Summary
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, theZeldatimeline has grown extensively, with some installments, like the recentBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, even daring to challenge the patterns already set in motion. However, afterBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomdefied the conventions of theLegend of Zeldatimeline,Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s recently confirmed timeline placement is a good sign for the future.
It’s not thatBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomnecessarily did anything wrong with their timeline placement. After all, they are widely considered two of the bestZeldagames 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 theZeldatimeline, andEchoes of Wisdomchanges that by reverting to franchise standards, hopefully starting a trend in the process.
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 previousentries in theLegend of Zeldaseries, which were explicitly placed in one of the three branching timelines that extend fromOcarina 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 WildandTears of the Kingdomexist 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 Wildis set at least 10,000 years after a previous iteration ofCalamity Ganon’s defeat, and that event itself even happened long after the events of the previous games. As many longtimeZeldafans love drawing connections between current and past games in the series, the timeline placement ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdommakes 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 whatBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomrefused 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 Wisdomtakes place in the Fallen Hero timeline, occurring after the events ofTri Force Heroesand before the originalLegend of Zeldagame. This clear placement in the ever-evolvingZeldatimelineprovides 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 longtimeZeldafans love drawing connections between current and past games in the series, the timeline placement ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdommakes that exceedingly difficult to do.
Hopefully,Echoes of Wisdom’s placement on the timelineis a sign of where the series will go in the future. If it’s not, it arguably should be, as that would mean no moreZeldagames would be as detached from the series' lore asBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare. Again, theBreath of the Wildera ofZeldahas 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 withThe Legend of Zeldaover the last few decades.
