When Nintendo known as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment “canonical” to the Zelda timeline in the course of the July Companion Direct, I did regardless of the audible equal of a double-take is. Nintendo, so averse to timelines. Nintendo, who had Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma on document saying the historical past of Zelda-world actually does not matter that a lot.
Then, I remembered one thing I’ve tried to overlook over the past 5 years — Age of Calamity‘s story — and realized this appears very very similar to Nintendo quietly telling individuals they will not be pulling the identical trick once more. That is among the finest decisions they may make for Age of Imprisonment in my ebook, although in all probability not for the explanations you are considering should you’re huge into timeline lore.
[Ed. note: Spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity follow]
When issues are at their worst in Age of Calamity, and it appears to be like like Ganon will conquer the Champions of their cursed Divine Beasts as he does in Breath of the Wild‘s backstory, one thing sudden occurs. The little egg-like Guardian who follows Zelda round summons Champions from a distinct timeline who save their counterparts and assist flip the tide in opposition to Ganon. The evil pig is sealed away for good, and Hyrule and all its individuals (besides the king, who dies anyway) can take pleasure in peace once more.
The occasions of Breath of the Wild by no means occur on this model, as they don’t must. Everybody will get a cheerful ending. That will not be the case in Age of Imprisonment, because it’s “canonical” occasions will, presumably, lead proper into the battle from Tears of the Kingdom‘s backstory that ends with Rauru (briefly) sealing Ganondorf.
Usually, this fixation on becoming issues neatly into their immovable, unshakable order annoys me, because it’s my least favourite pattern in storytelling. It is okay to be messy and inform tales that do not be a part of seamlessly collectively, with fastidiously deliberate room for additions. You are centered an excessive amount of on writing in methods for individuals to construct on later that approach, as a substitute of making a narrative that is truly value persevering with.
Age of Calamity‘s drawback is not that it is non-canonical. It is that it performs in your expectations of impending distress as you look forward to the Champions to fulfill their finish, places you and all of Hyperlink’s allies by hell, after which presses the magic time journey button and says “nope, none of it mattered!” Time journey in a Zelda recreation is nothing new, however this conceit of becoming a member of heroes from future and current is just a little too Saturday morning cartoon-flavored for my liking. Everybody joins collectively, the world is saved, and no person anybody has any affection for dies. And nothing you probably did had any bearing on it.
I do not assume dying is the head of drama in a narrative or that you need to be in full management of the way in which a online game narrative unfolds. I do, nevertheless, assume there’s actual worth in acknowledging the truth that the world will get in a fairly fucked-up state generally. You possibly can’t reset it, and also you should not depend on some magic hero to swoop in and do all of the give you the results you want. The one answer — which is mainly the purpose of Breath of the Wild and which Nintendo appears to be recognizing with Age of Imprisonment — is to just accept what’s gone unsuitable and work out one of the simplest ways to maneuver ahead.
