Irrefutable Proof That I Have WAY Too Much Time On My Hands
Regarding the Split Timeline Theory (which Twilight Princess makes very possible)... Zelda sends Link back at the end of Ocarina of Time. So what actually happens with that?
Child split - he's sent back to his childhood which may or may not be before he meets Princess Zelda.
Adult split - he's sent back to his childhood so post-Ganondorf Hyrule goes on living without him.
The two splits infer that Princess Zelda physically sent him back. But that poses a major problem because if Zelda physically sent Link back, there'd be two young Links running around! So perhaps she merely sent his consciousness back. But what of Link's consciousness in the adult split? It comes across, if we believe that The Wind Waker is in the adult split, that the Hero of Time just vanished when Zelda used the Ocarina of Time. This would work if Zelda physically sent him back, but not if she just sent his consciousness.
What if, though, there were three splits instead of just two? That's not entirely improbable as everything happens in threes (or fours) in Zeldaverse.
So let's say that Zelda sent Link back to his childhood at the end of OoT. He vanishes in the adult split. But in a third split, he's still there.
Whoa, I know things tend to happen in threes in Zelda, but talk about pure speculation, Sarah!
You're kind of right, imaginary argument in italics. There's no real evidence in Zelda to suggest so, but let's take a closer look, shall we?
Zelda plays the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood after defeating the great King of Evil. She plays a song and poof, he's back in the pa--no way, he's still there!
Zelda sends Link's consciousness back seven years ago, but in order to do that, an unintentional split in time is created. Within this split (Link's consciousness duplicated and sent back to the past) is another split (Link sent back to the past while his adult self vanishes). In what we'll dub the "original" timeline for the sake of simplicity in this theory, Zelda plays the ocarina yet Link doesn't go anywhere.
Why?
Well, with the exception of Majora's Mask (which would obviously not occur in the "original timeline"), the Ocarina of Time is rather misnamed; it had never really been a vessel through time. Instead, that had been the Master Sword's job. Imagine there was some connection forged by Rauru or something between the Master Sword, its pedestal, and Link's consciousness when he first pulled out the sword. Link never actually went back in time when he replaced the Master Sword as an adult. He only regained consciousness of his younger self before he pulled the sword. So he goes and does things in the past that affect the future (like the windmill guy almost unanimously named Bob in fanon, getting into the Spirit Temple, Bottom of the Well, etc.) so that when he takes the Master Sword out of the pedestal (thereby letting Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm again, but it hardly matters at that point), his adult self can move on in his quest to defeat Ganondorf. In the original timeline, all the Ocarina of Time functions as is a means to get to the Master Sword and a way to physically travel from point to point.
So maybe that's what happens. When Zelda plays the Ocarina of Time, it does not send Link's consciousness back to the past as she expected but instead duplicates the original timeline to send his consciousness back to the past. How? Why? Well, I'm certainly no expert on things like this, but I can imagine that it was in the Ocarina of Time itself. Like I mentioned before, the Ocarina of Time was not actually used to go back and forth through time in the original timeline - that task belonged to an enchantment with the Master Sword. The Ocarina of Time physically moved Link around. So when Zelda plays it, she means to send him through time, but what she does is physically create another timeline (we'll call this the "duplicate timeline") -- kind of like a warp across spacetime, except that the Ocarina of Time can't take "anything" from one timeline and put it into another. It can only duplicate timelines with the added "anything" instead.
So there's this duplicate timeline now, right? But it's not an exact replica of the original timeline. Perhaps the Ocarina of Time is the difference. When Zelda played the Ocarina of Time, she had the magical intention of sending Link back to the past. Only, in the original timeline the ocarina was incapable of this. So it physically duplicated the original timeline with the modification that the Ocarina of Time could be used as a vessel in time as well. Everything in OoT happens again up until when its time for Zelda to send Link back. Unlike in the original timeline, she's able to do this.
But in order to do this, she unintentionally splits the duplicate timeline into the child and adult timelines as we know it.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
_____________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_____________________________________
TP----------PH_____________________________________
What of the original timeline, then? What happens there? I suppose what happens is what timeline theories are made of, but let's explore, shall we?
In the "original timeline", Ganondorf is sealed in the Sacred Realm and while Zelda tries to send Link back, it doesn't actually happen (in this timeline) and he's able to live as he chooses. This much is certain.
I'm going to refer back to another crack timeline I created before Twilight Princess came out. It was pretty much a single timeline created (on crack) from the basis that A Link to the Past was only a few generations from OoT with the suppositions that OoT was the Imprisoning War, Veran from Oracle of Ages was the mystery woman in TP (Midna's true form before it was confirmed by the game's end), and that Onox from Oracle of Seasons was the Twilight King. Now, the whole basis of the crack!timeline was that "in ALttP old man Sahasrala says that it was three or four generations ago that the Imprisoning War happened (and the implication is that Link is a descendent of the Royal Knights who fought in the war).
"The average generation time for our standards is 35 years. We'll go with that for now. So it was approximately 105 to 140 years (or, with the generation time as 20, it could be as little as 60 to 80 years prior). The generations thing is very vague.
"There's the theory that OoT is the Imprisoning War, and I think that's a very valid theory considering the whole sealing thing plus Sages and whatnot (p.s. if you type in "Imprisoning War" in to Wikipedia, it gives you Ocarina of Time...talk about bias!). The only difference is that the knights of Hyrule as a whole fought valiantly in ALttP while the Sages sealed "Mandrag Ganon" into the Dark World, and a boy who traveled through time fought by himself with the help of the Sages who sealed Ganon inside the Sacred Realm. But anyway, we'll pretend that OoT is the Imprisoning War since it's a popular timeline theory.
"So that means that anywhere from 60 to 140 (or more depending on the age the average Hylian usually has kids) years, ALttP happened after OoT."
All based on Sahasrala's words, and Sahasrala doesn't lie, man, Sahasrala doesn't lie. So! When two bearers of the Triforce pieces die and the one is alive, what do you think happens? I don't know, but let's assume that Wisdom and Courage went back to rejoin with their estranged sibling, Power. Ganondorf's in the Sacred Realm chillin' in prison and when OoT Link and Zelda finally die, he gets the whole Triforce. When it grants his wishes, the Sacred Realm is turned into the Dark World and to reflect his greed and hatred, Ganondorf is permanently transformed into the blue pig beast with a trident, Ganon. But still, despite having the Triforce, he is trapped. His evil influence, however, is able to seep across dimensions and he's able to get a lackey, Agahnim, to, well, fuck shit up (okay, first he does good for Hyrule but then he fucks shit up). So enters ALttP after OoT in this Trisplit Timeline Theory of Doom. What happens after ALttP, though? How about the traditional choice of Link's Awakening for Marin's resemblance to Zelda and the Wind Fish's nightmares including Agahnim and Ganon? But then what? Well, we'll get into that later...
Hey yeah, Sarah, what about that Master Sword? How'd it get from the Temple of Time to the Lost Woods? I mean, at least Twilight Princess is an easy segue into A Link to the Past.
Well, imaginary argument in italics, you're very correct. TP is a very good segue into ALttP. In fact, I like having ALttP after TP. But keep in mind that this Trisplit timeline is probably on crack. Besides, if you imagine that at the end of OoT Link kind of said to himself, "well gee, having the Master Sword in the Temple of Time is kind of dangerous since that's how Ganondorf got in the Sacred Realm in the first place...why not put it in the Lost Woods?", that makes more sense than the Temple of Time ruins being in the Lost Woods in TP.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
Now let's see what other games we have left:
Legend of Zelda, Adventure of Link, The Minish Cap, Four Swords/Four Sword Adventures, OoS/OoA
At the end of TP (spoilers to follow), Ganondorf kind of dies. I mean, his eyes go white and he loses the Triforce of Power. I'd say he dies, wouldn't you? But then again, let's go with the theory that only the silver arrows can utterly destroy Ganon. This may just be his physical body, but Ganondorf, like Link and Zelda, will always return.
Now, let me make the theory that while the original timeline and the duplicate timeline with its child and adult splits are each very different from each other, there are still recurring elements, especially since the two (okay, three) timelines were originally one. Despite being apart, they are still connected...
Let's assume that at the very, very beginning of both timelines is TMC for the same reasons as in other timelines. Hyrule was new, with the Triforce not quite the Triforce yet - instead being the Light Force. There were a race of small creatures called the Picori, and from them came Vaati. Vaati terrorized Hyrule in his own cute little way (admit it, he was no Ganondorf), but was eventually defeated by the first Link (and given the infamous cap by Ezlo). Let's assume that FSA is correct and that Vaati was sealed away...
Fast forward a long time after the events of TP with a new Link. Or, rather, four new Links. Vaati's seal from ancient times weakens, and the events of FSA play out. Vaati, though, is only a tool of, who's that, Ganon? But he's dead, right? Well, you should know by now that Ganondorf is never really dead. Perhaps he was resurrected (as he will be in the Oracles series and as his followers attempt in AoL), but he's not really Ganondorf anymore - as Ganondorf was the one to die. He's Ganon, and he steals the Trident of Power in the game, perhaps in an certain longing. After all, in the original timeline, Ganondorf wished it for himself when he touched the Triforce. Also, since dying and not being Ganondorf, his Gerudo form, anymore, he may not even have the Triforce of Power. Anyway, Link defeats Ganon and seals him in the Four Sword. All is happy...for now.
But then it isn't because sealing someone in a sword isn't very good.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
Since he lost it in TP, Ganon hasn't had control of the Triforce and I guess he's pretty pissed off about it. Somehow, he's resurrected again (his followers, no doubt) and in time he gathers a dark army. Eventually he invades Hyrule and secures his missing piece of the Triforce, now in physical form. Zelda, perhaps not of the "age" to gain her piece within her, has the Triforce of Wisdom in physical form as well. However, she shatters it before Ganon can take control of that, as well.
Hmm, Sarah, that sounds a lot like...
The original Legend of Zelda? Well how about that. At the end of LoZ, Ganon is destroyed with a silver arrow like in ALttP. Then, in its sequel, there's the AoL backstory, and Ganondorf's minions are out to revive their master. However, Link prevails and ends up gaining the Triforce of Courage ("officially" now he's older, perhaps) and waking a hidden princess.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
LoZ________________________________________________
AoL________________________________________________
Let's assume that quite some time has occurred after AoL, PH, and LA (respectively). The land post-flood era has grown thanks to the Koroks and the Great Deku Tree's dedication. Maybe Link and Zelda really did heed the King's advice and create their own land.
...They named it Holodrum.
And maybe the political land post-ALttP/LA has changed greatly. Maybe, with Ganon gone there hasn't been a need for a courageous youth named Link or a wise princess named Zelda... Hyrule loses its importance and is overcome by another government which is in turn overcome by another government and so on and so forth until at last there comes to be a land ruled by a queen who aspires to build a tower waaaay high in her kingdom of Labrynna.
In Hyrule after AoL's events, the Triforce comes together at last now that Ganon is truly gone, and one night it beckons to a courageous and heroic boy, sending him to save two troubled lands across spacetime at the same time...
OH HO HO yeah that's right.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
LoZ________________________________________________
AoL________________________________________________
|___________|_______________________________________|
|
Reformed Timeline
OoS/OoA
I need a job.
Child split - he's sent back to his childhood which may or may not be before he meets Princess Zelda.
Adult split - he's sent back to his childhood so post-Ganondorf Hyrule goes on living without him.
The two splits infer that Princess Zelda physically sent him back. But that poses a major problem because if Zelda physically sent Link back, there'd be two young Links running around! So perhaps she merely sent his consciousness back. But what of Link's consciousness in the adult split? It comes across, if we believe that The Wind Waker is in the adult split, that the Hero of Time just vanished when Zelda used the Ocarina of Time. This would work if Zelda physically sent him back, but not if she just sent his consciousness.
What if, though, there were three splits instead of just two? That's not entirely improbable as everything happens in threes (or fours) in Zeldaverse.
So let's say that Zelda sent Link back to his childhood at the end of OoT. He vanishes in the adult split. But in a third split, he's still there.
Whoa, I know things tend to happen in threes in Zelda, but talk about pure speculation, Sarah!
You're kind of right, imaginary argument in italics. There's no real evidence in Zelda to suggest so, but let's take a closer look, shall we?
Zelda plays the Ocarina of Time to send Link back to his childhood after defeating the great King of Evil. She plays a song and poof, he's back in the pa--no way, he's still there!
Zelda sends Link's consciousness back seven years ago, but in order to do that, an unintentional split in time is created. Within this split (Link's consciousness duplicated and sent back to the past) is another split (Link sent back to the past while his adult self vanishes). In what we'll dub the "original" timeline for the sake of simplicity in this theory, Zelda plays the ocarina yet Link doesn't go anywhere.
Why?
Well, with the exception of Majora's Mask (which would obviously not occur in the "original timeline"), the Ocarina of Time is rather misnamed; it had never really been a vessel through time. Instead, that had been the Master Sword's job. Imagine there was some connection forged by Rauru or something between the Master Sword, its pedestal, and Link's consciousness when he first pulled out the sword. Link never actually went back in time when he replaced the Master Sword as an adult. He only regained consciousness of his younger self before he pulled the sword. So he goes and does things in the past that affect the future (like the windmill guy almost unanimously named Bob in fanon, getting into the Spirit Temple, Bottom of the Well, etc.) so that when he takes the Master Sword out of the pedestal (thereby letting Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm again, but it hardly matters at that point), his adult self can move on in his quest to defeat Ganondorf. In the original timeline, all the Ocarina of Time functions as is a means to get to the Master Sword and a way to physically travel from point to point.
So maybe that's what happens. When Zelda plays the Ocarina of Time, it does not send Link's consciousness back to the past as she expected but instead duplicates the original timeline to send his consciousness back to the past. How? Why? Well, I'm certainly no expert on things like this, but I can imagine that it was in the Ocarina of Time itself. Like I mentioned before, the Ocarina of Time was not actually used to go back and forth through time in the original timeline - that task belonged to an enchantment with the Master Sword. The Ocarina of Time physically moved Link around. So when Zelda plays it, she means to send him through time, but what she does is physically create another timeline (we'll call this the "duplicate timeline") -- kind of like a warp across spacetime, except that the Ocarina of Time can't take "anything" from one timeline and put it into another. It can only duplicate timelines with the added "anything" instead.
So there's this duplicate timeline now, right? But it's not an exact replica of the original timeline. Perhaps the Ocarina of Time is the difference. When Zelda played the Ocarina of Time, she had the magical intention of sending Link back to the past. Only, in the original timeline the ocarina was incapable of this. So it physically duplicated the original timeline with the modification that the Ocarina of Time could be used as a vessel in time as well. Everything in OoT happens again up until when its time for Zelda to send Link back. Unlike in the original timeline, she's able to do this.
But in order to do this, she unintentionally splits the duplicate timeline into the child and adult timelines as we know it.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
_____________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_____________________________________
TP----------PH_____________________________________
What of the original timeline, then? What happens there? I suppose what happens is what timeline theories are made of, but let's explore, shall we?
In the "original timeline", Ganondorf is sealed in the Sacred Realm and while Zelda tries to send Link back, it doesn't actually happen (in this timeline) and he's able to live as he chooses. This much is certain.
I'm going to refer back to another crack timeline I created before Twilight Princess came out. It was pretty much a single timeline created (on crack) from the basis that A Link to the Past was only a few generations from OoT with the suppositions that OoT was the Imprisoning War, Veran from Oracle of Ages was the mystery woman in TP (Midna's true form before it was confirmed by the game's end), and that Onox from Oracle of Seasons was the Twilight King. Now, the whole basis of the crack!timeline was that "in ALttP old man Sahasrala says that it was three or four generations ago that the Imprisoning War happened (and the implication is that Link is a descendent of the Royal Knights who fought in the war).
"The average generation time for our standards is 35 years. We'll go with that for now. So it was approximately 105 to 140 years (or, with the generation time as 20, it could be as little as 60 to 80 years prior). The generations thing is very vague.
"There's the theory that OoT is the Imprisoning War, and I think that's a very valid theory considering the whole sealing thing plus Sages and whatnot (p.s. if you type in "Imprisoning War" in to Wikipedia, it gives you Ocarina of Time...talk about bias!). The only difference is that the knights of Hyrule as a whole fought valiantly in ALttP while the Sages sealed "Mandrag Ganon" into the Dark World, and a boy who traveled through time fought by himself with the help of the Sages who sealed Ganon inside the Sacred Realm. But anyway, we'll pretend that OoT is the Imprisoning War since it's a popular timeline theory.
"So that means that anywhere from 60 to 140 (or more depending on the age the average Hylian usually has kids) years, ALttP happened after OoT."
All based on Sahasrala's words, and Sahasrala doesn't lie, man, Sahasrala doesn't lie. So! When two bearers of the Triforce pieces die and the one is alive, what do you think happens? I don't know, but let's assume that Wisdom and Courage went back to rejoin with their estranged sibling, Power. Ganondorf's in the Sacred Realm chillin' in prison and when OoT Link and Zelda finally die, he gets the whole Triforce. When it grants his wishes, the Sacred Realm is turned into the Dark World and to reflect his greed and hatred, Ganondorf is permanently transformed into the blue pig beast with a trident, Ganon. But still, despite having the Triforce, he is trapped. His evil influence, however, is able to seep across dimensions and he's able to get a lackey, Agahnim, to, well, fuck shit up (okay, first he does good for Hyrule but then he fucks shit up). So enters ALttP after OoT in this Trisplit Timeline Theory of Doom. What happens after ALttP, though? How about the traditional choice of Link's Awakening for Marin's resemblance to Zelda and the Wind Fish's nightmares including Agahnim and Ganon? But then what? Well, we'll get into that later...
Hey yeah, Sarah, what about that Master Sword? How'd it get from the Temple of Time to the Lost Woods? I mean, at least Twilight Princess is an easy segue into A Link to the Past.
Well, imaginary argument in italics, you're very correct. TP is a very good segue into ALttP. In fact, I like having ALttP after TP. But keep in mind that this Trisplit timeline is probably on crack. Besides, if you imagine that at the end of OoT Link kind of said to himself, "well gee, having the Master Sword in the Temple of Time is kind of dangerous since that's how Ganondorf got in the Sacred Realm in the first place...why not put it in the Lost Woods?", that makes more sense than the Temple of Time ruins being in the Lost Woods in TP.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
Now let's see what other games we have left:
Legend of Zelda, Adventure of Link, The Minish Cap, Four Swords/Four Sword Adventures, OoS/OoA
At the end of TP (spoilers to follow), Ganondorf kind of dies. I mean, his eyes go white and he loses the Triforce of Power. I'd say he dies, wouldn't you? But then again, let's go with the theory that only the silver arrows can utterly destroy Ganon. This may just be his physical body, but Ganondorf, like Link and Zelda, will always return.
Now, let me make the theory that while the original timeline and the duplicate timeline with its child and adult splits are each very different from each other, there are still recurring elements, especially since the two (okay, three) timelines were originally one. Despite being apart, they are still connected...
Let's assume that at the very, very beginning of both timelines is TMC for the same reasons as in other timelines. Hyrule was new, with the Triforce not quite the Triforce yet - instead being the Light Force. There were a race of small creatures called the Picori, and from them came Vaati. Vaati terrorized Hyrule in his own cute little way (admit it, he was no Ganondorf), but was eventually defeated by the first Link (and given the infamous cap by Ezlo). Let's assume that FSA is correct and that Vaati was sealed away...
Fast forward a long time after the events of TP with a new Link. Or, rather, four new Links. Vaati's seal from ancient times weakens, and the events of FSA play out. Vaati, though, is only a tool of, who's that, Ganon? But he's dead, right? Well, you should know by now that Ganondorf is never really dead. Perhaps he was resurrected (as he will be in the Oracles series and as his followers attempt in AoL), but he's not really Ganondorf anymore - as Ganondorf was the one to die. He's Ganon, and he steals the Trident of Power in the game, perhaps in an certain longing. After all, in the original timeline, Ganondorf wished it for himself when he touched the Triforce. Also, since dying and not being Ganondorf, his Gerudo form, anymore, he may not even have the Triforce of Power. Anyway, Link defeats Ganon and seals him in the Four Sword. All is happy...for now.
But then it isn't because sealing someone in a sword isn't very good.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
Since he lost it in TP, Ganon hasn't had control of the Triforce and I guess he's pretty pissed off about it. Somehow, he's resurrected again (his followers, no doubt) and in time he gathers a dark army. Eventually he invades Hyrule and secures his missing piece of the Triforce, now in physical form. Zelda, perhaps not of the "age" to gain her piece within her, has the Triforce of Wisdom in physical form as well. However, she shatters it before Ganon can take control of that, as well.
Hmm, Sarah, that sounds a lot like...
The original Legend of Zelda? Well how about that. At the end of LoZ, Ganon is destroyed with a silver arrow like in ALttP. Then, in its sequel, there's the AoL backstory, and Ganondorf's minions are out to revive their master. However, Link prevails and ends up gaining the Triforce of Courage ("officially" now he's older, perhaps) and waking a hidden princess.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
LoZ________________________________________________
AoL________________________________________________
Let's assume that quite some time has occurred after AoL, PH, and LA (respectively). The land post-flood era has grown thanks to the Koroks and the Great Deku Tree's dedication. Maybe Link and Zelda really did heed the King's advice and create their own land.
...They named it Holodrum.
And maybe the political land post-ALttP/LA has changed greatly. Maybe, with Ganon gone there hasn't been a need for a courageous youth named Link or a wise princess named Zelda... Hyrule loses its importance and is overcome by another government which is in turn overcome by another government and so on and so forth until at last there comes to be a land ruled by a queen who aspires to build a tower waaaay high in her kingdom of Labrynna.
In Hyrule after AoL's events, the Triforce comes together at last now that Ganon is truly gone, and one night it beckons to a courageous and heroic boy, sending him to save two troubled lands across spacetime at the same time...
OH HO HO yeah that's right.
_____________________________________Original Timeline
______________________________________________TMC
______________________________________________OoT
Duplicate Timeline_____________________________________
child----------adult_____________________________________
(MM)----------TWW_________________________________ALttP
TP----------PH_____________________________________LA
FSA________________________________________________
LoZ________________________________________________
AoL________________________________________________
|___________|_______________________________________|
|
Reformed Timeline
OoS/OoA
I need a job.