The Era of the Great Flood
When the gods drowned the world, one boy learned to sail the wind and challenge the Demon King with a wish of hope.
The Era of the Great Flood marks a watershed moment in the chronology, where Hyrule lies submerged beneath an endless ocean to imprison the Demon King Ganon. This epoch chronicles the rise of the Hero of Winds—a young sailor who rises not as a knight of old, but as a brave explorer navigating a world of scattered islands. It serves as a pivotal divergence point, illustrating a time when the gods intervened directly to preserve the Royal Bloodline and the Triforce, waiting for a new hero to emerge from the waves.
- Protagonist
- Link (Hero of Winds)
- Antagonist
- Ganondorf
- Key Ally
- Tetra / Princess Zelda
- Divine Patrons
- The Golden Goddesses
- Primary Setting
- The Great Sea
- Status
- Concluded with the restoration of Hyrule
Lore & Background
Following the defeat of Ganon in the Imprisoning War, the gods foresaw that humanity's greed would inevitably invite another catastrophe. To prevent this, they raised the waters of Hyrule Field, drowning the entire kingdom and sealing the Demon King beneath the ruins of Hyrule Castle. The Royal Family was preserved on a remote island, their bloodline protected by the goddess Hylia, while the common people survived as scattered island communities, their memories of the sunken continent fading into myth.
Centuries later, the seal begins to weaken, and Ganon's influence seeps back into the world. The gods send the spirit of the former King of Hyrule, now known as the King of Red Lions, to guide a new hero. This era is unique in its focus on exploration and discovery, as the vast ocean replaces the familiar dungeons of the past with a dynamic network of islands. Unlike previous eras where sages were required to re-seal evil, this hero must navigate the treacherous seas to confront Ganondorf directly, ultimately relying on Princess Zelda's wish upon the Triforce to banish him forever.
In Their Own Story
The salt spray stung Link's face as he adjusted his red cap against the biting wind. Below him, the turquoise waves stretched endlessly toward the horizon, hiding mountains and valleys that once held bustling cities. He gripped the wheel of his small sailboat, the King of Red Lions bobbing confidently in the swell. 'The wind is right,' the boat seemed to murmur, its voice echoing in Link's mind. Ahead, a strange storm cloud swirled over a distant island, pulsing with an ominous green light. It was time to set sail again.
Reader's Guide
The narrative begins when Link, a young boy living on Outset Island, witnesses his sister being kidnapped by a giant bird. He sets out in search of her, meeting the King of Red Lions, who reveals himself as the spirit of a legendary hero and explains the history of the Great Flood.
Link travels across the Great Sea, collecting fragments of the Triforce of Courage from various islands while helping the people of the sea solve their problems. He eventually discovers that his sister is actually Princess Zelda in disguise, fleeing from Ganondorf who has broken free from his seal. The two are separated when Ganon captures Zelda to use her royal bloodline for his ritual.
Link must then gather the three sages to open the path to the Tower of the Gods and confront Ganon. After a series of trials involving wind, light, and water, Link defeats Ganondorf. In the climax, the gods allow the waters to recede, restoring Hyrule to its former glory, though only those with pure hearts remember the adventure that transpired beneath the waves.
Did You Know?
- This era is the only one in the timeline where the entire kingdom of Hyrule remains completely underwater for the majority of the story.
- The King of Red Lions is not a hero's spirit, but the transformed soul of the former King of Hyrule who guided Link from before the flood.
- Princess Zelda spends a significant portion of the game disguised as a pirate captain named Tetra before revealing her true identity.
- Unlike other entries in the series, this era does not require awakening Sages to seal Ganon; instead, he is defeated through combat and banished via Zelda's Triforce wish.