You think no ashes were left from that big bugger explosion? Besides, it's just a figure of speech and knowing the localisation team behind ALttP and LA, the use of the word 'ashes' wasn't probably even in the Japanese version.
It's just a figure of speech, anyway. Not a referance to AoL. If LA WAS referancing AoL, it would of mentioned the Triforce of Courage.
I don't know why people think it occurs after AoL. It was even clear at the time of release that it was a sequel to ALttP. Remember, back then there had been only four games. They made one, they made a sequel, then they went and made a prequel and then they made a sequel for that. Just like they did with OoT and MM. There's no difference. Why would they make it a sequel to AoL anyway? That would just screw with the fans who had only just discovered the series.
There are plenty of in-game things that imply it's a sequel too, like the appearance of Agahnim and Ganon with his trident as Nightmares.
At time of release, there may be an intention for an order, but how many times have they re-arranged their own timelines.
Every new release, requires a re-think of how games should be ordered...
Vaati's killed in TMC. How can he become freed from the sword in FS? Also, Ganon is dead before OoA? Explain.
We don't know if he was killed, he just exploded, his spirit could remain, and as for Ganon, I suggest that the Evil that was destroyed by the Hero of Men was the original Ganon for that timeline, hence Zelda's remark about Ganon being an ancient evil reborn, and it is Vatti's use of the Trident of Darkness, that made Ganon's revival possible, where Twinrova Failed.
You haven't put the Four Swords backstory anywhere.
I was under the belief that Minish Cap, was Four Sword's Backstory, along with a possible Four Swords DS game
I don't think that FS and HA Link are the same at ALL. Oh, and strangely, the Nintendo-made game of the lot: FSA, has a lot more timeline-screwing rammifications.
I don't have much of a view on the different Links, just the events in the Games.
We know for a fact that LttP takes place before the NES games, it says so on the back of the box.
I believe there is some debate with that comparing the Japanese and English boxes, plus I believe the events refered to in the backstory takes place before the NES Games, but not neccessarily the events in the Game itself.