I have seen a lot of really good Zelda theories. But, I’ve never seen one that connects the games very well. Here’s my theories on how the games connect and random other theories in each game. Some of the theories are my own, some are theories I’ve found that I believe.

Obviously, we’ll start with Ocarina of Time. I believe, as many do, that the timeline was split in two during this game. One timeline for what happened in the events where Link drew the Master Sword, defeated Ganon, and then Ganon being sealed in the Sacred Realm, therefore creating what’s known as “The Adult Timeline”. Then the other timeline where Link is returned to his present time, therefore created what is known as “The Child Timeline”.  There’s not much to say about this matter, the story/timeline is pretty straight forward.

The Child’s Timeline:
I believe that after Link was returned to his own time, the events that are known as Majora’s Mask are created. But, before I dwell into that, I’d like to go into what I believe happened in the time where he was returned, and his departure into the Lost Wood’s. I think Link, after accomplishing everything that occurred in OoT, started to become very depressed. He had done magnificent things to save the land of Hyrule, but no one, other than himself, would ever know what actually happened. Navi left him when he was returned to his time, and he had never made any other friends (or at least one’s that had recollection of what happened). So, Link was left alone and depressed. He ventured into the Lost Woods in search for a long lost “friend” (my guess would be Navi). What I believe happened is that Link became a Stalfos. It’s clearly stated in OoT that if anyone ventures in the Lost Woods without a fairy, they will become a Stalfos. I’ll go into this with a little more depth of what I think Majora’s Mask is all about. We start with the opening cut scene where Link is “dosing off” on Epona while wandering  the Woods. This, I think, is Link slowly subcoming to the Wood’s magic and on the verge of becoming a Stalfos. I believe that the first event of Link running into Skull Kid with Majora’s Mask actually happened, but nothing else. The rest of the events that happen in Majora’s Mask, I believe, are Link looking back on what happened in his life, but in a hallucinating manner. We enter Termina, a world that is stated to be a parallel universe to Hyrule in OoT, with many of the same people, and very similar places. I feel like the masks that are obtained in the game are actually Link’s conscious trying to find a happy place or trying to create another person to feel happy since Link feels like his heroic acts in OoT have gone unnoticed since everything after the meeting of Link and Zelda never happened. The rest of the game is Link dealing with the stages of denial and death (in this case, becoming a Stalfos). At the end of the game, Link is told by Tatl that they “both have gotten what they were after”. In this case, Link has finally accepted that, even though no one will ever know of his acts in OoT, that he is the reason Hyrule is safe, and that he can finally die without regrets. Skull Kid, also states at the end of MM to Link that, “I didn’t think they wanted to be friends with me. But, they hadn’t forgotten about me. Friends are a nice thing to have.” I feel that this is Link telling himself that some hadn’t forgotten about him (i.e Zelda, the sages, etc). He also says that Link, “Smells like a fairy boy who taught him that song in the woods”, therefore having someone else who hasn’t forgotten about the acts of kindness Link has done. So, in conclusion, I believe Link, after battling with himself, has come to terms with the events that have occurred, the fact that no one will remember him, but that he saved Hyrule, and is the reason everyone is safe.

Adult Timeline:
This is where I believe many people will completely disregard my theories, but here it goes. After Link pulls the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, another timeline is created. This timeline consists of Link freeing the Sages, defeating Ganon, and Ganon being sealed inside the Sacred Realm. I believe these events are the prequel to Twilight Princess. Many years have passed, decades, if not centuries, since OoT and Twilight Princess and the landscape of Hyrule has changed. Here is what I believed happened in the time that passed between the two games and what I believe are the same, and what has changed since the two games. First, I believe that Desert Colossus and The Arbiter’s Grounds are the same place. A couple similarities can make this valid. They are, obviously, both in the desert. Another is that in OoT a mirror is located near the boss room of Desert Colossus. I believe this to be the Mirror of Twilight from Twilight Princess. I believe that after Ganon was sealed in the Sacred Realm, the Sages held a trial against Ganon and that he was sentenced and punished by being sent into the Twilight Realm because, if you think about it, why would you keep Ganon in the Sacred Realm? In Twilight Princess, the Gerudo race is absent. My guess as to why is because, Ganon was the only male of the race. It’s stated that one male is born every century, therefore the only means of reproducing. If Ganon spent most of the time in the Twilight Realm/Sacred Realm, he would not be able to reproduce with any of the Gerudo, causing them to die out as a race. Another random thing I believe is that the boss in The Arbiter’s Grounds is actually the skeletal remains of Volvaga, cursed and resurrected by Ganon. As for the location of the Master Sword in Twilight Princess, I believe that the Royal Family had it moved. It’s theorized that the Forest Temple in OoT was actually a mansion, therefore making it probably the second largest structure in Hyrule, other than the Temples and Hyrule Castle. What I think happened is that the Royal Family had the Master Sword moved to the Forest Temple, which would explain why it is so close to the Lost Woods in Twilight Princess. It would also explain why you find the Master Sword in the Lost Woods in aLttP, which is theorized to occur after the events of OoT/TP. Now we move on to the events that occur in the game. Not much to say here, but I have some theories in regards to things in the game. I believe that the Fused Shadow and Majora’s Mask are the same artifact. Reasons to back this up is that both come from a tribe that is no longer in Hyrule. The Twili’s were banished to the Twilight Realm, and legend can become obscure over time. Another reason is that they are similar in appearance, especially the eye(s) of both masks. Another is that when you battle Majora’s Mask in the game, it bears remarkable resemblance to the Twili people. They, also, both give the wearer great powers. The last theory I’d like to discuss is that the Hero’s Shade from Twilight Princess is actually Link after he’s become a Stalfos in Majora’s Mask. The Hero’s Shade states that he is a ghost of a hero. He bears a striking resemblance to a Stalfos. He is also left handed, which most Link’s, including the one from Majora’s Mask, are. Also, his last words to Link are, “Go forth and do not falter, my child.” This could merely be the Hero’s Shade calling Link his student, but, I think that it’s a reference the Hero’s Shade is making that the Link of TP is a descendant of that Link.

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