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Here’s everything you need to know about the story and timeline of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

The Legend of Zelda series has been a long-running success for Nintendo. With complex timelines and overlapping story settings, Link and Zelda’s saga has always been challenging to follow, even for veteran fans of the franchise.

That said, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to 2017’s Nintendo Switch exclusive Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The story picks right off from the conclusion of the first game’s events, after Zelda and Link defeat Calamity Ganon.

Read More: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: All Post-Game Unlockables

Whether you’re a seasoned fan or a newcomer, having a basic understanding of the game’s premise and timeline helps. That’s why, in this guide, we will explain the main story of the new sequel and where it fits in the franchise’s complex timeline.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Story Explained

Even after Calamity Ganon is defeated, Hyrule still suffers from an unknown Gloom infestation that has been making people sick. To investigate the source, Link and Zelda traverse below the depths of the Hyrule Castle. The underground tunnels run deep, with Gloom getting thicker and thicker as they reach the deep end.

Learning Hyrule’s History

As Link and Zelda explore the ruins, they discover ancient murals depicting the history of the Hyrule Kingdom and learn of the existence of an ancient civilization called the Zonai. It turns out that the Zonai existed long before the existence of the Kingdom itself and held god-like powers.

Although not much else is known about them, Link and Zelda learn that the ancient civilization had descended from the heavens to join hands with the people in the Highlands and formed the Kingdom of Hyrule together.

The Zonai and Hylians established their relationship through a sacred union between Rauru, a Zonai, and Sonia, a Hylian – making them Zelda’s ancestors. However, the peace held by the allied tribes was short-lived, as a villain referred to as the Demon King killed off Queen Sonia.

In retaliation, King Rauru waged a long-running war, known as the Imprisoning War, to defeat the Demon King. In his last moments, Rauru had given up his life to seal off the Demon King forever. And now, the mummified corpse of the Demon King lies within the depths of the Hyrule Castle itself.

Awakening the Demon King

Link and Zelda soon discover the corpse, only to realize that the Demon King is none other than the original Ganon. However, their inspection accidentally breaks Rauru’s seal and awakens Ganondorf.

The awakened Ganondorf then wastes no time destroying the Master Sword and decaying Link’s right arm using Gloom. He then releases a great surge of power that engulfs Hyrule in darkness. Moreover, the entire Hyrule Castle is also lifted into the skies, causing the ground underneath Link and Zelda to crumble.

Ganondorf drains all of Link’s power before falling into the abyss, and Zelda also falls into the fissure and disappears. As Link jumps in to catch Zelda, he is stopped by Rauru’s arm, which had kept Ganondorf sealed within the castle depths all this time.

Uniting the Sages

When Link wakes up, he finds that his right arm has been magically replaced with Rauru’s – acting as a prosthetic with a unique set of abilities. These new abilities bestowed by Rauru will eventually help Link defeat the Great Demon King.

As Rauru’s soul communicates with Link, he learns that he must seek out all the Sages across Hyrule and collect all the Sage’s Wills to be able to defeat Ganondorf. Sages such as Yunobo, Sidon, Riju, Tulin, and Mineru will not only bestow their powers but also join your cause.

This leads to an epic adventure featuring a series of gruesome boss fights that ultimately lead to Link defeating the Demon King with Dragon Zelda’s help. If you want to learn exactly how Tears of the Kingdom ends, then check out our Ending Explained guide.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Timeline Explained

The Legend of Zelda franchise features 4 key timelines and a new Breath of the Wild timeline. According to the series’ lore book called “Creating a Champion,” every timeline features a Ganon, whose primary goal is to destroy the world, and two fated defenders named Link and Zelda, whose goal is to defeat Ganon.

And in every timeline, Zelda is the descendant of a goddess, Hylia, who is born into the royal family as its princess. That’s why, despite having the same name, every Zelda we see is a different person.

Since each of these timelines represent an alternate version of both Link and Zelda, most games from the series do not act as direct sequels to any other titles. Below is a breakdown of all the separate Legend of Zelda timelines and all titles belonging to each timeline:

• The Legend of the Goddesses and the Hero (Beginning Timeline)
  • Skyward Sword
  • The Minish Cap
  • Four Swords
  • Ocarina of Time
• The Decline of Hyrule and the Last Hero (Fallen Hero timeline)
  • A Link to the Past
  • Oracle of Ages / Seasons
  • Link’s Awakening
  • A Link Between Worlds
  • Tri-Force Heroes
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • The Adventure of Link
• The Twilight Realm and the Legacy of the Hero (The Hero is Triumphant — Child timeline)
  • Majora’s Mask
  • Twilight Princess
  • Four Swords Adventures
• The Hero of Winds and a New World (The Hero is Triumphant — Adult timeline)
  • The Wind Waker
  • Phantom Hourglass
  • Spirit Tracks
• Breath of the Wild (New timeline)
  • Breath of the Wild
  • Tears of the Kingdom

During The Legend of the Goddesses and the Hero timeline, Link and Zelda face off against Ganondorf for the very first time. The outcome of the battle then branches off into three separate timelines.

If Link loses against Ganondorf, the Fallen Hero timeline begins. If he wins the battle, Link travels back to the past and warns his younger self about Ganon, starting the Child timeline.

However, an alternate reality exists where Link goes back in time and disappears. This is when the Adult timeline begins, where Hyrule is left to fend for itself without Link’s assistance and eventually gets taken over by Ganon.

That said, Tears of the Kingdom does not fit into any of these timelines as it is a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. That’s why it is assumed that Tears of the Kingdom is set in the latest timeline in the franchise, with its story taking place after the events of all past Legend of Zelda games.

Do you wish to learn more about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? Then check out our other guides on the Best Fuse Combinations, Best Armor Sets, Best Weapons, All Materials, All Bosses, and more.

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