#everything here is oot except for midna. obviously

[thorntopieces]

Attempt at explaining the LoZ timeline soup

Every time I look at the Loz time-crossword-puzzle (credit to this video by Chase Kip for the term) I just get more and more confused. ToTK did not help on that front.

But I had a thought - and I haven't watched many theory videos on the timeline after ToTK came out, so it is very possible someone has already discussed this exact idea. In that case, please ignore this post lmao.

Second disclaimer: I haven't played a lot of ToTK yet simply because I haven't had the time. I know a bit of the lore from watching others play it, but uhhh ... don't expect perfect accuracy.

I'll put this under a read more, because who knows how long it's going to be and how many shitty illustrations I might have to add in. I also have like,,, no proof of my idea except what popped into my brain.

Update: 750 words and two images under the "keep reading". Image IDs are provided. No grammar checking has been done.

Basically, my thought is that the entire timeline as we know it, y'know, this one:

[Image ID: picture of the Legend of Zelda Timeline depicted on page 69 of The Hyrule Historia. It shows the typical timeline split after Ocarina of Time into the Downfall, Adult and Child timelines. End Image ID] Source

Yeah, I think this timeline still checks out. Obviously, the version I'm showing here ignores some games (most importantly, my favourite: A Link Between Worlds) but that's alright.

Basically, my thought was that if we take all the fun new games that just ruin whatever remnants of timeline we had left (read: BoTW, AoC, ToTK and Hyrule Warriors) and uhh. Let's create a semi-pocket dimension with them. All of those exist together in their own fun little loop now. Imagine the original timeline as a bed and we just drape my fun BoTW-AoC-ToTk-HW blanket over the bed. Let it lay on top.

At the top of the bed, by the pillow is Skyward Sword. We let Skyward Sword play out and BAM! They're working on establishing the Kingdom of Hyrule on the Surface. At the same time we can have Rauru (the King, not the Sage) and Sonia establish the Kingdom of Hyrule on ... well, the Surface. But since BoTW-AoC-ToTk-HW is a blanket laying on top of the bed, these two Kingdoms of Hyrule don't really interact.

And so the established timeline moves as normal, like we have the Minish Cap and Four Swords and everything is going great. But Ah! Actually Everything Isn't That Great because now we've got Hyrule Warriors happening on the blanket. A big war requires big help, yeah? Well, so what I failed to tell you is that this blanket is ... kind of in need of repair. It's got some thinner areas in the weave here and there and a couple of actual holes. Time kind of doesn't really progress during this war, so let's say that the Hyrule Warriors war lasts ... from around ish around the start of Ocarina of Time through the bottom of the conventional timeline (after Spirit Tracks, Four Swords Adventures and Whatever Is At The Bottom of Downfall).

The holes in the blanket are where we get the interdimensional travel through. Young Link? Yeah he was just temporarily dragged through a hole in the blanket from OoT/MM to aid in this war. Twili Midna? Same thing, just snatched out of the Twili Realm. Ravio? Sure! Snatch him up too. During the time where they're fighting in the war, time doesn't really pass in the normal timeline, and they probably don't remember much of the war afterwards once they've been returned to their original time and place. Think of it like a full body, skill and personality scan of them being done and that copy being dumped into Hyrule Warriors.

And then peaceful times happen and an indeterminate amount of time happens after Hyrule Warriors. Maybe because time passed so slowly during it (a couple of years at most, I think someone said 7 once?) while the normal timeline progressed by thousands of years, it's now catching up and a lot of time passes. Then we get AoC.

Well, you see, this blanket is actually quite fucked. We're getting closer to the bottom of the bed and this blanket has been mauled. There are now two strips of blanket, not just one cohesive blanket. On one side, AoC happens and everything is great, and on the other, BoTW Link falls in battle and takes a long feckin nap. Then he goes and does Breath of the Wild, gets a moment of peace. Then, ToTK.

And bam, we're back at the top of the bed with Skyward Sword and ToTK and it starts all over again.

Makes sense? Eh, probably not so much.

How about a (shitty) visual depiction:

[Image ID: a low-opacity image of the IGN Legend of Zelda timeline. There is handwritten text on top of the image. Between Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time is written "Tears Of The Kingdom + Peace Era" in dark blue. All the other games are encircled in a dark-blue outlined square. Inside this square is written "This Is All Just Hyrule Warriors". At the bottom of the square is a cutout, where a mini timeline has been drawn. The timeline splits into two. The left side says "AoC" and the right side says "BoTW" and then "ToTK". End Image ID] Original Image Source

Anyways, those are my silly little thoughts.

[yume2kke]

zeldar…. + au where young sheik joins link on the jaurney to termeena

[willie-ily]

I gotta admit though, somewhere in there my brain skipped all the way over the fma/loz crossover and went straight to fma/loz fusion. Ed is Link, Winry is Zelda, Midna is herself, Al is either Impa or Ilia depending on the specific game,

OK HERE WE GO

(Forewarning that I've only played BotW and SS so far)

TP

OK I know you said Ed/link, al/illia, mid/mid, win/zeld. But I propose: Ed is Link, Al is Zelda (long lost bothers. Hmmm they're long lost brothers).

Winry is Illia. Mostly because of the blond, your horse is my horse, holy wow how do you manage to get that injured, i loves you stop being stupid, I'm the smart braincell in this relationship, sort of vthing. (no I don't ship Link/illia. But I DO ship Edwin.)

Greedling is actually Midna. I'd SAY just Ling.... but uh. Nah. Greedling.

OOT

Al is Link. Ed is Navi. Just bc AL is the whole "holy shit i'm in the wrong goddamn body (except said in more Al terms)." And just, Ed micromanaging everything Al does and worrying a Lot.

Winry is Zelda/sheik. (Trans Winry...... anybody? Anybody???).

...The question is where the F Ed went after oot. HM.

MM

Al is link. mmmmmmm Al angst yummy. I'm thinking like a Conqueror of Shamballa Al endgame. Except he's even more fucked up.

SS

Ed is link, all is zelda. They're both sons of Gaepora (who is actually Trishi. Who, yes, Is alive here. Trisha was the wife of Hohenheim, who is hylia. So both al and ed are the sons of a god) No, they don't have any special magical powers because of that.

Ghirahim is envy. Honestly i feel like Pride fits Ghirahim's character more. But the Vibe just doesn't match At All. So envy

Demise is Father, ofc.

Scar is impa.

I have NO??? idea who Fi would be. Nothing Matches, grrrrr

WW

This one THIS IS MY FAV. I am Literally In Love with it.

Ed is Link, All is aryll. Al is kidnapped and Ed goes on journey to snatch him back. Granny Pinako is the Grandma.

Roy is lineback. Sad, exhausted, stinky pirate Roy, my love.

Winry is zelda. I feel like nothing more needs to be said.

HMMMM I LOVE IT

FS and MC

hmm just gonna say Al goes on a couple little adventures without telling Ed....

BotW

Ed is Link, Winry is zelda, uhhhh Al is........ uh????????

IDK im not really feeling this one. The vibes just, aren't connecting

LA

HMMMM gonna say Hohenheim is link and Marin is Trisha. Buckle up for some ANGST y'all.

HW

Link is Roy obviously, Riza is zelda Obviously, and OBVIOUSLY there's some tragic backstory where Maes dies in Roys arms in the middle of the battlefield.

And then like, everyone else is just taken for their games I guess. OOT Winry, MM Al, TP Greeling, WW Ed and Winry, LA Trisha, SS (FI) and Envy, etc, etc, etc.