Split Timeline

The Split Timeline Theory is one of the commonly accepted theories concerning the chronology of The Legend of Zelda games. This theory, in particular, was one of the two hotly debated theories among fans, the other being the Single Timeline Theory. The theory states that after the ending of Ocarina of Time, the Zelda timeline separated in two timelines thanks to Zelda sending Link back in time to relive his childhood. The two separate timelines have been designated by fans of the series as the Adult Timeline and the Child Timeline respectively.

The theory first came into existence after a 2002 interview with Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto (both developers for the same series) over The Wind Waker. In it, Aonuma stated that Ocarina of Time had two endings, one where Link was a child, and another where he was an adult. However, the two did not further elaborate on the subject. After The Wind Waker was released many fans speculated that the series had two timelines because of storyline problems The Wind Waker had with fitting in with other games in the series (e.g. Hyrule being destroyed at the end, and Ganondorf not being sealed up at the end to set up for A Link to the Past). Despite this however, belief in the theory remained a minority opinion.

However, the release of Twilight Princess brought new life into the split timeline, as Ganondorf's role in the game seemed to contradict his roles in The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time.

During a 2006 interview with the Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream, Eiji Aonuma reaffirmed what he had said earlier and stated that the timeline within the Zelda series did indeed follow this order. Since then the theory has generally been accepted as fact for most of the Zelda community.

Adult Timeline
The events of Ocarina of Time take place. When Link pulls the Master Sword from its pedestal and is sealed for seven years, he unintentionally lets Ganondorf enter the Sacred Realm and steal the Triforce of Power. Ganondorf then goes on to conquer Hyrule, but Link (who had awakened after seven years as the Hero of Time) defeats him. Subsequently, Ganondorf is sealed in the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages. As his tasks are done, Link is sent back in time by Princess Zelda to relive his lost years, and the Child Timeline is presumably formed.

An unspecified amount of time after being sealed, Ganondorf escapes from the Sacred Realm and threatens Hyrule once again. Without the Hero of Time to protect Hyrule, the Gods are forced to flood Hyrule. Centuries later, the events of The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks unfold. Although the original Kingdom of Hyrule is destroyed at the end of The Wind Waker, the founding of New Hyrule by Link and Princess Zelda in Spirit Tracks opens up the possibility of other games being set in this timeline. In the adult timeline the six sages were awakened by Link, and in The Adventure of Link some of the towns are named after the sages, which may indicate the game (and its prequel, the original Legend of Zelda) occur in this timeline. However, this is speculation and does not explain why a town is named after Mido.

It is possible that in this timeline, Skull Kid never got the chance to steal Majora's Mask, so Majora's ruining of the lives of the people of Termina may never take place in this timeline. It is also possible, should the Skull Kid still find the mask in the Adult Timeline, that the Majora succeeded in destroying Termina, as Link never came to intervene. Another possibility is that Termina, being an alternate world, may be unaffected by the timeline split altogether, and thus Link's adventure in Termina is still carried out. As Ganondorf was never sealed away in the Realm of Twilight, it is unknown what became of Zant in this timeline, but as he couldn't have gotten his power without Ganondorf, it is unlikely he could have caused any serious trouble, although, like Termina, the Twilight Realm might not have been affected by the time line split.

Child Timeline
In the Child Timeline, Link has been returned to his childhood after having defeated Ganon in the future. In this timeline, Hyrule's relationship with Ganondorf changes, eventually leading to the events of Twilight Princess, though the details surrounding this are unclear. In the aforementioned interview with Eiji Aonuma, he states: "In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time." Many have interpreted this as saying that Link warned Zelda of Ganondorf's intentions. However, Zelda was already aware of Ganondorf's evil intentions through her prophetic dream, which she related to her father, the king, who did not believe her. It is also possible he told her to take additional precautions to prevent Ganondorf's entering the Sacred Realm. At the end of Ocarina of Time, the mark of the Triforce of Courage can be seen on the back of Link's left hand, it could also be that he used the Triforce mark as proof that he's experienced the future, and thus can tell the tale of Ganondorf's plot. It is unknown though exactly what Link told to Zelda. Scenes from Twilight Princess strongly imply that Ganondorf, as well as a future Link and Zelda, each possess a piece of the Triforce, though this is never confirmed. Other information from multiple games would make it appear that the Sacred Realm was never opened in the Child Timeline, and that the Triforce could not have been taken from it. The events at this point in the Child Timeline, including what happens to the Triforce, are never clearly explained.

At some point afterward, Ganondorf is exposed, subdued, and brought to justice. He is said to have invaded Hyrule, which may have been what exposed him or his response to being exposed. The Ancient Sages try to execute him; however, Ganondorf survives the attempt; a Triforce emblem on his hand glows, implying that he wields the Triforce of Power despite the altered events of the timeline. He breaks free of his shackles and kills one of the Sages in the process. The remaining Sages manage to banish Ganondorf into the Twilight Realm and seal him there. Aonuma states in the aforementioned interview that the attempted execution takes place several years after Ocarina of Time. All of this culminates in the events depicted in Twilight Princess.

Majora's Mask is also placed in the Child Timeline, only a short while after Ocarina of Time. After Link has his meeting with Zelda, she gives him the Ocarina of Time, and he embarks on another adventure in which he is looking for a "beloved and invaluable friend", with whom he parted after his previous adventure. After having his Ocarina stolen by the masked Skull Kid, Link follows him into the alternate world of Termina, where the events of Majora's Mask take place.

Since Ganondorf was trapped inside the Realm of Twilight, it is likely that Volvagia was never revived in this timeline, Phantom Ganon and Morpha were never created, and Bongo Bongo never made it out of the well. Koume and Kotake would presumably never have been killed. The two appear in the Oracle games, leading some people to believe the games take place in the Child Timeline; however, it is unclear if they are the same beings as in Ocarina of Time, or some kind of reincarnation like the multiple Links and Zeldas seen throughout the series. The Great Flood did not occur in this timeline. Also, the bosses of The Wind Waker presumably never existed in this timeline. Furthermore, since Hyrule was never destroyed, Link and Tetra never went to find the next Hyrule, meaning that the events of Phantom Hourglass likely never occurred (though it was probably not affected, being a separate world like Termina and the Realm of Twilight), and New Hyrule was likely never founded, meaning that the events of Spirit Tracks never took place.

After a youtuber made a split time line video he sent it to nintendo and got this response.http://www.youtube.com/user/ocarinahero10#p/u/14/w5FozOuwQjI

Other games
Where the other games in the series fit into the split timeline, if at all, remains a mystery. Although there are many hints and details pointing to possible connections, the way people interpret these hints and which ones they place more emphasis on has led to a wide array of different theories. As Ganondorf is impaled by the Master Sword in both timelines, it would seem that he would need to be either revived or reborn to reappear in later titles, thus supporting the Multiple Ganon Theory. Events that take place prior to the split in the timeline are believed to have remained unchanged, as both timelines split off from the same history. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will fit in this timeline. It will precede Ocarina of Time and all other games where the Master Sword is present, possibly making it the first game in the timeline.