Summary
- Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom defied Zelda timeline norms, causing controversy.
- The new Zelda game Echoes of Wisdom returns to established timeline patterns.
- Future games should follow the clear timeline placement for Echoes of Wisdom.
The Legend of Zelda‘s timeline is one of the most curious things in video game history, especially given the fact that it has been developed over what will soon be four decades. Over the franchise’s lifespan, the Zelda timeline has grown extensively, with some installments, like the recent Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, even daring to challenge the patterns already set in motion. However, after Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom defied the conventions of the Legend of Zelda timeline, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom‘s recently confirmed timeline placement is a good sign for the future.
It’s not that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom necessarily did anything wrong with their timeline placement. After all, they are widely considered two of the best Zelda games ever made, so their place on an already convoluted timeline shouldn’t really change all that much. That being said, these two particular installments are nonetheless notorious among longtime fans of the series for their ambiguous placement on the Zelda timeline, and Echoes of Wisdom changes that by reverting to franchise standards, hopefully starting a trend in the process.
Related
The surprise villain of Echoes of Wisdom pit players against an unknown threat, which, after Tears of the Kingdom, might be just what the series needs
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Place on the Timeline Should Be the First of Many
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Are Notorious for Their Weird Timeline Placement
Unlike previous entries in the Legend of Zelda series, which were explicitly placed in one of the three branching timelines that extend from Ocarina of Time — the Fallen Hero Timeline (where Link fails), the Child Timeline (where Link warns Zelda about Ganondorf before he takes over), and the Adult Timeline (where Link defeats Ganondorf, but leaves that timeline by returning to his childhood) — Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist in a time far beyond these events. In fact, these two installments are so far in the future their placement on the timeline is somewhat meaningless, as the distance between them and the countless entries before them almost makes them irrelevant to the series’ past.
Specifically, Breath of the Wild is set at least 10,000 years after a previous iteration of Calamity Ganon‘s defeat, and that event itself even happened long after the events of the previous games. As many longtime Zelda fans love drawing connections between current and past games in the series, the timeline placement of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom makes that exceedingly difficult to do.
Echoes of Wisdom’s Place on One of Zelda’s Branching Timelines Is a Good Sign for the Future
On the contrary, the latest entry in the series, Echoes of Wisdom, does what Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom refused to do by solidifying its place in one of the pre-established branching timelines the franchise has long been known for. As it turns out, Echoes of Wisdom takes place in the Fallen Hero timeline, occurring after the events of Tri Force Heroes and before the original Legend of Zelda game. This clear placement in the ever-evolving Zelda timeline provides fans with a firm grasp on where the game fits within the series’ chronology, prioritizing continuity and connection to the overarching narrative over something that could be considered innovative or revolutionary.
As many longtime Zelda fans love drawing connections between current and past games in the series, the timeline placement of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom makes that exceedingly difficult to do.
Hopefully, Echoes of Wisdom‘s placement on the timeline is a sign of where the series will go in the future. If it’s not, it arguably should be, as that would mean no more Zelda games would be as detached from the series’ lore as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are. Again, the Breath of the Wild era of Zelda has been noteworthy and memorable, but there is something significant about keeping all of the games in the series connected, as it reinforces the relationship many gamers have developed with The Legend of Zelda over the last few decades.
- Released
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September 26, 2024
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo