https://zeldauniverse.net/forums/Thread/175593-Zelda-Timeline-Theory/#post6125354
Hi, I'm "Zelda Way" (aka Shane H).
Though I'm mostly a lurker at Zelda Universe, I'd like to offer some concepts and terminology which I've found helpful in untangling the timeline(s) and maps. Though you folks are more fluent in the details of the Zelda Multiverse, I'm very familiar with the details of other complex fictional continuities, such as the D&D Multiverse, Transformers Multiverse, Marvel Multiverse, and DC Multiverse. Everyone here probably knows these concepts already, but it can be helpful to state the terms plainly.
"Multiverse": a "Universe" with more than one Timeline or Dimension. Zelda officially has multiple Timelines and multiple Dimensions, so Zelda is a "Multiverse" (at least in form, even if it's never been officially called a "multiverse").
"Official": I use this word in a specific sense: to refer to any and everything published by Nintendo, licensed by Nintendo, or voiced by a Ninendo representative. It contrasts with "Aficionado" (aka "Fan").
"Story Holon" (aka "Micro-Timeline") is a building block of a Timeline. Each story arc which is contained with a discrete purchase (a single game or comic book or television episode) is a Story Holon. Even if the Story Holon seems to refer to events from other games, and even if it explicitly bills itself as a sequel or prequel, it's still a standalone Story Holon. A Story Holon is a discrete, independent Timeline in itself. But can be used to build other Timelines, such as the larger Timelines seen in Hyrule Historia (HH).*
*(This concept is based on the Transformers Multiverse. The Transformers timeline is so convoluted and contradictory, that there are many, many different timelines. Even the IP-holder, Hasbro, recognizes this, and has given names and numbers to a bunch of these timelines. It was recognized that essentially each television episode and each issue of comix could be designated a distinct timeline or timeline seed, which then diverges before and after. The same Story Holon may be used as a building block within many different Timelines.)
"Timeline" is a chain of events...an arrangement of Story Holons.
"Mainstream Timelines" (aka "Canonical Timelines") are the 4 timelines which are covered in the Hyrule Historia.
"Sidestream Timelines" (aka "Non-Canonical Timelines"): These are Official Timelines (or places therein) which are are not addressed by HH, or otherwise not fully supported by Nintendo's main storyline: such as the comics, the television cartoon, Zelda cross-overs with Mario, Zelda characters as depicted in toys and merchandise, and the CD-i games. Also, all contradictions and continuity snags result in the formation of a Sidestream Timeline (though which of the two scenarios is the Mainline and which is the Sidestream, is open to interpretation until Officially rectified). All versions of Hyrule which were ever published exist forever. They all happened. In other words, if they conflict (according to a straightforward interpretation), that just results in a split into two timelines. If it's just a little thing (like someone is given two different birthdates), this is just a minor split.
"Dimension". A place/country/world which exists in an Official Timeline, but which (apparently) can't be reached through spatial travel. E.g. Terminia is (apparently) a Dimension.
"Archetypal Hyrule". The ideal sum of all possible Hyrules, as if it were an imaginary world which really exists, but which has, thus far, only been viewed through the lense of Nintendo games. The Archetypal Hyrule will never be fully manifest, since it's an ever-shifting creative beacon. Yet its essence and potentialities are shaped by how it manifests in the ever-expanding line of Nintendo products. From an external legal perspective, Nintendo corporation is the only steward of Hyrule, but in a wider sense, each individual's experience, feelings, and thoughts about Hyrule are a distinct lense on the Archetypal Hyrule.
"Gameplay Realities". The in-story effects which the game system has upon the world. For example, Hyrule is apparently rectangular in the 8-bit Legend of Zelda. Though even back in the day, we knew Hyrule not "really" rectangular. (As evinced by the more naturalistic rendering of the LoZ world in the instruction manual.) Each game system is a "lense" onto the Archetypal Hyrule. Each generation of Nintendo consoles, and each iteration of gameplay thereof, is a different Gameplay Reality. Only games which are 100% (or nearly 100%) identical in gameplay exist in the same Gameplay Reality. For example, even though they're both for the NES, Legend of Zelda's 8-bit bird's eye Gameplay Reality is a different Gameplay Reality than Zelda II's 8-bit side-scrolling Gameplay Reality. (Zelda II Reality actual consists of two subrealities: side-scrolling and overland map).*
*(Note: The "Gameplay Reality" concept is from D&D Product Manager Bruce Heard's article: "Up, Away, and Beyond" which explains how and why the Basic D&D rules and Advanced D&D rules are two different "game universes", which have subtle in-story effects, even when depicting the same world. pandius.com/upaway.html)
"Gameplay-Induced Unmanifest Geography" (or other Unmanifest Features): Unmanifest Geographic features are places which are not manifest due to the limits of the Gameplay Reality (the "system lense") through which the Archtypal Hyrule is viewed. Each Gameplay Reality has limits in granularity. Presumably there is a biggish area on the Breath of the Wild map which is an on-the-ground correspondence to the original 8-bit LoZ map; but much of that more "realistic" land area is "unmanifest" on the 8-bit map. In the 8-bit Reality, Link just passes through those "unmanifest areas" off-screen. The term "Unmanifest" could apply also to other features besides geography, such as the simplified actions and abilities of the 8-bit populace. But I'd say that every version of Hyrule seen so far has Unmanifest Features. Even though Breath of the Wild is the most manifest version of the Archetypal Hyrule so far, and even though it looks nearly like a real world, there are certainly many, many unmanifest features (not only off the edge of the map, but also within the visible play area) which could be (and almost certainly will be) unfolded in future Zelda games, which will reveal more and more granularity. These are invisible gaps which will later be filled in...they sort of exist invisibly, packed into the visible geography.
"Gameplay-Induced Vario-Manifestations of Geography". ("Vario-" as in "variations"). Even features which exist in all Gameplay Realities, will manifest at least a little differently in each Game Reality due to limitations in software and hardware. A "Vario-Manifestation" is a feature that exists in two or more interation, but is somewhat bent or shifted in location, size, or appearance in a way which could be accounted for due to the needs of the game system. This is one interpretive tool for explaining apparent differences between locales even within the same time.
"Artistic Pallet-Induced Vario-Manifestations of Geography": Another tool for explaining apparent differences in Manifestation, is that the change in appearance is interpreted to be due to out-of-game artistic/aesthetic reasons. Even disregarding the software/hardware limitations and changes through in-story time, there is a different set of art directors for each game, or different set of artistic pallets, which made the Archetypal Hyrule look even more different would be necessary from a sheerly technical standpoint, and even if they were depicting the exact same time. For example, in later games, Gorons and other creatures could've been depicted to look exactly lit the original 8-bit creatures, except rendered in 3D form. But the artistic team of each subsequent game has chosen to portray them somewhat differently each time. And also, the original LoZ-era artists (comics, tv) depicted the same places somewhat differently. This "Artistic Pallet" lense accounts for that. And so the "Artistic Pallet" is another lense which is laid on top of the "Game Reality" lense when viewing the Archetypal Hyrule. Conceivable, all of the Zelda games could be "re-skinned" according to the aesthetic of each of the other games.
"Actual Changes of Geography through Time": These are actual changes in the land and structures: such as, earthquakes, landslides, floods, remodeling of buildings, migration of the populace, village rebuilt in a different spot, and so forth.
The above-listed suite of three interpretive tools: 1) "Gameplay-Induced Manifestations", 2) "Artistic-Pallet-Induce Manifestions", and 3) "Actual Changes" can serve as an interpretive toolbox. Each Zelda scholar will apply these three tools in different and varying amounts to explain connections and differences in various manifestations of Hyrule.
Some implications:
AFAIK (correct me if I'm mistaken), reportedly a Nintendo rep at first said that Breath of the Wild does not refer back to the Historia Hyrule timelines. In other words, according to that statement, BotW would be a standalone reboot of Zelda, like the Ultimate Marvel reboot, the Abramsverse of Star Trek, or the recent split between the Star Wars Disney film continuity and the Star Wars Legends timeline(s).
Yet, later, a Nintendo rep said that BotW is set 10,000 years in the future. Which means that BotW is in one of the HH timelines. Because Breath of Wind is the currently supported game, even if it weren't connected to the HH timelines, it would still be a "Mainsream Timeline" (rather than a "Sidestream Timeline").
But remember: all contradictions and continuity snags exist forever. They all happened. Since the initial words of Nintendo reps, as straightforwardly interpreted, are "Official", the BotW is an unconnected reboot with its own timeline (existing in the "present")...*and*, since the rep's later words are Official too, the Breath of the Wind also exists 10,000 years in the future in (one of the) HH Timelines.
Since Nintendo is not primarily interested Timeline issues, and is reticent about making the Timeline and World Map coherent across all its games, it falls on the Aficionados to discern and designate what is what, until such time as Nintendo clarifies the story and map.
A priority would be to do the research necessary (e.g. through a diligently referenced Wiki) which as closely as possible follows a straightforward interpretation of the Official sources. Alongside that, we each form our own "Aficionado Zelda Multiverses" which fully represent our own fanon and headcanon. The two approaches are complementary.
What I'd do with this...
Ideally, I'd produce a Timeline and Map which somehow addresses all of the Story Holons (including the oddballs such as the comics, cartoon show, and CD-i games). This World Map would cover all the games and continents and dimensions. I'd artistically place every locale from every game, and weave it into a single map.
Not just a single map. A diachronic series of World Maps, ("diacronic" means "through time"), showing the whole world in all key times. Though I wouldn't just make stuff up out the blue...I'd outline the area on the world map where the boundaries of the "Official" lense ended in each game, and then only lightly sketch the rest of the world according to a straightforward interpretation (e.g. just showing the outline of the continents, and the rough gesture of mountain ranges and climates; for My Hyrule, I'd say that continental shapes stayed essentially intact throughout all times, unless otherwise noted). It'd be a "Diachronic World Atlas".
Then once I had this Complete Timeline+Diachronic World Map, I'd then make another series of Diachronic World Maps which hardly anyone has thought of. I'd show how each of the Gameplay Realities would depict that same Map! This exercise would really help us discern for ourself what changes are due to in-story geographic changes, and what is due to "software/hardware" limitations.
For example, I'd draw a 8-bit rectangularized bird's eye view of the entire world, in all times. Since it covers the whole world, this bird's eye map would be much bigger than even then Breath of the Wild map. All land features, buildings, and creatures would be rendered in 8-Bit. And since there is surely some area on the BotW map which corresponds to the exact area of original LoZ game (or at least a rubber-sheetable selection of scattered areas), and since this area is certainly depicted as having a greater land area than the original 8-bit map, in the complete 8-Bit Bird's Eye map, I'd convert these "missing" expanses of land into "Unmanifest 8-Bit Rectangles" and add them back into the 8-Bit map. For reasons of gameplay, these areas were "deleted" from the original Legend of Zelda map (otherwise it'd take too long for Link to walk all those rectangles), but would be added back into the map, by placing them "between" the rectangles which we saw in the game.
By calculating the approximate number of "unmanifest rectangles" in the original Bird's Eye 8-Bit map (compared to the same area on the Breath of the Wild map), I could also reverse engineer and make another version of the World Map which toggles off all of the "Unmanifest Rectangles" in the whole world, and so further simplifies the world map, so that each equivalently sized area of the world has no more squares than the original Zelda game.
And then another set of Diachronic World Maps done in the style of Zelda II, and other set done in the style of Ocarina of Time, and so forth. Even my Breath of the Wild map (which appears so "real" in the game) might be twisted, rotated, bent, stretched, and rubber-sheeted somewhat to make all Official locales fit on the map coherently...even if it has been 10,000 years. Like, in 10,000 years, where are the two lands of the CD-i games? And where were they in the earlier eras? They're still on my map!
In my aficionado-canon, I'd personally find a place for the lands and Story Holons shown in the CD-i games and so forth. It would be my own "Ultimate Hyrule", but closely aligned with Official sources. I realize that others would shunt the Story Holons of the comics and CD-i games into Sidestream Timelines...and that'd be fine for their Hyrule, as long as its clearly addressed one way or the other.
People *are* doing this. Each of you has crafted one or more headcanons. There are various aficionado-discerned arrangements of the Story Holons on the timeline thread in this forum, on other Zelda aficionado-sites.
And same for the Map: I've seen and studied several aficionado-authored composite World Maps on the geography thread here, at the Deviant art site, and elsewhere on the net.
Let's face it...the coherentizing of Hyrule timelines and maps is only half a science. The scientific half consists of objectively mastering the details and facts of Official Hyrule. The other half is an art...of feeling and sensing which interpretive tool fits with your view, and connecting the dots from among the vast array of choices. For example: is there only one Lake Hylia or multiple Lake Hylias? And why? And so forth. It's both a science and an inspired art.
Instead of only (or in addition to) arguing about it piecemeal on webforums, and instead of forever spinning wheels on the tight-lipped and zany inconsistency of Nintendo Officialdom, go ahead and put all the pieces together! I implore you to go ahead and line it all up and make it a coherent presentation, with a complete Timeline and Diacrhonic World Map (and a sketch of how that set of Diachronic World Maps is rendered in all the Gameplay Realities!). Hand sketch it or paste it together, and document your sources. But then smooth it out so that's a coherent Timeline and Map. The very action of making it into a presentable, complete iteration of Hyrule, will answer many questions and enhance our mastery of the issues.
If I were president of Nintendo, I'd release a Hyrule Cartographia book which did what I just described. And in that book, I'd give a nod to the fans/aficionados, and say that every fan's interpretation of Hyrule exists as an alternate world, alongside Nintendo's Official Hyrule. Every fanfic exists. Every time a Zelda game has been played...even if Link died in the first fight, is a discrete Hyrule, which exists. There are hundreds of millions of these Hyrules. Maybe billions. In many of these Hyrules, "Link" goes by a different name.
Lastly, give your version of Hyrule a name. The simplest designation could be "So-and-So's Hyrule". If you have multiple headcanons, expound and name them all.
And please share it as a complete, coherent document...as a Worldbook...your own Hyrule Historia and Catrographia. I invite you to post it here, or link from here to your personal website or PDF. The action of actually putting together the whole story and map, and presenting it as a complete Timeline and Diachronic Atlas, enhances the clarity among the entire Zelda-aficionado community, and makes the conversation about Hyrule more and more informed and fruitful.