Changes: Imprisoning War

Latest revision as of 10:37, 2 March 2011

Redirect to:

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past#Ports and Remakes

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+#REDIRECT[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past#Ports and Remakes]]
-{{Event
-|name = Imprisoning War
-|image = [[File:Ganon Imprisoned.jpg|300px]]
-|caption = Ganon is confined by the Seal of the Seven Sages at the conclusion of the Imprisoning War.
-|game = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]''
-|country = [[Hyrule]]<br>[[Sacred Realm]]
-|occurrence = Ganon gains entry to the Sacred Realm, steals the Triforce, and attacks Hyrule. The Knights of Hyrule take the brunt of the attack from Ganon's army.
-|resolution = The Seven Sages seal Ganon inside the Dark World.
-}}
-The '''Imprisoning War''' or '''Seal War''' was a conflict that ensued after [[Ganon]]dorf entered the [[Sacred Realm]] and laid claim to the [[Triforce]], becoming [[Ganon]]. This great conflict is spoken of in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]''. Ganondorf's seizure of the Triforce tainted the Golden Land, transforming it into the [[Dark World]] and Ganondorf himself into a beast named Ganon. He launched an invasion against Hyrule with his new army of monsters, made up of people from Hyrule that came seeking the Golden Power for themselves. This invasion was repelled by the [[Knights of Hyrule]], who gave their lives almost to the last to protect the [[Sage|Seven Sages]] as they cast a seal on the Dark World, trapping Ganon and his army inside and restoring peace to Hyrule.
-==Involvments==
-===Characters===
-{{Main|Imprisoning War#Major Participants|Major Participants in the Imprisoning War}}
-===Items===
-*[[Triforce]]
-===Places===
-*[[Hyrule]] as a whole.
-*[[Sacred Realm]]
-*[[Dark World]]
-==Event Procedure==
-===The Discovery of the Sacred Realm===
-{{main|Sacred Realm}}
-[[File:Triforce.jpg|thumb|left|The Sacred Realm.]]
-Long ago in the land of Hyrule, legends spoke of a great power left behind by the [[Golden Goddesses]] following Hyrule's creation. Stories speaking of the [[Sacred Realm]] and the omnipotent "Golden Power" known as the [[Triforce]] that resided within it spread across Hyrule over the ages, causing a lust for the Triforce's power to grow and fester in the hearts and minds of Hyrule's people until there was nothing left in many of them but pure greed.<ref>{{cite manual|quote=That yearning for the Triforce soon turned to lust for power, which in turn led to the spilling of blood. Soon the only motive left among those searching for the Triforce was pure greed.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref> The Triforce could not judge between good and evil and thus would merely grant the wishes of its holder.<ref>{{cite manual|quote=The Triforce, being an inanimate object, cannot judge between good and evil.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref>
-One day, a gateway to the Golden Land of the Triforce was accidentally discovered and opened by a band of thieves skilled in dark magic and their leader, a man named [[Ganon]]dorf. It was a place like no other, a realm of midday golden skies rather than blue. And there, shining down upon this world from above, was the Triforce in all its glory. A long running battle then ensued between Ganondorf and his followers to the heart of the Sacred Realm in a race to reach the Triforce first. Ganondorf fought his way past and killed all of his followers that had accompanied him into the realm along the way so that he could claim it uncontested.<ref name=ganonfight>{{cite manual|quote=One day, quite by accident, a gate to the Golden Land of the Triforce was opened by a gang of thieves skilled in the black arts. This land was like no other. In the gathering twilight, the Triforce shone from its resting place high above the world. In a long running battle, the leader of the thieves fought his way past his followers in a lust for the Golden Power.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref>
-{{clear}}
-===The Great Cataclysm===
-{{Main|Great Cataclysm}}
-{{ImageCaption|image=File:ALTTP Ganon Artwork.png|size=180px|align=right|caption=Ganon|captionalign=center}}
-After the murders of his followers, Ganondorf stood over the Triforce and grasped it with blood-stained hands. A voice whispered to him, stating that if he had a strong desire in his heart to wish for it. In response, Ganondorf's laughter echoed across time and space and reached even Hyrule itself as he made a wish that he become the ruler of the world.<ref name=cataclysm>{{cite manual|quote=After vanquishing his own followers, the leader stood triumphant over the Triforce and grasped it with his blood- stained hands. He heard a whispered voice: "If thou has a strong desire or dream, wish for it..." And in reply, the roaring laughter of the brigand leader echoed across time and space and even reached the far-off land of Hyrule.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref> This event would come to be known as the [[Great Cataclysm]].
-Thus, it was out of the Great Cataclysm that one of Hyrule's greatest threats was born: the King of Evil, Ganon, who now had the strength of the Triforce at his command.<ref name=ganonbirth>{{cite manual|quote=Indeed, the King of Evil Ganon, the one who has threatened Hyrule so, was born at this time.|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (JP version)|page=7}}</ref> An ancient prophecy concerning the Great Cataclysm also existed however, stating that if a person with an evil heart should ever gain possession of the Triforce that a Hero would be destined to one day appear, and that Hero would defeat the evil one that unleashed the Great Cataclysm.<ref name=Cataclysm>{{cite|The Hero's triumph on Cataclysm's Eve wins three symbols of virtue. The Master Sword he retrieves, keeping the Knight's line true.|Master Sword Pedestal|A Link to the Past}}</ref><ref>{{cite|I sense something is happening in the Golden Land the seven sages sealed...This must be an omen of the Great Cataclysm foretold by the people of Hylian blood...|Aginah|A Link to the Past}}</ref><ref>{{cite|Do you know the prophecy of the Great Cataclysm? This is the way I heard it...If a person who has an evil heart gets the Triforce, a Hero is destined to appear...and he alone must face the person who began the Great Cataclysm.|Skull Woods Maiden|A Link to the Past}}</ref>
-===The Creation of the Dark World===
-{{Main|Dark World}}
-[[File:Darkworld.gif|left|thumb|200px|The Dark World.]]
-As a result of Ganondorf's wish for the domination of the world, the Triforce caused the Sacred Realm to radically change. It began to whither and die as it was transformed into a twisted copy of Hyrule that represented what Hyrule would look like if Ganondorf ruled it.<ref>{{cite|This world was once the Golden Land where the Triforce was hidden. But because Ganon, the leader of the thieves, wished it, this world was transformed...|Dark Palace Maiden}}</ref> Dark clouds now permanently blackened the skies. As a side-effect of this transformation, the Triforce's magic was used to cast a curse over the entire realm, one that would cause any without protection from it to transform into a shape that would reflect what is in his or her heart.<ref name=heart>{{cite|And everyone who wanders into this land is changed to a shape that reflects his true nature.|Man transformed into a ball|A Link to the Past}}</ref> The Golden Land was now the Dark World, a place of darkness and evil.
-Ganon was not satisfied merely with ruling the newly-transformed Dark World however, as he sought to return to Hyrule and conquer it as well. In time, evil power began to issue forth from the portal to the Golden Land, beckoning to men from the outside to seek out the Golden Power and have their wishes become reality through its magic.<ref name=ganonarmy>{{cite manual|quote= However, in time evil power began to flow from the Golden Land and greedy men were drawn there to become members of Ganon's army.|game= The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|page= 5}}</ref><ref name=GBAmanual>{{Cite manual|quote= After many years, an opening was found that led from our fair Hyrule to the Golden Land, where the mystical Triforce was still hidden. Many sought treasure in this place, but none returned--Only beings of great evil emerged from the Golden Land.|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (GBA version)|page=14}}</ref>
-{{clear}}
-===The Invasion of Hyrule===
-[[File:The Imprisoning War.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Knights of Hyrule battle Ganon's army for the fate of Hyrule.]]
-As greedy men from Hyrule entered the Dark World hungry for the Golden Power, each of them was transformed into a monster reflecting the greed within them. As a result, Ganon's army of monsters grew to a large enough proportion that he was now capable of launching an invasion against Hyrule. Many plagues began to beset Hyrule as well, causing catastrophes for the people that would precede the coming storm.<ref>{{cite manual|quote=Black clouds permanently darkened the sky, and many disasters beset Hyrule.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref>
-Finally, with his army now ready, Ganon launched the invasion against Hyrule, intending to fulfill his wish to be the ruler of both the Dark World and the Light World. Ganon's army swarmed from the Dark World and flooded into Hyrule, causing mass chaos and attacking [[Hyrule Castle]].<ref name=attack>{{cite manual|quote= Ganon's evil army swarmed from the tainted Golden Land into Hyrule and attacked the castle.|game= The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|page= 5,6}}</ref> Meanwhile, the Seven Sages searched for a courageous individual that could take up a weapon that had been crafted to combat magic as powerful as that of the Triforce's, a sword that could banish evil itself, the [[Master Sword]]. However, no hero worthy of the blade could be found.<ref name=sword>{{cite manual|quote=The Sages first had to search for the existence of the Master Sword and a hero to use it. However, the situation was urgent, and Ganon's malice was enclosing on the royal palace.|game=A Link to the Past|page=7}}</ref>
-{{clear}}
-===The Seal of the Sages===
-[[File:Imprisoning War.jpg|left|thumb|100px|The Seven Sages cast the seal.]]
-The [[King of Hyrule]] eventually convened the council of the [[Seven Sages]] as well as the [[Knights of Hyrule]] that served to protect the [[Hylian]] royalty and commanded them to seal the gateway to the Dark World shut in order to stem Ganon's invasion of the kingdom. Both groups would play pivotal roles in the hope of reaching this goal, with the Seven Sages bearing the responsibility of creating the seal itself while the Knights of Hyrule would protect them as they did their part to halt Ganon's invasion of the kingdom.<ref name=GBAmanual2>{{cite manual|quote= The King of Hyrule gathered the seven Sages to find a way to seal the entrance to the Golden Land so that his kingdom would be safe from the evil there|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (GBA version)|page=15}}</ref>
-The Knights of Hyrule took the full brunt of the attack from Ganon's monsters, and while they fought courageously to the end, they were nearly wiped out entirely as they did their duty.<ref name=Maiden1>{{cite|As the sages sealed the way to the Dark World, the Knights of Hyrule defended them from the attacks of evil monsters. I heard that the Knights of Hyrule were nearly wiped out in that battle...|Thieves' Town Maiden|A Link to the Past}}</ref><ref name=finalbattle>{{cite manual|quote= The wise men and the Knights Of Hyrule combined forces to wage war on this evil horde. The Knights took the full brunt of the fierce attack, and although they fought courageously many a brave soul was lost that day, However, their lives were not lost in vain, for they bought precious time for the Seven Wise Men to magically seal Ganon in the Golden land. All of Hyrule rejoiced at the victory that upheld peace and order over Ganon's evil and chaos.|game= The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|page= 6}}</ref> Their lives were not lost in vain however, as they bought the necessary time for the Seven Sages to create their seal, trapping Ganon in the Dark World and halting the invasion. With this, the war was ended in a victory for the Light World, though it had come at a very high cost. The people of Hyrule rejoiced nonetheless at the restoration of order and peace to their kingdom, thanks to the efforts of the Seven Sages and the Knights of Hyrule. Ganon and his army were trapped in the Dark World until the events of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]''.
-{{clear}}
-==Major Participants==
-===[[Ganon]]===
-[[File:Normal gsg-daniela-ganon.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ganon, the demon sorcerer responsible for sparking the Imprisoning War.]]
-The individual responsible for unleashing the Great Cataclysm and the primary instigator of the Imprisoning War, '''Ganondorf''', known as '''Ganon''' after his theft of the Triforce, was once the leader of a band of thieves that resided in Hyrule. He and his followers were skilled in the dark arts; One day, they discovered one of the gateways to the fabled Golden Land. After a deadly race to the heart of this Sacred Realm in which he slew all of his own followers, Ganondorf seized the Triforce as his own with the blood of his followers literally on his hands. His wish to become the ruler of the world caused the Golden Land's transformation into the Dark World as well as his own transformation into Ganon.<ref name=ganonfight/><ref name=cataclysm/>
-Once he laid his hands on the Triforce, he became the King of Evil.<ref name=ganonbirth/> Using the Triforce's magic, he cast a spell over the Dark World that would cause any venturing into it without protection to be transformed into a shape reflecting what lies in that person's heart.<ref name=heart/> He also used the Triforce to lure greedy men from Hyrule into the Dark World in order to transform them into monsters for his army.<ref name=ganonarmy/> Once he had built a large enough force, Ganon proceeded to launch his assault on Hyrule with the intention of ruling both worlds with the Triforce at his command. His schemes were put to a halt however through the sacrifice of the [[Knights of Hyrule]] and the magic of the [[Seven Sages]] when a seal was placed on the gateway to the Dark World, preventing him from being able to return to the Light World.<ref name=trapped>{{cite|The one who rediscovered the Golden Land was an evil thief named Ganondorf. Luckily, he couldn't figure out how to return to the Light World....|Swamp Palace Maiden}}</ref>
-{{clear}}
-===[[King of Hyrule]]===
-{{ImageCaption
-|image =        File:RoyalFamily.gif
-|size =         200px
-|align =        left
-|caption =      The King of Hyrule and the royal court at the time of ''A Link to the Past''.
-|captionalign = center
-}}
-Not much is known about the sitting '''King of Hyrule''' at the time of the Imprisoning War, apart from certain details concerning his actions during the conflict. It is said that when Ganon's army invaded from the Dark World and began attacking Hyrule Castle that the king called the Seven Sages and the Knights of Hyrule together and ordered them to seal the gateway to the Golden Land as a means to stem the invasion.<ref name=GBAmanual2/> Beyond that, not much is known about his reign or what other actions he took during the war, but it appears he was the chief architect of the plan to seal Ganon within the confines of the Dark World in order to restore peace to the kingdom.
-In the stories of the Imprisoning War, he is referred to as the "Lord of Hyrule". As is the case with the Royal Family at the time of ''A Link to the Past'', it is implied that he too ruled from Hyrule Castle during his reign, as Ganon's beasts were said to have targeted it during their invasion of the kingdom. As there is still a sitting king at the time of ''A Link to the Past'', which supposedly takes place centuries after the Imprisoning War, it is thought that both the King of Hyrule in the present as well as Princess Zelda are descendants of the unnamed king that led Hyrule through the Imprisoning War.
-{{clear}}
-===[[Knights of Hyrule]]===
-[[File:The Imprisoning War.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Knights of Hyrule take on Ganon's army of monsters at the height of the Imprisoning War.]]
-The protectors of the Hylian royalty renowned for their bravery, the '''Knights of Hyrule''' were the primary military force defending Hyrule during the era of the Imprisoning War and sacrificed a great deal to preserve its freedom. Not much is known about their order or how it was formed, but their primary purpose was to serve the [[Royal Family of Hyrule]] and to defend the country. When Ganon seized the Triforce and attacked Hyrule after forming a great army of monsters, the knights were the main source of resistance to the chaos he wrought upon the kingdom. When the King of Hyrule formed the plan to seal Ganon and his army within the Dark World, they were assigned the role of protecting the Seven Sages from harm as they cast the seal on the portal to the Dark World. As a result, they took the full brunt of the beasts' attacks and subsequently perished almost to the point of complete extermination. They had however succeeded in their ultimate goal of giving the Sages the time they needed to cast the seal, so their lives were not lost in vain.<ref name=finalbattle/>
-Their bloodline was not entirely destroyed, however, for one of their few remaining descendants, [[Link]], is featured in ''A Link to the Past'' and becomes the legendary Hero spoken of in the prophecy of the Great Cataclysm that would reverse the Cataclysm's effects by taking back the Golden Power and restoring both the Golden Land and Hyrule to their former beauty.<ref>{{cite|It has been said that whenever disaster waylays the royal family, a Hero shall emerge from the bloodline of the Knights of Hyrule...Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed in the great war against evil that took place when the seven sages created their seal, so it was thought that a hero would never again emerge...But lo! I believe you are our hero, Link!|Sahasrahla|A Link to the Past}}</ref>
-{{clear}}
-===[[Seven Sages]]===
-[[File:Seven Sages-ALttP.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Seven Sages that were responsible for creating the seal that trapped Ganon in the Dark World.]]
-The '''Seven Sages''', also known as the '''Seven Wise Men''', were a group of powerful sorcerers skilled in magic that served the Royal Family of Hyrule around the time the Imprisoning War broke out. Not much is known of their history, such as their group's formation or even what their names were, but what is certain is that they were primarily responsible for ending the Imprisoning War by placing a seal on the gateway to the Golden Land, therefore locking Ganon away within the Dark World and protecting Hyrule from further harm. Before the formation of the plan to seal Ganon away, they were said to have searched for a courageous individual that could take up the Master Sword and confront the evil that was threatening Hyrule.<ref name=sword/> Despite this search, the beasts of Ganon's army were wreaking havoc, and the King of Hyrule acted by convening the Sages' council, where he ordered them to place their seal on the Dark World.<ref name=GBAmanual2/> They succeeded in this endeavor largely because the Knights of Hyrule sacrificed their numbers to defend them while they created the seal. In the end, it was the combined efforts of the Sages and the knights that saved Hyrule.
-The descendants of the Seven Sages, the [[Maiden|Seven Maidens]], appear in ''A Link to the Past'', and have inherited their status as Sages in their own right in the present day.<ref name=Descendants>{{cite|You must also rescue the seven maidens who Agahnim sent to the Dark World. As descendants of the seven sages, they have power that will surely aid you.|Sahasrahla|A Link to the Past}}</ref> The town elder of [[Kakariko Village]] at the time of ''A Link to the Past'', [[Sahasrahla]], also claims to be descended from the Sages as well as the lost old man that gives Link the [[Magic Mirror]] on [[Death Mountain]].<ref>{{cite|You are correct, young man! I am Sahasrahla, the village elder and a descendant of the seven sages.|Sahasrahla|A Link to the Past}}</ref><ref>{{cite|You know, I have a granddaughter who is your age... The king took her to the castle and she never returned. Kidnapping those maidens must be part of the wizard's plot! I'm sure he is trying somehow to use the power of the descendants of the seven sages...|[[Lost Old Man]]|A Link to the Past}}</ref> During the events of ''A Link the Past'', the dark wizard [[Agahnim]] intends to send each of the Sages' successors, the Seven Maidens, across the barrier between the worlds and destroy the seal placed on the Dark World by their ancestors.<ref name=Descendants/>
-{{clear}}
-==Trivia==
-*The name of the Imprisoning War seems to be a play off of the end result of the conflict, which resulted in the "imprisoning" of Ganon inside of the Dark World; Meanwhile, the alternate name for the war in Japan, the "Seal War", seems to be a reference to the seal cast by the Seven Sages that trapped Ganon in the Dark World and ended the war.
-*In the American manual for ''A Link to the Past'', Ganondorf is given the surname "Dragmire" as well as the alias of "Mandrag Ganon" meaning "Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves".<ref>{{cite manual|quote=The name of this king of thieves is Ganondorf Dragmire, but he is known by his alias, Mandrag Ganon, which means Ganon of the Enchanted Thieves.|game=A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref>
-*The American manual for ''A Link to the Past'' makes the claim that the Hylian people were responsible for the creation of the Master Sword<ref name=AmericanManual>{{cite manual|quote=Suspecting that Ganon's power was based on the Triforce's magic, the people of Hyrule forged a sword resistant to magic which could repulse even powers granted by the Triforce. This mighty weapon became known as the blade of evil's bane.|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|page=5}}</ref>, while its Japanese counterpart states that the sword was ancient and had been crafted at the direction of the goddesses<ref name=JapaneseManual>{{cite manual|quote=For that reason, the people of Hyrule were told by the gods to make something that would repulse any evil that may kidnap the Triforce: the blade of evil's bane.|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (JP version)}}</ref>; It was later revealed by [[Princess Zelda]] in ''Twilight Princess'' that the sword was crafted by the wisdom of the [[Sage|Ancient Sages]], falling more in line with the Japanese manual's version of the sword's origins.<ref>{{cite|Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages...the Master Sword.|Princess Zelda|Twilight Princess}}</ref>
-*The story was heavily truncated for the manual of the Game Boy Advance version of ''A Link to the Past'' and did not include such important details as Ganon seizing the Triforce or the search for the Master Sword. These details are still provided by in-game text, however.
-*The American version of the story has the sages forget where the Triforce is hidden.<ref name=AmericanManual2>{{cite manual|quote= Many aggressively searched for the wish-granting Triforce, but no one, not even the Hylian sages, was sure of its location; the knowledge had been lost over time.|game=The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past}}</ref>
-*In regards to the games nominated to possibly be the Imprisoning War, one highly cited reason for the differences between the nominated games and the story of the Imprisoning War is that so much time has passed between the time of ''A Link to the Past'' and the Imprisoning War that the story has been altered or changed over the centuries, resulting in the differences.
-==Theories==
-The specific conflict against Ganondorf has not been canonically revealed. Few conflicts against him are plausible candidates as the ''Imprisoning War'' based on the presented facts specific to the event. Zelda Wiki strives to present solid sides to each aspect of the debate as neutral as possible. Each argument, however elegant has its own flaws and weaknesses more fitting for forum debate than encyclopedic documentation. In varying degrees of strength using developer quotes, in-game text, and manual quotes have suggested the
-''Ocarina of Time'', ''Four Swords Adventures'', and ''Twilight Princess'' plots as well as the always possible ''Separate Event'' unto itself.
-{{theory}}
-===Candidacies===
-====''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''====
-[[File:Ocarina of Time Official Artwork.png|thumb|right|250px|Official artwork depicting the major characters of ''Ocarina of Time''.]]
-After the Hero of Time defeats Ganondorf in both his humanoid form and as the Dark Beast [[Ganon]], the Sages throw him back into the void of the former Sacred Realm and place a seal on it, trapping him within the Evil Realm and restoring peace to Hyrule.<ref>{{cite|Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!!|Rauru|Ocarina of Time}}</ref>
-*'''Support'''
-# The developers of the game stated before and after its release that the game was made with the story of the Imprisoning War in mind.<ref>[[Timeline Quotes#On Ocarina of Time]]</ref>
-# The Sacred Realm seemingly has never been opened in the continuity of ''Ocarina of Time'' before Ganondorf's incursion into it, closely matching the description of this event detailed in the backstory of ''A Link to the Past''.
-# A group of Seven Sages make an appearance in this game, and they also seal Ganondorf away in what was formerly the Sacred Realm, virtually identical to how Ganondorf's imprisonment is described in ''A Link to the Past''.
-# The Triforce is stolen by Ganondorf from the Sacred Realm, causing the Sacred Realm's transformation into a world of evil.
-# Ganondorf's origins are revealed in ''Ocarina of Time'', where he is fittingly described as being the leader of a band of thieves, the [[Gerudo]], that live in the desert of Hyrule.<ref>{{cite|That is Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos. They hail from the desert far to the west. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I am sure he is not sincere.|Zelda|Ocarina of Time}}</ref>
-# A [[Hyrulean Civil War|civil war]] is said to have taken place not long before the events of ''Ocarina of Time'',<ref>{{cite|Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in our world.|Deku Tree Sprout|Ocarina of Time}}</ref> closely mirroring the statement made in ''A Link to the Past'' that the people quarreled and fought over the Triforce shortly before Ganondorf discovered the gateway to the Golden Land.<ref name=quarrel>{{cite|Hoping to claim the Golden Power as their own, the people began to quarrel and fight...Many sought to enter the hidden Golden Land...But none returned, and instead evil power began to issue forth from the dark portal...|Prologue|A Link to the Past}}</ref>
-# The prophecy speaking of the '''Great Cataclysm''' states that a Hero will triumph on the eve of the Cataclysm and win three symbols of virtue before retrieving the Master Sword.<ref name=Cataclysm/><ref>{{cite|When the "Great Catastrophe" befalleth, the "Hero" carrying three crests shall come, and by those hands shall he draw out this sword. That person will be one who doth carry the blood of Knight Family.|Pedestal of the Master Sword (JP version)}}</ref> Though this certainly applies to the Hero of ''A Link to the Past'', it can also be interpreted to fit the Hero of Time, who won the three Spiritual Stones necessary to obtain the Master Sword on the eve of Ganondorf's theft of the Triforce before using them to acquire the Master Sword in ''Ocarina of Time''. This has caused some to speculate that the prophecy is a recurring one that is destined to repeat itself each time the evil one that unleashed the Great Cataclysm rises, until the evil one is utterly destroyed for good and all; This is further supported by the Heroes shown in other games featuring Ganondorf, such as ''The Wind Waker'' and ''Twilight Princess'', where both Heroes obtain three objects before obtaining the Master Sword (the [[Goddess Pearls|Pearls of the Goddesses]] in ''The Wind Waker'' and the three missing fragments of the [[Fused Shadow]] in ''Twilight Princess'').
-*'''Discrepancies'''
-# It is said that the King of Hyrule commanded the Seven Sages to seal the Golden Land in the legends of the Imprisoning War. Even though it is never stated in the game, he is presumed dead, and the noncanonical manga states that the King indeed died in ''Ocarina of Time'' following Ganondorf’s assault on Hyrule Castle.<ref name=manga>[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Manga)]] Volume 1 Chapter 6</ref>
-# The story of the Imprisoning War states that there was no Hero found who could wield the Master Sword,<ref name=sword/> yet [[Link]] obviously did discover the sword and wielded it in ''Ocarina of Time''.
-# The [[Sage|Seven Sages]] are of all different races in ''Ocarina of Time'' despite that in ''A Link to the Past'' their descendants, the [[Sage|Seven Maidens]] all appear to be humanoid.
-# Ganondorf is sealed in the [[Sacred Realm]] with only one piece of the Triforce in ''Ocarina of Time''. In the backstory for ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'', he steals all three pieces together and makes his wish on the united Triforce.
-# The Knights of Hyrule are not nearly as prominent in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' as they are in the Imprisoning War story. Only one knight is seen in a back alley, and though his dialogue indicates he was killed by Ganon, the battle waged by the Knights to protect the Sages does not appear in ''Ocarina of Time''.
-# Ganon could not figure out how to return to the Light World after the seal was cast.<ref name=trapped/> Two sequels to ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' both feature Ganon's return and death.
-{{clear}}
-====''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]''====
-[[File:Fourswordsposter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Official artwork depicting the four Links and their battle against the forces of Vaati and Ganon.]]
-The end events of ''Four Sword Adventures'' depict the Four Links facing with Ganon himself, but they are able to defeat him and buy the Shrine Maidens and Princess Zelda the time needed to seal Ganon away within the Four Sword.
-*'''Support'''
-# Several elements of the backstory from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past|A Link to the Past]]'' are present in ''Four Swords Adventures'' such as the Dark World, the Knights of Hyrule, and a new origin story for Ganon, who still lives amongst the Gerudo thieves of the desert, matching part of his description in the story of the Imprisoning War.
-# Dark clouds do blacken the skies as a plague to Hyrule near the start of the game, mirroring the way similar happenings were described in the backstory of the Imprisoning War, where dark clouds and plagues were also noted to have beset the kingdom upon Ganondorf's gain of power.
-# As indicated by deleted text in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures|Four Swords Adventures]]'', the original concept for that game would have included elements which might have made it the game in which the Imprisoning War occurred.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.legendsalliance.com/index.php?showtopic=14202&st=1110&p=423623&#entry423623|title=Translation of Japanese Game Texts|site=Legends Alliance Forums}}</ref> Deleted text talks of Link not being able to wield the Master Sword, and more explicit references to the Hylians.
-# The Shrine Maidens seal Ganon within the [[Four Sword]], which is then seen in the Dark World in pieces in the Palace of the Four Sword. This could mean that after Ganon was sealed, the Four Sword was moved into the Palace of the Four Sword, and then Ganon broke out and found the Triforce.
-*'''Discrepancies'''
-# The absence of such elements as the Master Sword and the Triforce in the final version of the game means that ''Four Swords Adventures'' is missing some important pieces from the story of the Imprisoning War that are identifying features of the war.
-# The Shrine Maidens are all female, whereas the Seven Sages are all implied to have all been Hylian men.
-# Though some incarnation of the Dark World is present in ''Four Swords Adventures'', it is not explicitly identified as the former Sacred Realm.
-# No Hero was said to have been found to take up arms against Ganon in the Imprisoning War, yet the four Links are present in the game to take on both Vaati and Ganon in this story wielding not the Master Sword, but the Four Sword.
-{{clear}}
-====''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''====
-[[File:TP art1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Official Artwork depicting the major characters of ''Twilight Princess''.]]
-The events of Ganon being sealed in ''Twilight Princess'' are a potential candidated for the Imprisoning War. The [[Sage|Ancient Sages]] appear and relate the story of [[Ganon]]dorf, the leader of a [[Gerudo|band of thieves]] that invaded Hyrule to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. The Sages tried to execute him, but his possession of the Triforce of Power made this ineffective. They used the mirror to send him away into the Twilight Realm.
-*'''Support'''
-#As in ''Ocarina of Time'', Ganondorf is revealed to have been the leader of a band of thieves, matching the description of him in the manual for ''A Link to the Past''.
-#Hyrule is cast into darkness near the start of ''Twilight Princess'' as an army of dark creatures swarm from another world and attack Hyrule Castle, similar to the description of the invasion spoken of in the manual for ''A Link to the Past''.
-#A war fought over the Sacred Realm and the Triforce, the [[Interloper War]], seems to match the description of the battles over the Triforce described in the manual for ''A Link to the Past'' before Ganondorf obtained the Triforce.
-#Ganondorf is sent away into a world of shadows by a group of Sages, similar to the story of his banishment in the manual for ''A Link to the Past''.
-*'''Discrepancies'''
-#The Sages are only six in number, not seven, and Ganondorf murders one of them at his execution, where they send him away into the Twilight Realm; This conflicts with the story of his banishment due to the fact that there were seven Sages that sealed Ganondorf away in the Dark World, an entirely different place from the Twilight Realm, and none of the Sages were said to have died in the process.
-#No battle between the Knights of Hyrule and Ganon's monsters is depicted in ''Twilight Princess'', whereas it was a notable part of the Imprisoning War according to the story; Rather Zant's army is the one that invades Hyrule and does so at the command of Zant, not even knowing of Ganondorf's existence.
-#Ganondorf does not steal the Triforce of Power from the Sacred Realm in ''Twilight Princess'' but rather it is mysteriously granted to him when he is injured to the point of death, starkly contrasting with the story of how he got his power in the story of the Imprisoning War.
-#No Hero is said to have been found to take up the Master Sword against Ganon's forces in the story of the Imprisoning War, yet Link obviously wields it in ''Twilight Princess'', even using it to deliver Ganondorf his deathblow.
-#Ganondorf is seemingly killed in ''Twilight Princess'', another stark difference from the story of the Imprisoning War, which states that he was sealed away in the Dark World and couldn't figure out how to return to the world of light.
-#Ganondorf is said to have successfully infiltrated the Sacred Realm and killed his followers immediately afterward in the story of the Imprisoning War, yet though he and his band of thieves invaded Hyrule to find the Sacred Realm before the events of ''Twilight Princess'', they are implied to have failed in their invasion of the kingdom, which resulted in his capture and incarceration by the Sages.
-{{clear}}
-====Separate Event====
-Some also argue that the Imprisoning War has not been depicted in any game to date, and some even say it cannot be portrayed at all, as Link is not depicted in its story, nor is any Hero as the Sages were said to have been unable to find one to take up the Master Sword. Because of this, there are some in the ''Zelda'' community that feel it is an entirely separate event in itself that takes place at a time long before ''A Link to the Past''. There are others that argue however that because so much time has passed between the Imprisoning War and ''A Link to the Past'' that it is conceivable that the story has perhaps been altered or changed over the generations so much that the surviving version of events by the time of ''A Link to the Past'' is incomplete and missing some important information or added some overstated features that have distorted it in a way that makes it more difficult to identify. Whether either of these arguments is true or false is unknown however.
-==See Also==
-*[[Great Cataclysm]]
-*[[Hyrulean Civil War]]
-*[[Interloper War]]
-*[[Timeline Quotes#On Ocarina of Time|Timeline Quotes On Ocarina of Time]]
-==External Links==
-*[http://www.zeldalegends.net/files/text/z3translation/z3_manual_story.html Translation, comparison, and analysis of the story told in the ''A Link to the Past'' manuals]
-==References==
-<div class="references-small" style="height:175px; overflow: auto; padding: 5px">
-<references/>
-</div>
-[[Category:Events]]
-[[Category:Wars]]