The Hylia - Debating the Timeline

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The Zelda games. They all have something believed to be in common - a connection. I don't mean they all include Link, Zelda or Ganon. I don't mean the Triforce - something more in depth than just that. There's a connection between the stories. There's even much theorization of a greater connected timeline between the titles. Some speculate there to be a single timeline, where others disagree and believe a split timeline is the only answer.

Where does one begin? Well clearly Ocarina of Time is where the Hero of Time is introduced, along side with Ganon. Then following the ever so amazing Ocarina of Time in the already famous land of Hyrule, comes Majora's Mask, in a brand new territory called Termina. A game that has ultimetly, in a sense, created the vast discreponcy between the single and split timeline theories. How was it possible? Did it actually happen? Is Termina actually neighboring Hyrule? Or is it a parallel world, or another dimension? That's of no concern quite yet, all that matters is that one great game followed another, and that Link finishes his quest in Hyrule, and heads off to Termina afterward.

Then Wind Waker comes into the picture, and by picture I mean the kind you'd find in your Sunday news paper comic section. Nintendo made The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker, in cel-shading. Why would Nintendo do this to their fans? It doesn't matter. The game still sold extremely well, and when Wind Waker was all said and done after countless moments staring down water every way you looked, it became clear that it took place after Ocarina of Time, and that Ganon was back. It became clear that there was more to the Zelda game's connections than what many had once thought.

Anyone who's been to a Zelda forum has seen the problems this creates. Toss the stories of Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker and Majora's Mask into a pot and try to mix. It doesn't stir very easily. Now try tossing the assumptions and guesses of a theorizer's interpretation of how Twilight Princess will fit into the mix as well. I won't be surprised if it blows up in your face. Someone’s bound to disagree with your theory, and they'll go right out of their way to say what's wrong with it, and why their theory is right.

Despite the clear and obvious fact not a whole lot is known at this point about Twilight Princess's story. Debates and discussions across the internet go on daily about how The Zelda titles connect. There are theories that exclude gameboy games; there are theories that include every game going to BS and then some. Connecting OoT, to MM, to WW, LttP, LA, LOZ,LOZII, and all the other games as well. Who's to say what timeline's right and what timeline is wrong?

Perhaps someone gives an idea or a theory to one of the many Zelda Fan forums on the net. It's so abstract that it almost borders the title Fan-Fiction. Everyone flames him, and he’s no assumed a lesser Zelda Fan than the rest simply because of his idea. Perhaps he forgot key parts of the story, the pretty much tore his theory apart. Perhaps he made something up in his head, and never realized only to get shot down and laughed at. Say another person posts something else that doesn't seem so abstract and actually makes sense. Heck! I think he might have got it! Does that make him more of a Zelda Fan? A better fan? Because he knows a few more facts vs. fiction than the first guy?

What I'm trying to say is I fear that everyone's forgetting what a Zelda Fan is and that's merely someone who enjoys playing Zelda. It’s something we all have in common. It's why we play. It doesn't matter if you can put the pieces together to form the ultimate timeline theory (I'm not saying it's not fun to try), but it seems to me that based on the negative attitudes everyone's been having toward one another's theories, just because they aren't the same, and just because they don't agree - that these "fans" are forgetting what’s really important. And that's the games themselves.

We all have had that same feeling when we first pulled out the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, when we first got the Pegasus Boots and ran across Hyrule, or when we pretty much owned Ganondorf at the end of Wind Waker. That's what's important. That feeling we get when we play the game. When we adventure through the lands, slaying Ganon's minions. That's what we play for the rest is extra. Figuring out a timeline is just there for some more fun. We shouldn't forget that.

- Mess is a moderator at The Hylia forums. Discuss this in the forums.