The Legend of Zelda (Spoilers)

So you've played Zelda, beat most the games, but now you want to play them in order? Well good luck unless you've researched the situation, you'll probably just end up playing from the end of the series to the beginning!

So heres a timeline for all of the games so you can play them in chronological order, as I know it can be very difficult with all the prequels and shit.

Here is the chronological order of all of the zelda games currently released.
1. Skyward Sword
2. Minish Cap
3. Four Swords
4. Ocarina of Time

3 Way Time Split

Childhood Timeline
1. Majora's Mask
2. Twilight Princess
3. Four Swords Adventures

Downfall Timeline
1. A Link to the Past
2. Oracle of Seasons
3. Oracle of Ages
4. Link's Awakening
5. The Legend of Zelda
6. Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

Adult Timeline
1. The Wind Waker
2. Phantom Hourglass
3. Spirit Tracks


Firstly there is many "eras" that have not been in games, so I will go by era's instead of game titles to explain a little of the "between - game" history.

Creation of the World
The Golden Goddesses descended upon the world and shaped Hyrule.

The Era of the Goddess Hylia ​

The 3 goddesses left the world and created the triforce, a relic which when mastered could grant the heart's desire of its holder. The gave the relic to the goddess Hylia to protect it. The Demon King, Demise, wanted to the triforce to conquer the world. He gathered an army of monsters and launched an attack against the people of the surface. Hylia gathered the surviving humans and sent a mass of land into the sky that sheltered the humans and the triforce from Demise. The goddess and the 5 tribes then sealed Demise away.

The Sky Era - I. Skyward Sword​

Zelda is kidnapped by the Demon Lord Ghirahim in attempt to revive Demise. Link is accompanied by the sword spirit to retrieve the goddess sword as Hylia's Chosen. Zelda and Impa escape to the past while Link goe son a quest to purify the goddess sword to create the Master Sword. In this game it is discovered that Zelda is a reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, Link is the reincarnation of Hylia's chosen hero, and Demise curses them all “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!” Thus setting the foundation for the continuing fight against gannon. The master sword was then put into a pedestal in the temple which would become the temple of time.

The Era of Chaos​

Many men lusted after the tri-force and a wave of destruction descended upon Hyrule. This is when Rauru, the sage of light, sealed the entrance to the sacred realm within the temple of time with the master sword and spiritual stones. The temple of light, located at the center of the sacred realm became the resting place of the triforce and Rauru its protector.

The Era of Prosperity​

Those with the blood of Hylia, reborn as Zelda, established the kingdom of Hyrule. Hyrule castle was built watching over the temple of time.

The Force Era​

Evil creatures suddenly began swarming Hyrule but the Picori appeared from the sky and gave the Hero of Men the Picori Blade and the magical Light Force. Using these gifts the Hero drove the beasts back and restored light to the land of Hyrule. He sealed them into a chest with the Picori Blade and the light force was embodied by the princess of Hyrule to prevent its misuse.

The Force Era Cont. - II. The Minish Cap​

100 years later, during a celebration of when the Picori last came to hyrule a man named Vaati who shattered the Picori blade and opened the chest releasing the evil creatures. Link goes on a quest to find the Picori and ask them to reforge the blade. His quest resulted in the creation of the four-sword and used it to defeat Vaati and seal him within the Four Sword.

The Force Era Cont. - III. Four Swords​

For generations Zelda and her descendants (also named Zelda, obviously) managed to seal the Four Sword, but one day Zelda felt the seal weakening and asked her friend, Link, to come with her to investigate. Vaati broke free of the Four Sword and kidnapped Zelda. Link took the four sword and chased after them to retrieve the princess. Vaati was once again sealed within the four sword and the royal family once again kept a watchful eye on the four sword.

The Era of the Hero of Time - IV. Ocarina of Time​

For reasons not specified, Hyrule entered into a period of fierce war. During this war a Hylian woman fled the fires of war and left her newborn child, Link, with the great deku tree in the kokiri forest. This boy later went on a quest to save Zelda from the evil Ganondorf, who is seemingly the reincarnation of Demise. Link discovered the Master Sword and traveled 7 years into the future where he battled with Ganondorf.

THE TIME SPLIT​

Ok, the timesplit was once upon a time a thing of great debate, but now with the revelations of certain things in the storyline, it is now NECESSARY to put a timesplit into the series to make them all fit together.

Child Timeline
The Child Timeline is the timeline that follows Link after being sent back in time after defeating Ganon. He warns the King of Hyrule and Zelda of the tragic future that awaited them involving Ganondorf if nothing was done.

The Era of the Hero of Time Cont. - C-I. Majoras Mask
After being sent back in time to have a chance to live his childhood after defeating Ganon, Link warned the royal family of the danger of Gannondorf and was given the Ocarina of time by Zelda so Gannondorf could not use it to enter the sacred realm. Navi, the fairy, left Link's side. He then goes on a search for her, leading him to meet skull kid, who had stole a magical mask from the travelling happy mask salesman. After defeating skull kid, Link continued his search for Navi and isn't seen again.


The Era of the Hero of Time Cont.
Several years after the failure of his attempted invasion, Ganondorf was to be executed. The sages were unable to execute him due to him having the triforce of power because of Demise's soul inside him. So instead, they used the mirror of twilight and sent him into the twilight realm.

The Era of Twilight - C-II. 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. A new link and new Zelda now faced the merging of the two worlds and with the help of a twili companion, Link was able to obtain the master sword and defeat Zant as well as ganondorf.

The Era of Shadow - C-III. Four Swords Adventures
Hundreds of years after Ganondorf's death, the people of Hyrule had reconciled with Ganondorf's tribe, the Gerudo, and were at peace. However, a new Ganondorf was born to the Gerudo tribe who also shared Demise's soul. The new Ganondorf stole the Trident and the Dark Mirror from the ancient pyramid. Ganondorf sought to release Vaati from the Four Sword, and created Shadow Link with the mirror. Shadow Link pulled the Four Sword from its pedestal and released Vaati. Link used the Four Sword once again to defeat Vaati and then Ganon.


Downfall Timeline
The Downfall Timeline is the timeline in which Link, the hero of time, was defeated by Ganondorf in the final battle.


The Era of the Hero of Time Cont.
After the Hero of Time was defeated at the hands of Ganondorf, he extracted the Triforce of Courage from Link and the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda. After obtaining the true power of the complete triforce he was transformed into the Demon King Ganon. In a desperate last resort, the Seven Sages sealed Ganon along with the complete triforce away into the sacred realm, which was already transformed into the Dark World as a reflection of Ganondorf's evil heart.

The Imprisoning War
Ganon attacked Hyrule from within the sacred realm. The seven sages finally re-sealed him within the sacred realm.

The Era of Light and Dark - D-I. A Link to the Past
Agahnim, a dark mage, rose to be the priest and chief advisor of Hyrule. He used his position and magic to brainwash all of Hyrule's soldiers and send 6 of the 7 maidens into the dark world in order to break the seal on Ganon. After defeating Agahnim, Link witnessed Ganon rise from his body to show that Agahnim was only an alter ego of Ganon. After defeating ganon and finding the full triforce, Link wished that Hyrule be returned to peace.

The Era of Light and Dark Cont.
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: Onox, General of Darkness, to Holodrum; and Veran, Sorceress of Shadows, to Labrynna.

The Era of Light and Dark Cont. - D-II. Oracle of Seasons
Upon awakening in Holodrum, Link met with Din, the oracle of seasons who was kidnapped by Onox. After defeating Onox and rescuing Din, he was magically transported to the land of Labrynna, however, Onox's actions caused the flame of destruction to be lit.

The Era of Light and Dark Cont. - D-III. Oracle of Ages
Upon waking up in Labrynna, Link met Impa. They both met Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, who was then possessed by Veran who had used Impa's body to trick Link. Link was able to defeat Veran, but was to late; the Flame of Sorrow had been lit. To light the last flame, Twinrova kidnapped Zelda who had arrived in Labrynna. Link challenged them and defeated them. In a last ditch effort to revive Ganon, the witches sacrificed their own bodies. Link battled and killed Ganon and departed from Labrynna.

The Era of Light and Dark Cont. - D-IV. Link's Awakening
On his sea voyage back to Hyrule, Link ran into a terrible storm that sunk his boat. Link awoke after being washed ashore on Kaholint island. He was rescued by Marin, who has a striking resemblance to Zelda. He awoke the windfish in order to find his way home and awoke clinging to the driftwood of his ship adrift the open seas, his whereabouts after this are unknown.

The Golden Era
After the defeat of Ganon and the recovery of the trifroce, Hyrule entered a Golden Era of peace.

The Era of Decline
When the last of the kings to use the triforce anticipated his death, he hoped to find someone with the innate qualities to possess the triforce. Unfortunately, he was unable to find any such person during his lifespan. The king elected to split the triforce into 3 component parts. The prince received the triforces of wisdom and power and was told his younger sister, Zelda, knew the location of the triforce of courage. When she would not tell him of the location, he made a wizard put her into an eternal sleep.

The Era of Decline - D-V. The Legend of Zelda
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 remaining Triforce of Wisdom into eight fragments and hid them throughout the realm. Link recovered the 8 pieces as well as fought his way into Ganon's lair in Death Mountain where he defeated the monster.

The Era of Decline - D-VI. Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
Link remained in the little kingdom of Hyrule. One day, a strange mark resembling crest of the kingdom appeared on the back of Link's hand(the triforce). Link went to Impa, who was shocked when she saw the birthmark. She took Link to the North Castle and told him in order to revive the eternally sleeping Princess, he must reunite the Triforce. After defeating the final Guardian, and his own shadow, Link retrieved the Triforce of Courage and awoke Princess Zelda from her sleep.

Adult Timeline
This timeline is similar to the Child timeline, except the Hero of Time's journey ends after the defeat of Ganon, he does not lose his fairy and the events of the twilight princess and four swords adventures does not happen.

The Era Without A Hero
Many years after the Hero of Time's victory, the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken and Ganondorf escaped from his imprisonment and with no hero to stop him, the goddesses flooded Hyrule, keeping Ganon and his army trapped in time beneath the water. The people of Hyrule then went on to build a new civilization on the surface of the Great Sea and, with the passing of time, largely forgot the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves. On Outset Island, a tradition emerged of having young boys wear the green garb of the Hero of Time for one day on their birthdays

The Era of the Great Sea - A-I. The Wind Waker
Ganon was revived and killed the two sages who prayed for the power of the master sword, so he could reach the surface. He built a base in the forsaken fortress and filled it with his dark army. He sought out all young girls with long, pointed ears, in hopes he would capture the descendant of Zelda. A young Link came of age to wear the Hero's Clothes on the same day that a giant bird kidnapped Link's sister, Aryll. Link joined with pirates and obtained the master sword in order to save her. He found out his pirate companion, Tetra, was the descendant of Princess Zelda and was able to defeat Ganon, but the king of Hyrule made a wish upon the triforce that Hyrule would be washed away.

The Era of the Great Voyage - A-II. Phantom Hourglass
After defeating Ganon, Link and Tetra set out on a new voyage. They reached the waters ruled by the Ocean King to investigate rumors about a mysterious Ghost Ship which had terrorized the ocean. The Ghost Ship appeared and Tetra jumped aboard and was taken away. Link obtained the Phantom hourglass and the Phantom Sword and finally defeated Bellum and saved Tetra.

The Era of Hyrule's Rebirth - A-III. Spirit Tracks
Tetra's pirates eventually landed on a new continent, where the Tower of Spirits stood tall over the landscape. She founded a new kingdom here, connected by the Spirit Tracks which ran across the land. Tetra decreed that her soldiers would wear a green uniform, like that worn by the Hero of Winds. A century after the kingdom's establishment, the rails began to disappear. Tetra's descendant, Princess Zelda, gave a Royal Engineer named Link a Recruit Uniform and joined him to investigate the Tower of Spirits. Link lived with Niko, the last remaining member of Tetra's pirate crew. Once they reached the top of the tower, Malladus was revived, and Link went into the Dark Realm in order to defeat him. Once Malladus was destroyed and Zelda returned to her body, the Lokomos departed into the heavens, their duty to protect Hyrule fulfilled.


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