Oh crap...I just fully remembered what time it is...It's time for politics here in America and that means all the bone heads on Xanga are going to be coming out of the wood work.  I don't mean just anyone who writes about politics, I'm talking about the ones with their head so far up their own ass they don't know that it's not night time any more, the sun has risen, but they want to talk about how wonderful it is there in the dark.

I know people should have a say, regardless of how wrong they are, but when these idiots start getting other idiots dick riding, it because a depression realization of how stupid this society has become.  These are the same group of people who know more about making a ham sandwich over someone's political agendas.  Don't get me wrong, I like a good ham sandwich, but if you know anything about a particular individual you would know why a person is being a dumb ass.

Such as...Obama isn't giving FREE birth control pills and that isn't a reason to like someone to begin with.  Free implies it is given in gratitude without being charged for.  Anything "free" from the government is being paid for by everyone in your taxes.  The companies making these items aren't giving America free birth control, they are charging the government even more than they should.  Granted, they may give them $2 off compared to the insurance companies, but even that is over priced.  Yes, companies must make money, I get it and I fully support it, but use your brain.

When I see who most of these idiots writing such entries are either in high school or college, where everything is basically still given to them and their only real concern is if they can pass the next test.  Those who are not are self proclaimed "enlightened ones" who repeat shit they have read on a  blog by someone who really is educated and is given information and not opinion.  I don't mean they repeat the political views, oh no.  I mean the ones who start going off and shouting, "Occam's Razor! / Elliptical Argument!" without actually knowing what any of it means.  Generally, I see these people spouting things off of or even linking to Wikipedia, as though it was a source for actual information.  No, Wikipedia is a place for accepted information, not facts.  This is why it cannot be used in court or even in research papers.  Want to know facts?  Link to a real encyclopedia, and I mean a respected one.

I'm talking about both sides here.  While it always seems being a liberal means you can be a severely hypocritical bastard, there's just the same on the other side.

Don't worry, though, these idiots will disappear eventually.  While it won't be soon enough, it will be about a month or two after the elections happen.  Hopefully we can get rid of the American hating jerk we have in office now and not pick up a real dip shit with a different political title.

So, really, kids, think before you post.  It's one thing to post up satire and another to post up things only more idiots are going to agree.  Fuck this entitlement thinking.  You have to work for your shit.  Stop watching The Daily Show as your source of news.  It is not a god damn news show.  John Stewart himself has said it isn't a place to get news and it's only entertainment.  It's like reading The Onion as a place to get daily events.  Why do I feel these are also the "Apple Computers are the best!!!!" sheeple, too?

Write your entries, even if political, but make sure they don't come off sounding like your retarded high school or college love drama as most of them do.

Save Yourselves in 2012

The Legend of Zelda...it's a bad ass series and a ton of fun to play.  Each new incarnation to the series provides many hours of exploration and dungeon crawling.  Now, I remember when the series was rated in weeks instead of hours for completion, but that's not the point of this entry.

No, the point of this entry is to explain to the seemingly many idiots out there who argue about a single or a split timeline.  Since there is no canon explanation from Nintendo, I can understand why some of the lower intelligent players out there find it very difficult to understand the sequence of the games.  It's pretty damn cut and dry to me and to many others.

Anyone telling you the timeline split is either an idiot, someone who believes there is a split timeline and can try to explain how the fuck there is one, or both.  The only way there can be a split timeline at the end of Ocarina of Time is one where Link goes on to defeat Ganon and one in which he doesn't...no game ever states he didn't beat Ganon, so no game released thus far can take place in this so called split timeline.

So, what is the explanation?  Simple: It's a single timeline.  How?  I'm going to explain how easy it is to understand what is going on in the games and how they connect to each other chronologically.  I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

1. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
This is the start of the series. This game centers around the forging of the Master Sword.  In the past, a sword is created called the Goddess Sword.  During a major battle, the "goddess" (one which is never directly named, but hinted at which of them it is), breaks up the land and creates Skyloft.  This is done to defeat the villain of old.  It is now being used by Link to defeat the demon lord known as Ghirahim (similar to Aghanim on A Link to the Past and Zant in Twilight Princess) who is trying to capture Zelda.

Almost every game here after either references a "master" sword or has the player acquire the Master Sword at some point.  There can be no game before this at the present time due to this fact.  We also find out in this game why Link, Zelda, and Ganon are connected so much...I won't spoil it here.  It's pretty bad ass.


2. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
This is the game in which the "Hero" gains his trademark green cap.  It also directly makes mention about the "Hero" receiving a blade from the sky and the power to battle a great evil.  This is a direct mention of the Skyward Sword game in which Link is sent to the ground and has the Master Sword forged. 

In addition, this is the introduction to one of the main villains in the Zelda universe, known as Vaati.  While he doesn't have a long and involved presence in the series, he needs to be mentioned none-the-less.  This game also is the introduction to the forging of the Four Sword.  Yes, that's important to note.

Lastly, the Picori Sword, before becoming the Four Sword, is their replica of the Master Sword.  It obviously is not as powerful, but think of it as a replica katana to a true masamune.

3. Four Sword Adventures
Vaati is back!  Only this time he's being controlled by Ganon.  A new Link, a new Zelda, and a new Ganon.  We don't get to see the Master sword here, either.

This Ganon came from a long time ago with the Gerudos.  Sound familiar?  Yep, it should.  He even betrayed his own Gerudo clan (he did this in Ocarina of Time as well), stole their sacred trident (which he uses in A Link to the Past) and ran away to their holy pyramid...which you find in the Dark Realm during A Link to the Past.

Link gets hold of the Four Sword, which was sealed away in the castle at the end of The Minish Cap, trapping Vaati away.  Well, something goes wrong and a "Dark Link" is created along with three of his clones.  Vaati is let free thanks to this Link pulling the sword and all hell breaks loose.

The Dark Realm makes an appearance here as well, and starts sucking up parts of Hyrule and its citizens.  This is also the first time we hear of the seven sages...but in this game they are called the Seven Shrine Maidens.  In other words, a holy bloodline is being established.  This is important for future games in the timeline.

Link is able to defeat Dark Link, Vaati, and Ganon.  He saves Zelda and the six other Shrine Maidens, and returns the sword to the Four Sword Sanctuary.


4. Ocarina of Time
This is the Imprisoning War mentioned in "A Link to the Past".  It's also why idiots think the timeline splits in two.  Why?  Because they have a poor grasp on the flow of time.  Now, if you think the timeline splits because a new reality is created when Link grabs the Master Sword and gets sent 7 years in the future, then you are thinking, but still not quite enough.  Using the "DBZ alternative future" theory doesn't work, either, because that was a plot device made up by Akira Toriyama. 

Why is there no split timeline?  Because time doesn't work that way and the game itself indicates time does not flow that way, even in the game.  Here's what is going on and how to understand all this better:

Think about it like this, even if it may sound "silly": You are taken by aliens and sent to their home planet.  You are placed in a cryogenic freeze for seven years and then released.  They did this because they need you to protect their home world.  You are the only one who is able to do it.  After you protect their world, you are then sent back to Earth, but seven years previous.  They actually send you back just prior to the abduction, thanks to their technology.  Now you've been sent back, with all kinds of experience, but in the same young body you had before the abduction.  Well, now you're off on an adventure thanks to a dimensional portal opening up and you fall into it.  You end up spending the rest of your life there.

How does this apply to the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time?  Because the flow of time never stopped flowing to the destination.  Link was simply placed in a different location until the time was right for him to fight Ganon.  Link never would have been allowed to grow up strong enough to properly wield the Master Sword and his shield in order to fight Ganon in the future.  There's no way in hell Ganon would have Link get strong enough or learn about who the Sages were in order to seal him up right away.  Also, there's a much bigger reason as to why Link was held apart...he simply wasn't present in Hyrule doing that time.  This is explained later.

The ending of the game shows Link having been sent back in time to speak to Princess Zelda before she crafts the letter to send word to the current Link.  This is how and why Princess Zelda knows where and how to summon Link to her courtyard and fill him in on the information.

Sure there are a lot of time paradoxes, but that's to be expected with any game involving time travel.  I'm not going to get into the whole Song of Storms paradox.  It's the same type of paradox as in the movie "Back to the Future" where Marty McFly plays "Johnny B. Good" and Chuck Berry learns the song from Marty McFly's performance.  No, it doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's why it's called a time paradox.

Why does Link not run into himself in the future?  That's simple and is completely explained by the next game in the series.


5. Majora's Mask
So, Link is sent back in time to live his life after he defeats Ganon at the end of Ocarina of Time.  This game is one of the major reasons Link doesn't run into himself during Ocarina of Time and why Link was held for seven years in the Golden Realm.  Also, this game takes place during the same time as Ocarina of Time.

Link is riding Epona, while looking for a "friend" (most likely he was looking for the child Princess Zelda after she ran away from Hyrule Castle with Impa while Ganon was chasing them) when he runs into a Skull Kid who has stolen Majora's Mask.  Epona is then stolen and Link himself is turned into a Deku Shrub.  After chasing the Skull Kid, Link ends up in Termina and has to stop the moon from crashing into the ground.

Link never returns to Hyrule after he is victories here and probably lives out the rest of his life in Termina.  This is the biggest reason for the Ocarina of Time Link never running into himself.  He simply was not in Hyrule during that time.  Since Link is also safe in the Golden Realm, he is able to complete the task and save the future.

The next game even references the fact that Link was successful in defeating Ganon at the end of Ocarina of Time and then he disappeared from his adult time forever.


6. Wind Waker
A major catastrophe occurs and floods Hyrule, or rather, much of the world.  This is similar to the story of Noah, and it draws heavily upon it.  For what ever reason, a hero does not turn up to stop this turn of events and so people assume the story of the Hero of Time, who defeated Ganon, was just a myth.  It is uncertain how long ago this occurred as there are a few different references to it being different times.

Many of the locations from Ocarina of Time and many of the major NPC characters are referenced here as well.  We get to see the Great Deku Tree (at least on of its decendants) and the Kokiri (at least what they changed in to), Lord Jabu Jabu (or at least a decendant), and many others.  When you beat the game the first time, you can play back through a second time and read the "ancient tongue" of the important NPC's.  From there, you can see they refer back to Ocarina of Time and Link's role during it.

Upon his defeat, Ganon calls this Link the "Hero of Time Reborn".  This can finally be put to rest as he is, in fact, referring to this Link being the same Link reincarnated.  Also, this is, in fact, the exact same Ganon from Ocarina of Time as well.  Play Skyward Sword to understand more about all of this.  The Master Sword, embedded in Ganon's head, sinks to the bottom near where it was found in this game.  The sword ends up back in the pedestal and is sealed away once again.  Ganon is once again sealed away.

At the end of the game, Princess Zelda and Link ship off to find a "new world"...think of it like the movie "Water World", only not terrible as hell.


7. Phantom Hourglass
This game is obviously a direct sequel to the previous game and should never be questioned.  Princess Zelda is trapped on a ghost ship and Link must help her.  Link has to find the Spirits of Courage, Wisdom, and Power in order to do it.

The Phantom Sword in this game has no tie in, thus far, with any other blades in the series and serves as pretty much a one-off item.  The game also serves as a "Was it real?" ending, much like Link's Awakening (discussed later), but the very ending sequence shows it did happen.

At the end of the game, Link still has the Phantom Hourglass, but it's completely empty leaving it up to a future game to use it if the developers ever want to.  This game does not feature the Master Sword.


8. Spirit Tracks
Another direct sequel to a previous game.  Once again, there can be no debate where this fits into the time line of the series.  What is odd, though, is the game is supposed to take place around 100 years after the previous game.  This means this is not the same Link as from the Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.  At some point, either they were able to find a new land or, more likely, the water level has drastically begun to drop.  Civilization has begun to develop once again in the land.  This is more than likely Northern Hyrule, where the North Castle from Link's Adventure is located.

The game, like the previous, does not feature the Master Sword, and for good reason. 


9. Twilight Princess
Ah, yes, the first Wii Zelda game!  This game is focused around Link trying to free Hyrule from the influence of a place called the Twilight Realm.  The Twilight Realm itself is not actively trying to take over the world Hyrule is in.  We even get to visit what is left of Skyloft from Skyward Sword at one point.

During some point in time, Ganon was reborn and caused havoc in the world.  The Ganon in this game is not the same Ganon incarnation as the previous games.  Even in game, there are references to this.  He was then sealed at some point by seven sages once again, but not the same sages as Ocarina of Time nor Wind Waker.  This goes array, however, as his new realm of imprisonment becomes a channel for his powers.  For some reason, Ganon is able to manipulate a person named Zant in yet another Realm to become corrupt, basically using him like a puppet.  This is much like Ghirahim and Aghanim.  Zant uses these new found powers to shatter the borders between realms and starts to spill the Twilight Realm into the realm of Hyrule.  Why no hero was sent to stop this prior is anyone's guess.

Well, Link is ordered to deliver a sword to Hyrule castle, but he gets trapped inside the Twilight Realm.  At some point, the world just kind of accepts the Twilight Realm invading is happening, but doesn't understand it, and they don't know they're trapped inside the twilight.  Well, anyway, Link gets transformed into a wolf, then is able to break the curse and use it at will.

During the course of the game, Link defeats Zant, learns of what happened with Ganon in the past and what he's doing now.  Link is able to find the Master Sword in...ready for it?  The Lost Woods inside of a pedestal surrounded by the ruins of an ancient temple/building.  This is either the remains of the Temple of Time, or more likely, thanks to Wind Waker, the remains of the old Hyrule castle in which it was placed in that game.  The many, many, many, years since that game, and with the water levels leaving the place exposed to the elements, would easily have caused it to rot into the ruins we see in the game.

Using the Master Sword, Link defeats Ganon and the sword is once again placed away for protection.  Worth mentioning is at the end of the game, we are lead to believe Ganon is killed.  This leads us into the next game...


10. A Link to the Past
The first and only Zelda game on the SNES (the satellite games are not canonical games).  This game focuses around Link attempting to stop Ganon from using the Triforce to take over the world.  This game's back story is both that of Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess.  Even when you read the original Japanese back story, or the retranslation on the GameBoy Advanced, it's easy to see the oral story was changed slightly and there are references to both games, even if it wasn't intentional at the time.  This is the same Ganon as from Ocarina of Time, and Wind Waker.

Somehow Ganon has managed to break the seal of his imprisonment from the end of Wind Waker and gets his hands on the Triforce inside the Golden Realm.  Since he's still in the Golden Realm and the link between it and the real world has been severed back in Ocarina of Time, the Triforce grants his wish by creating a twisted version of the real world in the Golden Land.  With Ganon's wish being to rule the entire world, his influence is slowly leaking out of the Golden Realm, which is now corrupted into the Dark Realm.  The Dark Realm not only mirrors Hyrule in many ways, but it also has references to the Gerudo's holy pyramid, where you have the final battle against Ganon and he fights with the Gerudo's sacred trident.

Ganon's evil power influences the wizard Aganhim who then attempts to help Ganon escape by collecting and sealing away the descendants of the original seven sages from Ocarina of Time.  Link shows up just in time to fail to stop Aganhim, but gets pulled into the Dark Realm.  Since the seal isn't 100% broken, because all seven sage descendants are sealed away, but not killed, Ganon hasn't managed to come into the real world.

Link manages to kill Ganon in the Dark Realm, preventing him from escaping and placing the Triforce back into a protected area.  This is important to future games.

What is important in this game is the location of the Master Sword.  It's the Lost Woods.  Yes, the Lost Woods!  Just like in Twilight Princess!

Now, the next important thing to remember is Link needed three "pendants" to unseal the Master Sword.  Three "pendants"?  One green, one blue, and one red?  Sounds like the three spiritual stones, Kokiri Emerald / Goron's Ruby / Zora's Sapphire, in Ocarina of Time.  This is also the only other time these are needed to get the Master Sword. 

Finally, the Master Sword is put away forever at this point.  We never see the actual Master Sword again in any kind of canonical reference or appearance.  I have to say that because of the Easter egg with the Master Sword being in Oracle of Ages/Seasons when you link up both games and have 100% complete on both. 

As for the Triforce...well...it's up to debate at this point if it was brought from the Golden Realm into the realm of Hyrule or not.  Most likely it was and put into the care of the Hylian royal family, since the next few games make references to it being there.


11. Legend of Zelda
The first NES Zelda!  That beautiful golden cartridge...I can still see it sparkling.

Anyway, we have a new Link, a new Princess Zelda, and a new Ganon!  This game states the Triforce is in the realm of Hyrule, so somehow it got there...either from A Link to the Past or another even not yet mentioned.  Ganon stole the Triforce of Power, and the Princess breaks the Triforce of Wisdom into eight pieces.  Where is the Triforce of Courage?  The game never says, but that really doesn't matter in the scheme of the game.  We do, however, learn of its location in Legend of Zelda II: Link's Adventure.

At no point in the game do you ever get the Master Sword.  The term originally came from the hermit who tells you, "Master using it and you can have this."  With two additional swords being able to be found, the White Sword, and the Magic Sword, a few idiots started calling the Magic Sword the "Master Sword".  Well, the name stuck and we now have a Master Sword, but not in this and subsequent games!

Without the Master Sword, the only way to defeat Ganon was to use special silver arrows, probably anointed by some holy power.  Ganon is defeated and then his body is obviously burned (explained later on), Link takes the Triforce of Power, already has the Triforce of Wisdom collected, and saves Princess Zelda.  Huzzah!


12. Oracle of Ages/Seasons
Link has succeeded in killing off Ganon, or at least defeating him, and is trying to live up the good life.  Well, the incomplete Trifoce (being Power and Wisdom only) transfers him to the land of Holodrum where he witnesses Din, the Oracle of Seasons, being kidnapped and then is transferred to Labrynna where he witnesses Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, being kidnapped.  Lucky for Link the two parts of the Triforce are connected to the two oracles.  If it was Farore;s, the Goddess of Courage, oracle they'd be screwed since the Triforce of Courage is still locked away.

Yes, both of those people are the names of two of the three goddesses who created Hyrule, but they are not the goddesses themselves.  More than likely, they are the human embodiment of the goddesses.  This is not out of the question, especially if you've beaten Skyward Sword.

There is a little debate if these games happen at the same time or one just after/before the other.  The other idea is the games take place at the same time with Link's essence being split in two in order to complete the task.  I, for one, believe the games simply take place slightly one after the other, and it doesn't matter which one goes first.  Why?  During the ending of both games, Twinrovia says Link is a "true hero" and must now overcome another trial.  Twinrovia also states the Flame of Destruction/Sorrow has been lit.

In addition, unlike the Easter egg of the Master Sword from the linked systems, to get the true ending, you have to link up both games on the Gameboy.  Here we see Twinrovia kidnapping Princess Zelda and attempting to light the final flame, the Flame of Despair, and revive Ganon.  Well, obviously Link wins and they leave.  During the end credits, Link is seen in a boat waving, which leads us directly into the next game.

13. Link's Awakening
Link has succeeded in becoming a hero of legend.  However, he's worried another evil might arise or Ganon may even return so he heads off to train.  During his trip, he gets trapped in a storm, thrown overboard, and then ends up on a mysterious island.

This game does not feature the Master Sword!  Also...it doesn't include the Triforce or Princess Zelda...hell, not even Ganon.

Well, Link wakes up on Koholint Island and learns if he wants to return home, he has to wake up the powerful and mysterious Wind Fish who sleeps at the top of the mountain.  Link is set about to collect eight different instruments in order to play the Ballad of the Wind Fish. 

At the end of the game, we learn the entire thing was actually inside of a dream.  Was it Link's dream, Marim's (who looks and acts suspiciously like Zelda) dream, or the Wind Fish's dream?  Well, that's left up to the player to decide. 


14. Link's Adventure
Legend of Zelda II!  It plays almost nothing like the original NES title, and talk about being hard...

Well, it's now several years after the original NES title, and Link is 16.  So, I guess it's safe to assume Link was probably around 13 or so in the original game...damn!  So young and kicking so much ass!

Anyway...the symbol of the Triforce appears on the back of Link's hand.  Going to Impa, she shows Link to the Northern castle (so, there are obviously more than one castle in Hyrule and more than one section of Hyrule.  It's safe to say there is Northern and Southern Hyrule, and may always have been...this could be the land which was founded during the Wind Waker, before the sea was down as far as it is now) where she unlocks a sealed door to show...Princess Zelda!

This is a little confusing and causes a few issues (especially if you've played and beaten Skyward Sword), but they can be forgiven and even explained away if the developers want to.  This Zelda is the "original Zelda" for the "Legend of Zelda" part of the game.  Yes, there have been many other Zeldas, but not all the female descendants of the Hyrule royal family have been named Zelda.

During some time in the past, the prince at the time was being influenced by an evil wizard and demanded Zelda tell him where she had the Triforce hidden away.  At some point the guardianship was given to the female descendants of the Hyrule royal family to protect, it would seem.  Well, the prince and the wizard attacked Zelda with a spell.  Zelda was put asleep and the prince snapped out of it, killing the wizard.  However, the prince could not reverse the spell.  He then declares every female to be born to the royal family be named Zelda in her honor.  God forbid they have five kids and all girls...how confusing would that have been?

To break Zelda's sleeping spell, Link must travel to six locations throughout Northern Hyrule in order to open up the way to the Great Palace, which hides the Triforce of Courage.  The power of all three Triforce together will give him the ability to wish her awake. 

While this is going on, more followers of Ganon are trying to kill Link and use his blood as the sacrifice needed to resurrect Ganon in his previous form.  They planned on sprinkling his blood over Ganon's ashes in order to do it.  Obviously, they failed.

---------------

Well, that's in for how the games fit together so far.  As one can see, it's pretty obvious for a single timeline to be occurring.  Even if there were a split timeline, there is absolutely no way for the games we know to be occurring in that split one.  There is no reference in any of the games to say Ganon was successful in conquering the world.  Why there would be a "Legend of the Hero of Time" in a timeline where Link never became the Hero of Time is way beyond me.  Either Link beat Ganon or he didn't.  Since we never heard of Link not being able to defeat Ganon, it didn't happen and there is no split. 

What started all this was the very ending of OoT...I already explained what happened there, and why some people think he's going back in time and Ganon is already sealed away is way the fuck beyond me.

So, don't say that the split timeline is canonical.  You sound like a dumb shit when you do, especially since there hasn't been one official say one way or the other.