Gaming Do we finally know the truth about BOTW

[Noctosphere]

What truth..what are you talking about. The timéune has been set since anouncement on e3 2016. Even aounuma stated that where the game does belong in timeline.

???

 

[Lacius]

What truth..what are you talking about. The timéune has been set since anouncement on e3 2016. Even aounuma stated that where the game does belong in timeline.

What are you talking about?

 

[Noctosphere]

What are you talking about?

ye... id like to know too
guess its just another troll

 

[linkinworm]

its a cross into XC2 the covers pretty much match up and confirm it

 

[TotalInsanity4]

its a cross into XC2 the covers pretty much match up and confirm it

This is a joke post right

 

[Zonark]

This is a joke post right

I believe so but I must say the guitar in the back. wicked. and now if you look closer into the background of both cases there is far off winter zone, it appears to be the "Bunker" Level from Goldeneye N64 with the Paintball cheat activated.

 

[Pandaxclone2]

Time to throw my two cents into this I guess. It's interesting that people continue to use the "steeped in twilight" as evidence despite the fact that they're willing to turn the other cheek in the face of the Koroks and Rito on grounds that they can exist in the other timelines too. By that logic the line given shouldn't really be indicative proof that it's in the Child Timeline, more like a reference (like Wind Waker talking about a fairy boy who made maps for the Hero of Time, alluding to Tingle in Majora's Mask, or the sword Phantom Ganon inscribed with the blacksmith's name from the very same game.)

I also don't consider the DLC to be canonical evidence either, considering that by that point we may as well throw in amiibos and, well, that just muddies the waters too much.

I'm rather partial to BotW's placement being in the Fallen Hero Timeline, mainly because of two large pieces of evidence:

1. Calamity Ganon himself. The fact that he is referred to as Ganon in this timeline whereas he's usually known in the other two by the moniker of Ganondorf. That's not to say he couldn't be known as such in the other timelines but already the Fallen Timeline has the most "Ganon" appearances out of the three. As for CG's Ganondorf-like traits, I don't really see that as being indicative of timeline placement since Ganondorf himself canonically predates the timeline split, so it really gets us nowhere.
2. The Triforce. In both the Child Timeline and the Adult Timeline, the Triforce is normally split into its three main parts and exist inside Zelda, Ganondorf and Link. The Fallen Timeline differs from this as the Triforce is either held entirely by one person or just sitting around in its completeness, the main exception being A Link Between Worlds where they follow the "held by Zelda and Ganon" except that the Sages have the Triforce of Courage. BotW Zelda is seen possessing the entire Triforce inside of her when using her sealing magic, which again alludes to the Fallen Timeline.

The Twilight Princess location evidence is interesting in that since the game is basically a giant love-letter to Ocarina of Time as evidenced by it being the same looking Hyrule, we have to consider that some of the designs seen in Twilight Princess also may be true of OOT, which again predates the timeline split.

 

[Lacius]

Time to throw my two cents into this I guess. It's interesting that people continue to use the "steeped in twilight" as evidence despite the fact that they're willing to turn the other cheek in the face of the Koroks and Rito on grounds that they can exist in the other timelines too. By that logic the line given shouldn't really be indicative proof that it's in the Child Timeline

The difference is that knowledge of the events of Twilight Princess is confined to the Child Timeline, while the Koroks and Rito could exist in any timeline. In fact, we already know that the Rito exist in the Child Timeline based on the retconned mural in Twilight Princess HD, and we know from Aonuma's interview that the Koroks in Breath of the Wild are unrelated to the ones seen in The Wind Waker.

more like a reference (like Wind Waker talking about a fairy boy who made maps for the Hero of Time, alluding to Tingle in Majora's Mask, or the sword Phantom Ganon inscribed with the blacksmith's name from the very same game.)

When we selectively pick what's a reference/easter egg and what's evidence, we get nowhere.

First, I'd like to know what you're specifically talking about with regard to the Tingle reference. I'm unaware of any lore-based evidence for knowledge of the events of Majora's Mask in The Wind Waker.

With regard to Phantom Ganon's sword, that could be an easter egg, or it could be that the sword was crafted by Zubora and Gabora, their never-seen Hyrulean counterparts, or characters in a more recent era by the same names (e.g. Beedle's apperances). Either way, it's easily explained away. A direct reference in a pivotal cutscene to Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess as the explicit history of the Master Sword is exactly what one would expect to be considered the history of the Master Sword in the Child Timeline, and there's no lore-based reason I can come up with for people in the Adult Timeline and/or Downfall Timeline to be aware of the events of Twilight Princess.

I also don't consider the DLC to be canonical evidence either, considering that by that point we may as well throw in amiibos and, well, that just muddies the waters too much.

I've never considered the amiibos canon, and I no longer consider the DLC armor to be canon.

I'm rather partial to BotW's placement being in the Fallen Hero Timeline, mainly because of two large pieces of evidence:

1. Calamity Ganon himself. The fact that he is referred to as Ganon in this timeline whereas he's usually known in the other two by the moniker of Ganondorf. That's not to say he couldn't be known as such in the other timelines but already the Fallen Timeline has the most "Ganon" appearances out of the three. As for CG's Ganondorf-like traits, I don't really see that as being indicative of timeline placement since Ganondorf himself canonically predates the timeline split, so it really gets us nowhere.

First, Ganon has existed in all three timelines, so the moniker of Calamity Ganon is not evidence of timeline placement. We also know that, for unknown reasons, he's taken on the form of Calamity Ganon, which is different from any previous Ganon(dorf) incarnation in previous games.

Second, as a side note, it should be noted that the quadrupedal Dark Beast Ganon has only appeared twice: in Twilight Princess and in Breath of the Wild.

Third, all traces of the humanoid Ganondorf were erased in the Downfall Timeline during the events of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, leaving only a "mindless beast," which is why Calamity Ganon's cunning and partially-regenerated humanoid appearance in Breath of the Wild contradicts the Downfall Timeline.

The Triforce. In both the Child Timeline and the Adult Timeline, the Triforce is normally split into its three main parts and exist inside Zelda, Ganondorf and Link. The Fallen Timeline differs from this as the Triforce is either held entirely by one person or just sitting around in its completeness, the main exception being A Link Between Worlds where they follow the "held by Zelda and Ganon" except that the Sages have the Triforce of Courage. BotW Zelda is seen possessing the entire Triforce inside of her when using her sealing magic, which again alludes to the Fallen Timeline.

There is no reason to think that Zelda possesses the full Triforce in Breath of the Wild. Her sealing magic is the result of her bloodline, due to the fact that she's descended from an incarnation of the Goddess Hylia. The Triforce symbol here is symbolic. If she possessed the full Triforce, she could single-handedly wish away Calamity Ganon. The state of the Triforce in Breath of the Wild is unknown, although the new Master Works book apparently makes mention of it. I'm waiting for the translations to start appearing online. I've got my own headcanon about the state of the Triforce in Breath of the Wild as it relates to the Child Timeline, but it's not supported by evidence, so I'm not going to mention it here.

The Twilight Princess location evidence is interesting in that since the game is basically a giant love-letter to Ocarina of Time as evidenced by it being the same looking Hyrule, we have to consider that some of the designs seen in Twilight Princess also may be true of OOT, which again predates the timeline split.

A lot of the location evidence that connects Breath of the Wild and Twilight Princess does not predate the timeline split. I'm going to quote a post I made earlier about why the Child Timeline is the most likely timeline placement for Breath of the Wild, and then I'm going to address it in the context of translated evidence we've already gotten from Master Works.

While far from definitive, here are the top reasons to think Breath of the Wild takes place in the Child Timeline:

1. Princess Zelda mentions, in order, Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess as the history of the Master Sword. There are variations in the different localizations regarding the off-screen audio only, but the opening part of the speech, with text, is consistent across localizations. In the English localization of off-screen audio, for example, the alleged reference to A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker goes something like "across the seas of space and time," which isn't actually a direct reference to anything.
2. In the summer DLC pack, it includes an in-game story about the thief Misko explicitly stealing, among other things, a replica of the helmet Midna wore that the royal family gathered in an attempt to collect artifacts significant to the history of Hyrule. The canonicity of the DLC pack is questionable, but if this isn't canon, neither is the in-game story content of the winter DLC pack. Moot when you consider the new DLC pack.
3. As of Ocarina of Time, the Gorons lived on Death Mountain, and the Zora lived in Zora's Domain. In the Adult Timeline, Hyrule is flooded. The Gorons become traveling merchants, and the Zora evolve into the Rito. In the Fallen Hero Timeline, the Gorons and the Zora are displaced from Hyrule entirely, if not killed off. In Breath of the Wild, the Zora still live in Zora's Domain, and the Gorons still live at Death Mountain. It's possible they could have returned later in the Fallen Timeline, but that requires a lot of mental gymnastics, and the simplest option is Breath of the Wild takes place in the Child Timeline.
4. The Gorons have various Gorons important to Goron history carved into a Death Mountain rock face. One is Darunia from Ocarina of Time, and one is Gor Coron from Twilight Princess.
5. There appear to be various landmarks from Twilight Princess present in Breath of the Wild. To name a few, Hyrule Castle is clearly the design from Twilight Princess, the Goron Mines from Twilight Princess are present, and the Great Bridge of Hylia from Twilight Princess is present.

I'm not aware of any real reason to think Breath of the Wild takes place in the Fallen Hero Timeline, and the only real reason I can think of to think it might take place in the Adult Timeline is the presence of the Rito and the Koroks.

In a nutshell, if we're trying to figure out which timeline placement is most likely while making the fewest assumptions possible, a Child Timeline placement is clearly the winner. However, there's evidence for and against all three timelines. Regarding the Child Timeline hypothesis, the thing that seems to contradict it is the Zora tablet:

"Long, long ago... In a past more distant that even the Great Calamity or the creation of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta... There was a Zora princess named Ruto. We know that she was an attendant to the Zora patron deity and that she was a fair and lively girl, beloved to all. Around that same time, an evil man with designs on ruling the world appeared, bringing disaster upon Zora's Domain. It is said that Ruto then awoke as a sage, facing this foe alongside the princess of Hyrule and the hero of legend. Her achievements are remembered not only by the Zora, they are also forever etched into the history of Hyrule. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta, built ages later to face off against Calamity Ganon, was named in honor of Ruto. That the Zora princess—my sweet daughter Mipha—was chosen to pilot Ruta is surely the work of fate."

Regarding a Downfall Timeline or Adult Timeline hypothesis, the thing that seems to contradict it, among other things, is the ceremony speech:

"Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight… The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero."

This leaves us with two options:

1. It's the Child Timeline, and they have some knowledge of the Adult or Downfall Timeline.
2. It's the Adult or Downfall Timeline, but they have some knowledge of the Child Timeline.

If we consider that the Hero of Time, with knowledge of the sage events of the Adult Timeline, time-traveled back in time to the Child Timeline and recounted the events to the Royal Family, Option #1 is plausible. This is the point when a fan of the Downfall Timeline argues that the tablet doesn't mention anything about alternate timelines, or he or she argues that this is a bit of a stretch, but given the following from Master Works, this explanation is the only one that makes sense if we assume Breath of the Wild has to take place in one of the three canon timelines:

"The kingdom of Hyrule has a long and storied past, where the events of one era may just be ancient myths in another. Since olden times, the land has repeatedly undergone periods of prosperity and decline, so much so that it is unknown whether the legends passed down are actually true, or simply fairy tales."

This blurring of history and myth has created legend, which is all the Zora tablet is. Once you've explained away the Zora tablet, there's every reason to believe Breath of the Wild takes place in the Child Timeline, and there's no real reason to think it takes place in the Downfall or Adult Timelines.

 

[Pandaxclone2]

The difference is that knowledge of the events of Twilight Princess is confined to the Child Timeline, while the Koroks and Rito could exist in any timeline. In fact, we already know that the Rito exist in the Child Timeline based on the retconned mural in Twilight Princess HD, and we know from Aonuma's interview that the Koroks in Breath of the Wild are unrelated to the ones seen in The Wind Waker.

What I mean from that is that twilight could just mean that. It doesn't necessarily have to relate to the eponymous Twilight Mirror nor the realm, just as time doesn't have to mean "ZOMG THE HERO OF TIME!!"

First, I'd like to know what you're specifically talking about with regard to the Tingle reference. I'm unaware of any lore-based evidence for knowledge of the events of Majora's Mask in The Wind Waker.

The Tower of the Gods contains five pages which when pieced together talk of the history of Tingle from Majora's Mask.

First, Ganon has existed in all three timelines, so the moniker of Calamity Ganon is not evidence of timeline placement. We also know that, for unknown reasons, he's taken on the form of Calamity Ganon, which is different from any previous Ganon(dorf) incarnation in previous games.

Second, as a side note, it should be noted that the quadrupedal Dark Beast Ganon has only appeared twice: in Twilight Princess and in Breath of the Wild.

Third, all traces of the humanoid Ganondorf were erased in the Downfall Timeline during the events of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, leaving only a "mindless beast," which is why Calamity Ganon's cunning and partially-regenerated humanoid appearance in Breath of the Wild contradicts the Downfall Timeline.

Of course Ganon has existed in all three timelines. That's not the point: the point is that in Breath of the Wild, the people know him as "Ganon" and not Ganondorf and only think of him as a beast and not man, which suggests his Gerudo form hasn't been seen for the longest of time. Ganon's human traits weren't really "erased" so much as his resurrection was botched. Besides, it's made clear that after he got the Triforce there was no need for him to remain human anyway, as explained in Hyrule Historia.

There is no reason to think that Zelda possesses the full Triforce in Breath of the Wild.

No reason? Excusez moi?

Spoiler: Zelda has the Triforce

"Long, long ago... In a past more distant that even the Great Calamity or the creation of the Divine Beast Vah Ruta... There was a Zora princess named Ruto. We know that she was an attendant to the Zora patron deity and that she was a fair and lively girl, beloved to all. Around that same time, an evil man with designs on ruling the world appeared, bringing disaster upon Zora's Domain. It is said that Ruto then awoke as a sage, facing this foe alongside the princess of Hyrule and the hero of legend. Her achievements are remembered not only by the Zora, they are also forever etched into the history of Hyrule. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta, built ages later to face off against Calamity Ganon, was named in honor of Ruto. That the Zora princess—my sweet daughter Mipha—was chosen to pilot Ruta is surely the work of fate."

This bit here ironically enough drives the last nail into Child Timeline's coffin. Ruto never awoke as a sage in the Child Timeline. She only does so in the Adult Timeline from which the Downfall Timeline also branches off of. But wait, you've got a counterpoint, don't you?

If we consider that the Hero of Time, with knowledge of the sage events of the Adult Timeline, time-traveled back in time to the Child Timeline and recounted the events to the Royal Family, Option #1 is plausible. This is the point when a fan of the Downfall Timeline argues that the tablet doesn't mention anything about alternate timelines, or he or she argues that this is a bit of a stretch, but given the following from Master Works, this explanation is the only one that makes sense if we assume Breath of the Wild has to take place in one of the three canon timelines:

"The kingdom of Hyrule has a long and storied past, where the events of one era may just be ancient myths in another. Since olden times, the land has repeatedly undergone periods of prosperity and decline, so much so that it is unknown whether the legends passed down are actually true, or simply fairy tales."

This blurring of history and myth has created legend, which is all the Zora tablet is. Once you've explained away the Zora tablet, there's every reason to believe Breath of the Wild takes place in the Child Timeline, and there's no real reason to think it takes place in the Downfall or Adult Timelines.

Pardon, but "her achievements are remembered not only by the Zora, they are also forever etched into the history of Hyrule" indicates more than just praise of an alternate timeline where she did stuff: rather, it sounds more like she actually did do these things in BotW's history. This kind of exchange would be awkward at best:

Zora King: Hey Ruto, just thought it I'd let you know how cool it was in an alternate timeline that you turned into a Sage. I thought I'd make sure the whole town knows what you totally did even though you didn't do it here and we've only got the word of a single boy. Who knows? Maybe we'll confuse the heck out of some historians down the line with this conflicting information.

This whole last bit you wrote wasn't even evidence. It just seems to be a convoluted attempt to twist an undesirable bit of evidence out of the way to ensure the Child Timeline still has a chance.

 

[Lacius]

What I mean from that is that twilight could just mean that. It doesn't necessarily have to relate to the eponymous Twilight Mirror nor the realm, just as time doesn't have to mean "ZOMG THE HERO OF TIME!!"

"Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight… The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero."

This is a clear reference to Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess in order, which is also the entire history of the Master Sword from the point of view of someone in the Child Timeline. In what's otherwise a localization nightmare, this part of the speech is consistent across translations. The only game where the Master Sword is steeped in the glowing embers of twilight is Twilight Princess.

The Tower of the Gods contains five pages which when pieced together talk of the history of Tingle from Majora's Mask.

The canonicity of the Tingle Turner is questionable even before taking into account its absence from Wind Waker HD, which is the canon iteration of the Era of the Great Sea.

Of course Ganon has existed in all three timelines. That's not the point: the point is that in Breath of the Wild, the people know him as "Ganon" and not Ganondorf, which suggests his Gerudo form hasn't been seen for the longest of time. Ganon's human traits weren't really "erased" so much as his resurrection was botched. Besides, it's made clear that after he got the Triforce there was no need for him to remain human anyway, as explained in Hyrule Historia.

I know what you meant. I meant, "Ganon has existed in all three timelines," not, "Ganon(dorf) has existed in all three timelines."

No reason? Excusez moi?

The mark of the Triforce is not evidence of possessing any actual piece of the Triforce. It has been used symbolically numerous times throughout the Zelda series to relate to having a balanced heart, the power of the Goddess Hylia, etc. In the following image from Skyward Sword, for example, Link does not have possession of any part of the Triforce:

Spoiler

Pardon, but "her achievements are remembered not only by the Zora, they are also forever etched into the history of Hyrule" indicates more than just praise of an alternate timeline where she did stuff: rather, it sounds more like she actually did do these things in BotW's history. This kind of exchange would be awkward at best

This whole last bit isn't even evidence. It's just a convoluted attempt to twist an undesirable bit of evidence out of the way to ensure the Child Timeline still has a chance.

See my point about myth vs. legend vs. history. The story is about something that happened over 10,000 years prior to the game, and it's being told by a non-contemporaneous source. It's the best explanation for the contradictions that exist in all three timeline hypotheses, and Master Works does more than nudge this solution along.

Don't get me wrong; it could still be any of the three timelines. However, the Child Timeline appears to make the most sense. It requires the fewest assumptions, has the most in-game evidence, and has the fewest contradictions. The solution that you call convoluted is only as convoluted as the timeline itself, so that's not an issue.

 

[Pandaxclone2]

"Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight… The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero."

This is a clear reference to Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess in order, which is also the entire of history of the Master Sword from the point of view of someone in the Child Timeline. In what's otherwise a localization nightmare, this part of the speech is consistent across translations. The only game where the Master Sword is steeped in the glowing embers of twilight is Twilight Princess.

And could just as well be references/easter eggs like the Tingle story or Phantom's sword. To be fair, this is why I prefer more physical evidence over words. Just like you said about the Zora story, this line here is being said about 10,000 years after the supposed events they're relating to took place, and that's if the twilight one actually took place in this timeline. How's Zelda supposed to know what happened?

The canonicity of the Tingle Turner is questionable even before taking into account its absence from Wind Waker HD, which is the canon iteration of the Era of the Great Sea.

You got an official source on that? I didn't know we were playing Halo's "retcon old information if new information conflicts it" canonicity.

I know what you meant. I meant, "Ganon has existed in all three timelines," not, "Ganon(dorf) has existed in all three timelines."

Then what's your point? We know the pig beast form exists in all three timelines. That doesn't mean everyone automatically calls him Ganon immediately when he changes into it. They still refer to him as Ganondorf. By contrast, everyone in BotW refers to him as "Ganon", "The Calamity" or "Calamity Ganon", as if those are the only names he's ever had. It's like the Triforce in Wind Waker: they haven't been seen in such a long time that they are known as the "Triumph Forks". Same thing here, except the thing people haven't seen in a long time is Ganondorf, his Gerudo form.

Considering that even 10,000 years ago they still called him Ganon, that means he mustn't have been well known for his Gerudo form even back then. Which brings it to Fallen Timeline as being the only timeline where he isn't seen in his Gerudo form at all.

The mark of the Triforce is not evidence of possessing any actual piece of the Triforce. It has been used symbolically numerous times throughout the Zelda series to relate to having a balanced heart, the power of the Goddess Hylia, etc. In the following image from Skyward Sword, for example, Link does not have possession of any part of the Triforce:

Spoiler

Skyward Sword also happens to be first in the timeline back when the whole rhythm was in the process of being set up, so the fact that the mark glows in accordance to something else rather than possession of the Triforce isn't really conflicting. For all we know it doesn't do that yet, and may not do so until OOT occurs.

See my point about myth vs. legend vs. history. The story is about something that happened over 10,000 years prior to the game, and it's being told by a non-contemporaneous source. It's the best explanation for the contradictions that exist in all three timeline hypotheses, and Master Works does more than nudge this solution along.

Don't get me wrong; it could still be any of the three timelines. However, the Child Timeline appears to make the most sense. It requires the fewest assumptions, has the most in-game evidence, and has the fewest contradictions. The solution that you call convoluted is only as convoluted as the timeline itself, so that's not an issue.

Fewest contradictions despite the biggest one being that Ruto became a Sage. You had to twist that one into pretzels before it became smooth sailings. Heck, considering even Urbosa knew of Ganon's Gerudo form and that she's not off the mark should at least say something of their history's credibility. The same could be said of the Zora's capacity to pass on such history, especially since they live about 100/200 years longer than most other races in Hyrule which means the margin of corruption from history to legend is less.

 

[Noctosphere]

wow guys
all i have to say is

Spoiler

tl;dr

 

[Maq47]

Guys, think about something for a minute... If, in the child timeline, Link had defeated Ganon in the future, then returned to the past, then Ganon is STILL defeated 7 years later. That means that the Child and Adult timelines actually BOTH happen, although there would be subtle differences. That means that there could be a similar Twilight Princess-esque event in the Adult Timeline as well, since it could still happen in that timeline. Ganondorf is defeated, tried for his crimes by the 7 Sages, and sentenced to the Twilight Realm 7 years after Link returns to the past, but Link gets lost in the Lost Woods, turns into a Skull Kid, and guides Link in Twilight Princess.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Guys, think about something for a minute... If, in the child timeline, Link had defeated Ganon in the future, then returned to the past, then Ganon is STILL defeated 7 years later. That means that the Child and Adult timelines actually BOTH happen, although there would be subtle differences. That means that there could be a similar Twilight Princess-esque event in the Adult Timeline as well, since it could still happen in that timeline. Ganondorf is defeated, tried for his crimes by the 7 Sages, and sentenced to the Twilight Realm 7 years after Link returns to the past, but Link gets lost in the Lost Woods, turns into a Skull Kid, and guides Link in Twilight Princess.

Nope, in the Adult timeline Ganondorf is sealed away, whereas in the Child Timeline he's imprisoned and going to be executed

 

[Maq47]

Nope, in the Adult timeline Ganondorf is sealed away, whereas in the Child Timeline he's imprisoned and going to be executed

According to Hyrule Historia, he Hyrule isn't sealed right away; Ganon is resurrected again first. Assume he never got resurrected, or resurrected in a different way. Although this would technically count as being another branch of the Adult Timeline, in this scenario, the events in the Child Timeline could also still happen in the way I spoke of above.

Edit: I meant Hyrule isn't sealed, not Ganon. :/

 

[Lacius]

According to Hyrule Historia, he isn't sealed right away; he is resurrected first. Assume he never got resurrected, or resurrected in a different way. Although this would technically count as being another branch of the Adult Timeline, in this scenario, the events in the Child Timeline could also still happen in the way I spoke of above.

In the Adult Timeline, Ganondorf is sealed away by the Zelda and the sages after being defeated by Link. In the Child Timeline, Link never pulls the Master Sword, and Ganondorf never enters the Sacred Realm to touch the Triforce, so he never takes over Hyrule. After Link warns the Royal Family in the past, Ganondorf is eventually captured several years later. They attempt to execute him, but he's sealed in the Twilight Realm instead.

They're completely different realities. In one, Hyrule is flooded. In the other, it isn't.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

According to Hyrule Historia, he Hyrule isn't sealed right away; Ganon is resurrected again first. Assume he never got resurrected, or resurrected in a different way. Although this would technically count as being another branch of the Adult Timeline, in this scenario, the events in the Child Timeline could also still happen in the way I spoke of above.

Edit: I meant Hyrule isn't sealed, not Ganon. :/

What @Lacius said

 

[Maq47]

In the Adult Timeline, Ganondorf is sealed away by the Zelda and the sages after being defeated by Link. In the Child Timeline, Link never pulls the Master Sword, and Ganondorf never enters the Sacred Realm to touch the Triforce, so he never takes over Hyrule. After Link warns the Royal Family in the past, Ganondorf is eventually captured several years later. They attempt to execute him, but he's sealed in the Twilight Realm instead.

They're completely different realities.

Explain why Ganondorf is shown having the Triforce of Power in TP if he never entered the Sacred Realm. A LOT of what you just said is assumed. The Hyrule Historia was made to appease fans, and it's possible that PART of the actual text lore was made up on the fly.

 

[Lacius]

Explain why Ganondorf is shown having the Triforce of Power in TP if he never entered the Sacred Realm. A LOT of what you just said is assumed. The Hyrule Historia was made to appease fans, and it's possible that PART of the actual text lore was made up on the fly.

No, it's explicitly stated in Hyrule Historia exactly what happened. He never entered the Sacred Realm in that reality, but because the Hero of Time brought it back with him from the future, the Triforce separated respectively. Although Ganondorf received the Triforce of Power, he didn't know he had it until the execution.

I do, however, see the similarities you're pointing out. The big difference between the realities is that the Adult Timeline lacks a hero after Ganondorf escapes his imprisonment, resulting in the flood. The Child Timeline always has a hero, so it never needed to be flooded.

 

[Maq47]

No, it's explicitly stated in Hyrule Historia exactly what happened. He never entered the Sacred Realm in that reality, but because the Hero of Time brought it back with him from the future, the Triforce separated respectively. Although Ganondorf received the Triforce of Power, he didn't know he had it until the execution.

I do, however, see the similarities you're pointing out. The big difference between the realities is that the Adult Timeline lacks a hero after Ganondorf escapes his imprisonment, resulting in the flood. The Child Timeline always has a hero, so it never needed to be flooded.

I still believe that the two 'Hero is triumphant' timelines both happen. I never read Hyrule Historia cover to cover (I read parts of it with a friend; I just read the relevant text that you quoted online, however), but from what I read, what you said, and what I know from games released after the publication of it, there are a lot of unexplained tidbits (from older AND newer games) that, if you assume that the Child and Adult timelines are one and the same, make things completely clear.

The only way that this could happen is if, after Ganon is defeated in the future, Link has the option of choosing to prevent the Master Sword from being pulled and warning the Royal Family, or going back and properly living his childhood in the age and time he came from, and in both cases, the events of Majora's Mask happen, but Hyrule is never flooded in the second case, since Ganondorf still has entered the Sacred Realm.

Also, I'm not trying to debunk Hyrule Historia; I'm just saying that it WAS only written to appease fans, and rushed ahead of the release of Breath of the Wild's initially anticipated release (probably so that they wouldn't have to rewrite half the book to account for it). As a result, one might want to take some or all lore from it with a grain of salt.