in fact Ganon's alter ego.<ref>{{Cite|It's unbelievable that you defeated my alter ego, Agahnim the Dark Wizard, twice!|Ganon|ALttP}}</ref> Ganon then fled to the [[Pyramid of Power]] in the center of the Dark World, with Link in hot pursuit. They faced off in one final battle, with Link emerging victorious. Following Ganon's defeat, he found the Triforce within the Pyramid of Power, whereupon it spoke to him. He touched it, and his wish restored Hyrule to peace. The king and Link's uncle returned to life, and Link entrusted the Triforce to the Royal Family.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganon, in the form of a giant demonic beast, pressed his attack, wielding dark magic and a three-pronged trident. Link, evading the power of darkness, succeeded in destroying him. The Hero laid his hands on the Triforce and wished for peace to return to the world. The people who had been sacrificed, including Link's uncle and the king of Hyrule, were also restored to good health. The Triforce once again rested in the hands of Hyrule's royal family. With Ganon suppressed, the Dark World that had been born of his wicked heart gradually faded away|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=97|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening}}
  +
While journeying back to Hyrule, Link's boat was sunk at sea. He awoke on [[Koholint Island]]. The island existed in the dreams of the [[Wind Fish]], who slept in an egg atop [[Mt. Tamaranch]]. He learned from the [[Owl]] that the only way to get off the island was to collect the [[Instrument of the Sirens]] and wake the Wind Fish. As he did so, various demons attacked Link to preserve their existence. Link journeyed to the top of the mountain and played the [[Ballad of the Wind Fish]] with the instruments and fought the [[Shadow Nightmare]]s.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Link was in the midst of journeying back to Hyrule by boat after finishing his training. During the voyage, he was caught up in a storm that sank his ship. Upon regaining consciousness, Link found that he had washed ashore on an island called Koholint. Link was rescued by a girl named Marin who lived on the island. He woke up in a house belonging to Tarin, where the two made their home. Though Link attempted to leave the island, the citizens insisted that there was nothing beyond the ocean.|book=HH|page=102|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The mysterious owl that appeared before Link informed him that the only way to escape the island was to awaken the Wind Fish. As he collected the Instruments of the Sirens, Link uncovered a shocking truth. The world in which he had found himself existed within the Wind Fish's dream, and waking the Wind Fish would cause the island to disappear in a stream of bubbles. The demons had attacked Link in order to preserve themselves and the existence of their island home.|book=HH|page=103|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|TO THE FINDER... THE ISLE OF KOHOLINT IS BUT AN ILLUSION. HUMAN, MONSTER, SEA, SKY... A SCENE ON THE LID OF THE SLEEPER'S EYE... AWAKE THE DREAMER AND KOHOLINT WILL VANISH MUCH LIKE A BUBBLE ON A NEEDLE... CASTAWAY... YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH!|Writing on the Wall|LANS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=To wake the Wind Fish, Link sought the Instruments of the Sirens from eight dungeons which were overrun by monsters. And on a wall in the Southern Face Shrine, he discovered the secret of the island: "The isle of Koholint is but an illusion...Human, monster, sea, sky...A scene on the lid of a sleeper's eye...Awake the dreamer, and Koholint will vanish much like a bubble on a needle...Castaway, you should know the truth!" When Link gathered all eight instruments, stood before the Wind Fish's Egg, and played a beautiful melody, a crack appeared in the egg's shell. Dwelling within was the source of all the vile monsters: the Shadow Nightmares. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=231 }}</ref>
   
  +
Once Link had defeated the Shadow Nightmares and awakened the Wind Fish, he awoke clinging to the driftwood of his ship, adrift on the open seas.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Dwelling within was the source of all the monsters: the Shadow Nightmares. They attacked Link in a variety of forms, some from Link's past, but he emerged victorious. [...] Koholint Island began to fade away when Link awakened the Wind Fish, who left Link with these words: "Someday, thou may recall this island...That memory must be the real dream world...Come Link...Let us awaken...Together!" Link awoke to find himself adrift at sea. Looking up, he saw the form of a gigantic whale soaring through the sky. It was the Wind Fish. |book=E |publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]] |page=231 }}</ref> According to the interpretation of {{E}}, the events of {{OoS}} and {{OoA}} come afterwards.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=|book=E|page=10, 19|publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]]}}</ref>
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=====The Trial of the Triforce=====
  
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{{clear}}
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After the defeat of Ganon, his surrogate mothers, the witches [[Twinrova]], plotted to revive him. For this ritual, they required three flames to be lit: The Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, and follow these with a human sacrifice. In order to obtain these flames, the witches sent their minions: [[Onox]], General of Darkness, to [[Holodrum]]; and [[Veran]], Sorceress of Shadows, to [[Labrynna]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The twin witches known as Twinrova were plotting ways to perform the ceremony that would resurrect the Demon King. For the resurrection ceremony to occur, it was necessary to light the Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, derived from the chaos, sorrow, and hopelessness of humanity. They would also need to offer up a sacred sacrifice. In order to obtain the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow, Twinrova sent Onox, the General of Darkness, to the land of Holodrum, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, to the land of Labrynna.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=98|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
===={{OoS|-}} and {{OoA|-}}====
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One day, when Link visited Hyrule Castle, the Triforce beckoned him into its chamber. Once he placed his hands on the Triforce, it transported him to the distant land of Holodrum, where a new adventure began.
  
  +
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages}}
  +
After the defeat of Ganon, his surrogate mothers, the witches [[Twinrova]], plotted to revive him. For this ritual, they required three flames to be lit: The Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, and follow these with a human sacrifice. In order to obtain these flames, the witches sent their minions: [[General Onox]], General of Darkness, to [[Holodrum]]; and [[Veran]], Sorceress of Shadows, to [[Labrynna]].<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The twin witches known as Twinrova were plotting ways to perform the ceremony that would resurrect the Demon King. For the resurrection ceremony to occur, it was necessary to light the Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, derived from the chaos, sorrow, and hopelessness of humanity. They would also need to offer up a sacred sacrifice. In order to obtain the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow, Twinrova sent Onox, the General of Darkness, to the land of Holodrum, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, to the land of Labrynna.|book=HH|page=98|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> One day, when Link visited Hyrule Castle, the Triforce beckoned him into its chamber. Once he placed his hands on the Triforce, it transported him to the distant land of Holodrum, where a new adventure began.
   
  +
Upon awakening in Holodrum, Link met with a group of traveling performers who were watching after a dancer named [[Din (Oracle)|Din]]. Link danced with Din, but suddenly a whirlwind appeared and snatched Din away. Din was actually the Oracle of Seasons, and her capture by Onox meant that the seasons in the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. The only way to restore balance to the seasons was to collect the eight [[Essences of Nature]] scattered around Holodrum. Link quested for the essences, using the mythical [[Rod of Seasons]] in order to manipulate the seasons as he went.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Link, the boy who had saved the land of Hyrule, was guided by the Triforce in Hyrule Castle and transported to the unfamiliar soil of Holodrum. After arriving in this new land, the Hero lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Just then, a dancer called Din happened to pass by. The traveling performer affectionately nursed Link back to health. When Link awoke, Din invited him to dance. Suddenly, darkness engulfed her troupe of performers. Whirlwinds raged around them, accompanied by the voice of Onox, General of Darkness. Onox sought Din, the oracle who safeguarded the four seasons. Link issued a bold challenge to the general, but Onox succeeded in kidnapping the oracle. Once Din, the Oracle of Seasons, was sealed away, the four seasons of the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. Wielding the Rod of Seasons, Link set out in search of the eight Essences of Nature. With the aid of the Maku Tree, guardian of Holodrum, Link ousted the power of darkness and set out to tackle Onox's Castle, located in the northern reaches of the land.|book=HH|page=98|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Once Link defeated Onox and rescued Din, he was magically transported to the land of Labrynna, the setting of his second trial. However, even after his death, Onox's actions caused the Flame of Destruction to be lit.
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=====The Adventure in Holodrum=====
  
−
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons}}
  
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[[File:Oracle of Seasons Artwork.png|left|150px|Oracle of Seasons]]
  
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Upon awakening in Holodrum, Link met with a group of traveling performers who were watching after a dancer named [[Din (Oracle)|Din]]. Link danced with Din, but suddenly a whirlwind appeared and snatched Din away. Din was actually the Oracle of Seasons, and her capture by Onox meant that the seasons in the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. The only way to restore balance to the seasons was to collect the eight [[Essences of Nature]] scattered around Holodrum. Link quested for the essences, using the mythical [[Rod of Seasons]] in order to manipulate the seasons as he went.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link, the boy who had saved the land of Hyrule, was guided by the Triforce in Hyrule Castle and transported to the unfamiliar soil of Holodrum. After arriving in this new land, the Hero lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Just then, a dancer called Din happened to pass by. The traveling performer affectionately nursed Link back to health. When Link awoke, Din invited him to dance. Suddenly, darkness engulfed her troupe of performers. Whirlwinds raged around them, accompanied by the voice of Onox, General of Darkness. Onox sought Din, the oracle who safeguarded the four seasons. Link issued a bold challenge to the general, but Onox succeeded in kidnapping the oracle. Once Din, the Oracle of Seasons, was sealed away, the four seasons of the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. Wielding the Rod of Seasons, Link set out in search of the eight Essences of Nature. With the aid of the Maku Tree, guardian of Holodrum, Link ousted the power of darkness and set out to tackle Onox's Castle, located in the northern reaches of the land.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=98|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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Once Link defeated Onox and rescued Din, he was magically transported to the land of Labrynna, the setting of his second trial. However, even after his death, Onox's actions caused the Flame of Destruction to be lit.
  
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{{Clear}}
  
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=====The Adventure in Labrynna=====
  
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{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages}}
  
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[[File:Oracle of Ages Artwork.png|left|150px|Oracle of Ages]]
  
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Upon waking up in Labrynna, Link met [[Impa]], who had been attacked by monsters. He helped her by moving a block with the Triforce crest on it. Then, both of them met [[Nayru (Oracle)|Nayru]], who was singing to animals.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Next, Link alighted in the unfamiliar land of Labrynna. He came to the aid of Impa, who was surrounded by demons. Impa had other troubles, however, finding herself unable to move a boulder with the crest of the royal family on it. Link removed the rock with ease and pressed on, only to encounter a singing Nayru surrounded by animals.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=99|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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Suddenly, a shadow came out of Impa and possessed Nayru, who was actually the Oracle of Ages. It was Veran, who had used Impa's body to trick Link. Veran used Nayru's time-traveling abilities to go back in time and alter the past. Veran influenced Queen [[Ambi]] in the past to build the sinister [[Black Tower]]. Link had to use the [[Harp of Ages]] to travel back and forth between the present and the past in order to collect the eight Essences of Time and challenge Veran atop the Black Tower.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=A sudden darkness fell upon them, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, appeared from within Impa, taking control of Nayru's body. In truth, Nayru was the Oracle of Ages, who governed the passage of time in the land of Labrynna. The oracle, now possessed by Veran, vanished. With the Oracle of Ages lost, the flow of time in the land of Labrynna fell into chaos, and strange events began to occur all over the realm. Veran, using the power of Nayru to manipulate time, traveled back to Labrynna's past and forced the reigning queen, Ambi, to construct a giant tower. As requested by the guardian of Labrynna, the Maku Tree, Link shouldered the Harp of Ages and set out in search of the eight missing Essences of Time.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=100|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Link was able to drive Veran out of the body of Queen Ambi and defeat her, but he was too late: the Flame of Sorrow had been lit.
  
−  
−
{{Clear}}
  
   
  +
Upon waking up in Labrynna, Link met [[Impa]], who had been attacked by monsters. He helped her by moving a block with the Triforce crest on it. Then, both of them met [[Nayru (Oracle)|Nayru]], who was singing to animals.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Next, Link alighted in the unfamiliar land of Labrynna. He came to the aid of Impa, who was surrounded by demons. Impa had other troubles, however, finding herself unable to move a boulder with the crest of the royal family on it. Link removed the rock with ease and pressed on, only to encounter a singing Nayru surrounded by animals.|book=HH|page=99|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Suddenly, a shadow came out of Impa and possessed Nayru, who was actually the Oracle of Ages. It was Veran, who had used Impa's body to trick Link. Veran used Nayru's time-traveling abilities to go back in time and alter the past. Veran influenced Queen [[Ambi]] in the past to build the sinister [[Black Tower]]. Link had to use the [[Harp of Ages]] to travel back and forth between the present and the past in order to collect the eight Essences of Time and challenge Veran atop the Black Tower.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=A sudden darkness fell upon them, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, appeared from within Impa, taking control of Nayru's body. In truth, Nayru was the Oracle of Ages, who governed the passage of time in the land of Labrynna. The oracle, now possessed by Veran, vanished. With the Oracle of Ages lost, the flow of time in the land of Labrynna fell into chaos, and strange events began to occur all over the realm. Veran, using the power of Nayru to manipulate time, traveled back to Labrynna's past and forced the reigning queen, Ambi, to construct a giant tower. As requested by the guardian of Labrynna, the Maku Tree, Link shouldered the Harp of Ages and set out in search of the eight missing Essences of Time.|book=HH|page=100|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Link was able to drive Veran out of the body of Queen Ambi and defeat her, but he was too late: the Flame of Sorrow had been lit.
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=====The Return of Ganon=====
  
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[[File:OOX Linked Ending.png|thumb|right|Link leaves Labrynna]]
  
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[[File:BeastGanon.png|175px|left|Ganon, resurrected as a mindless beast]]
  
   
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In order to light the third and final flame, Twinrova kidnapped Princess Zelda who had arrived in Labrynna. This would complete their dark ritual and light the Flame of Despair. However, Link challenged them and killed them in battle. As a last-ditch effort to complete the sacrifice needed to revive Ganon, the witches offered their own bodies and revived the King of Darkness. However, because the ritual was incomplete, Ganon returned as a mindless beast. Link battled Ganon and defeated him, restoring peace to Holodrum and Labrynna.<ref name="Ganon's revival(Oracles)">{{Cite book|quote=Twinrova, who had lurked behind the scenes in Holodrum and Labrynna, pulling the strings, managed to light the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow. All that remained was to kidnap Princess Zelda and light the Flame of Despair. Using the princess as a sacred sacrifice, they attempted to resurrect Ganon. Link borrowed the power of the Oracle of Seasons and the Oracle of Ages and threw himself upon the ceremonial altar. He cornered and defeated Twinrova, but the twin witches sacrificed themselves to resurrect Ganon. Because the ceremony had not been completed, however, Ganon returned as a witless, demonic beast. Link brought down the rampaging Demon King and rescued Princess Zelda, restoring peace to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=101|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 +
In order to light the third and final flame, Twinrova kidnapped Princess Zelda who had arrived in Labrynna. This would complete their dark ritual and light the Flame of Despair. However, Link challenged them and killed them in battle. As a last-ditch effort to complete the sacrifice needed to revive Ganon, the witches offered their own bodies and revived the King of Darkness. However, because the ritual was incomplete, Ganon returned as a mindless beast. Link battled Ganon and defeated him, restoring peace to Holodrum and Labrynna.<ref name="Ganon's revival(Oracles)">{{Cite Book|quote=Twinrova, who had lurked behind the scenes in Holodrum and Labrynna, pulling the strings, managed to light the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow. All that remained was to kidnap Princess Zelda and light the Flame of Despair. Using the princess as a sacred sacrifice, they attempted to resurrect Ganon. Link borrowed the power of the Oracle of Seasons and the Oracle of Ages and threw himself upon the ceremonial altar. He cornered and defeated Twinrova, but the twin witches sacrificed themselves to resurrect Ganon. Because the ceremony had not been completed, however, Ganon returned as a witless, demonic beast. Link brought down the rampaging Demon King and rescued Princess Zelda, restoring peace to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.|book=HH|page=101|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
   
 
His quest to stop Ganon's revival complete, Link departed Labrynna by boat.
  
His quest to stop Ganon's revival complete, Link departed Labrynna by boat.
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{{Clear}}
  
   
  +
====The Triforce Separates====
−
=====A Hero's Adventure within a Fleeting Dream=====
  
  +
[[File:ALBW The Triforce, Split Apart.jpg|thumb|right|The Triforce splits into three pieces once again]]
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{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening}}
  
  +
After Link's adventures in [[Holodrum]] and [[Labrynna]], the Triforce was split apart.<ref>{{Cite|The Triforce was divided into three-its tempting power out of any one person's reach. One part stayed with the royal family, while another slipped into Ganon's possession. Legend says that the third part found its home in the heart of the hero eternal... And while legends come to us from the distant past, others have yet to be written...|N/A|ALBW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book=E|publisher= |page=34}}</ref> Ganon, despite being sealed in darkness following his defeat at the hands of Link,<ref>{{Cite|But just as Ganon had the kingdom in his evil clutches... a legendary hero answered the call of Hyrule's princess. And this hero, wielding the Master Sword, took up a quest to challenge Ganon's might. He joined with the descendants of the Seven Sages to seal the Demon King in darkness.|N/A|ALBW}}</ref> obtained the Triforce of Power, which remained sealed with him.<ref>{{Cite|Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed away with him.|Painting V: The Triforce, Split Apart|ALBW}}</ref> The Triforce of Courage's location is unknown, but said to be hidden in the heart of the eternal hero.
−
[[File:LA Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link's adventures on Koholint]]
  
−
On his sea voyage back to Hyrule, Link ran into a terrible storm. The waves and winds overpowered his boat and sunk it. Link awoke, washed ashore on an island known as [[Koholint]]. He was rescued by [[Marin]], a young woman who bore a striking resemblance to Princess Zelda. Upon his attempts to leave the island, its inhabitants insisted that there was nothing beyond the sea. He learned that the only way to get off the island was to collect the [[Eight Instruments of the Sirens]] and wake the [[Wind Fish]] who slept in an egg atop [[Mt. Tamaranch]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link was in the midst of journeying back to Hyrule by boat after finishing his training. During the voyage, he was caught up in a storm that sank his ship. Upon regaining consciousness, Link found that he had washed ashore on an island called Koholint. Link was rescued by a girl named Marin who lived on the island. He woke up in a house belonging to Tarin, where the two made their home. Though Link attempted to leave the island, the citizens insisted that there was nothing beyond the ocean.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=102|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
===={{ALBW|-}}====
−
After traveling all over the island and obtaining the instruments, Link journeyed to the top of the mountain and played the [[Ballad of the Wind Fish]] and fought the [[Nightmare]]. Upon the Nightmare's defeat, it revealed that if the Wind Fish were to awake, the island would disappear, as it was just a dream of the Wind Fish.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The mysterious owl that appeared before Link informed him that the only way to escape the island was to awaken the Wind Fish. As he collected the Instruments of the Sirens, Link uncovered a shocking truth. The world in which he had found himself existed within the Wind Fish's dream, and waking the Wind Fish would cause the island to disappear in a stream of bubbles. The demons had attacked Link in order to preserve themselves and the existence of their island home.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=103|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
−  
−
Once Link had defeated the Nightmare and awakened the Wind Fish, he awoke clinging to the driftwood of his ship, adrift on the open seas. Link's whereabouts after this are unknown.
  
−
{{clear}}
  
−  
−
=====The Triforce, Split Apart=====
  
−
[[File:ALBW Painting 5.jpg|thumb|right|The Triforce splits into three pieces once again]]
  
−
Sometime after the events of the [[Great Cataclysm]] and the defeat of the Demon King [[Ganon]], and after Link's adventures in [[Holodrum]] and [[Labrynna]], the Triforce was split apart.<ref>{{Cite|The Triforce was divided into three-its tempting power out of any one person's reach. One part stayed with the royal family, while another slipped into Ganon's possession. Legend says that the third part found its home in the heart of the hero eternal... And while legends come to us from the distant past, others have yet to be written...|Opening Demo|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> Ganon, despite being sealed in darkness following his defeat at the hands of Link,<ref>{{Cite|But just as Ganon had the kingdom in his evil clutches... a legendary hero answered the call of Hyrule's princess. And this hero, wielding the Master Sword, took up a quest to challenge Ganon's might. He joined with the descendants of the Seven Sages to seal the Demon King in darkness.|Opening Demo|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> obtained the Triforce of Power, which remained sealed with him.<ref>{{Cite|Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed away with him.|Painting V: The Triforce, Split Apart|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> The Triforce of Courage's location is unknown, but said to be hidden in the heart of the eternal hero.
  
−  
−
=====A Link Between Worlds=====
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds}}
 
[[File:ALBW Link Fighting Yuga Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link facing off with Yuga]]
  
[[File:ALBW Link Fighting Yuga Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link facing off with Yuga]]
−
Centuries after Ganon's defeat, the peace of Hyrule is once again shattered by the sudden appearance of a mysterious and enigmatic wizard known as [[Yuga]]. With his cruel magic, he invades Hyrule from another world, transforming the descendants of the [[Seven Sages]] into paintings.<ref>{{Cite|Seres is a descendant of the original Seven Sages who sealed Ganon in darkness all those years ago. This Yuga you speak of, he must be after the Seven Sages of our day. He surely intends to free Ganon.|[[Sahasrahla]]|ALBW}}</ref> Link, a young apprentice of the {{c|Blacksmith|ALBW}} attempts to halt Yuga in his ambitions, but Yuga succeeds in not only acquiring all Seven Sages in the form of paintings, but [[Princess Zelda]] as well. He retreats to his world, that of [[Lorule]], while Link chases after him, using the power of a bracelet given to him by the mysterious peddler, [[Ravio]].
 +
Centuries after Ganon's defeat, the peace of Hyrule is once again shattered by the sudden appearance of a mysterious and enigmatic wizard known as [[Yuga]]. With his cruel magic, he invades Hyrule from another world, transforming the descendants of the [[Seven Sages]] into paintings.<ref>{{Cite|Seres is a descendant of the original Seven Sages who sealed Ganon in darkness all those years ago. This Yuga you speak of, he must be after the Seven Sages of our day. He surely intends to free Ganon.|Sahasrahla|ALBW}}</ref> Link, a young apprentice of the [[Blacksmith (A Link Between Worlds)|Blacksmith]] attempts to halt Yuga in his ambitions, but Yuga succeeds in not only acquiring all Seven Sages in the form of paintings, but [[Princess Zelda]] as well. He retreats to his world, that of [[Lorule]], while Link chases after him, using the power of a bracelet given to him by the mysterious peddler, [[Ravio]].
   
−
Link is too late to stop Yuga. Using his magic and that of the Seven Sages, he is able to release Ganon.<ref>{{Cite|I will use the Sages to reach the one who shall help me attain true beauty. I mean, of course... GANON!|[[Yuga]]|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> Along with the Triforce of Power, Yuga and Ganon are joined as one,<ref>{{Cite|Join with me! Let us destroy all ugliness in this world or any other! We shall be TRULY superior!|[[Yuga]]|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> and using this power, Yuga desires to consume both Hyrule and Lorule.<ref>{{Cite|Now he has used them to summon the Demon King and siphon his power. Yuga's appetite will soon consume our worlds. Hyrule and Lorule-the beast's for the taking.|[[Hilda]]|{{ALBW}}}}</ref> Link is protected from the beast's onslaught by [[Hilda]], the princess of Lorule and the dark counterpart of [[Princess Zelda|Zelda]], who urges Link to rescue the Seven Sages who have been sent to the far reaches of Lorule. With Hilda holding back Yuga and guiding Link in his quest, he succeeds in rescuing the Seven Sages and, with their power, awakens the Triforce of Courage in himself.
+
Link is too late to stop Yuga. Using his magic and that of the Seven Sages, he is able to release Ganon.<ref>{{Cite|I will use the Sages to reach the one who shall help me attain true beauty. I mean, of course... GANON!|Yuga|ALBW}}</ref> Along with the Triforce of Power, Yuga and Ganon are joined as one,<ref>{{Cite|Join with me! Let us destroy all ugliness in this world or any other! We shall be TRULY superior!|Yuga|ALBW}}</ref> and using this power, Yuga desires to consume both Hyrule and Lorule.<ref>{{Cite|Now he has used them to summon the Demon King and siphon his power. Yuga's appetite will soon consume our worlds. Hyrule and Lorule-the beast's for the taking.|Hilda|ALBW}}</ref> Link is protected from the beast's onslaught by [[Hilda]], the princess of Lorule and the dark counterpart of [[Princess Zelda|Zelda]], who urges Link to rescue the Seven Sages who have been sent to the far reaches of Lorule. With Hilda holding back Yuga and guiding Link in his quest, he succeeds in rescuing the Seven Sages and, with their power, awakens the Triforce of Courage in himself.
   
 
Taking the Triforce, he rushes to challenge Yuga in [[Lorule Castle]], only to find Hilda waiting for him in the [[Throne Room]]. Here, she reveals the truth; it was her who sent Yuga to obtain the Seven Sages and release the Demon King. Taking the Triforce of Wisdom from Princess Zelda's portrait, she explains the history of her kingdom. Lorule once had its own Triforce, but was destroyed by her ancestors long ago to stop endless wars over its power. However, with the Triforce gone from her world, the kingdom crumbled, monsters arose and the world turned to darkness and corruption. Upon hearing of another world with its own Triforce, she sent Yuga to obtain the keys to unlocking the Triforce of Power, and manipulated Link into obtaining the Triforce of Courage. Summoning Yuga, she demands he obtain the Triforce of Courage from Link. Yuga, using Ganon's power, unleashes his might upon the hero. Link fights valiantly however, and defeats Yuga, upon which point Hilda demands he relinquish the Triforce of Power to her. However, Yuga disobeys his ruler, and using his magic upon her he takes her portrait and her Triforce of Wisdom into himself, becoming stronger than ever. In a desperate final battle, Link, with the aid of [[Princess Zelda]], finally defeats Yuga. Upon his defeat, Hilda and Zelda are returned to normal, yet Hilda still desires the Triforce to save her doomed kingdom. At the last moment, [[Ravio]] appears and reveals himself to be Link's Lorulean counterpart and once Hilda's loyal subject, and pleads with her to let Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with their Triforce. Finally relenting after seeing the senseless fighting that had led to this was not what her ancestors wanted, she helps Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with the last of the bracelet's power, through the first crack to appear between the worlds in Lorule's [[Sacred Realm]].
  
Taking the Triforce, he rushes to challenge Yuga in [[Lorule Castle]], only to find Hilda waiting for him in the [[Throne Room]]. Here, she reveals the truth; it was her who sent Yuga to obtain the Seven Sages and release the Demon King. Taking the Triforce of Wisdom from Princess Zelda's portrait, she explains the history of her kingdom. Lorule once had its own Triforce, but was destroyed by her ancestors long ago to stop endless wars over its power. However, with the Triforce gone from her world, the kingdom crumbled, monsters arose and the world turned to darkness and corruption. Upon hearing of another world with its own Triforce, she sent Yuga to obtain the keys to unlocking the Triforce of Power, and manipulated Link into obtaining the Triforce of Courage. Summoning Yuga, she demands he obtain the Triforce of Courage from Link. Yuga, using Ganon's power, unleashes his might upon the hero. Link fights valiantly however, and defeats Yuga, upon which point Hilda demands he relinquish the Triforce of Power to her. However, Yuga disobeys his ruler, and using his magic upon her he takes her portrait and her Triforce of Wisdom into himself, becoming stronger than ever. In a desperate final battle, Link, with the aid of [[Princess Zelda]], finally defeats Yuga. Upon his defeat, Hilda and Zelda are returned to normal, yet Hilda still desires the Triforce to save her doomed kingdom. At the last moment, [[Ravio]] appears and reveals himself to be Link's Lorulean counterpart and once Hilda's loyal subject, and pleads with her to let Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with their Triforce. Finally relenting after seeing the senseless fighting that had led to this was not what her ancestors wanted, she helps Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with the last of the bracelet's power, through the first crack to appear between the worlds in Lorule's [[Sacred Realm]].
Line 238: Line 143:
 
Returning to their own Sacred Realm with the connection between worlds gone, Link and Zelda find the [[Triforce]] once again whole. It awaits for Link to make a wish upon it, and with his wish, Lorule's Triforce is restored to its former glory, and a new, brighter age dawns upon both Lorule and Hyrule.
  
Returning to their own Sacred Realm with the connection between worlds gone, Link and Zelda find the [[Triforce]] once again whole. It awaits for Link to make a wish upon it, and with his wish, Lorule's Triforce is restored to its former glory, and a new, brighter age dawns upon both Lorule and Hyrule.
   
−
=====''Tri Force Heroes''=====
 +
===={{TFH|-}}====
−
{{Sectstub}}
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes}}
  +
Link leaves the kingdom of Hyrule and ventures to the kingdom of {{Term|TFH|Hytopia|link}}. There he is recruited by the {{Term|TFH|Witch-Hunting Brigade|link}} to defeat the evil witch {{Term|TFH|Lady Maud|link}}. The witch had cursed {{Term|TFH|Princess Styla|link}} into wearing an irremovable brown jumpsuit.{{Fact|TFH}}
−
Several years after the events of ''A Link Between Worlds'', Link leaves the kingdom of Hyrule and ventures to the kingdom of [[Hytopia]]. In order to hide his identity as a hero, Link dresses in the casual [[Bear Minimum]] [[Outfit]].<ref>{{cite web|quote= The game takes place several years after A Link Between Worlds and features the same hero. Certain events bring him to the kingdom of Hytopia, where he dresses as he does in order to hide his heroic origins.|author= Nintendo of America|published= October 22, 2015|retrieved=October 28, 2015|url= https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/657330612064399360|title= Nintendo of America on Twitter: Fans asked the developers of #Zelda: Tri Force Heroes: “Where does the game fall in the series timeline?”|site= Twitter|type=}}</ref> Despite this, he is recognized for bearing the traits of a hero in Hytopia: namely pointy ears and sideburns. Because of this, he is recruited by the Witch-Hunting Brigade to help defeat the evil witch, [[Lady Maud]], who has cursed Hytopia's [[Princess Styla]] into wearing an irremovable, brown jumpsuit.
  
   
  +
Link teams up with two other lookalike heroes to gather the pieces of the {{Term|TFH|Lady's Ensemble|link}}. They obtain the last piece by defeating Lady Maud. The witch's younger sister, {{Term|TFH|Madame Couture|link}}, assembles the {{Term|TFH|Outfit|link}}. With the complete Lady's Ensemble, Princess Styla is freed from her cursed one-piece.{{Fact|TFH}}
−
====The Golden Era====
  
  +
−
[[File:TAoL King of Hyrule Artwork.png|thumb|right|The wise King of Hyrule who mastered the united Triforce looks out over his kingdom]]
  
  +
===Golden Era===
−
{{Main|King of Hyrule (The Adventure of Link)}}
  
−
Following the defeat of Yuga and the recovery of the Triforce, Hyrule entered a Golden Era of peace, in which great and wise [[King of Hyrule (The Adventure of Link)|rulers]] governed the land with the strength of the united Triforce at their command.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=It is said that a long ago, when Hyrule was one country, a great ruler maintained the peace in Hyrule using the Triforce.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Golden Era|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|page=104}}</ref>
 +
Following the recovery of the Triforce in {{ALBW|-}}, Hyrule enters a '''{{Section|Golden Era}}'''. Successive [[King of Hyrule|Kings of Hyrule]] govern the land with the strength of the united Triforce.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= It is said that a long ago, when Hyrule was one country, a great ruler maintained the peace in Hyrule using the Triforce.|game= TAoL|page=6}}</ref> The Kingdom of Hyrule flourishes.<ref name="HH 104">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 104}}</ref>
  +
−
{{clear}}
  
  +
The last such {{Term|Series|King of Hyrule|link}}, doubting his son's worthiness, hides the {{Term|Series|Triforce of Courage|link}} in the {{Term|TAoL|Great Palace|link}}. Upon his death, he casts a spell on Hyrule such that a crest will one day appear on a young man worthy of wielding the Triforce of Courage.<ref name="HH 104"/><ref name="E 222">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= |game= TAoL|page= 9}}</ref> The King confers the secret location of the Triforce of Courage to his daughter {{Term|Series|Princess Zelda|link}}.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= Before he died, the king had said something about the Triforce to only the younger sister of the prince, Princess Zelda.|game= TAoL|page= 6}}</ref>
   
−
====The Era of Decline====
 +
===Era of Decline===
−
=====The Tragedy of Princess Zelda=====
  
 
[[File:TAoL Princess Zelda I Artwork.png|thumb|right|Princess Zelda I in her eternal sleep]]
  
[[File:TAoL Princess Zelda I Artwork.png|thumb|right|Princess Zelda I in her eternal sleep]]
  +
The {{Term|TAoL|Prince of Hyrule|link}} ascends to the throne but inherits only the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom.<ref name="E 222"/>{{Note|{{HH}} presents a conflicting account in which the former King passes the Triforce on to Princess Zelda instead. On the same page, {{HH|-}} states that the Prince inherits an incomplete Triforce.<ref name="HH 104"/>}} Abetted by a {{Term|TAoL|Magician|link}}, the new King questions Princess Zelda on the location of the missing Triforce. When she refuses to reveal her father's secret, the enraged Magician places her under a spell of eternal sleep.<ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= In his anger, the magician tried to cast a magic spell on the princess. The surprised prince tried to stop him, but the magician fought off the prince and went on chanting the spell. Then, when the spell was finally cast, Princess Zelda fell on that spot and entered a sleep from which she might never awake.|game= TAoL|page= 9}}</ref>{{Note|According to the manual for {{TAoL}}, the {{Term|TAoL|Magician}} dies after casting the spell on Princess Zelda. The "Database" section of {{E}} equates the {{Term|TAoL|Magician}} with the {{Term|TAoL|Wizard|link}} enemy and states, "He was among the Wizzrobes that served the prince and were banished for putting Princess Zelda to sleep."<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E|publisher= |page= 212}}</ref> In the "Archives" section {{E|-}} mentions the {{Term|TAoL|Magician}} but not mention his fate.<ref name="E 222"/>}} Filled with regret, the new King places the princess on the altar in {{Term|TAoL|North Castle|link}}. He decrees that all women born into the royal family are to be named "Zelda". The cursed princess becomes known as Princess Zelda I.<ref name="E 222"/>{{Note|Though the practice of naming princesses "Zelda" had existed since the establishment of the Royal Family, it became customary only after the tragedy of the sleeping princess.<ref name="HH 105">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 105}}</ref>}}
−
When the last of the kings to use the Triforce anticipated his death, he hoped to find someone with the innate qualities that were fitting of a worthy possessor of the true Triforce; for if it were to fall in the wrong hands, evil would befall Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite manual|quote= But, what will happen if someone else uses the Triforce before then? If it is misused, it will produce many evils.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=9}}</ref> Unfortunately, he was unable to find any such person during his lifespan. Since his own son did not fit this archetype,<ref>{{Cite manual|quote=Not everybody can use the Triforce. It requires strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary. Unfortunately, I have not found such a person during my lifetime.|game=The Adventure of Link|page=9}}</ref> the King elected to split the relic into its three component parts. Upon his death, the prince, instead of receiving the entire Triforce, inherited only the Triforces of Power and Wisdom. The prince frantically searched for the remaining Triforce of Courage, but in vain. Then, a [[Magician|wizard]] came to the prince and told him that his younger sister, Zelda, knew the location of the mystical object. The prince demanded that Zelda turn the information over to him, but Zelda refused and, in a rage, the wizard put Zelda into an eternal sleep, himself dying in the process. Overcome with grief, the prince sealed his sleeping sister in the [[North Castle]] and ordered that all female descendants of the Hylian monarchy were to be named Zelda.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Era of Decline|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|page=105}}</ref> As Zelda was the only one who knew the location of the Triforce of Courage, the relic was lost and the royal family was no longer able to rule using the power of the unified Triforce. No one worthy of using the Triforce appeared and the kingdom was divided and reduced in size.
  
−
{{clear}}
  
   
  +
The repentant king governs Hyrule to the best of his ability, but without the power of the full Triforce the kingdom falls into decline and its borders recede. The Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom continue to be passed down within the Royal Family. The existence of the Triforce of Courage is forgotten.<ref name="HH 105"/><ref name="E 13">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 13}}</ref>
−
=====Evil Creeps In=====
  
−
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda (Game)}}
  
−
[[File:TLoZ Link Observing Hyrule Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link looking out over Hyrule]]
  
−
Many years later, an evil army attacked the little kingdom of Hyrule and stole the [[Triforce of Power]]. This army was led by the Demon King Ganon, who once again had been revived and sought to plunge the World into fear and darkness under his rule. Fearing his wicked rule, Zelda, the princess of this kingdom, split the [[Triforce of Wisdom]] into eight fragments and hid them throughout the realm. At the same time, she commanded her most trustworthy nursemaid, Impa, to secretly escape into the land and go find a man with enough courage to destroy the evil Ganon.
  
   
  +
===={{TLoZ|-}}====
−
Braving forests and mountains, Impa fled for her life from her pursuers. As she reached the very limit of her energy she found herself surrounded by Ganon's evil henchmen, until a young lad appeared who skillfully drove off Ganon's henchmen. Hearing Impa's story, this young traveler, named Link, set out to recover the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. After doing so, he fought his way to Ganon's lair in [[Death Mountain]]. Link fought and destroyed the King of Evil, recovered the Triforce of Power and saved Princess Zelda.
  
  +
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda}}
−
{{clear}}
  
  +
Many years later, an evil army led by a revived {{Term|TLoZ|Ganon|link}} attacks {{Term|TLoZ|Hyrule|link}} and steals the Triforce of Power. To keep the Triforce of Wisdom out of Ganon's hands, {{Term|TLoZ|Princess Zelda|link}} (a descendant of Princess Zelda I) splits it in eight and hides the pieces throughout Hyrule. The Princess sends her nursemaid {{Term|TLoZ|Impa|link}} to find someone with the courage to defeat Ganon. Ganon imprisons Zelda and sends a search party to find Impa.<ref name="E 218">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 13}}</ref><ref name="HH 106">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= HH|publisher= |page= 106}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= |game= TLoZ|page= 3}}</ref>
  +
  +
A traveling {{Term|TLoZ|Link|link}} (possibly a descendant of the hero from the Era of Light and Dark) happens upon Impa as she is accosted by Ganon's henchmen. Link drives off the evil minions and learns of Ganon's invasion from Impa. He sets off to recover the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Having collected them from eight {{Plural|TLoZ|Dungeon|link}} in the land, Link confronts Ganon in {{Term|TLoZ|Death Mountain|link}} and defeats the Demon King using the Triforce of Wisdom, the {{Term|TLoZ|Magical Sword|link}}, and {{Plural|TLoZ|Silver Arrow|link}}. Zelda declares Link the hero of Hyrule.<ref name="HH 106"/><ref name="E 218"/><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= |game= TLoZ|page= 3}}</ref>
   
  +
===={{TAoL|-}}====
−
=====The Hero's Quest to Reunite the Triforce=====
  
 
{{Main|Zelda II: The Adventure of Link}}
  
{{Main|Zelda II: The Adventure of Link}}
−
[[File:TAoL Link and Impa Artwork.png|thumb|right|Link showing the mark of the Triforce to Impa]]
 +
[[File:TAoL Triforce.png|thumb|right|The Triforce unites before the altar in North Castle]]
  +
{{Term|TAoL|Hyrule}} is beleaguered by Ganon's minions who remain after the death of their leader. {{Term|TAoL|Link|link}} remains in {{Term|TAoL|Hyrule|link}} to help with its restoration. On his sixteenth birthday, six years after {{Term|Series|Ganon|link}}'s defeat, a glowing {{Term|Series|Triforce|link}} mark appears on the back of Link's left hand. {{Term|TAoL|Impa|link}} guides him to {{Term|TAoL|North Castle|link}} and presses the back of his hand against the sealed doorway. Inside they find the altar of the sleeping {{Term|TAoL|Princess Zelda I|link}}. Impa recounts the story of Princess Zelda I. She entrusts him with six {{Plural|TAoL|Crystal|link}} and an ancient scroll written by the {{Term|TAoL|King of Hyrule|link}} who had hidden the {{Term|TAoL|Triforce of Courage}}. {{Term|TAoL|Link}} learns from reading the scroll that the crest on his hand is the result of a spell cast by the King, marking him as worthy of the hidden Triforce of Courage. The scroll indicates that the Triforce of Courage is located in the {{Term|TAoL|Great Palace|link}}. To undo the binding force around the Great Palace, {{Term|TAoL|Link}} must go to each of the six {{Plural|TAoL|Palace|link}} in {{Term|TAoL|Hyrule}}, defeat the {{Term|TAoL|Guardian|link}} defending it, and set the {{Plural|TAoL|Crystal}} in the heads of statues located in the {{Plural|TAoL|Palace}}. {{Term|TAoL|Impa}} tells {{Term|TAoL|Link}} that by uniting the three pieces of the Triforce, he can undo the spell cast on the sleeping {{Term|TAoL|Princess Zelda}} and bring peace back to {{Term|TAoL|Hyrule}}.<ref name="E 222"/><ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= HH|publisher= |page= 108}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Manual|quote= |game= TAoL|page= 4-12}}</ref>
−
Although Link had defeated Ganon, his underlings remained. Waiting for the return of their master, they continued to cause chaos and disorder in Hyrule. The key to Ganon's resurrection was the blood of Link—the valiant lad that overthrew the King of Evil. The Demon King would be revived by sacrificing Link and sprinkling his blood on the ashes of Ganon.
  
   
  +
Link defeats the six Guardians and places the Crystals to gain access to the Great Palace, where he defeats the last {{Term|TAoL|Guardian|link}}. In a final trial, {{Term|TAoL|Link}} defeats [[Dark Link|his own shadow]] to obtain the Triforce of Courage.<ref name="E 222"/><ref name="HH 109">{{Cite Book|quote= |book= HH|publisher= |page= 109}}</ref>
−
Meanwhile, Link remained in the little kingdom of Hyrule and lent his hand to its restoration. One day, a strange mark resembling crest of the kingdom appeared on the back of Link's hand as he approached his 16th birthday. Link went to Impa, Princess Zelda's nursemaid, who was shocked when she saw the birthmark. She took Link to the North Castle and told him of the tragedy of the Princess Zelda of old. In order to revive the eternally sleeping Princess, Impa entrusted to Link six [[Crystal]]s and a scroll so he could reunite the Triforce. The scroll revealed the location of the long-lost Triforce of Courage, which was hidden in the [[Great Palace]] in the [[Valley of Death]]. Link set out for the six palaces to defeat their Guardian Deities and, using each of the six crystals, dispelled the barrier around the Great Palace. After defeating the final Guardian, and [[Dark Link|his own shadow]], Link retrieved the Triforce of Courage and awoke Princess Zelda from her sleep.
  
   
  +
Link returns to North Castle. The three pieces of the Triforce unite before the altar. The sleeping Princess Zelda awakens, her curse broken. Peace returns to {{Term|TAoL|Hyrule}}.<ref name="E 222"/><ref name="HH 109"/>
−
With the Triforce reunited for the first time since Zelda was put to sleep, the revival of Ganon was prevented and peace finally returned to the Kingdom of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link, having obtained the Triforce of Courage, used the Triforce's power to awaken Princess Zelda I from her slumber. He thus prevented Ganon’s resurrection and restored peace to the land of Hyrule.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=109}}</ref>
  
−
{{clear}}
  
   
  +
{{Clear}}
−
===Child Link Timeline===
  
−
[[File:OoT Ending.png|thumb|200px|Link warning Zelda about Ganondorf]]
  
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The presence of the Hero who went back and forth in time generated a fork in history, dividing Hyrule's chronology. The Child Link Timeline<ref>{{Cite web|quote=The CHILD LINK Timeline|author=Nintendo|published= December 2, 2013|retrieved=December 22nd, 2013|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/legendofzelda/the-legend-of-zelda-a-timeline|title="The Legend Of Zelda": A Timeline|site=BuzzFeed}}</ref> is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back to his original time following the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Time. He warned Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule of the tragic future that awaited the kingdom involving Ganondorf if nothing was to be done. This turn of events created the timeline containing {{MM}}, {{TP}}, and {{FSA}}.
  
   
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==Child Timeline==
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====The Hero's Departure====
  
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[[File:OoT Ending.png|thumb|220px|Link warns Zelda about Ganondorf]]
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After warning the Royal Family of Hyrule, Link and Zelda spend a short amount of time together.<ref>{{Cite|You are already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren't you? Even though it was only a short time, I feel like I've known you forever.|[[Princess Zelda]]|MM}}</ref> Before leaving Hyrule in search of his [[Fairy Companion|fairy companion]] [[Navi]], who left him at the end of his quest, young Link heads to the [[Lon Lon Ranch]] to borrow his horse [[Epona]]. During Link's last meeting with Zelda, she states her belief that they would meet again. Furthermore, she gives him the Ocarina of Time to prevent Ganondorf from entering the [[Sacred Realm]] and as a memento of the time they spent together. She also teaches Link the [[Song of Time]], a melody that holds a special meaning to her, before handing over the ocarina, mentioning that he should play that melody if something were to happen to him so that the [[Goddess of Time]] will come to his aid.
  
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The '''{{Section|Child Timeline}}''',<ref name="encyclopedia-timeline"/> or '''{{Section|Child Era}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> is the branch of the timeline that follows Link back in time at the end of {{OoT|-}}. The young hero warns the [[Royal Family]] of Ganondorf's treachery during the {{Term|Series|Return of the Hero|link}}, thus averting his rise to power and thwarting him from the start.{{Note|{{HH|-}} does not explain how Link and Zelda succeeded in convincing the king that Ganondorf was evil the second time around.}} Link leaves Hyrule on [[Epona]] to search for [[Navi]]. Years later, Ganondorf is sealed within the [[Twilight Realm]].
   
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This timeline contains the events of {{MM}}, {{TP}}, and {{FSA}}.
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====Turmoil in Termina, the Parallel Universe====
  
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==={{MM|-}}===
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask}}
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Several months into his search for Navi,<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 110}}</ref> Link becomes lost in a mysterious forest. He encounters the [[Skull Kid]] wearing {{MM|Object}}. Skull Kid steals Link's horse. Link chases after him into the parellel world of [[Termina]].
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[[File:MM Main Artwork.png|thumb|left|Link's various transformations]]
  
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Several months passed during the Hero of Time's search for Navi. Link was found in a mysterious forest, where the [[Skull Kid]] and his fairy companions [[Tatl]] and [[Tael]] encountered the hero and stole his horse, [[Epona]], as well as the Ocarina of Time.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link set off on his horse, Epona, who lived at Lon Lon Ranch. Months passed as he wandered in search of his companion, Navi, eventually losing himself in a mysterious forest.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=110|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> During Link's pursuit, the Skull Kid cursed him and turned him into a [[Deku Link|Deku Scrub]]. Tatl was left behind by Tael and the Skull Kid. The fairy insisted that Link take her with him as his companion, so that they can work together to find the Skull Kid and her brother Tael.
  
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Link soon discovered that he had wandered into a parallel universe called [[Termina]] which was threatened with imminent destruction by its Moon. He met the [[Happy Mask Salesman]], who promised Link that if he was able to recover [[Majora's Mask (Object)|Majora's Mask]] from the Skull Kid, he would restore Link to his true form. Skull Kid had stolen the evil mask, which was a powerful artifact that had been used by an [[Ancient Tribe]] for hexing rituals. The Skull Kid, possessed by the mask, caused mischief for the people of Termina. He imprisoned his former childhood friends and deities of Termina, the [[Four Giants]], within their respective temples, cursed the four lands the Four Giants created, and pulled the [[Moon (Object)|Moon]] from its orbit and destined it to crash into [[Clock Town]] in just three days in order to destroy all of Termina.
  
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Link then set off in his Deku form, finding himself in [[Clock Town]] at the epicenter of Termina. With the help of Tatl and the [[Great Fairy]], he managed to find the Skull Kid atop [[Clock Tower]]. With an unearthly shriek, the Skull Kid began to bring the moon down completely to the land. Taking advantage of this, Link fired a [[Bubble Blast]] at the Skull Kid, causing him to drop the Ocarina of Time. Upon picking it up, memories of his departure from Hyrule flooded back to Link. After being snapped out of this reverie by Tatl, he played the [[Song of Time]], and was immediately thrown back to the morning that he first entered Clock Town, three days prior.
  
   
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The Happy Mask Salesman taught Link the [[Song of Healing]], restoring him to his human form. The hero gained the [[Deku Mask]] which held the [[Deku Butler's Son|spirit of a Deku]]. Donning the mask allowed him to transform into Deku Link once again. He again requested that Link recover Majora's Mask, stating his belief in the Hero of Time's strength. Link went to the four temples in the South, North, West, and East in order to free the [[Four Giants]] from their prisons and stop the moon from falling. In his travels, Link obtained transformation masks which allowed him to assume the forms of heroes whose souls he had healed with the [[Song of Healing]].
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The Skull Kid, corrupted by Majora's Mask, aims to destroy Termina by bringing the [[Moon (Object)|Moon]] down upon it. Link has only three days to stop the [[Terminan Apocalypse|apocalypse]], but he is able to return to the [[First Day]] by playing the [[Song of Time]]. He ventures to the four outer regions of Termina, using [[Transformation#Majora's Mask|transformative masks]] to free the [[Four Giants]]. On the [[Final Day]], the Four Giants hold up the Moon. Link thwarts [[Majora's Mask (Item)|Majora]], the demon inhabiting the mask.
   
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The Hero of Time leaves Termina to continue his search for Navi, and is not again seen alive. Upon his death, he becomes the [[Hero's Spirit]].<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 118}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E |publisher= |page= 19}}</ref>
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Once Link confronted the Skull Kid again, he summoned the Giants, causing the demon [[Majora's Mask (Object)|Majora]] to reveal itself as the source of the Skull Kid's evil. As the moon descended upon the [[Clock Tower]], Link went inside it, where he confronted Majora on an otherworldly plain. Once Majora was defeated, the Hero of Time's secret journey ended with the beginning of the [[Carnival of Time]]. Link left Termina for Hyrule on Epona, still searching for his companion Navi.
  
   
 
{{Clear}}
  
{{Clear}}
   
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====Ganondorf's Execution====
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===The Failed Execution of Ganondorf===
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[[File:Ganon's execution.png|thumb|right|The Triforce at Ganondorf's execution.]]
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[[File:Ganon's execution.png|thumb|right|220px|Ganondorf survives his execution due to the [[Triforce of Power]]]]
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{{Main|Ganondorf's Execution}}
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{{Main|Failed Execution of Ganondorf}}
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Several years after the failure of his attempted invasion, Ganondorf was taken prisoner in the [[Arbiter's Grounds (Twilight Princess)|Arbiter's Grounds]] prison.<ref>{{Cite|But he was blind...In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice.|Sage|TP}}</ref><ref name=Aonuma>{{Cite person|quote=In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time.|name=Eiji Aonuma|url=http://www.thehylia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1173582355&archive=|title=Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview}}</ref> When the ancient Sages tried to execute him, however, they discovered to their horror that he had the Triforce of Power, so they activated the [[Mirror of Twilight]] and sent him into the [[Twilight Realm]]. Here, Ganondorf languished for years, until he met [[Zant]] and promised him power in exchange for freedom from his prison.
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Several years after {{OoT|-}}, Ganondorf is sentenced to death.<ref name=Aonuma>{{Cite Person|quote=In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time.|name=Eiji Aonuma|url=http://www.thehylia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1173582355&archive=|title=Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview}}</ref> The [[Sages]] attempt to carry out the execution but Ganondorf survives, blessed with the [[Triforce of Power]] by the gods.<ref>{{Cite|By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods.|Sage|TP}}</ref> Instead, the Sages use the [[Mirror of Twilight]] to banish Ganondorf to the [[Twilight Realm]],<ref>{{Cite Book|book= E |publisher= |page= 113}}</ref> which had become inhabited by the [[Twili]], descendants of the [[Interlopers]].
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{{Clear}}
  
   
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====The Era of Twilight====
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==={{TP|-}}===
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Many years later, in the '''{{Section|Twilight Era}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> Ganon appears before [[Zant]], a disgruntled servant of the Twili royal family.<ref>{{Cite|The people of our tribe...a tribe that mastered the arts of magic... were locked away in this world like insects in a cage. In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred...nor even the faintest bloom of desire. And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence! I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess. And why, you ask? Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people! THAT is why! But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler. It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god.|Zant|TP}}</ref> Ganon grants Zant his power, which he uses to usurp [[Midna]], the Twilight Princess. Midna flees to the [[Light World]]. Zant invades [[Hyrule]] with an army of [[Shadow Beast]]s, who steal the light from the [[Spirits of Light]], bringing [[Twilight]] to Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite Book|book=HH |publisher= |page= 114}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|The black beast you slayed was a shadow being. It had come to seize the power of light I wield. My brethren in Hyrule have already had their light stolen by these fell beasts. The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed powers of darkness.|Ordona (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> [[Princess Zelda]] is held captive in [[Hyrule Castle]].
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=====Shadow King Zant's Invasion of the Light World=====
  
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{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess}}
  
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[[File:Twilight.jpg|thumb|left|Illustration from ''Twilight Princess'']]
  
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Ganondorf took the form of a dark god and promised the Twili Zant incredible powers and the throne of the Twilight Realm on one condition: Zant would merge the worlds of Light and Twilight in order to create a world of darkness. Zant agreed, and pledged his undying service to his new master. He [[Overthrow of Midna|used his newfound powers to transform the Twilight Princess]] [[Midna]] into an imp and take the throne before launching his [[Shadow Invasion|invasion of the light world]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganondorf was sent to the Twilight Realm. There, the Demon King granted the ambitious Zant magical powers and began plotting to unite the Light World and the Twilight Realm into a single realm known as the Dark World. Zant’s influence steadily increased. Clouds of darkness covered the Twilight Realm, and the Twili began transforming into demons. Midna, the Twilight Princess, attempted to oppose him, but was cursed and fled to the Light World.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=114|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
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In Hyrule, Midna encounters [[Link]], a ranch hand from [[Ordon Village]]. Link had been in pursuit of [[Bulblin]]s who had kidnapped the children of the village. When he entered the Twilight, he was transformed into a [[Wolf Link|wolf]] by the power of the [[Triforce of Courage]],<ref>{{Cite|In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening.|Faron (Spirit)|TP}}</ref> which he had inherited from his ancestor, the [[Hero of Time]].<ref name="HH 115">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page=115}}</ref> Together Link and Midna restore light to Hyrule. In so doing, Link regains his original form. To defeat Zant, they gather the pieces of the [[Fused Shadow]], which holds the dark power of the Interlopers. During their quest, Link receives sword training from the [[Hero's Spirit]].<ref name="HH 118">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 118}}</ref>
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Hyrule was unprepared for the invasion, and Princess Zelda soon found herself with her back against the wall. When given an ultimatum by Zant to surrender or die, she chose to surrender. Zant sent his minions over the land and stole power from the [[Light Spirit]]s guarding each province, shrouding the kingdom of Hyrule in [[Twilight]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The peace that had reigned in the Light World for hundreds of years was broken by Zant’s army of Shadow Beasts. Zant, now known as the King of Twilight, launched an invasion of Hyrule, and Princess Zelda was faced with a decision. Would she allow the kingdom to be destroyed in the fires of war, or would she surrender and allow Hyrule to fall under the domain of the Twilight? The princess chose the latter. Across the land, the Light Spirits lost their light to the Twili. The Light World was gradually transformed into Twilight, and the people, not realizing what was happening, were filled with a shadowy fear.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=114|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
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Zant curses Link back into wolf form with the [[Shadow Crystal]], steals the completed Fused Shadow from Midna and injures her fatally. Link takes Midna to Princess Zelda, who pours her spirit into Midna to save her life.<ref name="HH 115"/><ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 117}}</ref> Link and Midna seek out the [[Master Sword]] in the [[Sacred Grove]] where the [[Temple of Time]] once stood. The sword dispels the curse on Link.<ref name="HH 115"/> Link and Midna gather the shards of the Mirror of Twilight, which Zant had broken.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 116}}</ref> Link defeats the usurper in battle. Midna takes back the Fused Shadow and kills Zant with it. The duo returns to Hyrule Castle where they save Zelda from a resurrected Ganondorf. Link kills Ganondorf with the Master Sword.<ref name="HH 118"/>
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=====Midna and Link=====
  
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Midna uncovered the dark magic of her [[Dark Interlopers|Dark Interloper]] ancestors in the form of the [[Fused Shadow]]. She used its magic to help a youth from [[Ordon Village]] named Link, a descendant of the Hero of Time, who had become trapped in the Twilight in the form of a wolf. Twili legend said that the Hero of Light would appear in the form of a sacred beast: in this case, a wolf. Midna struck a deal with Link that she would help him regain his human form if he would help her gather the other pieces of the Fused Shadow in order to defeat Zant. Once Midna and Link had cleared the land of Twilight and gathered the Fused Shadows, Zant revealed himself and stole the Fused Shadows, wounded Midna, and cursed Link to his wolf form once again.<ref>{{Cite book|Midna began searching for a way to oppose Zant. Just then, a human appeared who had been transformed into a beast by the Twilight. It was none other than Link, a young man from Ordon Village in whose veins flowed the blood of the Hero of Time. According to a legend passed down in the Twilight, the savior of the world would appear in the form of a beast. Midna decided to join Link to defeat Zant and take back the Twilight Realm. Link took on the role of the Hero, restoring light to each region of the land and finally regaining his human form. With the help of Link, Midna began to collect the Fused Shadows. However, she was attacked by Zant, who stole the shadows and left her on the brink of death, suffering from grave wounds. Link was also cursed by Zant, and turned into a beast once more.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=115|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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{{Image
  
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|type=caption
  
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|image=Hero's Shade.png
  
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|size=175px
  
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|align=right
  
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|caption=The ghost of the Hero of Time
  
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}}
  
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Midna and Link sought the aid of Princess Zelda, who gave up her soul so that Midna could live, and told Link to seek out the Master Sword in the [[Sacred Grove]]. The Master Sword dispelled the curse on Link, and allowed him to transform between his human and wolf forms at will.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Hero met with Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle, who advised him to obtain the Master Sword. The princess then poured all her power into Midna, saving her life. Link acquired the Master Sword from the Sacred Grove, and his curse was lifted by the sword's ability to dispel magic.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=115|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> Throughout his adventure, Link learned the secrets of combat from the ghost of his ancestor, the Hero of Time. The Hero had lived a life filled with regret because he could not be a hero in this timeline, so he imparted his wisdom to his descendant.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The spirit of Link's ancestor, the Hero of Time, teaches him his secrets. Ever since returning to the Child Era, the swordsman has lamented the fact that he was not remembered as a hero. This is the reason he passes down the proof of his courage and his secret techniques to the Link of this era, addressing him as "son".|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=118|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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{{Clear|left}}
  
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In order to enter the Twilight Realm and confront Zant, Midna and Link sought the [[Mirror of Twilight]] at Arbiter's Grounds, but Zant had shattered it into pieces and scattered it across the land. The Sages who had executed Ganondorf appeared to the pair and told them about Ganondorf's involvement with the darkness which plagued the land. Midna and Link gathered the pieces of the Mirror and entered the Twilight Realm, and Link defeated Zant in single combat. Zant was not fazed, however, boasting that his god Ganon would revive him. In her fury, Midna reclaimed the Fused Shadow and used its power to destroy Zant completely.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link and Midna at last arrived before the Mirror of Twilight, the entrance to the Twilight Realm. Midna became furious when she learned that Zant had broken the mirror, and that everything that had happened was the result of Ganondorf's banishment to the Twilight Realm. The two set out to collect the shards of the Mirror of Twilight. Their journey saw them travel not only across the great span of Hyrule, but also to the illusory City in the Sky. They succeeded in repairing the mirror, and then traveled to the Twilight Realm to defeat Zant. The light liberated from the Twilight Realm came to rest within Link's sword, driving back Zant's powers of darkness. Even the guardian deity of the Twilight Realm came to recognize him as a hero. Link confronted Zant in the Palace of Twilight. Midna regained the Fused Shadow from Zant, and destroyed him with the Twilight's ancient powers.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=116|publisher=Dark Horse Boooks}}</ref>
  
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[[File:Ganon Link TP.jpg|thumb|left|Ganon and Link's duel]]
  
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Link and Midna went to the top of Hyrule Castle in order to battle the King of Darkness, who was in possession of Zelda's lifeless body. He possessed it and forced Link to do battle with the princess. Once he defeated her, Midna revived Zelda and Link defeated Ganon in his beast form. Midna used the Fused Shadow to become a terrifying monster and her struggle with Ganon destroyed the castle itself. Midna transported Link and Zelda to Hyrule Field, where they battled Ganondorf on horseback, and finally Link defeated Ganon in single combat, stabbing him in the chest. Ganon attempted to use the Triforce of Power to revive himself, but discovered that its power had left him. Zant stood on the gateway to the afterlife, mocking Ganon by snapping his own neck just as Ganon died.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganondorf, King of Darkness, who had been resurrected in the Light World, remained seated on the throne of Hyrule Castle. He launched his attack by taking possession of Princess Zelda and transforming into a demonic beast. He later waged a battle with Link on horseback. Once Princess Zelda's spirit, which remained inside Midna, was returned to her body, she defended Link using the Light Arrows.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=117|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=Ganondorf, the King of Darkness, had lost, and the crest of the Triforce of Power faded from the back of his hand. The curtain fell on the destiny of the demonic thief Ganondorf, seeker of the Triforce... at least for a time.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=118|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
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Midna returns to the Twilight Realm. She shatters the Mirror of Twilight, severing the link between the two worlds.<ref name="HH 118"/>{{Note|{{FSA}}, the next game in the timeline after {{TP|-}}, also has a [[Dark World|shadow world]] and a [[Dark Mirror|mirror]] used to seal away a dark tribe. {{HH|-}} draws the parallel between the two mirrors<ref name="HH 119">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 119}}</ref> and alludes to a connection between the Twilight Realm and the Dark World,<ref name="HH 118"/> but makes no further attempt to tie the two games together. {{E|-}} makes the distinction that the Twilight Realm is "behind" the Light World, whereas the Dark World is the "opposite" of the Sacred Realm.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= |book= E|publisher= |page= 28}}</ref>}}
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Midna was restored to her true form as the beautiful Twilight Princess, and bade farewell to Link and Zelda as she returned to the Twilight Realm. As she left, she shattered the Mirror of Twilight to ensure that its power would never be misused again. Link returned to Ordon Village; however, he later departed with [[Epona]] from his hometown.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Once the curse had been lifted, Midna regained her true form, that of a bewitching princess. She then returned to the Twilight Realm, smashing the Mirror of Twilight so that her world would never intersect with the Light World again. Her final request was that the denizens of the Light World not forget that there was another world within its shadows... Link returned the Master Sword to the forest and went back to Ordon Village. The world received the blessings of the gods once more, and the land was covered in light.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=118|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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{{clear}}
  
   
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====The Era of Shadow====
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==={{FSA|-}}===
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures}}
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{{Tone|Story}}
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[[File:Fourswordsposter.jpg|thumb|left|The four Links battle evil soldiers.]]
  
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[[File:FSA Artwork.png|thumb|left|The four Links battle evil soldiers.]]
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Hundreds of years after Ganondorf's death, the people of Hyrule had reconciled with Ganondorf's tribe, the [[Gerudo]], and it seemed for a while that peace would prevail in the land. However, a new Ganondorf was born to the Gerudo tribe who was the reincarnation of the King of Darkness that was defeated by the [[Link#Twilight Princess|Hero Chosen by the Gods]], and violated their taboo on the Ancient [[Pyramid (Dungeon)|Pyramid]].<ref>{{Cite|Curse that Ganondorf! He broke our laws and left for the pyramid...|Gerudo|FSA}}</ref> He stole the [[Trident]] from the pyramid and then stole the [[Dark Mirror]] from the [[Temple of Darkness]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Several hundred years after Ganondorf's defeat, relations between Gerudo Village and Hyrule had become friendly once more, and peace had been restored to the land. However, one day a new Ganondorf was born into the world. He violated the laws of the town, trespassing into an ancient pyramid and taking possession of the Trident. He also stole the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness in the forest in order to turn Hyrule into a place of darkness.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=119|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The mirror served as a prison for a [[Dark Tribe]] that, long ago, invaded the kingdom. It had the ability to reflect the evil heart of its bearer, giving birth to demonic creatures.<ref>{{Cite|Legends speak of a mirror in which a dark tribe was sealed away long ago. I understand it's supposed to be hidden now somewhere in the Forest of Light.|Dampé|FSA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Long ago, a dark tribe invaded Hyrule. They were defeated and imprisoned within the mirror. The tribe's mirror prison was then secreted away and hidden in the forest temple to sever its connection to this world.|White Maiden|FSA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Dark Mirror: A mirror that reflects the evil heart of its bearer, spawning demons. It was once used to imprison the Dark Tribe, who attempted to invade Hyrule, and thus it was hidden inside a temple with no connection to the Dark World.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|publisher=Dark Horse Books|page=119}}</ref>
  
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Hundreds of years after Ganondorf's death, the people of Hyrule had reconciled with Ganondorf's tribe, the [[Gerudo]], and it seemed for a while that peace would prevail in the land. However, a new Ganondorf was born to the Gerudo tribe who was the reincarnation of the King of Darkness that was defeated by the [[Link#Twilight Princess|Hero Chosen by the Gods]], and violated their taboo on the Ancient [[Pyramid]].<ref>{{Cite|Curse that Ganondorf! He broke our laws and left for the pyramid...|Gerudo|FSA}}</ref> He stole the [[Trident]] from the pyramid and then stole the [[Dark Mirror]] from the [[Temple of Darkness]].<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=Several hundred years after Ganondorf's defeat, relations between Gerudo Village and Hyrule had become friendly once more, and peace had been restored to the land. However, one day a new Ganondorf was born into the world. He violated the laws of the town, trespassing into an ancient pyramid and taking possession of the Trident. He also stole the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness in the forest in order to turn Hyrule into a place of darkness.|book=HH|page=119|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> The mirror served as a prison for a dark tribe that, long ago, invaded the kingdom. It had the ability to reflect the evil heart of its bearer, giving birth to demonic creatures.<ref>{{Cite|Legends speak of a mirror in which a dark tribe was sealed away long ago. I understand it's supposed to be hidden now somewhere in the Forest of Light.|Dampé|FSA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Long ago, a dark tribe invaded Hyrule. They were defeated and imprisoned within the mirror. The tribe's mirror prison was then secreted away and hidden in the forest temple to sever its connection to this world.|White Maiden|FSA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The Dark Mirror: A mirror that reflects the evil heart of its bearer, spawning demons. It was once used to imprison the dark tribe, who attempted to invade Hyrule, and thus it was hidden inside a temple with no connection to the Dark World.|book= HH |publisher= |page= 119}}</ref>
   
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Ganondorf schemed to release the ancient sorcerer Vaati from his prison within the Four Sword, and created a dark copy of Link, [[Shadow Link]], with the Mirror. The clouds of darkness covering the land made Zelda uneasy, so she gathered the six shrine maidens to renew the seal upon Vaati. At that moment, Shadow Link appeared and scattered the maidens with his powers. Link drew the sword from its pedestal, splitting into four just as in ancient times. However, this released Vaati from his prison to cause chaos. Ganon used Shadow Link to tear open rifts to the Dark World, pulling the four [[Knights of Hyrule]] into his sway and transforming them into [[Stalfos]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The now demonic Knights of Hyrule and their Royal Jewels were scattered across the kingdom by Shadow Link and his kin. The Tower of Winds also disappeared from sight. With the Royal Jewels transformed into gateways to the Dark World, demons began appearing in the land of Hyrule once again.|book= [[Hyrule Historia]]|page=120|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
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Ganondorf schemed to release the ancient sorcerer Vaati from his prison within the Four Sword, and created a dark copy of Link, [[Shadow Link]], with the Mirror. The clouds of darkness covering the land made Zelda uneasy, so she gathered the six shrine maidens to renew the seal upon Vaati. At that moment, Shadow Link appeared and scattered the maidens with his powers. Link drew the sword from its pedestal, splitting into four just as in ancient times. However, this released Vaati from his prison to cause chaos. Ganon used Shadow Link to tear open rifts to the Dark World, pulling the four [[Knights of Hyrule]] into his sway and transforming them into [[Big Dark Stalfos]].<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The now demonic Knights of Hyrule and their Royal Jewels were scattered across the kingdom by Shadow Link and his kin. The Tower of Winds also disappeared from sight. With the Royal Jewels transformed into gateways to the Dark World, demons began appearing in the land of Hyrule once again.|book= {{HH}}|page=120|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
   
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The four Links journeyed throughout Hyrule to rescue the Shrine Maidens, and learned that Ganon was the mastermind behind the darkness plaguing Hyrule. They obtained the four jewels from the Knights, and made their way to the [[Tower of Winds]], where they battled Vaati and Ganon himself, destroying Vaati and sealing Ganon inside the Four Sword forevermore.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=The Heroes saved Princess Zelda from the top of the tower and continued on to the Realm of the Heavens, where the Dark Mirror that had been incessantly spawning Shadow Links lay. The four Links then recovered the mirror and defeated Vaati in the Palace of Winds. The four Links and Princess Zelda made for the surface world as the Palace of Winds crumbled beneath them. There, Ganon appeared. The facets of Link cooperated with Princess Zelda to crush him, successfully sealing Ganon with the Four Sword. "I am the King of Darkness! I cannot be destroyed by insects like you!" he cried as he was sealed away. Light shone out all around them, and the darkness began to part.|book= [[Hyrule Historia]]|page=121|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 +
The four Links journeyed throughout Hyrule to rescue the Shrine Maidens, and learned that Ganon was the mastermind behind the darkness plaguing Hyrule. They obtained the four jewels from the Knights, and made their way to the [[Tower of Winds]], where they battled Vaati and Ganon himself, destroying Vaati and sealing Ganon inside the Four Sword forevermore.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote=The Heroes saved Princess Zelda from the top of the tower and continued on to the Realm of the Heavens, where the Dark Mirror that had been incessantly spawning Shadow Links lay. The four Links then recovered the mirror and defeated Vaati in the Palace of Winds. The four Links and Princess Zelda made for the surface world as the Palace of Winds crumbled beneath them. There, Ganon appeared. The facets of Link cooperated with Princess Zelda to crush him, successfully sealing Ganon with the Four Sword. "I am the King of Darkness! I cannot be destroyed by insects like you!" he cried as he was sealed away. Light shone out all around them, and the darkness began to part.|book= {{HH}}|page=121|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
   
 
{{Clear}}
  
{{Clear}}
   
−
===Adult Link Timeline===
 +
==Adult Timeline==
  +
The '''Adult Timeline''',<ref name="encyclopedia-timeline"/> or '''{{Section|Adult Era}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> is the branch of the timeline in which Link has disappeared from Hyrule after being sent back in time at the end of {{OoT|-}}. In this timeline, Ganondorf is sealed within the void of the [[Dark World|corrupted Sacred Realm]] along with the Triforce of Power.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 91}}</ref> The Triforce of Wisdom remains in Zelda's possession. When Link goes back in time, the Triforce of Courage is left behind, shattered into eight shards scattered across Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|When the Hero of Time was called to embark on another journey and left the land of Hyrule, he was separated from the elements that made him a hero. It is said that at that time, the Triforce of Courage was split into eight shards and hidden throughout the land.|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref> Zelda returns the [[Master Sword]] to the [[Temple of Time]].<ref name="HH 122"/>
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The presence of the Hero who went back and forth in time generated a fork in history, dividing Hyrule's chronology. The Adult Link Timeline<ref>{{Cite web|quote=The ADULT LINK Timeline|author=Nintendo|published= December 2, 2013|retrieved=December 22nd, 2013|url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/legendofzelda/the-legend-of-zelda-a-timeline|title="The Legend Of Zelda": A Timeline|site=BuzzFeed}}</ref> is the timeline that follows the events after Link is being sent back to his original time, following the Hero of Time's defeat of Ganondorf in the final battle and his subsequent sealing within the [[Dark World|corrupted Sacred Realm]] by the Seven Sages.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Following a fierce battle, Princess Zelda entrapped Ganon with waves of light, and Link delivered the finishing blow. The six sages completed the task by imprisoning the beast in a sealed void that had been rent in the Sacred Realm.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=91|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref> This turn of events created the timeline containing {{TWW}}, {{PH}}, and {{ST}}.
  
  +
  +
This timeline contains the events of {{TWW}}, {{PH}}, and {{ST}}.
   
−
====The Era without a Hero====
 +
===Hyrule Submerged===
 
{{Main|Great Flood}}
  
{{Main|Great Flood}}
−
[[File:Normal opening 4.png|400px|thumb|The Hero of Time leaves and Ganon returns.]]
 +
[[File:TWW Scroll of the Hero of Time 5.png|thumb|right|The people of Hyrule plead to the gods as Ganon casts the land in darkness once again]]
−
Many years after the Hero of Time's victory, the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken for an unknown reason, and [[Ganon|Ganondorf]] managed to escape his imprisonment. Ganondorf intended to make good on his threat to the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages that he would escape one day to make their descendants pay for his imprisonment.<ref name=quote2>{{Cite|After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away...but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. He attacked this temple and stole my soul, knowing that he had to remove the power contained in that enchanted blade.|[[Laruto]]|TWW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends.|[[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]]|TWW}}</ref><ref name=quote3>{{Cite|Someday...When this seal is broken....That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!|[[Ganon]]dorf|OoT}}</ref>
 +
Ages passed and the Hero of Time faded to legend. During the '''{{Section|Era without a Hero}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> the seal of the Seven Sages broke.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 122}}</ref> Ganon escaped from the Sacred Realm and used the Triforce of Power to bring darkness to Hyrule. When no hero appeared, King [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] and his people pleaded to the gods for deliverance.<ref name="HH 123">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 123}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.|N/A|TWW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods...|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref>
   
−
The people of Hyrule hoped that the Hero of Time would show up to save them, but the hero did not appear. Left with no other choice, they pleaded to the gods.<ref name=quote6>{{Cite|Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.|Introduction|TWW}}</ref> The gods answered their prayers by instructing those chosen to take refuge on the mountaintops before they flooded Hyrule, keeping Ganon and his army trapped in time underneath the waves.<ref name=quote7>{{Cite|When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all was not lost. For the gods knew that to seal the people away with the kingdom would be to grant Ganon's wish for the destruction of the land. So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops.|[[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]]|TWW}}</ref>
 +
The gods responded by bringing forth a deluge that would seal away all of Hyrule and Ganon with it.<ref>{{Cite|When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref> The gods chose those who would build a new world and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops, which became the islands of the new world known as the [[Great Sea]]. The [[Triforce of Wisdom]] was split in two: one part remained with King Daphnes beneath the waves, the other with his daughter the princess, who ascended to the new world.<ref name="HH 123"/> The Triforce fragment passed on to her namesakes, from daughter to daughter. Beneath the waves, Hyrule remained frozen in time.{{Fact}}
   
  +
==={{TWW|-}}===
−
The people of Hyrule would then go on to build a new civilization on the surface of the [[Great Sea]] and, with the passing of time, largely forget the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves.<ref>{{Cite|The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath.|Introduction|TWW}}</ref> On [[Outset Island]], a tradition emerged of having young boys wear the green garb of the Hero of Time for one day on their birthdays.<ref>{{Cite|On a certain island, it became customary to garb boys in green when they came of age. Clothed in the green of fields, they aspired to find heroic blades and cast down evil. The elders wished only for the youths to know courage like the hero of legend...|Introduction|TWW}}</ref>
  
−  
−
====The Era of the Great Sea====
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}
  +
Hundreds of years later, during the '''{{Section|Era of the Great Sea}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> Ganondorf escapes to the surface world. Seeking to regain the Triforce of Wisdom, he commands the [[Helmaroc King]] to kidnap young girls with pointed ears, in the hopes of capturing Zelda.<ref name="HH 124">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 124}}</ref> The Helmaroc King kidnaps [[Aryll]], [[Link]]'s sister. Link, a resident of [[Outset Island]] unrelated to the Hero of Time,<ref>{{Cite|The one I have brought with me has no connection to the legendary one. And yet I sense great promise in the courage that this one possesses.|King of Red Lions|TWW}}</ref> sets out to rescue her. He is guided by the [[King of Red Lions]], a boat sent forth by the gods.<ref name="HH 124"/>
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[[File:TWW World Artwork.png|thumb|left|195px|Characters from the Great Sea]]
  
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Beneath the waves, Ganon was revived and sought out the two sages who prayed for the power of the Master Sword. He killed them in order to stop the sword's power to repel evil and reach the surface world. He built a base in the [[Forsaken Fortress]] and filled it with his dark army. He sought out all young girls with long, pointed ears, in hopes that he would capture the descendant of Princess Zelda. In response, King [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] also awoke and used his powers to guide a boat called the [[King of Red Lions]] on the surface world.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Hundreds of years passed, and Ganondorf, who should have been sealed at the bottom of the ocean along with Hyrule, was resurrected once again. He gave an order to his minions to attack the Wind and Earth temples, killing the two sages whose prayers gave the Master Sword the ability to destroy evil. Upon emerging from the sea, he turned the Forsaken Fortress into his base of operations and began his search for Princess Zelda, a descendent of the royal family who possessed the Triforce of Wisdom. King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, ordered by the gods to put an end to Ganondorf's ambitions, awoke from his slumber. His spirit took up residence in a small red boat known as the King of Red Lions, and he began searching for the new Hero and the descendent of the royal family.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=124|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Link proves his worth as a hero by gathering the [[Goddess Pearls]] and completing the [[Tower of the Gods|goddesses' trial]]. A way opens to [[Hyrule]] beneath the waves. Link draws the [[Master Sword]] from a pedestal within [[Hyrule Castle]].<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 126}}</ref>{{Note|According to {{HH|-}}, Zelda returned the Master Sword to the Temple of Time in the Adult Era after {{OoT|-}}.<ref name="HH 122"/> {{HH|-}} does not explain how the sword came to be in Hyrule Castle in {{TWW}}.}} With the help of [[Tetra]] and her [[Tetra's Pirate Crew|pirate crew]], Link rescues his sister. However, he is unable to defeat Ganondorf. The Master Sword had lost the power to repel evil when Ganondorf killed the sages of Earth and Wind.<ref name="HH 124"/><ref>{{Cite|After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away...but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. He attacked this temple and stole my soul, knowing that he had to remove the power contained in that enchanted blade.|Laruto|TWW}}</ref> Link and Tetra escape Ganondorf's grasp and return to Hyrule, where [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]] reveals himself to be the King of Red Lions. He mends the Triforce of Wisdom—Tetra carries the other piece. She awakens as [[Princess Zelda]].
−
On Outset, a young boy named Link came of age and was given the [[Hero's Clothes]] to wear for one day. Unfortunately, this was the day that the terrible bird called the [[Helmaroc King]] attacked the island, carrying the pirate captain named [[Tetra]]. The bird dropped Tetra on the island, but left with Link's sister [[Aryll]]. Link joined forces with Tetra's pirates in order to storm the Forsaken Fortress and rescue Aryll. The Helmaroc King captured Link once he reached Aryll's cell, and showed him to Ganon. Ganon thought the boy was worthless, so the bird threw him into the sea. Luckily, the King of Red Lions rescued Link and brought him to [[Windfall Island]]. Along with the magical baton called the [[Wind Waker (Item)|Wind Waker]], they journeyed across the Great Sea in order to retrieve the [[Goddess Pearls]] and open the gateway to Hyrule. Link raised the [[Tower of the Gods]] to the surface and proved his worth to be a hero by passing its trials. Then, he ventured down the ancient kingdom of Hyrule and drew the Master Sword from its pedestal.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link's courage was recognized as he underwent the trials in the Tower of the Gods. He obtained the legendary blade known as the Master Sword in Hyrule, the kingdom sealed deep under the ocean.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=126|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
  +
Link restores the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. He gathers the shards of the [[Triforce of Courage]] to re-open the way to Hyrule. Upon returning to Hyrule, he discovers Zelda has been kidnapped by Ganondorf and taken atop [[Ganon's Tower]]. When Link purses them to the top of the tower, the full Triforce is reunited. Before Ganondorf is able to touch the Triforce and make his wish, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule steps in and wishes for Hyrule to be washed away forever. Together, Link and Zelda defeat Ganondorf. They return to the surface, but Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule stays behind and vanishes along with his kingdom. Above the waves, Zelda becomes Tetra once again. Link and Tetra set sail in search of a new continent.
−
With the Master Sword in hand, Link went to challenge Ganon in the Forsaken Fortress, but Ganon told him that the sword was powerless to defeat him, because it did not have the power to repel evil. Link went back to Hyrule with Tetra, where the King of Red Lions revealed himself as the King of Hyrule and Tetra as his descendant Princess Zelda. Link then searched for the Sages of Earth and Wind in order to restore the power of the Master Sword. He awakened [[Medli]] as Sage of Earth and [[Makar]] as Sage of Wind. Their prayers restored power to the Master Sword. Link then searched for the [[Triforce of Courage]], which had been split into eight pieces when the Hero of Time left to return to his own time. Armed with the Triforce and the Master Sword, Link returned to the kingdom beneath the waves and challenged Ganon atop his tower.
 
   
  +
==={{PH|-}}===
−
Ganon united the Triforce pieces and made a wish that he be the ruler of Hyrule. However, before he could touch the Triforce to make his wish come true, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule touched the Triforce and wished for Hyrule to be washed away, so that his descendants could build a new future above the waves. Ganon was defiant, and faced Link and Zelda in battle. Link stabbed Ganon in his forehead, turning him to stone as the waves crashed around him. The King, staying behind to be buried beneath the waves along with his kingdom, sent Link and Zelda back the surface world in order to begin their new future.
  
−  
−
====The Era of the Great Voyage====
  
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass}}
  +
During the '''{{Section|Era of the Great Voyage}}''',<ref name="HH 69"/> Link and Tetra happen upon the [[World of the Ocean King]]. To investigate a rumor about disappearing ships in the area, Tetra boards the {{Term|PH|Ghost Ship|link}} and is taken away by it. Link falls into the ocean trying to rescue her and washes up on [[Mercay Island]].<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 130}}</ref> There he meets the fairy [[Ciela]] and her so-called grandfather [[Oshus]].
−
[[File:PHCoverArt.jpg|thumb|right|Link and Linebeck]]
  
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After defeating Ganon, Link and Tetra set out on a new voyage. They reached the waters ruled by the [[Ocean King]] to investigate rumors about a mysterious [[Ghost Ship (Phantom Hourglass)|Ghost Ship]] which had terrorized the ocean. The Ghost Ship appeared and Tetra jumped aboard and was taken away. Link tried to rescue her, but fell into the ocean. He awoke on [[Mercay Island]] and met [[Ciela]] the fairy and her "grandfather," [[Oshus]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=In order to ascertain the truth behind the rumors, Tetra boarded the Ghost Ship when it appeared before them, only to be kidnapped. Link rushed to her aid but was hurled into the depths of the ocean. The Hero found himself washed ashore on the beach of Mercay Island. On the advice of an old man named Oshus, he departed in search of clues to the Ghost Ship's whereabouts.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=130|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
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Link met a sea captain named [[Linebeck]] who let him use his ship. After searching for clues in the [[Temple of the Ocean King]] with the help of the [[Phantom Hourglass (Item)|Phantom Hourglass]], Link rescued the Spirits of Power and Wisdom, and discovered Ciela was the Spirit of Courage. Link then boarded the Ghost Ship in order to rescue Tetra, who had been turned to stone. Oshus revealed himself to be the Ocean King and told Link that an evil monster named [[Bellum]] had drained her life force. He then affirmed that the only thing which could defeat Bellum was the [[Phantom Sword]].<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link befriended Ciela, the fairy that Oshus had taken in, and managed to obtain the cooperation of Captain Linebeck. The three set sail on the SS Linebeck, his ship. Using the Phantom Hourglass, Link managed to unlock the clues that slept within the Temple of the Ocean King bit by bit. He also rescued the Spirits of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Borrowing the power of the spirits, Link successfully boarded the Ghost Ship. Inside, he discovered that Tetra had turned to stone after Bellum drained her Life Force. Then, Oshus appeared and revealed his true identity as the Ocean King. The Ocean King recognized Link's courage, and asked him to eradicate Bellum.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=131|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
 +
Link teams up with Ciela and steamboat captain [[Linebeck]] to find the Ghost Ship. He obtains clues from the [[Temple of the Ocean King]], which he navigates using the [[Phantom Hourglass]]. Link finds the ship after rescuing the Spirits of Power, Wisdom, and Courage ([[Leaf]], [[Neri]], and as it turns out, [[Ciela]]). On the ship, Link finds Tetra turned to stone—her [[Life Force]] had been drained by a malevolent creature named [[Bellum]]. To defeat Bellum, Link searches the seas for three [[Pure Metal]]s to forge the [[Phantom Sword]]. Oshus reveals himself to be the [[Ocean King]] and fuses the [[Phantom Hourglass]] into the Phantom Sword.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 131}}</ref>
   
  +
Phantom Sword in hand, Link defeats [[Bellum]] and frees Tetra. The Ocean King regains his true form. Link and Tetra return to their world and continue their search for a new continent.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 132}}</ref>
−
Link journeyed through the seas to find the three [[Pure Metal]]s and forge the Phantom Sword. Then, he ventured deep into the Temple once more to confront Bellum. He defeated Bellum, but then Bellum possessed Linebeck and forced him to fight in the form of a powerful knight. Link was able to defeat Bellum without harming Linebeck, and restored Tetra to life. The Ocean King returned Link and Tetra to their world, where only ten minutes had passed since they left. Link was not sure if the entire adventure had been a dream, but then he saw that he carried the empty Phantom Hourglass, and saw Linebeck sailing off into the distance.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Link obtained the only weapon capable of defeating Bellum: the Phantom Sword. He then headed for the depths of the Temple of the Ocean King. Once he crushed Bellum, Tetra would return to normal. Link pressed his attack against Bellum once again and barely managed to escape with his life, thanks to the courageous actions of Captain Linebeck. Once the dust had cleared on the final battle, Link and his friends stood victorious. Oshus regained his true form, and peace returned to the waters of the Ocean King. Link and Tetra bid a fond farewell to Oshus and the spirits, and found themselves back in their own world. However, despite the many days they had wandered during their adventure in the waters of the Ocean King, they returned to find only ten minutes had passed.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=132|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
   
−
====The Era of Hyrule's Rebirth====
 +
=== ''Era of Hyrule's Rebirth'' ===
  +
Link and Tetra's pirate crew eventually discovered a new continent. [[Spirit Tracks]] spanned the land, at the center of which stood the [[Tower of Spirits]]. These were created by the [[Lokomo]] to bind the Demon King [[Malladus]] to the land.{{Fact}} Tetra christened the land [[New Hyrule]].<ref name="HH 133">{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 133}}</ref> Over a hundred years, the land of New Hyrule thrived.
  +
  +
==={{ST|-}}===
 
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks}}
  
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks}}
−
[[File:ST Artwork.jpg|thumb|left|Link and Zelda on the Spirit Train]]
 +
[[File:Spirit Train ST.png|thumb|right|200px|New Hyrule]]
  +
−
Tetra's pirates eventually landed on a new continent, where the [[Tower of Spirits]] stood tall over the landscape. She founded a new kingdom here, connected by the [[Spirit Tracks (Rails)|Spirit Tracks]] which ran across the land. Tetra decreed that her soldiers would wear a green uniform, like that worn by the Hero of Winds.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=Continuing their journey, Link, Tetra, and the pirates at last came upon a new continent. At the heart of this land sat a structure called the Tower of Spirits, from which the Spirit Tracks spiraled out. Here, Tetra founded New Hyrule. Another history had begun to unfold. Trains ran along the Spirit Tracks, and the kingdom developed a network of railroads. The castle was decorated with stained glass depicting Tetra the pirate, and the soldiers adopted green uniforms as a tribute to the Hero of Winds.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=133|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
  +
One hundred years later, the Spirit Tracks begin to disappear. Link, a [[Royal Engineer]], and Princess Zelda, Tetra's descendant, head to the Tower of Spirits to investigate.<ref name="HH 133"/> Their train is derailed by [[Chancellor Cole]] and [[Byrne]]. Chancellor Cole, advisor to Princess Zelda, reveals himself to be a demon who aims to revive Malladus.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 134}}</ref> Byrne, Cole's ally, separates Zelda's spirit from her body. Her body is carried off to the top of the Spirit Tower, to be used as a vessel for Malladus. The Spirit Tower is fragmented into floating pieces.
  +
  +
Link and Princess Zelda's ghost travel to four temples to restore the Spirit Tracks and the Tower of Spirits. They climb to the top of the tower, but are too late to stop Malladus from possessing Zelda's body. They pursue Malladus into the [[Dark Realm]]. Together, they defeat Malladus and Cole using the [[Bow of Light]] and the [[Lokomo Sword]]. Zelda regains her body and peace returns to Hyrule. Their protection no longer needed, the Lokomo sages return to the heavens.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= HH |publisher= |page= 135}}</ref>
  +
  +
== ''Arrival of the Zonai'' ==
  +
The events of ''Breath of the Wild'' and ''Tears of the Kingdom'' take place during an era long after the events of earlier games, which have since become myths<ref name="CaC 360" /> and take place at the end of a timeline branch, but which timeline branch is up to the player's interpretation.<ref name="quote2" /><ref>https://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/08/06/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-now-has-an-official-place-in-the-series-timeline-sort-of</ref> It is impossible to tell which myths are historical fact and which are mere legends.<ref name="CaC 360" /> The [[Zonai]] descend from [[Sky Islands]] far above, appearing to the people of Hyrule as though [[Deity|gods]], long before the founding of Hyrule by [[King Rauru]] and [[Queen Sonia]].<ref>''"When your Zonai ancestors first descended upon these lands long, long ago, they must have seemed to be gods."'' — Ganondorf ([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|''Tears of the Kingdom'']])</ref> It is possible that Hyrule may have been destroyed once before their founding.<ref name="Fuijibayashi">{{Cite Web|quote=あくまで可能性として話すとすれば、ハイラル建国の話があってもその前に一度滅んだ歴史がある可能性もあります。[If I'm just talking about this as a possibility, even if there is a story about the founding of Hyrule, there is a possibility that there is a history where Hyrule was destroyed once before that.]|author= Hidemaro Fujibayashi|title= An interview with the developer of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" that can still be talked about. A marvelous sequel completed through "play priority"|url= https://www.famitsu.com/news/202309/06314767.html|site= Famitsu}}</ref>
   
  +
=== ''The Founding of Hyrule by King Rauru and Queen Sonia'' ===
−
A century after the kingdom's establishment, the rails began to disappear. Tetra's descendant, Princess Zelda, gave a [[Royal Engineer]] named Link a [[Recruit Uniform]] and joined him to investigate the Tower of Spirits. Link lived with [[Niko]], the last remaining member of Tetra's pirate crew.<ref>{{Cite book|quote=One hundred years after the country's founding, sections of track began to disappear all over the land. The reigning Princess Zelda presented an engineer named Link with a soldier's uniform in order to slip out of the castle, and the two headed to the Tower of Spirits with Alfonzo to investigate.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=133|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|quote=Niko, who arrived in the new world one hundred years ago as one of Tetra's pirates, is still going strong in this era. He is affectionately nicknamed "Old Man Niko". He lives with a boy named Link who is identical in appearance to the Hero of Winds.|book=[[Hyrule Historia]]|page=133|publisher=Dark Horse Books}}</ref>
  
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The last two descendants of the ancient Zonai are Rauru and his sister [[Mineru]].<ref>''"It is unfortunate, that the noble Zonai no longer grace this world with their presence. All except you and your sister, that is."'' — Ganondorf ([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|''Tears of the Kingdom'']])</ref> Sonia is a [[hylian]] priestess, born in the land of Hyrule.<ref>''"Sonia, quen to Hyrules kyng, bi birthe Hylian preesterresse, hirself yborn or londe, nat of skie aboven.'' — [[Stone Tablet#Tears of the Kingdom|The Strong Queen and the Receptive King]] ''([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|Tears of the Kingdom]]'')</ref> Sonia marries Rauru and they the kingdom of Hyrule,<ref>''"We are the king and queen who founded Hyrule, after all. Or at least we were the last time I checked.''" — King Rauru ([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|''Tears of the Kingdom'']])</ref> potentially a later iteration of it.<ref name="Fuijibayashi"/> They create [[Shrine of Light|Shrines of Light]] to seal away monsters plaguing the kingdom at the time.<ref>''"The subject here is the actions King Rauru and Queen Sonia undertook not long after Hyrule's founding. With the kingdom established, they were worried for their people, so they set out to eradicate the monsters troubling them. They created structures called Shrines of Light to seal the monsters away so that they could never be revived."'' — Wortsworth ''([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|Tears of the Kingdom]])''</ref> Princess Zelda arrives in this time from the far future [[Upheaval]] and witnesses the events leading up to the Imprisoning War as well as the war itself. An incarnation of Ganondorf is born, becoming the king of the Gerudo tribe. Ganondorf initially attempts to take the Kingdom of Hyrule by force, but his army of Molduga is defeated by the sacred powers of Rauru, Sonia and Zelda. He then pretends to ally with them and despite their precautions, successfully assassinates Queen Sonia, taking her Secret Stone and corrupting it, thus amplifying his power to become the Demon king.
   
  +
=== ''The Imprisoning War'' ===
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On their way to the Tower, [[Chancellor Cole]] revealed himself as a demon whose aim was to revive the Demon King [[Malladus]] who had been sealed underneath the Tower of Spirits in ancient times. Cole and [[Byrne]] stole her body and left her as a spirit. Link and Zelda sought the advice of the [[Lokomo]] sage [[Anjean]], who told them to restore the Tower. In spirit form, Zelda was able to possess the [[Phantom]]s which roamed the Tower of Spirits and helped Link advance to the top. Link and Zelda restored the Tower of Spirits by journeying throughout Hyrule and breaking the barriers at each temple so that they could reach the Demon King at the top. Once they reached the top of the tower, Malladus was revived, and Link went into the [[Dark Realm]] in order to defeat him. Once Malladus was destroyed and Zelda returned to her body, the Lokomos departed into the heavens, their duty to protect Hyrule fulfilled.
  
  +
A large war is waged by Ganondorf, the Demon King and an [[The Demon King's Army|army of monsters]] he unleashes upon the kingdom following the death of Queen Sonia. King Rauru recruits 5 ancient Sages (one from each of the races, Rito, Zora, Goron, Gerudo and his sister Mineru) to fight demon king Ganondorf. Ultimately they cannot kill him, but Rauru manages to seal him away, but is required to sacrifice his own life to do so, bringing an end to the imprisoning war.
  +
  +
=== ''The Arrival of the Master Sword'' ===
  +
Zelda stands on the Sky Island of the Temple of Time, when the [[decayed Master Sword]] arrives in the past from shortly after the Upheaval. She had been told by the Deku Tree that the sword can be healed if bathed in sacred power.<ref>''"It can do more than heal. The sword will continue to gain strength if bathed in sacred power. The stronger the power, the more powerful the sword becomes."'' — The Deku Tree ''([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|Tears of the Kingdom]])''
  +
  +
</ref> She swallows a Secret Stone, thus turning into the [[Light Dragon]], the sword imbedded in its' forehead to absorb her sacred power and heal over the coming millennia.
  +
  +
=== ''Calamity Ganon'' ===
  +
An entity referred to as the '[[Calamity Ganon]]' is unleashed upon the kingdom of Hyrule time and time again over the centuries.<ref>"''The history of the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of Calamity Ganon, a primal evil that has endured over the ages.''" — [[Impa]] (''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild|Breath of the Wild]]'')</ref>
  +
  +
===''The advanced Sheikah civilization''===
  +
10,000 years before ''Breath of the Wild'', the Sheikah tribe developed highly advanced technology and Hyrule flourished. The Sheikah build the [[Guardian (Breath of the Wild)|Guardians]] and [[Divine Beasts]] in preparation for Ganon's return. When Calamity Ganon appears, the then-present reincarnations of Zelda and Link are able to seal him away with the support of the Guardians and Divine Beasts and their ancient pilots. Despite this success, the King of Hyrule becomes paranoid, fearing a possible betrayal by the Sheikah. On his orders, the Divine Beasts are buried underground in locations across Hyrule. At some point, a militant faction of the Sheikah, who are enraged at the royal family for the order to bury their technology, split off to become the [[Yiga|Yiga clan]], and swear allegiance to Ganon. With the Sheikah scattered across the land and many of them abandoning their technology, civilization in Hyrule declines to a primitive state over the following millennia.
  +
  +
===''Signs of Ganon's return''===
  +
About 9,883 years after the Calamity's defeat, a new princess is born and named Zelda in line with tradition.<ref name="CaC 360" /> Around this same time, a prophecy warns of the return of {{Term|BotW|Calamity Ganon}}.<ref>{{Cite|The return of Ganon looms—a dark force taunting us from afar. I must learn all I can about the relics so we can stop him. If the fortune-teller's prophecy is to be believed, there isn't much time left...|Zelda|BotW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also...a prophecy. "The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground."|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref> The ban on the Sheikah's technology is lifted by [[King Rhoam|King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule]], restoring relations with the Sheikah.<ref>"In the face of this unorthodox crisis, King Rhoam made the decision to ally and work with the Sheikah once again. The battles between their people had faded into legend, and there were no longer those who felt that the Sheikah posed a threat. Even then, peace between them was a significant event and was only possible due to the peaceful group of Sheikah whose descendants remained in Kakariko Village and to King Rhoam's political prowess." — Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 374</ref> Hoping to prepare in the same fashion as their ancestors, the people of Hyrule begin working to locate and excavate the Divine Beasts and Guardians, which they eventually managed to restore and activate.<ref>{{Cite|We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beats, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers that fought autonomously.|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref> Subsequently, four warriors from each of Hyrule's races were selected to pilot the Divine Beasts.<ref>{{Cite|We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts.|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref> Around that time, the chosen bearer of the [[Master Sword]] was found to be a Hylian knight named Link, the only one who was able to pull the sword from its resting place in the [[Korok Forest]]. The four pilots and Link were then dubbed [[Champions]].<ref>{{Cite|The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon...|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref>
  +
  +
===''The Day of the Great Calamity''===
  +
A now 17-year-old Princess Zelda<ref>{{Cite Book|book= CaC |page= 361}}</ref> worked to awaken her sealing powers while being accompanied by Link, who had been appointed as her protector.<ref>{{Cite Book|book= CaC |page= 361}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side.|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref> Zelda was determined to awaken her power and prayed at the springs of the goddesses in Hyrule, but she was unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite|So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?|Revali|BotW}}<br/>{{Cite|I'm sorry, no.|Zelda|BotW}}</ref> Minutes after she had finished praying at the [[Spring of Wisdom]], the Calamity broke its seal and rose up around the castle. Immediately after, it managed to corrupt the entire Guardian army by possessing it with [[Malice]] and turned it against Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against us.|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref> The Champions, who were with Zelda near the Spring of Wisdom at the time, then rushed to their respective Divine Beasts hoping to still be able to defeat Calamity Ganon in time. By that point, Ganon had already sent [[Windblight Ganon|four]] [[Waterblight Ganon|incarnations]] [[Fireblight Ganon|of]] [[Thunderblight Ganon|Malice]] after the Divine Beasts and possessed them, killing the Champions inside.<ref>{{Cite|That...thing is one of Ganon's creations.|Mipha|BotW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|You're here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?|Revali|BotW}}</ref> With their strongest weapons lost, Hyrule was laid to ruin and Link was fatally injured while protecting Zelda, who had awakened her sealing powers while fleeing from Guardians, requiring him to sleep in the [[Shrine of Resurrection]] for 100 years.<ref>{{Cite|The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess...And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon.|King Rhoam|BotW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|I spoke with Purah about the Shrine of Resurrection we discovered earlier. As we speculated, this particular shrine is, in fact, a medical facility with the power to heal. It also has a long-term stasis function that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete.|Zelda|BotW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|You have been asleep for the past 100 years.|Zelda|BotW}}</ref> Princess Zelda, after returning the Master Sword to the Korok Forest, then went to confront {{Term|BotW|Calamity Ganon}} alone and managed to seal it, though this required her to become imprisoned inside it in order to maintain the seal, as she could not completely seal Ganon away while he was undamaged by the Master Sword.<ref name="Old Man">{{Cite|I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle. That...is {{Color|BotW Red|Calamity Ganon}}. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of {{Color|BotW Blue|Hyrule}} to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching...|Old Man|BotW}}</ref>
  +
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==={{BotW|-}}===
  +
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild}}
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One hundred years later, Princess Zelda's sealing power had weakened, and Calamity Ganon's return as well as Link's awakening were imminent. In response to both, the still possessed Divine Beasts began to wreak havoc around Hyrule. With the healing process complete, Link eventually awakened in the [[Shrine of Resurrection]] without his memories, and ventured forward with the [[Sheikah Slate]] left for him there by Zelda. Outside the Shrine of Resurrection, the spirit of [[King Rhoam]] explained to Link what happened in the past century. At some point, Link re-obtained the Master Sword from within [[Korok Forest]],<ref name="CaC 410">{{Cite Book|book= CaC |publisher= Dark Horse Books |page= 410}}</ref> and is ultimately guided by Zelda's voice toward Hyrule Castle. Although he could have chosen to go entirely alone, Link instead takes back the Divine Beasts from Ganon's influence and frees the spirits of the deceased Champions, who also lend him their powers.<ref name="CaC 410"/> With their help, Link is able to critically injure Calamity Ganon inside Hyrule Castle using the Master Sword, scattering the [[Malice]] covering him. Immediately after, the scattered [[Malice]] gathers outside of the castle and transforms into [[Dark Beast Ganon]]. Zelda, still imprisoned, summons the [[Bow of Light]], and Link uses it to weaken Ganon enough to allow Zelda to free herself and seal him away.
  +
  +
After defeating the Calamity, Hyrule begins to slowly flourish again. Princess Zelda focuses on rebuilding the Kingdom, while Link continues to support and protect her.<ref name="CaC 410"/>
  +
  +
==={{TotK|-}}===
  +
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom}}
  +
Citizens of Hyrule have been falling ill to a substance they have begun to call [[gloom]], emanating from beneath Hyrule Castle.<ref>''"People have been falling ill after coming into contact with the gloom drifting through these caverns" — Princess Zelda ([[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom|Tears of the Kingdom]])''</ref> {{Term|TotK|Link|link}} and {{Term|TotK|Zelda|link}} volunteer to seek out the source of the Gloom. They discover an ancient mummy dressed in {{Term|TotK|Gerudo|link}} jewellery, revealed to be Ganondorf. Rauru's right arm, which had been sealing away Ganondorf, falls off, his Light Secret Stone attached to the back of his hand falls and is picked up by Zelda. The Demon King's corpse awakens, attacks Zelda with a concentrated jet of gloom. Link jumps in the way, causing his right arm to be severely injured, much life force drained from him and the [[Master Sword]] to shatter. Ganondorf causes [[Hyrule Castle]] to rise from the ground, causing tremors to affect the cavern. The earth cracks and Zelda falls into the depths below, narrowly missing Link's attempt to catch her, before accidentally activating the Secret Stones' ability and time travelling back to the founding of Hyrule.
  +
  +
Link travels around Hyrule, awakens the new sages and ultimately defeats Ganondorf. Ganondorf then swallows the secret stone originally belonging to Queen Sonia and becomes a [[Demon Dragon]]. Link defeats him. The Spirits of Queen Sonia uses her time power and the Spirit of King Rauru uses his light power and together their sacred powers fully restore Link's right arm and transform the Light Dragon back into Zelda. Link and Zelda fall into the body of water near [[Mabe Prairie]] and [[Lookout Landing]].
  +
  +
Mineru departs for the afterlife with Rauru and Sonia. Zelda swears to dedicate her life to providing eternal peace to Hyrule.
   
 
==Gallery==
  
==Gallery==
 
<gallery>
  
<gallery>
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File:Timeline Hyrule Historia.jpg|The timeline revealed on page 69 of {{HH}}
 
File:Zelda Series History 2011.jpg|''The Legend of Zelda'' series history since 2011
  
File:Zelda Series History 2011.jpg|''The Legend of Zelda'' series history since 2011
−
File:Japanese Updated Timeline.jpg|The timeline since 2016
 +
File:Japanese Updated Timeline.png|The timeline since 2016
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
   
  +
==See Also==
  +
* [[History of the Zelda Timeline]]
  +
* [[Archive:Timeline Theories]]
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  +
{{Notes}}
 
{{Ref}}
  
{{Ref}}
   
 
[[Category:Timeline]]
  
[[Category:Timeline]]
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[[es:Cronología]]
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[[fr:Chronologie des Zelda]]
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[[it:Cronologia]]
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[[ja:ゼルダ史]]
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[[pt-br:Linha do Tempo]]
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[[zh-tw:薩爾達傳說的時間軸]]

Latest revision as of 14:22, 28 February 2024

E Timeline

The timeline shown on page 10 of Encyclopedia

The Zelda Timeline refers to the fictional chronology of The Legend of Zelda series.

Though the series began in 1986, Nintendo did not publish a master timeline until Hyrule Historia in 2011. The timeline had previously existed in a highly confidential document conceived of at least by 2003.[1][2][3] In 2007, producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed the existence of two parallel timelines branching from Ocarina of Time,[4] now officially named the Child Timeline and Adult Timeline.[5] Hyrule Historia released a third branch named the Fallen Hero Timeline,[6] which resolved timeline contradictions with respect to the titles released before Ocarina of Time. The portion of the timeline preceding the three-way split is known only as Hylia & the Hero of Time.[7] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion states that everything before the Breath of the Wild backstory has faded to myth.[8]

Nintendo intends for the timeline to be flexible and open to player interpretation, allowing for more creative freedom, and less restrictions.[5][9] Whenever a Legend of Zelda game is created, the developers keep the timeline in mind, but only to an extent, as being too detailed in timeline placements can limit their creativity.[10]

Hylia & the Hero of Time

The beginning of the timeline encompasses the events of Skyward Sword, The Minish Cap, Four Swords, and Ocarina of Time, in that order.

Creation of the World

Main article: Creation of the World

Before time began, the three Golden Goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.[11][12] Din, the Goddess of Power, created the earth.[13] Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, bestowed order upon the world.[14][15] Farore, the Goddess of Courage, created life.[16]

Their labor complete, the goddesses departed for the heavens. They left behind the Triforce, an all-powerful artifact which would grant its holder their heart's desire.[17]

Era of Hylia

Main article: Ancient Battle

The Triforce was entrusted to the goddess Hylia during the Era of Hylia,[18] known more fully as the Era of the Goddess Hylia.[19]

One day, the Demon King Demise sought to take it and make the world his own. He raised an army of malevolent forces against Hyrule.[20][21] Hylia gathered the surviving humans on an outcrop of earth and sent it to The Sky beyond a Cloud Barrier of her creation.[22][23][24] The outcrop would later become known as Skyloft. She hid the Triforce there as well.[25]

Hylia rallied the Surface tribes of the Gorons, Kikwi, Mogma, Parella and the Ancient Robots, to fight back the evil forces led by Demise, and sealed them away.[26] She suffered grave injuries in the battle. Knowing the seal on Demise would not hold, she devised a plan.[27][28] As the Triforce could not be wielded by a god, Hylia renounced divinity and transferred her soul to the body of a mortal who would come of age when Demise returned.[29] She created the Goddess Sword and the spirit Fi to aid her chosen hero, who would reveal himself when he drew the sword from its pedestal.[30][31][32]

Sky Era

Skyward Sword

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Thousands of years later,[33] during the Sky Era,[34] Hylia is reborn as Zelda in Skyloft.[35] On the day of the 25th annual Wing Ceremony, she is taken down to the Surface in a tornado created by Ghirahim,[36] who attempts to have her kidnapped to revive his master Demise.[37] Zelda is rescued from his minions by Impa,[38][39][40] whom Hylia had sent through time to help her mortal self.[41]

Zelda regains her memories as Hylia.[42] Her childhood friend, Link, is led by Fi to draw the Goddess Sword, and so is revealed to be Hylia's chosen hero. At the Temple of Time, Zelda and Impa flee from Ghirahim by going through the Gate of Time and destroying it behind them. Link seeks out the three Sacred Flames to temper his sword into the Master Sword, which he uses to activate the second Gate of Time at the Sealed Temple.[42] He finds Zelda by using the Gate of Time to travel back to the Era of Hylia, to a time shortly after when Demise was sealed. Zelda places herself in a thousand-year slumber to sustain the seal.[43]

Link returns to the present, gathers the Triforce, and uses it to destroy Demise.[44] Zelda awakens from her agelong slumber only to be kidnapped by Ghirahim.[44] Ghirahim takes her to the past, where Demise is still alive, and uses her soul to revive his master. Link defeats Demise in battle and the Demon King is permanently sealed away in the Master Sword. With his last words, Demise vows an incarnation of his hatred (Ganon) shall ever follow "those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero" in a cycle without end.[45][46][47]

Link thrusts the Master Sword into a pedestal in the Sealed Temple; Fi becomes forever dormant in the sword. Link and Zelda return to the present, but Impa stays in the past—in her own time—to watch over the Master Sword. Zelda and Link resolve to live on The Surface and watch over the Triforce.[48]

Zelda (Hylia reincarnate), Link, and others from Skyloft repopulated the surface world. Their descendants became known as Hylians.[note 1] During this time, the land was named Hyrule.[49]

Era of Chaos

Main article: Interloper War

After many years of peace in Hyrule, word spread of the supreme power of the Triforce. War engulfed the land, heralding the Era of Chaos.[33][49] In particular, a group of powerful sorcerers known as the Interlopers sought dominion over the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce was located. The goddesses sent the Spirits of Light to banish them to the Twilight Realm.[7][51][52] To protect the Triforce, the sage Rauru built a new Temple of Time at the location of the Sealed Temple, around the pedestal holding the Master Sword — the location of the only entrance to the Sacred Realm.[53] He placed the Triforce in the Temple of Light and sealed off the Sacred Realm with him inside it in an event called Sealing the Sacred Realm. The Master Sword became the key that joined the Temple of Time to the Temple of Light. It was closed behind the Door of Time.[49][54]

Era of Prosperity

During the Era of Prosperity,[33] Zelda's descendants established the kingdom of Hyrule and became its Royal Family.[49] The Oocca also participated in Hyrule's founding.[55]

Many members of the royal family were born with special powers given that they were blood relatives of the goddess Hylia. Princesses born into the royal family were named Zelda after the goddess reincarnate.[49]

Force Era

The Minish Legend

Main article: Minish Legend
TMC Stained Glass Hero of Men Artwork 2

The Legend of the Hero of Men

During the Force Era, Hyrule was attacked by evil beings.[56] The Minish, known to the Hylians as Picori, descended from the sky to save Hyrule. They brought the Picori Blade and the Light Force to the Hero of Men.[57][58] The Hero sealed the evil beings in the Bound Chest and locked it with the Picori Blade.[59] To commemorate the event, a Picori Festival was held once a year.[56] During the festival, the champion of a sword-fighting tournament would earn the right to touch the Picori Blade.[60]

The Minish Cap

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

On the hundredth anniversary of the Picori Festival, a corrupted, power-seeking Minish named Vaati wins the sword-fighting tournament. During the award ceremony, Vaati breaks the Picori Blade and opens the Bound Chest, hoping to find the Light Force. This unleashes evil onto the Hyrule. He turns Zelda to stone and later kidnaps her when he discovers the Light Force is within her. He uses the Light Force to transform into a winged demon.

Link, a blacksmith's apprentice and Zelda's friend, is enlisted by King Daltus to have the Picori Blade reforged so it can break the curse on Zelda. He teams up with Ezlo, a Minish sage and Vaati's former mentor—Vaati had gained his power when he stole the Mage's Cap from Ezlo. With the help of Ezlo and other Minish, Link reforges the Picori Blade and infuses it with the Four Elements to create the Four Sword. With it in hand, Link vanquishes Vaati, breaking the curse on Princess Zelda. Zelda uses the Mage's Cap to wish Hyrule back to normal.

Four Swords

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

Vaati was presumed dead, but soon reappeared. Having no memory of his previous life as a Minish, he declared himself Wind Mage and claimed the Palace of Winds.[61] He brought terror to the land by kidnapping young maidens. A Hero appeared carrying the Four Sword. He sealed the demon inside the sword, which was then enshrined in the Four Sword Sanctuary.[62]

Generations later, Vaati the Wind Mage breaks free and kidnaps Princess Zelda, taking her to the Palace of Winds. Link, who witnessed the kidnapping, draws the Four Sword and is split into four Links. The Links gather three keys to Vaati's Palace from the Great Fairies in the Sea of Trees, Talus Cave, and Death Mountain. The Links defeat Vaati in his palace and rescue Princess Zelda. The Wind Mage is once again sealed in the Four Sword, which is returned to its pedestal. Link regains his original form.[63]

Era of the Hero of Time

OoT Pedestal of Time Artwork

Link draws the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time

Hyrule enters a long period of civil war. During the war, a dying Hylian woman flees to the Kokiri Forest and entrusts her baby boy Link to the Great Deku Tree. The boy is raised as a Kokiri.[64] Eventually, the King of Hyrule ends the war and unifies the kingdom.[65]

Around this time Ganondorf was born. This new evil would cause endless destruction across Hyrule over millenia,

Ocarina of Time

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Ganondorf, leader of the Gerudo, openly swears fealty to the king, but plots to open the Door of Time to obtain the Triforce. To that end, he curses the Great Deku Tree in an attempt to wrest from him the Kokiri's Emerald. With his dying breath, the Great Deku Tree sets Link and the fairy Navi on a quest to stop Ganondorf.[66][67][68]

Link meets Princess Zelda, who like Link had premonitions of Ganondorf's treachery.[69] The two plot to open the Door of Time and get to the Triforce before Ganondorf.[70] When Link opens the Door of Time and draws the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, he is sealed within the Chamber of Sages for seven years. He reawakens as the Hero of Time.[71] In this time, Ganondorf had entered the Sacred Realm, seized the Triforce and transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters.[72] However, the Triforce had split in three and Ganondorf retained only the Triforce of Power.[73][74] Link gained the Triforce of Courage,[75] and Princess Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom.[76][77] Ganondorf had used his power to take control of Hyrule Castle, and the Sacred Realm was transformed into the Evil Realm due to his evil heart.[78][79]

Using the combined power of the Master Sword and the Seven Sages, Link and Princess Zelda seal Ganondorf in the Evil Realm.[80][81][82] Ganondorf vows to destroy Link and Zelda's descendants when the seal is one day broken.[83]

Zelda uses the Ocarina of Time to return Link to his own time. Link places the Master Sword back in the pedestal and closes the Door of Time. Navi, her mission complete, disappears.

The timeline splits into three branches after Ocarina of Time.[33] The Fallen Hero Timeline is a branch in which Ganon defeats the Hero of Time. The branch where Link defeats Ganon is itself split in two when Zelda sends Link back in time to childhood. The Child Timeline is the branch that follows Link back to his own time. The Adult Timeline is the branch where the Hero of Time has disappeared from the world. Inexplicably, the Master Sword exists in both branches. In the Child Timeline, Link returns it to the Pedestal of Time. In the Adult Timeline, Zelda does it.[84]

Fallen Hero Timeline

The Fallen Hero Timeline[6] is an alternate timeline in which Ganondorf defeats the Hero of Time in battle.[85] Ganondorf takes Link's Triforce of Courage and Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom, thus gaining the power of the complete Triforce.[86] As a last resort, the Seven Sages, led by Princess Zelda, seal Ganon and the Triforce within the corrupted Sacred Realm, now the Dark World.[79][87][88]

This timeline branch contains the events of A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, A Link Between Worlds, Tri Force Heroes, The Legend of Zelda, and The Adventure of Link.

Imprisoning War

Main article: Imprisoning War

After a brief time of peace, the doorway to the Sacred Realm re-opened.[note 2] People fought each other to claim the Triforce, but none who entered the Sacred Realm returned. Instead came forth an army of Ganon's demons.[note 3] The King of Hyrule commanded the Seven Sages of that era to seal the gate to the Sacred Realm.[92][note 4] They succeeded, though the Knights of Hyrule who defended them were nearly wiped out.[54][96] Due to the cost of resources and lives in the fight over the Sacred Realm, the Imprisoning War left Hyrule impoverished.[97] The Imprisoning War occured many years after Ganon defeated the Hero of Time in battle.[98]

Era of Light and Dark

Hero of Time Legend
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A Link to the Past

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
File:ALttP Link Artwork 3
Link, in A Link to the Past

Following the Imprisoning War, the Era of Light and Dark began. Many years later, the dark wizard Agahnim brainwashed all of Hyrule's soldiers,[99] murdered the King of Hyrule,[100][101] and made six of the Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, disappear into the Dark World.[102][103][104] He did this to break the seal on Ganon.[105] The last remaining victim was Zelda. She used telepathy to call out to Link. Using his dying uncle's sword, Link freed Zelda from her cell in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle,[106] and collected three Pendants of Virtue to prove he could draw the Master Sword, which recognized him as the Hero.[107]

Link fought Agahnim, but he was too late to stop Agahnim from using Zelda and the other maidens to break the seal, which opened a portal in the castle. Link traversed Hyrule and the Dark World to rescue the six maidens along with Zelda, who together broke the barrier to Ganon's Tower.[108] Link killed Agahnim and Ganon in battle before Ganon could reach Hyrule, and made a wish on the Triforce to restore everyone who died to Ganon's evil. The Royal Family now possessed the Triforce.[109][110]

Link's Awakening

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

While journeying back to Hyrule, Link's boat was sunk at sea. He awoke on Koholint Island. The island existed in the dreams of the Wind Fish, who slept in an egg atop Mt. Tamaranch. He learned from the Owl that the only way to get off the island was to collect the Instrument of the Sirens and wake the Wind Fish. As he did so, various demons attacked Link to preserve their existence. Link journeyed to the top of the mountain and played the Ballad of the Wind Fish with the instruments and fought the Shadow Nightmares.[111][112][113][114]

Once Link had defeated the Shadow Nightmares and awakened the Wind Fish, he awoke clinging to the driftwood of his ship, adrift on the open seas.[115] According to the interpretation of Encyclopedia, the events of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages come afterwards.[116]

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages

Main articles: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

After the defeat of Ganon, his surrogate mothers, the witches Twinrova, plotted to revive him. For this ritual, they required three flames to be lit: The Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, and follow these with a human sacrifice. In order to obtain these flames, the witches sent their minions: General Onox, General of Darkness, to Holodrum; and Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, to Labrynna.[117] One day, when Link visited Hyrule Castle, the Triforce beckoned him into its chamber. Once he placed his hands on the Triforce, it transported him to the distant land of Holodrum, where a new adventure began.

Upon awakening in Holodrum, Link met with a group of traveling performers who were watching after a dancer named Din. Link danced with Din, but suddenly a whirlwind appeared and snatched Din away. Din was actually the Oracle of Seasons, and her capture by Onox meant that the seasons in the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. The only way to restore balance to the seasons was to collect the eight Essences of Nature scattered around Holodrum. Link quested for the essences, using the mythical Rod of Seasons in order to manipulate the seasons as he went.[118] Once Link defeated Onox and rescued Din, he was magically transported to the land of Labrynna, the setting of his second trial. However, even after his death, Onox's actions caused the Flame of Destruction to be lit.

Upon waking up in Labrynna, Link met Impa, who had been attacked by monsters. He helped her by moving a block with the Triforce crest on it. Then, both of them met Nayru, who was singing to animals.[119] Suddenly, a shadow came out of Impa and possessed Nayru, who was actually the Oracle of Ages. It was Veran, who had used Impa's body to trick Link. Veran used Nayru's time-traveling abilities to go back in time and alter the past. Veran influenced Queen Ambi in the past to build the sinister Black Tower. Link had to use the Harp of Ages to travel back and forth between the present and the past in order to collect the eight Essences of Time and challenge Veran atop the Black Tower.[120] Link was able to drive Veran out of the body of Queen Ambi and defeat her, but he was too late: the Flame of Sorrow had been lit.

In order to light the third and final flame, Twinrova kidnapped Princess Zelda who had arrived in Labrynna. This would complete their dark ritual and light the Flame of Despair. However, Link challenged them and killed them in battle. As a last-ditch effort to complete the sacrifice needed to revive Ganon, the witches offered their own bodies and revived the King of Darkness. However, because the ritual was incomplete, Ganon returned as a mindless beast. Link battled Ganon and defeated him, restoring peace to Holodrum and Labrynna.[121]

His quest to stop Ganon's revival complete, Link departed Labrynna by boat.

The Triforce Separates

ALBW The Triforce, Split Apart

The Triforce splits into three pieces once again

After Link's adventures in Holodrum and Labrynna, the Triforce was split apart.[122][123] Ganon, despite being sealed in darkness following his defeat at the hands of Link,[124] obtained the Triforce of Power, which remained sealed with him.[125] The Triforce of Courage's location is unknown, but said to be hidden in the heart of the eternal hero.

A Link Between Worlds

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
ALBW Link Fighting Yuga Artwork

Link facing off with Yuga

Centuries after Ganon's defeat, the peace of Hyrule is once again shattered by the sudden appearance of a mysterious and enigmatic wizard known as Yuga. With his cruel magic, he invades Hyrule from another world, transforming the descendants of the Seven Sages into paintings.[126] Link, a young apprentice of the Blacksmith attempts to halt Yuga in his ambitions, but Yuga succeeds in not only acquiring all Seven Sages in the form of paintings, but Princess Zelda as well. He retreats to his world, that of Lorule, while Link chases after him, using the power of a bracelet given to him by the mysterious peddler, Ravio.

Link is too late to stop Yuga. Using his magic and that of the Seven Sages, he is able to release Ganon.[127] Along with the Triforce of Power, Yuga and Ganon are joined as one,[128] and using this power, Yuga desires to consume both Hyrule and Lorule.[129] Link is protected from the beast's onslaught by Hilda, the princess of Lorule and the dark counterpart of Zelda, who urges Link to rescue the Seven Sages who have been sent to the far reaches of Lorule. With Hilda holding back Yuga and guiding Link in his quest, he succeeds in rescuing the Seven Sages and, with their power, awakens the Triforce of Courage in himself.

Taking the Triforce, he rushes to challenge Yuga in Lorule Castle, only to find Hilda waiting for him in the Throne Room. Here, she reveals the truth; it was her who sent Yuga to obtain the Seven Sages and release the Demon King. Taking the Triforce of Wisdom from Princess Zelda's portrait, she explains the history of her kingdom. Lorule once had its own Triforce, but was destroyed by her ancestors long ago to stop endless wars over its power. However, with the Triforce gone from her world, the kingdom crumbled, monsters arose and the world turned to darkness and corruption. Upon hearing of another world with its own Triforce, she sent Yuga to obtain the keys to unlocking the Triforce of Power, and manipulated Link into obtaining the Triforce of Courage. Summoning Yuga, she demands he obtain the Triforce of Courage from Link. Yuga, using Ganon's power, unleashes his might upon the hero. Link fights valiantly however, and defeats Yuga, upon which point Hilda demands he relinquish the Triforce of Power to her. However, Yuga disobeys his ruler, and using his magic upon her he takes her portrait and her Triforce of Wisdom into himself, becoming stronger than ever. In a desperate final battle, Link, with the aid of Princess Zelda, finally defeats Yuga. Upon his defeat, Hilda and Zelda are returned to normal, yet Hilda still desires the Triforce to save her doomed kingdom. At the last moment, Ravio appears and reveals himself to be Link's Lorulean counterpart and once Hilda's loyal subject, and pleads with her to let Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with their Triforce. Finally relenting after seeing the senseless fighting that had led to this was not what her ancestors wanted, she helps Link and Zelda return to Hyrule with the last of the bracelet's power, through the first crack to appear between the worlds in Lorule's Sacred Realm.

Returning to their own Sacred Realm with the connection between worlds gone, Link and Zelda find the Triforce once again whole. It awaits for Link to make a wish upon it, and with his wish, Lorule's Triforce is restored to its former glory, and a new, brighter age dawns upon both Lorule and Hyrule.

Tri Force Heroes

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Link leaves the kingdom of Hyrule and ventures to the kingdom of Hytopia. There he is recruited by the Witch-Hunting Brigade to defeat the evil witch Lady Maud. The witch had cursed Princess Styla into wearing an irremovable brown jumpsuit.[citation needed]

Link teams up with two other lookalike heroes to gather the pieces of the Lady's Ensemble. They obtain the last piece by defeating Lady Maud. The witch's younger sister, Madame Couture, assembles the Outfit. With the complete Lady's Ensemble, Princess Styla is freed from her cursed one-piece.[citation needed]

Golden Era

Following the recovery of the Triforce in A Link Between Worlds, Hyrule enters a Golden Era. Successive Kings of Hyrule govern the land with the strength of the united Triforce.[130] The Kingdom of Hyrule flourishes.[131]

The last such King of Hyrule, doubting his son's worthiness, hides the Triforce of Courage in the Great Palace. Upon his death, he casts a spell on Hyrule such that a crest will one day appear on a young man worthy of wielding the Triforce of Courage.[131][132][133] The King confers the secret location of the Triforce of Courage to his daughter Princess Zelda.[134]

Era of Decline

TAoL Princess Zelda I Artwork

Princess Zelda I in her eternal sleep

The Prince of Hyrule ascends to the throne but inherits only the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom.[132][note 5] Abetted by a Magician, the new King questions Princess Zelda on the location of the missing Triforce. When she refuses to reveal her father's secret, the enraged Magician places her under a spell of eternal sleep.[135][note 6] Filled with regret, the new King places the princess on the altar in North Castle. He decrees that all women born into the royal family are to be named "Zelda". The cursed princess becomes known as Princess Zelda I.[132][note 7]

The repentant king governs Hyrule to the best of his ability, but without the power of the full Triforce the kingdom falls into decline and its borders recede. The Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom continue to be passed down within the Royal Family. The existence of the Triforce of Courage is forgotten.[137][138]

The Legend of Zelda

Main article: The Legend of Zelda

Many years later, an evil army led by a revived Ganon attacks Hyrule and steals the Triforce of Power. To keep the Triforce of Wisdom out of Ganon's hands, Princess Zelda (a descendant of Princess Zelda I) splits it in eight and hides the pieces throughout Hyrule. The Princess sends her nursemaid Impa to find someone with the courage to defeat Ganon. Ganon imprisons Zelda and sends a search party to find Impa.[139][140][141]

A traveling Link (possibly a descendant of the hero from the Era of Light and Dark) happens upon Impa as she is accosted by Ganon's henchmen. Link drives off the evil minions and learns of Ganon's invasion from Impa. He sets off to recover the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Having collected them from eight Dungeons in the land, Link confronts Ganon in Death Mountain and defeats the Demon King using the Triforce of Wisdom, the Magical Sword, and Silver Arrows. Zelda declares Link the hero of Hyrule.[140][139][142]

The Adventure of Link

Main article: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
TAoL Triforce

The Triforce unites before the altar in North Castle

Hyrule is beleaguered by Ganon's minions who remain after the death of their leader. Link remains in Hyrule to help with its restoration. On his sixteenth birthday, six years after Ganon's defeat, a glowing Triforce mark appears on the back of Link's left hand. Impa guides him to North Castle and presses the back of his hand against the sealed doorway. Inside they find the altar of the sleeping Princess Zelda I. Impa recounts the story of Princess Zelda I. She entrusts him with six Crystals and an ancient scroll written by the King of Hyrule who had hidden the Triforce of Courage. Link learns from reading the scroll that the crest on his hand is the result of a spell cast by the King, marking him as worthy of the hidden Triforce of Courage. The scroll indicates that the Triforce of Courage is located in the Great Palace. To undo the binding force around the Great Palace, Link must go to each of the six Palaces in Hyrule, defeat the Guardian defending it, and set the Crystals in the heads of statues located in the Palaces. Impa tells Link that by uniting the three pieces of the Triforce, he can undo the spell cast on the sleeping Princess Zelda and bring peace back to Hyrule.[132][143][144]

Link defeats the six Guardians and places the Crystals to gain access to the Great Palace, where he defeats the last Guardian. In a final trial, Link defeats his own shadow to obtain the Triforce of Courage.[132][145]

Link returns to North Castle. The three pieces of the Triforce unite before the altar. The sleeping Princess Zelda awakens, her curse broken. Peace returns to Hyrule.[132][145]

Child Timeline

OoT Ending

Link warns Zelda about Ganondorf

The Child Timeline,[5] or Child Era,[33] is the branch of the timeline that follows Link back in time at the end of Ocarina of Time. The young hero warns the Royal Family of Ganondorf's treachery during the Return of the Hero, thus averting his rise to power and thwarting him from the start.[note 8] Link leaves Hyrule on Epona to search for Navi. Years later, Ganondorf is sealed within the Twilight Realm.

This timeline contains the events of Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventures.

Majora's Mask

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Several months into his search for Navi,[146] Link becomes lost in a mysterious forest. He encounters the Skull Kid wearing Majora's Mask. Skull Kid steals Link's horse. Link chases after him into the parellel world of Termina.

The Skull Kid, corrupted by Majora's Mask, aims to destroy Termina by bringing the Moon down upon it. Link has only three days to stop the apocalypse, but he is able to return to the First Day by playing the Song of Time. He ventures to the four outer regions of Termina, using transformative masks to free the Four Giants. On the Final Day, the Four Giants hold up the Moon. Link thwarts Majora, the demon inhabiting the mask.

The Hero of Time leaves Termina to continue his search for Navi, and is not again seen alive. Upon his death, he becomes the Hero's Spirit.[147][148]

The Failed Execution of Ganondorf

Ganon's execution

Ganondorf survives his execution due to the Triforce of Power

Main article: Failed Execution of Ganondorf

Several years after Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf is sentenced to death.[149] The Sages attempt to carry out the execution but Ganondorf survives, blessed with the Triforce of Power by the gods.[150] Instead, the Sages use the Mirror of Twilight to banish Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm,[151] which had become inhabited by the Twili, descendants of the Interlopers.

Twilight Princess

Many years later, in the Twilight Era,[33] Ganon appears before Zant, a disgruntled servant of the Twili royal family.[152] Ganon grants Zant his power, which he uses to usurp Midna, the Twilight Princess. Midna flees to the Light World. Zant invades Hyrule with an army of Shadow Beasts, who steal the light from the Spirits of Light, bringing Twilight to Hyrule.[153][154] Princess Zelda is held captive in Hyrule Castle.

In Hyrule, Midna encounters Link, a ranch hand from Ordon Village. Link had been in pursuit of Bulblins who had kidnapped the children of the village. When he entered the Twilight, he was transformed into a wolf by the power of the Triforce of Courage,[155] which he had inherited from his ancestor, the Hero of Time.[156] Together Link and Midna restore light to Hyrule. In so doing, Link regains his original form. To defeat Zant, they gather the pieces of the Fused Shadow, which holds the dark power of the Interlopers. During their quest, Link receives sword training from the Hero's Spirit.[157]

Zant curses Link back into wolf form with the Shadow Crystal, steals the completed Fused Shadow from Midna and injures her fatally. Link takes Midna to Princess Zelda, who pours her spirit into Midna to save her life.[156][158] Link and Midna seek out the Master Sword in the Sacred Grove where the Temple of Time once stood. The sword dispels the curse on Link.[156] Link and Midna gather the shards of the Mirror of Twilight, which Zant had broken.[159] Link defeats the usurper in battle. Midna takes back the Fused Shadow and kills Zant with it. The duo returns to Hyrule Castle where they save Zelda from a resurrected Ganondorf. Link kills Ganondorf with the Master Sword.[157]

Midna returns to the Twilight Realm. She shatters the Mirror of Twilight, severing the link between the two worlds.[157][note 9]

Four Swords Adventures

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Hero of Time Legend
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FSA Artwork

The four Links battle evil soldiers.

Hundreds of years after Ganondorf's death, the people of Hyrule had reconciled with Ganondorf's tribe, the Gerudo, and it seemed for a while that peace would prevail in the land. However, a new Ganondorf was born to the Gerudo tribe who was the reincarnation of the King of Darkness that was defeated by the Hero Chosen by the Gods, and violated their taboo on the Ancient Pyramid.[162] He stole the Trident from the pyramid and then stole the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness.[163] The mirror served as a prison for a dark tribe that, long ago, invaded the kingdom. It had the ability to reflect the evil heart of its bearer, giving birth to demonic creatures.[164][165][166]

Ganondorf schemed to release the ancient sorcerer Vaati from his prison within the Four Sword, and created a dark copy of Link, Shadow Link, with the Mirror. The clouds of darkness covering the land made Zelda uneasy, so she gathered the six shrine maidens to renew the seal upon Vaati. At that moment, Shadow Link appeared and scattered the maidens with his powers. Link drew the sword from its pedestal, splitting into four just as in ancient times. However, this released Vaati from his prison to cause chaos. Ganon used Shadow Link to tear open rifts to the Dark World, pulling the four Knights of Hyrule into his sway and transforming them into Big Dark Stalfos.[167]

The four Links journeyed throughout Hyrule to rescue the Shrine Maidens, and learned that Ganon was the mastermind behind the darkness plaguing Hyrule. They obtained the four jewels from the Knights, and made their way to the Tower of Winds, where they battled Vaati and Ganon himself, destroying Vaati and sealing Ganon inside the Four Sword forevermore.[168]

Adult Timeline

The Adult Timeline,[5] or Adult Era,[33] is the branch of the timeline in which Link has disappeared from Hyrule after being sent back in time at the end of Ocarina of Time. In this timeline, Ganondorf is sealed within the void of the corrupted Sacred Realm along with the Triforce of Power.[169] The Triforce of Wisdom remains in Zelda's possession. When Link goes back in time, the Triforce of Courage is left behind, shattered into eight shards scattered across Hyrule.[170] Zelda returns the Master Sword to the Temple of Time.[84]

This timeline contains the events of The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.

Hyrule Submerged

Main article: Great Flood
TWW Scroll of the Hero of Time 5

The people of Hyrule plead to the gods as Ganon casts the land in darkness once again

Ages passed and the Hero of Time faded to legend. During the Era without a Hero,[33] the seal of the Seven Sages broke.[171] Ganon escaped from the Sacred Realm and used the Triforce of Power to bring darkness to Hyrule. When no hero appeared, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule and his people pleaded to the gods for deliverance.[172][173][174][175]

The gods responded by bringing forth a deluge that would seal away all of Hyrule and Ganon with it.[176] The gods chose those who would build a new world and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops, which became the islands of the new world known as the Great Sea. The Triforce of Wisdom was split in two: one part remained with King Daphnes beneath the waves, the other with his daughter the princess, who ascended to the new world.[172] The Triforce fragment passed on to her namesakes, from daughter to daughter. Beneath the waves, Hyrule remained frozen in time.[citation needed]

The Wind Waker

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Hundreds of years later, during the Era of the Great Sea,[33] Ganondorf escapes to the surface world. Seeking to regain the Triforce of Wisdom, he commands the Helmaroc King to kidnap young girls with pointed ears, in the hopes of capturing Zelda.[177] The Helmaroc King kidnaps Aryll, Link's sister. Link, a resident of Outset Island unrelated to the Hero of Time,[178] sets out to rescue her. He is guided by the King of Red Lions, a boat sent forth by the gods.[177]

Link proves his worth as a hero by gathering the Goddess Pearls and completing the goddesses' trial. A way opens to Hyrule beneath the waves. Link draws the Master Sword from a pedestal within Hyrule Castle.[179][note 10] With the help of Tetra and her pirate crew, Link rescues his sister. However, he is unable to defeat Ganondorf. The Master Sword had lost the power to repel evil when Ganondorf killed the sages of Earth and Wind.[177][180] Link and Tetra escape Ganondorf's grasp and return to Hyrule, where Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule reveals himself to be the King of Red Lions. He mends the Triforce of Wisdom—Tetra carries the other piece. She awakens as Princess Zelda.

Link restores the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. He gathers the shards of the Triforce of Courage to re-open the way to Hyrule. Upon returning to Hyrule, he discovers Zelda has been kidnapped by Ganondorf and taken atop Ganon's Tower. When Link purses them to the top of the tower, the full Triforce is reunited. Before Ganondorf is able to touch the Triforce and make his wish, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule steps in and wishes for Hyrule to be washed away forever. Together, Link and Zelda defeat Ganondorf. They return to the surface, but Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule stays behind and vanishes along with his kingdom. Above the waves, Zelda becomes Tetra once again. Link and Tetra set sail in search of a new continent.

Phantom Hourglass

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

During the Era of the Great Voyage,[33] Link and Tetra happen upon the World of the Ocean King. To investigate a rumor about disappearing ships in the area, Tetra boards the Ghost Ship and is taken away by it. Link falls into the ocean trying to rescue her and washes up on Mercay Island.[181] There he meets the fairy Ciela and her so-called grandfather Oshus.

Link teams up with Ciela and steamboat captain Linebeck to find the Ghost Ship. He obtains clues from the Temple of the Ocean King, which he navigates using the Phantom Hourglass. Link finds the ship after rescuing the Spirits of Power, Wisdom, and Courage (Leaf, Neri, and as it turns out, Ciela). On the ship, Link finds Tetra turned to stone—her Life Force had been drained by a malevolent creature named Bellum. To defeat Bellum, Link searches the seas for three Pure Metals to forge the Phantom Sword. Oshus reveals himself to be the Ocean King and fuses the Phantom Hourglass into the Phantom Sword.[182]

Phantom Sword in hand, Link defeats Bellum and frees Tetra. The Ocean King regains his true form. Link and Tetra return to their world and continue their search for a new continent.[183]

Era of Hyrule's Rebirth

Link and Tetra's pirate crew eventually discovered a new continent. Spirit Tracks spanned the land, at the center of which stood the Tower of Spirits. These were created by the Lokomo to bind the Demon King Malladus to the land.[citation needed] Tetra christened the land New Hyrule.[184] Over a hundred years, the land of New Hyrule thrived.

Spirit Tracks

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Spirit Train ST

New Hyrule

One hundred years later, the Spirit Tracks begin to disappear. Link, a Royal Engineer, and Princess Zelda, Tetra's descendant, head to the Tower of Spirits to investigate.[184] Their train is derailed by Chancellor Cole and Byrne. Chancellor Cole, advisor to Princess Zelda, reveals himself to be a demon who aims to revive Malladus.[185] Byrne, Cole's ally, separates Zelda's spirit from her body. Her body is carried off to the top of the Spirit Tower, to be used as a vessel for Malladus. The Spirit Tower is fragmented into floating pieces.

Link and Princess Zelda's ghost travel to four temples to restore the Spirit Tracks and the Tower of Spirits. They climb to the top of the tower, but are too late to stop Malladus from possessing Zelda's body. They pursue Malladus into the Dark Realm. Together, they defeat Malladus and Cole using the Bow of Light and the Lokomo Sword. Zelda regains her body and peace returns to Hyrule. Their protection no longer needed, the Lokomo sages return to the heavens.[186]

Arrival of the Zonai

The events of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom take place during an era long after the events of earlier games, which have since become myths[8] and take place at the end of a timeline branch, but which timeline branch is up to the player's interpretation.[9][187] It is impossible to tell which myths are historical fact and which are mere legends.[8] The Zonai descend from Sky Islands far above, appearing to the people of Hyrule as though gods, long before the founding of Hyrule by King Rauru and Queen Sonia.[188] It is possible that Hyrule may have been destroyed once before their founding.[189]

The Founding of Hyrule by King Rauru and Queen Sonia

The last two descendants of the ancient Zonai are Rauru and his sister Mineru.[190] Sonia is a hylian priestess, born in the land of Hyrule.[191] Sonia marries Rauru and they the kingdom of Hyrule,[192] potentially a later iteration of it.[189] They create Shrines of Light to seal away monsters plaguing the kingdom at the time.[193] Princess Zelda arrives in this time from the far future Upheaval and witnesses the events leading up to the Imprisoning War as well as the war itself. An incarnation of Ganondorf is born, becoming the king of the Gerudo tribe. Ganondorf initially attempts to take the Kingdom of Hyrule by force, but his army of Molduga is defeated by the sacred powers of Rauru, Sonia and Zelda. He then pretends to ally with them and despite their precautions, successfully assassinates Queen Sonia, taking her Secret Stone and corrupting it, thus amplifying his power to become the Demon king.

The Imprisoning War

A large war is waged by Ganondorf, the Demon King and an army of monsters he unleashes upon the kingdom following the death of Queen Sonia. King Rauru recruits 5 ancient Sages (one from each of the races, Rito, Zora, Goron, Gerudo and his sister Mineru) to fight demon king Ganondorf. Ultimately they cannot kill him, but Rauru manages to seal him away, but is required to sacrifice his own life to do so, bringing an end to the imprisoning war.

The Arrival of the Master Sword

Zelda stands on the Sky Island of the Temple of Time, when the decayed Master Sword arrives in the past from shortly after the Upheaval. She had been told by the Deku Tree that the sword can be healed if bathed in sacred power.[194] She swallows a Secret Stone, thus turning into the Light Dragon, the sword imbedded in its' forehead to absorb her sacred power and heal over the coming millennia.

Calamity Ganon

An entity referred to as the 'Calamity Ganon' is unleashed upon the kingdom of Hyrule time and time again over the centuries.[195]

The advanced Sheikah civilization

10,000 years before Breath of the Wild, the Sheikah tribe developed highly advanced technology and Hyrule flourished. The Sheikah build the Guardians and Divine Beasts in preparation for Ganon's return. When Calamity Ganon appears, the then-present reincarnations of Zelda and Link are able to seal him away with the support of the Guardians and Divine Beasts and their ancient pilots. Despite this success, the King of Hyrule becomes paranoid, fearing a possible betrayal by the Sheikah. On his orders, the Divine Beasts are buried underground in locations across Hyrule. At some point, a militant faction of the Sheikah, who are enraged at the royal family for the order to bury their technology, split off to become the Yiga clan, and swear allegiance to Ganon. With the Sheikah scattered across the land and many of them abandoning their technology, civilization in Hyrule declines to a primitive state over the following millennia.

Signs of Ganon's return

About 9,883 years after the Calamity's defeat, a new princess is born and named Zelda in line with tradition.[8] Around this same time, a prophecy warns of the return of Calamity Ganon.[196][197] The ban on the Sheikah's technology is lifted by King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, restoring relations with the Sheikah.[198] Hoping to prepare in the same fashion as their ancestors, the people of Hyrule begin working to locate and excavate the Divine Beasts and Guardians, which they eventually managed to restore and activate.[199] Subsequently, four warriors from each of Hyrule's races were selected to pilot the Divine Beasts.[200] Around that time, the chosen bearer of the Master Sword was found to be a Hylian knight named Link, the only one who was able to pull the sword from its resting place in the Korok Forest. The four pilots and Link were then dubbed Champions.[201]

The Day of the Great Calamity

A now 17-year-old Princess Zelda[202] worked to awaken her sealing powers while being accompanied by Link, who had been appointed as her protector.[203][204] Zelda was determined to awaken her power and prayed at the springs of the goddesses in Hyrule, but she was unsuccessful.[205] Minutes after she had finished praying at the Spring of Wisdom, the Calamity broke its seal and rose up around the castle. Immediately after, it managed to corrupt the entire Guardian army by possessing it with Malice and turned it against Hyrule.[206] The Champions, who were with Zelda near the Spring of Wisdom at the time, then rushed to their respective Divine Beasts hoping to still be able to defeat Calamity Ganon in time. By that point, Ganon had already sent four incarnations of Malice after the Divine Beasts and possessed them, killing the Champions inside.[207][208] With their strongest weapons lost, Hyrule was laid to ruin and Link was fatally injured while protecting Zelda, who had awakened her sealing powers while fleeing from Guardians, requiring him to sleep in the Shrine of Resurrection for 100 years.[209][210][211] Princess Zelda, after returning the Master Sword to the Korok Forest, then went to confront Calamity Ganon alone and managed to seal it, though this required her to become imprisoned inside it in order to maintain the seal, as she could not completely seal Ganon away while he was undamaged by the Master Sword.[212]

Breath of the Wild

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

One hundred years later, Princess Zelda's sealing power had weakened, and Calamity Ganon's return as well as Link's awakening were imminent. In response to both, the still possessed Divine Beasts began to wreak havoc around Hyrule. With the healing process complete, Link eventually awakened in the Shrine of Resurrection without his memories, and ventured forward with the Sheikah Slate left for him there by Zelda. Outside the Shrine of Resurrection, the spirit of King Rhoam explained to Link what happened in the past century. At some point, Link re-obtained the Master Sword from within Korok Forest,[213] and is ultimately guided by Zelda's voice toward Hyrule Castle. Although he could have chosen to go entirely alone, Link instead takes back the Divine Beasts from Ganon's influence and frees the spirits of the deceased Champions, who also lend him their powers.[213] With their help, Link is able to critically injure Calamity Ganon inside Hyrule Castle using the Master Sword, scattering the Malice covering him. Immediately after, the scattered Malice gathers outside of the castle and transforms into Dark Beast Ganon. Zelda, still imprisoned, summons the Bow of Light, and Link uses it to weaken Ganon enough to allow Zelda to free herself and seal him away.

After defeating the Calamity, Hyrule begins to slowly flourish again. Princess Zelda focuses on rebuilding the Kingdom, while Link continues to support and protect her.[213]

Tears of the Kingdom

Main article: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Citizens of Hyrule have been falling ill to a substance they have begun to call gloom, emanating from beneath Hyrule Castle.[214] Link and Princess Zelda volunteer to seek out the source of the Gloom. They discover an ancient mummy dressed in Gerudo jewellery, revealed to be Ganondorf. Rauru's right arm, which had been sealing away Ganondorf, falls off, his Light Secret Stone attached to the back of his hand falls and is picked up by Zelda. The Demon King's corpse awakens, attacks Zelda with a concentrated jet of gloom. Link jumps in the way, causing his right arm to be severely injured, much life force drained from him and the Master Sword to shatter. Ganondorf causes Hyrule Castle to rise from the ground, causing tremors to affect the cavern. The earth cracks and Zelda falls into the depths below, narrowly missing Link's attempt to catch her, before accidentally activating the Secret Stones' ability and time travelling back to the founding of Hyrule.

Link travels around Hyrule, awakens the new sages and ultimately defeats Ganondorf. Ganondorf then swallows the secret stone originally belonging to Queen Sonia and becomes a Demon Dragon. Link defeats him. The Spirits of Queen Sonia uses her time power and the Spirit of King Rauru uses his light power and together their sacred powers fully restore Link's right arm and transform the Light Dragon back into Zelda. Link and Zelda fall into the body of water near Mabe Prairie and Lookout Landing.

Mineru departs for the afterlife with Rauru and Sonia. Zelda swears to dedicate her life to providing eternal peace to Hyrule.

Gallery

  • The timeline revealed on page 69 of Hyrule Historia

    The timeline revealed on page 69 of Hyrule Historia

  • The Legend of Zelda series history since 2011

    The Legend of Zelda series history since 2011

  • The timeline since 2016

    The timeline since 2016

See Also

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Hyrule Historia, the Hylians are the descendants of Hylia.[49] However Encyclopedia states that Hylia lived among the Hylians.[50] In Skyward Sword, the people of Skyloft are only ever referred to as humans.
  2. ↑ According to the original SNES manual of A Link to the Past, the Sacred Realm is opened accidentally by a gang of thieves led by Ganondorf. He kills them and takes the Triforce—it is then that the Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World.[89] This latter story is inconsistent with Ocarina of Time where the imbalance of power, wisdom, and courage in Ganondorf caused the Triforce to split apart;[90] and with the reference to the Fallen Hero Timeline in Encyclopedia, where Ganon takes two of the pieces of the Triforce that Princess Zelda and Link had.[91] It was omitted from the manual for A Link to the Past & Four Swords.
  3. ↑ It is unclear whether this demon army originated from the Dark Realm, or whether it consists of people who entered the Sacred Realm and were then corrupted by it. The original A Link to the Past manual—again inconsistent with all other accounts—states that greedy Hyruleans were drawn to the Sacred Realm to become members of Ganon's army.[89]
  4. ↑ In the original version of A Link to the Past, the King of Hyrule commanded seven Wise Men.[93] A Link to the Past & Four Swords retcons this text by naming them the Seven Sages instead,[94] and Encyclopedia likewise retains this naming convention.[95]
  5. ↑ Hyrule Historia presents a conflicting account in which the former King passes the Triforce on to Princess Zelda instead. On the same page, Hyrule Historia states that the Prince inherits an incomplete Triforce.[131]
  6. ↑ According to the manual for The Adventure of Link, the Magician dies after casting the spell on Princess Zelda. The "Database" section of Encyclopedia equates the Magician with the Wizard enemy and states, "He was among the Wizzrobes that served the prince and were banished for putting Princess Zelda to sleep."[136] In the "Archives" section Encyclopedia mentions the Magician but not mention his fate.[132]
  7. ↑ Though the practice of naming princesses "Zelda" had existed since the establishment of the Royal Family, it became customary only after the tragedy of the sleeping princess.[137]
  8. ↑ Hyrule Historia does not explain how Link and Zelda succeeded in convincing the king that Ganondorf was evil the second time around.
  9. ↑ Four Swords Adventures, the next game in the timeline after Twilight Princess, also has a shadow world and a mirror used to seal away a dark tribe. Hyrule Historia draws the parallel between the two mirrors[160] and alludes to a connection between the Twilight Realm and the Dark World,[157] but makes no further attempt to tie the two games together. Encyclopedia makes the distinction that the Twilight Realm is "behind" the Light World, whereas the Dark World is the "opposite" of the Sacred Realm.[161]
  10. ↑ According to Hyrule Historia, Zelda returned the Master Sword to the Temple of Time in the Adult Era after Ocarina of Time.[84] Hyrule Historia does not explain how the sword came to be in Hyrule Castle in The Wind Waker.

References

  1. ↑ "For every Zelda game we tell a new story, but we actually have an enormous document that explains how the game relates to the others, and bind them together." —Shigeru Miyamoto (Interview:Superplay Magazine April 23rd 2003)
  2. ↑ "Yes, there is a master timeline but it is a confidential document! The only people to have access to that document are myself, Mr. Miyamoto and the director of that title. We can't share it with anyone else!" —Eiji Aonuma ([ ])
  3. ↑ "There is a timeline established, but it is secret." —Bill Trinen (Interview:Camp Hyrule August 15th 2005)
  4. ↑ "The Wind Waker is parallel. In Ocarina of Time, Link flew seven years in time, he beat Ganon and went back to being a kid, remember? Twilight Princess takes place in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years after the peace returned to kid Link's time. In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time. Ganon was sent to another world and now he wants to obtain the power..." — Eiji Aonuma, Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview 1, The Hylia, published 03-10-2007, retrieved December 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 10
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Nintendo, "The Legend Of Zelda": A Timeline, BuzzFeed, published December 2, 2013, retrieved December 22nd, 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 11
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 360
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Famitsu asked series producer Eiji Aonuma, and Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi what the changes meant, and this was their reply: Eiji Aonuma, series producer: “Well of course it’s at the very end. But, I get what you’re asking, it’s which timeline is it the end of?” Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director: “That’s… up to the player’s imagination, isn’t it?” Aonuma: “Hyrule’s history changes with time. When we think of the next game and what we want to do with it, we might think, 'Oh, this’ll fit well', and place it neatly into the timeline, but sometimes we think, 'Oh crap', and have to change the placement. Actually, the decided history has been tweaked many times.” (laughs)" — The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Has Been Added To The Series’ Official Timeline, Siliconera.
  10. ↑ Aonuma And Fujibayashi Talk Tears Of The Kingdom's Reception And Their Approach To The Timeline, Game Informer.
  11. ↑ "Before time began, before spirits and life existed... Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule... Din, the goddess of power... Nayru, the goddess of wisdom... Farore, the goddess of courage... Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore... With her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  12. ↑ "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." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
  13. ↑ "Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
  14. ↑ "Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
  15. ↑ "The God of Wisdom created science and wizardry and brought order to nature." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  16. ↑ "Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
  17. ↑ "After the gods had finished their work, they left the world, but not before creating a symbol of their strength, a golden triangle known as the Triforce. A small but powerful portion of the essence of the gods was held in this mighty artifact, which was to guide the intelligent life on the world of Hyrule." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
  18. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 12
  19. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 76
  20. ↑ "One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation. They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess." — N/A (Skyward Sword)
  21. ↑ "In his thirst to make the world his own, Demise readied a massive army of monsters for war. He sought to take the Triforce for himself by force." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  22. ↑ "To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands... The goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds." — N/A (Skyward Sword)
  23. ↑ "Until now, a cloud barrier created by the goddess has separated the world you know from the one below." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
  24. ↑ "The goddess feared for her people. She used her power to send both them and the Triforce into the sky on a slice of earth she cut away from the land." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  25. ↑ "For the safety of all things, she hid the Triforce somewhere within the rock you call Skyloft. However, its location has been kept secret. Even I do not know where it rests now." — Levias (Skyward Sword)
  26. ↑ "With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface." — N/A (Skyward Sword)
  27. ↑ "However, soon after the demon king was imprisoned, it became clear that the seal would not hold long against his fearsome power. Hylia had suffered grave injuries in her battle with the demon king." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  28. ↑ "She knew that if he broke free again, there would be no stopping him. And if the demon king were to free himself, it would mean the end of the world for all beings of this land. In order to put an end to the demon king, Hylia devised two separate plans and set them both into motion." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  29. ↑ "Her second plan...was to abandon her divine form and transfer her soul to the body of a mortal. ...She made this sacrifice, as you have likely guessed, so that the supreme power created by the old gods could one day be used. For while the supreme power of the Triforce was created by gods, all of its power can never be wielded by one." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  30. ↑ "First, she created Fi. She made the spirit that resides in your sword to serve a single purpose: to assist her chosen hero on his mission." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  31. ↑ "I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure. Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear. It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words... When the light of the goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred." — Gaepora (Skyward Sword)
  32. ↑ "The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 33.5 33.6 33.7 33.8 33.9 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 69
  34. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 72
  35. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 73
  36. ↑ "The day of the ceremony, Ghirahim's tornado tossed me out of the sky and down to the world below." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  37. ↑ "I MUST have the spirit maiden in order to resurrect my master!" — Ghirahim (Skyward Sword)
  38. ↑ "I was nearly captured by the demonic forces, but I was rescued at the last moment by the old woman who lives in the Sealed Grounds." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  39. ↑ "I heard my underlings had finally captured the spirit maiden, so of course I rushed over here. What can I say? I was excited. Flustered, even... But what did I find when I arrived? That agent of the goddess... She had once again... You see, what I'm trying to say is... That goddess-serving dog escaped with the girl!" — Ghirahim (Skyward Sword)
  40. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 74
  41. ↑ "Zelda, at the command of the goddess, I passed through the Gate of Time. I did so to protect you and aid the fight to prevent the world's destruction." — Impa (Skyward Sword)
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 75
  43. ↑ "To ensure that the seal holds, I will remain here in this time...deep in sleep for thousands of years." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 76
  45. ↑ "My hate...never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again!" — Demise (Skyward Sword)
  46. ↑ "Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!" — Demise (Skyward Sword)
  47. ↑ "I have confirmed the eradication of the demon king. His residual consciousness has been absorbed into the Master Sword... and is now sealed away." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
  48. ↑ "I... I think I want to live here. I always want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head, and watch over the Triforce." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 49.4 49.5 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 77
  50. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 14
  51. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 113
  52. ↑ "For ages, the people lived at ease, content in mind and body... But soon, word of the Sacred Realm spread through Hyrule, and a great battle ensued... Among those living in the light, interlopers who excelled at magic appeared. Wielding powerful sorcery, they tried to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. It was then that the goddesses ordered us three light spirits to intervene. We sealed away the great magic those individuals had mastered." — Lanayru (Twilight Princess)
  53. ↑ "Borrowing the name of the legend, Rauru constructed the new Temple of Time on the ruins of the Sealed Temple, and made the Master Sword a key for passage into the Sacred Realm. Since only someone worthy could pull the sword from the pedestal, it would keep those unworthy of the Triforce from entering the Sacred Realm." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 25)
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 24
  55. ↑ "The common opinion is that Hyrule was created by the Hylia people, the race closest to the gods, but...truth be told, there's also a theory saying that in ancient times, there was a race even closer to the gods than the Hylia people, and THEY created it. And they, simultaneously with the birth of the Hylia people, created a new capital, a capital that floated in the heavens." — Shad (Twilight Princess, Japanese text)
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 78
  57. ↑ "The tiny Picori appeared from the sky, bringing the hero of men a sword and a golden light. With wisdom and courage, the hero drove out the darkness." — N/A (The Minish Cap)
  58. ↑ "Long, long ago, and then even longer before that...Evil creatures appeared in the world of humans. They were powerful, frightening beasts, and they created such trouble! But then the Picori came from the sky, bringing humans powerful magic. With the magic light force and the Picori Blade, the beasts were repelled. And the world of humans once more knew peace, thanks to the Picori." — Marshall (The Minish Cap)
  59. ↑ "Do you know about that sword, Link? It is called the Picori Blade, and it locks much evil away in that chest." — Minister Potho (The Minish Cap)
  60. ↑ "Whoever wins the competition earns the honor of touching the sacred blade." — Minister Potho (The Minish Cap)
  61. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 82
  62. ↑ "Vaati terrorized the people of Hyrule and kidnapped many beautiful girls from their homes. When all hope seemed lost, a young boy carrying little more than a sword appeared. According to the legends, when the boy drew his sword, he split into four, the four-who-are-one worked together to vanquish Vaati. The hero used his sword to bind Vaati in a remote area of Hyrule. The people christened the blade the Four Sword and built a shrine around it. There it remained undisturbed for many years." — N/A (Four Swords Adventures)
  63. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 83
  64. ↑ "Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in our world. One day, to escape from the fires of the war, a Hylian mother and her baby boy entered this forbidden forest. The mother was gravely injured... Her only choice was to entrust the child to the Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the forest. The Deku Tree could sense that this was a child of destiny, whose fate would affect the entire world, so he took him into the forest. After the mother passed away, the baby was raised as a Kokiri." — Deku Tree Sprout (Ocarina of Time)
  65. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 84
  66. ↑ "Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce... Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend... That evil man who cast the death curse upon me and sapped my power... Because of that curse, my end is nigh... Though your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, I was doomed before you started... Yes, I will pass away soon... But do not grieve for me... I have been able to tell you of these important matters... This is Hyrule's final hope..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  67. ↑ "Link... Go now to Hyrule Castle... There, thou will surely meet the Princess of Destiny... Take this stone with you. The stone that man wanted so much, that he cast the curse on me..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  68. ↑ "The future depends upon thee, Link... Thou art courageous... Navi the fairy... Help Link to carry out my will..." — Great Deku Tree (Ocarina of Time)
  69. ↑ "....... Yes. I told my father about my dream... However, he didn't believe it was a prophecy... But...I can sense that man's evil intentions!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  70. ↑ "We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  71. ↑ "Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time....However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time....Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years." — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  72. ↑ "But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil... His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm... Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm... I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight together with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages and add their might to your own!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  73. ↑ "If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise. The Triforce...the sacred triangle... it is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  74. ↑ "Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  75. ↑ " The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!" — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  76. ↑ "And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all..." — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
  77. ↑ "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  78. ↑ "Your spirit remained in the Sacred Realm...and then the Triforce fell into Ganondorf's hands. He went on to invade the Sacred Realm... Ganondorf had become the Evil King, and the Sacred Realm became a world of evil. All of this is an unfortunate coincidence. I passed myself off as a Sheikah and hoped that you would return. I waited for seven years..." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  79. ↑ 79.0 79.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 87
  80. ↑ "Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!" — Rauru (Ocarina of Time)
  81. ↑ "Thank you, Link... Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm! Thus, peace will once again reign in this world...for a time." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  82. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 91
  83. ↑ "Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
  84. ↑ 84.0 84.1 84.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 122
  85. ↑ "Ganondorf the thief obtained the Triforce of Power and managed to get his hands on Princess Zelda. The Hero of Time, Link, challenged him in a battle that would determine Hyrule's very existence, and lost." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 92)
  86. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 92
  87. ↑ "The Seven Sages of Hyrule, led by Princess Zelda, sealed Ganon and the Triforce in the Sacred Realm as a final resort." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 92)
  88. ↑ "The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
  89. ↑ 89.0 89.1 A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5
  90. ↑ "The Triforce does not discriminate between good and evil desires, but a balance of power, wisdom and courage is required to unlock its full force, and one must demonstrate these qualities through sacred trials. [...] In Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf [...] touches it, and it splits apart. All that remains in him is the Triforce of Power, while Wisdom resides within Princess Zelda and Courage within Link, a boy who will become the Hero of Time." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 13)
  91. ↑ "The hero fails. Ganondorf steals the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage and transforms into the Dark Beast Ganon. The Seven Sages, including Princess Zelda, seal the unified Triforce and Ganon in the Sacred Realm." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 11)
  92. ↑ "The King of Hyrule gathered the seven Sages to find a way to seal the entrance to the Golden Land so that his kingdom would be safe from the evil there" (A Link to the Past & Four Swords manual, pg. 15)
  93. ↑ "So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power." — N/A (A Link to the Past)
  94. ↑ "So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power." — N/A (A Link to the Past)
  95. ↑ "One day, evil began to pour forth from the Sacred Realm and the king ordered the Seven Sages to seal the entrance in an event that came to be known as the Imprisoning War." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  96. ↑ "As the sages sealed the way to the Dark World, the Knights of Hyrule defended them from the attacks of evil monsters. I heard that the Knights of Hyrule were nearly wiped out in that battle..." — Maiden (A Link to the Past)
  97. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 69
  98. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 93
  99. ↑ "After Agahnim took over, everyone began to act strangely. I suppose it's only a matter of time before I'm affected, too." — Soldier (A Link to the Past)
  100. ↑ "A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared as from nowhere...and with strange magic powers he eliminated the good king of Hyrule..." — N/A (A Link to the Past)
  101. ↑ "These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  102. ↑ "The wizard, Agahnim, has done something terrible to the other girls...Now only I remain...Agahnim has seized control of the castle and even now is trying to open the sages' seal." — Princess Zelda (A Link to the Past)
  103. ↑ "You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World." — Sahasrahla (A Link to the Past)
  104. ↑ "These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda. [...] When the seal broke, the sacrificial maidens were flung into the Dark World." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  105. ↑ "These events were obscured by the mists of time until a wizard known as Agahnim came to release the seal. He murdered the king of Hyrule, kidnapped six of the seven maidens who were descendants of the Seven Sages, and planned on kidnapping the last, Princess Zelda. With them, he could perform a rite that would break the seal to the Sacred Realm, but Zelda commanded a power that Agahnim had not anticipated." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  106. ↑ "She reached out telepathically for help. "Help me. Please help me ... I am a prisoner in the dungeon of the castle. My name is Zelda." [...] Despite his uncle's orders, Link could not ignore his dream. He left the house and headed for Hyrule Castle. In the dungeons below, he found his uncle gravely wounded. Desperate and dying, he entrusted Link with his weaponry. "Link, you can do it! Save the princess..." Link fought his way to the cells where he found Zelda locked away. Together, they escaped to a sanctuary where she would be safe." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  107. ↑ "Link obtained the necessary qualities of courage, power, and wisdom in the form of pendants, and deep within the Sacred Grove, he drew the Master Sword, which recognized him as the fated hero." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  108. ↑ "After he battled Agahnim, the seal on the Sacred Realm, which had been corrupted by evil and was now the Dark World, was shattered, and a portal opened within the castle. Link traversed both the Light and Dark Worlds in search of the six maidens. Upon saving them, the barrier around Ganon's Tower was broken." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  109. ↑ "Ganon, in the form of a giant demonic beast, pressed his attack, wielding dark magic and a three-pronged trident. Link, evading the power of darkness, succeeded in destroying him. The Hero laid his hands on the Triforce and wished for peace to return to the world. The people who had been sacrificed, including Link's uncle and the king of Hyrule, were also restored to good health. The Triforce once again rested in the hands of Hyrule's royal family. With Ganon suppressed, the Dark World that had been born of his wicked heart gradually faded away" (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 97)
  110. ↑ "Link destroyed Agahnim in their second battle and made his way to Ganon. After a fierce battle, Link vanquished the monster and regained the Triforce. Placing his hand on the Triforce, Link wished to restore the world to its former glory. With that, all who had fallen victim to Ganon's evil were resurrected, and Hyrule was peaceful once more. With the Triforce returned to the protection of the royal family, the Dark World born of Ganon's wicked heart gradually faded away." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 226)
  111. ↑ "Link was in the midst of journeying back to Hyrule by boat after finishing his training. During the voyage, he was caught up in a storm that sank his ship. Upon regaining consciousness, Link found that he had washed ashore on an island called Koholint. Link was rescued by a girl named Marin who lived on the island. He woke up in a house belonging to Tarin, where the two made their home. Though Link attempted to leave the island, the citizens insisted that there was nothing beyond the ocean." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 102)
  112. ↑ "The mysterious owl that appeared before Link informed him that the only way to escape the island was to awaken the Wind Fish. As he collected the Instruments of the Sirens, Link uncovered a shocking truth. The world in which he had found himself existed within the Wind Fish's dream, and waking the Wind Fish would cause the island to disappear in a stream of bubbles. The demons had attacked Link in order to preserve themselves and the existence of their island home." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 103)
  113. ↑ "TO THE FINDER... THE ISLE OF KOHOLINT IS BUT AN ILLUSION. HUMAN, MONSTER, SEA, SKY... A SCENE ON THE LID OF THE SLEEPER'S EYE... AWAKE THE DREAMER AND KOHOLINT WILL VANISH MUCH LIKE A BUBBLE ON A NEEDLE... CASTAWAY... YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH!" — Writing on the Wall (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
  114. ↑ "To wake the Wind Fish, Link sought the Instruments of the Sirens from eight dungeons which were overrun by monsters. And on a wall in the Southern Face Shrine, he discovered the secret of the island: "The isle of Koholint is but an illusion...Human, monster, sea, sky...A scene on the lid of a sleeper's eye...Awake the dreamer, and Koholint will vanish much like a bubble on a needle...Castaway, you should know the truth!" When Link gathered all eight instruments, stood before the Wind Fish's Egg, and played a beautiful melody, a crack appeared in the egg's shell. Dwelling within was the source of all the vile monsters: the Shadow Nightmares." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 231)
  115. ↑ "Dwelling within was the source of all the monsters: the Shadow Nightmares. They attacked Link in a variety of forms, some from Link's past, but he emerged victorious. [...] Koholint Island began to fade away when Link awakened the Wind Fish, who left Link with these words: "Someday, thou may recall this island...That memory must be the real dream world...Come Link...Let us awaken...Together!" Link awoke to find himself adrift at sea. Looking up, he saw the form of a gigantic whale soaring through the sky. It was the Wind Fish." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 231)
  116. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 10, 19
  117. ↑ "The twin witches known as Twinrova were plotting ways to perform the ceremony that would resurrect the Demon King. For the resurrection ceremony to occur, it was necessary to light the Flame of Destruction, the Flame of Sorrow, and the Flame of Despair, derived from the chaos, sorrow, and hopelessness of humanity. They would also need to offer up a sacred sacrifice. In order to obtain the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow, Twinrova sent Onox, the General of Darkness, to the land of Holodrum, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, to the land of Labrynna." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 98)
  118. ↑ "Link, the boy who had saved the land of Hyrule, was guided by the Triforce in Hyrule Castle and transported to the unfamiliar soil of Holodrum. After arriving in this new land, the Hero lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Just then, a dancer called Din happened to pass by. The traveling performer affectionately nursed Link back to health. When Link awoke, Din invited him to dance. Suddenly, darkness engulfed her troupe of performers. Whirlwinds raged around them, accompanied by the voice of Onox, General of Darkness. Onox sought Din, the oracle who safeguarded the four seasons. Link issued a bold challenge to the general, but Onox succeeded in kidnapping the oracle. Once Din, the Oracle of Seasons, was sealed away, the four seasons of the land of Holodrum were thrown into chaos. Wielding the Rod of Seasons, Link set out in search of the eight Essences of Nature. With the aid of the Maku Tree, guardian of Holodrum, Link ousted the power of darkness and set out to tackle Onox's Castle, located in the northern reaches of the land." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 98)
  119. ↑ "Next, Link alighted in the unfamiliar land of Labrynna. He came to the aid of Impa, who was surrounded by demons. Impa had other troubles, however, finding herself unable to move a boulder with the crest of the royal family on it. Link removed the rock with ease and pressed on, only to encounter a singing Nayru surrounded by animals." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 99)
  120. ↑ "A sudden darkness fell upon them, and Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, appeared from within Impa, taking control of Nayru's body. In truth, Nayru was the Oracle of Ages, who governed the passage of time in the land of Labrynna. The oracle, now possessed by Veran, vanished. With the Oracle of Ages lost, the flow of time in the land of Labrynna fell into chaos, and strange events began to occur all over the realm. Veran, using the power of Nayru to manipulate time, traveled back to Labrynna's past and forced the reigning queen, Ambi, to construct a giant tower. As requested by the guardian of Labrynna, the Maku Tree, Link shouldered the Harp of Ages and set out in search of the eight missing Essences of Time." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 100)
  121. ↑ "Twinrova, who had lurked behind the scenes in Holodrum and Labrynna, pulling the strings, managed to light the Flame of Destruction and the Flame of Sorrow. All that remained was to kidnap Princess Zelda and light the Flame of Despair. Using the princess as a sacred sacrifice, they attempted to resurrect Ganon. Link borrowed the power of the Oracle of Seasons and the Oracle of Ages and threw himself upon the ceremonial altar. He cornered and defeated Twinrova, but the twin witches sacrificed themselves to resurrect Ganon. Because the ceremony had not been completed, however, Ganon returned as a witless, demonic beast. Link brought down the rampaging Demon King and rescued Princess Zelda, restoring peace to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 101)
  122. ↑ "The Triforce was divided into three-its tempting power out of any one person's reach. One part stayed with the royal family, while another slipped into Ganon's possession. Legend says that the third part found its home in the heart of the hero eternal... And while legends come to us from the distant past, others have yet to be written..." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  123. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 34
  124. ↑ "But just as Ganon had the kingdom in his evil clutches... a legendary hero answered the call of Hyrule's princess. And this hero, wielding the Master Sword, took up a quest to challenge Ganon's might. He joined with the descendants of the Seven Sages to seal the Demon King in darkness." — N/A (A Link Between Worlds)
  125. ↑ "Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed away with him." — Painting V: The Triforce, Split Apart (A Link Between Worlds)
  126. ↑ "Seres is a descendant of the original Seven Sages who sealed Ganon in darkness all those years ago. This Yuga you speak of, he must be after the Seven Sages of our day. He surely intends to free Ganon." — Sahasrahla (A Link Between Worlds)
  127. ↑ "I will use the Sages to reach the one who shall help me attain true beauty. I mean, of course... GANON!" — Yuga (A Link Between Worlds)
  128. ↑ "Join with me! Let us destroy all ugliness in this world or any other! We shall be TRULY superior!" — Yuga (A Link Between Worlds)
  129. ↑ "Now he has used them to summon the Demon King and siphon his power. Yuga's appetite will soon consume our worlds. Hyrule and Lorule-the beast's for the taking." — Princess Hilda (A Link Between Worlds)
  130. ↑ "It is said that a long ago, when Hyrule was one country, a great ruler maintained the peace in Hyrule using the Triforce." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 6)
  131. ↑ 131.0 131.1 131.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 104
  132. ↑ 132.0 132.1 132.2 132.3 132.4 132.5 132.6 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 222
  133. ↑ The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 9
  134. ↑ "Before he died, the king had said something about the Triforce to only the younger sister of the prince, Princess Zelda." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 6)
  135. ↑ "In his anger, the magician tried to cast a magic spell on the princess. The surprised prince tried to stop him, but the magician fought off the prince and went on chanting the spell. Then, when the spell was finally cast, Princess Zelda fell on that spot and entered a sleep from which she might never awake." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 9)
  136. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 212
  137. ↑ 137.0 137.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 105
  138. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 13
  139. ↑ 139.0 139.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 13
  140. ↑ 140.0 140.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 106
  141. ↑ The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3
  142. ↑ The Legend of Zelda manual, pg. 3
  143. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 108
  144. ↑ The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 4-12
  145. ↑ 145.0 145.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 109
  146. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 110
  147. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 118
  148. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 19
  149. ↑ "In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time." —Eiji Aonuma (Nintendo Dream: Eiji Aonuma Interview)
  150. ↑ "By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods." — Sage (Twilight Princess)
  151. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 113
  152. ↑ "The people of our tribe...a tribe that mastered the arts of magic... were locked away in this world like insects in a cage. In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor hatred...nor even the faintest bloom of desire. And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had resigned itself to this miserable half-existence! I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my impudent princess. And why, you ask? Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people! THAT is why! But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the magic powers befitting our ruler. It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the heavens...and found a god." — Zant (Twilight Princess)
  153. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 114
  154. ↑ "The black beast you slayed was a shadow being. It had come to seize the power of light I wield. My brethren in Hyrule have already had their light stolen by these fell beasts. The entire kingdom has been reduced to a netherworld ruled by the cursed powers of darkness." — Ordona (Twilight Princess)
  155. ↑ "In the land covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast... That was a sign... It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you...and that they are awakening." — Faron (Twilight Princess)
  156. ↑ 156.0 156.1 156.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 115
  157. ↑ 157.0 157.1 157.2 157.3 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 118
  158. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 117
  159. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 116
  160. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 119
  161. ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 28
  162. ↑ "Curse that Ganondorf! He broke our laws and left for the pyramid..." — Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
  163. ↑ "Several hundred years after Ganondorf's defeat, relations between Gerudo Village and Hyrule had become friendly once more, and peace had been restored to the land. However, one day a new Ganondorf was born into the world. He violated the laws of the town, trespassing into an ancient pyramid and taking possession of the Trident. He also stole the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness in the forest in order to turn Hyrule into a place of darkness." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 119)
  164. ↑ "Legends speak of a mirror in which a dark tribe was sealed away long ago. I understand it's supposed to be hidden now somewhere in the Forest of Light." — Dampé (Four Swords Adventures)
  165. ↑ "Long ago, a dark tribe invaded Hyrule. They were defeated and imprisoned within the mirror. The tribe's mirror prison was then secreted away and hidden in the forest temple to sever its connection to this world." — White Maiden (Four Swords Adventures)
  166. ↑ "The Dark Mirror: A mirror that reflects the evil heart of its bearer, spawning demons. It was once used to imprison the dark tribe, who attempted to invade Hyrule, and thus it was hidden inside a temple with no connection to the Dark World." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 119)
  167. ↑ "The now demonic Knights of Hyrule and their Royal Jewels were scattered across the kingdom by Shadow Link and his kin. The Tower of Winds also disappeared from sight. With the Royal Jewels transformed into gateways to the Dark World, demons began appearing in the land of Hyrule once again." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 120)
  168. ↑ "The Heroes saved Princess Zelda from the top of the tower and continued on to the Realm of the Heavens, where the Dark Mirror that had been incessantly spawning Shadow Links lay. The four Links then recovered the mirror and defeated Vaati in the Palace of Winds. The four Links and Princess Zelda made for the surface world as the Palace of Winds crumbled beneath them. There, Ganon appeared. The facets of Link cooperated with Princess Zelda to crush him, successfully sealing Ganon with the Four Sword. "I am the King of Darkness! I cannot be destroyed by insects like you!" he cried as he was sealed away. Light shone out all around them, and the darkness began to part." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 121)
  169. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 91
  170. ↑ "When the Hero of Time was called to embark on another journey and left the land of Hyrule, he was separated from the elements that made him a hero. It is said that at that time, the Triforce of Courage was split into eight shards and hidden throughout the land." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  171. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 122
  172. ↑ 172.0 172.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 123
  173. ↑ "Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  174. ↑ "Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
  175. ↑ "My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods..." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  176. ↑ "When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
  177. ↑ 177.0 177.1 177.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 124
  178. ↑ "The one I have brought with me has no connection to the legendary one. And yet I sense great promise in the courage that this one possesses." — King of Red Lions (The Wind Waker)
  179. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 126
  180. ↑ "After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away...but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. He attacked this temple and stole my soul, knowing that he had to remove the power contained in that enchanted blade." — Laruto (The Wind Waker)
  181. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 130
  182. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 131
  183. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 132
  184. ↑ 184.0 184.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 133
  185. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 134
  186. ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 135
  187. ↑ https://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/08/06/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-now-has-an-official-place-in-the-series-timeline-sort-of
  188. ↑ "When your Zonai ancestors first descended upon these lands long, long ago, they must have seemed to be gods." — Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
  189. ↑ 189.0 189.1 "あくまで可能性として話すとすれば、ハイラル建国の話があってもその前に一度滅んだ歴史がある可能性もあります。[If I'm just talking about this as a possibility, even if there is a story about the founding of Hyrule, there is a possibility that there is a history where Hyrule was destroyed once before that.]" — Hidemaro Fujibayashi, An interview with the developer of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" that can still be talked about. A marvelous sequel completed through "play priority", Famitsu.
  190. ↑ "It is unfortunate, that the noble Zonai no longer grace this world with their presence. All except you and your sister, that is." — Ganondorf (Tears of the Kingdom)
  191. ↑ "Sonia, quen to Hyrules kyng, bi birthe Hylian preesterresse, hirself yborn or londe, nat of skie aboven. — The Strong Queen and the Receptive King (Tears of the Kingdom)
  192. ↑ "We are the king and queen who founded Hyrule, after all. Or at least we were the last time I checked." — King Rauru (Tears of the Kingdom)
  193. ↑ "The subject here is the actions King Rauru and Queen Sonia undertook not long after Hyrule's founding. With the kingdom established, they were worried for their people, so they set out to eradicate the monsters troubling them. They created structures called Shrines of Light to seal the monsters away so that they could never be revived." — Wortsworth (Tears of the Kingdom)
  194. ↑ "It can do more than heal. The sword will continue to gain strength if bathed in sacred power. The stronger the power, the more powerful the sword becomes." — The Deku Tree (Tears of the Kingdom)
  195. ↑ "The history of the royal family of Hyrule is also the history of Calamity Ganon, a primal evil that has endured over the ages." — Impa (Breath of the Wild)
  196. ↑ "The return of Ganon looms—a dark force taunting us from afar. I must learn all I can about the relics so we can stop him. If the fortune-teller's prophecy is to be believed, there isn't much time left..." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  197. ↑ "Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also...a prophecy. "The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground."" — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  198. ↑ "In the face of this unorthodox crisis, King Rhoam made the decision to ally and work with the Sheikah once again. The battles between their people had faded into legend, and there were no longer those who felt that the Sheikah posed a threat. Even then, peace between them was a significant event and was only possible due to the peaceful group of Sheikah whose descendants remained in Kakariko Village and to King Rhoam's political prowess." — Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 374
  199. ↑ "We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beats, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers that fought autonomously." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  200. ↑ "We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  201. ↑ "The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon..." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  202. ↑ Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 361
  203. ↑ Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 361
  204. ↑ "One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  205. ↑ "So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
    "I'm sorry, no." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  206. ↑ "Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against us." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  207. ↑ "That...thing is one of Ganon's creations." — Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
  208. ↑ "You're here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
  209. ↑ "The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess...And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon." — King Rhoam (Breath of the Wild)
  210. ↑ "I spoke with Purah about the Shrine of Resurrection we discovered earlier. As we speculated, this particular shrine is, in fact, a medical facility with the power to heal. It also has a long-term stasis function that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  211. ↑ "You have been asleep for the past 100 years." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
  212. ↑ "I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle. That...is Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching..." — Old Man (Breath of the Wild)
  213. ↑ 213.0 213.1 213.2 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 410
  214. ↑ "People have been falling ill after coming into contact with the gloom drifting through these caverns" — Princess Zelda (Tears of the Kingdom)
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