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Episode 533: The Zelda Timeline (Patreon)

Published:
2023-05-08 11:00:03
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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Content

This week, we grab a big ol' can opener and open a big ol' can of worms—namely, the chronology that underlies the Legend of Zelda series. Does the timeline matter? Does it make sense? Was it a huge mistake for Nintendo to attempt to lock down the way each Zelda game relates to the others? Why is Zelda so horny? We answer all of these questions! Probably!

Participants: Jeremy, Stuart, Diamond, AND Nadia! Artwork: Greg Melo! Edits: Greg Leahy! Music:

06:27 - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Gerudo Valley (Remix)

16:55 - 30th Anniversary Concert: Ocarina Melodies Suite

27:14 - Breath of the Wild: 10,000 Year Legend

42:19 - Skyward Sword: Zelda's Lullaby | A Link to the Past: Seal of Seven Maidens

50:06 - Ocarina of Time: The Creation of Hyrule

1:01:42 - Wind Waker: Farewell Hyrule King

1:09:11 - Twilight Princess: Song of Healing

1:16:30 - Skyward Sword: Demise Battle

1:25:34 - Twilight Princess: Gerudo Desert

1:33:59 - Ocarina of Time: Temple of Time

Closing - Ocarina of Time: Staff Roll

Files

Comments

Dave Dalrymple

My one burning question before I click play: does the Official Nintendo Zelda Timeline explain the Tingle family?

Craig

Stu, as a rabid Dilcast fan I want to know if Snagglepuss or Homer will make an appearance on Retronauts. Great episode as usual everyone.

G

Just saw the Minish Cap Link in the art! Very cute!

Kormakur Gardarsson

I thought it was wonderful having Stuart on, as someone who didn’t take all this nonsense for granted!

Andrew O.

The death timeline is such a stupid conceit that it made me stop caring about the timeline altogether. There's no deeper description of it because it was an afterthought. If they want to put Ocarina of Time on such a pedestal then they need to remake it and include the lore that it supposedly deserves. (Directed by Miyazaki in my dreams.)

Virtual Balboa

I like to imagine most Zelda games are based on the same historical event from the pre-history era of a continent named Hyrule. Because this story was passed down orally for generations across numerous cultures, different eras and regions of Hyrule have different interpretations of that same story. We the player are experiencing games based on these different variations. The actual historical event? Maybe a young person went above and beyond defending their tribe/clan/village from an invader/betrayer overcoming the odds and was revered in their day. At that time the word for evil/disgusting was Grad-Nun, the word for mother/queen/peace was Sa-Hel-Dra, and the word hero/savior/greatness was La-Hinke. “But grandma! How did the Great Link defeat the Ganon to save the Zelda?” “Ummm...uh.... a sword... that... ummm... was magic?” “AMAZING!! The Great Link used a magic sword to defeat Ganon and save our Zelda! I can't wait to tell this story to my kids in a few years!” In my version of Hyrule, the reasoning between the different regional interpretations is actually more interesting than the story itself. And yes, I watched a LOT of History Channel, A&E, Discovery and TLC growing up.

Ciaran Magee

Stuart's Doctor Who rants really remind me of how the internet has ruined getting into anything. Can't just channel surf, or pick up a game that looks fun, or buy a random book. There's always the "optimal path". You know the best Zelda game to start with? The one you're interested in and motivated to play! Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. It doesn't really matter.

Frankie's Cauldron

Daring to make my comment 5 minutes in by saying I'm in New Jersey and cannot stand Dunkin donut.

Tall Rob

Jeremy's comment about terrible games you can't stop playing being the video game equivalent of Taco Bell stands in stark contrast to the "game loaf" concept developed by Kat and Bob during the Games That Never Clicked for Us episode. I look forward to more food-related game analogies on future episodes of Retronauts.

Pär Strindevall

Kamigami no Triforce 2 is indeed a sequel to Kamigami no Triforce.

GameBoyJames

As someone who has zero interest in trying to canonize a Zelda timeline, officially or otherwise, I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed this episode! At one point Stu asked a series of questions in an attempt to clarify which recurring characters were reincarnating and which were not, and the ultimate answer boiled down to "Ganon=Same Guy Every Time (as an incarnation of Demise), Zelda=Re-incarnation of Hylia, and Link=New Guy Every Time (minus direct sequels). This clarification was much needed, and certainly helped me wrap my head around a few elements here, but it led me to entertain a new theory: Link IS a reincarnation each time. A reincarnation inhabited by the spirit of the Legendary Hero. And that hero is the one additional character that is found in every Zelda game: You, the Player! You quite literally take possession of Link's body, govern all his actions, and are responsible for Ganon's repeated (and no doubt, humiliating) defeats. Certainly there's nothing in the text to suggest that this theory is the developer's intent, but it feels in keeping with Nintendo's general philosophy surrounding interaction and immersion.

TeamVenom

I'm with Stu on this one. The timeline stuff is kind of fun to think about, but when I'm playing the games I mostly ignore the lore and just do what the Owl tells me to do.

Michael Sanchez

The thing that confuses me in in a Link between worlds you fight old man Link. So does that mean there are two people that are the reincarnation of the legendary hero?

Jeffrey P

Putting the Zelda games in chronological order makes as much sense as putting all the Batman films in one timeline.

Wood Duck [Legacy Edition]

Am I the only one who finds Ganondorf a really pitiable character? A Bad Dude warlock in one lifetime and now inseperably shackled to a natural force of evil that cannot change its nature. It'd be like getting turned into a storm god and forced to endure destroying lives etc repeatedly forever. I like the idea of Ganondorf and Zelda being incarnations of magical opposites (evil and good) whereas Link and courage isn't a divine force but something that common mortals must be/produce themselves.