10 Terrifying True Endings In Video Games

Using the term "true ending" in the messy Legend of Zelda timeline is about as concrete as using inflatable bricks to build a house. Still, it is the most official you can get with the Nintendo series' order of events. One of the most divisive segments in the timeline is the three-way time split, with each path considered canon. Tragically, one is less pleasant than the others.

For the uninitiated, there are three diverging paths in the Legend of Zelda timeline that occur depending on the ending to Ocarina of Time. This split is governed by the outcome of Link's battle with Ganon.

If he wins, then hooray, the villain is thwarted, and Link is sent back in time to relive his childhood, leading to Majora's Mask. The world he left behind soon floods, and, bish bash bosh, you've got The Wind Waker.

However, in the universe where Link fails to defeat Ganon - known as the Fallen Hero Timeline - the land of Hyrule falls into decline. This leads to games like A Link to the Past, and the original Legend of Zelda, explaining why the lands are so barren and empty. It's a nightmarish outcome where Link is killed, and Hyrule is doomed.

So, guess what? That means you create a canon reality where Hyrule falls every time you lose in that final boss fight. Be careful!