The Legend of Zeldahas been one of Nintendo’s longest-running franchises since its NES debut in 1986. Each new game is responsible for introducing new characters and lore into the fantasy world of Hyrule. However, the variety of each game’s connection to each other has led to much confusion and contradiction in the official series timeline.
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Nintendo has since made many attempts to rectify theZeldatimeline, from new titles likeThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordto official source material likeHyrule Historia. Many fans who are knowledgeable about the franchise have found these even more confusing. These six retcons are amongst the biggest debates in theZeldacommunity.
6The Creation Of The Master Sword
Link’s signature weapon throughout the series has been the Master Sword, a blade often found stuck in a pedestal for him to retrieve. At varying times, the Master Sword’s pedestal has been located in sacred temples or maze-like forests, but its overall purpose in vanquishing Hyrule of evil has always remained consistent in the series.
The sword’s origins, however, are less straightforward.A Link to the Pastfor SNES stated that the Master Sword was created by Hylians after the Triforce fell into the wrong hands.Skyward Swordrevised this history, making the Master Sword a creation of the goddess Hylia and used by the very first Link in the timeline.
5The Seven Wise Men
A Link to the Pastis the source of many other retcons in theZeldatimeline. Prior to the events of that game, a group of Seven Wise Men was said to have sealed Ganon away in another realm to protect Hyrule. However, the true identities of these “wise men” are exploredin the Nintendo 64 titleOcarina of Time.
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As it turns out, some of the Seven Wise Men aren’t actually men at all. Renamed the Seven Sages, these important figures come to Link’s aid after Ganon takes over Hyrule.Twilight Princessrevises this again, making the sages identical figures who sentence Ganondorf to death after the events ofOcarina, though Ganondorf frees himself and kills one of them.
4Origin Of The Kokiri
The Kokiri made their debut inOcarina of Timeas a race of elves living in the Kokiri Forestunder the watchful guidance of the Great Deku Tree. Link initially believes himself to be one of them, until learning of his true destiny as a Hylian and the Hero of Time. The game makes a particular distinction that the Kokiri and Hylians are different races.
However,The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia, released in 2017 as the third in the “Goddess Collection” trilogy, retcons this. It states that long ago, the KokiriwereHylians who decided to live closer to nature. This makes Link’s lack of acceptance by the Kokiri community to be confusing, as they’re all essentially Hylians who have just been raised by the Deku Tree.
3Skull Kid Created Termina
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskhas been one of the most difficult-to-place games in theZeldatimeline. Although the events occur directly afterOcarina of Time, Link spends most of the game adventuring in a world called Termina. This parallel world to Hyrule makes no appearance in any futureZeldatitle, often in place of a Dark World or Twilight Realm.
Again, this was clarified by the Encyclopedia, which states that Termina was actually created in the mind of the Skull Kid after he came into possession of the titular mask. This draws a lot of questions, such as Link’s role in the game and how he entered the Skull Kid’s imagination. It’s also stated thatTermina ceased to exist once Link defeated the Mask.
2The Rito-Zora Connection
The Rito first debuted inThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, as a tribe of humanoid bird-like people. It’s also revealed inThe Wind Wakerthat the Rito are descendants of the amphibian Zoras, who had previously appeared in manyZeldatitles, includingOcarina of Time. However, both races appear together in 2017’sBreath of the Wild.
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The Rito’s appearance also varies greatly inBreath of the Wild. WhileThe Wind Wakerkept them mostly human, except for beaks and wings, the Rito inBreath of the Wildmore closely resemble birds. It’s unclear if that game is completely retconning the connection between the two races, or ifit’s implying they both co-existedbeforeThe Wind Waker.
1The Sheikah Tribe
Another retcon courtesy ofBreath of the Wildrelates to the Sheikah Tribe. Prior to that game,the only known member of the Sheikah Tribe was Impa, Princess Zelda’s guardian inOcarina of TimeandSkyward Sword.Ocarinaspecifically mentions that the Sheikah were wiped out during the Hyrulean Civil War.
InBreath of the Wild, however, the Sheikah are alive and well. Particularly, they’re an advanced civilization in possession of incredible technology, such as Link’s Sheikah Slate he uses throughout the game. Impa still appears in the game as an old woman who guides Link to save Zelda, whilethe rest of the tribe mainly resides in Kakariko Village.
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