Hyrule History is still a Mystery

For the 25 anniversary of the Legend of Zelda, Nintendo released an extensive History of Hyrule and was published by Dark Horse Comics. Not to long after the initial release, the English speaking world was able to get our hands on what could be called, the greatest history book of all time!

 

The purpose of Hyrule Historia was to finally come out and tell every person who had worked rigorously to try and create a legit and fulfilling timeline of the Zelda games that they can now give up because salvation is here. I mean these people worked hard and had amazing and complex explanations, and then Nintendo decided to come out and screw over all of these hard working 40 year old virgins that have way to much time on there hands.

 

Now let it be known that I am not forty, so my nerdiness may be slightly excused. And this is not a new, opposing timeline theory, but this is simply a commentary on some of the problems with what Nintendo released.

If you didn't realize this before, or even if you have, you probably are thinking, "WTF Nintendo. What's wrong with you! Why can't you do anything right!?!" In response let me tell you this. Nintendo has never had a timeline planned. They randomly created stories around the general theme of Zelda. The only Chronology they have had were direct sequels and some loose connections with Ocarina of Time. You can look at early explanations of the Timeline that Nintendo released near the beginning while there were only four games out, and it does not suggest the idea Nintendo tells us now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inconsistencies in Sword Mythology

The Changing Sword

• Master Sword (In Manga)
• Goddess Sword
• Master Sword
• Pickori Blade
• Four Sword
• Master Sword again
• Four Sword Again

 

How and why is it that the supposed legendary blade

Underwent so many different changes with powers and

Different background lore. One could think that these

were just different blades altogether. One could also

believe that these are all the same blade. Which is what

The Official Nintendo Zelda History suggests. However,

with this thought we run into a lot of problems.

In the Manga in "Hyrule Historia," the Goddess Hylia

Brings the blade forged by the gods, the Master Sword.

This Sword was made to be Evil's Bane. However, the blade

First needed to be reformed by mortals in order to be used.

(We'll get back to that point in a moment)

In Skyward sword, there is the Goddess Sword that

eventually turns into the Master Sword, but no explanation

as to how this transformation happened from Master Sword

to Goddess Sword before the Events in Skyward Sword but

still after the Manga.

In Minish cap, the Legendary Blade was called the

Pickori blade. No mention of the name master sword

In Four Sword, the blade is named Four Sword, with no

Mention of an item called the "Master Sword" again.

Then In Ocarina of Time, the blade is finally named the

"Master Sword." With two games and hundreds of years

in-between.

Then later on in the chronology the "Four Sword" comes

up as if nothing ever happened.

 

Solution Theories For the Screwed Up Sword

 

First we will start with the "evidence" that suggests how these blades cannot be different items.

• The Pickori Blade cannot be said to be anything other than the Master Sword. At the Beginning of "Minish Cap" the legend of the origin of the Blade is told and fits a general profile of the Master Sword descending to the Surface.
• The Four Sword can be called the Master Sword because Four Swords is the direct sequel (according to the Official Timeline) to Minish Cap. So Link would use the same blade to defeat Vaati again.

Now the problems. If these are all the same, why is it that they have different powers and properties from each other.

1. Bringing up the story in the Manga again, about how The Master Sword had to be reformed by mortals so it could be used. Perhaps somewhere in-between the vast amount of years that segregates the games, someone or something reformed the Blade into a new fashion making it a new type of blade. That would explain why at the beginning of Skyward Sword, the Master Sword was not fully at it's potential. Being called the Goddess Sword.
2. You could say that different Links unlock different properties in the Sword. Even comparing games that use the Master Sword you can see this. In Skyward Sword it could shoot Sword Beams and it could douse for items. In Ocarina of Time it was able to make an "Energy Slash" with the spin attack. In Wind Waker it was able to break the barrier separating Gannon's Tower from Hyrule Castle. 

The problem with A is that at the end of the Child Timeline, the Four Sword comes back up again, and the problem with B is that there is no explanation for why the Master Sword was not at it full potential and being called the Goddess Sword at start.

Inconsistences with Landscapes and Cities

1. Great Deku Tree
2. Temple of Time/Temple of Goddess
3. Castle Town
4. Sacred Grove

These are all really important places in Legend of Zelda Mythos, but why are they always moving and even changing their purpose? As said before, Nintendo did not think through these problems, mainly because they were not important to them. They knew that these games were linked together in some fashion of chronology, but each game was more of a reimagining than it was a continuation of a story. This is why all of these memorable areas changed locations, and even purposes, from game to game. If Hyrule was to be static throughout the saga, then it would eventually become bland.

Now let's try to look at these as clearly as possible. I'll start with describing Ocarina of Time. I will use this as the centerboard since this is the most well know game. In Ocarina of Time, The Temple of Time is located near the market area of Castle Town. The deity of the Great Deku Tree is located in the forest which is, theoretically, miles away from the Castle. Lastly, the Sacred Grove is nowhere to be found, or even mentioned.

In Skyward Sword, the Castle Town is not yet founded because there is no kingdom (but I did not need to mention that did I).There is no deity of the Great Deku Tree. And the Temple of the Goddess is located in the sky but descends to the surface in the wooded areas of the Sealed Grounds.

 

In Twilight Princess there is no deity of the Great Deku Tree. The Temple of Time is located in the wooded providence, as only ruins. Link travels through time in order to enter into the Ancient Temple of Time so that he may retrieve the Master Sword. Hyrule Castle is located far away from the forest still.

In Wind Waker the deity of the Great Deku Tree Sprout lives. There is no Sacred Grove, or any resemblance. The Castle is located deep under the Great Sea, with the Master Sword held inside. 

Solution for the Mix-up

In the manga of Hyrule Historia, which sets off the entire "Legend of Zelda" the Goddess Hylia brings the Master Sword to her people, it is used to fight off evil and as the source of power that sends the land of Skyloft into the air. In Skyloft the Sword rests in the Statue of the Goddess. After the island holding the Statute of the Goddess descends, the Sword is placed back into the Statue.

This states as a literal and symbolic sealing on the evil that was the Demon King Demise. With this important symbol, you could assume that the Master Sword was to always remain in this location when it is to remain idle. There is another idea that could be said about this, and I will touch on that in a moment.

Okay, so we are going to say that the Master Sword always remains in the same location. Starting with the Temple of the Goddess. That eventually faded away with time, and the Temple of Time was built in its place by the Sage Rauru.

On the Adult Timeline, after Ocarina of Time, since Hyrule Castle was destroyed during the final fight between Link and Gannon, the Castle needed to be rebuilt. With that being the fact, they should have built it over the Temple of Time. Fearing hat an Evil might arise again it would make since to built the mostly impenetrable Castle around the dwelling of the Legendary Blade. And this is were Link finds it in WindWaker, in the basement of the Castle. And that is the last time the Master Sword appears on that side of he timeline.

Now on the Child Timeline side, the Master Sword, during Twilight Princess, is found in The Sacred Grove. As you find out in the Story, that Sacred Grove turns out to be the remains of the Temple of Time. The Sacred Grove here lays in the Forest. You might assume that this is just where the Temple once stood, However there is no Castle. And there is evidence that these woods are the same as the Lost Woods. There is a Very Large Tree, which inside contains the Forest Temple. This could be the remnant of the Great Deku Tree Sprout. If that is so, then how is the Master Sword so close to the Forest. It could not be, simply put.

I am going to try to keep this clear, but to settle this particular subject about the Sword, I now need to cover the problems with The Great Deku Tree. As we know, the Great Deku Tree exists in the Forest. The  "Huge'' Tree in Twilight Princess exists in the Forest but does not exist as a Deity, or any strong evidence that it is the Deku Tree Sprout. Also, in Skyward Sword there is a great Tree that exists on the Forest. It is said that people would come to the tree to receive blessings. With that lore that exists, during or before the time of Skyward Sword, it is shown that this tree was divine. So this might be the Deku Tree before it evolved into a deity. It is also in close relation to where the Sword rested. However He does not exists close to the Castle in Ocarina of Time. The only explanation that fits our restrictions would be that these are not related to the Deku Tree in any way other than coincidental, visual similarity. The Great Deku Tree must have just been created at a later point in time to protect the region just like the governing spirits in Twilight Princess.

Now we have it explained that the Great Deku exists in only two games, Ocarina of Time and WindWaker. The forests in the different games, are different forests altogether, which have grown up and been torn down several times. And so there is nothing that hurts our idea that the Master Sword always remains in the same place when idle. Also it should be said that the Sacred Grove is just where any Temple that the Sword was housed in that has fallen around.

I hope that was clear enough to follow.

What else is brewing

We've covered the main problems and probably the most interesting subjects, but let us go over a few more inconsistencies just for fun.

What's with the Triforce? The Deities? The Spirits? The Goddesses? And that other Triangle?

Okay, the Golden Goddesses created the world, each one played a different role in creation. Upon there, assumed, permanent withdrawal, the Triune Triangles were left behind. Now I am sure that during their creation process they created the different governing Deities, but why were their so many different Spirits and Divine Beings through out the games. Almost all of these beings clam to be appointed by the gods long ago. So…. Why were they not around at the beginning of History.

Were they created later on in the Legend? But wait, I thought the Goddesses withdrew from the world and let it rock to its own beat. So did all of these powerful guys and gals just have these ridiculous complexes? Here's one idea: perhaps these beings evolved from a former state into these elevated states, acquiring the enlightenment of their divinely appointed purpose. Perhaps this could be it: the Deities in this universe do not exists as we might believe a god would. These lesser gods may be mortal. And after their death they are reborn into a new existence. However those things cannot be explained, nor are they very pertinent.

Now what is that fourth triangle everyone is stalking about. There is a pretty popular theory out there about the "Teraforce" alright, if you didn't know the Triforce was named that for a reason, then you are pretty retarded. 'Tri" means three, so "Tetra" means four. You can see on the Hylian shield, that there is another triangle placed under the Royal Crest of the big red bird. (which by the way, is linked to the big red Lifting Link flew in Skyward Sword) This triangle is pointing downward, as if it could fit into the empty area between the Triangles of the Triforce.

The Tetraforce Theory

Before Skyward Sword was released, this theory did not seem very valid because everything could be explained away. Let me mention that first. Like I said, people believed that this separate triangle

represented another God. Trying to explain this thought they looked for other gods they could relate it to.

The Goddess of the Sand:

We all know about the mysterious Statue of the Temple in the Desert of the Gerudos. They claimed that this was the hidden goddess. However, why would the Gerudo tribe know of it's existence and not the Great Deku Tree himself. It could be explained away as just some idol that they invented or more likely it is the Goddess of Power Din. This makes a lot of sense seeing as how Gannondorf was accepted as the chosen one of Power.

The Goddess of Time:

During Majora's mask, once Link retrieves his ocarina from Skull Kid, he remembers Zelda telling him as he leaves Hyrule "Call on the Goddess of Time when you are in need and she will guide you" or something of the sort. However, this easily could be understood as the Goddess of Law, Nayrau, who created the laws of reality.

The Fierce Deity:

This is not a theory I have read but it is one I have entertained. The Fierce Deity is a character one taps into in Majora's Mask. Now this is not very plausible but it could be reasoned that the missing counter part of the Triforce should be a male. However, how could an almighty god be contained inside a humble mask.

The goddess Hylia:

Now with the release of Skyward Sword this theory has a chance to survive. The goddess Hylia is someone that we never knew until this game. Although we never hear anything about this Goddess, it would make since that at least a small Triangle would remain through the ages. Now this small golden triangle is not a physical object, but a representation about the importance or even power of the Goddess of the chosen People. Also, at the beginning of Manish Cap, the opening scene talks about the Sword brought from the sky, and the Light Force, which is shown to be one Triangle.

Conclusion

I could go on and on about these Zelda topics, but I want to stop here. As I have said, I hope this was clear, and semi-easy to follow. So now that you know Nintendo is just making it up as they go along, and that they now have a fully canonical document that cannot be superseded, does not mean that the theories that we create are unimportant. In fact, it is quite on the contrary. Our theories are more important than ever. Because we, the avid fans of this series, are no longer responsible to create the bias of the narrative flow anymore, now we are responsible for fixing Nintendo's short comings with their continuity. The game was made for us, and we'll play it how ever we want.