Even thoughThe Legend of Zeldahas had an official timeline from the momentZelda II: The Adventure of Linkset itself as a direct sequel to the firstZelda, much of the series’ finer details were either left up in the air, to subtext, or tucked away in interviews. It wasn’t untilHyrule Historiain 2011 that fans of the franchise finally got all the answers they were looking for.
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For the time being at least.Hyrule Historiahas since been followed up byHyrule Encyclopedia, but considering all the liberties the latter takes with the franchises canon, it stands to reason thatHyrule Historiais stillZelda’s go-to historical tome. Along with revealing the identity of the Hero’s Shade,Hyrule Historiaanswered some ofThe Legend of Zelda’s most pressing questions.
10Who Is The Hero’s Shade?
The Hero’s Shade is one of the more mysterious figures inThe Legend of Zelda. Referring toTwilight Princess’ Link as ‘son,’ suggesting familiarity, and fightingexactlylink the Hero of Twilight, fans were immediately skeptical over the Shade’s identity.Hyrule Historiahas since confirmed that the Hero’s Shade is actually the Hero of Time.
Following the events ofMajora’s Mask, the Hero of Time returns to Hyrule but never accomplishes anything on the same scale as defeating Ganondorf. As a result, the Hero of Time has no heroic reputation and never manages to pass on the extent of his swordplay, his descendants presumably becoming farmers in Ordon Village.
9Ocarina Of Time’s Secret Aftermath
Upon returning to the past at the end ofOcarina of Time, the Hero of Time informs both Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule about Ganondorf’s schemes. Because Link bears the Triforce of Courage on his hand, the King has no choice but to take the Hero of Time on his word.
Ganondorf is labeled a traitor to Hyrule Kingdom and set to be executed (an event shown in full duringTwilight Princess.) After ratting Ganondorf out, Link spends enough time with Zelda beforeMajora’s Maskto develop a genuine friendship with her while going through a not insignificant growth spurt.
8Who Is Kaepora Gaebora?
Kaepora Gaebora is one of the most memorable NPCs inOcarina of Time. A wise owl who periodically appears throughout Hyrule during the child portion of the Hero of Time’s journey, fans have long debated Kaepora Gaebora’s identity. Given the limited character options in-game (and the fact they speak almost exactly like save for tone,) Rauru was often seen as the most sensible choice.
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This was pushed further by Zelda’s father, Gaebora, looking just like Rauru.Hyrule Historiaconfirms the connection outright, claiming that Rauru takes on the form of Kaepora Gaebora to guide the Hero of Time during the early portions of his journey.
7The Oracle Duology Chronology
Where exactly theOraclegames fall has always been a topic of debate. The ending of the Linked Game suggests they’re interquels toLink’s Awakening(and they were obviously developed as such by Capcom,) but Zelda doesn’t recognize Link at the end of either journey which can only suggest that thisisn’tthe Legendary Hero.
Hyrule Historiaoutright confirmed that theOracletitles took place in-betweenA Link to the PastandLink’s Awakening(with the same Link, at that,) butHyrule Encyclopediahas since moved them after. That said, this could be to accommodate theLink’s Awakeningremake (while also setting up a new chronology for potentialOracleremakes.)
6The Origins Of Sheik’s Harp
Sheik’s harp is an incredibly ornate instrument, arguably more so than the Ocarina of Time itself. The Hero of Time and Sheik share multiple duets over the course of the game, the latter teaching the hero warp music for his dungeon-crawling.Skyward Swordnotably introduced a harp as the Hero of Skies’ instrument, and it shares quite a few visual similarities with Sheik’s.
Considering the Goddess’ Harp was originally owned by Princess Zelda (and would naturally be passed down throughout the Royal Family,) it’s easy to make the connection. Interestingly,Hyrule Historiaonly suggests that the Goddess’ Harp and Sheik’s harp are one & and the same, but that’s more than enough evidence given context.
5Zelda Sent Link To Termina
Majora’s Maskdoesn’t get into why exactly Link leaves Hyrule when he does, but everything seems to suggest he does so exclusively to search for Navi. Keeping in mind thatOcarina of Timeends with Navi leaving Link upon the end of their journey, it only stands to reason that she’s the “friend” Link is searching for.
Which makes this tidbit inHyrule HIstoriaall the odder. It turns out that the reason Link makes it to Termina at all is because Zelda makes him leave Hyrule. Believing that outing Ganondorf will put a mark on his back, Link is told to leave until after the execution.
4Ganondorf’s First Reincarnation
TheFour Swordsgames make up one of the few story arcs inThe Legend of Zelda, centering on a saga that details the legend of the Four Swords, the final defeat of Vaati, and its creation.Four Swords Adventuresserves as the link betweenFour SwordsandThe Minish Cap, but it makes one very notable inclusion: Ganon.
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Not just any Ganon, either, but a brand new Ganon. Ganondorf has reincarnated since being killed inTwilight Princess, but he’s no king. Rather, Ganondorf II is a rogue thief who’s actively going against the Gerudo order. The Links defeat Ganondorf II, but only time will tell if we’ll see a Ganondorf III.
3The Golden Goddesses Created The World, Not Just Hyrule
Although it’s not relevant to the main plot,Ocarina of Timedetails Hyrule’s creation myth near the beginning of the game, giving the audiences an understanding of where Hyrule comes from– literally if they choose to read the creation story as such, or just from a cultural perspective.
That said, this isZelda, and gods are very much real.Hyrule Historiatakes this creation one step further by clarifying that the Golden Goddesses created not just Hyrule, but the world itself. It might seem like a minor distinction to make, but it’s important as it clarifies that the Golden Goddesses aren’t patron deities of Hyrule specifically.
2The Hero Of Men, Hyrule’s First Link
BeforeSkyward Swordrecontextualized the entire franchise,The Minish Capserved as the series’ grand prequel, explaining where Link’s hat came from while also depicting Hyrule at its earliest point. The existence ofSkyward Sworddoes in a way cheapenThe Minish Cap, butHyrule Historiadoes at least ensureTMCis still important.
According toHyrule Historia’s timeline, the Hero of Men is still Hyrule’s first Link. Nothing of note happens betweenSkyward Swordand the War of the Bound Chest. WhileThe Minish Capmight not actually explain where Link’s cap comes from, the Hero of Men still being Hyrule’s first Link (the Surface is never called Hyrule inSkyward Sword) is a nice touch.
1Just Who The Heck Is Tingle?
Introduced inMajora’s Mask, Tingle hasn’t been seen much lately, but he’s one of the more peculiar figures inThe Legend of Zelda. The games do touch on where he comes from to some extent, but to really understand who Tingle is, one should bust out theirHyrule Historiaand flip to his concept art page.
Tingle is a 35 year old bachelor who uses his balloon to fly up in the air where he then cartography his surrounding area. Tingle keeps a spare balloon (and food) in his knapsack (explaining how he’s able to fly back up when Link pops him down,) and he seems to have an obsession with Link as evidenced by a sketch of the Hero of Time he keeps on him, per concept art.
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