The child timeline has some of the very best games in the Zelda series including Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess. The Zelda team are likely working on the next Zelda game right now, and one of my hopes is they are working on a new game that could sit on the child timeline. Today I want to focus on this; the child timeline to date and what a new child timeline could be in the Legend of Zelda series.

First of all I want to go through a quick reminder of the child timeline, and then have a look at where we could go next.

Child Era

At the end of Ocarina of Time, after defeating Ganondorf, Zelda sends Link back in time, creating one of the three different timelines. This starts the the Child Era. Once Link arrives in the in his own time, he warns the young Zelda about Ganondorf. Zelda gives Link the Ocarina of Time and sends him away from Ganondorf, so the Sacred Realm is never opened.

This leads directly into the events of Majora’s Mask. Link sets off on a new adventure, this time a personal one looking for Navi. Unfortunately Link finds more than he bargains for in Skull Kid. He attacks Link, steals the Ocarina and jumps into a portal. Link follows Skull Kid to Termina. Skull Kid has possession of Majora’s Mask and is causing the Moon to fall towards Termina. Link meets The Happy Mask Salesman and is given 3 days to stop this tradegy. Ultimately Link stops the Moon, faces off against Majora and saves the day.

Link then leaves Termina, but then little is known as to what happened to him next. Zelda on the other hand, now knows about Ganondorf’s intentions and is sentenced to death by the Ancient Sages in the Arbiter’s Grounds. Ganondorf breaks free and fights against the sages, murdering one of them. The sages then banish Ganondorf to the Twilight Realm, and are told by the gods to protect the mirror that leads to the realm.

Twilight Era

In the Twilight Realm Ganondorf gives Zant magic abilities, and Ganondorf sets about merging the Light and Twilight Worlds into the Dark World, where Ganondorf would reign. In Twilight Princess Link meets Midna, The Twilight Princess who has been transformed by Zant. Link ahd Midna use the mirror to enter the Twilight Realm and defeat Zant. Zant reveals that Ganondorf is behind all this and has been reborn in Hyrule. Link and Midna then head back to Hyrule to defeat Ganondorf. Midna then returns to the Twilight Realm and breaks the mirror, making sure the realms will stay separate forever more.

The Shadow Era

Much time passes by in Hyrule before Ganon, a reincarnated Ganondorf, steals the Trident from the Ancient Pyramid and the Dark Mirror from the Temple of Darkness. Ganon then plans to release Vaati from his seal in the Four Sword and creates a Shadow Link to help him. Shadow Link tricks Link into pulling the Four Sword which releases Vaati, also making four copies of Link. Ultimately the four Links kill Vaati and seal Ganon inside the Four Sword.

That’s a very brief recap of the child timeline so far. There’s one thing that sticks out to me, and that is the time period between Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess. This is where I think the next Zelda game could be set.

With that in mind, what are some possible story beats for the next Zelda game set in the child timeline between Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess.

Exploring how Link from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask became Hero’s Shade in Twilight Princess is the perfect topic for a future Zelda game, even though it would likely end in tradegy. After Majora’s Mask, child Link returns to Hyrule and little is known about Link until the events of Twilight Princess many years later. In Twilight Princess, a new incarnation of Link has been born to save Hyrule. However, this Link is inexperienced and seeks the help from a mysterious swordsman.

This Hero’s Shade is the ghost of Link from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, otherwise known as the Hero of Time. After returning from Termina, Link lived his life in Hyrule and his heroic deeds weren’t recognised, and ultimately he died. Full of regret, the Hero’s Shade wasn’t able to pass to the afterlife and lingered until he could pass down his skills to a new hero. This has been covered by YouTuber Major Link, so I recommend going over there and checking out their video called Hero’s Purpose on the topic.

The story of how the Hero of Time became the Hero’s Shade sounds like a sad story. It would be good to revisit the Hero of Time, when he’s returned from Termina back in Hyrule. Yes, Link could die at the end… but it would be good to revisit that version of Link and round out the trilogy of the Hero of Time. Similar to Rogue One, we knew the end before we saw the movie, but it was the journey of the characters along the way.

There is a theory that in the child timeline there was a war between Gerudo and Hylians. This could provide an interesting backdrop for a new Zelda game. According to Hyrule Historia, Hero’s Shade is a direct ancestor of Hero of Twilight (Link from Twilight Princess). That means the Hero of Time could have had a child before he died, which could be an interesting romantic twist in the story for Link.

Hero’s Shade is also missing an eye, which could be another story beat in a Majora’s Mask sequel. If there was a Gerudo War, the Hero of Time could take part, perhaps lead a battalion of Hylians and you could have some great battles against Gerudo enemies, ultimately leading to Link losing an eye. It would be fascinating to see the Child Hero of Time, grow up to become an adult and a famed warrior in a war against the Gerudo.

The Hero of Time is one of the most iconic versions of Link in the series, perhaps only surpassed by the recent Breath of the Wild version of Link, and it would be great to explore the final part of this trilogy. It would be good for the Zelda team to write that final chapter, and perhaps the Hero of Time’s death wasn’t so tragic after all.

Let me know in the comments what you think.