Thanks for the mention! I hope this theory gets you all hyped up for DLC 2! Perhaps we will uncover some more secrets within Hyrule.

Every few generations, the gorons move entire landscapes of hyrule as a display of power, which is why its never the same.

"WE SHOUD TAKE THE ENTIRE LOST WOODS, AND PUSH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE"

“Link is in the description” Description: hyah!

This could explain the castle lifting in the botw 2 trailer

It got swapped because the lost woods got lost

A small rock in a corner of botw map: *exist* The whole zelda community: is that a ocarina of time reference?

*watching years later after Nintendo confirmed that they swapped both of those locations during development*

I just think they said "okay, so the player starts, wakes up link, steps outside and sees mountains and the castle right on their doorstep" "Well if we swap it with the forest it will be more central and the player would step out to see the castle in the difference, pushing out the scale of the world" Basically I think they were swapped for gameplay reasons hence why they fit so well

The Old Man says the Great Plateau was the birthplace of the kingdom of Hyrule, NOT Hyrule Castle itself. This would imply that this is where the goddess Statue from Skyward Sword descended into the land below allowing it's residence to begin settling the kingdom. This would also explain the Plateau's unnatural shape and placement, as well as it's spiritual significance.

Nintendoblackcrisis: “the great plateau and the lost woods both have four shrines” Champions ballad: *exists* Nintendoblackcrisis:

Really really loved this theory when I first saw it a year ago. But after playing the game, I think the simplest answer is the whole map was retconned, possibly to give veteran fans all too familiar with past maps of Hyrule a sense that exploring Hyrule for the first time by switching things up a little. That or it was a compromise between OoT's location for the Temple of Time and Skyward's Sword's Sealed Temple so they retconned Castle Town's location more south to cement the connection between the two iterations. I imagine canonically we're supposed to believe that Castle Town was always south, close to the entrance to Gerudo Desert, and that kinda makes more sense to have a fortified major city of commerce between Hyrule and the people of the desert. And it's still central enough to be easily accessed by other regions of Hyrule.

1:34 Bokoblin look behind you! Oh no he can't hear us he has airpods in!

Is it not more likely they swapped locations to hide LINK? To put the hero way up on a plateau and further away from Ganon?

Personally I think it's the foundation of what was once Skyloft. If it rose once, it can presumably rise again and move. It would explain why it looks so unnatural sticking out the ground like that, since it is basically an island on top of more land. After SS, it likely became the place where OOT's Castle and Town was built, since it was the homeland of the original Hylians. At some point, it was risen again for whatever reason and ended up falling to where it was in BOTW. The Lost Woods of BOTW grew in the hole it left behind. The Master Sword is put in the forest rather than the Temple of Time, simply because that's where the Sacred Realm entrance still is, and it basically needs to always be put in that spot.

This theory makes so much sense now that we know a whole lot more about totk. They probably swapped areas by lifting them up in the sky and moving them. I watched this vid like, 3 or 4 years ago and I’m still watching the channel.

The developers are probably watching this and asking “wtf is this guy talking about”

I've always found the map of BOTW to be much closer to the Link to the Past Map. They've both got Hyrule Castle smack in the middle, Lake Hylia in the South-East, Death Mountain in the North-east and the Lost Woods in the north. Also, I have to disagree with the idea that they've swapped. There is a road leading out of the Great Plateau, approaching Lon Lon Ranch, rather similar to the road in Ocarina of Time. I simply believe that the Great Plateau was just risen up. Interesting theory, though.

I think the statement “Now that I’ve proven that these two locations were switched” is a little presumptuous

Or, more likely, the developers felt that having Link awaken in the Lost Woods next to the Great Deku Tree, with The Lost Woods being where the Great Plateau is currently located, would diminish the feel of making the player feel like they really are all on their lonesome, diminish the idea of using flashbacks to tell the story (which almost seems like an idea brought-up near the end of development and that a lot of the original planned story, additional bosses, and likely dungeons (the Yiga Clan Hideout was a mini-dungeon, and no-one can say that The Forgotten Temple doesn't reek of classic Zelda Dungeon spelunking) were cut due to development taking too long - I expect the announced "Breath of the Wild 2" sequel to dive back into that cut content), and it would be TOO "Ocarina of Time". I have no doubt that Nintendo wanted Link to awaken and let the player first see Hyrule right where they did on the map: Looking north overlooking Hyrule Field, the destroyed Hyrule Castle just beyond, and Death Mountain in the distant background - much like in the artwork found in the original Zelda manual. Swapping locations of The Lost Woods and The Great Plateau (which would likely have been called "Old Hyrule" or something originally and not on any plateau) was done to immediately show the player that Hyrule was destroyed, you're all alone, monsters are everywhere, and you're screwed. If Link had awakened in The Lost Woods (where The Great Plateau is now), then the game would've started with the Great Deku Tree giving Link his first mission of completing the first four shrines in order to prove himself once more in order to allow Link to leave (since this Great Deku Tree didn't seem to like Link all that much it makes sense in-game-lore-wise). Then, when Link explores Hyrule, he stumbles upon the Old Man in Old Hyrule (Great Plateau, located where The Lost Woods wound-up), who could give Link a new mission to activate the four shrines of Old Hyrule. This would then unlock a hidden section within the ruins of The Temple of Time where the Master Sword was stashed by Zelda. This would be a nudge-nudge-wink-wink to the mysterious old men in the original Zelda title who gave that Link his various swords while also acknowledging the Master Swords' location in Ocarina of Time. But, again, the idea of having Link start in The Lost Woods was likely seen as far too Ocarina of Time, so the devs swapped the locations and removed a few references to older games in the process.

this is an interesting theory to look back on. especially considering the breath of the wild 2 trailers basically proving that parts of Hyrule can be lifted up an float.

My main thought for if they swapped is from a purely game-play standpoint. If the great plateau had been north of the castle when you start the game, you're going to get A) fucked over by guardians and pools of malice B) Have an inferno hellscape to one side and C) have a freezing wasteland to the other. It makes no sense for it to have been the starting place of the game.

So now that we've seen botw2 and the rising castle, gotta wonder if that game is gonna have more "landscaping remodeling" explanations and giving a reason why the plateau and Lost Woods moved.

"Now that I've proved the land masses were switched.." You really didn't tho

If you look at the area around the land bridge that connects Hyrule forest to the rest of Hyrule, the rocks that make up the land are very different. Where else is the rocky land that looks like Hyrule forest? Coliseum Ruins, right by The Great Plateau. I’ll be honest I didn’t think much of the theory until I saw that.

hmmm .. the "why" reasons seems a little weak for moving the entire plateau

I know this is old, but my theory; I think they originally intended for the Great Plateau to be where the Korok for is now located, but moved it to the central location for gameplay purposes. It makes sense because of the gameplay structure. Once you get the glider, the game completely frees you and lets you do as you please. It may suggest what to do next as per the story, but it never FORCES you at all. Putting the tutorial area in the center instead of at the top of the map makes it more accessible and allows the player to, quite literally, pick a direction and go on their adventure. It's pretty genious. The tutorial arms you with knowledge and basic gear, then lets you decide where you want to go first.

super late but i recently found and love this channel!!!! you put so much effort into your theories and i really enjoy hearing your take on things. and i respect someone who uses talus music, it's some of my favourite in the soundtrack haha

Good thoughts, but i felt like your theories have the feeling of an “Illuminati confirmed” type theory. I’d appreciate it if you develop your bullet points more and make it abundantly clear as to why these things prove other things.

One other question I have is "When?"

Even 3 yrs later this is still so interesting

This video: Long Tutorials are annoying. Warframe Players: *Sweating profusely*

I mean if Hyrule Castle is moving in BotW 2 then why not move a plateau or a forest

i want the kokiri to come back in their original forms

Another thing to add to this theory (a year later) when watching the memories when link “dies” it’s near kakariko village, so why and how would an injured Zelda take the sword all the way up to the north of hyrule, but if the forest is where the plateau is now it would make a lot more sense

Coming back to this theory after the new trailer reveal for the sequel gives this theory a bit more probability since it was shown that Hyrule castle was levitated into the sky. That's not an insignificant chunk of land and I don't think it's much of a stretch for the Great Plateau to be moved the same way.

.... no two zelda maps are the same. There is no reason to believe that there is a lore based cause.

Great theory. I always figured the two were interconnected in some way, mainly because of the fountain and the notable buildings surrounding the Temple of Time. (Plus the master sword, of course). There's also a possibility that the Lost Woods wasn't the original resting place of the Master Sword. Sure Zelda left it there for Link after his defeat prior to his resurrection, but we have no idea how he obtained it prior to those events. There's a huge chance they hid the Master Sword and left it with the Deku Tree for protection while Link was resting. To leave it in the Temple of Time out in the open like that would be a huge mistake. I never would have figured the land masses would be swapped, though. And yes, Lost Woods isn't as close to Lake Hylia as it used to be in OoT, but remember that this is 10,000 years into the future from OoT, maybe even more than that. Continental drift would have moved any land masses further away from Lake Hylia, so of course some of the geography is going to change.

The lost woods in ocarina of time are to the right of lake hylia, while in botw (when swapped) the lost woods are to the left of lake hylia. how does that make sense?

I always just assumed it was like this: 1. Great Plateau is the birthplace of the kingdom. OoT Castle, Castle Town, and Temple of Time are here. 2. Some cataclysm occured. The first Calamity? The Great Flood? Tectonic shifting? It's been 10,000 years since the Divine Beasts were made, and the Divine Beasts are so far away from the tech available in any prior game, so millions of years may have passed! 3. The cataclysm subsides. Hyrule resettles far north, away from the old capital, which was now shifted to face southwest.

Once again, huge thanks to TheArchnoble for giving me this theory idea as well as LoruleanHistorian for helping theorize about it. Hope you guys enjoy as we uncover the secret of the Great Plateau!

"Since I've proven that these places were indeed swapped" You didn't prove anything. Until Nintendo says it's true or not, it's just a fan theory.

"Link" Is In The Description.

"Since I've proven that these places were indeed swapped" right.

The only thing now is, did Link originally get the Master Sword from the Korok Forest 100 years ago?

I definitely believe they were swapped. But Nintendo could have given us more clues as to why - Champion's Ballad? I have a small theory of my own. Maybe it was very recently that they were swapped. Maybe they were in their original locations when Link died, and that's how the Sheika were able to bring Link to the Shrine of Ressurection - it wasn't elevated or moved yet. Then, the Goddess swapped the two landmasses during Link's sleep? They put him up there to protect him - so nobody could get to him. Nobody is alive to remember the swap. And the snowcapped peaks are still there, despite being surrounded by a desert, because they weren't able to melt in a short amount of time. And to keep the Master Sword safe, of course. I liked the video! I'll join the Discord, because I have a question that hasn't been answered by anybody.

The temple of time IS FLOATING MID AIR IN SMASH BROS!!

The fog was the kings special ability. He kept you from leaving as well as others entering. His cloak is literally part of his "cloaking" ability. Also could be the reason only Link is able to get into the lost forrest bc the King also shrouded that.

Wonderful job! Thanks for the shout out, much appreciated! ✌

Although this theory is a bit of a stretch, it's still good and it opens up a lot of other possibilities. Good work!

One of the theories that actually convinced me; I've always been confused about the Great Plateau and the Lost Wood's strange locations they are in, and judging by the big stone-walls that look like old old sheikah tech, the Great Plateau could have easily been moved slowly over time and could be just a dormant divine beast. It (The Great Plateau) could have also been for Link, judging by the fact that he wakes up there. They wouldn't just give Link a small motorcycle, a replacement for a horse, instead of a divine beast like the other champions. And for the Korok forest, that still confuses me on how it could have moved, but the Korok fog could have moved it because it is capable of teleporting Link and other creatures away.

What makes more sense is the northern land was risen into the sky once again and dropped in the old Gerudo Wasteland. East of Lake Hylia and South of Deya Ruins is a broken giant tree. This leads me to believe Deya was the old Kokiri Village and the fallen Deya tree was the Deku Tree. Next a new Deku Sprout was planted northward at the empty Region below Thyphlo Ruins. Finally, a new castle was built in the middle of Hyrule Fields.

Now that we saw how the castle was rising, we could say that the same thing happened to change the forest and the plateau

Link is in the description? Where? Is zelda there to?

That was absolutely some amazing stuff. Makes so much sense. Well put together theory. You never lost me.

Another good idea for why the great plateau and the lost woods swapped is because if they didn't, Look how close link is to ganon.

This is really interesting! I would love to get some closure regarding this theory in the DLC

Or maybe in the river next to the korok forest there are titans hence why the walls exist

0:03 If you play it slowly, you'll notice that he put "notice me, senpai-crisis" next to Zelda's face

This is the most crazy theory and yet it makes perfect sense. I’d love to see a prequel set 1000 years prior with the previous incarnations of Link and Zelda with the Plateau and the Forest swapping places.

The problem is... the plateau very clearly isn't hyrule castle town. There is literally a hyrule castle and a hyrule castle town already in the game. In fact, it's the very final area. King Rhoam says the plateau is the birthplace of hyrule, which clearly means it's Skyloft from Skyward Sword (as it is quite literally the birthplace of hyrule).

I had an idea when you were finishing the video NintendoBlackCrisis, when you were talking about the entrance of the great plateau i noticed that the region may have been turned and not just swapped, if you turn the plateau 180º when you swap it on the map just like you did on 9:23 it would fit even better, the temple would face the castle town just like it used to in OOT as well as the entrance, mount Hylia would be close to the other mountains, in fact it could be part of the others, and the area with trees and grass would be connected to the fields you see east and south of the actual great forest position.

Maybe the fog dissipates when you get the paraglider because King Rhoam removes it. I don't have any evidence that ghosts are capable of manipulating the Lost Woods fog, but it's still interesting to think about

Also one of the koroks in korok city said that they worked extra hard to hide the master sword, I think they swapped the two places so that the monsters wouldn’t know where the master sword was

YOOOOO WAS THIS THE EARLIEST HINT FOR THE SKY ISLANDS?????

I literally thought it said 'The Snap' and I was like "botw meets Thanos??"

My idea, the 2 areas were swapped so that link could not pull the sword until he was ready, since the shrine of Resurrection was a 5 minute walk from the master sword, The two regions along with the master sword were moved so that link wouldn't die pulling it.

Hey, great theory. This theory makes even more sense now that we've seen the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer and Hyrule Castle begin to move. Makes a lot of sense!!!

Actually, I'd say that shrines+towers were used to teleport landmasses, cause thats what for even player using them after beating. Why would sheikah do that? Easy. They weren't sure about battle with Ganon, so, if he would destroyed some important tactical objects, other countries will attack, but, by swapping territories that weakpoint is not existant

2nd DLC is comimg soon guys yes i'm soo pumped!

Damn he really predicted the lost Woods being literally missing in the second breath of the wild 2 trailer

subscribed legit for the "holding ground" pun. was on the fence until that point haha

Yeah... I don't buy it. Gonna have to try a little harder with your evidence to win me over.

I think the Sheikah accomplished the region swap using a wormhole, take notice of the Ancient Arrows. When they hit an inorganic target it causes a 'warp bubble' that explodes, an organic target however gets sucked into the 'warp bubble' without it detonating and the monster/enemy doesn't drop anything. If it is indeed a warp in space/time that's produced by a very small arrow then it's not far-fetched to think that they can replicate the same effect in a large region with a device dedicated to a creating a wormhole. Maybe the Divine Beasts did this before being possessed by Ganon's malice? They certainly have enough energy with their blasts to be a force of nature, all 4 at the same time or something on the same scale of Sheikah technology shouldn't have any problems bending space/time.

Seeing Hyrule castle rise from the ground in the BOTW 2 trailer gives this theory a lot more credibility

One more thing: this is kind of going off of matpats theory on the placement of botw in the timeline. if botw takes place in the fallen hero timeline then it makes sense that you find the master sword in the post woods in a link to the past. If the two locations were swapped but the master sword in the same place it makes sense you find the master sword in the post woods

The master sword only responds to the chosen hero. Perhaps when the Shiekah swapped the plateau and Korok forest, the sword refused to move from its position without link so the pedestal was unintentionally left behind and ended up in the lost woods.

Ha ha, LINK is in the description, am I right?

I beleive that this swap, may have happened prior to twilight princess, which would explain why the hell the temple of time was found in the woods there.

I love how the Zelda KZfaqrs are way nicer with each other than other content creators.

ya'll people trying to connect the zelda games to one another are crazy

I'm always disappointed when they say "link is in the description" and then there's not even a Link made of punctuation marks 😭 especially on Zelda videos

6:53 "it only was shown to work on small objects, like bridge pieces" LOL

It's a cool theory. It's surprising how the whole Zelda map isn't made of Death Mountains and rumbling calderas and ravines because of the oddly localized anomalous tectonic activity through the series. ;P Perhaps they had to relocate Hyrule Castle and the towns several times due to destructive earthquakes absolutely FLATTENING everything.

Great Job! I never thought about it but yeah the big wall around the great plateau was strange to me, and now I understand why xD btw get the hype up the DLC for botw is coming soooon!!!! Maybe we could have a Zelda X Link moment XD

Now wait just a minute, the beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2 is really important to the whole plot of the series. I agree that it's a little drawn out, but it isn't that bad. Most people just want to rush through it and play as Sora, that's why they can't stand Roxas. People tend to ignore Roxas's character because of this when they first play it. Now that I truly understand the story line of the series, I have a much deeper respect for Kh2's opening. It's even become one of my favorite parts of the game.

Great video. I love tbis channelk,kepp up the great work sir.

so amazing to hear you say you were at nearly 10,000 subs and now look at you with 161k!!!! I love what you are creating. Zelda addict here :DD

About half way thru this but i got to remind u of something maybe they did not move locations just that the Great deku tree was planted in another area after all the great deku tree does die in OoT

This is a really great theory, but I feel that it was done more so for gameplay reasons. If the great plateau had been in the area of Castle Town, the player would have subconsciously chosen the closest dungeons first as opposed to doing the dungeons in any order. Not to mention, there would essentially be only one direction for the player to leave. Of course there’s the area above the lost woods on the map, but that’s really small in comparison to the whole map.

Love your vids you have good and reasonable theory’s

Maybe the move had to do with the Deku tree himself since he would've been directly effected.

The Master Sword has appeared in the Lost Woods in previous games. Why assume that this time in particular, it's because a goddess feng-shui'd the geography? When they say that the Plateau is the origin of Hyrule, I figured that means it's where the three goddesses descended. The legend says that after they departed, they left the Triforce, which would be resting in the Temple of Time, which is on the Plateau. Castle Town was never on the Plateau, it's near the castle; you can see the ruins of it in BotW, still south of Hyrule Castle just like it's always been.

The mystery of the Great Plateau has finally been solved.....with a theory. Hmmm

Not to mention, if Ganon found the master sword, he'd probably just station a hundred guardians there to watch it. Also, the Great Deku Tree can protect it in the Korok Forest

Hey man, the KHII intro is super fun and emotional.

0:03 says, notice me, senpai-crisis thank me later

All sorts of stuff wrong with this theory, though it is an interesting take on things I guess. The map for BOTW is essentially a rehash of Link to the Past from the SNES's map. Desert in the SW, Lakes/ocean in the SE. Death Mountain in the North. Hyrule Castle somewhat centralized, and The Lost Woods to the west of Death Mountain. Zora's Domain in the east and south of Death Mountain. Of course, the maps don't line up perfectly, but no Zelda map lines up perfectly with older ones.

Maybe the fog around the plateau was powered by the King's spirit - once he thinks Link is ready, he lets the fog and himself fade away.

In Skyward Sword, you plant a seed in the temple of time that grows into a "deku tree" of sorts. Skyward Sword also has TWO Temples of time. It confirms to me that there is more than one place that the Master sword has resided. I wonder if that helps the validity of the theory... I like this theory. Keep them coming.