Goddess of Time

The Goddess of Time is an obscure deity in the Zelda series.

Biography
While the Goddess of Time is never physically seen, her presence is very apparent as the force behind Link's time-travel abilities. Her powers can be called upon by playing the mysterious "Song of Time" on the sacred, and she will answer the one holding the Ocarina of Time by sending them back through time.

She is first mentioned by Princess Zelda when Link leaves on his journey to locate Navi, following the end of. This encounter is recalled by Link when he reclaims the Ocarina of Time from the Skull Kid's possession atop the Clock Tower in South Clock Town on the night of the Final Day, the eve of the Carnival of Time. Zelda reassures him that the Goddess of Time is protecting him and that, if he plays the "Song of Time," she will come to his aid should he need her.

Unlike the Golden Goddesses, who do not seem to be revered in Termina at all, the Goddess of Time is mentioned by a few Terminans, who usually call out to her for her protective powers. When Tatl exclaims that they need more time, she calls out for the help of the Goddess of Time after Link remembers his encounter with Zelda. The man who takes shelter in the Oceanside Spider House also asks the Goddess of Time for her protection from the falling Moon.

Using the power of the Ocarina of Time, Link plays the "Song of Time" and is surprised to find himself speeding back through time, landing in front of the Clock Tower at the Dawn of the First Day. Link makes use of this power granted to him by the Goddess of Time countless times throughout his adventure to save Termina and eventually succeeds in his efforts of freeing the Four Giants, something he could not have accomplished without this power.

Oracle of Ages Manga
The Goddess of Time is briefly mentioned in the by the titular character,, as one who decides a person's unavoidable fate.

Theories
The Goddess of Time is variously thought to either be an epithet for one of the Golden Goddesses, Hylia, or an additional, independent deity. Whoever the Goddess is, it is clear that she is linked with the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, who is the one to introduce Link to the Temple of Time, the Ocarina of Time, the "Song of Time," and even the concept of a Goddess of Time. Using these instruments, Zelda is also able to manipulate time in order to send Link back to his youth, creating the Child Timeline in which Ganon was caught before entering the Sacred Realm. The Goddess is also associated with the Temple of Time both for its name, and for being the site of several gateways between past and present, its status as the gateway to the Sacred Realm, and being closely associated with Zelda, who aside from Link and Impa, is the only person to regularly appear within the temple at any point in the Zelda series.

, the Goddess of Wisdom who set down the laws of nature and whose oracle watches over the flow of time, is often thought to be the Goddess of Time. Attributing the Temple of Time to her would also provide a triad with the and Wind Temples of, easily associated with the earth-shaper, , and the wind-giver,. Furthermore, the original Temple of Time lay within the Lanayru Desert, named for Nayru.

However, Zelda is also the descendant of the Goddess, who reincarnated herself through time as the original Zelda, and who used the original Gate of Time to combat the Demon King, Demise, as well as temporarily enshrining herself within the Sealed Grounds, which later became the Temple of Time.

Another candidate is the Goddess of Courage,, who is associated with the the "Spirit of Courage and Time," Ciela. There is also the possibility that the Goddess of Time is not real at all, and is merely a folk belief; however, given the very real, physical presence of deities in the world of Hyrule, it is unlikely that the Hylians would believe in the existence of a god that left no physical traces.