One of the most prolific enemies in recent times Legend of Zelda entries was the Lynel. The centaur/lion creature is one of Hyrule’s most powerful enemies, but they didn’t always roam the kingdom in Zelda canon. Only found in a selection of games, the biggest causes of “Game Over” screens in Breath of Nature It has a storied but uneven history. Lynels have been part-time members of the monster roster since the original Legend of Zelda came out, making them one of the oldest monsters that can be fought.
With the launch of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, there are a lot of questions about how the timeline changed. One theory is that the events of Echoes of Wisdom are the substance of the legend in Sword to the Skyas the cracks and pools of darkness in Hyrule fit into the narrative and effectively create the legend that follows Zelda. However, the connection to Lynels in timeline positioning goes beyond just a coincidence of events surrounding the main characters, serving as a way to finally change the way the canon views the “Fallen Hero” timeline presented by Nintendo.
Most monsters appear in every game, why not Lynels
An enemy that respawns under specific conditions
Lynels are one of the oldest monsters in the world. Zelda portfolio, as they were first introduced in the original The Legend of Zelda in 1986. At the time, they came in two variants, with the blue Lynels proving more powerful than the red ones. This colorful pairing returned in Oracle duology, while Lynels with more natural coats appeared in A link to the past and A connection between worlds. For decades, Lynels only appeared in games that followed the traditional top-down stylenot being able to debut in full 3D games until Breath of Nature and Tears of the Kingdom.
While it may seem silly to look to a monster for help in determining where games fall on the Zelda timeline, it might be worth taking a look at frequent appearances. Octoroks appear in all games except Twilight Princessprompting players to look at the clear evolutionary concept of the pesky rock-spitting creatures and apply it to other monsters. Lynels, however, only appear in games classified as part of the “Fallen Hero Timeline” and the one adjacent to the timeline BOTH and TOTK. Lynels could be a side effect of the Tri-Force’s dissolution and Ganondorf’s power or simply an evolutionary mystery.
What does the multicolored Lynel mean in Echoes of Wisdom
A theory of Zelda’s evolution
The newest Lynel variant is a multicolored version that haunts the Eternal Forest. In Echoes of Wisdom, Echo’s description says that the Lynel is the most fearsome monster in all of Hyrule, while the BOTH the compendium entry states that they have lived in Hyrule since ancient times. With a mix of blue, brown, and red accents, this Lynel is one of the strongest Echoes Zelda can acquire within the game, and notable designs of BOTW/TOTK place Echoes of Wisdommodel firmly on the timeline before the Great Calamity.
Given a connection to be made from the convergence of all timelines, it can be assumed that the Lynels had to evolve and proliferate from that pointsince there is only one Lynel that can be found in Echoes of Wisdom and about twenty-two that can be found in BOTH. The unique multicolored Lynel could be the key to understanding how several different types of Lynels could evolve.
When treating BOTH and TOTK Like games that take place after the Fallen Hero timeline, there are slow increases in the number of Lynels that Link comes into contact with over time. Just Echoes of Wisdom features a single Lyneland the emphasis on blue and red in its coloring states that Echoes of Wisdom is the genetic origin of Lynel.
Zelda’s Fallen Hero Timeline Is More Important Than It Seems
The key to understanding the franchise
While it’s fun to play around with different theories, placing Echoes of Wisdom at the beginning of the Fallen Hero Timeline is supported by most of the evidence in the sequence of events that allows BOTW/TOTK to happen. Lynels are not the only point of connection, and the similarity between the Echoes of Wisdom map and A link to the pastHyrule’s is another strong argument. The idea of starting the Fallen Hero timeline with Zelda as the protagonist is also appealing, showing her taking up the mantle after the hero failed to protect Hyrule.
As Zelda also claims the role of Sheik in Ocarina of TimeThis idea that this is Zelda’s timeline doesn’t seem far-fetched, as she takes on a more involved role with Link throughout his time as an adult. With the addition of Echoes of Wisdom, there’s a good chance that the Fallen Hero timeline now starts with Echoes of Wisdom instead of A link to the past. Lynel may not seem like the most important part of the Echoes of Wisdombut it could be the key to figuring out the timeline for The Legend of Zelda.