Zelda 64's Ending: A complete farce or a logical possibility...?
By: Super Markio
I, much like many other people, reached the end of Zelda 64 for the first time not too long after I'd bought it. It all seemed so magical and mysterious, like so many of Shigeru Miyamoto's works. It wasn't until later when I realised that some serious thought was going to be needed to explain how the crazy time-warping ending would work.
Because I have a habit of trying to understand games better than the developers themselves, I often find myself gathering information together and poking at the facts until they make sense. I had to be very open minded here, and I hope you will be too as you read it. You'll probably feel dizzy or faint after reading this... don't worry, those symptoms are normal when you get too close to my brain.
-Parallel Time-
In order for most of Zelda 64 to work, it is necessary to think of all time as flowing the same way. This way, if Link goes back in time, stays there for five minutes and then goes forward in time again, five minutes will have passed there too. This is why things stay the way they were in both time zones. Phew, confusing? You bet.
-Simultaneous Links-
There are always at least two Links existing together. Active Link and Completed Link. However, you will only ever be aware of one of these existing (Active Link).
-Completed Link-
This Link is the one who has saved Hyrule and has been sent back in time to relive the seven years. This is the one which is most confusing, as we are never made aware of him still existing. I believe he was returned to the past, he warned Zelda about the attack on the castle (so she could escape with Impa in time) and then went off to do whatever he does in Zelda Gaiden, so as not to interrupt the fragile time-space continuum. This is the only way the ending can make sense, if there are two Links in action. Once Active Link saves Hyrule, he will become Completed Link, creating a loop in time where everything repeats itself. Phew.
-The one remaining problem that means none of this can happen ever- When you complete the game, Link is returned to the Temple of Time before Zelda has escaped as a child. The Ocarina of Time has been taken from him and none of the stones are in place in the altar. The Door of Time is closed... How did Link escape the Temple of Time before Active Link opened the door (which he only does after Zelda has escaped).
So it's still a mess, but at least we have a new mystery to unfold. Where is the secret door in the Temple of Time... oooh... Well, there is a window. Maybe Navi came back (after leaving him) and gave him a lift... they broke the window, fixed it again behind them and flew to safety. Hey, I did say keep an open mind. In conclusion, I guess we'll never fully understand it until Zelda Gaiden comes out. That will hopefully answer some of our questions.
