Twin Chains

And New Hyrule already contains interesting clans and races not seen before in other zelda games like the Lokomo and Anouki. It’s not far off to think other unique peoples like the Kwikwi or Mogma once inhabited the same continent.

Furthermore, remember how the recruits of the royal guards/knights of Spirit Tracks wore specific uniforms that model the WW hero’s clothes? What if one of those recruits happened to survive and be sent to Skyloft? They could have wanted to pass on their knowledge and founded the Knight’s Academy, retaining the knight uniforms as a way to preserve their history. Of course, the meaning behind the uniforms was later forgotten since they end up changing up the uniform color every year. It was only by luck (or destiny) that SS Link happened to get the green version of the uniform.

Basically, my reasoning for SS coming far after ST is the ancient temples/robots, Lanayru sand sea, unique species, and knight’s uniforms all come from New Hyrule.

But what about the Master Sword?

For the most part, we know the blade of evil’s bane is a silver sword with a purplish handle. The iconic look that Fi is based off in the first place, right?

Except, some iterations of the master sword are blue. Or the little diamond-shaped gaps of the hilt are inconsistent, being blue or green or purple (with the crossing ribbons part being green in this case), or are missing altogether. Hell, the MS isn’t even present in the original 1986 game.

Sure, some of these minor color changes can be attributed to graphical limitations or different art styles per game. But what about all the transformations the sword has gone under like the drastic red and gold color changes of an upgraded MS in ALTTP/ALBW? How do we go from a thin, white and light green Goddess Sword forged into the larger blade in SS?

(I made a powerpoint infographic :D)

That's why I propose the master sword isn't one single blade, but rather a title given to multiple swords throughout the years. It already has legendary, grandiose titles like "The Blade of Evil's Bane" and "The Sword That Seals The Darkness" so why not 'The Sword of the Master' which would've gotten shortened to 'The Master Sword' over time. But not just any random sword can be deemed the MS. It's the hero of the sword, the wielder of it, that makes it the worthy blade of a master.

That way it includes the first hero of TLOZ wields the "magical sword" who hadn't yet become a master or how the hero of men forges the Picori Blade which later becomes the Four Sword in MC. And explains how the master sword seems to change locations between the Lost Woods or temples all the time. They're all different blades.

Yes, some Master Swords can be retained between generations though. I'd be willing to say the sword from OOT is the same in TP or the one forged in SS is the same one in BOTW/TOTK for instance (since Fi's chime can be heard in TOTK).

But how does Demise's curse and the reincarnation cycle fit into this?

During the end of Skyward Sword, Demise speaks these final words:

"My hate...never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again! Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time."

Usually, this is interpreted as Demise declaring this Link and Zelda as the first of an eternal cycle and Ganondorf is his reincarnation. Yet in the Skyward Sword manga, there is a whole other hero who fought for Hylia before the reincarnated SS hero, so how can the SS hero before the first iteration who 'started' the reincarnation cycle?

Remember when Demise says 'those with the blood of the goddess and spirit of the hero are forever bound to this curse/cycle.' What if he isn't saying 'I am actively binding you two (Link and Zelda) to a curse I'm creating right now' as is the common interpretation. Rather, he could be saying 'there is a pre-existing curse that you two are already bound to, and only a god like me can perceive it. So I'm pointing it out to you now because I'm adding more to it.'

It's a bit of a stretch but bare with me.

Yes, Ganondorf/Ganon is seen as the reincarnation of Demise. I mean they tend to have similar builds and the same striking orange-red hair, right? But there several other villains in the franchise that don't remotely resemble Demise or his hatred. In fact, the only time Ganondorf looks like a true reincarnation of Demise is during TOTK (more on this in a bit).

Instead, there's something greater at play. Demise supposedly locks these two souls in reincarnation but fails to acknowledge why the triforce always seems to be a part of this cycle as well. Link is always the representation of courage and Zelda is always wisdom even when these souls are reincarnated as completely different people.

The only explanation I can think of is that the golden goddesses created Link and Zelda's souls to permanently embody their triforces. They locked these two in reincarnation as insurance to keep peace and order in the world when there is a threat or thief of the triforce of power. Sorta like a system of balance, their souls were put in place to keep the more volatile of the three triforces, power, in check if it got out of hand. As mortals, Link and Zelda wouldn't really be aware of the inherent duty/burden placed on their souls but it would be more obvious to an outside deity like Demise. That's why these specific versions of Link and Zelda are only really ever reincarnated when there is any sort of threat to Hyrule to deal with, not just Ganon but also Vaati, Zant, Yuga, Cole, etc.

Besides the reincarnation cycle theory, Demise definitely did declare that his hatred would be reincarnated in SS though. But it's not just every iteration of Ganon. With the greater extent of destruction that Demise causes compared to most zelda villains, I'd go so far as to say the battle against Ghirahim and Demise in the events of SS were the first Calamity from BOTW. The second Calamity was that of the Sheikah, the ancient Zonai hero, and the Divine Beast detailed 10,000 years before the events of BOTW/TOTK. And the third Calamity was the events of not just BOTW, but also TOTK.

You know, the era when the physical embodiment of hatred (aka malice and gloom) poisoned the land, when the hero and most of the kingdom was killed, and when rehydrated Ganondorf looked eeriely more similar to Demise than any other Ganon. It matches up a little too well with how 'an incarnation of Demise's hatred' will haunt them forever. Especially when there is a giant valley on the BOTW map literally called The Breach of Demise.

Mighty (Hero of Men, the mighty hero)

When he is gifted the goddess sword and forges it into the Picori Blade, he befriends the dormant sword spirit. She refers to him as a hero of great might and resolve and thanks him for granting her freedom. She shortens it to the mighty hero and the name kinda sticks.

He isn’t too close to the Zelda of his era, a valiant and headstrong woman who lead the operation to defeat the remnants of Demise. She's not the biggest fan of her given name anyway so she chooses to go by her middle name, Valorie. Their names also correspond to Might and Valor since they fought a couple of battles together (the sword spirit stuck to Valorie and aided her in combat instead of Mighty).

Mini (Hero of the Minish, hero to all great and small)

He’s small and gets even smaller. His grandpa always calls him squirt, jack, or mini. Mini doesn’t mind anyway so he just reuses that nickname around the other heroes.