Prior to the events of Ocarina of Time, the ancient sages built the Temple of Time to serve as the gate to the Sacred Realm, where the Temple of Light was built. All the other elemental temples were built to allow the other elemental sages to access the realm.
During the events of Ocarina of Time, Link would collect the three spiritual stones and finally the Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time to open the Door of Time. He would pick up the Master Sword, only to find out Ganondorf managed to get in and corrupt the Sacred Realm. For 7 years, Link was sealed in the realm until he was old enough to wield the Master Sword. Upon awakening, he meets Rauru, the Sage of Light, who tells Link about what has been happening and his quest. After meeting Sheik, who tells more of the hero's upcoming adventure, Link goes out to purge the Forest Temple of its monsters and free Saria, who awakens her powers as the Sage of Forest. This cleans Kokiri Forest of the infestation, and the Deku Tree Sprout comes out of the ground.
Darunia becomes awakened as the Sage of Fire, and the eruption that clouded Kakariko Village and Death Mountain recedes.
Zora's Domain and River become engulfed in a cold winter, while Lake Hylia's water is lower than its usual levels. After Ruto becomes free, Lake Hylia rises again, and the winter eventually goes away. Ruto is revealed to be the Sage of Water.
After Link deals with the scourge in the Water Temple, he would find Kakariko Village being ravaged by an invisible enemy and Sheik trying to engage it. There, Link learns of the monster being originally sealed in the Bottom of the Well until it broke free. After obtaining the Lens of Truth in the Well as a child, he returns as an adult to the Shadow Temple to engage Bongo-Bongo, the monster that attacked Kakariko Village earlier, and Impa's power as the Sage of Shadow awakens.
Link would awaken Nabooru's powers as the Sage of Desert after defeating Kotake and Koume, who brainwashed her earlier.
Finally, Link meets Sheik at the Temple of Time who reveals her true identity as Princess Zelda, the Seventh Sage, and gives him the Light Arrows for his final battle against Ganondorf. Their meeting gets interrupted by Ganondorf, who kidnaps Zelda, and Link heads to Ganon's castle. With the help of the Sages, Link was able to access the stronghold, take out the seals protecting Ganondorf, and engage the evil king in the final battle. After Link delivers the final blow to Ganon in his final demonic pig form, the sages seal Ganondorf into the Evil Realm.
Downfall Timeline[]
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past[]
Before the events of A Link to the Past, the Seven Sages together with the Knights of Hyrule sealed Ganon away in the Sacred Realm. However, a mysterious wizard by the name Agahnim kidnapped the descendants of the Sages the Seven Maidens, Princess Zelda being one of them, to break the seal holding the Sacred Realm.
Link meets with Sahasrahla and Aginah, two of the other descendants of the Sages who aid in his quest. After Agahnim successfully sacrificed Zelda to complete the ritual, Link then goes to the Dark World to free all the maidens, who used their power to make the way for Link to reach Ganon.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds[]
The sages in A Link Between Worlds are said by Sahasrahla to be descendants of the Sages that sealed Ganon away. One day, a mysterious sorcerer by the name Yuga kidnapped the sages and sealed them into paintings to revive Ganon. Link rescues the sages from their paintings, which were sealed in the dungeons in Lorule. After all of them are rescued, they grant Link the Triforce of Courage to aid him in the final confrontation.
Adult Timeline[]
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker[]
The Sage's seal on Ganon holds, until he eventually escapes and is able to renew his havoc uninterrupted due to the hero being sent back to his original timeline. This results in the Great Flood sent by the Golden Goddesses.
They make an appearance in the ruined Hyrule Castle's basement, where the Master Sword was being kept, as portraits in stained glass.
The Sages still functioned the same way and had the same members. Only in these, they weren't dead at all, but most of them were asleep for 7 years upon Ganondorf's domination over Hyrule. Each member actually kept 3 of Zelda II'sPokémon corresponding with their elements:
Zelda, however, wasn't interested in training Pokémon
They were also involved in the Imprisonment War, but ever since Navi was done on being Link's guardian fairy, she stayed with Saria until that incident. Rauru passed away though after he failed to protect Zelda from Aganhim and gave his prowess to Mewtwo.
The Sages made a brief appearance as all six, even Navi, gathered in a large crowd beside Peach's Castle; they cheered and gave the Smashers support before heading into the Net War and dominating over Daemon and the Word.
