The Legend of Zelda’s timeline is as intricate as it is interesting. While recent updates have clarified the picture a bit, situating Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom as standalone stories From previous installments, there are certain events that have been repeated with disastrous results. In particular, the role of Cloudking of Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom, refers to a previous strategy that also had tragic consequences.
In one of the past timelines of the saga, Rauru, known for being one of the Seven Sages in Ocarina of Time, also attempted to seal Ganondorf, similar to what we see in TOTK. However, That plan triggered a dark era for Hyrule.
Understanding the ramifications of timelines in Zelda
It all starts with Skyward Sword, where Link and Zelda defeat the Herald of Death. After this event, the Hylians descend to the surface and they founded the kingdom of Hyrule. However, the Herald of Death is reborn as Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time. From there, the chronology of the saga is branches into three possible timelinesdepending on Link’s success in his mission against Ganondorf.
If Link fails to stop Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce, this creates the “Hero is Defeated” storyline, which leads to the series of wars and tragedies we see in titles like A Link to the Past and the original The Legend of Zelda. If Link triumphs in his youth, however, this creates the “Hero Triumphant: Childhood Age” storyline, which leads to games like Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess. Finally, the “Adult Age” storyline begins with Link’s adult victory, connecting titles like The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.
Rauru: His role in other timelines
In Tears of the Kingdom, Rauru is the first king of Hyrule and a member of the race For the zone. However, his representation in previous titles of the saga is very different. In Ocarina of Time, Rauru is an elderly Hylian and one of the Sages who built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from the wrong hands.
In the “The Hero is Defeated” line, his plan to seal Ganondorf in the Dark World following the Imprisonment War was successful in the short term. However, although the war ended, the losses were enormous and Hyrule was devastated.
The return of Ganon and the weakness of Rauru’s plan
Despite the efforts of Rauru and the Sages, His seal was not enough to contain Ganon indefinitely. In A Link to the Past, Ganon returns using a sorcerer named Agahnim, who tricks the population of Hyrule, seizes power, and threatens to break the seal between Hyrule and the Dark World.
This cycle of destruction and hope repeats itself throughout the Zelda series, showing that while Rauru’s intentions have always been good, his actions have not always guaranteed lasting peace. Even in Tears of the Kingdom, Ganon remains a latent threatHowever, as long as there is a hero willing to fight, there will always be hope to save Hyrule from evil.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom could have major implications for the series’ timeline
