Although the series began in 1986, it wasn’t until 2011 that the NYT bestseller Hyrule Historia released a reliable timeline for fans to base Hyrule’s history on. The timeline starts at Skyward Sword and trickles down thousands of years to Breath of the Wild. Moreover, the timeline contains all mainline Legend of Zelda titles along with a split that causes fans and onlookers alike to scratch their heads. All non-canon or otherwise ‘spinoff games’ such as Hyrule Warriors were not acknowledged. Throughout the timeline, there are many different ‘eras’ which usually refer to periods a game took place, wars, and massive geographical contrasts.
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Heaven and Earth Created and the Sky Era
After the world and the Triforce were created by the three Golden Goddesses Din, Farore, and Nayru, they left their creations, including Hylians and the Triforce under the protection of the Goddess Hylia. Hylia and everything she sought to protect immediately became endangered by the Demon King Demise, who had a longing desire to take the Triforce and its power. Demise and his army approached Hylia by force and destroyed everything in their way. Hylia then removed humans from the Surface and took them to an island in the Sky for thousands of years. This safe haven would be called Skyloft. While humans lived in prosperity above the clouds, Hylia battled Demise, ultimately imprisoning him. Hylia had suffered fatal wounds during the fight but came up with an intricate plan after she realized Demise would someday escape. These plans included messages, items, and trials for a chosen hero to abide by.
Skyward Sword being first in the timeline is imperative, as the game thoroughly explains how Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf’s reincarnations came to be and why. The primary takeaway in Skyward Sword is that Zelda and Ganondorf are the reincarnations of the Goddess Hylia and the Demon King Demise. Upon defeating Demise, he foreshadows what to expect in future generations; “An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time“.
When Demise is defeated, the Hylians return to their rightful place on the surface. During an era of prosperity, the Hylians established the Kingdom of Hyrule. Throughout the Force Era, both The Minish Cap and Four Swords occur – both games centered on the primary villain, Vaati.
The Era of the Hero of Time and the Split
During the Hyrulean Civil War, another Link was born. This portion creates a critical section of the timeline that ultimately caused the complex split; the Era of the Hero of Time, better known as Ocarina of Time. Right before the end credits, Princess Zelda is wretched with guilt for causing Link to miss out on years of his life to help her bring peace back to Hyrule. To alleviate her guilt and say her thanks to Link, she sends him back in time with the Ocarina of Time. Zelda unknowingly caused the timeline split, where there are three versions of Hyrule’s destiny.
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Two of the splits in the timeline fall under The Hero is Triumphant which Link is victorious in defeating Ganondorf. These two splits have their corresponding names, the Child Era and the Adult Era, both contrasting due to whether Zelda sends Link back in time or not. The Child Era is the ending players experience at the end of Ocarina of Time, Link is sent back as a child and defeats Ganondorf by warning the royal family before chaos ensues, causing the Sacred Realm to be protected while Ganondorf awaits execution.
The Child Era
The Child Era spawns three games: Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and Four Sword’s Adventures. Majora’s Mask is the sequel to Ocarina of Time, which follows the Hero of Time once more. Over a century later, Twilight Princess takes place during the Twilight Era. The Shadow invasion begins, ending in Link saving Hyrule from this devastating conflict between parallel dimensions and stabbing Ganondorf to death.
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The Adult Era
The Adult Era spawns the alternate ending to Ocarina of Time where Zelda does not send Link back in time, and Ganondorf’s defeated by being sealed in the Sacred Realm. During the Adult Era, a long era known as the Era Without a Hero takes place where no Link is in sight, Ganondorf’s resurrected, and Hyrule is flooded. Three games occur afterward: The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks. In The Wind Waker, Link kills Ganondorf. Then comes the Era of the Great Voyage, where another continent is discovered, and the new Hyrule Kingdom is founded, followed by Hyrule’s rebirth during Spirit Tracks.
The Hero is Defeated
The third split in the timeline is known as: The Hero is Defeated, caused by the Hero of Time’s death. With the King of Thieves overruling victoriously, this leads to the decline of Hyrule and the last hero. The Imprisoning War begins, and the Era of Light and Dark occurs, A Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening, Oracle of Ages, and Oracle of Seasons. The Era of Darkness transpires with The Legend of Zelda and The Adventure of Link, where Ganon is resurrected and also prevented.
Breath of the Wild is far below the rest of the games chronologically and lore-wise. Moreover, its story ensues during the Era of Calamity, and Ganon is sealed.
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