Time Line Placement

In order to discern where in the storyline the Oracle games fall, two things are important to consider: (1) clues given in the Oracle games, and (2) what time line order you are using. Let's first of all look at the evidence given within the Oracle games.

  • The Triforce is united, and is resting in Hyrule Castle.
  • Ganon is dead, but his spirit is alive. He is revived by Twinrova when she lights the flames of Despair, Destruction, and Sorrow, and sacrifices herself, bringing Ganon's spirit into her body.
  • The Dark World, known also as the Evil Realm, might still exist. Twinrova and Onox both come from what they call the "Dark Realm," which sounds suspiciously like the Dark World. This Dark Realm might also be the Underworld from LoZ, but the Underworld might be another name for the Dark World.
  • Neither Impa nor Zelda know Link at the start. Link is not famous for anything. Nobody mentions him having done anything prior to the Oracle time period. Therefore, the Link in Oracle is not the Link from any other game. Oracle happens at least a generation before or after any other game.
  • After Link defeats Ganon, he sails away on a ship which looks remarkably like the one in Link's Awakening. Given the story in the LA manual, it's very likely that LA happens immediately after Oracle. In Oracle, people mention the "Hyrulean" legends of a hero with the Triforce symbol on his hand who will save Hyrule from darkness. In LA, the manual says that Link has fulfilled the "Hyrulian" prophecy of the Legendary Hero and defeated the evil tyrant Ganon. LA appears to be tied much more strongly to Oracle than to any other game.

The Oracle games could easily be a prequel to OoT if it weren't for Ganon. Ganondorf was introduced in OoT, and became Ganon later. In Oracle, Ganon has been destroyed, and he is revived by Twinrova. It is therefore impossible that Oracle happens before OoT. It must happen sometime in history afterwards.

At this point it becomes important which time line order we use. For the moment, let's consider the standard ZHQ.com order: OoT, ALttP, AoL. (These labels represent three different time periods, each separated by several centuries. It is assumed that MM comes right after OoT, and AoL comes right after LoZ.) I see three possibilities: Oracle could happen after OoT, after ALttP, or after AoL.

The first possibility, of Oracle happening after OoT, is the least likely, because it requires introducing a theory that is not told in any canon sources. Let's say that, after OoT, Link finds a way into the Dark World, defeats Ganon, and takes the Triforce of Power from him. He then brings it back to Hyrule, and unites the Triforce. A generation later, Oracle happens, and Ganon is revived. Ganon is not completely destroyed, but he is still stuck in the Dark World. He is somehow able to steal the whole Triforce before the ALttP time period, from within his prison. This possibility is very weak because it depends on two make-believe stories, rather than explaining the known facts.

The next possibility is that Oracle happens after ALttP. Once again, it must happen a generation after ALttP because nobody knows Link. Though Ganon's body was destroyed and his Dark World disappeared in ALttP, his spirit fled to a sanctuary prepared by his loyal minions: the Underworld, or Dark Realm. Twinrova works devilishly to revive Ganon and succeeds, but Link defeats both Twinrova and Ganon. Link then leaves on a journey of enlightenment (Link's Awakening). At this point there are two possibilities: either LoZ and AoL happen as soon as Link returns to Hyrule, or LoZ and AoL happen centuries later. (This is because LoZ doesn't explicitly state whether Link is already well-known or not. It could go either way, depending on how you interpret the few facts that exist.) When LoZ happens depends mostly on who the Sleeping Zelda is. And her identity depends on who hid the Triforce of Courage and wrote the letter. But that's another issue altogether, which I will deal with in another article.

The last possibility is that Oracle happens a generation after AoL. This works, but it doesn't wrap up the storyline as neatly as putting Oracle after ALttP does.

Now, let's consider the possibilities if we assume Miyamoto's order (OoT, LoZ, AoL, ALttP). This order has always assumed that between OoT and LoZ, Ganon keeps the Triforce of Power. Putting Oracle a generation after OoT means, once again, introducing a story not told in any of the games. Link somehow enters the Dark World, defeats Ganon, and takes the Triforce of Power. This reunites the Triforce, and Link puts it in Hyrule Castle. A generation later, Oracle happens and Twinrova revives Ganon. Ganon is still locked away in the Dark Realm, however. Once again we have a split decision. After LA happens, Link either returns to Hyrule and LoZ and AoL happen, or Ganon waits a generation, and then LoZ and AoL happen.

Putting Oracle a generation after AoL explains how Ganon was revived between AoL and ALttP, but doesn't explain how Ganon got the united Triforce. This possibility is weak because it depends on a fanciful story - Ganon somehow stealing all three pieces of the Triforce while he is imprisoned.

Probably the best choice in Miyamoto's order is to put Oracle a generation after ALttP. Doing this requires no fanciful theories in order for it to work.

My conclusion? Given the ZHQ.com order (OoT, ALttP, LoZ, AoL), the Oracle games most likely come a generation after ALttP because this order explains the most and doesn't depend on unsupported theories. Given Miyamoto's order (OoT, LoZ, AoL, ALttP), the Oracle games probably happen a generation after ALttP, because this order doesn't depend on unsupported theories. My final conclusion, then, is that the Oracle games happen a generation or so after ALttP, no matter what time line you are using.

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