Same Zelda Characters/Locations in Different Games

[324atk]

I was curious if I could get a topic going about all the things in the games that support the official Zelda Timeline.

An example would be how the Deku Tree Sprout from OoT would either grow up to be the Deku Tree in Wind Waker if you go through the adult section, or turn into the tree husk leading to Level-1 from the original Legend of Zelda if you fall at Ganon's hands in OoT.

Another example would be that if you line up the maps from OoT and Wind Waker, the locations of Death mountain and Dragon Roost line up, the Gerudo Fortress and Forsaken Fortress line up, and the Deku Trees line up as well.

Thanks for any contributions that anyone has. If you have a link to post please do! As long as it doesn't lead to a site that hosts roms. Try to keep away from speculation, if at all possible. Other than that have fun

 

[Gahars]

The only thing you'll prove is that the timeline was a lazy cop out. *Ba-dum-tish*

I don't know, though. Demonstrating that the series' continuity and proving the timeline aren't necessarily the same thing.

 

[Valwin]

The only thing you'll prove is that the timeline was a lazy cop out. *Ba-dum-tish*

I don't know, though. Demonstrating that the series' continuity and proving the timeline aren't necessarily the same thing.

how was it lazy ? because i look at it and it makes perfect sense

 

[pokefloote]

Does the english Hyrule Historia actually say that Link DIES at the hands of Ganon in OoT, or that he fails?

Because the way I see it is, when Link was asleep for seven years and woke up, he abandoned that childhood timeline. When he returns later and corrects it, it branches out into a childhood timeline that stops Ganondorf before he could betray the kingdom.

Maybe the "link dies" timeline is just the original child timeline. Link doesn't exist in that one anymore, Ganondorf does. He takes over. Boom.
There's the original OOT child timeline, the "fixed" childhood timeline that turns into Majora's Mask, and the seven-years-later timeline that has no Link or Ganondorf.

It's not really a IF LINK DIED, THIS WOULD HAPPEN. They could do that with every game and it would be a mess. But with abandoned/altered timelines, it could work.

Nothing is really connected at all between the games (besides direct sequels). Characters aren't related, etc. It's pretty much reincarnation.


but yes, the zelda timeline is soooooooo lazy and doesn't make any sense

Spoiler

;O;

 

[TripleSMoon]

Personally, I see the official Zelda timeline as less as an accurate "historical" one and more of an inaccurate "in-universe" one passed around by the people in the Zelda universe. Many times, the narrator in a Zelda game will say something like "this is but one of the legends of which people speak," and I think that's what all the games are... Not historical events, even by the in-game universe, but representations of the legends passed around by the people of Hyrule.

Not only does this explain why the hero is ALWAYS a similar-looking boy clad in a green outfit with a pointed hat named Link, and why the princess is ALWAYS named Zelda and looks very similar. Sure, you COULD argue this has to do with

Spoiler: Skyward Sword Spoiler

Demise's curse on Link, Zelda, and their descendants

, but that alone doesn't explain the constantly similar themes throughout the series, as well as characters who are basically THE same character, though it would be impossible with the time differences. Id est, Tingle appears both in Majora's Mask in one timeline split and in Wind Waker in ANOTHER timeline split that takes place centuries later, with a similar role. Also, Beedle appears in Skyward Sword as a salesman, and in Wind Waker ALSO as a salesman, taking place who knows how many millennia later.

And then of course, there's the various inconsistencies, such as the layout of the land of Hyrule. Or why the Kokiri are in Ocarina of Time, but are absolutely nonexistent in Twilight Princess with no trace (supposedly replaced by the monkeys, who sometimes bear the Kokiri symbol), even though it only takes place about a century later and every other OoT race is present.

So yeah, to make a long story short, I think it just makes more sense to view not just the timeline, but even the Zelda-games themselves as in-universe... wait for it... legends passed around by the people of Hyrule. And in a way, I personally find that to be really, really cool.

 

[Clarky]

Does anyone count Tingle's Freshly Picked as part of the time line? I only ask because I recall the Deku Tree and a Sprout being in there

 

[TripleSMoon]

Does anyone count Tingle's Freshly Picked as part of the time line? I only ask because I recall the Deku Tree and a Sprout being in there

The official Zelda timeline doesn't. And there's no real clear way to tell what time it takes place in if it does.

 

[Ykr1113]

Does anyone count Tingle's Freshly Picked as part of the time line? I only ask because I recall the Deku Tree and a Sprout being in there

Tingles isn't a main character .

 

[TripleSMoon]

Tingles isn't a main character .

So what?

 

[Peos]

I love a bit of continuity but with Zelda it's best to kind of squint your eyes when they present you with stuff that appears to be from other games in the series. Remember it's called the 'Legend' of Zelda and not the 'Chronicle' or 'History' of Zelda, so I think you're supposed to at least prepare yourself for some inconsistencies.

 

[TripleSMoon]

I love a bit of continuity but with Zelda it's best to kind of squint your eyes when they present you with stuff that appears to be from other games in the series. Remember it's called the 'Legend' of Zelda and not the 'Chronicle' or 'History' of Zelda, so I think you're supposed to at least prepare yourself for some inconsistencies.

Precisely! I couldn't agree more.

 

[gamefan5]

Personally, I see the official Zelda timeline as less as an accurate "historical" one and more of an inaccurate "in-universe" one passed around by the people in the Zelda universe. Many times, the narrator in a Zelda game will say something like "this is but one of the legends of which people speak," and I think that's what all the games are... Not historical events, even by the in-game universe, but representations of the legends passed around by the people of Hyrule.

Not only does this explain why the hero is ALWAYS a similar-looking boy clad in a green outfit with a pointed hat named Link, and why the princess is ALWAYS named Zelda and looks very similar. Sure, you COULD argue this has to do with

Spoiler: Skyward Sword Spoiler

Demise's curse on Link, Zelda, and their descendants

, but that alone doesn't explain the constantly similar themes throughout the series, as well as characters who are basically THE same character, though it would be impossible with the time differences. Id est, Tingle appears both in Majora's Mask in one timeline split and in Wind Waker in ANOTHER timeline split that takes place centuries later, with a similar role. Also, Beedle appears in Skyward Sword as a salesman, and in Wind Waker ALSO as a salesman, taking place who knows how many millennia later.

And then of course, there's the various inconsistencies, such as the layout of the land of Hyrule. Or why the Kokiri are in Ocarina of Time, but are absolutely nonexistent in Twilight Princess with no trace (supposedly replaced by the monkeys, who sometimes bear the Kokiri symbol), even though it only takes place about a century later and every other OoT race is present.

So yeah, to make a long story short, I think it just makes more sense to view not just the timeline, but even the Zelda-games themselves as in-universe... wait for it... legends passed around by the people of Hyrule. And in a way, I personally find that to be really, really cool.

RED: It makes perfect sense why Tingle appears in both timelines tbh. Consider split timelines as different. As when the timeline is split they don't become the same characters due to their experiences being different. But they may have the same root. (As in the same beginning.) Btw, Tingle appears in Minish cap. Which happens before OoT. (Hence the same beginning as I mentioned.)

Blue: Point taken, I personally take the Beedle in SS as Beedle the 1st. And WW as Beedle the 2nd, and so on. XD It makes things a bit more sense.

Green: In video game, not everything has to be 'in the logic sense'. A lot can happen in a century, such as the extinction of a race.

Yellow: Point taken, but here's something they do get in almost all the games. Hyrule castle (And or city) located at the center (except Oot where it is a bit north). Death mountain is always situated at north, Desertic climate at south west of the map, lake Hylia (or another historic pond) at the east.

I don't exactly find these to be inconsistencies. But ofc there are inconsistencies in the zelda timeline. That's a given.

 

[narutofan777]

nintendo didn't have to release a timeline for the zelda series.

 

[TripleSMoon]

RED: It makes perfect sense why Tingle appears in both timelines tbh. Consider split timelines as different. As when the timeline is split they don't become the same characters due to their experiences being different. But they may have the same root. (As in the same beginning.) Btw, Tingle appears in Minish cap. Which happens before OoT. (Hence the same beginning as I mentioned.)

That still doesn't explain why the characters are essentially the same.

Blue: Point taken, I personally take the Beedle in SS as Beedle the 1st. And WW as Beedle the 2nd, and so on. XD It makes things a bit more sense.

Lol, yeah. But I still think it's too big of a coincidence that they look and sound the exact same, just with different clothes, when they existed over thousands of years apart.

Green: In video game, not everything has to be 'in the logic sense'. A lot can happen in a century, such as the extinction of a race.

Yeah, but it's not just extinction: It's the fact that they don't even get mentioned. In a game where legends are regularly mentioned from long ago (remember the flashback to Ganon's attempted execution in Twilight Princess), I'd think someone would at least MENTION "those poor forest folk who were all wiped out," within that same span of time, or less.

Yellow: Point taken, but here's something they do get in almost all the games. Hyrule castle (And or city) located at the center (except Oot where it is a bit north). Death mountain is always situated at north, Desertic climate at south west of the map, lake Hylia (or another historic pond) at the east.

Yes. Of course there's going to be some similarities. I'm not saying that EVERYTHING is inconsistent, just some of them are.

I don't exactly find these to be inconsistencies. But ofc there are inconsistencies in the zelda timeline. That's a given.

I don't see how they're not. Inconsistencies are inconsistencies, regardless how small. I'm not saying it's a terrible thing or that an inconsistency in EVERY game series' timeline means that it "didn't happen." But because of Zelda's nature, I think it makes sense.

Anyway, this is all just my personal explanation of what I think makes sense. I'm not saying that my theory above necessarily IS the case. I just thought it was kind of cool.

 

[Maxternal]

Pulling things from another thread where a similar conversation came up, this proved to be an interesting read for me.

Also you can do the follow here:

http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline

also the image linked in the first post with barely any modification on this post
http://gbatemp.net/t...ost__p__4229053
The site in the quoted post adds in several things included in interviews with the creators and stuff written in the instruction booklets and stuff.
Some points I noticed plus some others that have occurred to me:

1. The idea of every princess being named Zelda is a decree made by one of the kings to honor one of the first Zeldas. This also explains why in one game in particular Zelda doesn't find out that she's Zelda until someone tells her she is right before she gets the triforce ... but the "Zelda" name still applies.
2. It's interesting that you can actually choose the name of the "Link" character in many of the games ... even renaming the horse ... while others they do specifically call him "Link" which makes it perfectly possible that not all "Link"'s actually have that name.
3. Maybe Tingle really does live forever ... with memory problems
4. Skyward Sword states right from the beginning that oral traditions (Legends) are not the best way of passing on information so certain details may have been lost through the passage of time. That's a simple way to explain any of the few little discrepancies some people seem to find.
5. The lost forest is a dangerous place. Seeing a Kokiri and living to tell the tale may not happen too often. Normal people may just not be able to see them.

 

[gamefan5]

RED: It makes perfect sense why Tingle appears in both timelines tbh. Consider split timelines as different. As when the timeline is split they don't become the same characters due to their experiences being different. But they may have the same root. (As in the same beginning.) Btw, Tingle appears in Minish cap. Which happens before OoT. (Hence the same beginning as I mentioned.)

That still doesn't explain why the characters are essentially the same.

Blue: Point taken, I personally take the Beedle in SS as Beedle the 1st. And WW as Beedle the 2nd, and so on. XD It makes things a bit more sense.

Lol, yeah. But I still think it's too big of a coincidence that they look and sound the exact same, just with different clothes, when they existed over thousands of years apart.

Green: In video game, not everything has to be 'in the logic sense'. A lot can happen in a century, such as the extinction of a race.

Yeah, but it's not just extinction: It's the fact that they don't even get mentioned. In a game where legends are regularly mentioned from long ago (remember the flashback to Ganon's attempted execution in Twilight Princess), I'd think someone would at least MENTION "those poor forest folk who were all wiped out," within that same span of time, or less.

Yellow: Point taken, but here's something they do get in almost all the games. Hyrule castle (And or city) located at the center (except Oot where it is a bit north). Death mountain is always situated at north, Desertic climate at south west of the map, lake Hylia (or another historic pond) at the east.

Yes. Of course there's going to be some similarities. I'm not saying that EVERYTHING is inconsistent, just some of them are.

I don't exactly find these to be inconsistencies. But ofc there are inconsistencies in the zelda timeline. That's a given.

I don't see how they're not. Inconsistencies are inconsistencies, regardless how small. I'm not saying it's a terrible thing or that an inconsistency in EVERY game series' timeline means that it "didn't happen." But because of Zelda's nature, I think it makes sense.

Anyway, this is all just my personal explanation of what I think makes sense. I'm not saying that my theory above necessarily IS the case. I just thought it was kind of cool.

Gimme an example of a character being the same completely from one game to another and I will answer my opinion.
Look of Beedle? Point taken.
Sound? C'mon man this is software stuff. They've just ripped the audio from WW. LOL

My friend, remember that not everything in the timeline is set.Lots of things can happen between a game and they reserve the right to make a game between 2 games as they see fit.
Btw, play WW, in that particular game the kokiri have been transformed in that particular timeline.
As for the child timeline, I imagine they died by transforming into Skullkids and wandered off from the Lost woods. LOL

While inconsistencies, like Valwin, I find the timeline to be making quite a lot of sense.

 

[TripleSMoon]

1. The idea of every princess being named Zelda is a decree made by one of the kings to honor one of the first Zeldas. This also explains why in one game in particular Zelda doesn't find out that she's Zelda until someone tells her she is right before she gets the triforce ... but the "Zelda" name still applies.

This decree happened in the original Zelda and Zelda II though, which takes place at the very end of one of the timeline splits. It doesn't explain the same name in previous games in the timeline, or in other timeline splits.

---

 

[Maxternal]

1. The idea of every princess being named Zelda is a decree made by one of the kings to honor one of the first Zeldas. This also explains why in one game in particular Zelda doesn't find out that she's Zelda until someone tells her she is right before she gets the triforce ... but the "Zelda" name still applies.

This decree happened in the original Zelda and Zelda II though, which takes place at the very end of one of the timeline splits. It doesn't explain the same name in previous games in the timeline, or in other timeline splits.

Good point, but still, royalty has a tendency to repeat names. It could be the same concept like Henry VIII. They just neglected to state that she's really Zelda IX.

 

[TripleSMoon]

Good point, but still, royalty has a tendency to repeat names. It could be the same concept like Henry VIII. They just neglected to state that she's really Zelda IX.

Yeah, but if that were the case, there would be no need for a decree in the first place.

 

[Maxternal]

Good point, but still, royalty has a tendency to repeat names. It could be the same concept like Henry VIII. They just neglected to state that she's really Zelda IX.

Yeah, but if that were the case, there would be no need for a decree in the first place.

Hmm, maybe it was like
Queen Zelda
Queen Mary
Queen Zelda II
Queen Zelda III
Queen Mary II
Queen Ellen
Queen Mary III

Zelda IV, V, VI, VII, etc.

(the change after the decree was that ALL were named Zelda from then on.)