Is Breath of the Wild in the Same Timeline? A Deep Dive into Zelda’s Temporal Conundrum
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The short answer? It’s complicated. While Breath of the Wild (BotW) initially seemed to merge the fragmented Zelda timelines, the release of Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) has thrown that assumption into considerable doubt. The truth is far more nuanced and open to interpretation than a simple yes or no. The events of BotW and TotK take place at the end of all three timelines, converging the series after the split following Ocarina of Time. Whether this convergence is a true unification or a new timeline entirely is a subject of much debate among Zelda enthusiasts. TotK introduces elements that challenge the established lore, potentially creating a separate timeline.
The Fragmented Past: Understanding the Zelda Timeline
Before diving into BotW’s place (or lack thereof) in the timeline, it’s crucial to understand its tumultuous history. The release of Hyrule Historia officially acknowledged the split timeline, a consequence of the hero’s actions in Ocarina of Time. This resulted in three distinct branches:
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The Child Timeline: Where Link returns to his childhood after defeating Ganondorf. Games like Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess fall here.
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The Adult Timeline: Where Link is absent, and Hyrule is flooded. The Wind Waker and its sequels are part of this timeline.
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The Fallen Hero Timeline: Where Link fails to defeat Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time, leading to the events of games like A Link to the Past and the original The Legend of Zelda.
For years, fans meticulously pieced together clues, debated theories, and created intricate charts to map out the timeline. Then came Breath of the Wild, which seemed to throw everything into disarray.
BotW: A Convergence Point?
BotW is filled with references to previous games from all three timelines. Names like Ruto, Rauru, and Nabooru appear as the names of the Champions, and locations like the Lanayru Wetlands point back to specific events and characters from across the Zelda universe. This led to the prevailing theory that BotW was the culmination of all three timelines, where they somehow converged after countless cycles of reincarnation and conflict. The game’s manual even refers to it as being in the “distant past.”
However, the specific mechanics of this convergence were never explicitly explained. Was it a literal merging of timelines, or did the events of the past simply echo and influence the future in a cyclical manner? The ambiguity was part of the game’s charm, allowing players to interpret the timeline in their own way.
The Tears of the Kingdom Twist: A New Branch?
Tears of the Kingdom takes the timeline conundrum to a whole new level. While presented as a direct sequel to BotW, it introduces elements that contradict established lore and raise serious questions about its placement within the existing timeline.
The most significant factor is the origin story of Hyrule itself, presented in flashbacks that feature a very different version of the kingdom’s history. These events don’t easily align with the established timelines.
This has led many to believe that TotK might be the start of an entirely new timeline, branching off from the “converged” point of BotW. The heavy influence of the Zonai, a new race with powerful abilities, also plays a role in reshaping the Hyrulean landscape and lore. The inclusion of time travel and the impact on history further complicates matters.
The Official Stance (or Lack Thereof)
Nintendo has been notoriously vague about the Zelda timeline. While they released Hyrule Historia with an official timeline, they have since downplayed its importance, emphasizing that the games can be enjoyed independently. Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Zelda series, has even stated that the timeline is more of a “historical record” for the development team, rather than a strict rulebook for storytelling. Nintendo’s reluctance to definitively place BotW and TotK solidifies the debate.
Embracing the Ambiguity
Ultimately, whether BotW and TotK belong to a merged timeline or a brand-new one is up for interpretation. The Zelda series has always been about exploration, adventure, and creating your own experience. The timeline is just another layer of that experience, allowing players to delve into the lore, connect the dots, and form their own conclusions.
The very idea of a fixed timeline is a difficult concept given the series’ history. The Games Learning Society and other academic organizations could engage in analyzing the series’ narrative structures and player interpretations. You can visit the GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the study of games.
Perhaps the best way to approach the Zelda timeline is not as a rigid structure but as a collection of interconnected stories, each adding to the rich tapestry of Hyrulean history.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where does Breath of the Wild fit in the timeline?
Initially believed to be the convergence point of all three timelines, BotW’s placement is now debated due to the events of TotK, which potentially created a new, separate timeline.
2. Is Breath of the Wild the latest game in the Zelda timeline?
Chronologically, yes. However, its position as the definitive end of the timeline is questionable.
3. Is Breath of the Wild part of the Child Timeline?
Not definitively. It contains elements from all three timelines, making a specific categorization difficult.
4. Are all Zelda games in the same timeline?
No. Ocarina of Time caused a split into three timelines. While BotW was thought to have merged them, TotK has muddied the waters.
5. Do the Zelda timelines merge?
BotW initially suggested a merge, but TotK’s events imply a possible new timeline split or continuation beyond the merged point.
6. Which Zelda game was 10,000 years before BotW?
The tapestry that shows the first Great Calamity refers to the original emergence of Calamity Ganon, 10,000 years before the events of Breath of the Wild. This would make BotW set many years after the other Zelda games.
7. How many years have passed in Tears of the Kingdom?
Tears of the Kingdom takes place approximately 5-10 years after Breath of the Wild. The character differences aren’t major enough to warrant a decade of time passing, but children have grown up during this time.
8. Does Tears of the Kingdom break the timeline?
It could be argued that TotK breaks the existing timeline by introducing a new origin story of Hyrule that doesn’t easily align with previous lore. This may indicate the start of a new timeline.
9. Is Link the same person in every game?
No. The series spans thousands of years in Hyrule’s history, so each version of Link is a different person, sometimes a descendant or a spiritual reincarnation.
10. Is the Triforce mentioned in Breath of the Wild?
The Triforce plays no part in the main storyline of BotW, though it appears in various places and manifests itself on Zelda’s hand in the battle against Calamity Ganon.
11. Is the Zelda timeline canon?
Nintendo has downplayed the strict canonicity of the timeline, emphasizing that the games can be enjoyed independently.
12. How do the Zelda timelines converge?
The specific mechanics of the convergence remain unexplained, leading to various fan theories. One theory suggests that all timelines led to the same outcome as events of the past echo and influence the future in a cyclical manner.
13. How is Zelda alive in Tears of the Kingdom?
Zelda is sent to the distant past, to the time of the founding of the Kingdom of Hyrule, where she witnesses the events leading to Ganondorf’s first sealing.
14. Did Link fight Ganon 100 years ago?
Link was meant to lead an army against Calamity Ganon 100 years ago, however he failed to protect Zelda and fell in battle, and had to be revived in the Shrine of Resurrection 100 years later. Zelda then held back Calamity Ganon for the next 100 years.
15. Who defeated Ganon 10000 years ago?
10,000 years ago, Calamity Ganon was defeated by an army of Guardians, four Divine Beasts, a princess with the blood of the Goddess, and her hero of time, as chosen by the Master Sword.