QWhat happened to the Zora people?
AThe aquatic Zora people featured prominently in Ocarina of Time, but are absent in The Wind Waker. One theory is that they have gone extinct when Hyrule was flooded with ocean. It may sound surprising that the aquatic Zoras could not survive a flood, but it stands to reason that they are fresh water inhabitants, and would therefore not be able to live in salty seawater.However, one of the spirits of the Sages who Link meets during his journey is a Zora, and Medli from the aviatic Rito species is his descendant. This highly suggest that the Zoras did not die out, but evolved into Ritos in reaction to their drastically changed environments. The name Rito itself may even be an allusion to princess Ruto, the Zora princess from Ocarina of Time. Also, Medli mentions that her people used Grappling Hooks before they grew wings, another hint that they were not always a flying species.
QSo how exactly is this game connected to Ocarina of Time?
AAccording to the official Zelda chronology, this game is a distant sequel to Zeruda no densetsu: Toki no okarina (Ocarina of Time). More specific: to the Adult Era from that game.Ocarina of Time is special in the entire Zelda series in that from this game on, the chronology splits into three separate parallel timelines. The prologue of The Wind Waker tells of the Hero of Time, a time traveller who vanquished evil and disappeared again, referring to Link from Ocarina of Time who was indeed sent 7 years to the future to defeat Ganon. This time travelling effectively created two separate parallel timelines, Link's Childhood Era and his Adult Era. After defeating Ganon in the Adult Era, Link returned to his Childhood era, and lived out his life the normal way. This timeline was followed by Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess and Four Swords Adventure.However, in the separate Adult Era continuity, there was no more Link. When Ganon returned there, adult Link did not show up, forcing the people to seal Ganon in time with the Master Sword, and the Gods to flood the lands. This is where The Wind Waker takes place. It is confirmed by the depiction of the seven Sages from Ocarina of Time in the stained glass windows in Hyrule Castle. This timeline is followed by Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks.There is a third separate timeline, which occurs when Ganon defeats adult Link in Ocarina of Time. This causes the King of Hyrule to appoint seven wise man, the Sages, to seal the Sacred realm, locking Ganon inside (which is the backstory as presented at the beginning of A Link to the Past). Thus, this timeline gives rise to the games A Link to the Past (where Ganon breaks the seal and escapes), Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, the original Legend of Zelda (Ganon is revived), and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
QWhat happened to the Goron people?
AGorons are the bulky, brownish-yellow rock-dwelling creatures from Ocarina of Time. Just like the Zoras, their fate has not been revealed. However, the travelling merchants on rafts with whom Link can trade figurines appear to be a Gorons in disguise (you can even use the Giant leaf to blow their large hats off). so the Gorons did not die out. Presumably, they escaped the flood and found a new place to live, away from the Hylian people. This is confirmed in the next game in the chronology, Phantom Hourglass: when Link and Tetra arrive on the new continent, they find a flourishing Goron tribe there.
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