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Link sets off to gather the other two Spiritual Stones. He returns to Hyrule Castle only to see Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf. She throws Link the [[Ocarina of Time]], the final key to opening the Door of Time. Link opens the Door and draws the [[Master Sword]] from the [[Pedestal of Time]]. Link is then sealed within the [[Chamber of Sages]] for seven years, after which he awakens 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 enters the Sacred Realm and seizes the Triforce.<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> The Triforce splits in three and Ganondorf retains 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 gains the Triforce of Courage.<ref>{{Cite| The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> The Triforce of Wisdom goes to Princess Zelda, who goes into hiding by disguising herself as [[Sheik]].<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><ref>{{Cite|I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me...|Zelda|OoT}}</ref> Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule Castle. The Sacred Realm is transformed into the [[Evil Realm]] due to Ganon's 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>{{Cite Book|book=HH|page=87}}</ref> |
Link sets off to gather the other two Spiritual Stones. He returns to Hyrule Castle only to see Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf. She throws Link the [[Ocarina of Time]], the final key to opening the Door of Time. Link opens the Door and draws the [[Master Sword]] from the [[Pedestal of Time]]. Link is then sealed within the [[Chamber of Sages]] for seven years, after which he awakens 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 enters the Sacred Realm and seizes the Triforce.<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> The Triforce splits in three and Ganondorf retains 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 gains the Triforce of Courage.<ref>{{Cite| The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!|Sheik|OoT}}</ref> The Triforce of Wisdom goes to Princess Zelda, who goes into hiding by disguising herself as [[Sheik]].<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><ref>{{Cite|I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me...|Zelda|OoT}}</ref> Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule Castle. The Sacred Realm is transformed into the [[Evil Realm]] due to Ganon's 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>{{Cite Book|book=HH|page=87}}</ref> |
||
| − | In the Chamber of Sages, Link meets [[Rauru]], Sage of Light. Guided by Rauru and Sheik, Link awakens five other [[Sages]]. Sheik reveals himself as Princess Zelda, who is the seventh Sage. Ganondorf kidnaps her and takes her to his castle. Link climbs to the top of Ganon's |
+ | In the Chamber of Sages, Link meets [[Rauru]], Sage of Light. Guided by Rauru and Sheik, Link awakens five other [[Sages]]. Sheik reveals himself as Princess Zelda, who is the seventh Sage. Ganondorf kidnaps her and takes her to his castle. Link climbs to the top of [[Ganon's Castle]], defeats Ganondorf, and frees Zelda. Ganondorf is sealed within the Evil Realm by the combined power of the Master Sword and the Seven Sages.<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|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> 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. |
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Revision as of 20:50, 14 October 2019
Template:Story
The timeline shown on page 10 of Encyclopedia
The Legend of Zelda Timeline is the in-universe chronology of The Legend of Zelda series. The timeline has historically been incohesive. As such, it has been the subject of numerous fan theories. 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 as early as 2005.[1][2]
In Hyrule Historia, Nintendo resolved the timeline's contradictions by contriving a third branch of the timeline stemming from Ocarina of Time, in addition to the two parallel branches confirmed years prior. These branches are the Fallen Hero Timeline, the Child Link Timeline, and the Adult Link Timeline.[3] The portion of the timeline preceding the fork has no official name of the sort. The whole timeline begins anew after the Great Calamity described in Breath of the Wild, by which time Hyrule's early history has faded to myth.[4]
Nintendo intends for the timeline to be flexible and open to re-interpretation, the better to fit in new additions to the series.[5][6]
Beginning
The beginning of the timeline encompasses the events of Skyward Sword, The Minish Cap, Four Swords, and Ocarina of Time, in that order.
Creation
Before time began, the three Golden Goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule.[7][8] Din, the Goddess of Power, created the earth.[9] Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, bestowed order upon the world.[10][11] Farore, the Goddess of Courage, created life.[12]
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.[13]
Era of Hylia
The Triforce was entrusted to the goddess Hylia during the Era of Hylia,[14] also known as the Era of the Goddess Hylia.[15][16][17] One day, the Demon King Demise sought to take it and make the world his own. He rose an army of malevolent forces against Hyrule.[18][19]
Hylia gathered the surviving humans on an outcrop of earth and sent it to The Sky beyond a Cloud Barrier, where her people would be safe from the demonic hordes.[20][21] Along with them, she sent the Triforce,[22] which she hid beneath the Statue of the Goddess.[23] Hylia rallied the remaining land dwellers, fought back the evil forces led by Demise, and sealed them away.[24]
Hylia suffered grave injuries in the battle. Knowing the seal on Demise would not hold, she devised a plan.[25][26] 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.[27] 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.[28][29][30] Hylia placed the sword in the Chamber of the Sword in Skyloft, the land beyond the clouds.
Skyward Sword
Thousands of years later,[15] during the Sky Era,[31] the seal on The Imprisoned weakens. In Skyloft, Hylia is reborn as Zelda.[32] On the day of the 25th annual Wing Ceremony, Zelda is out flying with her childhood friend Link when a tornado pulls her down to The Surface. That night, Fi awakens Link and leads him to the Chamber of the Sword. Link draws the Goddess Sword and thus is revealed to be Hylia's chosen hero. He descends to The Surface with Fi to search for Zelda. Ghirahim, who created the tornado,[33] attempts to kidnap the goddess reincarnate in order to revive his master Demise.[34] Zelda escapes his grasp thanks to Impa, a servant of Hylia.[35][36][37] On The Surface, Zelda regains her memories as Hylia.[38]
Link catches up to Zelda and Impa at the Temple of Time. He defends them from Ghirahim long enough for the two women to escape through the Gate of Time, which Impa destroys behind her.[38] 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.[38] He travels to the past to a period shortly after Hylia sealed Demise. He briefly reunites with Zelda, but she then places herself in a deep slumber to sustain the seal on Demise.[39] Link returns to the present, collects the Triforce from Sky Keep, and prays for the destruction of Demise.[40] The Isle of the Goddess falls from Skyloft and crushes Demise. Zelda awakens from her agelong slumber only to be kidnapped by Ghirahim.[40] Ghirahim takes her to the past, where Demise still lives. He uses her soul to revive his master. Link vanquishes Demise in the past, saving Zelda. Before being sealed away in the Master Sword forever, Demise vows an incarnation of his hatred (Ganon) shall ever follow "those who share blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero" in a cycle without end.[41][42][43]
Link thrusts the Master Sword into a pedestal in the Sealed Temple; Fi becomes forever dormant in the Master 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 resolves to live on The Surface and watch over the Triforce.[44]
Founding of Hyrule Kingdom
Zelda (Hylia) and others from Skyloft repopulated the surface world. Their descendants became known as Hylians.[note 1] During this time, the land was named Hyrule.[45] After many years of peace, word spread of the supreme power of the Triforce. War engulfed the land, heralding the Era of Chaos.[15][45] In particular, a group of powerful sorcerers known as the Interlopers sought dominion over the Sacred Realm,[note 2] where the Triforce was located. The goddesses sent the Spirits of Light to banish them to the Twilight Realm.[47][48][49]
To protect the Triforce, the sage Rauru built a new Temple of Time around the pedestal holding the Master Sword—the location of the only entrance to the Sacred Realm.[note 3] He placed the Triforce in the Temple of Light and sealed off the Sacred Realm with him inside it. 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.[45][50]
Many years later, during the Era of Prosperity,[15] the descendants of Hylia established the kingdom of Hyrule and became its Royal Family. Princesses born into the royal family were named Zelda, after the goddess reincarnate. Hyrule Castle was built in the center of Hyrule near the Temple of Time.[45]
Force Era
The Force Era[15] encompasses the events and backstory of The Minish Cap and Four Swords, which are tangential to the overall timeline.
Hero of Men
The Legend of the Hero of Men
Some time after the Kingdom of Hyrule was established, the land was engulfed by evil beings.[51] When the world was on the verge of being swallowed by shadow, the Minish, known to the Hylians as Picori, descended from the sky. They brought the Picori Blade and the Light Force to the Hero of Men.[52][53] The Hero fought back the darkness, sealed the evil beings in the Bound Chest and locked it with the Picori Blade.[54]
To commemorate the event, a Picori Festival was held once a year.[51] During the festival, the champion of a sword-fighting tournament would earn the right to touch the Picori Blade.[55]
The Minish Cap
Template:Sources On the hundredth anniversary of the Picori Festival, an unknown man named Vaati wins the sword-fighting tournament. A corrupted, power-seeking Minish, Vaati attacks the guards during the award ceremony. Hoping to find the Light Force, he breaks the Picori Blade and opens the Bound Chest, releasing the evil within. 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 stolen the Mage's Cap from Ezlo and cursed him by turning him into a hat. The Minish reforge the Picori Blade. To restore its scared power, Link gathers the Four Elements and infuses them with the blade. This creates the Four Sword, a blade capable of splitting its wielder into four copies.
Link vanquishes Vaati atop Dark Hyrule Castle, thus breaking the curse on Ezlo and Zelda. Zelda uses the Mage's Cap to wish Hyrule back to normal.
Vaati the Wind Mage
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.[56] He brought terror to the land by kidnapping young maidens.[citation needed]
A Hero appeared carrying the Four Sword. He sealed the demon inside the sword,[citation needed] which was then enshrined in the Four Sword Sanctuary.[citation needed]
Four Swords
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.[57]
Hyrulean Civil War
Hyrule entered a long period of civil war. During the war, a Hylian woman fled to the Kokiri Forest carrying her baby boy, Link. Gravely injured, she entrusted her baby to the Great Deku Tree, who sensed the baby was a child of destiny. The child was raised as a Kokiri.[58]
Eventually, the King of Hyrule ended the war and unified the kingdom.[59]
Ocarina of Time
Link draws the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time
As a young boy, Link begins to have nightmares of an evil man chasing a princess. Ganondorf, leader of the Gerudos, had been seeking the three Spiritual Stones to open the Door of Time and get the Triforce. Ganondorf cursed the Great Deku Tree in an attempt to wrest from him the Kokiri's Emerald. The Great Deku Tree sends Navi to fetch Link, who breaks the curse but cannot prevent the Deku Tree from dying. In his last moments, the Deku Tree gives link the Kokiri's Emerald. He sets Link and Navi on a quest to stop Ganondorf, instructing them to seek out Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle.[60][61][62]
Link infiltrates the Castle Courtyard and meets Princess Zelda. The two spy on Ganondorf as he bends the knee to the King of Hyrule.[63] The princess, who possesses prophetic powers, had sensed Ganondorf's evil intentions but had been unable to convince her father.[64] Link and Zelda plot to get the Triforce before Ganondorf.[65]
Link sets off to gather the other two Spiritual Stones. He returns to Hyrule Castle only to see Zelda fleeing from Ganondorf. She throws Link the Ocarina of Time, the final key to opening the Door of Time. Link opens the Door and draws the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. Link is then sealed within the Chamber of Sages for seven years, after which he awakens as the Hero of Time.[66] In this time, Ganondorf enters the Sacred Realm and seizes the Triforce.[67] The Triforce splits in three and Ganondorf retains only the Triforce of Power.[68][69] Link gains the Triforce of Courage.[70] The Triforce of Wisdom goes to Princess Zelda, who goes into hiding by disguising herself as Sheik.[71][72][73] Ganondorf takes control of Hyrule Castle. The Sacred Realm is transformed into the Evil Realm due to Ganon's evil heart.[74][75]
In the Chamber of Sages, Link meets Rauru, Sage of Light. Guided by Rauru and Sheik, Link awakens five other Sages. Sheik reveals himself as Princess Zelda, who is the seventh Sage. Ganondorf kidnaps her and takes her to his castle. Link climbs to the top of Ganon's Castle, defeats Ganondorf, and frees Zelda. Ganondorf is sealed within the Evil Realm by the combined power of the Master Sword and the Seven Sages.[76][77][78] Ganondorf vows to destroy Link and Zelda's descendants when the seal is one day broken.[79] 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.
Timeline Split
The timeline splits into three branches after Ocarina of Time.[15] The Downfall Timeline follows from a hypothetical[citation needed] scenario 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.
Fallen Hero Timeline
The Fallen Hero Timeline[3] is an alternate timeline in which Ganondorf defeats the Hero of Time in battle.[80] Ganondorf takes Link's Triforce of Courage and Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom, thus gaining the power of the complete Triforce.[81] As a last resort, Princess Zelda and the Seven Sages seal Ganon and the Triforce within the corrupted Sacred Realm, now the Dark World.[82][83][84]
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
The Seven Sages casting the seal
After a brief time of peace, the doorway to the Sacred Realm re-opened.[note 4] 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 5] The King of Hyrule commanded the Seven Sages to seal the gate to the Sacred Realm.[88][note 6] They succeeded, though the Knights of Hyrule who defended them were nearly wiped out.[91][92][93]
The Era of Light and Dark
A Link to the Past
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 to the disasters.[94] 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.[95][96] Agahnim used this position and his magic to brainwash all of Hyrule's soldiers,[97] depose the King of Hyrule,[98] and make six of the Maidens, descendants of the Seven Sages, disappear into the Dark World.[99][100] 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 uncle.
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. The priest told Link to seek out Sahasrahla, the elder of Kakariko Village.
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, Desert Palace, and 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.[101]
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.[102] 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.[103]
A Hero's Adventure within a Fleeting Dream
Link's adventures on Koholint
After defeating Ganon, Link embarked on a journey of training in preparation for new disasters. 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 Instrument of the Sirens and wake the Wind Fish who slept in an egg atop Mt. Tamaranch.[104]
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.[105]
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.
The Trial of the Triforce
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.[106]
One day, when Link, who saved the land of Hyrule, 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.
The Adventure in Holodrum
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.[107]
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.
The Adventure in Labrynna
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.[108]
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.[109] 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.
The Return of Ganon
Link leaves Labrynna
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.[110]
His quest to stop Ganon's revival complete, Link departed Labrynna by boat.
The Triforce, Split Apart
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.[111] Ganon, despite being sealed in darkness following his defeat at the hands of Link,[112] obtained the Triforce of Power, which remained sealed with him.[113] The Triforce of Courage's location is unknown, but said to be hidden in the heart of the eternal hero.
A Link Between Worlds
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.[114] 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.[115] Along with the Triforce of Power, Yuga and Ganon are joined as one,[116] and using this power, Yuga desires to consume both Hyrule and Lorule.[117] 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
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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.[118] 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.
The Golden Era
The wise King of Hyrule who mastered the united Triforce looks out over his kingdom
Following the defeat of Yuga and the recovery of the Triforce, Hyrule entered a Golden Era of peace, in which great and wise rulers governed the land with the strength of the united Triforce at their command.[119][120]
The Era of Decline
The Tragedy of Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda I in her eternal sleep
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.[121] Unfortunately, he was unable to find any such person during his lifespan. Since his own son did not fit this archetype,[122] 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 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.[123] 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.
Evil Creeps In
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.
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.
The Hero's Quest to Reunite the Triforce
Link showing the mark of the Triforce to Impa
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.
Meanwhile, Link remained in the little kingdom of Hyrule and lent his hand to its restoration. One day, a strange mark resembling the 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 Crystals 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 his own shadow, Link retrieved the Triforce of Courage and awoke Princess Zelda from her sleep.
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.[124]
Child Link Timeline
Link warning Zelda about Ganondorf
The Child Link Timeline[3] or simply Child Timeline[125] 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, thus averting his rise to power and thwarting him from the start. 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
Several months into his search for Navi,[126] 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, corruped 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 seen again.
Ganondorf's Execution
The Triforce at Ganondorf's execution.
Several years after the failure of his attempted invasion, Ganondorf was taken prisoner in the Arbiter's Grounds prison.[127][128] 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.
The Era of Twilight
Shadow King Zant's Invasion of the Light World
Illustration from Twilight Princess
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 used his newfound powers to transform the Twilight Princess Midna into an imp and take the throne before launching his invasion of the light world.[129]
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 Spirits guarding each province, shrouding the kingdom of Hyrule in Twilight.[130]
Midna and Link
Midna uncovered the dark magic of her 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.[131]
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.[132] 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.[133]
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.[134]
Ganon and Link's duel
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.[135][136]
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.[137]
The Era of Shadow
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.[138] He stole the Trident from the pyramid and then stole the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness.[139] 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.[140][141][142]
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.[143]
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.[144]
Adult Link Timeline
The Adult Link Timeline[3] or simply Adult Timeline[125] 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.[145] 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.[146]
This timeline contains the events of The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.
Hyrule Submerged
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,[15] the seal of the Seven Sages broke.[147] 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.[148][149][150][151]
The gods responded by bringing forth a deluge that would seal away all of Hyrule and Ganon with it.[152] 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.[148] 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
Hundreds of years later, during the Era of the Great Sea,[15] Ganondorf escapes to the surface world. Seeking to regain the Triforce of Wisdom, he commands the Helmaroc King to kidnap young girls, in the hopes of capturing Zelda.[153] The Helmaroc King kidnaps Aryll, Link's sister. Link, a resident of Outset Island unrelated to the Hero of Time,[154] sets out to rescue her. He is guided by the King of Red Lions, a boat sent forth by the gods.[153]
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.[155] 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.[153][156] 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
During the Era of the Great Voyage,[15] 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.[157] 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.[158]
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.[159]
Spirit Tracks
New Hyrule
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.[citation needed] Tetra christened the land New Hyrule.[160] Thus began the Era of Hyrule's Rebirth.[15]
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.[160] 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.[161] 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 return to the heavens.[162]
Great Calamity
After a branch of time reaches its end,[163] there is an era in which the events of Hyrule's early history have become generic myths of Ganon's endless cycle of revival and defeat. It is impossible to tell which myths are historical fact and which are mere fairy tale. It is a fact though, that Calamity Ganon was revived and sealed ten thousand years ago, and that he also revived one hundred years ago.[4] Which timeline the events regarding Calamity Ganon take place in is up to the player's interpretation.[6]
Revival of Calamity Ganon
The technology of the Sheikah develops to become highly advanced, and they build the Guardians and Divine Beasts in preperation for the re-emergence of the ancient evil of Ganon. Thanks to their technology, civilisation flourishes. Unfortunately, just as was feared, Ganon re-emerges as Calamity Ganon. However, with the aid of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, Princess Zelda and the hero Link were able to defeat Calamity Ganon and seal him away. In spite of this, the King of Hyrule becomes paranoid of a possible betrayal by the advanced Sheikah, and so begins to banish and subdue them. From his orders, the Divine Beasts are buried deep in the ground in various locations across Hyrule. The banished Sheikah eventually divide into two seperate factions of peaceful and militant Sheikah, and the militant faction become the Yiga Clan.
Signs of the Calamity Reviving
About 10,000 years later a new Princess is born and named Zelda in line with tradition.[4] Around this same time, a prophecy warned of the return of Calamity Ganon.[164][165] Hoping to prepare in the same fashion as their ancestors, the people of Hyrule began working to locate and excavate the Divine Beasts and Guardians.[166] Four Champions from each of Hyrule's races were chosen to pilot the Divine Beast of their people[167] and the restoration of the mechanical army seemed to be a phenomenal success.[168]
The Day of the Great Calamity
A now seventeen year old Princess Zelda[169] worked to awaken her sealing powers alongside a young knight, Link, who had been appointed as her protector.[170] Zelda was determined to awaken her power and prayed at the three springs of the goddesses in Hyrule, but her efforts met with failure.[171] Minutes after she had finished praying at the Spring of Wisdom, the Calamity broke its seal and rose up around the castle. In a move that surprised everyone, however, it managed to corrupt the entire Guardian army with its Malice, and turned them against Hyrule.[172] Even the Divine Beasts, with their pilots slain, fell under the control of incarnations of Ganon's Malice.[173][174] With their strongest weapons turned against them, Hyrule was laid to ruin and Link grievously wounded, requiring him to sleep in the Shrine of Resurrection for one hundred years.[175][176][177] Princess Zelda went to confront the Calamity Ganon on her own and managed to seal it once more, though this required her to also become its prisoner to maintain the seal.[178]
The Hero Awakens
One hundred years later, Princess Zelda's sealing power has weakened, and Calamity Ganon's return, as well as the awakening of Link, is imminent. In response to both, the Divine Beasts begin their rampages anew. Link awakens in the Shrine of Resurrection, his wounds healed, but his memories erased, and ventures foward with the Sheikah Slate. The departed King of Hyrule explains to Link his purpose, and about the events surrounding Calamity Ganon. At some point, Link obtains the Master Sword from within Korok Forest,[179] 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, freeing the spirits of the deceased Champions imprisoned within, and allowing them to lend him their power.[179] With their help, Link is able to defeat Calamity Ganon using the Master Sword. However, after his defeat, Calamity Ganon's rage transforms him into Dark Beast Ganon. Zelda presents Link with the Light Bow, and Link uses it to weaken Ganon enough to allow Zelda to seal him away.
After dispelling the threat, Hyrule begins to slowly become restored. Princess Zelda focuses on rebuilding the Kingdom, while Link continues to support and protect her.[179]
Gallery
The timeline revealed on page 69 of Hyrule Historia
The Legend of Zelda series history since 2011
- Japanese Updated Timeline.jpg
The timeline since 2016
Notes
- ↑ According to Hyrule Historia, the Hylians are the descendants of Hylia.[45] However Encyclopedia states that Hylia lived among the Hylians.[46] In Skyward Sword, the people of Skyloft are only ever referred to as humans.
- ↑ There is ambiguity as to who was involved in the warring of the Era of Chaos. Encyclopedia claims the war was caused by the Interlopers, but Hyrule Historia describes the Interloper War as a separate event.
- ↑ Rauru presumably built the Temple of Time on the ruins of the Sealed Temple, where Link left the Master Sword in Skyward Sword. The relationship between the two temples is never made explicit.
- ↑ There are conflicting accounts of the Imprisoning War and the events leading up to it. According to one section of Encyclopedia, the war begins when Ganondorf defeats Link, and ends when he is sealed away for the first time.[85] But Hyrule Historia and another section of Encyclopedia state that Ganondorf is first sealed away, then the Sacred Realm is re-opened, leading to the Imprisoning War.[86][citation needed] 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 Ganon. Ganon kills them and takes the Triforce—it is then that the Sacred Realm becomes the Dark World.[87] This latter story is inconsistent with Ocarina of Time and is absent from the manual for A Link to the Past & Four Swords.
- ↑ 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.[87]
- ↑ In the original version of A Link to the Past, the King of Hyrule commanded seven Wise Men.[89] In A Link to the Past & Four Swords, this text was retconned to mention the Seven Sages instead.[90] However, the Seven Sages of Ocarina of Time do not seem to answer to the King of Hyrule.
References
- ↑ Template:Cite person
- ↑ Template:Cite person
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Template:Cite web
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 360
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 10
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Template:Cite web
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
- ↑ "Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
- ↑ "The God of Wisdom created science and wizardry and brought order to nature." (A Link to the Past manual, pg. 3)
- ↑ "Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law." (Ocarina of Time manual, pg. 5)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?]
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 69
- ↑ "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 (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 12
- ↑ "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 (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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 (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "Until now, a cloud barrier created by the goddess has separated the world you know from the one below." — Fi (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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 (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 72
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 73
- ↑ "The day of the ceremony, Ghirahim's tornado tossed me out of the sky and down to the world below." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "I MUST have the spirit maiden in order to resurrect my master!" — Ghirahim (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 74
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 75
- ↑ "To ensure that the seal holds, I will remain here in this time...deep in sleep for thousands of years." — Zelda (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 76
- ↑ "My hate...never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again!" — Demise (Skyward Sword)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 77
- ↑ "Hylians were the first race to establish civilization in ancient Hyrule. When the goddess Hylia took on a mortal form, she chose to live among the Hylians." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?])
- ↑ "The world remained at peace for many years, but a group wielding strong magical powers desires the Triforce and fights to obtain it. The goddesses send spirits of light, which banish this group to the Twilight Realm." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?])
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 113
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "The ancient sage Rauru placed the Triforce of the Sacred Realm in the Temple of Light and constructed the Temple of Time on the other side to conceal its entrance. The key that joined the Temple of Light to the Temple of Time was the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?])
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 78
- ↑ "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." — Introduction (The Minish Cap)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "Whoever wins the competition earns the honor of touching the sacred blade." — Minister Potho (The Minish Cap)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 82
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 83
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 84
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "I was spying through this window just now... The other element from my dream...the dark clouds... I believe they symbolize... that man in there! Will you look through the window at him?" — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "....... 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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ " The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is... You, Link!" — Sheik (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me..." — Princess Zelda (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 87
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 91
- ↑ "Someday... When this seal is broken.... That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Error: publisher required, pg. 92
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 87
- ↑ "In the timeline where the Hero of Time failed to stop Ganondorf, a war over the Sacred Realm broke out. Vile demons poured out of the Sacred Realm, which had been turned into the Dark world by Ganon's evil heart. The Seven Sags of that era sealed the realm in a ferocious battle known as the Imprisoning War. The clan of knights tasked with guarding the sages was nearly wiped out in the process." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?])
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 93
- ↑ 87.0 87.1 A Link to the Past manual, pg. 5
- ↑ "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" (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (GBA version) manual, pg. 15)
- ↑ "So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power." — Introduction (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "So the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power." — Introduction (A Link to the Past & Four Swords)
- ↑ "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 (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "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." (The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past manual, pg. 6)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. [which?]
- ↑ "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." (A Link to the Past (SNES version) manual, pg. 6)
- ↑ "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." (A Link to the Past (SNES version) manual, pg. 6)
- ↑ "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." (A Link to the Past(Japanese version) manual, pg. 9)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "A mysterious wizard known as Agahnim appeared as from nowhere...and with strange magic powers he eliminated the good king of Hyrule..." — Prologue (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World." — Sahasrahla (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 95)
- ↑ "It's unbelievable that you defeated my alter ego, Agahnim the Dark Wizard, twice!" — Ganon (A Link to the Past)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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 (A Link Between Worlds)
- ↑ "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 (A Link Between Worlds)
- ↑ "Another piece has fallen into the hands of Ganon, sealed away with him." — Painting V: The Triforce, Split Apart (A Link Between Worlds)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "Join with me! Let us destroy all ugliness in this world or any other! We shall be TRULY superior!" — Yuga (A Link Between Worlds)
- ↑ "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 (A Link Between Worlds)
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "The Golden Era" (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 104)
- ↑ "But, what will happen if someone else uses the Triforce before then? If it is misused, it will produce many evils." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 9)
- ↑ "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." (The Adventure of Link manual, pg. 9)
- ↑ "The Era of Decline" (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 105)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 109)
- ↑ 125.0 125.1 Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 10
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 110
- ↑ "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 (Twilight Princess)
- ↑ Template:Cite person
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 114)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 114)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 115
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 115)
- ↑ "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"." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 118)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Boooks, pg. 116)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 117)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 118)
- ↑ "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." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 118)
- ↑ "Curse that Ganondorf! He broke our laws and left for the pyramid..." — Gerudo (Four Swords Adventures)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 91
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 122
- ↑ 148.0 148.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 123
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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 (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ 153.0 153.1 153.2 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 124
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 126
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 130
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 131
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 132
- ↑ 160.0 160.1 Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 133
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 134
- ↑ Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 135
- ↑ 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
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 361
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
"I'm sorry, no." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild) - ↑ "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)
- ↑ "That...thing is one of Ganon's creations." — Mipha (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "You're here to wrest control of Medoh away from Ganon, correct?" — Revali (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ "You have been asleep for the past 100 years." — Zelda (Breath of the Wild)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ 179.0 179.1 179.2 Creating a Champion, Dark Horse Books, pg. 410